Rapid IR toaster

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12490861-B2
Application number	US-202218046761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2022
Priority date	Oct 15, 2021
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

A toaster includes a rack within a toasting chamber. A lid is movable with the rack to selectively occlude an opening to the toasting chamber. A heating element within the toasting chamber is operable to direct IR energy to the bread product on the rack. An image capture device operates to acquire image data of the bread product on the rack. A controller receives the image data. The controller processor analyzes successive image data received from the image capture device. Based upon the analysis of the image data, the controller operates the heating element to achieve a predetermined toasting level of the bread product and then turn off the heating element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A toaster comprising:
a housing defining a toasting chamber; a rack configured to hold a bread product within the toasting chamber; a lid movable with the rack between an open condition and a closed condition, wherein in the closed condition, the lid occludes an opening into the toasting chamber; a heating element arranged within the toasting chamber interior of the housing and relative to the rack and operable to direct IR energy to the bread product on the rack; an image capture device positioned exterior of the housing, that operates to acquire image data of the bread product on the rack; a controller that receives the image data, the controller processor analyzes successive image data received from the image capture device, and based upon the analysis of the image data operates the heating element to achieve a predetermined toasting level of the bread product and then turn off the heating element; and a shutter positioned between the image capture device and the toasting chamber and movable away from the image capture device, wherein the controller is configured to operate the shutter in coordination with the image capture device to move the shutter away from the image capture device prior to a first acquisition of image data, to return the shutter to the position between the image capture device and the toasting chamber, and to subsequently move the shutter away from the image capture device prior to a second acquisition of image data.

2 . The toaster of claim 1 , wherein the lid is movably connected to the housing relative to the opening through the housing, the rack movable relative to the opening to receive and expel the bread product through the opening.

3 . The toaster of claim 1 , wherein the lid is configured to maintain a thermal environment within the toasting chamber during operation of the toaster.

4 . The toaster of claim 1 , further comprising an aperture through the housing between the image capture device and the toasting chamber.

5 . The toaster of claim 4 , further comprising a convex lens positioned between the image capture device and the aperture.

6 . The toaster of claim 5 , wherein the convex lens is positioned with a focal point of the convex lens at the aperture.

7 . The toaster of claim 4 , further comprising a mirror positioned exterior of the housing and proximate the aperture, wherein the mirror is angled relative to the aperture and the image capture device is positioned such that a field of view of the image capture device captures a reflection of the bread product in the toasting chamber through the aperture.

8 . The toaster of claim 7 , wherein the housing is insulated to provide a thermal barrier between the toasting chamber and the image capture device.

9 . The toaster of claim 8 , further comprising an LED light ring positioned between the mirror and the image capture device.

10 . The toaster of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is a camera, the camera configured to acquire a plurality of images of the bread product in the toasting chamber and the controller further configured to process the acquired images and to determine the toasting of the food product and to control the toasting process carried out by the toaster.

11 . The toaster of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is an RGB sensor.

12 . The toaster of claim 1 , wherein the controller selects a toasting time based upon an identification of a bread product type and an input of a toasting level and the controller analysis of the image data determines when the bread product reaches an initial toasting level (T 0 ), starts a timer, and terminates the toasting operation when the selected toasting time has elapsed.

13 . The toaster of claim 12 , wherein the controller determines the bread product has reached the initial toasting level upon detection of toasting in the image data in one or more subregions within the field of view of the image capture device.

14 . The toaster of claim 13 , wherein the controller further analyzes the image data to determine the identification of the bread product type.

15 . The toaster of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a plurality of heating element segments arranged in a low density portion proximate the lid and a high density portion away from the lid, wherein the heating element segments in the high density portion are spaced apart at a first distance, and the heating element segments in the low density portion are spaced apart at a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

16 . The toaster of claim 15 , wherein the first distance is 25%-80% of the second distance.

17 . A method of toasting a bread product using the toaster of claim 1 , the method comprising:
receiving a toasting level for the bread product; identifying a bread product type; closing a lid to occlude the toasting chamber with a bread product therein; operating the heating element to emit IR energy at the bread product; successively obtaining image data of a field of view comprising a portion of the bread product; analyzing the successively obtained image data; operating the heating element to achieve the toasting level of the bread product; and subsequently turning off the heating element and ejecting the bread product from the toasting chamber.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein analyzing the successively obtained image data comprises analysis of image data starting with energization of the heating element until determining that the bread product has reached an initial toasting level (To), and further comprising:
selecting a toasting time based upon the identification of the bread product type and the received toasting level; starting a timer upon determining that the initial toasting level has been reached; and turning off the heating element and ejecting the bread product from the toasting chamber, when the toasting time has elapsed on the timer.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein identifying the bread product type further comprises analyzing the image data to determine an identification of the bread product type.

Assignees

• Marmon Foodservice Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Cardona Jose Enrique
• Bovalis Constantine
• Ricker Joseph
• Fienup William James

Classifications

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/10

  for generating image signals from different wavelengths · CPC title

• G06V20/68

  Food, e.g. fruit or vegetables · 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