Steam generation system for use in cooking appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10973359-B2
Application number	US-201816232485-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A steam generator system for a cooking appliance includes an in-line heating element coupled to a heating tube, wherein water from a water reservoir is gravitationally fed into the heating tube for heating by the in-line heating element to produce a hot water and steam mixture. A first supply line is coupled to the heating tube to carry the mixture to a separator without the need for moving or complex pump parts. The separator separates steam and hot water from the mixture of the two. A second supply line is coupled to the separator at a first end and opens into the cooking cavity of the cooking appliance at a second end. The second supply line is configured to supply steam separated at the separator to the cooking cavity via a steam outlet disposed in the cooking cavity.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steam generator system for a cooking appliance having a cooking cavity, the steam generator system comprising:
an upper portion;
a lower portion disposed below the upper portion;
a water reservoir configured to store water, wherein a water line of stored water in the water reservoir defines a boundary between the upper portion and lower portion;
a heating tube disposed in the lower portion and operably coupled to the water reservoir, wherein water from the water reservoir is gravitationally fed into the heating tube;
an in-line heating element disposed in the lower portion along the heating tube for heating water in the heating tube to produce a hot water and steam mixture;
a first supply line coupled to the in-line heating element in the lower portion at a first end of the first supply line and having a second end disposed in the upper portion, wherein the hot water and steam mixture is moved under pressure up the first supply line from the lower portion to the upper portion;
a separator disposed in the upper portion and operably coupled to the second end of the first supply line, wherein the separator is configured to separate a steam component and a hot water component from the steam and hot water mixture;
a second supply line coupled to the separator at a first end and opening into the cooking cavity at a second end, wherein the second end of the second supply line is disposed vertically above the first end of the second supply line, such that the steam component separated at the separator moves at least partially vertically along the second supply line to the cooking cavity; and
a return line coupled to the separator at a first end disposed within the upper portion and further coupled to the heating tube at a second end disposed within in the lower portion.

2. The steam generator system of claim 1 , including:
a first filter element disposed between the first and second ends of the first supply line.

3. The steam generator system of claim 2 , including:
a second filter element disposed between the first and second ends of the return line.

4. The steam generator system of claim 3 , wherein the first filter element is disposed in the upper portion of the system, and further wherein the second filter element is disposed in the lower portion of the system.

5. The steam generator system of claim 1 , including:
a lower check valve disposed between the water reservoir and the in-line heating element in the lower portion of the system.

6. The steam generator system of claim 5 , including:
an upper check valve disposed in the return line between the separator and the in-line heating element in the upper portion of the system.

7. The steam generator system of claim 1 , wherein the steam component is delivered to the cooking cavity via a steam outlet disposed in the cooking cavity.

8. The steam generator system of claim 1 , wherein the return line is configured to gravitationally deliver the hot water component separated by the separator to the heating tube at a location on the heating tube downstream from the in-line heating element.

9. A steam generator system for a cooking appliance having a cooking cavity, the steam generator system comprising:
a water reservoir at least partially disposed in both an upper and a lower portion of the steam generator system;
a first in-line heating element disposed in the lower portion of the steam generator system;
a heating tube interconnecting the water reservoir with the first in-line heating element, wherein the water from the water reservoir is gravitationally fed to the heating tube for heating by the first in-line heating element to produce a hot water and steam mixture;
a first supply line having first and second ends, the first supply line coupled to the heating tube at the first end thereof in the lower portion of the steam generator system;
a separator disposed in the upper portion of the steam generator system, wherein the second end of the first supply line is operably coupled to the separator in the upper portion of the steam generator system, wherein the hot water and steam mixture defines a first bubble pump to move the hot water and steam mixture from the lower portion of the steam generator system to the separator in the upper portion of the steam generator system along the first supply line;
a second supply line disposed in the upper portion of the steam generator system and coupled to the separator at a first end and further including a steam outlet opening into the cooking cavity at a second end, wherein the second supply line is configured to supply steam separated at the separator to the cooking cavity;
a return line disposed partially in both the upper and lower portions of the steam generator system, wherein the return line is operably coupled to the separator at a first end in the upper portion of the steam generator system, and further wherein the return line is operably coupled to the heating tube in the lower portion of the steam generator system at a second end thereof;
a second in-line heating element operably coupled to the return line between the first and second ends of the return line; and
a third supply line interconnecting the second in-line heating element with a descaling tank.

10. The steam generator system of claim 9 , including:
a lower check valve disposed between the water reservoir and the first in-line heating element in the lower portion of the steam generator system.

11. The steam generator system of claim 10 , including:
an upper check valve disposed along the return line between the separator and the second in-line heating element in the upper portion of the steam generator system.

12. The steam generator system of claim 9 , wherein the third supply line is disposed partially in both the upper and lower portions of the steam generator system, wherein the third supply line is operably coupled to the second in-line heating element at a first end in the lower portion of the steam generator system, and further wherein the third supply line is operably coupled to the descaling tank in the upper portion of the steam generator system at a second end thereof.

13. The steam generator system of claim 9 , including:
a first filter element disposed between the first and second ends of the first supply line.

14. The steam generator system of claim 13 , including:
a second filter element disposed between the first and second ends of the return line.

15. A method of generating and delivering steam to a cooking cavity of a cooking appliance, the method comprising the steps of:
gravitationally delivering water from a water reservoir to a heating tube disposed in a lower portion of a system;
energizing an in-line heating element thermally coupled to the heating tube;
heating the water in the heating tube via the in-line heating element to produce a pressurized hot water and steam mixture;
transporting the hot water and steam mixture along a first supply line to a first filter element disposed along the first supply line in an upper portion of the system, wherein the first supply line is partially disposed in both the upper and lower portions of the system;
filtering the hot water and steam mixture using the first filter element;
transporting the hot water and steam mixture to a separator disposed in the upper portion of the system through the first supply line;
separating the hot water and steam mixture into a hot water component and a steam component via the separator;
transporting the steam component to the cooking cavity of the cooking appliance via a second supply line dispose

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Donarski Robert S
• Crow Nicholas E
• Schneemann Jason

Classifications

• F24C15/327 Primary

  with air moisturising · CPC title

• F22B1/282

  with water or steam circulating in tubes or ducts · CPC title

• A47J2027/043

  for cooking food in steam · CPC title

• A47J27/04 Primary

  for cooking food in steam; Devices for extracting fruit juice by means of steam {; Vacuum cooking vessels (steam-heated vessels for hotels, restaurants or canteens A47J27/16)} · CPC title

• F22B37/26

  Steam-separating arrangements · CPC title