Continuous cooking oven system

Abstract

A continuous cooking oven system including enclosure containing a first cooking chamber in communication with a second cooking chamber to efficiently and effectively cook and brown food products. The continuous cooking oven system includes an first conveyor for transporting food products through a helical path within the first cooking chamber, a fan for circulating a heated gaseous cooking medium throughout the first cooking chamber, a second conveyor for transporting food products through a linear path within the second cooking chamber, at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed above the second conveyor within the second cooking chamber and at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed below the second conveyor within the second cooking chamber, the impingement air flow distribution chambers circulating a heated gaseous cooking medium throughout the second cooking chamber. The first conveyor includes a self-supporting pervious belt including a plurality of superimposed tiers which define a pervious annulus through which the heat gaseous cooking medium is circulated.

1 . A continuous cooking oven system, comprising: 
 an enclosure including a first cooking chamber in communication with a second cooking chamber;    a first continuous conveyor for transporting food products through a helical path within the first cooking chamber, the first continuous conveyor including a self-supporting pervious belt including a plurality of superimposed tiers forming a pervious annulus;    a fan for circulating a heated gaseous cooking medium within the first cooking chamber;    a second continuous conveyor for transporting food products through a linear path within the second cooking chamber;    at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed above the second continuous conveyor to circulate a heated gaseous cooking medium within the second cooking chamber; and    at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed below the second continuous conveyor to circulate the heated gaseous cooking medium within the second cooking chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 1 , wherein the second cooking chamber is in communication with an inlet opening of the first cooking chamber.  
     
     
         3 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 1 , wherein the second cooking chamber is in communication with an outlet opening of the first cooking chamber.  
     
     
         4 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 1 , wherein the second conveyor one of receives products from an outlet opening of the first cooking chamber or supplies products to an inlet opening of the first cooking chamber.  
     
     
         5 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 1 , wherein the second conveyor transports products from an outlet opening of the first cooking chamber, through an inlet opening of the second cooking chamber.  
     
     
         6 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 1 , wherein the first continuous conveyor transports the products in an upwardly extending helical path within the first cooking chamber.  
     
     
         7 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 6 , wherein the second continuous conveyor transports the products in a downwardly extending linear path within the second cooking chamber.  
     
     
         8 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cooking chamber and the second cooking operate at comparable temperature and humidity levels.  
     
     
         9 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cooking chamber and the second cooking chamber operate at different temperature and humidity levels.  
     
     
         10 . A continuous cooking oven system, comprising: 
 an enclosure including a first cooking chamber having an outlet opening in communication with an inlet opening of a second cooking chamber;    a first continuous conveyor for transporting food products through an upwardly extending helical path within the first cooking chamber, the first continuous conveyor including a self-supporting pervious belt including a plurality of superimposed tiers which form the helical path within the first cooking chamber, the superimposed tiers forming a pervious annulus;    a fan for circulating a heated gaseous processing medium within the first cooking chamber;    a second continuous conveyor for transporting food products through a downwardly extending linear path within the second cooking chamber;    at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed above the second continuous conveyor to circulate a heated gaseous cooking medium in an upper portion of the second cooking chamber; and    at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed below the second continuous conveyor to circulate the heated gaseous cooking medium in a lower portion of the second cooking chamber.    
     
     
         11 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 10 , wherein the second continuous conveyor slopes downward at an angle of up to about  30  degrees as measured from a bottom wall of the second cooking chamber.  
     
     
         12 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second continuous conveyors comprise a single, continuous conveyor belt.  
     
     
         13 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber is disposed above the second continuous conveyor adjacent an outlet opening of the second cooking chamber.  
     
     
         14 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber is disposed below the second continuous conveyor adjacent an inlet opening of the second cooking chamber.  
     
     
         15 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 10 , wherein each impingement air flow distribution chamber comprises at least one independently controlled recirculation fan.  
     
     
         16 . A continuous cooking oven system, comprising: 
 an enclosure including a first cooking chamber having an outlet opening in communication with an inlet opening a second cooking chamber, each cooking chamber containing a heated gaseous cooking medium;    a first continuous conveyor for transporting food products through an upwardly extending helical path within the first cooking chamber, the first continuous conveyor including a self-supporting pervious belt including a plurality of superimposed tiers forming a pervious annulus through which the heat gaseous cooking medium is circulated;    a fan means for circulating the heated gaseous processing medium through the first continuous conveyor and the pervious annulus and around the food products in a continuous manner;    a second continuous conveyor for transporting food products through a downwardly extending linear path within the second cooking chamber;    at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed above the second continuous conveyor to circulate the heated gaseous cooking medium in an upper portion of the second cooking chamber;    at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed below the second continuous conveyor to circulate the heated gaseous cooking medium in a lower portion of the second cooking chamber; and    a thermal fluid heat exchanger positioned in fluid communication with the second cooking chamber,    wherein the first and second continuous conveyors comprise a single, continuous pervious conveyor belt.    
     
     
         17 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal fluid heat exchanger comprising a super heated steam heat exchanger, a direct gas firec heat exchanger or an indirect gas fired heat exchanger operated at a temperature of about 400° F. to about 750° F.  
     
     
         18 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a third cooking chamber having an outlet opening in communication with an inlet opening of the first cooking chamber;    a third continuous conveyor for conveying food products through a linear path within the third cooking chamber; and    at least one impingement air flow distribution chamber disposed within the third cooking chamber to circulate a heated gaseous cooking medium within the third cooking chamber.    
     
     
         19 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 16 , further comprising an in-place cleaning system disposed within the first cooking chamber.  
     
     
         20 . The continuous cooking oven system of  claim 16 , further comprising an in-place cleaning system disposed within the second cooking chamber.