Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a dough proofer for a commercial bakery that can receive dough pieces from a dough divider onto trays. Each tray has cups that hold dough pieces. The trays are moved through the proofer by a conveyor system. The proofer has a checkweigher. The checkweigher also uses the same conveyor system and has (1) a tray tipper that tips a tray of dough pieces to make the dough pieces fall out of the tray; (2) a row of gates under the tray to receive and hold the dough pieces and release the dough pieces so that they fall back into their original cups and tray; (3) a row of load cells associated with gates that produces weight data indicative of dough piece weights; and (4) a controller that controls the divider based upon the weight data so that the dough pieces exhibit a substantially uniform target weight.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cookware comprising a double wall cooking apparatus having a mounted electronic device, the mounted electronic device comprising a processor and an electronic display, wherein the processor is programmed with instructions that, when executed, cause the processor at least to configure the electronic display to indicate a status of the double wall cooking apparatus. The cookware may further comprise a temperature sensor and/or a wireless transceiver, wherein the temperature sensor is calibrated to read an internal temperature of the double wall cooking apparatus; and wherein the wireless transceiver detects commands from the processor to provide content for display on the electronic display.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for holding an uncompressed bundle of product from the top with a vacuum assisted end effector and then simultaneously compressing the bundle from all sides at the same time with thin compression plates located about the periphery of a vacuum assisted end effector to form an evenly compressed product bundle that is then placed in a container with the compression plates between the product and the container walls. Once the bundle is received in the container, vacuum is removed; the inward force of the compression plates released and the compression plates removed vertically from between the product and the containers walls. The simultaneous compression from all sides provides even distribution of forces on the product and ensures that all product is compressed or deformed to the same degree. Using the apparatus described herein to place the bottom of the products gently onto the inside bottom of the container is further advantageous.