Spring-biased food heating apparatus
AssigneeStearns Product Development Corporation
InventorHoward J. Frantz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A food heating apparatus includes a lower heated platen and an upper heated platen movable relative to the lower heated platen between a raised position and a lowered position. A hinge assembly couples the upper heated platen to the lower heated platen, and a spring or other biasing mechanism biases the upper heated platen toward the raised position. The upper heated platen is manually movable to the lowered position by a user and automatically returns toward the raised position when the manual force is released.
Claims20
A clamshell food heating apparatus comprising:
- a lower heated platen;
- an upper heated platen movable relative to the lower heated platen between a raised position and a lowered position;
- a hinge assembly coupling the upper heated platen to the lower heated platen;
- and
- a spring mechanism associated with the hinge assembly and configured to bias the upper heated platen toward the raised position, wherein the upper heated platen is movable to the lowered position by manual force applied by a user and automatically returns toward the raised position when the manual force is released.
A tortilla grill comprising:
- a lower heated platen;
- an upper heated platen movable relative to the lower heated platen;
- one or more hinges connecting the upper heated platen to the lower heated platen;
- and
- one or more tension springs disposed in the one or more hinges and configured to raise the upper heated platen to a raised position unless the upper heated platen is physically lowered and held by an operator.
A method of heating a food product with a clamshell food heating apparatus comprising:
- placing the food product on a lower heated platen of the clamshell food heating apparatus;
- manually moving an upper heated platen of the clamshell food heating apparatus from a raised position to a lowered position against a spring bias;
- maintaining the upper heated platen in the lowered position while continuing to apply manual force to the upper heated platen;
- releasing the manual force such that the upper heated platen automatically returns toward the raised position;
- and
- removing the food product from the lower heated platen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.