Patent Application
20220243921
Embodiments relate to an oven for heating food. More specifically, embodiments relate to a vehicle oven having an improved heating element.
Conventional ovens for use in vehicles, such as aircraft, typically use a heating element consisting of a plurality of tubes, each tube connected between two power phases and with a resistive element inside. The tubes have large diameters, lengths, and radii, making complex shapes difficult to create. The production process involves a lot of manual labor, making the elements relatively expensive, and the tubes need to be placed next to each other in the airflow, so the assembly has a relatively large thickness. The current designs have drawbacks such as air turbulence and thus contributing to the noise of the oven. The tubes typically result in a large cold area, also referred to as a run out, which affects even throughout the oven. Although such ovens and components have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose, there is still a need in the art for improved ovens and heating elements. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.
An oven heating element assembly including a heating element operable to heat air that flows across the heating element, wherein the heating element includes a disk having a metallic layer, a ceramic layer sandwiched between the metallic layer and a second metallic layer, and a fan operable to cause air to flow across the heating element. The fan can be configured to pull air from an oven cavity and push it over the heating element.
The ceramic layer can include at least three distinct individual sections. Each of the at least three distinct individual sections can be disconnected from each other. At least three distinct individual sections can cover each of the 360 degrees of the disk. The at least three distinct individual sections can partially overlap each other. At least one of the metallic layers can include a plurality of fin, pins, ribs, or projections radiating therefrom. The fin can radiates in a direction orthogonal to a plane defined by a primary surface of the at least one of the metallic layers.
The assembly can include at least one attachment point for attaching the disk to an inner portion of the oven. The attachment point can include at least one aerodynamic feature, to reduce the impact on the airflow. The aerodynamic feature can includes at least one rounded edge. The rounded edge can face gravitationally down. The attachments points can also be used to supply the power through.
These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.
So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:
Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of an oven heating element in accordance with the disclosure is shown in
The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for heating elements with superior properties including Optimized airflow, Decreased thickness, compensation for cold zones, lower recurring production costs, and simpler installation procedures. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.
