초록 ▼

An oven for preparing food comprising an enclosure having a conveyor received therethrough for conveying food to be prepared through the enclosure. Positioned within the enclosure and about the conveyor portion therein are duct devices for impinging heated air against the food product, a plenum adap

An oven for preparing food comprising an enclosure having a conveyor received therethrough for conveying food to be prepared through the enclosure. Positioned within the enclosure and about the conveyor portion therein are duct devices for impinging heated air against the food product, a plenum adapted to the duct devices for supplying heated air to the duct devices, and an impeller assembly for recirculating the air within the enclosure for reheating and subsequent passage to the plenum and duct devices. A heating source is provided within a heating chamber on the opposite side of the plenum from the duct devices, and control components are provided for regulating the temperature of the heat source. The impeller assembly and the plenum are unique in that air drawn from the heating chamber by the impeller assembly is axially and radially urged into the plenum for substantially uniform distribution to the duct devices communicating with the plenum. The impeller assembly and the plenum also uniquely provide for the air flow to be reversed in a very short distance. Furthermore, the structure of the impeller assembly and plenum provide at various points tapering walls, which permit air to flow thereover in a non-turbulent manner, thereby eliminating dead spots or stagnant air pockets. Further novelty of the present invention exists in the conveyor assembly wherein an adjusting mechanism is provided at one end of the conveyor frame for adjusting the slack or tension of a continuously moving wire-link belt.

대표청구항 ▼

An impingement food preparation apparatus comprising: an enclosure defining a chamber for receiving a food product therein, means for supporting a food product within the chamber, a plurality of duct means mounted within said chamber and spaced apart from said means for supporting a food product and

An impingement food preparation apparatus comprising: an enclosure defining a chamber for receiving a food product therein, means for supporting a food product within the chamber, a plurality of duct means mounted within said chamber and spaced apart from said means for supporting a food product and including a plurality of nozzles therein spaced and positioned to form a plurality of streams of air for impingement on the food product on said means for supporting, a plenum disposed within said enclosure and connected to said duct means to provide air to said duct means, said plenum having a front portion with a plurality of openings therein connected to said duct means and having a rear wall with a rear opening therein, a cylindrical collar connected to the rear wall of said plenum and positioned around said rear opening, said collar having a front edge which terminates substantially flush with said rear wall, said collar extending rearwardly beyond said plenum, impeller means positioned within said collar for drawing air from said chamber into said plenum through said collar, said impeller having a domed hub member and a plurality of blades that are oriented at a given angle of pitch, said blades being connected to said domed hub member, said collar having a length which is from about 50% to 100% of the pitch length of the blades in the axial direction, and at least one-half of the pitch length of the blades in the axial direction is disposed within said collar, a shroud having a surface that tapers radially outwardly in a direction away from said impeller, and which is in close proximity to and at least partially rearwardly of said collar for directing air into said collar, and means in said enclosure for one of heating and cooling the air before it is drawn into said plenum through said rear opening.