Abstract: A dough proofing apparatus includes a proofing chamber for holding dough during proofing operations and having a door for accessing the proofing chamber. An air duct assembly includes at least one inlet opening and at least one fan for drawing in air from the proofing chamber. At least one heating element is located within the air duct assembly for heating the air and a flow path for delivering the heated air back to the proofing chamber. A vent chamber is divided into an exhaust side and an intake side, the exhaust side fluidly connected to the air duct assembly, the intake side fluidly connected to the proofing chamber.

Abstract: A dough proofing apparatus includes a proofing chamber for holding dough during proofing operations and having a door for accessing the proofing chamber. An air duct assembly includes at least one inlet opening and at least one fan for drawing in air from the proofing chamber. At least one heating element is located within the air duct assembly for heating the air and a flow path for delivering the heated air back to the proofing chamber. A vent chamber is divided into an exhaust side and an intake side, the exhaust side fluidly connected to the air duct assembly, the intake side fluidly connected to the proofing chamber.

Abstract: A shield for a food product in a baking environment is constructed for manual placement into close association with a pan for supporting the food product. The shield has a shape generally corresponding to the pan and includes a first region defining a plurality of first apertures extending through the shield, a sidewall bordering the first region, and a ledge bordering the sidewall and at least partially defining a plurality of second apertures extending through the shield. The plurality of second apertures extends across the border between the ledge and the sidewall such that a portion of each second aperture is defined in the ledge and another portion of each second aperture is defined in the sidewall. The ledge is constructed for support by a rim of the pan, and the plurality of second apertures is constructed to allow airflow away from the food product outwardly through the shield.

Abstract: A method of measuring the position of a target feature in a pulse-echo ranging system including transmitting at least one pulse of high frequency energy from a transducer towards the target feature, receiving energy reflected back from the direction of the target feature to the transducer to provide at least one return signal, repeatedly sampling the amplitude of the return signal(s) at intervals to form a digital database relating signal amplitude to elapsed time, and searching the database for at least one target zone in which a greater than background rate of fall of the return signal amplitude is sustained.

Abstract: An apparatus and method easily and quickly produce multiple holes in a dough layer. An apparatus according to the invention includes a top portion, a number of pins supported by the top portion in a fixed pattern, and a base portion having a number of holes arranged in a fixed pattern corresponding to the pins of the top portion. Structure, such as a hinge, is provided to lower the top portion toward the base portion and to guide the pins through a dough layer placed between the top portion and base portion and into the holes. A number of openings in the dough layer are thus produced. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for processing an echo amplitude profile generated by an echo ranging system with reference to a temporal axis to identify return echoes comprised by the profile by identifying amplitude peaks in the profile above with respect to an amplitude axis, a threshold curve on the same temporal axis, wherein the threshold curve is generated by identifying rising edges of echoes in the profile, and generating curve segments extending on the temporal axis from points at or above said leading edges to intersections with descending edges of echoes in the profile, whereby to trace echo base lines delimiting access of the echoes. The invention also extends to a method for processing an echo amplitude profile.

Abstract: Pizza pan shielding systems and methods generally include one or more of the following: a pan, a bottom shield, a top shield, and a ring shield. Each of these elements preferably incorporates a plurality of perforations. The size, location and density of these perforations, and/or the material make-up of the element(s), determine whether certain types of baking energy from various heat sources will reach a food item located within the system. Substantial evenness of cooking results, in a short time period and at reasonably baking temperatures. Embodiments of the invention address the problems of underbaking in central areas of the food item and overbaking, dryness, microwave-induced toughness or burning of outer areas of the food item, such as a crust area. Embodiments of the invention have particular, though not exclusive, application to the pizza-baking devices and methods.

Abstract: In an acoustic pulse-echo ranging system, a high impedance piezoelectric transducer element is connected via a transformer to a transmitter, and also directly to a high impedance input of a receiver through a network, in parallel with the transducer element which includes a limiting resistor having a value which is low compared with the impedance of the transducer and a pair of oppositely connected diodes connected across the receiver input, the diodes being in series with the resistor and conducting to complete a damping circuit for large amplitude signals during transmission, and to limit the amplitude of signals applied to the receiver.

