Abstract: A countertop appliance temperature controller configured to provide improved temperature control of a resistive heating element heated cooking surface of a countertop appliance through the use of a noncontact thermal sensor. The temperature controller including a pair of electrical output contacts selectively coupleable to the resistive heating element of the countertop appliance, a user input configured to receive a desired temperature setpoint for the cooking surface of the countertop appliance, a noncontact temperature sensor configured to receive temperature information directly from the cooking surface of the countertop appliance, and a thermostat configured to adjust an electrical output of the pair of electrical output contacts to minimize a difference between the desired temperature setpoint and a perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface based on the received temperature information.

Abstract: Systems and methods include a cooking appliance comprising a heating element disposed within a cooking chamber and operable to selectively emit waves at any of a plurality of powers and/or peak wavelengths, a camera operable to capture an image of the cooking chamber, and a computing device operable to supply power to the heating element to vary the power and/or peak wavelength of the emitted waves and generate heat within the cooking chamber, and instruct the camera to capture the image when the heating element is emitting at a stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device is operable to generate an adjusted captured image by adjusting the captured image with respect to the stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device comprises feedback components operable to receive the adjusted captured image, extract features, and analyze the one or more features to determine an event, property, measurement and/or status.

Abstract: A method for calculating the humidity level in a cooking apparatus is disclosed. The method includes heating a food load in a cooking cavity of the cooking apparatus and selectively activating a convection fan in the cooking cavity. The method further includes monitoring a humidity signal detected by a humidity sensing apparatus in response to the activation of the convection fan. As a result of the activation of the convection fan, the method may determine an actual humidity level from a plurality of humidity levels based on a change in the humidity signal.

Abstract: An automated cooking system is provided for adding time and labor efficiencies in food production environments such as restaurants. The automated cooking system includes at least a fryer, a dispensing freezer, a hot holding station, a plurality of baskets, and a gantry system. The gantry system includes a gantry control for a gantry, configured to engage and move each of the baskets. A method for managing basket workflow during food preparation at an automated cooking system is described. Further, a method for managing basket workflow at a dispensing freezer during food preparation at an automated cooking system is described. The automated cooking system and methods provide repetition of basket loading and discharge cycles such that the gantry can fully manage and automate cooking using up to 6 or more baskets at the fryer, thereby maximizing food product throughput in the standard footprint space for the fryer.

Abstract: A device (1) for heating filled brioches preferably filled with ice-cream, comprising an upper subassembly (3) and a lower subassembly (4) linked by one or more joints or hinges (10). Each one of the subassemblies (3, 4) includes a heating plate (14) with a cavity (14a) intended to receive the filled brioche, or other similar product, in order to heat it, arranged so that in an operative position they overlap one another. Each heating plate (14) is positioned on top of a heat transfer plate (16) enclosed in a thermoinsulating layer (13), except for an opening to allow contact between the heating plate (14) and the heat transfer plate (16). The heating plates (14) are releasable from the subassembly (3, 4) on which they are arranged by means of one or more releasable fastening elements protruding from the heating plate (14) and inserted in one or more slots (3c, 4c) of either casing of the subassemblies (3, 4).

Abstract: A cooking appliance such as a grill or a sandwich press that includes an upper housing and a lower housing assembly. The housing assemblies are connected by hinge assemblies that provide for angular movement of the upper housing between a first position which is adjacent the housing, and a second position at which the upper housing is spaced upwardly of the lower housing. Each hinge assembly includes a spring that applies a torque urging the upper housing assembly to the second position.

Abstract: Systems and methods include a cooking appliance comprising a heating element disposed within a cooking chamber and operable to selectively emit waves at any of a plurality of powers and/or peak wavelengths, a camera operable to capture an image of the cooking chamber, and a computing device operable to supply power to the heating element to vary the power and/or peak wavelength of the emitted waves and generate heat within the cooking chamber, and instruct the camera to capture the image when the heating element is emitting at a stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device is operable to generate an adjusted captured image by adjusting the captured image with respect to the stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device comprises feedback components operable to receive the adjusted captured image, extract features, and analyze the one or more features to determine an event, property, measurement and/or status.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cooking appliance control method, a control device, and a cooking appliance. The cooking appliance acquires cooking effect evaluation information of a cooking appliance provided by a user. The cooking effect evaluation information comprises a plurality of evaluation dimensions for evaluating cooking effects of the cooking appliance and scores of the plurality of evaluation dimensions. The cooking appliance adjusts control parameters of the cooking appliance according to the cooking effect evaluation information, so as to control the cooking of the cooking appliance according to the adjusted control parameters. By adjusting the control parameters of the cooking appliance according to the cooking effect evaluation information, the cooking appliance ensures that the final cooking effect satisfy the requirements of the user and improves the use experience of the user.

