WO2004060017A1

WO2004060017A1 - Electric oven

Info

Publication number: WO2004060017A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/002895
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jang-Bum Lee
Original assignee: Gio Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2002-12-31
Filing date: 2003-12-30
Publication date: 2004-07-15
Also published as: AU2003288775A1; KR200309307Y1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric oven (100), which comprises a heating element (10), a curved reflecting plate (20) on which the heating element (10) is mounted; a housing (30) including a rear wall on which the reflecting plate (20) is fixed, a bottom surface on which a cooking tray (50) is provided, and a door (31); and a tunnel-shaped reflecting plate (22) which is installed opposite the heating element (10) within the housing (30) forming a hollow and a cooking chamber. According to the present invention, in order to heat and cook foodstuffs, a considerable part of the heat generated at the heating element (10) is reflected from the curved reflecting plate (20) and applied to the foodstuff. A part of the reflected heat is applied to and reflected from the inner surface of the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate (22).

Description

ELECTRIC OVEN

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an electric oven, and more particularly, to an electric oven in which foodstuffs are heated or cooked by both of the heat from a heating source and the reflected heat.

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional electric or gas oven is a device in which foodstuffs are heated by using heat generated through an electric heating wire or the combustion of gas, whereas a microwave oven is a device in which foodstuffs are heated or cooked by means of electromagnetic wave energy.

The above cooking devices are advantageous over other cooking stoves, cauldrons or gridirons. Whereas the electric or gas ovens have a disadvantage in that it is difficult to uniformly heat the foodstuffs and the microwave ovens have a disadvantage in that a cooking tray or vessel made of metal cannot be used therein and the skin color of food is not good enough since a desired maillard or browning reaction is not generated on its surface.

In the meantime, the inventor has invented an electric heater comprising a main body, which includes a heating element with electric heating wires such as nicrome wires wound around a bobbin of far infrared ray radiating material, a parabolically curved reflecting plate with the heating element installed at the center thereof and a safety net mounted over the reflecting plate, and a stand on which the main body is supported.

In such an electric heater, the heat generated at the heating element reflect from the reflecting plate, causing reflected heat rays to form a beam thereof so that the beam may radiate nearly in one direction. Thus, a thermal efficiency of the heater is greatly increased due to efficient heat transfer thereof. Further, the heater is very helpful to human health, since the bobbin radiates far infrared rays.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention is based on the principle of the aforementioned electric heater and has been completed as the result of the inventor's repeated studies and experiments.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an electric oven with a high thermal efficiency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric oven whose use is not restricted by the cooking trays or the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electric oven capable of causing a sufficient amount of moisture to be retained in the cooked foodstuffs.

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the objects, there is provided an electric oven, which comprises a heating element; a curved reflecting plate on which the heating element is mounted; a case or housing including a rear wall on which the reflecting plate is fixed, a bottom surface on which a cooking tray or the like is provided and a door; and a tunnel-shaped reflecting plate, positioned over the cooking tray on the bottom surface of the housing, the hollow thereof being open between the heating element and the housing's door. To heat and cook a foodstuff heat rays generated at the heating element are reflected from the curved reflecting plate and form a beam of heat rays to be applied to the foodstuff and also the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate.

The door of the inventive oven may be provided with an auxiliary reflecting plate at the inner surface thereof.

Further, the cooking tray of the electric oven of the present invention may be rotatably installed.

To heat the foodstuff, the electric oven of the present invention as described above causes the heat generated at the heating element to be initially reflected from the curved reflecting plate and a part of heat reflected from the curved reflecting plate to be subsequently reflected from the inner surface the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate or the bottom surface of the housing so that both the direct heating and the reflective heating of the foodstuff can be simultaneously performed.

According to the electric oven of the present invention, since the heat reflected from the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate can be again reflected by the auxiliary reflecting plate, the thermal efficiency of the electric oven may be increased. Further, the foodstuff can be uniformly heated by rotating the cooking tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric oven according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the electric oven of FIG. 1 with its door removed therefrom; and

FIG. 3 is a partial cut-away sectional view of the electric oven of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of an electric oven according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the electric oven according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the electric oven of FIG. 1 with the door removed therefrom; and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the electric oven of FIG. 1.

Referring to those figures, an electric oven 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a heating element 10 including a bobbin 11 of a far infrared ray radiating ceramic and an electric heating wire 12 wound around the bobbin; a curved reflecting plate 20 which is made of aluminum and on which the heating element 10 is mounted at its inner surface; a case 30 including a rear wall on which the reflecting plate

20 is fixedly mounted, a bottom surface on which a cooking tray 50 is provided, and a door 31; and a tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 which is placed in parallel with side walls of the case 30 and forms a hollow as a cooking chamber running in a direction opposite the heating element 10 and the curved reflecting plate. The tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 may have a semicircular section and be made of aluminum or the like.

The door 31 of the electric oven 100 is provided with a handle 35, an auxiliary reflecting plate 25 made of aluminum and a fully or partially transparent window 32 for monitoring the cooking process. The housing 30 is formed with an air inlet 33 and an air outlet 34. Further, the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 is formed with an air inlet 33' and an air outlet 34'.

