Abstract: A cooking device that is capable of rapidly cooking food products such as in toasting bread products or cooking pizza. The cooking device uses air impingement from above and/or below the food product. In some cases an infrared heater is additionally used to impart a desired color and crunchiness about a surface of the food product. In some cases, a boost in thermal energy is applied to the bottom of the food product vis-à-vis the top thereof. In some cases, the boost is due to an extra heater, which may be gas or electric. The device is particularly adapted for toasting bread products, cooking sandwich products (toasting the bread and heating the sandwich filler) and/or cooking pizza. Rapid cooking times are achieved by delivering more thermal energy to the top or bottom of the food product, depending on the type thereof, to give quality and speed. For example, a pizza can be cooked to have a crisp bottom without burning a cheese topping.

Abstract: A combination toaster/caramelizer oven for treating food products comprising: a housing; at least one heating element; a removable platen; and at least one conveyor disposed opposite the platen for conveying the food products through the housing, wherein the platen is disposed between the heating element and the conveyor. Optionally, the caramelizer oven can further include at least one moisture injector that introduces moisture to the surface of the food product which is in contact with the platen.

Abstract: An air impingement oven having a conveyor belt assembly for moving food through a heat treatment passage. The air impingement oven has a fan, a supply duct, a plenum and a number of jet fingers being disposed above the conveyor belt assembly. The jet fingers have a base portion having a number of orifices for directing the impingement air onto the food. The orifices have an improved configuration. The improved configuration intensifies the airflow on the food to penetrate heat into the food surface thereby improving heat transfer. The improved configuration reduces a cooking time of the food in the air impingement oven.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus and methods of forming are provided. The cooking apparatus has a cooking surface, a sidewall depending from the cooking surface, and a handle is provided. The handle has a saddle portion and a gripping portion. The saddle portion includes a first opening defined therethrough and a first recess defined about the first opening. The saddle portion is adjacent the sidewall so that the first recess defines a first gap between the sidewall and the saddle portion. A first rivet secures the handle to the sidewall. The rivet has a first weldament in the first gap, a first shaft in the first opening, and a first head abutting the handle and covering the first opening.

Abstract: An air impingement oven having a conveyor belt assembly for moving food through a heat treatment passage. The air impingement oven has a fan, a supply duct, a plenum and a number of jet fingers being disposed above the conveyor belt assembly. The jet fingers have a base portion having a number of orifices for directing the impingement air onto the food. The orifices have an improved configuration. The improved configuration intensifies the airflow on the food to penetrate heat into the food surface thereby improving heat transfer. The improved configuration reduces a cooking time of the food in the air impingement oven.

Abstract: A blade assembly having blades, side members, urging members, and a coating is provided. The blades have a retaining member disposed at each end. The side members have slots and a pocket. The blades are disposed in the slots so that the retaining members are received by the pocket. The urging member urges the side members away from one another so that the retaining members abut the pockets and induce a selected tension to the blades. The coating covers one or more areas of the blade assembly to increase the ease of cleaning, protect the blade assembly component, and/or prevent the urging member from loosening.

Abstract: A cooking device that is capable of rapidly cooking food products such as in toasting bread products or cooking pizza. The cooking device uses air impingement from above and/or below the food product. In some cases an infrared heater is additionally used to impart a desired color and crunchiness about a surface of the food product. In some cases, a boost in thermal energy is applied to the bottom of the food product vis-à-vis the top thereof. In some cases, the boost is due to an extra heater, which may be gas or electric. The device is particularly adapted for toasting bread products, cooking sandwich products (toasting the bread and heating the sandwich filler) and/or cooking pizza. Rapid cooking times are achieved by delivering more thermal energy to the top or bottom of the food product, depending on the type thereof, to give quality and speed. For example, a pizza can be cooked to have a crisp bottom without burning a cheese topping.

Abstract: The oven described herein comprises at least one conveyor for carrying food products through a bake chamber to be cooked, a bake chamber with openings for conveyor(s), an air heating, distribution and return system, a fan box that contains means for pressurizing heated air and a drive end that contains the fan motor, conveyor drive motor(s) and oven temperature controls. The bake chamber, air distribution components, air return components and conveyor(s) are designed so that all components may be easily and quickly removed for cleaning while allowing access for maintenance. Each conveyor has a separate speed control and may travel in either a left to right or right to left direction.

Abstract: Food cooking apparatus for melting cheese disposed on a food product. The cheese topped food product, for example a bun half, burger patty and cheese stack, is transferred in and out of a cooking chamber by a trolley. Entry of the trolley to the cooking chamber starts a cooking cycle. A steam generator provides pressurized steam from a location just above the cheese by a distance of up to about 2.0 inches for a short time until the cheese is melted. The trolley carries a transport medium upon which the food product is placed. A plurality of holes is disposed in the medium to remove from it any water formed by condensation. The steam generator includes a heated platen and a lid that form a steam generating chamber. Water is injected into the chamber onto the heated platen in a small enough quantity that substantially all of the water is converted to steam substantially instantaneously.

Abstract: An impingement oven comprising a cooking chamber, a conveyor, and a plurality of plenums. A plurality of finger duct members attached to each plenum are located above and below the conveyor. Adjacent sidewalls of adjacent duct members are tapered relative to one another to define an outwardly tapered air return space in a direction away from the plenum. A plurality of air deflectors are secured to an inner surface of each duct member for deflecting air through a plurality of nozzles located on the duct member. A partition between the plenums segregates return air flowing from the cooking chamber to adjacent plenums. For at least two ovens stacked one above the other, the invention further includes a cooling system having a cooling compartment and a central cooling duct for drawing cool air from near floor level and moving the cool air upwardly to cool and control circuitry for each of the stacked ovens.

