WO2010030749A1

WO2010030749A1 - Industrial oven for combined cooking

Info

Publication number: WO2010030749A1
Application number: PCT/US2009/056468
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianluca Spaggiari; Pierluigi Poggi
Original assignee: Premark Feg L.L.C.
Priority date: 2008-09-12
Filing date: 2009-09-10
Publication date: 2010-03-18
Also published as: ITBO20080556A1

Abstract

The industrial oven (1) for combined cooking comprises a casing (2) provided with a cooking cavity, a manually actuated door (4) for opening/closing the cooking cavity, an electronic device (11) for controlling and managing a plurality of cooking programs and a device (15) for activating/deactivating the electronic control device (11). The main feature of the present invention is that the oven (1) comprises a blocking device (29) of the activation/deactivation device (15) when microwave type cooking functions are activated.

Description

INDUSTRIAL OVEN FOR COMBINED COOKING

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an industrial oven for combined cooking, i.e. provided with a plurality of cooking systems, such as microwave, electric resistor, hot air flow systems, etc.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known that one of the main problems found in combined ovens consists in their low safety level. In particular, while cooking food, the operator may open the closing door of the oven, with all the problems deriving therefrom, such as the diffusion of microwaves outside the oven, which, as known, are highly dangerous for the human body. Furthermore, opening the door during the cooking program may compromise the food cooking.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide an industrial oven for combined cooking which is free from the above-mentioned drawbacks, i.e. which is provided with a safety system which prevents the door from being opened when the oven itself is operating.

According to the present invention, an oven of enhanced type is provided in accordance with the features claimed in claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of an oven made according to the dictates of the present invention; figures 2 and 3 are perspective view on enlarged scale of a blocking system of the door of the oven in figure 1 in two different positions; and figures from 4 to 6 are partial section views in different positions of a member of the blocking system in figure 2.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figure 1, numeral 1 indicates as a whole an industrial oven for combined cooking, therefore known to be provided (not shown) with a plurality of food cooking systems, such as microwave, electric resistor, hot air flow systems, etc. Oven 1 comprises a box-like casing 2 supported by a fixed supporting structure 3 (partially shown) and provided with a manually actuated door 4 through which the cooking cavity obtained within the casing 2 may be accessed. The access to the aforesaid cooking cavity and hinging means of the door 4, which allow it to go from a closing position of the cavity to an opening position thereof, are obtained in a frontal panel 5 of the casing 2. Furthermore, a zone where a display 7 and a plurality of buttons 8 for programming the various functions of the oven 1 (one button 8a of which relates to the activation of the microwave cooking system) is obtained in panel 5. Display 7 and buttons 8 and 8a are connected to an electronic control unit 11 (only diagrammatically shown in figure 1 because it is known) which manages the operation of oven 1. In essence, the control unit 11 is able to control and manage all the selected and programmed cooking programs by means of the buttons 8 and 8a. The door 4 comprises a frame 12 along a vertical length of which (opposite to the means 6) a manually actuated handle 13 is installed for closing and opening the door 4 itself.

With reference to figures 1, 2 and 3, the oven 1 is provided with a device 15 for activating and deactivating the functions of the control unit 11. The device 15 comprises a box-like body 16 carried by the structure 3 and having a slit 18 on a wall 17. Furthermore, device 15 comprises an L-shaped plate 21 a vertical portion 22a of which is fixed by means of screws 23 to a lower length of the frame 12. The plate 21 comprises a horizontal portion 22b which supports a foil 24 at its end, which foil is adapted to be introduced through the slit 18 into a compartment 25 obtained within the body 16, when closing door 4. The foil 24 has two through slots 26.

With reference to figures from 4 to 6, the device 15 finally comprises a switch 27 (only diagrammatically shown in the figures because it is of known type) installed inside the compartment 25. The switch 27 is normally open and the closing thereof (figures 5 and 6) is actuated by the contact of its movable member with the free end of the foil 24. The switch 27 is connected to the control unit 11 and is adapted to enable, naturally by means of the control unit 11 itself, the operation of the oven 1, so that the oven 1 may only be operated when the door 4 is closed and therefore the switch 27 is in the closing position.

Finally, oven 1 is provided with a blocking device 29 of the device 15 when the microwave-type cooking functions are activated. Indeed, the device 29 comprises a pin 28 movable between a retracted position (figures 4 and 5) within the body 16 and an extracted position (figure 6) in which it extends over nearly its whole length within the compartment 25, and actuator means, e.g. consisting of an electric motor 31, adapted to control the translation of the pin 28 from the aforesaid retracted position to the aforesaid extracted position when the switch 27 is closed; the motor 31 being managed by the control unit 11. Going from the retracted position to the extracted position, the pin 28 crosses a slot 26 of the foil 24 thus mechanically preventing the extraction of foil 24 from the compartment 25, and thus preventing the door 4 from opening while the oven 1 is operating. Only once the cooking has been ended, the control unit 11 controls the translation of the pin 28 from the extracted position to the retracted position, again by means of the motor 31, so as to release the foil 24 from such a pin 28 thus allowing the door 4 to be opened.

In essence, the switch assembly 27 is merely a member which activates/deactivates the control unit 11.

The advantages achieved by the embodiment of the present invention are apparent from the above description.

In particular, there is provided an oven in which the door closing the cooking cavity may not be opened during the normal operation of the oven. As apparent, preventing the door from opening ensures that the current safety regulations are respected and the safety level of the oven is even increased. Indeed, opening the door during the operation not only hinders the correct cooking of food, but especially causes the microwaves to be released, possibly towards the personnel thus causing a series of health problems, instead of keeping the microwaves shielded and thus inside the cooking cavity.

It is finally apparent that changes and variations may be made to the oven 1 described and shown herein without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1) An industrial oven for combined cooking, including: a casing (2) provided with a cooking cavity; a manually actuated door (4) for opening/closing said cooking cavity; electronic control and management means (11) of a plurality of cooking programs; activation/deactivation means (15) of said electronic control means (11); characterized in that it comprises a blocking device (29) of said activation/deactivation means (15) when cooking functions are activated, said activation/deactivation means (15) including: a box-like body (16) carried by a fixed structure (3) and having an internal compartment (25); a bracket (21) carried by said door (4) and having a portion (24) adapted to engage said compartment (25) when the door (4) is closed; a switch (27) installed inside said compartment (25) and actuated by said portion (24), when the door (4) is closed, to activate said electronic control means (11) and, when the door (4) is open, to deactivate said electronic control means (11); and, in combination: said blocking device (29) including a pin (28) movable between a retracted position inside the body (16) and an extracted position in which it extends inside said compartment (25); said pin (28), in the extracted position thereof, being inside a slot (26) obtained in said portion (24).

2) An industrial oven according to claim 1 , characterized in that it includes a button (8a) for activating the microwave cooking system; said blocking device (29) being adapted to block said activation/deactivation means (15) when the microwave cooking functions are activated.

3) An industrial oven according to claim 1 and/or 2, characterized in that said blocking device (29) further includes actuator means (31) adapted to control the translation of said pin (28) from the aforesaid retracted position to the aforesaid extracted position when said switch (27) is closed.