The electric heating wire 12 is connected to an electric power source through an electric cord (not shown) and operated in response to a switching operation of a power switch 41. In the electric oven according to the embodiment of the present invention as described above, the electric heating wire 12 is supplied with electricity and heat is then generated at the wire. The heat is reflected in the form of heat rays beam from the inner reflecting surface of the curved reflecting plate 20 and radiated nearly in one direction to the foodstuff (shown in a dotted line) on the cooking tray 50 for heating the same as a primary heat source. Though the heat rays beam is reflected from the curved reflecting plate, it serves as a direct heating source. A part of the heat reflected from the curved reflecting plate 20 is not collected into the beam but directed and radiated to the inner surface of the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 or the bottom surface of the housing 30 to be applied to the foodstuff. Such heat reflection is continuously and repeatedly performed in the same manner as the light reflection.

Then, a part of the heat reflected from the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 or the bottom surface of the housing 30 is also radiated from the auxiliary reflecting plate 25, and a considerable amount of the heat reflected therefrom is radiated to the foodstuff so as to assist the heating action. Moreover, the cooking tray 50 is rotated to assist the uniform heating.

The time for heating (cooking) the foodstuff may be controlled by a timer 60 and a power lamp 42 is turned on when a power switch 41 is turned on. When the cooking time is set by means of the timer 60, an indicating lamp 43 is lighted to turn red. After the cooking has been completed, the indicating lamp is lighted to turn green and a buzzer (not shown) may be operated to malce a sound. When an opening switch 44 is pushed, the door 31 is opened for taking out the cooked food.

During the cooking, external air is introduced into the housing 30 through the air inlet 33. Further, the air heated to a certain degree is then introduced into the cooking chamber in the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 through the air inlet 34', and the air heated further in the cooking chamber is then discharged to the outside via the air outlet

34', an exhaust passage (shown in a dotted line in FIG. 2) and the air outlet 34.

It took about 70 minutes to heat a chicken to a steamed chicken by using the electric oven (900 watts) according to the embodiment of the present invention. As a result, the surface color of the steamed chicken was changed to light brown with its dried thin skin. However, a considerable amount of the moisture previously contained in the fresh chicken was gathered and stayed in the abdomen in the form of water and the legs and pectoral portions of the chicken were juicy and tender enough to enjoy containing a sufficient amount of moisture. In order words, the heated chicken was not dry and tough, giving an inherent taste of chicken.

Further, sweet potatoes and mackerels were also cooked by using the electric oven according to the embodiment of the present invention. As a result, foodstuffs were cooked to the intermediate between the broiled and steamed foods. Further, boiled rice might be prepared by using a bowl with a lid.

It is understood that the skin of the foodstuff is quickly heated at the early stage of the cooking by the strong heat collected in the form of heat rays beam by the curved reflecting plate so that the skin thereof may form a solid layer, whereas the inside of the foodstuff is subjected to relatively slow heating so that the moisture therein may not evaporate and disappear through the solidified skin.

Alternatively, the auxiliary reflecting plate may not be used, while the reflecting plate 20 may be formed in a general curve shape rather than a parabolic shape. Further, the tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 may be triangular, polygonal or circular as well as being semicircular in terms of its sectional shape, and it may have grooves formed in a longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the auxiliary reflecting plate 25 may have a planar or concave surface and the cooking tray may be formed so that it cannot be rotated but fixed. In addition, a halogen or far infrared lamp may be used as the heating element 10, and the reflecting plates 20, 22 and 25 may be made of metals other than aluminum, such as stainless steel.

As described above, the electric oven of the present invention has an advantage in that its thermal efficiency can be increased due to both of the direct heating and continuous reflective heating of the foodstuff.

Further, there is another advantage in that the use of the electric oven is not restricted according to the foodstuff container since electromagnetic waves are not used as a heat source.

In addition, there is a further advantage in that foodstuffs may be cooked into the intermediate between the broiled and steamed foods, i.e. the skin or the outer layer of which is dried to a certain degree and in which a considerable amount of moisture is retained.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, it is intended not to limit but to exemplify the present invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the true scope of the present invention should be construed as being limited only by the appended claims and as covering all the changes and modifications.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An electric oven, comprising: a heating element 10; a curved reflecting plate 20 on which said heating elementlO is mounted; a housing 30 including a rear wall on which said reflecting plate 20 is fixed, a bottom surface on which a cooking tray 50 is provided, and a door 31 ; and a tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 which is installed within said housing 30 and forms a hollow and a cooking chamber to face said reflecting plate 20.

2. The electric oven as claimed in claim 1, wherein said door 31 is provided with an auxiliary reflecting plate 25 located at the inner surface thereof.

3. The electric oven as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said heating element 10 comprises a bobbin 11 and an electric heating wire 12 wound around said bobbin.

4. The electric oven as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said heating element 10 is a halogen or far infrared ray lamp.

5. The electric oven as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said tunnel-shaped reflecting plate 22 has a circular, semicircular, triangular or polygonal cross section.

6. The electric oven as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said reflecting plate 20 has a parabolically curved surface.

7. The electric oven as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said cooking tray 50 is fixedly installed.

8. The electric oven as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said cooking tray 50 is rotatably installed.

9. The electric oven as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said heating element 10 is detachably installed.

10. The electric oven as claimed in claim 2, wherein said auxiliary reflecting plate 25 has a planar or concave surface.

11. The electric oven as claimed in claim 3, wherein said bobbin 11 is made of a far infrared ray radiating ceramic.