IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,323,663
Granted Patent B2
US 7,323,663 · App. 10/776,028 · Granted Jan 29, 2008

Multi-purpose oven using infrared heating for reduced cooking time

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,323,663
App. No.
10/776,028
Granted
Jan 29, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

An oven using radiant heat at infrared wavelengths optimized for producing rapid and uniform cooking of a wide variety of foods. The infrared oven toasts, bakes, broils, and re-heats food at a much faster speed while maintaining high quality in taste and appearance of the cooked food. Optimal infrared wavelengths of the radiant heat sources are used for the best balance of cooking performance, while also reducing the time required to cook the food. Typically short to medium wavelength infrared radiant energy will result in good performance for toasting and browning of food. Medium to long wavelength infrared radiant energy is well suited for delivering more deeply penetrating radiant energy into the food. This deep penetration of radiant infrared heat energy results in a more thorough internal cooking of the food than with conventional methods of conduction and convection cooking.

Claims (50)

1. An infrared oven, comprising:

an oven housing;

an oven chamber adapted for receiving a food, the oven chamber located within the oven housing;

at least one first infrared heater comprising an electrically conductive filament inside of a chemically etched quartz glass tube, the at least one first infrared heater being located inside of the oven chamber and positioned to be on one side of the food; and

at least one second infrared heater comprising an electrically conductive filament inside of a chemically etched quartz glass tube, the at least one second infrared heater being located inside of the oven chamber and positioned to be on another side of the food;

wherein the at least one first and the at least one second infrared heaters emit radiant heat at infrared wavelengths from about 1 to 3 microns for cooking the food.

2. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first radiant heat reflector located between an inside wall of the oven chamber and the at least one first infrared heater; and

a second radiant heat reflector located between another inside wall of the oven chamber and the at least one second infrared heater;

wherein the first and the second radiant heat reflectors reflect radiant heat from the at least one first infrared heater and the at least one second infrared heater, respectively, to the food.

3. The infrared oven of claim 1 , wherein the food is located between the at least one first and the at least one second infrared heaters.

4. The infrared oven of claim 1 , wherein the infrared wavelength is from about 1.5 to about 2.5 microns.

5. The infrared oven of claim 1 , wherein the infrared wavelength is about 1.63 microns for the at least one first infrared heater and the infrared wavelength is about 2.11 microns for the at least one second infrared heater.

6. The infrared oven of claim 1 , wherein the infrared wavelength comprises a plurality of infrared wavelengths.

7. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising a gold coating over a portion of the quartz glass tube, wherein the gold coated portion is on the distal side of the quartz glass tube from the food.

8. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface for controlling cooking of the food.

9. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising a digital processor for controlling the at least one first infrared heater and the at least one second infrared heat.

10. The infrared oven of claim 9 , wherein the digital processor independently controls the at least one first infrared heater and the at least one second infrared heat.

11. The infrared oven of claim 9 , further comprising a user interface coupled to the digital processor.

12. The infrared oven of claim 11 , wherein the user interface is used to input food choices for cooking the food from cooking routines stored in the digital processor.

13. The infrared oven of claim 12 , wherein the cooking routines are selected from the group consisting of heating, cooking, browning, toasting, baking, broiling and defrosting.

14. The infrared oven of claim 12 , wherein the food is selected from the group consisting of steak, hamburger, pizza, pasta, dinner rolls, bread, toast, cookies, pies, turkey, chicken, pot roast, pork, tofu, meatloaf, vegetables, and pastries.

15. The infrared oven of claim 1 , wherein the position on the one side is above the food and the position on the another side is below the food.

16. The infrared oven of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first and the at least one second infrared heaters emit radiant heat at different infrared wavelengths.

17. The infrared oven of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first and the at least one second infrared heaters emit radiant heat at a plurality of different infrared wavelengths.

18. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising a coated portion of at least one inner surface of the oven chamber for reflecting a desired infrared wavelength.

19. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising a coated portion of at least one inner surface of the oven chamber for retaining heat from the at least one first infrared heater and thereby re-radiating the retained heat.

20. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising a coated portion of at least one inner surface of the oven chamber for retaining heat from the at least one second infrared heater and thereby re-radiating the retained heat.

21. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising at least a portion of at least one inner surface of the oven chamber is coated with ceramic.

22. The infrared oven of claim 1 , further comprising at least a portion of at least one inner surface of the oven chamber is coated with porcelain.

23. The infrared oven of claim 1 , wherein the infrared wavelength is about 1.65 microns for the at least one first infrared heater and the infrared wavelength is about 2.05 microns for the at least one second infrared heater.

