Conveyor oven usable as pre-bake oven in a print plate imaging and processing system and method of using same
US5964044A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 12, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF27B9/243
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A conveyor oven is capable of heating precisely and uniformly an article to be baked as the article is conveyed through the oven at a designated speed. Precise and uniform heating is promoted by 1) a combination supply/return duct assembly positioned above the conveyor and configured to promote uniform airflow towards the upper surface of the conveyor, and 2) discharge orifices configured to further promote uniform airflow from the supply ducts without generating whistling or other unpleasant noises. The arrangement of this supply/return duct assembly, incorporating both supply and return ducts in the same plane, also promotes a low profile oven--an important consideration in applications in which minimizing space is a priority. The profile of the oven is reduced further by placing the heating element beneath the conveyor and by configuring supply and return passages to circulate air between the heat source and the supply/return duct assembly using minimal space. This air recirculation, preferably enhanced by seals at appropriate locations within the oven, also significantly increases the oven's thermal efficiency and its ability to distribute heat uniformly. The oven is especially…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.