Rotisserie oven

An oven, comprising:

• a cooking chamber for receiving food products to be cooked, defined by at least side walls and top and bottom walls;
• an outer casing surrounding said cooking chamber and spaced away from said chamber to define circulation passages between the chamber side and top walls and the casing;
• first air flow passage disposed within the cooking chamber and defined by said top wall and a cover secured thereto;
• first fan means disposed within said first passage for drawing air therethrough and circulating air within the cooking chamber;
• first heating means disposed in said first passage for heating air passing therethrough;
• second air flow passage disposed above the cooking chamber communicating with the outside of the casing and said circulation passages;
• second fan means disposed within said second passage for drawing air therein and circulating air through said circulation passages;
• first fan motor disposed in said second airflow passage for driving both said first and second fans means;
• third fan means including a motor separately controllable from said first and second fan means, said third fan means being disposed to direct outside air into the second air flow passage for cooling said first fan motor and the oven casing without creating convection currents in the cooking chamber;
• radiant heating means mounted inside the cooking chamber, but outside the first flow passage;
• operator interface means for allowing an operator to select between a plurality of operational modes, said modes including
• a) convection only mode wherein said first heating means and said first fan motor and first and second fan means are activated,
• b) radiant only mode wherein said radiant heating means and third fan means are activated, and
• c) combination mode wherein said first and second fans means, said first heating means and said radiant heating means are activated;
• and
• control means responsive to said interface means for activating and controlling each said heating and fan component in accordance with the operator selected modes.

An oven, comprising:

• a cooking chamber for receiving food products to be cooked, defined by at least side walls and top and bottom walls;
• an outer casing surrounding said cooking chamber and spaced away from said chamber to define circulation passages between the chamber side and top walls and the casing;
• first air flow passage disposed within the cooking chamber and defined by said top wall and a cover secured thereto;
• first fan means disposed within said first passage for drawing air therethrough and circulating air within the cooking chamber;
• and
• at least one convection heating element disposed in said first passage for heating air passing therethrough;
• second air flow passage disposed above the cooking chamber communicating with the outside of the casing and said circulation passages;
• second fan means disposed within said second passage for drawing air therein and circulating air through said circulation passages;
• first fan motor disposed in said second airflow passage for driving both said first and second fan means;
• third fan means including a motor separately controllable from said first and second fan means, said third fan means being disposed to direct outside air into the second air flow passage for cooing said first fan motor and the oven casing without creating convection currents in the cooking chamber;
• at least one electric heating element disposed inside the cooking chamber, but outside said first flow passage for providing radiant heat on the food product;
• at least one quartz lamp disposed in the cooking chamber, but outside said first flow passage;
• operator interface means for allowing an operator to select between a plurality of predetermined operational modes, said modes including
• a) convection only mode wherein at least one said convection heating elements and said first fan motor and first and second fan means are activated,
• b) searing mode wherein said radiant electric heating element and third fan means are activated and said heating element is controlled to cook the food product substantially by radiant heat alone,
• c) holding mode wherein said lamp and said third fan means are activated and said lamp is controlled to maintain a predetermined temperature in the food product without further cooking, and
• d) combination mode wherein said first and second fan means, said at least one convection heating element and said at least one radiant heating element or quartz lamp are activated;
• and
• control means responsive to said interface means for activating and controlling each said heating and fan component in accordance with the operator selected modes.

An oven, comprising:

• a cooking chamber for receiving food products to be cooked, defined by at least side walls and a top wall and bottom wall;
• an outer casing surrounding said cooking chamber and spaced away from said chamber to define circulation passages between the chamber side and top walls and the casing;
• first air flow passage disposed within the cooking chamber and defined by said top wall and one of at least first and second removable covers, both said covers having vents for entry and exit of air and being adapted to be secured to the top wall of the cooking chamber by removable fastening means to define the first airflow passage wherein said covers are provided with different vent configurations such that air passes more quickly through one said cover;
• first fan means disposed within said first passage for drawing air therethrough and circulating air within the cooking chamber;
• and
• means disposed in said first passage for heating air passing therethrough.