Gas conveyor oven with differentiated air flow

Abstract

A gas conveyor oven has a conveyor belt for conveying an item through a heating chamber in which separate parts or sides of the item are to be concurrently heated at different temperatures. A blower draws heated air from a gas burner into a ventilation chamber in which a first baffle directs a first fraction of the heated air from the blower into a first portion of the heating chamber; and a second baffle directs a second fraction of the heated air from the blower into a second portion of the heating chamber. The second fraction of the heated air has a different rate of flow than the first portion, because the first and second baffles are positioned asymmetrically with respect to the heater, so that the fraction of air deflected by each baffle onto a different part or side of the item differs in volume and flow rate.

1 . A gas conveyor cooking oven, comprising:
 a heating chamber;   means for conveying through said heating chamber, an article to be cooked in said oven;   a gas heater;   means for drawing heated air from said gas heater;   means for directing into said heating chamber heated air from said means for drawing and for splitting said directed heated air into first and second fractions of the directed heated air, such that said second fraction of the heated air has a different rate of flow than said first fraction of the heated air; and   means for recycling said heated air to said gas heater after said heated air passes through said heating chamber; and   wherein said first fraction of the heated air is directed into a first portion of said heating chamber and said second fraction of the heated air is directed into a second portion of said heating chamber so that each fraction of the heated air cooks a different part of the conveyed article at a different cooking heat as the article is conveyed through said heating chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 1 , wherein said means for conveying comprises a conveyor belt for conveying the article to be cooked in said oven through said heating chamber. 
   
   
       3 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 2 , wherein said conveyor belt comprises a mesh material. 
   
   
       4 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 1 , wherein said article is a food to be cooked. 
   
   
       5 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 4 , wherein said article is pizza, and wherein said first portion of the heating chamber is disposed above said means for conveying so that the first fraction of the heated air cooks toppings of the pizza and said second portion of the heating chamber is disposed below said means for conveying so that the second fraction of the heated air cooks the crust of the pizza. 
   
   
       6 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 1 , wherein said gas heater comprises a burner. 
   
   
       7 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 1 , wherein said means for drawing comprises a blower. 
   
   
       8 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 1 , wherein said means for directing includes at least a first baffle. 
   
   
       9 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 8 , wherein said first fraction of the heated air is directed into a first feeder channel and said second fraction of the heated air is directed into a second feeder channel. 
   
   
       10 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 9 , wherein said first feeder channel is larger than said second feeder channel. 
   
   
       11 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 10 , wherein said means for directing further comprises a second baffle, said first baffle directing said first fraction of the heated air into said first feeder channel and said second baffle directing said second fraction of the heated air into said second feeder channel. 
   
   
       12 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 11 , wherein said first baffle is angled and defines a first apex, and said second baffle is angled and defines a second apex, said first and second apices being positioned asymmetrically with respect to said gas heater. 
   
   
       13 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 12 , wherein said first apex is positioned lower in height than said second apex. 
   
   
       14 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 11 , further comprising means for adjusting a position of at least one of said first and second baffles. 
   
   
       15 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 1 , wherein said first portion of said heating chamber is below said means for conveying, and said second portion of said heating chamber is above said means for conveying. 
   
   
       16 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor within said heating chamber for monitoring a temperature within said heating chamber; and
 means for controlling at least one of said gas heater, said means for drawing and said means for directing in response to said temperature sensor to adjust the temperature in at least one of said first and second portions of said heating chamber.   
   
   
       17 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 1 , wherein said means for directing further comprises a deflector for directing the heated air to at least one of said first and second portions of said heating chamber. 
   
   
       18 . A gas conveyor oven, comprising:
 a heating chamber;   a conveyor belt for conveying through said heating chamber a food item to be cooked in said oven;   a gas heater;   a blower for drawing heated air from said gas heater;   a first baffle for directing a first fraction of the heated air from said blower into a first portion of said heating chamber;   a second baffle for directing a second fraction of the heated air from the blower into a second portion of said heating chamber, at a different rate of flow than said first portion of said heated air; and   means for recycling said heated air to said gas heater after said heated air passes through said heating chamber; and   wherein said first and second baffles are positioned asymmetrically with respect to said heater, so that each fraction of the heated air cooks a different part of the conveyed food item at a different cooking heat as the food item is conveyed through said heating chamber.   
   
   
       19 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 18 , wherein said food item is pizza. 
   
   
       20 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 18 , wherein said conveyor belt is formed of a mesh material. 
   
   
       21 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 18 , wherein said first fraction of the heated air is directed into a first feeder channel and said second fraction of the heated air is directed into a second feeder channel. 
   
   
       22 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 21 , wherein said first feeder channel is larger than said second feeder channel. 
   
   
       23 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 22 , wherein said first baffle directs said first fraction of the heated air into said first feeder channel and said second baffle directs said second fraction of the heated air into said second feeder channel. 
   
   
       24 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 23 , wherein said first baffle is angled and defines a first apex, and said second baffle is angled and defines a second apex, said first and second apices being positioned asymmetrically with respect to said gas heater. 
   
   
       25 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 24 , wherein said first apex is positioned lower in height than said second apex. 
   
   
       26 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 18 , further comprising means for adjusting a position of at least one of said first and second baffles. 
   
   
       27 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 18 , wherein said first portion of said heating chamber is below said conveyor belt, and said second portion of said heating chamber is above said conveyor belt. 
   
   
       28 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 18 , further comprising a temperature sensor within said heating chamber for monitoring a temperature within said heating chamber;
 and means for controlling at least one of said gas heater, said blower, said first baffle and said second baffle in response to said temperature sensor to adjust the temperature in at least one of said first and second portions of said heating chamber.   
   
   
       29 . The gas conveyor oven of  claim 18 , further comprising a deflector for directing heated air to at least one of said first and second portions of said heating chamber.