Oven appliance with insulated heating element

Abstract

An oven appliance includes a cabinet and a chamber defined within the cabinet for receipt of food items for cooking. A heating element is positioned within or proximate to the chamber. The heating element may be partially enclosed by thermal insulation. The heating element may include an outer surface. The outer surface of the heating element may be made up of a first portion which is separated from the chamber by a thermal insulation and a second portion which is exposed to the chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oven appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the cabinet comprising a front portion spaced apart from a back portion along the transverse direction and a left side spaced apart from a right side along the lateral direction;   a chamber defined within the cabinet for receipt of food items for cooking; and   a heating element positioned within or proximate to the chamber, the heating element partially enclosed by thermal insulation.   
     
     
         2 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is positioned proximate a top wall of the chamber, an upper portion of the heating element is enclosed by the thermal insulation, a lower portion of the heating element faces towards a center of the chamber, and the lower portion is not enclosed by the thermal insulation. 
     
     
         3 . The oven appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the upper portion of the heating element and the lower portion of the heating element each comprise about half of the heating element. 
     
     
         4 . The oven appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the upper portion of the heating element comprises about one-third of the heating element or less. 
     
     
         5 . The oven appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the upper portion of the heating element comprises about sixty percent of the heating element or more. 
     
     
         6 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is partially embedded in the thermal insulation. 
     
     
         7 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a circular cross-sectional shape, and the thermal insulation contacts and covers about one-third or less of the circumference of the circular cross-sectional shape of the heating element. 
     
     
         8 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a circular cross-sectional shape, and the thermal insulation contacts and covers about one half of the circumference of the circular cross-sectional shape of the heating element. 
     
     
         9 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a circular cross-sectional shape, and the thermal insulation contacts and covers about sixty percent or more of the circumference of the circular cross-sectional shape of the heating element. 
     
     
         10 . An oven appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the cabinet comprising a front portion spaced apart from a back portion along the transverse direction and a left side spaced apart from a right side along the lateral direction;   a chamber defined within the cabinet for receipt of food items for cooking; and   a heating element positioned within or proximate to the chamber, an outer surface of the heating element consisting of a first portion which is separated from the chamber by a thermal insulation and a second portion which is exposed to the chamber.   
     
     
         11 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the outer surface of the heating element is surrounded by and in direct contact with the thermal insulation. 
     
     
         12 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element is positioned proximate a top wall of the chamber, the first portion of the outer surface is an upper portion of the outer surface of the heating element and the second portion of the outer surface is a lower portion of the outer surface of the heating element facing towards a center of the chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the outer surface of the heating element and the second portion of the outer surface of the heating element each comprise about half of the outer surface of the heating element. 
     
     
         14 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the heating element comprises about one-third of the outer surface of the heating element or less. 
     
     
         15 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the heating element comprises about sixty percent of the outer surface of the heating element or more. 
     
     
         16 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element comprises a circular cross-sectional shape, and the first portion of the outer surface of the heating element encompasses about one-third or less of the circumference of the circular cross-sectional shape of the heating element. 
     
     
         17 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element comprises a circular cross-sectional shape, and the first portion of the outer surface of the heating element encompasses about one half of the circumference of the circular cross-sectional shape of the heating element. 
     
     
         18 . The oven appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element comprises a circular cross-sectional shape, and first portion of the outer surface of the heating element encompasses about sixty percent or more of the circumference of the circular cross-sectional shape of the heating element.