US-12624842-B2 - Oven appliance and method for fan noise adjustment

US12624842B2US 12624842 B2US12624842 B2US 12624842B2US-12624842-B2

Abstract

An oven appliance and method for operation therefor, including determining a fan speed of a fan assembly; comparing the fan speed to a lower fan speed limit; allowing adjustment of the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit; disabling decrease of the fan speed when the fan speed is equal to the lower fan speed limit; and adjusting a control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on a commanded adjustment of the fan speed when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit, wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device decreases a fan noise from the flow device.

Inventors

Tyler Fitt

Assignees

HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230830

Claims (14)

1 . An oven appliance, comprising: a cabinet forming a cooking chamber therein; a flow device configured to selectively generate a flow of air; a user interface panel operably coupled to a controller, the user interface panel configured to receive a user command and transmit the user command to the controller, the controller configured to store instructions that, when executed by the controller, causes the oven appliance to perform operations, the operations comprising: determining a fan speed of the flow device during a fan operation corresponding to a cooking operation or a cooling operation; comparing the fan speed to a lower fan speed limit; allowing adjustment of the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit; disabling decrease of the fan speed when the fan speed is equal to the lower fan speed limit; obtaining, via the user interface panel, a commanded adjustment of the fan speed; adjusting a control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on the commanded adjustment of the fan speed when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit, wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device decreases a fan noise from the flow device; determining a temperature signal during fan operation corresponding to an adjusted fan speed corresponding to the commanded adjustment of the fan speed; comparing the adjusted fan speed to the temperature signal and a temperature threshold, wherein the temperature threshold corresponds to an upper limit or a lower limit relative to a cooking operation or a cooling operation; and adjusting the control variable to output a second adjusted fan speed within the temperature threshold based on fan operation, wherein adjusting the control variable to output the second adjusted fan speed overrides adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on the commanded adjustment of fan speed.
2 . The oven appliance of claim 1 , wherein determining the fan speed of the flow device comprises determining the fan speed over a period of time to determine an average fan speed.
3 . The oven appliance of claim 1 , wherein determining the fan speed is performed during operation of the flow device during a fan operation corresponding to a cooking operation or a cooling operation.
4 . The oven appliance of claim 3 , wherein comparing the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit corresponds to a minimum fan speed or flow rate for operating the flow device to perform the fan operation corresponding to the cooling cooking operation or the cooling operation.
5 . The oven appliance of claim 1 , the operations comprising: determining the fan operation corresponding to the cooking operation or the cooling operation.
6 . The oven appliance of claim 5 , wherein determining the fan operation comprises determining the lower fan speed limit relative to the fan operation.
7 . The oven appliance of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device comprises adjusting voltage or current to change the fan speed.
8 . A controller for an oven appliance, the controller configured to store instructions that, when executed, causes the oven appliance to perform operations, the operations comprising: determining a fan speed of a flow device, wherein determining the fan speed is performed during operation of the flow device during a fan operation corresponding to a cooking operation or a cooling operation; comparing the fan speed to a lower fan speed limit, wherein comparing the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit corresponds to a minimum fan speed or flow rate for operating the flow device to perform the fan operation corresponding to the cooking operation or the cooling operation; allowing adjustment of the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit; disabling decrease of the fan speed when the fan speed is equal to the lower fan speed limit; and adjusting a control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on a commanded adjustment of the fan speed when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit, wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device decreases a fan noise from the flow device; determining a temperature signal during fan operation corresponding to an adjusted fan speed corresponding to the commanded adjustment of the fan speed; comparing the adjusted fan speed to the temperature signal and a temperature threshold, wherein the temperature threshold corresponds to an upper limit or a lower limit relative to the cooking operation or the cooling operation; and adjusting the control variable to output a second adjusted fan speed within the temperature threshold based on fan operation, wherein adjusting the control variable to output the second adjusted fan speed overrides adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on the commanded adjustment of fan speed.
9 . The controller of claim 8 , wherein determining the fan speed of the flow device comprises determining the fan speed over a period of time to determine an average fan speed.
10 . The controller of claim 8 , the operations comprising: determining a fan operation corresponding to the cooking operation or the cooling operation.
