IP Library Granted Patent US 10,920,980
Granted Patent B2
US 10,920,980 · App. 16/218,294 · Granted Feb 16, 2021

Convection conveyor oven manifold and damper system

Inventors: William S. Schjerven, Sr. (Schaumburg, IL); Richard H. Van Camp (Aurora, IL); Theodore James Chmiola (Roscoe, IL); Brent James Carlson (Watertown, WI); Robert Edward Jacob (Watertown, WI)
Assignee: THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION
F23D14/60A21B1/33A21B1/40A21B1/48F23D14/08F23D23/00F23N1/002F23N1/005F23N1/102F24C3/12F24C3/087F24C3/128
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,920,980
App. No.
16/218,294
Granted
Feb 16, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas manifold for a convection conveyor oven includes an elongated housing having a wall that at least partially encloses an interior volume; a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume and extending through the wall; a plurality of gas outlets in fluid communication with the interior volume and extending through the wall; a plurality of seat inserts removably coupled with a plurality of gas outlets; a plurality of valve openings formed in the wall and aligned opposite the plurality of gas outlets; and at least one valve removably coupled to the wall and aligned with a first valve opening, wherein the valve is aligned with a first gas outlet and has a first position in which a first seat insert is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet.

Claims (70)

1. A gas manifold for a convection conveyor oven, the gas manifold comprising:

an elongated housing defining a longitudinal axis and an interior volume extending along the longitudinal axis, the elongated housing having a wall that at least partially encloses the interior volume;

a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume, the gas inlet extending through the wall;

a plurality of gas outlets in fluid communication with the interior volume, the plurality gas outlets extending through the wall and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;

a plurality of seat inserts, wherein each one of the plurality of seat inserts is configured to be removably coupled with one of the plurality of gas outlets;

a plurality of valve openings formed in the wall and spaced along the longitudinal axis, wherein each one of the valve openings is aligned opposite one of the plurality of gas outlets; and

at least one valve removably coupled to the wall and aligned with a first valve opening of the plurality of valve openings, wherein the at least one valve is aligned with a first gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets, and wherein the at least one valve has a first position in which a first seat insert of the plurality of seat inserts is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet,

wherein the at least one valve includes a valve body that extends into the interior volume to block a flow of gas into the first seat insert.

2. The gas manifold of claim 1 , wherein each one of the plurality of seat inserts is connected with one of the plurality of gas outlets by a threaded connection.

3. The gas manifold of claim 1 , further comprising at least one injector and at least one burner in fluid communication with the at least one injector, wherein the at least one injector is removably coupled with the first seat insert.

4. The gas manifold of claim 3 , wherein each one of the plurality of seat inserts is configured to be removably coupled with one of the plurality of gas outlets by a threaded connection and the at least one injector is configured to be removably coupled with the first seat insert by a threaded connection.

5. The gas manifold of claim 1 , further comprising at least one cover plate configured to be removably coupled with the wall and disposed over a second valve opening of the plurality of valve openings.

6. The gas manifold of claim 1 , further comprising a gas supply valve external to and in fluid communication with the gas manifold, the external gas supply valve having a first position in which the gas inlet is in fluid communication with a gas supply external to the gas manifold and a second position in which the gas inlet is not in fluid communication with the gas supply external to the manifold.

7. A gas manifold for a convection conveyor oven, the gas manifold comprising:

an elongated housing defining a longitudinal axis and an interior volume extending along the longitudinal axis, the elongated housing having a wall that at least partially encloses the interior volume;

a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume, the gas inlet extending through the wall;

a plurality of gas outlets in fluid communication with the interior volume, the plurality gas outlets extending through the wall and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;

a seat insert configured to be removably coupled with a first gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets and having a passageway to discharge gas from the interior volume;

an injector configured to be coupled with the seat insert and in fluid communication with the passageway;

a plug configured to be removably coupled with a second gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets,

wherein the plug and the seat insert are configured to be interchangeably received in the first and second gas outlets; and

a plurality of valve openings formed in the wall, wherein each one of the plurality of valve openings is aligned opposite one of the plurality of gas outlets and spaced along the longitudinal axis and a valve removably coupled to the wall, wherein the valve is aligned with a first valve opening of the plurality of valve openings and with the first gas outlet, and wherein the valve has a first position in which the seat insert is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet.

8. The gas manifold of claim 7 , wherein the seat insert is connected with the first gas outlet by a threaded connection.

9. The gas manifold of claim 7 , further comprising an injector and a burner in fluid communication with the injector, wherein the injector is configured to be removably coupled with the seat insert.

10. The gas manifold of claim 9 , wherein the seat insert is configured to be removably coupled with the first gas outlet by a threaded connection and the injector is configured to be removably coupled with the seat insert by a threaded connection.

11. The gas manifold of claim 7 , wherein the valve includes a valve body that extends into the interior volume to block a flow of gas into the seat insert.

12. The gas manifold of claim 7 , further comprising a cover plate configured to be removably coupled with the wall and disposed over a second valve opening of the plurality of valve openings.

13. The gas manifold of claim 7 , further comprising a gas supply valve external to and in fluid communication with the gas manifold, the external gas supply valve having a first position in which the gas inlet is in fluid communication with a gas supply external to the gas manifold and a second position in which the gas inlet is not in fluid communication with the gas supply external to the gas manifold.

