Maytag Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation

Mark A Boyer, Iii

James Charles Johncock

Jill L Means

Brian Jones

Sky W Carman

Theodore A Becker

Robert Z Whipple, Jr

Perry A Bennett

Valerie L Hern-Fonseth

Jeffrey K McLeod

Marilyn L Sterchi

Susan K Fisher

Brian A Lard

James D Nichols

Jeffrey C Strickland

Tony E Kendall

Jackie M Caruso

Robert R Ferris

An oven having one or more low-temperature self-cleaning modes has an interior cavity and at least two heating elements in the interior cavity. A sump is formed in the bottom wall of the cavity. The oven has an electronic control unit, which activates and deactivates the heating elements during operation of the low-temperature self-cleaning mode. The electronic control unit may disable an oven door lock during a low-temperature self-cleaning mode.

Oven with low-temperature self-cleaning mode

A system and method of determining and displaying a failure in an electronic appliance control system employs diagnostic codes which indicate both a primary system where a fault occurs and a subsystem in fault. The diagnostic codes are displayed so that repair personnel may be able to more accurately replace only the faulty part, as opposed to replacing an entire appliance control system. The diagnostic codes are established to include a plurality of digits represented by a combination of letters and numbers. The electronic appliance control also preferably records a specific series of diagnostic steps taken to verify replacement of only an actual faulty component.

Diagnostic system for an appliance

A cooking appliance includes an oven cavity, an electric heating element and a rapid cook heating system both of which being operable on either one of first and second supply voltages, and a controller including a memory module having stored therein first and second control algorithms. The controller will operate the cooking appliance based on one of the first or second control algorithm depending upon whether the cooking appliance is connected to the first or second supply voltages respectively. Preferably, the appliance includes a sensor for signaling the controller as to the presence of either the first or second supply voltage. In the alternative, the appliance can be manually set for use with a particular voltage supply.

Voltage selection mode for a cooking appliance

A cooking appliance employing rapid cook technology includes an electronic oven control system employing an alpha-numeric data entry and display arrangement. The cooking appliance includes a display which incorporates a series of vertically spaced information display zones, with each of the zones being capable of displaying both alpha and numeric data to a user of the appliance. Text and numeric data can be entered by the user through a ten-digit keypad provided on a control panel of the appliance. Each labeled numeric key (0&#x2013;9) can be used to input a corresponding numeric data symbol, as well as additional text information. This arrangement advantageously makes purchasing and operating a sophisticated cooking appliance more appealing and less intimidating to a consumer.

Alpha-numeric data entry and display for electronic oven control system

A cooking appliance includes an oven cavity, an electric heating element, a control element for selecting an oven cavity temperature, a timer and a calibration system for regulating operational parameters of the cooking appliance. The calibration system adjusts operational parameters of the cooking appliance based upon an amount of time required to achieve the selected oven cavity temperature. Preferably, the timer measures the amount of time needed to achieve the oven cavity temperature during a no load condition in order to set a baseline. Once the time is determined, the calibration system adjusts offset temperatures, hysterisis temperatures and/or cooking times to account for variations in power delivered to the oven cavity.

Automated oven calibration system

A cooking appliance includes a control user interface defined by a control panel arranged with a set of dedicated keys for each of various primary cooking modes. The control panel includes a display having various information display zones and various buttons which are provided on each side of and aligned with the information display zones. The buttons are used to select options and settings presented in the display. A controller, based on a hierarchical type organization, is employed to select a choice of cooking modes visually presented to a user in the display. The controller then navigates the user through a series of sub-menus to establish settings and options associated with each particular cooking mode.

Menu driven control system for a cooking appliance

A cooking appliance incorporates a convection system including a blower or fan having an associated heating element used for thawing food items in an oven cavity. The convection fan and its associated heating element are specifically controlled to regulate the air flow and temperature within the oven cavity in a manner which significantly reduces thaw time over ambient conditions, while not negatively effecting food quality. In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the convection fan is constantly operated at a high RPM and the convection heating element is operated in the order of 80&#xb0; F.-100&#xb0; F. (approximately 26-38&#xb0; C.) in order to establish and maintain an oven cavity temperature of about 80&#xb0; F. (approximately 26&#xb0; C.) for food thawing purposes.

Thaw-server system for convection cooking appliance

A cooking appliance employing rapid cook technology includes a controller which automatically converts conventional cooking temperatures input by a user to rapid cooking temperatures. In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, after a user enters a standard radiant cooking temperature into a control panel, an electronic controller subtracts a certain amount, preferably 25&deg; F. (approximately 14&deg; C.), off of the standard temperature. This reduced temperature is then shown in a display provided in the control panel. The controller will use this temperature as the actual cook temperature for the cycle. However, in order to assure food quality, this method is only employed in relatively short convection cooking cycles, such as a convection bake mode.

Automatic temperature conversion system for convection cooking appliance

A cooking appliance employing rapid cook technology includes a controller which calculates rapid cook times from conventional cooking times input by a user. That is, for relatively long convection cooking cycles, such as a convection roasting mode, after a user enters a standard radiant cooking time into a control panel, an electronic controller subtracts a certain percentage, preferably 25%, off of the standard time to establish a rapid cook time. In one preferred embodiment, the rapid cook time is presented in a display and used as the actual cook time for the cooking operation. In another preferred embodiment, the standard cooking time is established for the cooking operation, but the user is signaled to check the food when the rapid cook time expires.

Cook time control system for convection cooking appliance

A cooking appliance includes an oven cavity, one or more heat sources for generating hot oven gases within the oven cavity to perform a cooking operation, a controller and a cooling system. The cooling system includes a fan having a drive shaft upon which is mounted a multi-pole magnet. A Hall effect sensor is positioned adjacent to the magnet and provides pulses to the controller. Using the pulses, the controller calculates a speed of the cooling fan. If, during a cooking operation, the controller determines the fan is not operating, the cooking operation is halted. Likewise, if the controller determines the fan is operating at too low a speed, the cooking operation is halted. In either case, a corresponding fault code is generated and stored within the controller.

Growing community of inventors

Harrison, TN, United States of America

Mark A Boyer, Iii