Abstract: A wirelessly operable cooking appliance for cooking food products includes a wireless communication device. A computing device, such as a smartphone, can wirelessly communicate with the cooking appliance to control and monitor the cooking appliance.

Abstract: A method of uniform wireless power distribution within a chamber is disclosed which includes measuring dimensional characteristics of a chamber, having a transmitter and a plurality of power harvesters, creating a statistical electromagnetic environment, evaluating statistical properties of the statistical electromagnetic environment, setting a new criterion for acceptable statistical properties of the statistical electromagnetic environment, measuring a lowest usable frequency of the chamber below which the statistical properties of the statistical electromagnetic environment are not acceptable according to a predetermined criterion, determining an efficiency profile of the plurality of power harvesters versus frequency at frequencies higher than the lowest usable frequency, selecting an operating frequency that maximizes efficiencies of the plurality of power harvesters, measuring a collective efficiency of the chamber, and returning to setting a new criterion if the measured collective efficiency is below

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive device and a computing device are configured to register various steps of a meal lifecycle, including one or more of food purchasing, meal preparation, the serving and consumption of a meal, use of leftovers, management of food inventory, the transferring of a food item from one container to another, the transferring of a food item into a container, the transferring of a portion of a food item into a container. A food item may be automatically identified based on a weight and footprint of the food item. In some instances, a database associates a food item with multiple footprints such that a food item may be identified regardless of its orientation on the pressure-sensitive device.

Abstract: A hot air fryer cooking appliance includes a hot air blowing system, a vessel and a basket. The basket includes a manipulating handle having a bracket and the vessel including an upper edge and a receiving area for the handle. The bracket bears against the upper edge and the handle is housed in the receiving area when positioning the basket in the vessel. The basket includes on its outer and inner walls a first and a second assembly part, respectively. These assembly parts cooperate and ensure the lateral guiding of the basket when positioning the basket in the vessel until the handle reaches its position in its receiving area and the basket reaches a centered bearing position in the vessel, allowing the bottom of the basket to be kept away from the bottom of the vessel and to be laterally wedged in the vessel.

Abstract: A cooking system includes a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive food. The housing has an upper portion defining an opening to said hollow chamber. A lid is movable relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position and has an interior lid cavity. An air movement device is positioned to move air through at least one of the hollow chamber and the interior lid cavity in a direction of flow. At least one vent is disposed in at least one of the lid and the housing and includes a leading end and a trailing end relative to the direction of flow. The at least one vent is openable to have a greater airflow capacity at the leading end relative to the trailing end or openable to have a greater airflow capacity at the trailing end relative to the leading end.

Abstract: A water receiving member is reduced in size and is therefore made difficult to visually recognize. A cooking device (1) includes a main body (11), a front door (12), and a waste receiving member (41). The front door (12) has a water droplet restraining part (33) provided on a lower portion of an inner surface of the front door (12) which inner surface faces the heating room (13). While the front door (12) is closed, the water droplet restraining part (33) protrudes diagonally downwardly or horizontally from the inner surface of the front door (12) toward a rear side of the main body (11).

Abstract: An outdoor cooker includes an air frying apparatus with a blower, a heater, and a cooking chamber. The cooking chamber has a perforated basket for receiving foodstuff. The blower is adapted to force air through the heater to become heated, into the cooking chamber to air fry the foodstuff, and then back through the heating element in a continuous cycle.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus may include a housing having an open top surface and having a cooking space formed therein; a door provided on a top of the housing to open and close the cooking space; a container inserted into the housing, the container having an open top surface to receive food to be cooked therein; and a heating unit provided in the housing and contacting a bottom surface of the container to heat the container. The heating unit may include a heating unit body defining a support surface that supports the container; a heater provided in the heating unit body; and a rib that extends downward from the heating unit body to prevent water or foreign material from entering between the heating unit and a bottom of the housing.

Abstract: In a method for controlling a cooking appliance having heating devices and an internal cooking appliance controller by means of an external control device which is arranged outside the cooking appliance and may be a mobile telephone, this external control device provides the cooking appliance controller with control commands. The external control device is classified by the cooking appliance controller either as an automatic control device or as a manual control device, wherein its control commands are implemented by the cooking appliance controller after the classification. A check is carried out continuously or at intervals during operation of the cooking appliance in order to determine whether the classification still applies.

