This invention relates to apparatus utilized in food preparation. Such apparatus include, but not limited to, apparatus utilized in the heating of food products such as bread-type food products, including buns, rolls, croissants, bagels, muffins, and the like, as well as pasta, vegetables, cakes, pastries, and so forth.
Restaurants often heat bread-type food products, referred to hereinafter as bread products, ranging from bread slices to buns, rolls, croissants, bagels, and the like. Such heating may include warming, toasting or browning (also known as a Maillard reaction), and steaming.
At times, it may be desired to process different parts of a food product differently, although the food product is desired to be completed or assembled at the same time. For example, a club-type sandwich typically includes a bun with a top, a center, and a bottom. Such a sandwich often requires the center to be toasted on both sides, while the top and bottom need only be toasted on one side.
Accordingly, there is a need for a heating device that can heat multiple parts of a food product so that all components are heated in substantially the same amount of time.
The following describes an apparatus for and method of heating, also known as heat processing, food products, such as bread-type food products, including buns, rolls, croissants, bagels, muffins, flatbread, pitas, and the like, as well as pasta, vegetables, cakes, pastries, and so forth.
Various embodiments of platens are disclosed that heat one and/or both sides of a food product. Several embodiments include multiple platens. Each platen advantageously comprises one or more heating elements. The heating elements are utilized to heat, including, for example, to heat process, warm, toast or brown (also known as a Maillard reaction), steam, grill, defrost, and/or thaw. The platens are typically planar and may be disposed horizontally, vertically, or a combination thereof. The platens shown in the drawings are not necessarily shown proportional to their actual size. The platens are ideally comprised of a material with good heat transfer properties, such as aluminum, steel, ceramic, and/or other thermally conductive materials, and advantageously have a smooth, non-stick surface. The length, width, and temperature of the platen(s) are selected to provide the desired heating when used in conjunction with one or more conveyors, whose speed may also be variable.
A partially exploded perspective view of a heating device 100 having a platen with a guide and an opening is shown in
A conveyor 107 is disposed on each side of the platen 101. Each conveyor 107 advantageously transports one or more food products in the same direction, e.g., vertically downward, along each side of the platen 101 by use of a belt that keeps the platen 101 in contact with the food product as it slides along the platen 101. The food product is static relative to the belt of the conveyor 107, which is dynamic relative to the platen 101. As a result, the heat transfer rate is higher and food sticking is reduced. A food product that travels via a first conveyor 107 along one side of the platen 101 and through the opening 103 is output to the other side of the platen 101 where the second conveyor 107 transports the food product until it reaches the end (or bottom as shown) of the conveyor 107. The conveyors 107 may be conventional conveyors including rollers and wire or silicone belts intended for use in the food industry. The conveyors herein may be components of a single conveyor system, having a single shared conveyor belt among multiple conveyors, or each conveyor may be separate, where each conveyor has its own conveyor belt. The claims and claim limitations should be construed accordingly. Brackets, stands, and electrical connections for the conveyors and platen (not shown) are known in the art.
A front view of the platen 101 with a guide 105 and an opening 103 is shown in
Food products may be heated on both sides of the platen 101 because one conveyor 107 is disposed near a first side of the platen 101 and another conveyor 107 is disposed near a second side of the platen 101. If the opening 103 and guide 105 are wide enough (not shown) for two food products to fit through at the same time, six food products, such as two sets of 3-part buns, may be simultaneously heated. For example, a first top 201 may be toasted along the first side of the platen 101, while a second top 201 is toasted along the second side of the platen 101 behind the first top 201. Similarly, a first bottom 205 may be toasted along the first side of the platen 101, while a second bottom 205 is toasted along the second side of the platen 101 behind the first bottom 205. Two centers 203 are toasted side-by-side along the middle of the first side of the platen 101 into the opening 103 after which they are directed side-by-side along the middle of the second side of the platen 101.
A side view of the platen 101 with a guide 105 and an opening 103 is shown in
Front views of various guides 105 are shown in
A front view of platen 101 with an opening 103 and illustrating internal heating elements is shown in
Various embodiments of platens 801, 901, 1001, 1101, 1401 with a diagonal guide 805, 1405 and an opening 103 are shown in
As shown in
Alternative narrower platens are shown in
The heating device as set forth herein has many advantages, including heating all sides of the food products as required in the same, or nearly the same, time period. Various embodiments minimize the counter space necessary for the heating device. The conveyors may be optimally used to reduce the size of the heating device. By use of a conveyor belt that keeps the platen in contact with the food product, the food product is static relative to the belt of the conveyor, which is dynamic relative to the platen, the heat transfer rate is higher and food sticking is reduced.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20100143559 A1 | Jun 2010 | US |