[0001] The present invention relates to an oven of the ventilated type, in particular for
domestic use, according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] The present invention is typically applicable to ventilated ovens, in particular
for domestic use, of the type comprising a compartment for cooking food.
[0003] As is known, different types of ovens are currently available on the market; the
most widespread ones include ovens of the static type and ovens of the ventilated
type.
[0004] An oven of the static type known in the art comprises:
- a muffle defining a cooking compartment where food to be cooked is placed, said muffle
comprising a bottom base, a top wall or "ceiling", a back wall, a front wall opposite
to said back wall, and two mutually opposite side walls;
- heating means associated with the muffle for heating air in said muffle and causing
said food to be cooked.
[0005] Usually the front wall of an oven of the static type comprises a door which can be
opened in order to place food to be cooked into the cooking compartment.
[0006] Compared to the above-described oven of the static type, an oven of the ventilated
type additionally includes a fan associated with said heating means, the fan and the
heating means being typically situated in a cavity associated with the back wall of
the muffle.
[0007] The ovens of the ventilated type known in the art suffer from the drawback that the
air circulated by the fan and conveyed towards the cooking compartment of the muffle
stagnates within said cavity; as a consequence, this inevitably leads to a reduced
fluid-dynamic efficiency of the oven, and hence to a reduced efficiency of the food
cooking process taking place in said cooking compartment.
[0008] In addition, an oven of the ventilated type known in the art usually comprises:
- inlet means allowing said cavity to be in fluidic communication with the compartment
of the muffle, so as to allow the air contained in said cavity and moved by the fan
to flow into the compartment of the muffle, said inlet means comprising at least one
opening in said bulkhead, in particular in a perimetric position thereof;
- return means allowing the cooking compartment to be in fluidic communication with
the cavity, so as to allow the air contained in said compartment to be sucked in by
the fan and return into the cavity, said return means comprising at least one passage
in said bulkhead, in particular in a central position thereof.
[0009] In such a prior-art oven of the ventilated type, the fan sucks air into said cavity
from the cooking compartment, in particular through said at least one passage obtained
in the bulkhead that separates the cooking compartment from the cavity; in said cavity,
the air gets heated through contact with the heating means; the air flow generated
by the fan and heated is then reintroduced into the cooking compartment through said
at least one opening obtained in the bulkhead.
[0010] Ventilated ovens are somewhat advantageous over static ovens, the advantage mainly
consisting of the fact that the air circulation caused by the fan's action ensures
a better distribution of the hot air in the cooking compartment. However, although
ventilated ovens actually improve the distribution of the hot air flow, it has been
observed in practice that said air distribution is often not uniform enough to ensure
proper cooking of foods arranged together at different levels in the cooking compartment.
As a matter of fact, it has been observed that, when several shelves or dripping pans
are placed at different levels in the cooking compartment, the foods contained therein
get cooked differently.
[0011] Furthermore, such dishomogeneousness of air distribution in the cooking compartment
is also observed at the same level, since foods get cooked differently even when they
are put on a single shelf.
[0012] It is clear that this inevitably poses significant difficulties to the user, who
will find it impossible to attain a homogeneous cooking of foods placed in the cooking
compartment.
[0013] Moreover, the generic configurations according to the prior art seem to not take
properly into account the fluid dynamics in the cooking compartment, also as concerns
the effects exerted thereon by the direction of rotation of the fan, which generates
the air flow in the chamber and in the cavity; therefore, the state of the art still
suffers from the aforementioned drawbacks caused by uneven hot air distribution in
the cooking compartment.
[0014] In addition, the presence of at least one passage (for sucking air into said cavity
from the cooking compartment) and at least one opening (for reintroducing into the
cooking compartment the hot air flow generated by the fan) obtained in the bulkhead
that separates the cavity from the cooking compartment does not allow for optimally
feeding and distributing the hot air in the cooking compartment or adequately sucking
in the air from said cooking compartment.
