Apparatus and method for controlling a conveyor oven

Abstract

A conveyor oven includes a controller configured to change the operation of a first set of burners and a second set of burners from a cooking mode to an energy saving mode based at least in part upon detection of the absence of food in the oven chamber. The first set of burners operating at a first intensity during the cooking mode and are off during the energy saving mode. The second set of burners operating at a first intensity during the cooking mode and being adjustable to a different intensity during the energy saving mode, where the second set of burners produce heat during the different intensity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas supply apparatus for a convection conveyer oven, the gas supply apparatus comprising:
 an interior volume for receiving gas, wherein the interior volume comprises a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit, and wherein the first fluid conduit is in selective communication with the second fluid conduit;   a gas inlet in fluid communication with the first fluid conduit;   a plurality of gas outlets defined in the first and second fluid conduits and positioned to discharge gas from the interior volume, wherein at least one of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the first fluid conduit and at least one of the plurality of outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the second fluid conduit; and   a first valve in fluid communication with the first and second fluid conduits and operable to selectively control the flow of gas between the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit, wherein the first valve has an first state in which gas received through the gas inlet is supplied to all of the plurality of gas outlets, and a second state in which gas received through the gas inlet is supplied to at least one of the gas outlets and gas is shut off from at least another one of the gas outlets.   
     
     
         2 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first valve is a cut-off valve. 
     
     
         3 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second valve operable to control the flow of gas through the gas inlet to the first fluid conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the second valve is a modulating valve. 
     
     
         5 . A gas supply apparatus for a convection conveyor oven, the gas supply apparatus comprising:
 first and second conduit portions collectively defining an interior volume for receiving a gas;   a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume;   at least one gas outlet defined in each of the first and second conduit portions, wherein each of the gas outlets is in fluid communication with the interior volume; and   a first valve in fluid communication with the interior volume and positioned between the gas inlet and the at least one gas outlet defined in the second conduit portion;   wherein the first valve has an first state in which gas received through the gas inlet is supplied to all of the gas outlets of the first and second conduit portions, and a second state in which gas received through the gas inlet is supplied to the at least one gas outlet of the first conduit portion but is shut off from the at least one gas outlet of the second conduit portion.   
     
     
         6 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first valve is a cut-off valve. 
     
     
         7 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a second valve operable to control the flow of gas through the gas inlet to the first conduit portion. 
     
     
         8 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the second valve is a modulating valve. 
     
     
         9 . A gas supply apparatus for a convection conveyor oven, the gas supply apparatus comprising:
 an interior volume for receiving gas, wherein the interior volume comprises a first conduit and a second conduit, and wherein the first conduit is in selective fluid communication with the second conduit;   a gas inlet in fluid communication with the first conduit;   a first valve operable to control the flow of gas through the gas inlet to the first conduit;   a plurality of gas outlets defined by the first and second conduits, wherein the plurality of gas outlets are in fluid communication with the interior volume, and wherein one of the plurality of gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the first conduit, and at least another of the plurality of gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the second conduit; and   a second valve in fluid communication with the inlet and at least one of the plurality of gas outlets, wherein the second valve has an first state in which gas received through the gas inlet is supplied to all of the plurality of gas outlets, and a second state in which gas received through the gas inlet is supplied to at least one of the gas outlets of the plurality of gas outlets and gas is shut off from at least another one of the gas outlets of the plurality of gas outlets.   
     
     
         10 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first valve is a cut-off valve. 
     
     
         11 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the second valve is a modulating valve. 
     
     
         12 . A gas supply apparatus for a convection oven having a plurality of burners, the gas supply apparatus comprising:
 a gas inlet;   at least one gas conduit defining an interior space for supplying gas from the gas inlet to the plurality of gas burners;   a first gas outlet supplied with gas from the gas inlet, wherein the first gas outlet is disposed in the at least one gas conduit and is positioned to discharge gas from the interior space to one or more of the plurality of gas burners;   a second gas outlet supplied with gas from the gas inlet, wherein the second gas outlet is disposed in the at least one gas conduit and is positioned to discharge gas from the interior space to one or more of the plurality of gas burners; and   a first valve in fluid communication with the gas inlet and establishing selective fluid communication between the gas inlet and the second gas outlet, the first valve having an first state in which gas received through the gas inlet is supplied to the first and second gas outlets, and a second state in which gas received from the gas inlet is supplied to the first gas outlet and is shut off from the second gas outlet,   wherein the first valve separates the first gas outlet from the second gas outlet.   
     
     
         13 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve is a cut-off valve. 
     
     
         14 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a second valve operable to control the flow of gas through the gas inlet to the at least one gas conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The gas supply apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the second valve is a modulating valve.