Self-cleaning oven

Abstract

A self-cleaning, gas-fired tunnel oven is provided. One embodiment of the oven provides a self-cleaning, gas-fired tunnel oven for cooking food products. The oven includes a control system that regulates oven temperature during a pyrolitic, self-cleaning procedure for incinerating contaminants that accumulate inside; a burner for cooking food products and incinerating contaminants; a modulating air and fuel control system arranged for proportionally delivering air and fuel to the burner; a plurality of convection air fingers for directing heated air toward the food products; a collapsible conveyor, capable of fitting into the oven when collapsed, for passing the food products through the oven; a plurality of blowers, each having a dedicated speed controller; a floating cooking chamber; and a vent system that maintains a negative pressure in the oven during the self-cleaning procedure

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present patent application claims the benefit of prior filed U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 449,545, filed on Feb. 21, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a gas-fired tunnel oven, and particularly a gas-fired conveyor oven. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] Commercial, gas-fired tunnel ovens equipped with conveyors produce, among other things, pizzas, cookies, bread, cakes and donuts. Each oven routinely processes a large volume of food products and, as a result, becomes rather dirty. Bits of the food products themselves, burned food products, and soot from the burners are typical sources of contamination that accumulate during use. [0004] Gas-fired tunnel ovens traditionally have been cleaned manually with detergent and acid solutions. The oven must be taken apart for cleaning by these methods. In addition to the oven walls...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a self-cleaning, gas-fired tunnel oven that can be used with a conveyor for food products. The oven uses pyrolysis to clean by raising the internal temperature to remove contamination. The control system regulates the oven temperature and duration of the cleaning operation, and the convection blowers are subject to individual speed control to optimize fuel consumption and food quality. The oven includes a floating cooking chamber that can withstand the cleaning temperatures and repeated cleaning cycles without warping or cracking. The vacuum exhaust system prevents combustion products from escaping to the kitchen, and the active cooling system cools the exterior surfaces of the oven. The oven also includes self-cleaning fingers for a jet-impingement convection system that also clean the conveyor.

Problems solved by technology

Each oven routinely processes a large volume of food products and, as a result, becomes rather dirty.

Bits of the food products themselves, burned food products, and soot from the burners are typical sources of contamination that accumulate during use.

Cleaning by the traditional methods is tedious and expensive.

Commercial bakers do not normally have access to this much electrical current, and the cost of installing high current electrical service is a significant financial barrier for most bakers.

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