14. A gas manifold for a convection conveyor oven, the gas manifold comprising:

an elongated housing defining a longitudinal axis and an interior volume extending along the longitudinal axis, the elongated housing having a wall that at least partially encloses the interior volume;

a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume, the gas inlet extending through the wall;

a plurality of gas outlets in fluid communication with the interior volume, the plurality of gas outlets extending through the wall and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;

a seat insert configured to be removably coupled with a first gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets and having a passageway to discharge gas from the interior volume;

an injector configured to be coupled with the seat insert and in fluid communication with the passageway;

a plug configured to be removably coupled with a second gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets, wherein the plug and the seat insert are configured to be interchangeably received in the first and second gas outlets;

a plurality of valve openings formed in the wall and spaced along the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the plurality of valve openings is aligned opposite one of the plurality of gas outlets;

a valve configured to be removably coupled to the wall and aligned with a first valve opening of the plurality of valve openings, wherein the valve has a first position in which the seat insert is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet; and

a cover plate configured to be removably coupled with the wall and disposed over a second valve opening of the plurality of valve openings.

15. The gas manifold of claim 14 , wherein the valve includes a valve body that extends into the interior volume to block a flow of gas into the seat insert.

16. The gas manifold of claim 14 , wherein the seat inserts are connected by a threaded connection with the first gas outlet and the injector is connected with the seat insert by a threaded connection.

17. The gas manifold of claim 14 , further comprising a gas supply valve external to and in communication with the gas manifold, the external gas supply valve having a first position in which the gas inlet is in fluid communication with a gas supply external to the gas manifold and a second position in which the gas inlet is not in fluid communication with the gas supply external to the gas manifold.

18. A gas manifold for a convection conveyor oven, the gas manifold comprising:

an elongated housing defining a longitudinal axis and an interior volume extending along the longitudinal axis, the elongated housing having a wall that at least partially encloses the interior volume;

a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume, the gas inlet extending through the wall;

a plurality of gas outlets in fluid communication with the interior volume, the plurality gas outlets extending through the wall and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;

a plurality of seat inserts, wherein each one of the plurality of seat inserts is configured to be removably coupled with one of the plurality of gas outlets;

a plurality of valve openings formed in the wall and spaced along the longitudinal axis, wherein each one of the valve openings is aligned opposite one of the plurality of gas outlets;

at least one valve configured to be removably coupled to the wall and aligned with a first valve opening of the plurality of valve openings, wherein the at least one valve is configured to be aligned with a first gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets when the at least one valve is removably coupled to the wall, and wherein the at least one valve has a first position in which a first seat insert of the plurality of seat inserts is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet; and

at least one injector and at least one burner in fluid communication with the at least one injector, wherein the at least one injector is configured to be removably coupled with the first seat insert.

19. A gas manifold for a convection conveyor oven, the gas manifold comprising:

an elongated housing defining a longitudinal axis and an interior volume extending along the longitudinal axis, the elongated housing having a wall that at least partially encloses the interior volume;

a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume, the gas inlet extending through the wall;

a plurality of gas outlets in fluid communication with the interior volume, the plurality gas outlets extending through the wall and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;

a seat insert configured to be removably coupled with a first gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets and having a passageway to discharge gas from the interior volume;

an injector configured to be coupled with the seat insert and in fluid communication with the passageway; and

a plug configured to be removably coupled with a second gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets,

wherein the plug and the seat insert are configured to be interchangeably received in the first and second gas outlets;

a plurality of valve openings formed in the wall, wherein each one of the plurality of valve openings is aligned opposite one of the plurality of gas outlets and spaced along the longitudinal axis and a valve configured to be removably coupled to the wall, wherein the valve is configured to be aligned with a first valve opening of the plurality of valve openings and with the first gas outlet when the valve is removably coupled to the wall, and wherein the valve has a first position in which the seat insert is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet; and

a cover plate configured to be removably coupled with the wall and disposed over a second valve opening of the plurality of valve openings.

20. A gas manifold for a convection conveyor oven, the gas manifold comprising:

an elongated housing defining a longitudinal axis and an interior volume extending along the longitudinal axis, the elongated housing having a wall that at least partially encloses the interior volume;

a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume, the gas inlet extending through the wall;

a plurality of gas outlets in fluid communication with the interior volume, the plurality of gas outlets extending through the wall and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;

a seat insert configured to be removably coupled with a first gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets and having a passageway to discharge gas from the interior volume;

an injector configured to be coupled with the seat insert and in fluid communication with the passageway;

a plug configured to be removably coupled with a second gas outlet of the plurality of gas outlets, wherein the plug and the seat insert are configured to be interchangeably received in the first and second gas outlets;

a plurality of valve openings formed in the wall and spaced along the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the plurality of valve openings is aligned opposite one of the plurality of gas outlets; and

a valve configured to be removably coupled to the wall and aligned with a first valve opening of the plurality of valve openings, wherein the valve has a first position in which the seat insert is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet; and

a cover plate configured to be removably coupled with the wall and disposed over a second valve opening of the plurality of valve openings,

wherein the valve includes a valve body that extends into the interior volume to block a flow of gas into the seat insert.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2019
From: BASO GAS PRODUCTS, LLC
To: THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049245/0036 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2018
From: SCHJERVEN, WILLIAM S., SR.; VAN CAMP, RICHARD H.; CHMIOLA, THEODORE JAMES
To: THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047857/0446 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2018
From: CARLSON, BRENT JAMES; JACOB, ROBERT EDWARD
To: BASO GAS PRODUCTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 047857/0495 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation PCTUS2017037540 · Jun 14, 2017
Provisional Application 62445141 · Jan 11, 2017
Provisional Application 62350134 · Jun 14, 2016
Related Publication 20190113229A1 · Apr 18, 2019