Water drip collector for steam generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11940157-B2
Application number	US-202016814272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 10, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A water injection system injects water drops for conversion into steam into an oven in a more controllable manner than existing systems, and more evenly distributes the steam within the oven. The water drops are isolated in a defined area with a drip plate where scale may accumulate. The drip plate may be easily cleaned of scale or may be easily replaceable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oven comprising:
a fan;
a heating element disposed about a perimeter of the fan such that the fan circulates air through the heating element;
a water injector; and
a chevron shaped drip plate configured to retain water drops from the water injector on the drip plate,
wherein:
the drip plate is disposed between the water injector and the heating element, proximal to the heating element, to receive water drops due to gravity from the water injector and directly above contacts of the heating element to shield the contacts from direct exposure to water, and retain the water drops on the drip plate along an axis parallel to an axis of rotation of the fan and pointing away from the fan such that gravity acting on water drops from the water injector draws the water drops away from the fan and toward the heating element; and
the drip plate is disposed between the water injector and the heating element, proximal to the heating element, to receive water drops due to gravity from the water injector, and retain the water drops on the drip plate while the heating element heats the drip plate to at least the boiling point of water to generate steam without a separate steam generating heating element.

2. The oven of claim 1 , further comprising a baffle plate.

3. The oven of claim 2 , wherein the drip plate is removably disposed on an internal surface of the baffle plate.

4. The oven of claim 2 , wherein the baffle plate comprises baffle structures configured to direct steam flow from the drip plate.

5. The oven of claim 2 , wherein the baffle plate defines a drip plate opening configured to allow the drip plate to be inserted and removed for cleaning without removing the baffle plate.

6. The oven of claim 2 , wherein the baffle plate defines peripheral openings configured to distribute steam uniformly within the oven.

7. The oven of claim 1 , wherein the drip plate is disposed in contact with the heating element.

8. A water injection system comprising:
a fan;
a heating element disposed about a perimeter of the fan such that the fan circulates air through the heating element;
a water injector; and
a chevron shaped drip plate configured to retain water drops from the water injector on the drip plate,
wherein:
the drip plate is disposed between the water injector and the heating element, proximal to the heating element, to receive water drops due to gravity from the water injector and directly above contacts of the heating element to shield the contacts from direct exposure to water, and retain the water drops on the drip plate along an axis parallel to an axis of rotation of the fan and pointing away from the fan such that gravity acting on water drops from the water injector draws the water drops away from the fan and toward the heating element; and
the drip plate is disposed between the water injector and the heating element, proximal to the heating element, to receive water drops due to gravity from the water injector, and retain the water drops on the drip plate while the heating element heats the drip plate to at least the boiling point of water to generate steam without a separate steam generating heating element.

9. The water injection system of claim 8 , further comprising a baffle plate.

10. The water injection system of claim 9 , wherein the drip plate is removably disposed on an internal surface of the baffle plate.

11. The water injection system of claim 9 , wherein the baffle plate comprises baffle structures configured to direct steam flow from the drip plate.

12. The water injection system of claim 9 , wherein the baffle plate defines a drip plate opening configured to allow the drip plate to be inserted and removed for cleaning without removing the baffle plate.

13. The water injection system of claim 8 , wherein the drip plate is disposed in contact with the heating element.

14. The water injection system of claim 8 , wherein the drip plate defines an angled baffle contact surface configured to tilt the drip plate and bias water drops from the water injector toward a baffle plate.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Fabriek Inventum Bv

Inventors

• Hoogland Frank

Classifications

• F24C15/327 Primary

  with air moisturising · CPC title

• A47J27/04

  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

• B64D11/04

  Galleys · CPC title

• A47J2027/043

  for cooking food in steam · CPC title

• F22B1/287 Primary

  with water in sprays or in films · CPC title