Self-cleaning oven
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsErmanno BUZZI, Hanks HU, Ryan LI, Ping WU
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-cleaning oven is provided. Responsive to initiating a self-clean operation, a heating plate in a cavity of the oven is powered to increase temperature of the heating plate. Responsive to the heating plate being heated to above a predefined start temperature for a predefined soak period of time, one or more nozzles are directed to introduce water onto the heating plate to generate superheated steam until the heating plate falls below a predefined reboot temperature. The power and watering operations are repeated according to a predefined number of clean cycles specified by the self-clean operation.
Claims27
A self-cleaning oven, comprising:
- a controller programmed to
- responsive to initiating a self-clean operation, power a heating plate in a cavity of the oven to increase temperature of the heating plate;
- responsive to the heating plate being heated to above a predefined start temperature for a predefined soak period of time, direct one or more nozzles to introduce water onto the heating plate to generate superheated steam until the heating plate falls below a predefined reboot temperature;
- and
- repeat the power and water operations according to a predefined number of clean cycles specified by the self-clean operation.
A self-cleaning oven, comprising:
- an oven cavity;
- a heating plate having a heating element configured to heat the oven cavity;
- a tank configured to maintain water;
- one or more nozzles;
- a pump configured to receive water from the tank and project water onto the heating element via the one or more nozzles;
- and
- a controller programmed to
- responsive to initiating a self-clean operation, power the heating element to increase temperature of the heating plate;
- responsive to the heating plate being heated to above a predefined start temperature for a predefined soak period of time, direct the pump to introduce water onto the heating plate for a predefined period of spray time to generate superheated steam until the heating plate falls below a predefined reboot temperature;
- and
- repeat the power and water operations according to a predefined number of clean cycles specified by the self-clean operation.
A method for self-cleaning an oven, comprising:
- responsive to initiating a self-clean operation, powering a heating plate in a cavity of the oven to increase temperature of the heating plate;
- responsive to the heating plate being heated to above a predefined start temperature for a predefined soak period of time, directing one or more nozzles to introduce water onto the heating plate for predefined period of spray time to generate superheated steam until the heating plate falls below a predefined reboot temperature;
- and
- repeating the power and water operations according to a predefined number of clean cycles specified by the self-clean operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.