Conveyor oven having a removable front cover

Abstract

The present invention is a conveyor oven that has a base. The base has a first end and a second end. A housing is secured to the second end of the base. A fixed end of a cantilevered top is attached to the housing. The cantilevered top extends generally parallel to the base and towards the first end of the base. The volume between the cantilevered top and the base generally defines an oven chamber.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A conveyor oven comprising: 
 a base having a first end and a second end;    a housing secured to the second end of the base;    a cantilevered top having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end attached to the housing, the cantilevered top extending generally parallel to the base and towards the first end of the base; and    an oven chamber generally defined by the volume between the cantilevered top and the base.    
     
     
         2 . The conveyor oven of  claim 1  further comprising a removable plug that fills an area defined by the first end of the base and the free end of the cantilevered top.  
     
     
         3 . The conveyor oven of  claim 2  wherein the removable plug has one or more handles to facilitate removal and replacement of the removable plug.  
     
     
         4 . The conveyor oven of  claim 2  wherein the removable plug is insulated to retain heat within the conveyor oven.  
     
     
         5 . The conveyor oven of  claim 1  wherein the oven chamber is heated by forced convection.  
     
     
         6 . The conveyor oven of  claim 1  wherein heated air is introduced into the cooking chamber by one or more plenums.  
     
     
         7 . The conveyor oven of  claim 6  wherein the heated air is heated by a resistive heating element.  
     
     
         8 . The conveyor oven of  claim 6  wherein the heated air is heated by combustion of a fuel.  
     
     
         9 . A modular oven system comprising: 
 a housing having an upper end and a lower end;    a base having a first end and a second end, the first end of the base attached to the lower end of the housing;    a top having a first end and a second end, the first end of the base attached to the upper end of the housing, the top extending generally parallel and adjacent to the base;    an oven chamber, the oven chamber generally defined by the volume between the base and the top;    a removable plug to generally fill an area between the second end of the top and the second end of the base;    a removable conveyor within the oven chamber.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising one or more removable upper plenums extending generally adjacent the top to deliver heated air to the oven chamber.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising one or more removable lower plenums extending generally adjacent the base to deliver heated air to the oven chamber.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising one or more removable upper plenums extending generally adjacent the top to deliver heated air to the oven chamber and one or more removable lower plenums extending generally adjacent the base to deliver heated air to the oven chamber.