Method of operating an oven appliance

Abstract

An oven appliance includes a cooking chamber, a first heating element thermally coupled to the cooking chamber, a second heating element thermally coupled to the cooking chamber, a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the cooking chamber, and a controller in operative communication with the first heating element, the second heating element, and the temperature sensor. The controller is configured to obtain a chamber temperature using the temperature sensor, determine that heat is needed based on the chamber temperature and a target chamber temperature, operate the first heating element using a closed loop feedback control algorithm, and operate the second heating element using a hysteretic control algorithm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oven appliance defining a vertical, a lateral, and a transverse direction, the oven appliance comprising: 
 a cooking chamber;   a first heating element thermally coupled to the cooking chamber;   a second heating element thermally coupled to the cooking chamber;   a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the cooking chamber; and    a controller in operative communication with the first heating element, the second heating element, and the temperature sensor, the controller being configured to: 
 obtain a chamber temperature using the temperature sensor; 
 determine that heat is needed based on the chamber temperature and a target chamber temperature; 
 operate the first heating element using a closed loop feedback control algorithm; and 
 operate the second heating element using a hysteretic control algorithm. 
   
     
     
         2 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first heating element is an electric heating element and the second heating element is a gas burner. 
     
     
         3 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first heating element and the second heating element are electric heating elements. 
     
     
         4 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein determining that heat is needed based on the chamber temperature and the target chamber temperature comprises: 
 determining a first temperature threshold based on the target chamber temperature; and   determining that the chamber temperature has dropped below the first temperature threshold.   
     
     
         5 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein operating the second heating element using the hysteretic control algorithm comprises: 
 determining a second temperature threshold based on the target chamber temperature;    determining that the chamber temperature has dropped below the second temperature threshold; and    operating the second heating element in response to determining that the chamber temperature has dropped below the second temperature threshold.   
     
     
         6 . The oven appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the second temperature threshold is lower than a first temperature threshold by greater than 10° Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         7 . The oven appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the second temperature threshold is lower than a first temperature threshold by greater than 20° Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         8 . The oven appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 determine that the chamber temperature is higher than the second temperature threshold; and    turn off the second heating element.   
     
     
         9 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 determine that heat is no longer needed based on the chamber temperature and the target chamber temperature; and    turn off the first heating element and the second heating element.   
     
     
         10 . The oven appliance of  claim 9 , wherein determining that heat is no longer needed based on the chamber temperature and the target chamber temperature comprises: 
 determining that the chamber temperature is higher than a third temperature threshold.   
     
     
         11 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the closed loop feedback control algorithm comprises a proportional control algorithm, a proportional-integral control algorithm, or a proportional-integral-derivative control algorithm. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating an oven appliance, the oven appliance comprising a cooking chamber, a first heating element thermally coupled to the cooking chamber, a second heating element thermally coupled to the cooking chamber, and a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the cooking chamber, the method comprising: 
 obtaining a chamber temperature using the temperature sensor;   determining that heat is needed based on the chamber temperature and a target chamber temperature;   operating the first heating element using a closed loop feedback control algorithm; and   operating the second heating element using a hysteretic control algorithm.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first heating element is an electric heating element and the second heating element is a gas burner. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first heating element and the second heating element are electric heating elements. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining that heat is needed based on the chamber temperature and the target chamber temperature comprises: 
 determining a first temperature threshold based on the target chamber temperature; and   determining that the chamber temperature has dropped below the first temperature threshold.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein operating the second heating element using the hysteretic control algorithm comprises: 
 determining a second temperature threshold based on the target chamber temperature;    determining that the chamber temperature has dropped below the second temperature threshold; and    operating the second heating element in response to determining that the chamber temperature has dropped below the second temperature threshold.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 determining that the chamber temperature is higher than the second temperature threshold; and    turning off the second heating element.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 determining that heat is no longer needed based on the chamber temperature and the target chamber temperature; and    turning off the first heating element and the second heating element.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining that heat is no longer needed based on the chamber temperature and the target chamber temperature comprises: 
 determining that the chamber temperature is higher than a third temperature threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the closed loop feedback control algorithm comprises a proportional control algorithm, a proportional-integral control algorithm, or a proportional-integral-derivative control algorithm.