[0015] In fact, it may happen that the air flow drawn from the cooking compartment will
interfere with the air flow fed into the cooking compartment, and vice versa; such
interference between the different air flows will inevitably impair the hot air distribution
in the cooking compartment.
[0016] Furthermore, the foods being cooked are mostly lapped by the return air flow, resulting
in a loss of cooking efficiency due to the fact that the return flow has a lower energy
content than the delivery flow.
[0017] The present invention aims at solving these and other problems suffered by the ventilated
ovens known in the art.
[0018] In this frame, it is the main object of the present invention to provide an oven
of the ventilated type, in particular for domestic use, which is so realized as to
ensure optimal uniformity of distribution of the hot air flow in the cooking compartment.
[0019] It is another object of the present invention to provide an fan oven of the ventilated
type, in particular for domestic use, which is so realized as to ensure sufficient
and adequate uniformity of distribution of the hot air flow for cooking foods simultaneously
placed at different levels in the cooking compartment, as well as for cooking foods
placed at the same level in the cooking compartment.
[0020] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an oven of the ventilated
type, in particular for domestic use, which is so realized as to properly take into
account the fluid dynamics existing in the cooking compartment, especially as concerns
the effects exerted thereon by the direction of rotation of the fan.
[0021] It is another object of the present invention to provide an oven of the ventilated
type, in particular for domestic use, wherein hot air is optimally fed and distributed
into the cooking compartment, and wherein air is adequately drawn from said cooking
compartment.
[0022] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an oven of the ventilated
type, in particular for domestic use, which is so realized as to limit as much as
possible said loss of fluid-dynamic efficiency of the oven, thus increasing the efficiency
of the food cooking process taking place in said cooking compartment.
[0023] It is yet another object of the present invention to reduce the noisiness of the
oven, in particular the noise due to circulation of air delivered by the fan.
[0024] Said objects are achieved by the present invention through an oven of the ventilated
type, in particular for domestic use, incorporating the features set out in the appended
claims, which are intended to be an integral part of the present description.
[0025] Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent
from the following detailed description and from the annexed drawings, which are supplied
by way of non-limiting example, wherein:
- Fig. 1 is a first perspective view of an oven of the ventilated type, in particular
for domestic use, according to the present invention;
- Fig. 2 is a second perspective view of the oven of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the oven according to the present invention;
- Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of some elements of the cooking oven according
to the present invention.
[0026] Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates as a whole an oven
of the ventilated type, in particular for domestic use, according to the present invention.
[0027] The oven 1 comprises a muffle 10 defining a cooking compartment 10V where food to
be cooked is placed, said muffle 10 comprising a bottom wall or base 11, a top wall
or ceiling 12, a back wall 13, a front wall 14 opposite to said back wall 13, and
two mutually opposite side walls 15.
[0028] In the present description, expressions such as "top", "bottom", "front", "side"
and the like are to be understood with reference to a preferred orientation of the
oven 1 in an operating condition, i.e. a condition in which it is normally used for
cooking food placed in the compartment 10V.
[0029] The muffle 10 is preferably housed in a cabinet 2 of the oven 1, said cabinet 2 being
represented by a dashed line in Figures 1 and 2; the space between the cabinet 2 and
the muffle 10 may be at least partially filled with insulating material (not shown
in the drawings).
[0030] Inside the muffle 10 there may be a plurality of shelves 10R (comprising, for example,
extractable dripping pans or wire-racks, visible in simplified form in Fig. 3 and
partially shown in Fig. 4), by means of which foods to be cooked can be arranged at
different levels in the compartment 10V.
[0031] As can be seen in the side section shown in Fig. 3 (said side section lying in a
plane P, represented by a dashed-dotted line in Figs. 1 and 2), the front wall 14
comprises a door 14S; as known in the art, the door 14S is hinged to the cabinet 2
and/or to the muffle 10, so as to switch the muffle 10 from a closed configuration
(which configuration is typically used when cooking foods in the cooking compartment
10V) to an open configuration (which configuration is typically used when placing
food to be cooked into the cooking compartment 10V), and vice versa.
