Programmable combination oven

Abstract

An oven includes one or more upper heating elements, a lower heating system, and a convection system. Electrical power is provided from a source via a controller to provide heat within a housing containing a support member for cooking a food item.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 764,709, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 652,115, filed Aug. 29, 2000 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 281,041, filed Mar. 30, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,663.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to an operator programmable oven with a menu selection feature for cooking food. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART [0003] Conventional electric ovens usually are designed to cook food by heating the oven to a set temperature and using a timer to notify the operator when the time is completed. The temperature and cooking time have to be set each time a food product is to be cooked. Ovens of this type are slow and use a lot of energy and are inefficient particularly if a small food product is to be cooked. One type of electrical oven for cooking pizza is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,668. Brief Description of the Oven of ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] In accordance with the invention, a second broiler temperature setting is provided which is higher than the set point temperature. The second broiler temperature setting may be i.e. 585° F. When any of the upper heating elements is actuated and the temperature in the oven rises above: the higher temperature setting, the upper heating elements will be disabled or the power thereto reduced until the temperature in the oven falls below the upper temperature setting. This prevents the oven from getting too hot and burning the food.

Problems solved by technology

Ovens of this type are slow and use a lot of energy and are inefficient particularly if a small food product is to be cooked.

The controller uses this output to control the lower heating element to maintain a set point temperature in the oven of i.e. 550° F. It has been found, however, that actuation of the upper left or right broilers or both of them may result in the oven temperature continuing to rise if food items are cooked one after another with each uncooked item inserted into oven immediately after the cooked one is removed.

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