11 . The controller of claim 10 , wherein determining the fan operation comprises determining the lower fan speed limit relative to the fan operation.
12 . The controller of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device comprises adjusting voltage or current to change the fan speed.
13 . A method for operating an oven appliance to adjust fan noise, the method comprising: determining a fan speed of a fan assembly at the oven appliance; comparing the fan speed to a lower fan speed limit; allowing adjustment of the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit; disabling decrease of the fan speed when the fan speed is equal to the lower fan speed limit; and adjusting a control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on a commanded adjustment of the fan speed when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit, wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device decreases a fan noise from the flow device; determining a temperature signal during fan operation corresponding to an adjusted fan speed corresponding to a commanded adjustment of the fan speed; comparing the adjusted fan speed to the temperature signal and a temperature threshold, wherein the temperature threshold corresponds to an upper limit or a lower limit relative to a cooking operation or a cooling operation; and adjusting the control variable to output a second adjusted fan speed within the temperature threshold based on fan operation, wherein adjusting the control variable to output the second adjusted fan speed overrides adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on the commanded adjustment of fan speed.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein comparing the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit corresponds to a minimum fan speed or flow rate for operating the flow device to perform the fan operation corresponding to the cooking mode or the cooling operation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present subject matter relates generally to an oven appliance, and more particularly to an oven appliance and method for operation thereof. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Residential and commercial oven appliances generally include a cabinet that defines a cooking chamber for receipt of food items for cooking. Heating elements are positioned within the cooking chamber to provide heat to food items located therein. The heating elements can include, for example, radiant heating elements, such as a bake heating assembly positioned at a bottom of the cooking chamber or a broil heating assembly positioned at a top of the cooking chamber. Various ovens include a fan to force a flow of hot air within the cooking chamber, such as in convection oven configurations, or a fan for force a flow of air to cool a controller. However, operation of the fan may result in undesired noise experienced by a user. Accordingly, an oven appliance assembly that obviates one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks would be desirable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. An aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an oven appliance including a cabinet forming a cooking chamber therein, a flow device configured to selectively generate a force flow of air, and a user interface panel operably coupled to a controller. The user interface panel is configured to receive a user command and transmit the user command to the controller. The controller is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the controller, causes the oven appliance to perform operations. The operations include determining a fan speed of the flow device; comparing the fan speed to a lower fan speed limit; allowing adjustment of the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit; disabling decrease of the fan speed when the fan speed is equal to the lower fan speed limit; and adjusting a control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on a commanded adjustment of the fan speed when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit, wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device decreases a fan noise from the flow device. Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a controller for an oven appliance. The controller is configured to store instructions that, when executed, causes the oven appliance to perform operations. The operations include determining a fan speed of a flow device; comparing the fan speed to a lower fan speed limit; allowing adjustment of the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit; disabling decrease of the fan speed when the fan speed is equal to the lower fan speed limit; and adjusting a control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on a commanded adjustment of the fan speed when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit, wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device decreases a fan noise from the flow device. Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for operating an oven appliance to adjust fan noise. The method includes determining a fan speed of a fan assembly at the oven appliance; comparing the fan speed to a lower fan speed limit; allowing adjustment of the fan speed to the lower fan speed limit when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit; disabling decrease of the fan speed when the fan speed is equal to the lower fan speed limit; and adjusting a control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device based on a commanded adjustment of the fan speed when the fan speed is greater than the lower speed limit, wherein adjusting the control variable corresponding to operation of the flow device decreases a fan noise from the flow device. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures. FIG. 1 provides a front view of an oven appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 2 provides a cross-sectional view of the oven appliance taken along the 2-2 axis of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 provides a front, perspective view of one embo