Abstract: A food preparation appliance includes a housing, a conveyor, a thermal element, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor. The housing defines an inlet, an outlet, and a processing zone between the inlet and the outlet. The conveyor is configured to move a food product from the inlet, through the processing zone, and to the outlet. The thermal element is positioned within the processing zone. The first sensor is positioned proximate the inlet of the housing and along a lateral side of the conveyor or along a first cantilever arm extending laterally across the conveyor. The second sensor is positioned within the processing zone. The third sensor is positioned proximate the outlet of the housing and along a lateral side of the conveyor or along a second cantilever arm extending laterally across the conveyor.

Abstract: A height adjustable lamp assembly includes a frame, a reel supported by the frame, a canopy surrounding the frame and the reel, an electrical cord wound around the reel, and a lamp. The frame includes a mounting plate configured to couple to a mounting location and a base plate coupled to the mounting plate. The base plate defines a cord aperture. A lower end of the electrical cord extends through the cord aperture. The lamp is coupled to the lower end of the electrical cord. Winding the electrical cord around the reel or paying out the electrical cord from the reel adjusts a height of the lamp.

Abstract: A cubby unit includes a unit housing, a plurality of cubbies disposed within the unit housing, and an interface positioned along the unit housing. Each of the plurality of cubbies includes a cubby housing defining an internal compartment and a door coupled to the cubby housing. The door facilitates accessing the internal compartment of the cubby housing. The interface provides a cubby selection interface that facilitates manual assignment of a respective cubby to a respective order by an employee.

Abstract: A temperature regulation unit includes a housing, an electrical connector, a fan, a thermal element, a cover, and a light. The housing has an upper end and a lower end. The housing defines an internal cavity. The electrical connector extends from the upper end of the housing. The fan is positioned within the internal cavity of the housing and is configured to provide an airflow. The thermal element is positioned within the internal cavity. The thermal element is configured to thermally regulate a temperature of the airflow. The cover at least partially encloses the lower end of the housing. The light is disposed along at least one of the cover or the housing. The housing has an angled portion that extends at an angle from the electrical connector. The angled portion defines a plurality of vents positioned to provide an inlet air flow path from an external environment into the internal cavity.

Abstract: A temperature-regulating appliance includes a top portion, a base, a temperature sensor, and a mounting adapter. The top portion has an upper surface and a lower surface. The base includes a housing defining an internal compartment and a thermal element disposed within the internal compartment of the housing. The temperature sensor is positioned outside of the internal compartment, between the housing and the lower surface of the top portion. The mounting adapter extends between the top portion and the housing. The mounting adapter detachably couples the base to the top portion.

Abstract: A cooking unit includes a cooktop, a hood assembly, a duct assembly, and a fan. The cooktop defines a slot at least partially extending along a peripheral edge of the cooktop. The hood assembly includes a hood support extending upward from the cooktop and a hood coupled to the hood support. The hood support defines a conduit. The hood defines an intake and a hood chamber connecting the intake to the conduit of the hood support. The duct assembly includes ducting extending beneath the cooktop. The ducting connects the conduit to the slot. The fan is positioned to drive air into the intake, through the hood chamber, through the conduit, through the ducting, and out of the slot. At least a portion of the air exiting the slot returns to the intake such that an air curtain is generated between the slot and the intake.

Abstract: A temperature-regulating unit includes a base, a thermal element, a contactless sensing assembly, and a controller. The base is configured to support at least one of a pan or a food product. The thermal element is positioned to thermally regulate the at least one of the pan or the food product. The contactless sensing assembly is positioned to acquire sensor data regarding the at least one of the pan or the food product. The controller is configured to receive the sensor data from the contactless sensing assembly and adaptively control the thermal element based on the sensor data.

Abstract: A toaster includes a housing, a conveyor configured to support food products, a motor configured to drive the conveyor to move the food products through the housing, a heating element disposed adjacent the conveyor and configured to emit thermal energy toward the food products as the food products are moved through the housing, a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature within the housing, and a controller operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and configured to control the motor to drive the conveyor at a conveyor speed. The controller is configured to store the sensed temperature within the housing as a function of time and calculate a derivative of the sensed temperature with respect to time. The controller is configured to vary the conveyor speed based on a value of the derivative.

Abstract: An induction heating system includes a power inverter, an induction circuit, and a control circuit. The power inverter includes one or more transistors configured to receive a direct current (DC) input and produce an alternating current (AC) output. The induction circuit includes at least one working coil configured to receive the AC output and produce a first magnetic field, wherein the first magnetic field interacts with a ferrous material to generate heat in the ferrous material. The control circuit includes a processor and memory. The memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the control circuit to receive an input, from a user, indicating a temperature set point, measure an inductance of the induction circuit, determine a resonant frequency of the induction circuit based on the inductance, and control the one or more transistors of the power inverter based on the resonant frequency and the temperature set point.

Abstract: A cubby unit includes a plurality of cubbies and a thermal management system. Each of the plurality of cubbies includes a cubby housing defining an internal compartment. The thermal management system is configured to facilitate thermally regulating at least one of (i) a food product selectively received within the internal compartment of at least one of the plurality of cubbies or (ii) the internal compartment of the at least one of the plurality of cubbies.