[0032] Preferably, said door 14S comprises at least one transparent pane 14T, in particular
made of glass; said at least one transparent pane 14T allows a user to look into the
compartment 10V, in particular for the purpose of visually checking the cooking of
the food in the compartment 10V.
[0033] The oven 1 comprises heating means 20 (shown in Fig. 3) associated with the muffle
10 for heating air in said muffle 10 and causing said food to be cooked. The oven
1 also comprises a fan 30 for circulating air in said muffle 10, the fan 30 being
situated in a cavity 40 associated with the back wall 13 of the muffle 10 via a bulkhead
41.
[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the heating means 20 are associated with the fan 30 and
are situated in said cavity 40; furthermore, said heating means 20 are preferably
of the resistive type and comprise at least one electric resistor, in particular a
circular one and/ or such as to surround said fan 30.
[0035] In a further preferred embodiment, the fan 30 is of the type that sucks in air axially
and circulates it radially (in Fig. 3 the paths followed by the air in the compartment
10V of the muffle 10 are shown by means of dashed lines), and said heating means 20
(in particular consisting of an electric resistor) are substantially so realized as
to surround the fan 30, so that they are lapped by all the air circulated by said
fan 30, thus optimizing the heating thereof within said muffle 10.
[0036] It is however clear that the heating means 20 may be realized in a different manner
and be placed in other positions in the muffle 10.
[0037] Advantageously, the oven 1 also comprises auxiliary heating means (not shown in the
drawings) associated with the ceiling 12 for irradiation cooking. The oven 1 according
to the present invention further comprises:
- inlet means (generically indicated by reference numeral 50 in Figs. 1 and 2) allowing
said cavity 40 to be in fluidic communication with the compartment 10V of the muffle
10, so as to allow the air contained in said cavity 40 and moved by the fan 30 to
flow into the compartment 10V of the muffle 10, said inlet means 50 comprising at
least one opening 51 in said bulkhead 41;
- return means (generically indicated by reference numeral 60 in Figs. 1 and 2) allowing
the compartment 10V of the muffle 10 to be in fluidic communication with the cavity
40, so as to allow the air contained in said compartment 10V to be sucked in by the
fan 30 and return into the cavity 40, said return means 60 comprising at least one
passage 61 in said bulkhead 41.
[0038] Preferably, said at least one opening 51 comprises a plurality of openings 51 obtained
at different levels in said bulkhead 41, so that an adequate air flow can reach every
shelf 10R.
[0039] It can be observed in Figs. 2 and 4 that said at least one passage 61 comprises a
grid 61G adapted to divide the passage 61 into a plurality of holes; it is however
clear that said at least one passage 61 may be so realized as to include no additional
elements, thus having a single hole corresponding to said passage 61. In fact, thanks
to the provisions of the present invention, the presence of the grid 61G is not necessary,
since the fan 30 is not accessible to the user while the oven 1 is in operation.
[0040] In accordance with the present invention, said return means 60 comprise a channel
62 having a first end 62A associated with said at least one passage 61 and a second
end 62B situated in the proximity of the front wall 14, so as to draw air near the
front wall 14 of the muffle 10 and convey it towards the fan 30 through said at least
one passage 61.
[0041] As a consequence, the channel 62 extends from the back wall 13 to proximate the front
wall 14.
[0042] The special provision of the channel 62 allows to properly take into account the
fluid dynamics existing in the cooking compartment 10V and to ensure uniformity of
air distribution in the compartment 10V in order to obtain a homogeneous cooking of
the foods placed therein.
[0043] In fact, the presence of the channel 62 allows to optimally feed and distribute hot
air into the cooking compartment 10V, as well as to adequately draw air from said
cooking compartment 10V, while also distributing the air flow delivered through said
at least one opening 51 throughout the volume of the cooking compartment 10V.
