Abstract: The disclosure provides a food product adapter for a vertical grill. The vertical grill is standardly configured to heat or cook a round, square, or rectangular patty approximately the size of a hamburger. The food product adapter enables heating or cooking of other shapes in a standard hamburger slot, such as sticks, tubes, rolls, and other food product having a relatively narrow width and a relatively long length, such as a hot dog, fish stick, or the like.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a movable door that directs debris, such as oil, grease, and food particles, that falls from a plurality of cooking slots in a vertical cooking grill to an area separate from a food product delivery tray, providing a cooked food product with reduced calories that is potentially more visually appealing.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing non-condensable gases from a self-contained or closed loop steam generator is provided. The apparatus is connected to an appliance, which includes the self-contained or closed loop steam generator. The apparatus may be configured to include a control system connected to various portions of the apparatus to provide for automatic removable of non-condensable gases from the steam generator. However, it should be understood that the apparatus can be operated manually. The removal of non-condensable gases occurs prior to generating steam for a cooking process with the apparatus attached directly to the appliance, or with the apparatus configured as a separate unit.

Abstract: A cooking sleeve, which may also be described as a cooking pouch, which is removably secured to a vertical grill. The cooking sleeve is compressible, but restores to an original shape when compression is released. Food is inserted into the sleeve at a first end and exits the sleeve at a second, opposite end. The cooking sleeve is non-stick and formed of a food grade material.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a food product adapter for a vertical grill. The vertical grill is standardly configured to heat or cook a round, square, or rectangular patty approximately the size of a hamburger. The food product adapter enables heating or cooking of other shapes in a standard hamburger slot, such as sticks, tubes, rolls, and other food product having a relatively narrow width and a relatively long length, such as a hot dog, fish stick, or the like.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a cooking sleeve, which may also be described as a cooking pouch, which is removably secured to a vertical grill. The cooking sleeve is compressible, but restores to an original shape when compression is released. Food is inserted into the sleeve at a first end and exits the sleeve at a second, opposite end. The cooking sleeve is non-stick and formed of a food grade material.

Abstract: A cooking unit includes a plurality of vertically oriented cooking slots and a loader for staging a volume of individual food products for transfer to the plurality of vertically oriented cooking slots. The loader is configured to position a plurality of individual food products in a first orientation, and the loader is configured to change the orientation of the plurality of individual food products to a second orientation for parallel transfer of the plurality of individual food products from the loader to the plurality of cooking slots. The loader may be rotatable rotatable between a first orientation, where each of the load slots is oriented to support a single food product, and a second orientation, where a plurality of single food products moves from a respective one of the plurality of load slots to a respective one of the plurality of vertically oriented cooking slots.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a movable door that directs debris, such as oil, grease, and food particles, that falls from a plurality of cooking slots in a vertical cooking grill to an area separate from a food product delivery tray, providing a cooked food product with reduced calories that is potentially more visually appealing.

Abstract: A food loading system provides the ability to stage a volume of food in a freezer or cooler that keeps food product safely stored until the product is ready to be transferred to a cooking unit. The food loading system is configured to deliver the food product directly from storage to a loading mechanism for a cooking unit or directly to a cooking unit. The food loading system includes a control panel that accepts operator inputs for transfer of food from storage, or the food loading system may be connected wirelessly or by wire to one or more Point-Of-Sale (POS) devices, such as tablets, cash registers, and the like, and the food loading system uses the input from the POS devices to transfer food automatically from storage to a cooking unit input or directly to a cooking unit.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a movable door that directs debris, such as oil, grease, and food particles, that falls from a plurality of cooking slots in a vertical cooking grill to an area separate from a food product delivery tray, providing a cooked food product with reduced calories that is potentially more visually appealing.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing non-condensable gases from a self-contained or closed loop steam generator. The apparatus is connected to an appliance, which includes the self-contained or closed loop steam generator. The apparatus may be configured to include a control system connected to various portions of the apparatus to provide for automatic removable of non-condensable gases from the steam generator. However, it should be understood that the apparatus can be operated manually. The removal of non-condensable gases occurs prior to generating steam for a cooking process with the apparatus attached directly to the appliance, or with the apparatus configured as a separate unit.