24. An infrared oven, comprising:

an oven housing;

an oven chamber adapted for receiving a food, the oven chamber located within the oven housing;

at least one first infrared heater comprising an electrically conductive filament inside of a quartz glass tube having extruded grooves therein, the at least one first infrared heater being located inside of the oven chamber and positioned to be on one side of the food; and

at least one second infrared heater comprising an electrically conductive filament inside of a quartz glass tube having extruded grooves therein, the at least one second infrared heater being located inside of the oven chamber and positioned to be on another side of the food;

wherein the at least one first and the at least one second infrared heaters emit radiant heat at infrared wavelengths from about 1 to 3 microns for cooking the food.

25. The infrared oven of claim 24 , further comprising:

a first radiant heat reflector located between an inside wall of the oven chamber and the at least one first infrared heater; and

a second radiant heat reflector located between another inside wall of the oven chamber and the at least one second infrared heater;

wherein the first and the second radiant heat reflectors reflect radiant heat from the at least one first infrared heater and the at least one second infrared heater, respectively, to the food.

26. The infrared oven of claim 24 , wherein the infrared wavelength is from about 1.5 to about 2.5 microns.

27. The infrared oven of claim 24 , wherein the infrared wavelength is about 1.63 microns for the at least one first infrared heater and the infrared wavelength is about 2.11 microns for the at least one second infrared heater.

28. The infrared oven of claim 24 , wherein the infrared wavelength is about 1.65 microns for the at least one first infrared heater and the infrared wavelength is about 2.05 microns for the at least one second infrared heater.

29. The infrared oven of claim 24 , wherein the infrared wavelength comprises a plurality of infrared wavelengths.

30. The infrared oven of claim 24 , further comprising a gold coating over a portion of the quartz glass tube, wherein the gold coated portion is on the distal side of the quartz glass tube from the food.

31. The infrared oven of claim 24 , further comprising a user interface for determining cooking parameters for the food.

32. The infrared oven of claim 24 , wherein the at least one first and the at least one second infrared heaters emit radiant heat at different infrared wavelengths.

33. The infrared oven of claim 24 , wherein the at least one first and the at least one second infrared heaters emit radiant heat at a plurality of different infrared wavelengths.

34. The infrared oven of claim 24 , further comprising a coated portion of at least one inner surface of the oven chamber for reflecting a desired infrared wavelength.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2024
From: SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.; GLOFISH, LLC; SPECTRUM BRANDS PET GROUP, INC.; SPECTRUM BRANDS PET LLC; EMPOWER BRANDS, LLC; UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
Reel/Frame 067201/0653 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2015
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
To: APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.; APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC., A CORP. OF FLORIDA; KWIKSET CORPORATION; LIQUID HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; NATIONAL MANUFACTURING CO.; PRICE PFISTER, INC.; ROV HOLDING, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; ROVCAL, INC.; ROVCAL, INC., A CORP. OF CALIFORNIA; RUSSELL HOBBS, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; SALIX ANIMAL HEALTH, LLC; SEED RESOURCES, L.L.C.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC. AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO ROVCAL, INC.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; TELL MANUFACTURING, INC.; TETRA HOLDING (US), INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; TETRA HOLDINGS (US), INC.; UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION; UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO LIQUID HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; UNITED PET GROUP, INC.; UNITED PET GROUP, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE
Reel/Frame 036102/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2015
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
To: RUSSELL HOBBS, INC.; APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.; TOASTMASTER INC.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.; ROVCAL, INC.; TETRA HOLDING (US), INC.; UNITED PET GROUP, INC.; SEED RESOURCES, L.L.C.; PRICE PFISTER, INC.; KWIKSET CORPORATION; NATIONAL MANUFACTURING CO.; LIQUID HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; TELL MANUFACTURING, INC.; SALIX ANIMAL HEALTH, LLC
Reel/Frame 036052/0845 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 11, 2010
From: RUSSELL HOBBS, INC.; APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.; TOASTMASTER INC.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.; ROVCAL, INC.; UNITED PET GROUP, INC.; UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 024823/0177 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2010
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: HP INTELLECTUAL CORP.; APPLICA INCORPORATED; APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.; SALTON, INC.; SONEX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024794/0886 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 21, 2010
From: RUSSELL HOBBS, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; ROV HOLDING, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; TETRA HOLDING (US), INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; UNITED PET GROUP, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC., A CORP. OF FLORIDA; ROVCAL, INC., A CORP. OF CALIFORNIA
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 024741/0295 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 15, 2008
From: APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 020507/0922 →
MERGER Recorded Feb 22, 2006
From: HP INTELLECTUAL CORP.
To: APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 017197/0545 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2004
From: CAVADA, LUIS; NORIEGA, ALVARO VALLEJO
To: HP INTELLECTUAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015488/0322 →