Contact toaster including independent compressible gripping members
AssigneeStearns Product Development Corporation
InventorsHoward Jay Frantz, Steve Raio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyorized contact toaster includes a toasting platen and a conveyer mechanism. The toasting platen includes a planar toasting surface. The conveyer mechanism is arranged in a loop and includes a bun interface portion and a return portion. The bun interface portion is in opposed relation to the planar toasting surface and comprises a base including a pair of lateral edges, and a plurality of gripping bodies extending from the base. The gripping bodies may be resilient and independently compressible. The plurality of gripping bodies are positioned along a plurality of gripping axes, with each gripping axis extending orthogonal to the pair of lateral edges and having at least two of the plurality of gripping bodies residing thereon.
Claims20
A conveyorized contact toaster comprising:
- a toasting platen having a planar toasting surface;
- and
- a conveyer mechanism arranged in a loop as results in the formation of a bun interface portion and a return portion which are disposed in opposed relation to each other, with the bun interface portion further being juxtaposed to the planar toasting surface;
- the bun interface and return portions being defined by a common sheet-like belt which includes a pair of lateral edges, and a plurality of resiliently flexible gripping bodies fixedly attached to and extending from the belt and being positioned along a plurality of gripping axes, each gripping axis extending orthogonal to the pair of lateral edges and having at least two of the plurality of gripping bodies residing thereon, the gripping bodies being shaped to move a food product along the toasting platen while exerting a prescribed level of pressure to the food product without damaging the same.
A conveyer mechanism for a conveyorized contact toaster including a toasting platen having a planar toasting surface, the conveyer mechanism comprising:
- a sheet-like belt arranged in a loop having a bun interface portion and a return portion, the bun interface portion being juxtaposed to the planar toasting surface and having a pair of lateral edges;
- and
- a plurality of resiliently flexible gripping bodies fixedly attached to and extending from the base and being positioned along a plurality of gripping axes, each gripping axis extending orthogonal to the pair of lateral edges and having at least two of the plurality of gripping bodies residing thereon, the gripping bodies being shaped to move a food product along the toasting platen while exerting a prescribed level of pressure to the food product without damaging the same.
A method of heating a bun, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying pressure to the bun against a planar toasting surface of a toasting platen, the pressure being applied by a conveyer mechanism arranged in a loop having:
- a bun interface portion and a return portion, the bun interface portion being juxtaposed to the planar toasting surface and being defined by a sheet-like belt including a pair of lateral edges, and a plurality of resiliently flexible gripping bodies fixedly attached to and extending from the belt and being positioned along a plurality of gripping axes, each gripping axis extending orthogonal to the pair of lateral edges and having at least two of the plurality of gripping bodies residing thereon, the gripping bodies being shaped to move a food product along the toasting platen while exerting a prescribed level of pressure to the food product without damaging the same;
- and
- urging the bun in an axial direction over the planar toasting surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.