Abstract: A cooking control system having a temperature probe and a cooking appliance is described for permitting temperature target cooking of foods. The probe includes a metallic insertable portion with a sheathed tip and a temperature sensor positioned therein, a flexible heat-resistant wire coupled to the temperature sensor, and a jack coupled to the flexible, heat-resistant wire opposite the metallic insertable portion. The cooking appliance includes a heating unit, an housing, a temperature reader, and an alpha-numerical display. In use, the temperature sensor produces a signal in response to a temperature sensed at the sheathed tip and the heat-resistant wire and jack transmit the signal produced by the temperature sensor to the port of the cooking appliance. The temperature reader within the housing is coupled to the port and configured to accept and accurately convert the signal produced by the temperature sensor to a number representing the temperature sensed by the sensor and display the number for the user.

Abstract: A heat treatment monitoring system comprises a sensor unit having at least one sensor to determine current sensor data of food being heated; a processing unit to determine current feature data from the current sensor data; and a monitoring unit adapted to determine a current heating process state in a current heating process of the monitored food by comparing the current feature data with reference feature data of a reference heating process.

Abstract: The proposed apparatus relates to equipment for producing confectionery products and can be used at public catering and commercial enterprises for preparing candy floss. It includes a housing, a base with an electric motor having a shaft, a spinning head, a shell having a cover and propeller, and a diffusor secured on the base and having vertically bent vanes on its internal surface. The propeller is attached to the spinning head mounted on the shaft. The apparatus is equipped with rubberized supports for an extractor arranged on the housing. The diffusor has air intake openings in its lower part. The shell is made in the form of a ring having longitudinal slots. A spiral tubular heating element abuts the inside of the ring. The slots may repeat the shape of coils of the heating element. The proposed design makes it possible to considerably increase productivity of the apparatus.

Abstract: An induction heating cooking apparatus capable of performing wireless communication with an external apparatus includes a heating unit that inductively heats an object to be heated and a driving circuit that outputs electric power to the heating unit. Electric power output from the driving circuit during a period of time in which the wireless communication with the external apparatus is performed is less than electric power output from the driving circuit during a period of time in which the wireless communication with the external apparatus is not performed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an oven (101) comprising a heated cavity (102) for cooking a food (201), which comprises a three-dimensional scanning system (106) configured for acquiring information about the volume and/or shape of a food (201) positioned in the heated cavity (102).

Abstract: An apparatus for heating food includes a base and a lid coupled to one another by a hinged handle. Two fluid-filled thermal fluid vessels with flexible surfaces are installed in the lid and base to form a chamber for holding a food item in a low temperature cooking container f. The thermal fluid vessels may be replaced with high temperature cooking plates to sear or brown the food items. A user of the appliance is protected from exposure to hot thermal fluid retained in the vessels during low temperature cooking.

Abstract: Oven comprising: a muffle; operating means for heating an active zone defined within the volume delimited by said muffle; a camera for detecting one or more images showing food positioned in said active zone; a transmission unit associated with said camera and configured for sending said one or more images to an auxiliary device configured for at least displaying said one or more images.

Abstract: A method for preheating a battery includes acquiring an ambient temperature of a preheating zone, determining if the ambient temperature of the preheating zone satisfies a preset temperature condition, and, if the ambient temperature does not satisfy the preset temperature condition, controlling heating of the preheating zone until the ambient temperature satisfies the temperature condition.

Abstract: An accessory for a kitchen appliance, particularly in the form of a measuring cup, for being attached to a cooking vessel, as well as to a correspondingly equipped kitchen appliance, wherein a sensor arrangement is arranged in the accessory and is capable of determining operating states, which are transmitted wirelessly to the kitchen appliance.

Abstract: An electrical appliance has a base with a housing portion and a cooking chamber portion. The housing portion includes a pre-heated air intake opening and a heated air exhaust opening with an air path in communication therebetween. The air path has an air blower and an air heater disposed there-in. The cooking chamber portion has an electrical socket and is adapted to receive, one at a time, an air-frying chamber and a deep-frying chamber. The air-frying chamber has a heated air intake opening in communication with the housing portion's heated air exhaust opening when the air-frying chamber is received by the cooking chamber portion. The deep-frying chamber has an oil heating element electrically engageable with the electrical socket when the deep-frying chamber is received by the cooking chamber portion.

Abstract: A domestic appliance includes at least one manually operable longitudinally or rotationally movable control device which is configured to adopt several latching positions. The latching positions are variably adjustable, for example adjusting a number of latching positions, or by adjusting a spacing between adjacent latching positions, or by adjusting a latching sensation of the latching positions.

