Claims
- 1. An oven capable of being operated in a self-cleaning cycle, comprising:a cooking chamber; a heating device for supplying heat into the cooking chamber; an exhaust flue extending from the cooking chamber leading to atmosphere; a heat control device for controlling the operation of the heating device; an input device for signaling the heat control device to initiate the self-cleaning cycle; a gas sensor communicating with the exhaust flue for measuring a concentration of a gas component produced from combustion of food soils within the cooking chamber and having a signal output indicative of the measured concentration of the gas component during the self-cleaning cycle; and the heat control device operable to receive successive gas concentration signals output from the gas sensor, to determine a gas concentration versus time curve, to calculate a gas concentration area representing the area under the gas concentration curve, and to terminate the self-cleaning cycle in correspondence with the gas concentration area.
- 2. The oven according to claim 1 wherein the heating device is an electric heating element.
- 3. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the heating device is a gas burner.
- 4. The oven according to claim 1 wherein the gas concentration area is calculated for a predetermined time range.
- 5. The oven according to claim 1, further comprising:an outlet tube having an inlet end connected to the exhaust flue and having an outlet end; and a gas sensor located at the outlet end of the outlet tube for measuring gas concentration levels during the self-cleaning cycle.
- 6. An oven according to claim 5, wherein the outlet tube comprises a tube arranged at an upward angle from the inlet end to the outlet end.
- 7. An oven according to claim 5, wherein the outlet tube outlet is located in a console of the oven, remote from the cooking chamber.
- 8. An oven according to claim 1, wherein the heat device is further operable to determine the peak concentration value output from the gas sensor and to terminate the self-cleaning cycle in correspondence with both the gas concentration area and the peak concentration value.
- 9. An oven according to claim 1, wherein the heat device is further operable to receive successive gas concentration signals output from the gas sensor, to determine a gas concentration versus time curve, to calculate a gas concentration slope value for the gas concentration curve during a predetermined time and to terminate the self-cleaning cycle in correspondence with the gas concentration area and the gas concentration slope value.
- 10. An oven according to claim 1, wherein the heat device is further operable to receive successive gas concentration signals output from the gas sensor, to determine a gas concentration versus time curve, to calculate a gas concentration slope value for the gas concentration curve during a predetermined time and to terminate the self-cleaning cycle in correspondence with the gas concentration area, the peak concentration value and the gas concentration slope value.
- 11. The method of controlling the self-cleaning of a cooking oven cavity having an exhaust flue, comprising the steps of:heating the interior of the oven cavity to a pyrolyzing temperature; measuring the concentration of a gas component produced from combustion of food soils within the oven cavity by receiving successive gas concentration signals from a gas sensor communicating with the exhaust flue; calculating a gas concentration versus time curve and then calculating a gas concentration area representing the area under the gas concentration curve; and terminating the heating of the oven cavity after a determined time which is correlated to the gas concentration area.
- 12. The method of controlling the self-cleaning of a cooking oven cavity according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:calculating the gas concentration area for a predetermined time range.
- 13. The method of controlling the self cleaning cycle of a cooking oven cavity according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:determining a peak concentration value output from the gas sensor; and terminating the self-cleaning cycle in correspondence with both the gas concentration area and the peak concentration value.
- 14. The method of controlling the self cleaning cycle of a cooking oven cavity according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:calculating a gas concentration slope value for the gas concentration curve during a predetermined time; and terminating the self-cleaning cycle in correspondence with the gas concentration area and the gas concentration slope value.
- 15. The method of controlling the self cleaning cycle of a cooking oven cavity according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:calculating a gas concentration slope value for the gas concentration curve during a predetermined time; and terminating the self-cleaning cycle in correspondence with the gas concentration area, the gas concentration slope value and the peak concentration value.
Parent Case Info
This application claims benefit of Provisional Appln. No. 60/217,817 filed Jul. 12, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
19606571 |
Aug 1997 |
DE |
0308733 |
Aug 1990 |
EP |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/217817 |
Jul 2000 |
US |