Contact toaster
AssigneeMarmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc.
InventorSteven Shei
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contact toaster includes a vertically arranged central platen with a first toasting surface that is contoured and a second toasting surface. A heating element is configured to heat the first and second toasting surfaces. A first compression plate is spaced apart from the first toasting surface to define a first slot between the first compression plate and the first toasting surface. A second compression plate spaced apart from the second toasting surface to define a second slot between the second compression plate and the second toasting surface. The first compression plate and the second compression plate are selectively movable from respective first positions away from the central platen to respective second positions proximate to the central platen.
Claims20
A contact toaster for toasting a food product having a first food product portion and a second food product portion, the contact toaster comprising:
- a central platen arranged vertically within the contact toaster, the central platen including a first toasting surface and a second toasting surface generally opposite the first toasting surface, wherein the first toasting surface is contoured;
- a heating element configured to heat the first and second toasting surfaces;
- a first compression plate spaced apart from the first toasting surface to define a first slot between the first compression plate and the first toasting surface;
- a second compression plate spaced apart from the second toasting surface to define a second slot between the second compression plate and the second toasting surface;
- wherein the first compression plate and the second compression plate are selectively movable from respective first positions away from the central platen to respective second positions proximate to the central platen;
- and
- wherein the first toasting surface is shaped to conform to a surface of the first food product portion and the second toasting surface is shaped to conform to a surface of the second food product portion.
A method for toasting a first food product and a second food product with a contact toaster including a contoured central platen, a first compression plate opposite a first toasting surface of the central platen defining a first slot therebetween, and a second compression plate opposite a second toasting surface of the central platen defining a first slot therebetween, the method comprising:
- receiving, via a feed opening of the contact toaster, the first food product into the first slot and the second food product into the second slot;
- heating the first and second toasting surfaces by activating a heating element;
- moving, with a compression plate actuator, the first and second compression plates towards the central platen from respective first positions to second positions to press the first food product against the first toasting surface and the second food product against the second toasting surface;
- controlling the heating element to maintain a toasting temperature of the first and second toasting surfaces to toast a surface of the first and second food products;
- and
- retracting, with the compression plate actuator, the first and second compression plates from the second positions to the first positions to release the first and second food products from the first and second toasting surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.