Abstract: The disclosed device is a heat-emitting lid for use on top of a standard cooking pan. The device comprises a body including a heat element that radiates heat downward during use. By radiating heat downward, the food item within the pan may be cooked or browned more evenly by heating simultaneously from the top and bottom. A transparent plate protects the heating element from contamination by the food cooking within the pan.

Abstract: Techniques are described for automated control of portions of a cooking process, such as to control activation and heating for a cooking location having a piece of cooking equipment. Such automated control may include executing an automated control recipe having defined instructions used to automatically control at least some aspects (e.g., surface temperature) of the cooking equipment piece (e.g., a pan on a stove cooking surface) as part of a cooking episode to prepare one or more dishes, and may further include coordinating actions of a human user who is participating in the cooking episode by providing instructions or other information to the user. Related food preparation systems and cookware devices and components are also provided in connection with which the described automated cooking control techniques and methods may be used.

Abstract: Disclosure of a flipping device for cooking foods in an oven at home or at a commercial location resulting in a uniform cooking of the food as well as retaining a juicy texture uniformly within the food.

Abstract: Assembly and quality of an electronic vaping device (“e-vaping device”) may be tested and verified using imaging techniques. Infrared (“IR”) imaging may identify whether a temperature is uniform in an vaping device during usage. Potential burning locations may be identified through the imaging by identifying locations whose temperature is unusually high or non-uniform. This temperature information may be used to calibrate the power of the e-vaping device.

Abstract: A barbecue oven that enables operator control of the combustion process through selective control of gas flow through and/or around a hot, oxygenated bed of coals and further enables automatic control of oven temperature through thermostatic regulation of forced draft.

Abstract: A method for heating a liquid in a cooking vessel is provided. According to various aspects, an induction heating device includes a resonant circuit having an induction heating coil. A parameter value of the resonant circuit may be determined, depending on a temperature of the cooking vessel. A radio-frequency square-wave voltage may be applied at a predefined heating power setpoint value to the resonant circuit to supply heating power to the cooking vessel. The time profile of the parameter value may be evaluated for determining the boiling point of the liquid. After the boiling point has been determined, the heating power setpoint value may be reduced by a predefined amount over a predefined time period after which a current parameter value may be determined and stored. The parameter value may be adjusted to a setpoint value which is dependent on the stored parameter value.

Abstract: A temperature-controllable gas grill includes a base, a cover, a gas valve, several burners, and a temperature controlling device. The cover is provided on the base to form a grilling chamber between the base and the cover. The gas valve is connected to the gas pipe. The burners are provided in the base and are connected to the gas valve. The temperature controlling device includes a gas controller, a temperature sensor, and a main controller. The temperature sensor senses a temperature in the grilling chamber and provides a temperature signal accordingly. The main controller is electrically connected to the temperature sensor to receive the temperature signal. The main controller changes a gas flow supplied to the burners according to the temperature signal to control the temperature in the grilling chamber to control the temperature in the grilling chamber.

Abstract: A system for the sampling of oven air is described. A duct or channel is provided with air delivered from the interior of the oven cooking chamber. One or more sensors, including one or more temperature sensors, can be placed within the air sampling channel for the purpose of measuring characteristics of the oven cavity's air. The inlet of the air sampling channel can be positioned along a location at or near the vertical center of the oven where e.g., a food being cooked may be located so that the sampled air more accurately reflects the characteristics of the air in the vicinity of the food being cooked.

Abstract: An induction cooking apparatus. The cooking apparatus is a vessel, such as a pot, for holding food. One or more ferrous elements are mounted outside the walls of the vessel. The ferrous elements receive electromagnetic radiation from an electromagnetic radiation source and they therefore become heated. Heat from the ferrous elements is transferred to food located inside of the vessel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a food cooking device (300) having a plurality of heating means (301a-301d) for heating a respective food item. The device is provided with control means (302) arranged to individually control energy supply to each of the heating means (301a-301d). According to the invention the device (300) includes a microprocessor (303) with downloading means (304) arranged to download a set of food cooking process data. The control means (302) is arranged to control the energy supply in response to the downloaded set of food cooking process data. The invention also relates to an electronic library (600) having a plurality of information units, which are arranged to be downloadable from external users. According to this aspect of the invention each information unit includes a set of food cooking process data. Each set includes at least two food item cooking instructions. Each food item instruction includes data defining a food item and one or more groups of operation parameters.

