Airflow control in multi-cavity oven appliances with one gas burner

Abstract

An oven appliance includes a cabinet. An upper cooking chamber is defined in the cabinet adjacent a top portion of the cabinet. A lower cooking chamber is defined in the cabinet below the upper cooking chamber and adjacent a lower portion of the cabinet. A duct is positioned at a back portion of the cabinet. The duct extends between both the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber. A fan is positioned in the duct. A gas heating element is disposed in the cabinet. The gas heating element is the only gas heating element for the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oven appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the oven appliance comprising:
 a cabinet extending between a first side portion and a second side portion along the lateral direction, the cabinet also extending between a top portion and a bottom portion along the vertical direction, the cabinet defining an upper cooking chamber positioned adjacent the top portion of the cabinet and a lower cooking chamber positioned adjacent the lower portion of the cabinet;   a duct positioned at a back portion of the cabinet, the duct extending in the vertical direction between both the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber;   a fan positioned in the duct; and   a gas heating element in direct thermal communication with the upper cooking chamber, wherein the gas heating element is the only gas heating element for the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the duct extends between a top heat outlet through the back portion of the cabinet to the upper cooking chamber and a bake outlet through the back portion of the cabinet to the lower cooking chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan configured to eject air perpendicular to an inlet of the fan, wherein the fan is configured to rotate either clockwise or counter-clockwise to facilitate air either up, in the vertical direction, or down, in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         4 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the gas heating element is positioned within the upper cooking chamber, proximate the back portion of the cabinet. 
     
     
         5 . The oven appliance of  claim 4 , further comprising a fan inlet positioned through the back portion of the upper cooking chamber, the fan inlet proximate the gas heating element, the fan positioned within the duct at the fan inlet. 
     
     
         6 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more electrical heating elements in the cabinet, the one or more heating elements positioned in one or both of the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber. 
     
     
         7 . An oven appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the oven appliance comprising:
 a cabinet extending between a first side portion and a second side portion along the lateral direction, the cabinet also extending between a top portion and a bottom portion along the vertical direction, the cabinet defining an upper cooking chamber positioned adjacent the top portion of the cabinet and a lower cooking chamber positioned adjacent the lower portion of the cabinet;   a duct positioned at a back portion of the cabinet, the duct extending in the vertical direction between both the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber;   a fan positioned in the duct; and   a gas heating element in direct thermal communication with the lower cooking chamber, wherein the gas heating element is the only gas heating element for the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The oven appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the duct extends between a top heat outlet through the back portion of the cabinet to the upper cooking chamber and a bake outlet through the back portion of the cabinet to the lower cooking chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The oven appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan configured to eject air perpendicular to an inlet of the fan, wherein the fan is configured to rotate either clockwise or counter-clockwise to facilitate air either up, in the vertical direction, or down, in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         10 . The oven appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the gas heating element is positioned within the lower cooking chamber, proximate the back portion of the cabinet. 
     
     
         11 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising a fan inlet positioned through the back portion of the lower cooking chamber, the fan positioned within the duct at the fan inlet. 
     
     
         12 . The oven appliance of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more electrical heating elements in the cabinet, the one or more electrical heating elements positioned in one or both of the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber. 
     
     
         13 . An oven appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet;   an upper cooking chamber defined in the cabinet adjacent a top portion of the cabinet;   a lower cooking chamber defined in the cabinet below the upper cooking chamber and adjacent a lower portion of the cabinet;   a duct positioned at a back portion of the cabinet, the duct extending between both the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber;   a fan positioned in the duct; and   a gas heating element disposed in the cabinet, wherein the gas heating element is the only gas heating element for the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the duct extends between a top heat outlet through the back portion of the cabinet to the upper cooking chamber and a bake outlet through the back portion of the cabinet to the lower cooking chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan configured to eject air perpendicular to an inlet of the fan, wherein the fan is configured to rotate either clockwise or counter-clockwise to facilitate air either upwards or downwards. 
     
     
         16 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the gas heating element is positioned within the upper cooking chamber, proximate the back portion of the cabinet. 
     
     
         17 . The oven appliance of  claim 16 , further comprising a fan inlet positioned through the back portion of the upper cooking chamber, the fan inlet proximate the gas heating element, the fan positioned within the duct at the fan inlet. 
     
     
         18 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the gas heating element is positioned within the lower cooking chamber, proximate the back portion of the cabinet. 
     
     
         19 . The oven appliance of  claim 18 , further comprising a fan inlet positioned through the back portion of the lower cooking chamber, the fan positioned within the duct at the fan inlet. 
     
     
         20 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , further comprising one or more electrical heating elements in the cabinet, the one or more electrical heating elements positioned in one or both of the upper cooking chamber and the lower cooking chamber.