Steam cooking appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021190326-A1
Application number	US-202117193071-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 5, 2021
Priority date	May 26, 2016
Publication date	Jun 24, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber that defines an oven cavity and a reservoir for holding water that is accessible from within the oven cavity. The cooking appliance further includes a convection heating system, a reservoir heating system, and a control system. The convection heating system includes a convection heating element and a fan for guiding air across the convection heating element. The reservoir heating system includes at least one reservoir heating element. The control system is configured to control the convection heating system and the reservoir heating system to perform a steam cooking operation in response to a user steam-cooking input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cooking appliance comprising:
a cooking chamber that defines an oven cavity; a reservoir for holding water that is accessible from within the oven cavity; a convection heating system comprising an electric-resistance convection heating element and a fan for guiding air across the convection heating element; a reservoir heating system configured to heat the reservoir, the reservoir heating system comprising a gas burner located below the oven cavity; and a control system comprising a controller, the control system being configured to control the convection heating system and the reservoir heating system to perform a steam cooking operation in response to a user steam-cooking input, wherein during the steam cooking operation the control system is configured to regulate a temperature of air within the oven cavity by controlling both the convection heating system and the reservoir heating system.

2 . The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the steam cooking operation includes a pre-heating step in which the control system is configured to adjust the temperature of air within the oven cavity from a first temperature to a second temperature by controlling the reservoir heating system.

3 . The cooking appliance of claim 2 , wherein during the pre-heating step, the control system is configured to adjust the temperature of air within the oven cavity from the first temperature to the second temperature by controlling both the reservoir heating system and the convection heating system.

4 . The cooking appliance of claim 2 , wherein the steam cooking operation includes a temperature regulating step after the pre-heating step, wherein during the temperature regulating step the control system is configured to regulate the temperature of air within the oven cavity by controlling both the convection heating system and the reservoir heating system.

5 . The cooking appliance of claim 4 , wherein during the temperature regulating step the control system is configured to adjust the temperature of air within the oven cavity from the second temperature to a third temperature by controlling both the reservoir heating system and the convection heating system.

6 . The cooking appliance of claim 4 , wherein during the temperature regulating step the control system is configured to maintain the temperature of air within the oven cavity at the second temperature by controlling both the reservoir heating system and the convection heating system.

7 . The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to control the reservoir heating system to perform a baking operation in response to a user baking input,
wherein during the baking operation, the control system is configured to regulate the temperature of air within the oven cavity by controlling the reservoir heating system independently of the convection heating system such that the control system does not control the convection heating system to regulate the temperature of air.

8 . The cooking appliance of claim 1 , the control system being configured to control the convection heating system to perform a convection operation in response to a user convection-cooking input,
wherein during the convection operation the control system does not energize the reservoir heating system and is configured to regulate the temperature of the air within the oven cavity by controlling the convection heating system without controlling the reservoir heating system.

9 . The cooking appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a shroud that at least partially covers the reservoir, the shroud comprising a panel that defines an opening and a door for providing selective access to the reservoir through the opening, the door being pivotally coupled to the panel such that the door is pivotable between an open position and a closed position.

10 . The cooking appliance of claim 1 , said reservoir being disposed at and at least partially formed by a base of said cooking chamber.

11 . A method of operating a cooking appliance having an oven cavity, a reservoir accessible from within the oven cavity, a convection heating system, and a reservoir heating system, the convection heating system including an electric-resistance convection heating element and a fan for guiding air across the convection heating element, the reservoir heating system including a gas burner located below the oven cavity, the method comprising a step of performing a steam cooking operation that includes operating the convection heating system and the reservoir heating system to regulate a temperature of air within the oven cavity of the cooking appliance during the steam cooking operation.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the steam cooking operation includes a pre-heating step during which the temperature of air within the oven cavity is adjusted from a first temperature to a second temperature using the reservoir heating system.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein during the pre-heating step, the temperature of air within the oven cavity is adjusted from the first temperature to the second temperature using both the reservoir heating system and the convection heating system.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising a temperature regulating step after the pre-heating step, wherein during the temperature regulating step the temperature of air within the oven cavity is regulated using both the convection heating system and the reservoir heating system.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein during the temperature regulating step the temperature of air within the oven cavity is adjusted from the second temperature to a third temperature using both the reservoir heating system and the convection heating system.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein during the temperature regulating step the temperature of air within the oven cavity is maintained at the second temperature using both the reservoir heating system and the convection heating system.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of performing a baking operation,
the baking operation comprising the step of regulating the temperature of air within the oven cavity by operating the reservoir heating system independently of the convection heating system such that the convection heating system is not operated to regulate the temperature of the air.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of performing a convection operation,
the convection operation comprising the step of regulating the temperature of air within the oven cavity by operating the convection heating system without operating the reservoir heating system, wherein the reservoir heating system is not energized during the convection operation.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the cooking appliance further comprises a shroud that at least partially covers the reservoir, the shroud comprising a panel that defines an opening and a door for providing selective access to the reservoir through the opening, the door being pivotally coupled to the panel such that the door is pivotable between an open position and a closed position.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said reservoir is disposed at and at least partially formed by a base of said cooking chamber.

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Swayne Steven
• Mcginnis Brendan
• Turner Timothy
• Ainapure Ashish
• May Cathy L
• Worley Andrew

Classifications

• F24C15/327 Primary

  with air moisturising · CPC title