Patent Grant
9903596
Many residential ovens which include electric heating elements include a broiler heating element mounted in an upper portion of a cooking cavity of the oven. The broiler heating element is activated to broil food items which are placed on an oven rack located directly underneath the broiler heating element.
A side view of the interior of such a residential oven is illustrated in
The plurality of rack mounts 103 are provided on opposite sidewalls of the oven. This allows one or more racks 109 to be mounted in the interior of the oven 100 at different heights.
A lower heating element 111 is provided in a lower portion of the cooking cavity of the oven 100. In addition, a broiler heating element 110 is located in an upper portion of the cooking cavity. The broiler heating element 110 can be used in conjunction with the lower heating element 111 during a normal baking operation. Alternatively, the lower heating element 111 alone might be used during a baking operation.
During a broiling operation, the lower heating element 111 is typically turned off, and the broiler heating element 110 alone is activated. The broiler heating element 110 emits heat and radiant energy which is projected downward onto the food items located on the rack 109 located directly underneath the broiler heating element 110.
A broiler heating element 110 is typically constructed of a relatively thick resistive wire which has a circular cross sectional shape. When electricity passes through the broiler heating element 110, the electricity causes the wire to emit heat and radiant energy. The radiant energy is emitted in all directions around the circular circumference of the wire. When a broiling operation is being conducted, the radiant energy emitted from the broiler heating element browns food items on an underlying rack.
While the radiant heat which is emitted downward from the broiler heating element impinges directly on food elements located beneath the broiler heating element, radiant heat which is emitted sideways or upward does not tend to reach the food items located underneath the broiler heating element.
In addition, because of the way broiler heating elements are shaped, more heat and radiant energy tends to impinge upon the center portions of an underlying rack than the front and rear portions of the underlying rack. This can result in uneven cooking and uneven browning of food items located on an underlying rack.
One aspect of the invention is embodied in a broiler shield which is mounted above a broiler heating element of a residential oven, and which helps to reflect radiant energy emitted upward from the broiler heating element downward towards food items placed on an underlying rack.
Some embodiments of the broiler shield have angled reflectors that are positioned relative to front and rear portions of the broiler heating element so that radiant energy is effectively distributed to the front and rear portions of an underlying rack to promote more even cooking and browning of food items on the underlying rack.
Some embodiments of the broiler shield include a front extension that extends forward and downward from a front edge of the broiler shield, the front extension reflecting radiant energy emitted sideways from the front of a broiler heating element downwards toward the front portion of an underlying rack.
As also illustrated in
As also illustrated in
In some embodiments, the acute angle A is approximately 15°, and the acute angle B is approximately 30°.
The broiler shield also includes a front extension which extends forward from a front edge of the second reflector 214 of the front reflecting portion 210. The front extension includes a planar portion 230 and a front reflector 232. The plane of the planar portion 230 is approximately parallel to a plane of the central portion 202.
An acute angle C is formed between the plane of the planar portion 230 and a plane of the front reflector 232. In some embodiments, the acute angle C is approximately 60°.
The broiler shield further includes a rear extension 240 which extends rearward from the second reflector 224 of the rear reflecting portion 220. The plane of the rear extension 240 is approximately parallel to the plane of the central portion 202.
In addition, mounting elements 250 are provided towards the rear of the broiler reflector. The mounting elements 250 comprise portions of the plate of material forming the broiler reflector which have been cut and bent upward. As illustrated in
The embodiment illustrated in
The embodiment illustrated in
As illustrated in
As explained with reference to
The rear portions 116 which connect straight portions 113 of the broiler heating element 110 emit radiant energy. Likewise, the front portions 112 and 114 which also connect the straight portions 113 of the broiler heating element 110 also emit radiant heat energy. The dashed lines in
Applicants believe that the radiant heat energy emitted upward and forward from the front portions 112, 114 of the broiler heating element are reflected downward and rearward by front reflector 232 of the broiler shield 200. This radiant energy, which would otherwise not reach the underlying rack 109, is instead directed down onto the front portions of the underlying rack 109.
Likewise, radiant heat energy emitted upward and rearward from the front portions 112, 114 of the broiler heating element are reflected downward and rearward by the second reflector 214 of the front reflecting portion of the broiler shield 200. Because the second reflector 214 is angled relative to the plane of the central portion 202 of the broiler shield, radiant energy reflected by the second reflector 214 is directed further toward the front of the underlying rack 109 than would be the case if the broiler shield were simply planar along its entire length.
Radiant energy emitted upward and forward by the rear portions 116 of the broiler heating element 110 is reflected downward by the second reflector 224 of the rear reflecting portion of the broiler shield. And because the second reflector 224 of the rear reflecting portion is also angled relative to the central portion 202 of the broiler shield, this radiant energy is reflected further toward the rear of the underlying rack than would be the case if the rear reflector 224 was not angled.
When no broiler shield is provided, or when a simple planer broiler shield is provided, more heat and radiant energy from the broiler heating element tends to reach the central portion of the underlying rack than the front and rear portions of the underlying rack. Thus leads to uneven cooking and browning of food items on the underlying rack.
However, when a broiler shield as illustrated in
The relative positions of the front and rear reflecting portions could vary depending on the shape and configuration of the broiler heating elements. However, Applicants presently believe that it is most advantageous if the front reflecting portion and rear reflecting portions of the broiler shied are positioned more toward the center of the oven than the front and rear portions of the broiler heating elements which join the straight portions of the heating elements.
In this embodiment, because the first sections 213, 223 extends away from the central portion 202 at a right angle, the reflectors 215, 225 have a greater surface area than the second reflectors 214, 224 in the embodiments in
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20130025580 A1 | Jan 2013 | US |