Abstract: A food preparation appliance includes a processing mechanism, a thermal element, a sensor positioned to acquire identifying data regarding identifying characteristics of a food product to be processed by the food preparation appliance, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the identifying data from the sensor, identify a type of the food product based on the identifying data, and automatically set a predefined operating parameter of at least one of the processing mechanism and the thermal element to provide target processing of the food product based on the type and the identifying characteristics.

Abstract: A food pan well includes a base defining an internal cavity and a temperature regulating system disposed within the internal cavity. The temperature regulating system includes an internal enclosure and at least one of a cooling assembly and a warming assembly. The internal enclosure is positioned within the internal cavity. The internal enclosure includes a bottom wall and a sidewall that extends around a periphery of the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the sidewall cooperatively define a temperature regulated cavity. The base is configured to support one or more food pans such that the one or more food pans are selectively suspendable within the temperature regulated cavity. The cooling assembly is positioned to facilitate cooling at least one of the one or more food pans and the warming assembly is positioned to facilitate warming at least one of the one or more food pans.

Abstract: A heating unit includes a housing defining a thermal cavity, a reflector assembly disposed within the thermal cavity, and a heating element disposed within the thermal cavity. The reflector assembly includes a first reflector coupled to an interior surface of the housing and a second reflector coupled to the first reflector. The first reflector is spaced from the interior surface forming a first air gap therebetween and the second reflector is spaced from the first reflector forming a second air gap therebetween. The heating element is at least partially surrounded by the reflector assembly.

Abstract: A temperature regulation unit includes a housing, an electrical connector, a fan, a thermal element, a cover, and a light. The housing has an upper end and a lower end. The housing defines an internal cavity. The electrical connector extends from the upper end of the housing. The fan is positioned within the internal cavity of the housing and is configured to provide an airflow. The thermal element is positioned within the internal cavity. The thermal element is configured to thermally regulate a temperature of the airflow. The cover at least partially encloses the lower end of the housing. The light is disposed along at least one of the cover or the housing. The housing has an angled portion that extends at an angle from the electrical connector. The angled portion defines a plurality of vents positioned to provide an inlet air flow path from an external environment into the internal cavity.

Abstract: A temperature regulation unit includes a housing, a conduit, a fan, and a thermal element. The housing has a sidewall with an upper end and a lower end. The sidewall defines an internal cavity. The conduit is disposed within the internal cavity of the housing and defines a passage. The conduit has a first end and an opposing second end. The fan is positioned within the internal cavity of the housing at the first end of the conduit. The fan is configured to provide an airflow to the passage of the conduit. The thermal element is positioned within the passage of the conduit. The thermal element is configured to thermally regulate a temperature of the airflow flowing past the thermal element and out of the opposing second end of the conduit.

Abstract: A method of operating an oven to cook a food product that includes changing a heat setting of a heating element of the oven, selecting a cook time for the food product in the oven, driving a heating element of the oven at a heat power input based on the heat setting, predicting a cooking ability of the oven by calculating an estimated temperature in the oven using a formula that is a function of a heat power input during a previous time period, and modifying the cook time to a modified cook time based on the estimated temperature that was calculated using the formula.

Abstract: A cooking unit includes a cooktop, a hood assembly, a duct assembly, and a fan. The cooktop defines a slot at least partially extending along a peripheral edge of the cooktop. The hood assembly includes a hood support extending upward from the cooktop and a hood coupled to the hood support. The hood support defines a conduit. The hood defines an intake and a hood chamber connecting the intake to the conduit of the hood support. The duct assembly includes ducting extending beneath the cooktop. The ducting connects the conduit to the slot. The fan is positioned to drive air into the intake, through the hood chamber, through the conduit, through the ducting, and out of the slot. At least a portion of the air exiting the slot returns to the intake such that an air curtain is generated between the slot and the intake.

Abstract: A cubby unit includes a plurality of cubbies and a thermal management system. Each of the plurality of cubbies includes a cubby housing defining an internal compartment. The thermal management system is configured to facilitate thermally regulating at least one of (i) a food product selectively received within the internal compartment of at least one of the plurality of cubbies or (ii) the internal compartment of the at least one of the plurality of cubbies.

Abstract: A temperature-regulating appliance includes a housing, a plate, a thermal element, and a temperature sensor. The housing defines an internal chamber. The plate is coupled to the housing and encloses the internal chamber. The plate has a top surface and a bottom surface. The thermal element is positioned beneath the plate and within the internal chamber. The temperature sensor is at least one of (i) coupled to and positioned along the bottom surface of the plate or (ii) positioned proximate the top surface and disposed within the plate. The temperature sensor is configured to acquire temperature data regarding a temperature of at least one of (i) the plate or (ii) an item of cookware positioned along the top surface of the plate.

Abstract: An induction heating system includes a power inverter, an induction circuit, and a control circuit. The power inverter includes one or more transistors configured to receive a direct current (DC) input and produce an alternating current (AC) output. The induction circuit includes at least one working coil configured to receive the AC output and produce a first magnetic field, wherein the first magnetic field interacts with a ferrous material to generate heat in the ferrous material. The control circuit includes a processor and memory. The memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the control circuit to receive an input, from a user, indicating a temperature set point, measure an inductance of the induction circuit, determine a resonant frequency of the induction circuit based on the inductance, and control the one or more transistors of the power inverter based on the resonant frequency and the temperature set point.