Abstract: A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer) includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

Abstract: A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer) includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

Abstract: A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

Abstract: A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

Abstract: A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

Abstract: A cooking system in the form of a fryer is provided to reduce and/or optimize the amount of cooking medium required to operate the fryer, while improving the reliability of movement of food product through the cooking system during a cooking process. To this end, the cooking vat of the system is designed with one or more heating elements positioned to avoid generation of turbulent flow in the cooking medium. Moreover, the movement of food product along the cooking vat and/or out of the cooking vat is done reliably and in such a manner to avoid turbulent flow in the cooking medium. The automatic cooking system provides improved cooking medium life span as well as reduced overall oil volume use.

Abstract: A fryer includes a cooking chamber for holding a cooking medium and at least one heating element positioned within the cooking chamber. The fryer further includes a conveyor belt for selectively advancing food product through the cooking chamber. The conveyor belt includes first and second chains coupled together by a plurality of elongate members extending therebetween. The conveyor belt further includes a plurality of paddles coupled to the first and second chains and extending therebetween to define a plurality of compartments. Each of the plurality of paddles includes a screen, and each compartment is sized to receive at least a portion of the food product. The conveyor belt defines a continuous loop.

Abstract: A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

Abstract: A cooking system in the form of a fryer is provided to reduce and/or optimize the amount of cooking medium required to operate the fryer, while improving the reliability of movement of food product through the cooking system during a cooking process. To this end, the cooking vat of the system is designed with one or more heating elements positioned to avoid generation of turbulent flow in the cooking medium. Moreover, the movement of food product along the cooking vat and/or out of the cooking vat is done reliably and in such a manner to avoid turbulent flow in the cooking medium. The automatic cooking system provides improved cooking medium life span as well as reduced overall oil volume use.

Abstract: A fryer includes a cooking chamber for holding a cooking medium and at least one heating element positioned within the cooking chamber. The fryer further includes a conveyor belt for selectively advancing food product through the cooking chamber. The conveyor belt includes first and second chains coupled together by a plurality of elongate members extending therebetween. The conveyor belt further includes a plurality of paddles coupled to the first and second chains and extending therebetween to define a plurality of compartments. Each of the plurality of paddles includes a screen, and each compartment is sized to receive at least a portion of the food product. The conveyor belt defines a continuous loop.

Abstract: A lighting system includes a first light assembly that is configured to emit light periodically. The lighting system further includes a second light assembly that is spaced apart from the first light assembly, the second light assembly also being configured to emit light periodically. The periodic light emitted by the first and second light assemblies is synchronized such that the first and second light assemblies operate in unison to form a single light source.

Abstract: A lighting system includes a first light assembly that is configured to emit light periodically. The lighting system further includes a second light assembly that is spaced apart from the first light assembly, the second light assembly also being configured to emit light periodically. The periodic light emitted by the first and second light assemblies is synchronized such that the first and second light assemblies operate in unison to form a single light source.

Abstract: A lighting system includes a first light assembly that is configured to emit light periodically. The lighting system further includes a second light assembly that is spaced apart from the first light assembly, the second light assembly also being configured to emit light periodically. The periodic light emitted by the first and second light assemblies is synchronized such that the first and second light assemblies operate in unison to form a single light source.

Abstract: A color-controlled light source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, the light emitting diodes being configured to emit different colors of light, intensity of the light emitted by the light emitting diodes being selectably adjustable. A sensor receives the light emitted by the light emitting diodes and converts the received light to electrical feedback signals corresponding to the emitted light. A processor generates an electrical reference signal. An amplifier receives the reference signal and the feedback signal, compares the feedback signal and the reference signal, and generates an error signal corresponding to a difference between the feedback signal and the reference signal. A current control receives the error signal and adjusts the intensity of at least one light emitting diode to cancel the error signal. A composite color emitted by the plurality of light emitting diodes has a predetermined, closed-loop controlled chromaticity.

Abstract: A lighting system includes a first light assembly that is configured to emit light periodically. The lighting system further includes a second light assembly that is spaced apart from the first light assembly, the second light assembly also being configured to emit light periodically. The periodic light emitted by the first and second light assemblies is synchronized such that the first and second light assemblies operate in unison to form a single light source.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for non-invasively measuring the concentration of an unknown blood analyte present in a patient. The method involves determining the concentration of a reference analyte present in the patient. Using the non-invasive optical instrument of the invention, the concentrations of the reference analyte and unknown analyte are measured. If the measured reference analyte concentration and determined reference analyte concentration are substantially the same, then the measured unknown analyte concentration is displayed. If the measured reference analyte concentration and determined reference analyte concentration are not substantially the same, then an adjustment factor is applied to the measured unknown analyte concentration and the unknown analyte concentration is displayed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for non-invasively measuring the concentration of an unknown blood analyte present in a patient. The method involves determining the concentration of a reference analyte present in the patient. Using the non-invasive optical instrument of the invention, the concentrations of the reference analyte and unknown analyte are measured. If the measured reference analyte concentration and determined reference analyte concentration are substantially the same, then the measured unknown analyte concentration is displayed. If the measured reference analyte concentration and determined reference analyte concentration are not substantially the same, then an adjustment factor is applied to the measured unknown analyte concentration and the unknown analyte concentration is displayed.