Food product heating device
OwnerLon LEHMAN, Eugene TIPPMANN, JR.inventors
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Abstract
A compact portable heating device adapted to heat multiple food products simultaneously is provided. The heating device includes at least one heating element positioned opposite at least one other heating element to form a slot between heating surfaces of the elements for receiving food product. One heating element is mounted to move linearly along a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the heating surfaces. Preferably, a first set of movable heating elements are meshed with a second set of heating elements to form an alternating arrangement. One or more heat generators, e.g. steam generators, are positioned to provide heat while minimizing the size of the device.
Claims28
A food heating device adapted to be positioned on a support surface to heat a food product, comprising:
- at least one first heating element having a heating surface extending transverse relative to the support surface;
- at least one second heating element having a heating surface extending transverse relative to the support surface and positioned a spaced distance from said at least one first heating element to create a heating slot sized to receive at least one food product;
- wherein said at least one first heating element is mounted to move linearly, along a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to said heating surfaces, and through an opening stroke away from said at least one second heating element into a loading position and a closing stroke toward said at least one second heating element into a heating position.
A compact portable heating device adapted to heat multiple food products simultaneously, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first set of heating elements mounted in said housing and positioned along a longitudinal axis, each heating elements of said first set of heating elements having a heating surface positioned transverse to said longitudinal axis;
- a second set of heating elements mounted in said housing and positioned along said longitudinal axis, each of said heating elements of said second set of heating elements having a heating surface positioned transverse to said longitudinal axis, said second set of heating elements positioned an alternating arrangement with said first set of heating elements wherein at least two of said first set of heating elements are each positioned between and adjacent to two heating elements of said second set of heating elements to form multiple heating slots, each of said heating slots formed by a heating surface of one of said first set of heating elements on one side and a heating surface of one of said second set of heating elements an opposite side, wherein said first set of heating elements is movably mounted to move through an opening stroke into a loading position enlarging a size of said heating slot, and to move through a closing stroke into a heating position reducing the size of said heating slot, wherein opposing heating surfaces of the first and the second set of heating elements defining each heating slot contact the food product in the heating slot when said first set of heating elements are in said heating position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.