Gas broiler

Abstract

An oven unit in which a gas broiler is mounted above an oven cavity, inside a plenum and separated from the oven cavity by a radiation transparent panel, such as glass. The food in the oven is thus heated via radiation transmitted through the glass panel, and flue products from the broiler are kept above this panel and exit through flue outlets in the plenum area, without entering the oven cavity.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An oven unit comprising: 
 a gas broiler for mounting above an oven cavity; and    a panel for separating the broiler and the oven cavity to prevent broiler flue products from entering the oven cavity;    said panel including a portion beneath the broiler which is substantially transparent to radiation so that radiation from the broiler heats items in the oven cavity.    
     
     
         2 . The unit of  claim 1 , including at least one flue outlet for ducting flue products away from the broiler.  
     
     
         3 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein said broiler includes: 
 side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall forming a combustion space; and    a venturi extending into said combustion space and having an outlet for introducing a combustible gas mixture into the space;    said bottom wall including media configured to absorb heat from broiler combustion gases and to radiate the heat downwardly through said panel portion.    
     
     
         4 . The unit of  claim 3 , wherein said media is porous and spaced from said panel portion to enable flue products to flow out of the combustion space to a flue.  
     
     
         5 . The unit of  claim 4  wherein said panel portion covers an area larger than that of said broiler bottom wall.  
     
     
         6 . The unit of  claim 3 , including an igniter for igniting the combustible gases entering the space.  
     
     
         7 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein said broiler includes a layer of good heat conducting material which is heated by combustion gases in the broiler and radiates heat energy through said panel portion and into said oven cavity.  
     
     
         8 . The unit of  claim 1 , including walls defining an oven cavity, and a gas burner for heating the oven cavity.  
     
     
         9 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein said broiler includes a bottom wall comprising a porous media which radiates heat downwardly through said panel while permitting combustion gases to exit the broiler.  
     
     
         10 . A method of making an oven unit, comprising: 
 providing a gas burner above an oven cavity; and    separating the gas burner from the oven cavity with a panel that blocks combustion gases from the gas burner from entering the oven cavity; and    forming a portion of the panel with material which is substantially transparent to radiation that enables radiation from the gas burner to enter the oven cavity to heat items within the cavity.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , including positioning a layer of heat-conducting material between an outlet from the gas burner and the transparent panel portion; and 
 providing a combustible gas igniter in a location to cause combustible products from the burner to ignite above the porous media to cause the media to absorb heat and radiate energy into the oven cavity.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , including providing a flue products outlet above said panel and in communication with a space between said media and said radiation transparent panel.