Rotisserie with Directional Baffles

Abstract

A self-cleaning oven includes a cooking compartment and a self-cleaning system for cleaning the cooking compartment. A rotor is centrally located within the cooking compartment. A convection heating system includes an intake which separates the cooking compartment from a heating compartment while allowing air flow between the heating and cooking compartments. An exhaust facilitates air flow between the heating compartment and the cooking compartment. The exhaust includes a vent component through which air exits the heating compartment and enters the cooking compartment. A heating element is within the heating compartment. A convection fan within the heating compartment is configured to draw air from the cooking compartment through the intake into the heating compartment, direct air across the heating element, and expel air from the heating compartment through the vent component into the cooking compartment. A baffle is proximate to and extends outwardly beyond the vent component into the cooking compartment in a direction back toward the rotor to direct air entering the cooking compartment toward a center of the cooking chamber.

1 . A self-cleaning oven, comprising:
 a cooking compartment;   a self-cleaning system for cleaning the cooking compartment;   a rotor centrally located within the cooking compartment;   a convection heating system, including:
 an intake which separates the cooking compartment from a heating compartment while allowing air flow between the heating and cooking compartments; 
 an exhaust that facilitates air flow between the heating compartment and the cooking compartment, the exhaust including a vent component through which air exits the heating compartment and enters the cooking compartment; 
 a heating element within the heating compartment; and 
 a convection fan within the heating compartment, the fan configured to draw air from the cooking compartment through the intake into the heating compartment, direct air across the heating element, and expel air from the heating compartment through the vent component into the cooking compartment; and 
   a baffle that is proximate to and extends outwardly beyond the vent component into the cooking compartment in a direction back toward the rotor to direct air entering the cooking compartment toward a center of the cooking chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle is configured to be adjustable to adjust a length of the baffle that extends beyond the vent component. 
   
   
       3 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle extends beyond the vent component between about one inch and 1.5 inches. 
   
   
       4 . The oven of  claim 3 , wherein the baffle extends beyond the vent component by about 1.25 inches. 
   
   
       5 . A rotisserie oven, comprising:
 a cooking compartment;   a rotor centrally located within the cooking compartment;   a convection heating system, including:
 an intake which separates the cooking compartment from a heating compartment while allowing air flow between compartments, 
 an exhaust that facilitates air flow between the heating compartment and the cooking compartment, 
 a heating element within the heating compartment, and 
 a convection fan within the heating compartment, the fan configured to draw air from the cooking compartment through the intake into the heating compartment, blow air across the heating element, and expel air from the heating compartment through the exhaust into the cooking compartment; and 
   a baffle proximate the exhaust, the baffle having a length that is adjustable relative to the exhaust to adjust a length that the baffle extends beyond the exhaust and into the cooking chamber to direct heated air toward a center of the cooking chamber.   
   
   
       6 . The oven of  claim 5 , wherein the baffle is configured to be manually adjustable to provide a barrier of greater or lesser length below the exhaust. 
   
   
       7 . The oven of  claim 5 , wherein the baffle extends beyond the exhaust by between about 1 and 1.5 inches. 
   
   
       8 . The oven of  claim 7 , wherein the baffle extends beyond the exhaust by about 1.25 inches. 
   
   
       9 . A method of directing heated air toward a center of a cooking chamber of a rotisserie oven including a rotor centrally located in the cooking chamber, the method comprising:
 providing a convection heating system including an intake which separates the cooking compartment from a heating compartment while allowing air flow between the heating and cooking compartments, an exhaust that facilitates air flow between the heating compartment and the cooking compartment, the exhaust including a vent component through which air exits the heating compartment and enters the cooking compartment, a heating element within the heating compartment, and a convection fan within the heating compartment, the fan configured to draw air from the cooking compartment through the intake into the heating compartment, direct air across the heating element, and expel air from the heating compartment through the vent component into the cooking compartment; and   directing heated air from the vent component toward the rotor centrally located in the cooking compartment using a baffle that is proximate to and extends outwardly beyond the vent component into the cooking compartment in a direction back toward the rotor.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising adjusting a length of the baffle that extends outwardly beyond the vent component. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of adjusting includes manually adjusting the length of the baffle that extends outwardly beyond the vent component. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the baffle extends beyond the exhaust by between about 1 and 1.5 inches. 
   
   
       13 . A self-cleaning oven, comprising:
 a cooking compartment;   a self-cleaning system for cleaning the cooking compartment;   a rotor centrally located within the cooking compartment;   a convection heating system, including:
 an intake which separates the cooking compartment from a heating compartment while allowing air flow between the heating and cooking compartments; 
 an exhaust that facilitates air flow between the heating compartment and the cooking compartment, the exhaust including a first vent component and a second vent component through which air exits the heating compartment and enters the cooking compartment; 
 a heating element within the heating compartment; 
 a convection fan within the heating compartment, the fan configured to draw air from the cooking compartment through the intake into the heating compartment, direct air across the heating element, and expel air from the heating compartment through the first and second vent components into the cooking compartment; 
   a first baffle located to one side of the rotor, the first baffle proximate to and extending outwardly beyond the first vent component into the cooking compartment in a direction back toward the rotor to direct air entering the cooking compartment toward a center of the cooking chamber; and   a second baffle located to a side of the rotor opposite the one side where the first baffle is located, the second baffle proximate to and extending outwardly beyond the second vent component into the cooking compartment in a direction back toward the rotor to direct air entering the cooking compartment toward a center of the cooking chamber.   
   
   
       14 . The oven of  claim 13 , wherein the first baffle and the second baffle are configured to be manually adjustable to provide a barrier of greater or lesser length below the exhaust. 
   
   
       15 . The oven of  claim 13 , wherein the first baffle extends beyond the first vent component by between about 1 and 1.5 inches and the second baffle extends beyond the second vent component by between about 1 and 1.5 inches.