Transparent oven bottom

Abstract

A domestic cooking appliance for heating a food item includes a main housing; a cooking chamber located in the main housing and configured to receive the food item, the cooking chamber having side panels, and a back panel; a heater cover panel located in a lower region of the cooking chamber, the heater cover panel being one of translucent and transparent; and a heater that produces heat for heating the cooking chamber, the heater being located below the heater cover panel. The heater is visible through the heater cover panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A domestic cooking appliance for heating a food item, comprising:
 a main housing;   a cooking chamber located in the main housing and configured to receive the food item, the cooking chamber having side panels, and a back panel;   a heater cover panel located in a lower region of the cooking chamber, the heater cover panel being one of translucent and transparent; and   a heater that produces heat for heating the cooking chamber, the heater being located below the heater cover panel,   wherein the heater is visible through the heater cover panel.   
     
     
         2 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heater cover panel is located above the heater at every part of the heater. 
     
     
         3 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the heater cover panel is a glass ceramic. 
     
     
         4 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 3 , wherein an area below the heater cover panel and an area above the heater cover panel are fluidly connected,
 the area below the heater cover panel and the area above the heater cover panel are both in the cooking chamber, and   the heater is located in the area below the heater cover panel.   
     
     
         5 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 4 , wherein an air gap exists between an edge of the heater cover panel and one of the group consisting of a first one of the cooking chamber side panels, a second one of the cooking chamber side panels, and the cooking chamber back panel. 
     
     
         6 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the heater cover panel has an air passage through which air can pass between the area below the heater cover panel and the area above the heater cover panel. 
     
     
         7 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an area below the heater cover panel and an area above the heater cover panel are fluidly connected,
 the area below the heater cover panel and the area above the heater cover panel are both in the cooking chamber, and   the heater is located in the area below the heater cover panel.   
     
     
         8 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the heater cover panel has an opening that fluidly connects the area below the heater cover panel and the area above the heater cover panel. 
     
     
         9 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the heater cover panel has a horizontal bottom surface when installed in the domestic cooking appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the heater cover panel has a bottom surface that includes a first non-horizontal sloped surface when installed in the domestic cooking appliance. 
     
     
         11 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom surface of the heater cover panel has a second sloped surface that intersects the first sloped surface at a positive angle. 
     
     
         12 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the bottom surface of the heater cover panel has a lowest point formed by a line at the intersection of the first sloped surface and the second sloped surface when installed in the domestic cooking appliance, the first sloped surface and the second sloped surface angling upward away from the intersection line. 
     
     
         13 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heater cover panel is transparent. 
     
     
         14 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is a gas burner. 
     
     
         15 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is an electric heating element. 
     
     
         16 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising an openable door that permits access to the cooking chamber when the door is in an open position, the door having a transparent window that allows viewing of the cooking chamber when the door is in a closed position,
 wherein the heater is visible through the window when the heater is producing heat and the heater cover panel is in an operating position.   
     
     
         17 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the burner cover panel has an opacity of between 20% and 30%. 
     
     
         18 . A domestic cooking appliance for heating a food item, comprising:
 a main housing;   a cooking chamber located in the main housing and configured to receive the food item;   a transparent burner cover panel located in a lower region of the cooking chamber; and   a gas burner that produces heat for heating the cooking chamber, the gas burner being located below the burner cover panel,   wherein flames produced by the gas burner are visible through the burner cover panel when the burner is burning gas.   
     
     
         19 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the burner cover panel has an opacity of between 20% and 30%. 
     
     
         20 . The domestic cooking appliance of  claim 18 , further comprising an openable door that permits access to the cooking chamber when the door is in an open position, the door having a transparent window that allows viewing of the cooking chamber when the door is in a closed position,
 wherein the flames produced by the gas burner are visible through the window when the burner is burning gas and the burner cover panel is in an operating position.