Modular steam generator
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorGiordano AIELLI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steam generator for a cooking appliance is provided. The steam generator includes a warm tank having a water inlet. The steam generator also includes a heating element configured to heat water in the warm tank to produce steam to be directed into an oven cavity of the cooking appliance. The steam generator further includes a first cold tank having an input connected to a supply of water and an output, and a second cold tank having an input connected to the output of the first cold tank and an output configured to provide water to the water inlet of the warm tank.
Claims28
A steam generator for a cooking appliance, comprising:
- a warm tank having a water inlet;
- a heating element configured to heat water in the warm tank to produce steam to be directed into an oven cavity of the cooking appliance;
- and
- one or more cold tanks connected to a supply of water and an output configured to provide water to the water inlet of the warm tank.
A cooking appliance, comprising:
- a cooking chamber having a cavity inlet;
- a steam generator having a plurality of components, comprising
- a plurality of cold tanks and a warm tank,
- a water flow control device disposed between the cold tanks and the warm tank,
- a heating element configured to heat water in the warm tank to produce steam to be directed into the cooking chamber,
- a fill device configured to fill the cold tanks from a water supply, and
- a drain device configured to withdraw remaining water from at least the warm tank after steam production;
- and
- a controller programmed to control the components of the steam generator to provide steam through the cavity inlet into the cooking chamber.
A method for steam generation for a cooking appliance comprising:
- operating a fill device to fill a plurality of cold tanks from a water source;
- operating a water flow control device to introduce a quality of water from the plurality of cold tanks into a warm tank;
- activating a heating element of the warm tank to heat the introduced water into steam;
- and
- providing the steam through a cavity inlet into a cooking chamber of the cooking appliance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.