Oven

Abstract

An oven has a first conveyor, a first burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from above the first conveyor, and a second burner directs heat toward the first conveyor from below the first conveyor. A method includes providing foodstuff on a conveyor, exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from above the conveyor, and exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from below the conveyor. Another oven has a first conveyor and first conveyor insulators that surround the first conveyor and define a first zone. Another method includes introducing foodstuff to a first conveyor belt within a first insulated zone, introducing heat into the first insulated zone, and retaining a portion of the heat within the first insulated zone. Another oven has an insulated cooking zone that closely envelopes a cooking path and an insulated oven zone that substantially envelopes the cooking zone.

1 . A method of operating an oven, comprising:
 providing a first conveyor at least partially vertically below a first insulator and at least partially vertically above a second insulator;   providing a second conveyor at least partially vertically below a third insulator and at least partially vertically above a fourth insulator, wherein at least a portion of the second insulator is vertically above the third insulator and wherein at least a portion of the third insulator is vertically above the fourth insulator; and   operating at least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyor to at least one of (1) move foodstuff on the first conveyor from a location vertically between the first insulator and the second insulator to the second conveyor at a location vertically between the third insulator and the fourth insulator and (2) move foodstuff on the second conveyor from a location vertically between the third insulator and the fourth insulator to the first conveyor at a location vertically between the first insulator and the second insulator.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from both above and below the foodstuff while the food stuff is at least one of (1) vertically between the first insulator and the second insulator and (2) vertically between the third insulator and the fourth insulator.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a transfer of foodstuff between the first conveyor and the second conveyor is at least partially gravity driven. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a substantial portion of each of the first insulator, the second insulator, the third insulator, and the fourth insulator are located within an interior space of an oven. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing an infrared burner between at least one of (1) the second insulator and the first conveyor and (2) the fourth insulator and the second conveyor. 
     
     
         6 . An oven, comprising:
 an interior space upper wall at least partially defining a vertical boundary of an oven interior space;   a first insulator at least partially disposed within the oven interior space and vertically offset from the interior space upper wall;   a second insulator at least partially disposed within the oven interior space and at least partially vertically offset from the first insulator; and   a first burner disposed between the first insulator and the second insulator.   
     
     
         7 . The oven of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a first conveyor at least partially disposed between the first insulator and the second insulator.   
     
     
         8 . The oven of  claim 7 , wherein the first burner is disposed between the first insulator and the first conveyor. 
     
     
         9 . The oven of  claim 7 , wherein the first burner is disposed between the second insulator and the first conveyor. 
     
     
         10 . The oven of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a third insulator vertically below and offset from the second insulator; and   a fourth insulator vertically below and offset from the third insulator.   
     
     
         11 . The oven of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a second conveyor at least partially disposed between the third insulator and the fourth insulator.   
     
     
         12 . The oven of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a second burner disposed between the third insulator and the fourth insulator.   
     
     
         13 . A method of cooking foodstuff, comprising:
 providing a first duct comprising a first foodstuff entrance end and a first foodstuff exit end;   providing a second duct comprising a second foodstuff entrance end and a second foodstuff exit end; and   providing a third duct comprising a third foodstuff entrance end connected to the first foodstuff exit end and a third foodstuff exit end connected to the second foodstuff entrance end;   wherein the first duct is at least partially located vertically above the second duct and wherein the first foodstuff entrance and the second foodstuff exit are configured as relatively lower resistance exits as compared to walls of the first duct, second duct, and third duct for heated combustion fluids introduced to at least one of the first duct, the second duct, and the third duct.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the walls of at least one of the first duct, the second duct, and the third duct comprise a burner. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the burner comprises an infrared burner. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a first conveyor at least partially disposed within the first duct.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a second conveyor at least partially disposed within the second duct.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a first conveyor at least partially disposed within the first duct; and   a second conveyor at least partially disposed within the second duct.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of each of the first conveyor and the second conveyor are disposed within an oven interior space. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first duct and the second duct are disposed within an oven interior space and wherein at least a portion of the third duct is disposed within the oven interior space. 
     
     
         21 . An oven, comprising:
 an interior space upper wall at least partially defining an upper boundary of an oven interior space;   an insulator panel disposed within the oven interior space and vertically offset from the interior space upper wall, wherein the insulator panel is configured to restrict an upward movement of a fluid within the oven interior space; and   a burner disposed within the oven interior space and vertically below the insulator panel.   
     
     
         22 . The oven of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a conveyor disposed between the insulator panel and the burner.   
     
     
         23 . The oven of  claim 21 , wherein the burner comprises an infrared burner.