[0044] This happens mainly because the channel 62 allows to prevent the air flow drawn from
the cooking compartment 10V from interfering with the air flow delivered into said
cooking compartment 10V, and vice versa; as a result, the absence of any interference
between the different air flows considerably improves the distribution of the hot
air in the cooking compartment 10V.
[0045] Said channel 62 is associated with at least one of said bottom wall 11, top wall
12 and two side walls 15; in particular, said channel 62 is associated with the bottom
wall 11 of the muffle 10, in particular in such a way that said bottom wall 11 can
also form the base of said channel 62. Preferably, said channel 62 is at least partly
secured to the bottom wall 11 through fastening means (not shown, since they are of
a known type). Screws are advantageously used as fastening means in order to ensure
internal access to said channel 62 for maintenance and/or service.
[0046] In a preferred embodiment, said second end 62B of the channel 62 comprises at least
one port 63 for sucking in air near the front wall 14.
[0047] Preferably, said at least one port 63 is placed on a ridge 63A of the second end
62B, said ridge 63A being raised relative to the second end 62B and to the bottom
wall 11. This allows said at least one port 63 to suck in the air near the front wall
14 without being clogged by food residues or overflows (especially liquid ones) which
may accumulate on said bottom wall 11; as a result, such a provision ensures the proper
operation of the port 63 and of the entire channel 62.
[0048] As can be seen in the annexed drawings, the channel 62 comprises:
- an intermediate body 62C connecting the first end 62A and the second end 62B, in particular
said intermediate body 62C being so realized as to extend along a substantially central
portion of the bottom wall 11;
- said second end 62B being so realized as to longitudinally extend in the proximity
of the front wall 14, said second end 62B comprising a plurality of ports 63.
[0049] As a consequence, the channel 62 substantially has a "T" shape when viewed from above,
in particular when viewed from above starting from the back wall 13 towards the front
wall 14.
[0050] The particular shape of the channel 62, in particular of the second end 62B, allows
the air contained in the cooking compartment 10V to be adequately sucked in; in particular,
the shape of the second end 62B and the positioning of the plurality of ports 63 in
the proximity of the front wall 14 allows to draw the air farthest from the fan 30,
while at the same time scrubbing the entire transparent pane 14T to eliminate any
condensate possibly formed thereon and to keep the temperature of said transparent
pane 14T as even as possible, so as to reduce any tensions that might be generated
on the transparent pane 14T, in particular when pyrolysis is taking place.
[0051] In a preferred embodiment, the channel 62 comprises a section 62D that connects the
first end 62A to the intermediate body 62C, in particular said section 62D being associated
with the bulkhead 41 and extending substantially in a vertical direction in said compartment
10V. Preferably, the section 62D is at least partially secured to the bulkhead 41
through fastening means (not shown, since they are of a known type, e.g. screws),
so that said bulkhead 41 can constitute at least a part of the section 62D of the
channel 62.
[0052] As a consequence, the channel 62 substantially has a "laid-down L" shape, when viewed
from the side (e.g. in the sectional view of Fig. 3). Preferably, the channel 62 is
made as two pieces connected together in the proximity of a curved section 62E, the
first piece comprising the first end 62A and the section 62D, and the second piece
comprising the second end 62B and the intermediate body 62C.
[0053] As aforementioned in the present description, the cavity 40 is obtained by associating
the bulkhead 41 with the back wall 13.
[0054] In accordance with the present invention, the oven 1 comprises portions of the bulkhead
41 and of the back wall 13 cooperating to form the cavity 40 and having smooth corners
13A, 41A and/or rounded edges to prevent the air circulated by the fan 30 and conveyed
towards said at least one opening 51 from stagnating within the cavity 40, resulting
in a loss of fluid-dynamic efficiency of the oven 1 and leading to a less efficient
cooking process.
