EP0094816A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for heating food products
Assignee: Mastermatic Inc
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Filing: 1983-05-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-05-16
Abstract
Abstract The apparatus comprises a housing (12) having a tunnel-like cavity (28) through which food products to be heated are conveyed on a conveyor (32). Air is drawn from within the tunnel cavity over a burner in flame tube (54) by centrifugal blowers (40), with air flow directed against the food products through upper and lower foraminous plates (86, 88) disposed above and below and adjacent to the tunnel cavity (28). Aerodynamically efficient ducting of the heated circulating air is provided by scroll-shaped passages (73, see Figure 6) positioned in association with the blowers (40), and venturi-like passages (77, 79) positioned upstream of the foraminous upper and lower plates (86, 88).
Inventors
- 👤 Constantin Burtea
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:49
CPC Classifications
A; A21; A21B; A21B1/00; A21B1/02; A21B1/24; A21B1/245; A21B1/42; A21B1/48
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus for heating food products, comprising: a housing (12) having a cavity (28) adapted to receive said food products and heating means (52, 54) for heating said cavity characterised by foraminous plate means (86, 88) disposed adjacent said cavity; circulating means (40) for circulating air drawn from said cavity and over said heating means (52, 54) through said foraminous plate means (86, 88) and against said food products; and aerodynamic duct means (60, 73 or 160, 173) associated with said circulating means for enhancing efficient air flow from said circulating means to said foraminous plate means, whereby heated air passes through said foraminous plate means and is directed against said food products for heating said food products.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus for heating food products, comprising: a housing (12) having a cavity (28) adapted to receive said food products and heating means (52, 54) for heating said cavity characterised by foraminous plate means (86, 88) disposed adjacent said cavity; circulating means (40) for circulating air drawn from said cavity and over said heating means (52, 54) through said foraminous plate means (86, 88) and against said food products; and aerodynamic duct means (60, 73 or 160, 173) associated with said circulating means for enhancing efficient air flow from said circulating means to said foraminous plate means, whereby heated air passes through said foraminous plate means and is directed against said food products for heating said food products.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said circulating means comprises blower means (40), and said duct means defines generally scroll-shaped air passage means (73 or 173) associated with said blower means for enhancing flow of the circulated air.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said duct means further define venturi means (77,79)upstream of said foraminous plate means for creating a relative increase in the pressure of the circulated air before passage through said plate means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said duct means include arcuate guide means (80 or 180) for directing circulated air from said scroll-shaped passage means through said venturi means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said foraminous plate means include upper and lower foraminous plates (86 and 88) respectively disposed above and below said cavity for directing circulated air against upper and lower surfaces of said food products, and said scroll-shaped passage means includes a pair of generally scroll-shaped passages (73 or 173) disposed about said blower means, each scroll-shaped passage respectively ducting circulated air to one of said upper and lower plates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 5, and means (30) for conveying food products through said cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
131 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing cavity (28) is tunnel-like, means (30) is provided for conveying said food products through said cavity, said foraminous plate means (86, 88) is disposed above and below said cavity, said circulating means comprises blower means (40) and said aerodynamic duct means (60, 73 or 160, 173) is arranged to guide air flow from said blower means to said plate means, said duct means defining scroll-shaped passage means (73 or 173) associated with said blower means (40), and venturi means (77, 79) disposed downstream of said passage means (73 or 173) and upstream of said plate means (86, 88) for creating a relative increase in the pressure of the circulated air before passage through said plate means for heating said food products.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said foraminous plate means includes at least one perforated portion (97) having a plurality of holes (98) through which circulated air passes, and at least one imperforate portion (99) adjacent the perforated portion so that food products heated by said apparatus are conveyed through zones of relatively high and relatively low convective heating.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said blower means comprises a centrifugal blower (40) about which said scroll-shaped passage means (73 or 173) extend, and said heating means comprise a heater (52) disposed intermediate said cavity and the intake side of said centrifugal blower.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, 5 or 9 and duct supporting means (100, 104) for supporting said duct means within said housing including portions (100, 104) of reduced cross-section for minimizing conductive heat transfer from said duct means to outer portions (16, 18) of said housing.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