Abstract: A food loading system provides the ability to stage a volume of food in a freezer or cooler that keeps food product safely stored until the product is ready to be transferred to a cooking unit. The food loading system is configured to deliver the food product directly from storage to a loading mechanism for a cooking unit or directly to a cooking unit. The food loading system includes a control panel that accepts operator inputs for transfer of food from storage, or the food loading system may be connected wirelessly or by wire to one or more Point-Of-Sale (POS) devices, such as tablets, cash registers, and the like, and the food loading system uses the input from the POS devices to transfer food automatically from storage to a cooking unit input or directly to a cooking unit.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a movable door that directs debris, such as oil, grease, and food particles, that falls from a plurality of cooking slots in a vertical cooking grill to an area separate from a food product delivery tray, providing a cooked food product with reduced calories that is potentially more visually appealing.

Abstract: A compact portable heating device adapted to heat multiple food products simultaneously is provided. The heating device includes at least one heating element positioned opposite at least one other heating element to form a slot between heating surfaces of the elements for receiving food product. One heating element is mounted to move linearly along a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the heating surfaces. Preferably, a first set of movable heating elements are meshed with a second set of heating elements to form an alternating arrangement. One or more heat generators, e.g. steam generators, are positioned to provide heat while minimizing the size of the device.

Abstract: A burner and ignition assembly, and method include a burner unit, an air intake, and a fuel supply supplying gas and including an air intake. The amount of air entering the air intake can be controlled by momentarily adjusting a choke that is movable relative to the air intake to cover a portion of an opening of the air intake to reduce an amount of air entering the air intake when a cold start condition exists.

Abstract: A compact portable heating device adapted to heat multiple food products simultaneously is provided. The heating device includes at least one heating element positioned opposite at least one other heating element to form a slot between heating surfaces of the elements for receiving food product. One heating element is mounted to move linearly along a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the heating surfaces. Preferably, a first set of movable heating elements are meshed with a second set of heating elements to form an alternating arrangement. One or more heat generators, e.g. steam generators, are positioned to provide heat while minimizing the size of the device.

Abstract: A heating apparatus is disclosed having a first region containing a heat source and a second region that is separate from and thermally coupled with the first region via an interface element. The heating apparatus also includes a convection deflector disposed within the interior of the first region to direct convective heat towards the interface element. The deflector can have a geometric shaped cross-section with a first side oriented towards the heat source and an opposing second side oriented away from the heat source. The first and second sides are adapted to reflect radiant and convective heat.

Abstract: A compact portable heating device adapted to heat multiple food products simultaneously is provided. The heating device includes at least one heating element positioned opposite at least one other heating element to form a slot between heating surfaces of the elements for receiving food product. One heating element is mounted to move linearly along a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the heating surfaces. Preferably, a first set of movable heating elements are meshed with a second set of heating elements to form an alternating arrangement. One or more heat generators, e.g. steam generators, are positioned to provide heat while minimizing the size of the device.

Abstract: A burner and ignition assembly, and method include a burner unit, an air intake, and a fuel supply supplying gas and including an air intake. The amount of air entering the air intake can be controlled by momentarily adjusting a choke that is movable relative to the air intake to cover a portion of an opening of the air intake to reduce an amount of air entering the air intake when a cold start condition exists.

Abstract: A compact portable heating device adapted to heat multiple food products simultaneously is provided. The heating device includes at least one heating element positioned opposite at least one other heating element to form a slot between heating surfaces of the elements for receiving food product. One heating element is mounted to move linearly along a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the heating surfaces. Preferably, a first set of movable heating elements are meshed with a second set of heating elements to form an alternating arrangement. One or more heat generators, e.g. steam generators, are positioned to provide heat while minimizing the size of the device.