[0055] With reference to this aspect, Figures 1 and 4 show that the back wall 13 comprises
first smooth corners 13A (visible in Fig. 4), and that the bulkhead 41 comprises respective
second smooth corners 41A, said first corners 13A being coupled to the second corners
41A to form respective corners (not shown) of the cavity 40.
[0056] Such a provision proves to be particularly advantageous because, by preventing air
from stagnating within the cavity 40, it is possible to obtain an adequate air circulation
in the cavity 40 and an optimal change of air in the cooking compartment 10V; as a
consequence, the maximum air flow circulated by the fan 30 can be exploited for cooking
food in the compartment 10V.
[0057] The openings 51 are distributed over the bulkhead 41 as a function of the direction
of rotation of the fan 30 and/or of the position of the shelves 10R in the compartment
10V of the muffle 10, particularly in such a way as to ensure that there is at least
one opening 51 for each cooking level.
[0058] The openings 51 are preferably rectangular in shape, and are obtained by means of
shearing and bending operations.
[0059] Preferably, said openings 51 comprise:
- at least one upper opening 51A feeding the portion of the compartment 10V above the
uppermost shelf 10R, which can preferably be combined with an accessory such as a
separator (not shown in the drawings) of the oven 1;
- front openings 51B feeding a cooking zone comprised between two successive shelves
10R;
- side openings 51C adapted to heat the side walls 15 of the oven 1 to the cooking or
pyrolysis temperature, in particular said side openings 51C being preferably symmetrical
relative to the plane P;
- lower openings 51D adapted to feed that portion of the compartment 10V of the muffle
10 which is under the level of the lowermost shelf 10R, in particular said lower openings
51D being preferably symmetrical relative to the plane P.
[0060] Said front openings 51B may be symmetrical relative to the plane P, or else such
symmetry may be advantageously altered in a manner such that the front openings 51B
on either side of the bulkhead 41 are closer to the centre of the bulkhead 41, depending
on the direction of rotation of the fan 30. For example, if the fan 30 rotates clockwise
when viewed from the door 14S, then said front openings 51B will be closer to the
centre on the left side of the bulkhead 41; if the fan 30 rotates counterclockwise
when viewed from the door 14S, then said front openings 51B will be closer to the
centre on the right side of the bulkhead 41.
[0061] The heating means 20 preferably comprise a circular electric resistor having a pitch
comprised between 1.5 and 2 times its diameter. Advantageously, metal fins are fitted
to the electric resistor to convey the air flow exiting the fan 30 and to distribute
the heat generated by the resistor.
[0062] The advantages of an oven 1 of the ventilated type, in particular for domestic use,
according to the present invention are apparent from the above description.
[0063] In particular, such advantages derive from the fact that the special provision of
the channel 62 allows to properly take into account the fluid dynamics existing in
the cooking compartment 10V and to ensure uniformity of air distribution in said compartment
10V, in particular for the purpose of obtaining a homogeneous cooking of the foods
placed therein.
[0064] In fact, the presence of the channel 62 allows to optimally feed and distribute the
hot air into the cooking compartment 10V, as well as to adequately draw air from said
cooking compartment 10V.
[0065] This occurs mainly because the channel 62 prevents the air flow drawn into the cavity
40 from the cooking compartment 10V from interfering with the air flow fed into said
cooking compartment 10V from the cavity 40, and vice versa; consequently, the absence
of any interference between the air flow drawn from the compartment 10V and the air
flow fed into said compartment 10V significantly improves the distribution of the
hot air inside the muffle 10. A further advantage is that the particular realization
of the channel 62 according to the present invention, i.e. the fact that it comprises
a second end 62B situated in the proximity of the front wall 14 of the muffle 10,
allows to draw air near said front wall 14 and to create a sort of a vacuum which
can then be gradually filled with new heated air, fed into the compartment 10V by
the fan 30.
