Abstract: Cooking apparatus having first and second platens with product recognition. A positioning mechanism moves the second platen toward the first. A detector senses the second platen making contact with a food product disposed on the first platen and provides a signal. A controller uses the signal to measure the travel distance of the second platen. The product thickness is a function of the travel distance, which is used to select a cooking procedure for the food product. The controller then executes the selected cooking procedure to cook the food product. The detector can include a micro switch, proximity sensor, touch sensor, strain sensor, thermal sensor, optical sensor, sonar sensor or positioning load change sensor.

Abstract: An integrated beverage dispensing and cleaning system comprising: at least one blender module which blends and/or mixes ice, at least one other ingredient, and/or at least one mixin within a beverage container, thereby producing the beverage; and a cleaning assembly integrated with the blender module, wherein, upon removal of the beverage container from the blender module, a cleaning mode is initiated.

Abstract: A controller and method of controlling an integrated beverage blending system comprising: a controller for menu selection; an ice portion control module; an ingredient module; a dispensing apparatus in communication with the ice portion control module and the ingredient module, wherein the ice and the ingredient are dispensed into a beverage container via the dispensing apparatus; and at least one blender/mixer/cleaner module which blends and/or mixes the ice and the ingredient in the beverage container, thereby producing the beverage; wherein, upon removal of the beverage container from the blender/mixer/cleaner module, the blender/mixer/cleaner module initiates a cleaning mode.

Abstract: An integrated beverage blending system comprising: a controller for menu selection; an ice portion control module; an ingredient module; a dispensing apparatus in communication with the ice portion control module and the ingredient module, wherein the ice and the ingredient are dispensed into a beverage container via the dispensing apparatus.

Abstract: An ice portion control module includes an ice bin for storing ice. A base in the ice bin has one or more portion control compartments. The one or more portion control compartments has an interior volume to hold a predetermined portion of the ice. An actuator moves the one or more portion control compartments between a fill position wherein the one or more portion control compartments holds the ice, and a dispense position wherein the predetermined portion of the ice is dispensed out of the one or more portion control compartments.

Abstract: A combination oven that is operable with convection air, impingement air and microwave energy in various combinations thereof. The oven has an oven chamber and a fan box that are located front to back. A fan in the fan box circulates heated air by discharging via openings in a top and a bottom and taking in via an intermediate opening of a baffle plate. Impingement plates are easily installed and removed in the oven chamber to provide impingement air upwardly or downwardly. At least one of the impingement plates is installed and removed by a sliding motion. Microwave energy is provided through the side walls of the oven chamber. Intake ports for cooling air are located in a bevel between the side walls and bottom wall of the oven's outer enclosure so as to allow the oven to be located right next to other structures, such as a wall. An interlock assembly is also provided for the oven door.

Abstract: A combination oven that is operable with convection air, impingement air and microwave energy in various combinations thereof. The oven has an oven chamber and a fan box that are located front to back. A fan in the fan box circulates heated air by discharging via openings in a top and a bottom and taking in via an intermediate opening of a baffle plate. Impingement plates are easily installed and removed in the oven chamber to provide impingement air upwardly or downwardly. At least one of the impingement plates is installed and removed by a sliding motion. Microwave energy is provided through the side walls of the oven chamber. Intake ports for cooling air are located in a bevel between the side walls and bottom wall of the oven's outer enclosure so as to allow the oven to be located right next to other structures, such as a wall. An interlock assembly is also provided for the oven door.

Abstract: An integrated beverage blending system comprising: a controller for menu selection; an ice portion control module; an ingredient module; a dispensing apparatus in communication with the ice portion control module and the ingredient module, wherein the ice and the ingredient are dispensed into a beverage container via the dispensing apparatus; and at least one blender module which blends and/or mixes the ice and the ingredient in the beverage container, thereby producing the beverage; wherein, upon removal of the beverage container from the blender module, the blender module initiates a cleaning mode.

Abstract: A method and device for creating a beverage recipe for an integrated beverage blending system includes a dispenser and at least one blending/mixing/cleaning module. The method creates the beverage recipe with recipe program running on a computer interactively with a user making recipe entry parameters for the dispensing, blending and mixing operations. The recipe can be stored on a portable memory and inserted into a user interface controller of the integrated system or into an associated point of sale device.

Abstract: A system for measuring the state of degradation of cooking oil or fat includes at least one fryer pot; a conduit fluidly connected to the fryer pot for transporting cooking oil from the fryer pot and returning the cooking oil back to the fryer pot. A means for re-circulating cooking oil to and from the fryer pot; and a sensor disposed in fluid communication with the conduit that measures an electrical property of the cooking oil as the cooking oil flows past the sensor and is returned to the at least one fryer pot is provided.

