Browning control for an oven

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11659840-B2
Application number	US-202016800789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2020
Priority date	Oct 17, 2011
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

An oven may include a cooking chamber, a user interface, a first energy source, a second energy source and a cooking controller. The cooking chamber may be configured to receive a food product. The user interface may be configured to display information associated with processes employed for cooking the food product. The first energy source may provide primary heating of the food product placed in the cooking chamber. The second energy source may provide browning for the food product. The cooking controller may be operably coupled to the first and second energy sources. The cooking controller may include processing circuitry configured to enable an operator to make a browning control selection via the user interface by providing operator instructions to a selected control console rendered at the user interface. The selected control console may be selected based on a cooking mode of the oven. The browning control selection may provide control parameters to direct application of heat to the food product via the second energy source.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A cooking controller for use in an oven, the oven including a first energy source providing primary heating of a food product placed in the oven and a second energy source providing browning for the food product, the cooking controller operably coupled to the first and second energy sources and comprising processing circuitry configured to enable an operator to make a browning control selection via a user interface of the oven by providing operator instructions to a control console rendered at the user interface,
wherein the browning control selection provides control parameters, which adjust application of heat via either or both of the first and second energy sources, to direct the application of heat to the food product via the second energy source,
wherein the control console is one of a plurality of different control console screens presented to the operator via the user interface that is selected based on a cooking mode of the oven, and
wherein the cooking mode is one of a first mode in which the operator is enabled to select multiple ones of the control parameters including air temperature, air speed and time, and a second mode in which the operator is enabled to select a browning level and the air temperature, air speed and time are automatically determined based on the browning level selected.

2. The cooking controller of claim 1 , wherein the second mode further enables the operator to select an adjustment to at least one of the control parameters and at least another one of the control parameters is automatically adjusted to provide the browning level selected based on the adjustment.

3. The cooking controller of claim 2 , wherein information associated with the cooking mode is displayed on one portion of the control console and information associated with enabling selection of the control parameters is displayed on another portion of the control console.

4. The cooking controller of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the control parameters based at least in part on initial condition information entered by the operator, the initial condition information including a food type, initial food product state, desired final food product state, number of portions, size of portions, or location.

5. The cooking controller of claim 1 , wherein the cooking mode is a mode in which the operator is enabled to select one or more of air temperature, air speed and time for application of the corresponding air temperature and speed using selectors that correspond to each respective one of a defined air temperature range, a defined air speed range, and a time scale.

6. The cooking controller of claim 1 , wherein the control parameters include one or more of air temperature, air speed and time for applying heated air to the food product, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine an adjustment for at least one of the control parameters, in response to adjustment of another one of the control parameters, when still another of the control parameters is maintained constant.

7. The cooking controller of claim 1 , wherein the control parameters include one or more of a browning level, air temperature, air speed and time for applying heated air to the food product, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine an adjustment for at least one of the air temperature, the air speed and the time, in response to adjustment of another one of the air temperature, the air speed and the time, when the browning level is maintained constant.

8. The cooking controller of claim 1 , wherein the control parameters include a browning level and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to access data tables to determine a corresponding air speed, air temperature and browning time for the selected browning level based on initial conditions entered by the operator.

9. The cooking controller of claim 1 , wherein the control console enables the operator to define when to apply energy via the second energy source relative to application of energy via the first energy source.

10. The cooking controller of claim 1 , wherein the browning control selection is entered via a touch screen display.

11. An oven comprising:
a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product;
a user interface configured to display information associated with processes employed for cooking the food product;
a first energy source providing primary heating of the food product placed in the cooking chamber;
a second energy source providing browning for the food product; and
a cooking controller operably coupled to the first and second energy sources, the cooking controller including processing circuitry configured to enable an operator to make a browning control selection via the user interface by providing operator instructions to a control console rendered at the user interface,
wherein the control console is one of a plurality of different control console screens presented to the operator via the user interface that is selected based on a cooking mode of the oven,
wherein the browning control selection provides control parameters, which adjust application of heat via either or both of the first and second energy sources, to direct the application of heat to the food product via the second energy source, and
wherein the cooking mode is one of a first mode in which the operator is enabled to select multiple ones of the control parameters including air temperature, air speed and time, and a second mode in which the operator is enabled to select a browning level and the air temperature, air speed and time are automatically determined based on the browning level selected.

12. The oven of claim 11 , wherein the second mode further enables the operator to select an adjustment to at least one of the control parameters and at least another one of the control parameters is automatically adjusted to provide the browning level selected based on the adjustment.

13. The oven of claim 11 , wherein information associated with the cooking mode is displayed on one portion of the control console and information associated with enabling selection of the control parameters is displayed on another portion of the control console.

14. The oven of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the control parameters based at least in part on initial condition information entered by the operator, the initial condition information including a food type, initial food product state, desired final food product state, number of portions, size of portions, or location.

15. The oven of claim 11 , wherein the cooking mode is a mode in which the operator is enabled to select one or more of air temperature, air speed and time for application of the corresponding air temperature and speed using selectors that correspond to each respective one of a defined air temperature range, a defined air speed range, and a time scale.

16. The oven of claim 11 , wherein the control parameters include one or more of air temperature, air speed and time for applying heated air to the food product, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine an adjustment for at least one of the control parameters, in response to adjustment of another one of the control parameters, when still another of the control parameters is maintained constant.

17. The oven of claim 11 , wherein the control parameters include one or more of a browning level, air temperature, air speed and time for applying heated air to the food product, and wherein the processing circuitry is conf

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Murphy Joshua B
• Debord Jeffrey T
• Soller Eric A
• Cartwright Richard W

Classifications

• H05B2206/044

  Microwave heating devices provided with two or more magnetrons or microwave sources of other kind · CPC title

• F24C7/085 Primary

  on baking ovens · CPC title

• A21B2/00

  Baking apparatus employing high-frequency or infrared heating · CPC title

• A21B1/40 Primary

  characterised by the means for regulating the temperature · CPC title

• A21B1/26

  by hot air · CPC title