Abstract: In an acoustic pulse-echo ranging system, the transmitter and receiver, which respectively generate pulses of acoustic energy and receive reflections of the same, are electronically tuned to determine their operating frequency, the electronic tuning being controlled responsive to stored data relating to a particular transducer being utilized to transmit and receive a pulse. A single transmitter and receiver can be utilized to service a number of different transducers, being automatically tuned to an appropriate frequency for each transducer as it is used to transmit and receive a pulse. The system can verify the nominal operating frequency of each transducer, and can also adjust the operating frequency used with any particular transducer to optimize its performance.

Abstract: In acoustic level sensing apparatus, in which pulses of acoustic energy are transmitted by an electrically energized transducer towards a surface to be sensed, and the electrical output from the transducer following the pulse is digitized and analyzed to detect a return echo from the surface, so as to produce a digitized echo profile. The digitzed echo profile is enhanced by removing narrow peaks likely to correspond with certain types of spurious echo, and narrow valleys which may represent fragmentation of a wanted echo. Echoes are identified by comparing the profile with a time varying threshold generated derived from a linear regression performed on part of the threshold, various different types of comparison being performed and their results combined prior to selecting the most likely true echo on the basis of the combined results.

Abstract: In acoustic level sensing apparatus, in which pulses of acoustic energy are transmitted by an electrically energized transducer towards a surface to be sensed, and the electrical output from the transducer following the pulse is digitized and analyzed to detect a return echo from the surface, so as to produce a digitized echo profile. The digitized echo profile is enhanced by removing narrow peaks likely to correspond with certain types of spurious echo, and narrow valleys which may represent fragmentation of a wanted echo. Echoes are identified by comparing the profile with a time varying threshold generated derived from a linear regression performed on part of the threshold, various different types of comparison being performed and their results combined prior to selecting the most likely true echo on the basis of the combined results.

Abstract: There is disclosed a shroud and housing assembly which is attached to or forms an integral part of the front sidewall of a hands-free telephone subset. The shroud assembly contains a trough which is directed along the length thereof and which terminates at one end in a housing for a microphone or similar device. The shroud has a flanged wall integrally secured to the microphone housing for accommodating an electret condenser microphone. The shroud section is further supported by means of upstanding posts which are connected to the sides of the or flange by means of thin webs. The posts and webs act to strengthen the housing while further providing support to prevent undesired vibrations which emanate from a loudspeaker contained within the subset housing from coupling to the accommodated microphone. The reinforced housing minimizes the coupling of mechanical borne vibrations between the subsets loudspeaker and the microphone.

Abstract: Microprocessor controlled industrial monitoring equipment uses a separate portable keypad which can be applied to a sealed casing containing a control unit to transmit commands and calibration to the equipment, which normally operates and provides a display of information in the absence of the keypad. The equipment is usually acoustic level sensing apparatus, in which pulses of acoustic energy are transmitted by an electrically energized transducer towards a surface to be sensed, and the electrical output from the transducer following the pulse is digitized and analyzed to detect a return echo from the surface.

Abstract: Programmable apparatus for monitoring an industrial installation, such as for measuring the depth of material in bins or silos, utilizes a computer having a hermetically sealed case, with an externally visible display and necessary connections to the installation being monitored. The computer includes non-volatile random access memory for the storage of operating parameters which is written to under control of a portable external programming unit which can temporarily access the computer via an infrared or equivalent communications link. The case of the computer has provision for temporary docking of the programming unit, which has a keypad for the selection of calibration and diagnostic routines, and the entry of data or commands to be transmitted to the computer.

Abstract: In an acoustic ranging system, an echo signal received following a shot is repeatedly sampled and the samples digitized to produce a statistical data base representing the received echo profile which can be analyzed by various methods to determine the point on the time axis of the profile which corresponds to a wanted echo, and the degree of confidence with which the wanted echo has been identified. The number of shots taken depends upon the conditions at the site being monitored and upon the degree of confidence with which the wanted echo has been determined, and the order in which points in a multipoint system are monitored is determined by an adaptive scanning system which directs shots to different points following a system determined by a predetermined hierarchy, by the results provided by previous shots, by the conditions existing at different points, and by the receipt of outside signals.