Broiler shield for a residential oven and residential oven incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903596-B2
Application number	US-201113193891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2011
Priority date	Jul 29, 2011
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A broiler reflector is provided between an upper wall of a cooking cavity of a residential oven and a broiler heating element. The broiler reflector helps to direct radiant heat energy emitted upward from the broiler heating element downward towards food items located beneath the broiler heating element. The shape of the broiler reflector helps to ensure that a sufficient amount of the radiant energy is directed to the front and rear portions of an underlying rack to ensure even cooking and even browning. The broiler reflector can include a front reflecting portion and a rear reflecting portion, each of which include first and second reflectors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A broiler shield for a residential oven, the broiler shield being configured to be mounted between an upper wall of a heating cavity of the residential oven and a broiler heating element located at the top of the heating cavity, and which when so mounted in an oven, comprises:
a substantially flat central portion;
a front reflecting portion that extends downward from a front edge of the central portion, the front reflecting portion including:
a first section that extends downward from the front edge of the central portion, and
a second section that extends upward and forward from the first section;

a rear reflecting portion that extends downward from a rear edge of the central portion, the rear reflecting portion including:
a first section that extends downward from the rear edge of the central portion, and
a second section that extends upward and rearward from the first section.

2. The broiler shield of claim 1 , wherein the first section of the first reflecting portion and the first section of the second reflecting portion extend downward from the central portion at approximately a right angle to the central portion.

3. The broiler shield of claim 1 , wherein the first section of the first reflecting portion extends forward and downward from the front edge of the central portion, and wherein the first section of the second reflecting portion extends downward and rearward from the rear edge of the central portion.

4. The broiler shield of claim 3 , wherein an acute angle formed between a plane of the central portion and a plane of the first section of the front reflecting portion is approximately equal to an acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and a plane of the first section of the rear reflecting portion.

5. The broiler shield of claim 4 , wherein the acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and planes of the first sections of the front and rear reflecting portions is approximately 30°.

6. The broiler shield of claim 4 , wherein an acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and a plane of the second section of the front reflecting portion is approximately equal to an acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and the plane of the second section of the rear reflecting portion.

7. The broiler shield of claim 6 , wherein an acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and the planes of the second sections of the front and rear reflecting portions is approximately 15°.

8. The broiler shield of claim 6 , wherein the acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and planes of the first sections of the front and rear reflecting portions is approximately twice as large as the acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and the planes of the second sections of the first and second reflecting portions.

9. The broiler shield of claim 8 , wherein the acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and planes of the first sections of the front and rear reflecting portions is approximately 30°, and wherein the acute angle formed between the plane of the central portion and the planes of the second sections of the first and second reflecting portions is approximately 15°.

10. The broiler shield of claim 1 , further comprising a front extension that extends forward from a front edge of the front reflecting portion, the front extension comprising:
a planar portion that extends forward from a front edge of the front reflecting portion; and
a front reflector that extends downward and forward from a front edge of the planar portion.

11. The broiler shield of claim 10 , wherein an acute angle formed between a plane of the central portion and a plane of the front reflector is approximately 60°.

12. The broiler shield of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of apertures formed in the broiler shield, wherein the apertures allow mounting elements connected to a broiler heating element located under the broiler shield to pass through the apertures so that they can be attached to an upper wall of a residential oven located above the broiler shield.

13. The broiler shield of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of mounting elements that extend upward from the broiler shield and that are configured to couple the broiler shield to an upper wall of a cooking cavity of a residential oven.

14. The broiler shield of claim 13 , wherein the mounting elements comprise portions of the broiler shield that have been cut and bent upward relative to the central portion.

15. A residential oven, comprising
a heating cavity having an upper wall;
a broiler shield mounted to the upper wall, the broiler shield comprising:
a substantially flat central portion;
a front reflecting portion that extends downward from a front edge of the central portion, the front reflecting portion including:
a first section that extends downward from the front edge of the central portion, and
a second section that extends upward and forward from the first section;

a rear reflecting portion that extends downward from a rear edge of the central portion, the rear reflecting portion including:
a first section that extends downward from the rear edge of the central portion, and
a second section that extends upward and rearward from the first section; and

a broiler heating element mounted under the broiler shield.

16. The residential oven of claim 15 , wherein the front and rear reflecting portions of the broiler shield reflect radiant heat that projects upward from front and rear portions of the broiler heating element downward and towards front and rear portions, respectively, of an underlying oven rack.

17. The residential oven of claim 16 , wherein the broiler shield further comprises a front extension that extends forward from a front edge of the front reflecting portion, the front extension comprising:
a planar portion that extends forward from a front edge of the front reflecting portion; and
a front reflector that extends downward and forward from a front edge of the planar portion, wherein the front reflector reflects radiant heat that projects upward and forward from front portions of the broiler heating element downward towards the front portion of an underlying oven rack.

18. The residential oven of claim 16 , wherein the front reflecting portion and rear reflecting portion of the broiler shield are located closer to a center of the oven than front and rear portions of the broiler heating element that join straight portions of the heating element.

Assignees

• Barber Judith
• May George
• Penuel Michael
• Sherbert Kevin W
• Bsh Home Appliances Corp

Inventors

• Barber Judith
• May George
• Penuel Michael
• Sherbert Kevin W

Classifications

• F24C15/22 Primary

  Reflectors for radiation heaters · CPC title

• F24C7/06

  Arrangement or mounting of electric heating elements · CPC title