[0066] Such a realization of the channel 62 and the positioning of the plurality of ports
63 in the proximity of the front wall 14 allows to suck in the air farthest from the
fan 30, while at the same time scrubbing the entire transparent pane 14T in order
to eliminate any condensate possibly formed thereon. Furthermore, the fact that the
ports 63 are situated on a ridge 63A of the second end 62B allows to suck in the air
near the front wall 14 without running the risk that said ports 63 might get clogged
by residues possibly accumulated in the cooking compartment 10V.
[0067] A further advantage of the present invention is that the provision of smooth corners
13A, 41A and/or rounded edges on those portions of the bulkhead 41 and of the back
wall 13 which cooperate to form the cavity 40 allows to prevent air from stagnating
within the cavity 40; this is advantageous because it ensures adequate air recirculation
in the cavity 40 and an optimal change of air inside the cooking compartment 10V,
so that it can be exploited at best for food cooking.
[0068] In addition, the air processed by the fan 30 is less noisy thanks to the provision
of smooth corners 13A, 41A and/or rounded edges.
[0069] The oven of the ventilated type, in particular for domestic use, described herein
by way of example may be subject to many possible variations without departing from
the novelty spirit of the inventive idea; it is also clear that in the practical implementation
of the invention the illustrated details may have different shapes or be replaced
with other technically equivalent elements.
[0070] It can therefore be easily understood that the present invention is not limited to
the above-described oven of the ventilated type, in particular for domestic use, but
may be subject to many modifications, improvements or replacements of equivalent parts
and elements without departing from the inventive idea, as clearly specified in the
following claims.
1. An oven (1) of the ventilated type, in particular for domestic use, comprising:
- a muffle (10) defining a cooking compartment (10V) where food to be cooked is placed,
said muffle (10) comprising a bottom wall (11), a top wall (12), a back wall (13),
a front wall (14) opposite to said back wall (13), and two mutually opposite side
walls (15);
- heating means (20) associated with the muffle (10) for heating air in said muffle
(10) and causing said food to be cooked;
- a fan (30) for circulating air in said muffle (10), the fan (30) being located in
a cavity (40) associated with the back wall (13) of the muffle (10) via a bulkhead
(41);
- inlet means (50) allowing said cavity (40) to be in fluidic communication with the
compartment (10V) of the muffle (10), so as to allow the air contained in said cavity
(40) and moved by the fan (30) to flow into the compartment (10V) of the muffle (10),
said inlet means (50) comprising at least one opening (51) in said bulkhead (41);
- return means (60) allowing the compartment (10V) of the muffle (10) to be in fluidic
communication with the cavity (40), so as to allow the air contained in said compartment
(10V) to be sucked in by the fan (30) and return into the cavity (40), said return
means (60) comprising at least one passage (61) in said bulkhead (41),
characterized in that
said return means (60) comprise a channel (62) comprising a first end (62A) associated
with said at least one passage (61) and a second end (62B) situated in the proximity
of the front wall (14), so as to draw air near the front wall (14) of the muffle (10)
and convey it towards the fan (30) through said at least one passage (61).
2. An oven (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said channel (62) extends from the back wall (13) to proximate the front wall (14).
3. An oven (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said channel (62) is associated with the bottom wall (11) of the muffle (10), in
particular such that said bottom wall (11) can also form the base of said channel
(62).
4. An oven (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second end (62B) of the channel (62) comprises at least one port (63) for sucking
in air near the front wall (14), said at least one port (63) being placed on a ridge
(63A) of the second end (62B), said ridge (63A) being raised relative to the second
end (62B) and to the bottom wall (11).
5. An oven (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims,
characterized in that said channel (62) comprises:
- an intermediate body (62C) connecting the first end (62A) and the second end (62B),
in particular said intermediate body (62C) being so realized as to extend along a
substantially central portion of the bottom wall (11);
- said second end (62B) being so realized as to longitudinally extend in the proximity
of the front wall (14), said second end (62B) comprising a plurality of ports (63).
