Food preparation apparatus and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12590708-B2
Application number	US-202318463441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2023
Priority date	May 23, 2013
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

Dough preparation apparatus and associated methods. The dough preparation apparatus can store and be configured to execute a plurality of dough preparation recipes. In one example, the dough preparation apparatus is configured for thawing or slacking frozen dough and conditioning the dough prior to baking. The dough preparation apparatus facilitates production of baked bread having higher and more consistent quality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A food preparation apparatus comprising:
a cabinet defining a food preparation chamber; recirculation ducting for recirculating air from the food preparation chamber back to the food preparation chamber; a fan configured to move air in the recirculation ducting from the food preparation chamber back to the food preparation chamber; and at least one of a heating element outside the recirculation ducting arranged to heat air in the recirculation ducting while the air is in the recirculation ducting or a cooling element outside the recirculation ducting arranged to cool air in the recirculation ducting while the air is in the recirculation ducting.

2 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one of the heating element or cooling element is in conductive heat transfer contact with an outside surface of a portion of the recirculation ducting for heating or cooling the portion of the recirculation ducting by conduction.

3 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said at least one of the heating element or cooling element is a cooling element.

4 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the cooling element is positioned higher than the food preparation chamber.

5 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the cooling element is thermally coupled to the outside surface of the recirculation ducting by a thermal mastic.

6 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said at least one of the heating element or cooling element is a heating element.

7 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the heating element is positioned lower than the food preparation chamber.

8 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein one or more walls of the recirculation ducting partition said at least one of the heating element or the cooling element from an interior of the recirculation ducting through which air moves.

9 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one of the heating element or the cooling element is isolated from air that flows through the recirculation ducting.

10 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said at least one of the heating element or cooling element comprises the heating element and the cooling element, wherein the heating element and the cooling element are isolated from air that flows through the recirculation ducting.

11 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the heating element and the cooling element are each disposed outside of the food preparation chamber.

12 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one of the heating element or the cooling element are out of direct contact with air in the recirculation ducting.

13 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the recirculation ducting extends from an outlet of the food preparation chamber to an inlet of the food preparation chamber.

14 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one of the heating element or cooling element is disposed outside of the food preparation chamber.

15 . A food preparation apparatus comprising:
a cabinet defining a food preparation chamber; recirculation ducting for recirculating gas from the food preparation chamber back to the food preparation chamber, the recirculation ducting including an outlet for supplying air from the recirculation ducting to the food preparation chamber and including an inlet for exhausting air from the food preparation chamber to the recirculation ducting, and the recirculation ducting including a return duct portion extending downstream of the outlet and toward said inlet for bypassing the food preparation chamber; a fan configured to move air in the recirculation ducting for moving the air from the food preparation chamber back to the food preparation chamber; and at least one of a heating element configured to heat air in the recirculation ducting or a cooling element configured to cool air in the recirculation ducting.

16 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the recirculation ducting provides a loop air flow path in the recirculation ducting extending downstream from the fan back to the fan without entering the food preparation chamber.

17 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the outlet is positioned on a first side of the food preparation chamber and the inlet is provided on a second side of the food preparation chamber opposite the first side.

18 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the at least one of a heating element or a cooling element comprises the heating element and the cooling element, the heating element being positioned lower than the cooling element.

19 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the fan is configured for moving air in an inclusive range of 5 to 60 cfm.

20 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the heating element is positioned outside the recirculation ducting and is in conductive heat transfer contact with the recirculation ducting for heating air in the recirculation ducting, and wherein the cooling element is positioned outside the recirculation ducting and is in conductive heat transfer contact with the recirculation ducting for cooling air in the recirculation ducting.

21 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 20 , wherein the heating element and the cooling element are each disposed outside of the food preparation chamber.

22 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said at least one of the heating element or cooling element is positioned outside the recirculation ducting and is in conductive heat transfer contact with the recirculation ducting for respective heating or cooling air in the recirculation ducting.

23 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the return duct portion is disposed below the food preparation chamber.

24 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the return duct portion extends downstream from the outlet to said inlet for bypassing the food preparation chamber.

25 . The food preparation apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the at least one of a heating element or a cooling element comprises the heating element, the heating element positioned outside the return duct portion and being in conductive heat transfer contact with the return duct portion for heating air in the return duct portion.

Assignees

• Duke Mfg Co

Inventors

• Bigott James W
• Monroe Daryl R
• Willis Scott E
• Tiberio Phillip
• Mcgaha Michael W
• Reese Robert J
• Stafford Jeffrey A
• Stettes Gregory Glen
• Kieffer Thomas E
• Fietsam Kim Charles

Classifications

• A21B1/26

  by hot air · CPC title

• F24C15/327

  with air moisturising · CPC title

• G06T11/26

  Drawing of charts or graphs · CPC title

• G05B2219/23159

  Display plurality of parameters simultaneously · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title