48 words
The apparatus in accordance with claims 7, 9 or 10 wherein said scroll-shaped passage means comprises a pair of scroll-shaped passages (173) associated with said blower means (40) arranged to respectively duct circulated air above and below said cavity (28) for passage through said plate means (86, 88).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said foraminous plate means (86, 88) comprise upper and lower relatively thin, flat plates each having a plurality of holes (98) arranged to direct circulated air against food products conveyed through said cavity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
132 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said blower means comprise a pair of centrifugal blowers (40), and said scroll-shaped passage means includes first and second pairs of scroll-shaped passages (173), each pair of passages respectively extending about one of said blowers (40), said foraminous plate means (86, 88) comprising upper and lower, relatively thin flat plates (86 and 88) each having a plurality of holes (98), said venturi means including upper and lower venturi-like passages (77, 79) respectively disposed upstream of said upper and lower plates (86, 88), each said pair of scroll-shaped passages (173) being arranged to duct generally equal amounts of circulated air through said upper and lower passages (77 and 79) from the one of said blowers (40) respectively associated with each pair of scroll-shaped passages (173).
Claim 15
Independent Claim
47 words
The apparatus in accordance with claims 9 or 10, wherein said heating means comprises a heater (52) disposed intermediate said cavity (28) and the intake side of said blower (40), and includes means (54) for minimizing direct impingement of heat energy from said heater on said blower.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said heater comprises a fuel-fired burner (52) and said minimizing means comprises a flame tube (54) within which combustion by said burner takes place.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of heating food products by convection characterised by providing a housing (12) having a cavity (28) adapted to receive said food products; conveying said food products through said cavity; positioning upper and lower foraminous plates (86, 88) respectively above and below the products conveyed through said cavity; circulating air within said housing with blower means (40) by drawing air from within said cavity and directing the circulated air through said upper and lower plates (86, 88) against said food products; selectively heating the circulated air; and aerodynamically enhancing the flow of the circulated air from said blower means to said upper and lower plates by positioning generally scroll-shaped passage means (73 or 173) in close association with said blower means, whereby selectively heated air is directed against said food products for heating the food products.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of heating food products by convection characterised by providing a housing (12) having a cavity (28) adapted to receive said food products; conveying said food products through said cavity; positioning upper and lower foraminous plates (86, 88) respectively above and below the products conveyed through said cavity; circulating air within said housing with blower means (40) by drawing air from within said cavity and directing the circulated air through said upper and lower plates (86, 88) against said food products; selectively heating the circulated air; and aerodynamically enhancing the flow of the circulated air from said blower means to said upper and lower plates by positioning generally scroll-shaped passage means (73 or 173) in close association with said blower means, whereby selectively heated air is directed against said food products for heating the food products.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of heating food products in accordance with claim 16, wherein said scroll-shaped passage means are provided by providing a pair of generally scroll-shaped passages (73 or 173) in close association with said blower means (40) to respectively duct air circulated by said blower means through said upper and lower plates (86, 88).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
50 words
The method of heating food products in accordance with claims 16 or 17, further including providing venturi means (77, 79) downstream of said scroll-shaped passage means (73, 173) for creating a relative increase in the pressure of the circulated air before passage through said upper and lower plates (86, 88).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of heating food products in accordance with claim 18, wherein said food products are conveyed through zones (97, 99) of relatively high and relatively low convective heating.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of heating food products in accordance with claim 18, and minimizing conductive heat transfer from the circulated air to outer portions (16, 18) of said housing by supporting air flow passages (77, 79) within said housing with supports (100, 104) including portions (100, 104) of reduced cross-section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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