6. An oven (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said channel (62) comprises a section (62D) that connects the first end (62A) to
the intermediate body (62C), in particular said section (62D) being associated with
the bulkhead (41) and extending substantially in a vertical direction in said compartment
(10V).
7. An oven (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises portions of the bulkhead (41) and of the back wall (13) cooperating
to form the cavity (13), said portions of the bulkhead (41) and of the back wall (13)
having smooth corners (13A, 41A) and/or rounded edges to prevent the air being circulated
by the fan (30) and conveyed towards said at least one opening (51) from stagnating
within the cavity (40).
8. An oven (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the back wall (13) comprises first smooth corners (13A) and the bulkhead (41) comprises
respective second smooth corners (41A), said first corners (13A) mating with the second
corners (41A) to form respective corners of the cavity (40).
9. An oven (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heating means (20) are associated with the fan (30) and are located in said
cavity (40), in particular said heating means (20) being of the resistive type and
comprising at least one electric resistor, in particular a circular one and/or such
as to surround said fan (30).
10. An oven (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that said fan (30) is of the type that sucks in air axially and circulates it radially,
and said heating means (20) are so realized as to substantially surround the fan (30).
11. An oven (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one opening (51) comprises a plurality of openings (51) distributed
over the bulkhead (51) according to the direction of rotation of the fan (30) and
to the position of shelves (10R) in the compartment (10V) of the muffle (10), in particular
to ensure that at least one opening (51) is provided for each cooking level.
12. An oven (1) of the ventilated type, in particular for domestic use, comprising:
- a muffle (10) defining a cooking compartment (10V) where food to be cooked is placed,
said muffle (10) comprising a bottom wall (11), a top wall (12), a back wall (13),
a front wall (14) opposite to said back wall (13), and two mutually opposite side
walls (15);
- heating means (20) associated with the muffle (10) for heating air in said muffle
(10) and causing said food to be cooked;
- a fan (30) for circulating air in said muffle (10), the fan (30) being located in
a cavity (40) associated with the back wall (13) of the muffle (10) via a bulkhead
(41);
- inlet means (50) allowing said cavity (40) to be in fluidic communication with the
compartment (10V) of the muffle (10), so as to allow the air contained in said cavity
(40) and moved by the fan (30) to flow into the compartment (10V) of the muffle (10),
said inlet means (50) comprising at least one opening (51) in said bulkhead (41),
characterized in that
said oven (1) comprises portions of the bulkhead (41) and of the back wall (13) cooperating
to form the cavity (13), said portions of the bulkhead (41) and of the back wall (13)
having smooth corners (13A, 41A) and/or rounded edges to prevent the air being circulated
by the fan (30) and conveyed towards said at least one opening (51) from stagnating
within the cavity (40).
13. An oven (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the back wall (13) comprises first smooth corners (13A) and the bulkhead (41) comprises
respective second smooth corners (41A), said first corners (13A) mating with the second
corners (41A) to form respective corners of the cavity (40).
14. An oven (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims 12 and 13,
characterized in that it comprises return means (60) allowing the compartment (10V) of the muffle (10)
to be in fluidic communication with the cavity (40), so as to allow the air contained
in said compartment (10V) to be sucked in by the fan (30) and return into the cavity
(40), said return means (60) comprising:
- at least one passage (61) in said bulkhead (41);
- a channel (62) having a first end (62A) associated with said at least one passage
(61) and a second end (62B) situated in the proximity of the front wall (14), so as
to draw air near the front wall (14) of the muffle (10) and convey it towards the
fan (30) through said at least one passage (61).
15. An oven (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that said channel (62) extends from the back wall (13) to proximate the front wall (14),
said channel being associated with the bottom wall (11) of the muffle (10), in particular
such that said bottom wall (11) can also form the base of said channel (62).