Abstract: An sensor for a monitoring oil in a deep fryer system having at least one fryer pot and a pipe directing oil to the fryer pot has a first sensor and a second sensor, and a first transmitter disposed for transmitting light through the oil to the first sensor and a second transmitter disposed for transmitting light through the oil to the second sensor. The sensor also has a processor for comparing a signal received from the first sensor and a signal received from the second sensor, wherein a notification is provided when a difference between signals exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A conveyorized oven that provides uniform cooking with control of the heater and/or the conveyor belt speed. The oven includes a controller that monitors power consumption of the heater and uses the power consumption to control the heater and/or the speed of the motor that drives the conveyor belt. The power consumption is monitored by counting the on time cycles of a switch that connects and disconnects the heater to a power main. Changes in the power consumption due to changes in loading are used by the controller to reduce recovery times of the oven temperature to a set temperature by controlling the heater and/or the motor. By using a stepper motor, there is no need for a gear box.

Abstract: A combination oven that is operable with convection air, impingement air and microwave energy in various combinations thereof. The oven has an oven chamber and a fan box that are located front to back. A fan in the fan box circulates heated air by discharging via openings in a top and a bottom and taking in via an intermediate opening of a baffle plate. Impingement plates are easily installed and removed in the oven chamber to provide impingement air upwardly or downwardly. At least one of the impingement plates is installed and removed by a sliding motion. Microwave energy is provided through the side walls of the oven chamber. Intake ports for cooling air are located in a bevel between the side walls and bottom wall of the oven's outer enclosure so as to allow the oven to be located right next to other structures, such as a wall. An interlock assembly is also provided for the oven door.

Abstract: A combination oven that is operable with convection air, impingement air and microwave energy in various combinations thereof. The oven has an oven chamber and a fan box that are located front to back. A fan in the fan box circulates heated air by discharging via openings in a top and a bottom and taking in via an intermediate opening of a baffle plate. Impingement plates are easily installed and removed in the oven chamber to provide impingement air upwardly or downwardly. At least one of the impingement plates is installed and removed by a sliding motion. Microwave energy is provided through the side walls of the oven chamber. Intake ports for cooling air are located in a bevel between the side walls and bottom wall of the oven's outer enclosure so as to allow the oven to be located right next to other structures, such as a wall. An interlock assembly is also provided for the oven door.

Abstract: A combination oven that is operable with convection air, impingement air and microwave energy in various combinations thereof. The oven has an oven chamber and a fan box that are located front to back. A fan in the fan box circulates heated air by discharging via openings in a top and a bottom and taking in via an intermediate opening of a baffle plate. Impingement plates are easily installed and removed in the oven chamber to provide impingement air upwardly or downwardly. At least one of the impingement plates is installed and removed by a sliding motion. Microwave energy is provided through the side walls of the oven chamber. Intake ports for cooling air are located in a bevel between the side walls and bottom wall of the oven's outer enclosure so as to allow the oven to be located right next to other structures, such as a wall. An interlock assembly is also provided for the oven door.

Abstract: The invention includes a toploading weighing instrumentality which determines loss on drying by a cylindrical microwave. The cylindrical cavity of the microwave includes a power supply, a magnetron, a power module operatively coupled between the power supply and the magnetron for driving the magnetron, a wave guide communicating with the magnetron and with a microwave containment chamber for delivering energy, and at least one microwave energy sensor for sensing microwave energy or magnetic and/or electric field strengths within the chamber for controlling, inter alia, the loss on drying process of the sample being assayed and determining when the drying process is complete. A precision electronic balance is operatively disposed within the microwave chamber for allowing a specimen being assayed to be weighed. In addition, a ventilation chamber is provided for venting moisture from the microwave chamber. A processing unit provides for data acquisition, processing and storage.

Abstract: Cooking apparatus having first and second platens with product recognition. A positioning mechanism moves the second platen toward the first. A detector senses the second platen making contact with a food product disposed on the first platen and provides a signal. A controller uses the signal to measure the travel distance of the second platen. The product thickness is a function of the travel distance, which is used to select a cooking procedure for the food product. The controller then executes the selected cooking procedure to cook the food product. The detector can include a micro switch, proximity sensor, touch sensor, strain sensor, thermal sensor, optical sensor, sonar sensor or positioning load change sensor.

Abstract: A combination oven that is operable with convection air, impingement air and microwave energy in various combinations thereof. The oven has an oven chamber and a fan box that are located front to back. A fan in the fan box circulates heated air by discharging via openings in a top and a bottom and taking in via an intermediate opening of a baffle plate. Impingement plates are easily installed and removed in the oven chamber to provide impingement air upwardly or downwardly. At least one of the impingement plates is installed and removed by a sliding motion. Microwave energy is provided through the side walls of the oven chamber. Intake ports for cooling air are located in a bevel between the side walls and bottom wall of the oven's outer enclosure so as to allow the oven to be located right next to other structures, such as a wall. An interlock assembly is also provided for the oven door.

Abstract: Cooking apparatus having first and second platens with product recognition. A positioning mechanism moves the second platen toward the first. A detector senses the second platen making contact with a food product disposed on the first platen and provides a signal. A controller uses the signal to measure the travel distance of the second platen. The product thickness is a function of the travel distance, which is used to select a cooking procedure for the food product. The controller then executes the selected cooking procedure to cook the food product. The detector can include a micro switch, proximity sensor, touch sensor, strain sensor, thermal sensor, optical sensor, sonar sensor or positioning load change sensor.