Combination oven with independent cooking modules
A modular oven includes a cabinet receiving separate modules with distinct cooking operations. Modules of the modular oven may provide any combination of convection cooking, steam cooking, impingement cooking, and high speed cooking. Therefore, the modules may be mixed and matched to suit the desired cooking operations. In some embodiments, improved steam cooking at lower cooking temperatures is provided by directing spraying water onto an independent heat source, controlled separately from the cavity heating element, within each cooking zone. By operating a separate heating element specifically for steam generation, there can be more accurate heat control of the cooking zones without overheating the cooking zones when steam is needed but when lower cooking temperatures (e.g., 211 degrees Fahrenheit and below) are desired.
1 . A modular oven comprising:
an outer cabinet defining an oven volume including multiple module locations;
a first oven module independently removably receivable within the outer cabinet to be supported by the outer cabinet, the module having an independent housing supporting:
a heater and a thermal sensor,
a fan, and
nonremovable upper and lower walls, and
a first heating element;
a second oven module independently removably receivable within the outer cabinet to be supported by the outer cabinet, the module having an independent housing supporting:
a heater and a thermal sensor,
a fan,
nonremovable upper and lower walls, and
a second heating element;
wherein the first heating element is of a type that is different from the second heating element; and
a control system operatively connected to each cooking module, the control system configured to control the first and second heating element based on cooking schedules corresponding to each distinct module type,
wherein the first and second heating elements are configured to perform distinct cooking operations selected from the group consisting of convection cooking, steam cooking, impingement cooking, microwave cooking, infrared cooking, radiant cooking, and direct contact cooking.
2 . The modular oven of claim 1 further comprising a central controller receiving a user command to independently set temperatures and humidities of each module of the first and second oven module.
3 . The modular oven of claim 2 wherein the independent housing of each module of the first and second oven module further support a harness allowing electrical connection to the central controller.
4 . The modular oven of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second heating element is a steam generator having at least one spray nozzle communicating with a water source to introduce water to the one of the first and second oven module wherein the water source is supported by the independent housing.
5 . The modular oven of claim 4 wherein the steam generator has
at least one diversion plate providing a plurality of perforations,
a water nozzle positioned to direct water onto a top of the at least one diversion plate, and
an auxiliary heater extending below at least one of the at least one diversion plate.
6 . The modular oven of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second heating element is a boiler including a heater communicating with a water source to introduce water to the one of the first and second oven module wherein the water source is supported by the independent housing.
7 . The modular oven of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first oven module and second oven module includes a fresh air inlet port to conduct fresh air into the module and an air outlet port to conduct steam out of the module.
8 . The modular oven of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first oven module and second oven module includes a drain port communicating with a drain receptacle receiving water from the module wherein the drain receptacle is supported by the independent housing.
9 . The modular oven of claim 1 wherein the outer cabinet includes a single door closing over both the first and second oven modules.
10 . The modular oven of claim 1 wherein the outer cabinet includes a separate door closing over each of the first and second oven modules separately.
11 . The modular oven of claim 1 further comprising spacers abutting respective nonremovable upper and lower walls of adjacently stacked modules and providing a space between the adjacently stacked modules.
12 . The modular oven of claim 1 further comprising upper and lower jet plates positioned at a top and bottom of at least one of the first and second oven module, the upper and lower jet plates providing separate upwardly and downwardly projecting air jets respectively communicating with the fan of each module.
13 . The modular oven of claim 1 wherein the first heating element and second heating element are selected from the group consisting of a magnetron, an infrared radiant, and a high thermal mass material.
14 . The modular oven of claim 4 further comprising a central controller communicating with the heater, thermal sensor, fan, and steam generator and receiving a user command to independently set a cooking mode of the first and second oven module wherein the cooking mode comprises a temperature, a fan speed, a cook time and a humidity level.
15 . The modular oven of claim 14 wherein the control system sends a first control signal for a first cooking mode to the first oven module and a second control signal for a second cooking mode to the second oven module wherein the first and second cooking modes are different and operable simultaneously within the first and second oven modules.
16 . The modular oven of claim 15 wherein the first cooking mode provides a low humidity level and does not operate a steam generator and the second cooking mode provides a high humidity level and turns on the steam generator.
17 . The modular oven of claim 1 further comprising a third oven module independently removably receivable within the outer cabinet to be supported by the outer cabinet, the module having an independent housing supporting:
a heater and a thermal sensor,
a fan,
nonremovable upper and lower walls, and
a third heating element,
wherein the third heating element is of a type that is different from the first and second heating element,
wherein the third heating element is configured to perform a distinct cooking operation compared to the first and second heating elements.
18 . A modular oven comprising:
an outer cabinet defining an oven volume including multiple module locations;
a first oven module independently removably receivable within the outer cabinet to be supported by the outer cabinet, the module having an independent housing supporting:
a heater and a thermal sensor,
a fan, and
nonremovable upper and lower walls, and
a first heating element;
a second oven module independently removably receivable within the outer cabinet to be supported by the outer cabinet, the module having an independent housing supporting:
a heater and a thermal sensor,
a fan,
nonremovable upper and lower walls, and
a second heating element;
wherein the first heating element is distinct from the second heating element; and
a control system operatively connected to each cooking module, the control system configured to control the first and second heating element based on cooking schedules corresponding to each distinct module type,
wherein each module is configured to perform a distinct cooking operation selected from the group consisting of convection cooking, steam cooking, impingement cooking, microwave cooking, infrared cooking, radiant cooking, and direct contact cooking
wherein one of the first and second heating element is a steam generator heater independent of the heater of one of the first and second oven module and further comprising
a controller communicating with the heater of the one of the first and second oven module, the thermal sensor and the steam generator heater, and executing a program stored in memory to:
(i) control the heater of the one of the first and second oven module according to a temperature signal from the thermal sensor;
(ii) control the steam generator heater according to a power setting of the oven wherein when the heater of the one of the first and second oven module is operating at a first power setting, generate a steam production signal, turn on the steam generator heater, and turn on the heater of the one of the first and second oven module, and when the one of the first and second oven module is operating at a second power setting, generate the steam detection signal, turn on the steam generator heater, and turn off the heater of the one of the first and second oven module.