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US 5,640,946 AGranted
Steamer apparatus
OwnerG. Robert Oslininventor
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OwnerG. Robert Oslininventor
Estimating the term…
Atmospheric convection type steamer apparatus includes at least one oven chamber and a discrete atmospheric steam generator operative to provide steam to the even chamber. A quiescent low fire power input to the steam generator maintains water in the steam generator at its boiling temperature during a non-cooking mode and provides a continuous steam flow into the oven chamber to maintain the chamber in a ready condition for substantially instantaneous steam heating when a cooking or high fire mode is initiated. In a stacked double oven embodiment, each oven chamber has a discrete atmospheric steam generator maintained at a quiescent low fire power input sufficient to maintain the water at its boiling temperature and effect a continuous ready condition within the corresponding oven chambers. Steam lines directly connect the oven chambers to their corresponding steam generators and enable introduction of cleaning and deliming agents directly into the steam generators from within the oven chambers. Other features contribute to improved steamer operation, reliability and cost savings over prior atmospheric steamers.
A steamer apparatus comprising an oven chamber, a steam generator including an internal water chamber and operative to provide steam to the oven chamber, a source of heat for heating water in the water chamber, a pair of sensors exposed within the water chamber in vertically spaced relation, said sensors defining an upper sensor operative to detect when an upper water level has been attained in the water chamber, and a lower sensor operative to effect heat input to the water chamber, said upper and lower sensors being susceptible to liming-over with resulting malfunction, and indicator means responsive to the state of the upper and lower sensors to provide an indication to an operator that one or more of the sensors has limed over whereby to indicate that the steam generator needs cleaning.
Steamer apparatus comprising, in combination, an oven chamber, a steam generator adapted to contain a quantity of water and including a heater for heating water within the steam generator to create steam, a steam inlet housing mounted on a sidewall of said oven chamber and defining a discharge orifice communicating with said oven chamber, and a flow conduit interconnected between said inlet housing and said steam generator, said steam inlet housing having a funnel-shaped member projecting into said oven chamber to facilitate pouring of a cleaning agent into said discharge orifice and directly into said steam generator from internally of said oven chamber.
Steamer apparatus comprising, in combination, an oven chamber, a steam generator adapted to contain a quantity of water and including a heater for heating water within the steam generator to create steam, a steam inlet housing mounted on a sidewall of said oven chamber and defining a discharge orifice communicating with said oven chamber, and conduit means interconnected between said steam inlet housing and said steam generator to enable introduction of a cleaning agent into said steam generator through said discharge orifice from internally of said oven chamber, said steam generator being supported generally adjacent an upstanding sidewall of said oven chamber, and wherein a water level is maintained in said steam generator which is normally above a bottom wall of said oven chamber but below said discharge orifice, said conduit means interconnecting said discharge orifice to said steam generator at a level below said water level so that a cleaning agent introduced into said conduit means through said discharge orifice flows into said steam generator below said water level.
A countertop type steamer apparatus comprising, in combination, an outer cabinet, an oven chamber internally of said cabinet, a steam generator supported within said cabinet for containing a quantity of water and including a heater operative to heat water within the steam generator to create steam, a steam inlet housing mounted on a sidewall of said oven chamber and defining a discharge orifice communicating with said oven chamber, said steam generator being supported so that a minimum water level in said steam generator is normally above a bottom wall of said oven chamber but below said discharge orifice, a first conduit connecting said steam generator to said steam inlet housing for enabling passage of steam from said steam generator to said oven chamber, and a second conduit interconnected between said steam inlet housing and said steam generator at a level below said water level so that a cleaning agent introduced into said second conduit from internally of said oven chamber flows by gravity into said steam generator below said water level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.