Abstract: A fryer unit includes a vat and heat exchange system with multiple passes within the fryer vat. Additional heat exchange passes may be provided in ductwork along the exterior surface of the lateral vat sidewalls.

Abstract: The cooking device includes a top plate on which a container is to be placed, heating devices provided below the top plate, electrodes provided in a lower face of the top plate and including a boiling-over detection parts placed near an outer periphery of a portion of the top plate positioned above the heating devices, contact parts for supplying an AC current to the boiling-over detection parts, and contact parts for connecting the contact parts and one-side ends of the boiling-over detection parts to each other, respectively, an electrode-use capacitance detection device for detecting changes in capacitance of the boiling-over detection parts, and a control device for controlling the heating devices based on changes in capacitance detected by the electrode-use capacitance detection device.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the power delivered to cookware by a power control system that comprises a heating control user interface that is set by the user to a particular heating control user interface set point within an operating range. A controller derives from the heating control user interface set point a desired cookware temperature set point, and, over at least a first portion of the operating range that encompasses the boiling range, also derives from the heating control user interface set point a maximum limit of power that can be delivered to the cookware to maintain the cookware at the desired cookware temperature set point. The maximum power limit varies monotonically over the first portion of the operating range.

Abstract: A system for delivering a cooking medium of a cooking apparatus includes one or more cooking vessels. The system also includes a drain manifold in fluid communication with the cooking vessel, and a fill manifold having input valves, and output valves in fluid communication with a corresponding cooking vessel. A first flow path is connected to the fill manifold. A filter container selectively is in fluid communication with the fill manifold. A filter pump is positioned between the filter container and the fill manifold and conveys a recycled cooking medium. An overflow pump selectively is in fluid communication with the fill manifold via a second flow path and a portion of the first flow path. The overflow pump conveys a new cooking medium to the fill manifold. The first flow path conveys one of the recycled cooking medium and the new cooking medium to the fill manifold.

Abstract: A method of heating an item in a cavity of a cooking appliance including the steps of detecting the size of the item at a first time during a cooking cycle and detecting the size of the item at a second time during the cooking cycle. The cooking cycle is then controlled at least partially based on the size of the item at the second time during the cooking cycle. A cooking appliance for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: Nutritional substance systems and methods are disclosed enabling the tracking and communication of changes in nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of nutritional substances, and further enabling the adaptive storage and adaptive conditioning of nutritional substances.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a domestic appliance and specifically an electrical toaster having a pair of heating plates in thermal communication with heat sources accommodated to transfer heat to said plates. Grilling plates are typically positioned in the manner that a lower plate lies horizontally in a stationary manner and an upper plate is hinged to be rotatable relative to said lower plate to be closed upon the same in order for forming a grilling chamber enclosing a food article from below and above. The apparatus comprises a first mechanical thermostat in thermal communication with said lower grilling plate settable to power off said electrical resistance at a fixed temperature value of said plate and a second bimetal thermostat in thermal communication with said lower grilling plate settable to power off said electrical resistance at different temperature values of said plate.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes an upper housing having a first heating plate, a lower housing having a second heating plate, and a temperature probe extending through one of the first heating plate and the second heating plate for detecting an internal temperature of a food item.

Abstract: A temperature sensing system for a cooking appliance having an upper housing having a first heating surface and a lower housing having a second heating surface includes a temperature sensing probe, a control panel and a control unit in electrical communication with the temperature sensing probe and the control panel. The temperature sensing probe is removably received by the upper housing and extends through said first heating surface. The control panel has one or more input buttons for allowing a user to select at least one input parameter including a desired internal temperature of a food item.

Abstract: By performing a method for transmitting to a reading device data of a sensor that is allocated to an inductively heated cooking vessel, a high frequency control voltage is generated from a mains alternating voltage by means of a converter, wherein the high frequency control voltage is applied to an oscillator circuit having an induction heating coil in order to generate a high frequency magnetic alternating field for heating the cooking vessel.

Abstract: A temperature sensing system for a cooking appliance includes a control unit having a receiver. The control unit and the receiver are housed within the cooking appliance. The temperature sensing system further includes a wireless temperature sensing probe having a temperature sensor and a wireless transmitter module. The wireless temperature sensing probe is configured to wirelessly communicate with the control unit housed within the cooking appliance.

Abstract: A cookware article for use on an electronically controllable heat source, such as an induction stovetop, has a tight fitting lid that include a whistle that is activated by the steam pressure when water boils. The electronically controllable heat source is operative to reduce the power in response to the whistle so that the water temperature is lowered to a power setting for simmering or the appropriate cooking method after the water boils.