Contact toaster

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11844464-B2
Application number	US-202117495197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2021
Priority date	Oct 7, 2020
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A contact toaster includes a vertically arranged central platen with a first toasting surface that is contoured and a second toasting surface. A heating element is configured to heat the first and second toasting surfaces. A first compression plate is spaced apart from the first toasting surface to define a first slot between the first compression plate and the first toasting surface. A second compression plate spaced apart from the second toasting surface to define a second slot between the second compression plate and the second toasting surface. The first compression plate and the second compression plate are selectively movable from respective first positions away from the central platen to respective second positions proximate to the central platen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A contact toaster for toasting a food product having a first food product portion and a second food product portion, the contact toaster comprising:
a central platen arranged vertically within the contact toaster, the central platen including a first toasting surface and a second toasting surface generally opposite the first toasting surface, wherein the first toasting surface is convex and the second toasting surface is planar;
a heating element configured to heat the first and second toasting surfaces;
a first compression plate spaced apart from the first toasting surface to define a first slot between the first compression plate and the first toasting surface, wherein the first compression plate is concave and complementary to the first toasting surface;
a second compression plate spaced apart from the second toasting surface to define a second slot between the second compression plate and the second toasting surface, wherein the second compression plate is planar;
wherein the first compression plate and the second compression plate are selectively movable from respective first positions away from the central platen to respective second positions proximate to the central platen; and
wherein the first toasting surface is shaped to conform to a surface of the first food product portion and the second toasting surface is shaped to conform to a surface of the second food product portion.

2. The contact toaster of claim 1 , wherein the first compression plate and the second compression plate are linearly moveable between the first positions and the second positions.

3. The contact toaster of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first linear actuator connected to the first compression plate; and
a second linear actuator connected to the second compression plate.

4. The contact toaster of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is a central heating element, the first compression plate comprises first plate heating element, and the second compression plate comprises a second plate heating element.

5. The contact toaster of claim 1 , further comprising guide wires connected to a lower end of the central platen, the guide wires configured to guide the first and second food product portions exiting the first and second slots through bottom ends thereof to a discharge slide leading to the discharge opening.

6. The contact toaster of claim 1 , further comprising a first gate positioned below the first slot and a second gate positioned below the second slot; and
wherein the first and second gates are selectively movable between closed positions in which a bottom end of the first and second slots are blocked and open positions in which the first and second food product portions can move through the bottom ends of the first and second slots.

7. The contact toaster of claim 6 , wherein the first gate is connected to the first compression plate and the second gate is connected to the second compression plate.

8. The contact toaster of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional heating element configured to heat at least one of the first compression plate and the second compression plate.

9. A contact toaster for toasting a food product having a first food product portion and a second food product portion, the contact toaster comprising:
a central platen arranged vertically within the contact toaster, the central platen including a first toasting surface and a second toasting surface generally opposite the first toasting surface, wherein the first toasting surface is contoured;
a heating element configured to heat the first and second toasting surfaces;
a first compression plate spaced apart from the first toasting surface to define a first slot between the first compression plate and the first toasting surface;
a second compression plate spaced apart from the second toasting surface to define a second slot between the second compression plate and the second toasting surface;
wherein the first compression plate and the second compression plate are selectively movable from respective first positions away from the central platen to respective second positions proximate to the central platen; and
wherein the first toasting surface is shaped to conform to a surface of the first food product portion and the second toasting surface is shaped to conform to a surface of the second food product portion;
wherein the central platen is selectively movable between a toasting position in which the central platen is positioned between the first and second compression plates and a cleaning position in which the central platen is out of alignment with the first and second compression plates; and
wherein the contact toaster further comprises a first wiper and a second wiper respectively configured to wipe the first toasting surface and the second toasting surface as the central platen moves between the toasting position and the cleaning position.

10. The contact toaster of claim 9 , further comprising a first gate and a second gate movable between open positions and closed positions to selectively retain the first and second food product portions if the first and second slots; and
wherein the first wiper is secured to the first gate and the second wiper is secured to the second gate and the central platen is selectively movable past the first and second wiper, wherein the first wiper is configured to engage the first toasting surface and the second wiper is configured to engage the second toasting surface as the central platen moves past the first and second wiper.

11. The contact toaster of claim 9 , further comprising at least one nozzle configured to spray a liquid onto the first and second toasting surfaces as the central platen moves between the toasting position and the cleaning position; and
wherein the liquid is at least one of water, oil, a cleaning solution, and a flavor enhancer.

12. A contact toaster for toasting a food product having a first food product portion and a second food product portion, the contact toaster comprising:
a central platen arranged vertically within the contact toaster, the central platen including a first toasting surface and a second toasting surface generally opposite the first toasting surface, wherein the first toasting surface is contoured;
a central heating element configured to heat the first and second toasting surfaces;
a first compression plate spaced apart from the first toasting surface to define a first slot between the first compression plate and the first toasting surface, the first compression plate comprising a first plate heating element;
a second compression plate spaced apart from the second toasting surface to define a second slot between the second compression plate and the second toasting surface, the second compression plate comprising a second plate heating element;
wherein the first compression plate and the second compression plate are selectively movable from respective first positions away from the central platen to respective second positions proximate to the central platen; and
wherein the first toasting surface is shaped to conform to a surface of the first food product portion and the second toasting surface is shaped to conform to a surface of the second food product portion.

13. The contact toaster of claim 12 , wherein the first compression plate and the second compression plate are linearly moveable between the first positions and the second positions.

14. The contact toaster of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first linear actuator connected to the first compression plate; and
a second linear actuator connected to the second compression plate.

Assignees

• Marmon Foodservice Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Shei Steven

Classifications

• A47J37/0814 Primary

  with automatic bread ejection or timing means (A47J37/0857 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A23L5/15

  using wave energy, irradiation, electrical means or magnetic fields, e.g. oven cooking or roasting using radiant dry heat · CPC title

• A47J37/0871

  Accessories · CPC title

• A47J37/0864 Primary

  Bun toasters · CPC title

• A47J37/0857

  with bread supports or heating means movable during the toasting operation · CPC title