Oven appliance having a convection assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oven appliances face challenges in quickly transitioning between baking and broiling due to pre-heating and cooling times of heating elements, and they occupy significant space within the cooking chamber, limiting the usable volume.
Innovation Solution
The oven appliance features a convection duct with a heating element outside the cooking chamber, using air handlers to direct heated gas through upper and lower passages defined within the duct, allowing for rapid temperature adjustments and minimizing the space occupied by heating elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If heating elements are positioned inside the cooking chamber to provide direct heating, then heating effectiveness is improved, but the usable cooking chamber volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is extracted from the cooking chamber and positioned in the convection duct instead. This allows the heating element to heat air that is then circulated into the cooking chamber, providing effective heating while preserving the entire cooking chamber volume for food placement.
2Power
If heating elements are positioned inside the cooking chamber to provide direct heating, then heating effectiveness is improved, but transition time between baking and broiling is increased
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the heating element from the cooking chamber and placing it in the convection duct, the system can rapidly switch between heating modes by simply changing the direction of air flow through the duct, eliminating the time required for heating elements to cool down or reposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The convection assembly uses a movable damper or air handler that can dynamically redirect heated air between upper and lower passages, enabling rapid transition between baking and broiling operations without mechanical adjustment of the heating element itself.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heating elements are positioned within the cooking chamber to provide both baking and broiling, then cooking versatility is improved, but device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
A single heating element positioned in the convection duct serves both baking and broiling functions by heating air that is then directed to different locations (upper or lower cooking chamber) via the convection assembly, eliminating the need for separate heating elements for each cooking mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The convection assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism that redirects heated air from a single source to different target locations, enabling one heating element to perform multiple cooking functions that would traditionally require multiple heating elements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick transitions between baking and broiling operations without pre-heating or cooling delays and reduces the space taken by heating elements, thus increasing the usable cooking chamber volume.
Implementation Method 1
The heating element may be disposed outside of the cooking chamber within the convection duct to alternately supply the heated gas to the upper passage and the lower passage
Implementation Method 2
The air handler may be disposed within the convection duct to motivate the heated gas therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
An oven appliance is provided herein. The oven appliance may include a cabinet, a convection duct, a heating element, and an air handler. The cabinet may define a cooking chamber to receive items to be cooked. The cabinet may include a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and opposing sidewalls. The top wall and the bottom wall being spaced apart along a vertical direction. The opposing sidewalls may be spaced apart along a lateral direction. The convection duct may extend about a portion of the cooking chamber to direct a heated gas. The convection duct may define an upper passage above the top wall and a lower passage below the bottom wall. The heating element may be disposed within the convection duct to supply the heated gas thereto. The air handler may be disposed in fluid communication with the convection duct to motivate the heated gas therethrough.