# US 12,222,107 B2 · Thermal management system and method for a connected oven > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,222,107 B2 - Document ID: US12222107B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/206,959 - Filed: 2021-03-19 - Published: 2021-07-08 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-01 - Assignees: June Life, Inc. - Applicants: June Life, LLC - Inventors: Nikhil Bhogal; Matthew Van Horn; Mathias Watson Schmidt; Drew Atkinson; Gabriel Risk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222107B2 ## CPC - F24C 15/006: {Arrangements for circulation of cooling air} - F24C 7/086: {touch control} - F24C 15/04: with transparent panels - F24C 15/322: {with forced circulation} - F24C: DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES (exclusively for solid fuels F24B); DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION ## Abstract The connected oven includes a cooking cavity defined by a back, a door opposing the bottom, a top adjacent the back and door, a bottom opposing the top, and opposing sidewalls adjacent the remainder of the walls, a user interface unit configured to receive instructions from the user, a sensor, and a thermal management system for minimizing or preventing thermal damage to heat-sensitive components arranged on the oven. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cooking apparatus comprising: an apparatus body defining a foodstuff cavity and comprising an apparatus top and an apparatus base, wherein the apparatus top comprises: a first section defining an air gap inlet; and a second section, wherein the first section and second section cooperatively define an air gap that defines an area smaller than the first section, wherein the apparatus body defines an air gap outlet; a heating element; and an optical assembly, wherein the optical assembly extends into the air gap, wherein a field of view of the optical assembly is directed toward the foodstuff cavity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein an internal surface of the apparatus body is black. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cooking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a door mounted to the apparatus body, wherein the door comprises a first and second panel that cooperatively define a door air gap, wherein the air gap is isolated from the door air gap. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cooking apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a touchscreen mounted to the door, wherein the door air gap cools the touchscreen. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air gap inlet comprises a set of perforations in the first section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cooking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processing system configured to determine a classification for foodstuff within the foodstuff cavity, based on an image recorded by the optical assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cooking apparatus of claim 6, wherein the air gap inlet is arranged perpendicular to an air flow axis within the air gap and wherein the air gap outlet is arranged parallel to the air flow axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein an exterior broad face of the first section does not include a burner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air gap is fluidically connected to a cooling fluid source defined by the apparatus body. ### Claim 10 An apparatus comprising: an apparatus body defining a foodstuff cavity and comprising an apparatus top and an apparatus base, wherein the apparatus top comprises: a first section; and a second section, wherein the first section and second section cooperatively define an air channel defining an area smaller than the first section; a heating element; and an optical assembly, wherein the optical assembly is thermally connected to the air channel, wherein a field of view of the optical assembly is directed toward the foodstuff cavity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein an interior surface of the second section comprises a nonreflective coating. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the optical assembly comprises a heat sink that extends into the air channel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first section comprises a set of holes that define an air gap inlet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein an air channel inlet is arranged perpendicular to a flow axis within the air channel and wherein an air channel outlet is arranged parallel to the flow axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a processing system mounted to the apparatus base. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing system is configured to determine a classification for foodstuff within the foodstuff cavity, based on an image recorded by the optical assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a dual-panel door mounted to the apparatus body, wherein the dual-panel door comprises a first panel and a second panel that cooperatively define a door air gap. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a touchscreen mounted to the dual-panel door, wherein the door air gap thermally insulates the touchscreen from the foodstuff cavity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the door air gap is isolated from the air channel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the air channel is fluidically connected to a cooling fluid source defined by the apparatus body.