Abstract: A splatter capture shield for impingement ovens. The shield has a plurality of elements which are vertically overlapping but not physically touching to allow the jetted air streams of the impingement oven into a baking pan, but not to allow escaping gas with entrained grease to pass through the shield without hitting one of the shield elements. The vaporized grease collects on the shield elements and then drips back down on the food item, thus self-basting the food item.

Abstract: A food preparation oven includes an enclosure defining a chamber for receiving a food product therein. A heater and a fan are provided for heating and recirculating the air within the chamber. A foraminous wire mesh conveyor loop passes through the chamber for supporting and transporting a food product in and through the chamber. A plate having an upper infra-red radiant emissive surface is disposed within the conveyor belt loop. A plurality of lower duct fingers located below the conveyor belt loop communicate with the outlet of the air recirculating fan and are configured for directing columnated jets of hot air upwardly through the lower loop portion of the conveyor belt loop such that the hot air impinges on the lower surface of the radiant plate. After heating the radiant plate the hot air passes around the edges thereof and enters a plurality of upper return duct fingers disposed above the coveyor belt loop. The upper return duct fingers area in communication with the inlet of the air recirculating fan.

Abstract: A gas power burner having a burner tube closed at one end and a venturi tube disposed within the burner tube with the mouth portion of the venturi tube disposed toward the closed end of the burner tube. The burner tube is provided with an air aperture in a side thereof at a position along the burner tube intermediate the mouth portion and the burner head portion of the venturi tube. A blower blows air into the air aperture of the burner tube where the air divides into a first pathway traveling toward the closed end of the burner tube and into the mouth of the venturi tube and also traveling in a second pathway toward the open end of the burner tube. The air traveling in the primary and secondary pathways provides combustion air for a flame burning at a burner head portion of the venturi located within the outer burner tube.

Abstract: A food preparation oven comprising a plurality of radiant panel ducts which include apertures for directing streams of heated air toward a food product within the heating chamber. The radiant panels are made of highly thermal conductive aluminum and the outer surfaces thereof facing the food product are of a black color so as to radiate infrared energy toward the food product.

Abstract: A food preparation apparatus including a cooking chamber having a pair of openings in two opposite facing walls thereof. A conveyor extends through the side wall openings and the chamber for conveying a food product through the chamber. First and second pairs of impingement finger ducts are provided for forming a plurality of columnated air jets and for impinging the jets against discreet points of a food product supported on the conveyor. A first one of each of said pairs of ducts is disposed above the conveyor and a second one of each of said pairs of finger ducts is disposed below the conveyor. First and second plenums, each of which has a fan respectively associated therewith, supply air to the finger ducts. One or more baffles in each of the plenums guides and streamlines the air as it flows out of the plenums and through the finger ducts. A single burner is associated with the plenums for simultaneously supplying heat energy to both plenums.

Abstract: A food preparation apparatus including a cooking chamber having a pair of openings in two opposite facing walls thereof. A conveyor extends through the side wall openings in the chamber for conveying a food product through the chamber. First and second pairs of impingement finger ducts are provided for forming a plurality of columnated air jets and for impinging the jets against discreet points of a food product supported on the conveyor. A first one of each of said pairs of finger ducts is disposed above the conveyor and a second one of each of said pairs of finger ducts is disposed below the conveyor. First and second plenums, each of which has a fan respectively associated therewith, supply air to the finger ducts. A single burner is associated with the plenums for simultaneously supplying thermal energy to both plenums. The burner includes a first adjustable baffle for apportioning the thermal energy between the two plenums.

Abstract: A grooved baking pan and a method for baking therewith wherein the bottom surface of the pan is provided with a plurality of grooves. In the preferred embodiment, the grooves are V-shaped. The grooves are arranged in a pattern such as a grid pattern and apertures are located in the areas bounded by the intersecting grooves. The pan is used to bake high density food products such as pizza in an impingement oven wherein columns of heated air are formed which are directed at localized areas of the bottom surface of the pan. The pan is moved relative to the impinging air columns while the food product is being baked.

Abstract: A cooking oven for cooking foodstuffs with either steam or forced convection hot air. In the steam mode, steam is continuously generated in the oven cavity. Alternatively, in the convection mode, the amount of moisture supplied to the cavity is controlled. A fan circulates the air or steam in the oven cavity. The steam is generated by means of a slinger cup to which water is supplied and from which water will flow in a thin film over an edge portion of the cup to be slung outwardly and to be atomized thereby by centrifugal force. The atomized water is then caused to flow, by means of the fan, over a heater to be heated thereby whereby the atomized water flashes into water vapor or steam. The oven is operated at atmospheric pressure. Food juices and condensed steam or water vapor which collect in the bottom of the oven will be drained therefrom by means of a drain which is open to the atmosphere. The oven temperature is selectively variable by means of an automatic control.

Abstract: An oven for preparing food products such as pizza including three chambers which are serially connected and through which a conveyor carries a food product which may be received in an open-topped pan or which may be placed directly on the conveyor. The center chamber includes steam impingement structure for impinging jets of hot steam onto the top surface of the food product. The center chamber also includes a hot air impingement structure for impinging jets of hot gas onto the bottom surface of the container of the food product. The first and last chambers in the oven include hot air impingement structure for impinging hot jets of air onto both the top surface of the food product and the bottom surface of the pan.

Abstract: A grooved baking pan and a method for baking therewith wherein the bottom surface of the pan is provided with a plurality of grooves. In the preferred embodiment, the grooves are V-shaped. The grooves are arranged in a pattern such as a grid pattern and apertures are located in the areas bounded by the intersecting grooves. The pan is used to bake high density food products such as pizza in an impingement oven wherein columns of heated air are formed which are directed at localized areas of the bottom surface of the pan. The pan is moved relative to the impinging air columns while the food product is being baked.