Direct-heating fan oven

1. An oven comprising:

a muffle that defines a cooking cavity for containing foods to be cooked, said muffle including at least one horizontal floor,

heating means adapted to heat air,

ventilating means adapted to circulate said air, and

at least one air distribution element comprising at least one channel adapted to receive said air circulated by said ventilating means and to allow the air to flow through the at least one channel,

wherein said at least one air distribution element further comprises a plurality of inlet openings in fluidic connection with said at least one channel and adapted to supply said air from below the at least one horizontal floor and laterally into said cooking cavity, characterized in that said ventilating means includes at least one fan in fluidic connection with said at least one air distribution element, said fan being placed at least partially under a level of said at least one horizontal floor, wherein the plurality of inlet openings are defined within at least one vertical back wall of the muffle and place the at least one channel in communication with the cooking cavity.

2. The oven according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one return opening for said air in said cooking cavity, said at least one return opening being located on said at least one horizontal floor.

3. The oven according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one air distribution element is in communication with the at least one vertical back wall, and wherein said at least one return opening is proximal to a front wall of the muffle opposite to said at least one vertical back wall.

4. The oven according to claim 2 , wherein said at least one return opening includes at least one grease filter.

5. The oven according to claim 1 , wherein said fan includes an impeller in fluidic connection with a region underneath said at least one horizontal floor on an upstream side of the impeller, and in fluidic connection with said at least one air distribution element on a downstream side of the impeller.

6. The oven according to claim 5 , wherein said impeller is of a centrifugal type and having an axial inlet for said air, and a radial outlet for said air.

7. The oven according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a tray positioned underneath said cooking cavity, said tray being separated from said cooking cavity by said at least one horizontal floor, said tray having an inside that includes said heating means in fluidic connection with said ventilating means.

8. The oven according to claim 7 , wherein said heating means includes at least one tubular electric resistor, having one of (1) a spiral element wound thereon, and which is adapted to enhance a thermal exchange with said air, and (2) a plurality of substantially parallel fins adapted to enhance the thermal exchange with said air.

9. The oven according to claim 1 , further comprising:

second heating means positioned in said at least one channel and downstream of said ventilating means, said second heating means being adapted to pyrolyze any smells transported by the flow of said air.

10. The oven according to claim 1 , wherein said fan is placed completely under the level of said at least one horizontal floor.

11. The oven according to claim 1 , wherein the heating means is positioned beneath the at least one horizontal floor, wherein the heating means is a resistive heating element that cooperates with the at least one horizontal floor to define the at least one horizontal floor as a radiant heating element.

12. The oven according to claim 1 , wherein each inlet opening of the plurality of inlet openings is positioned within the at least one vertical back wall of the muffle.