US4701340A — Impingement and steam oven apparatus for preparin…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 98 words

A food preparation apparatus comprising: a cooking chamber; means for conveying a food product through said chamber; means for heating a supply of air; air impinging means in said chamber connected to said air heating means for forming a plurality of columnated heated air jets and for impinging said heated air jets against a plurality of discrete points of a surface of a food product supported on said conveying means; and means in said chamber for impinging jets of steam against a plurality of discrete points of a surface of said food product supported on said conveying means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 98 words

A food preparation apparatus comprising: a cooking chamber; means for conveying a food product through said chamber; means for heating a supply of air; air impinging means in said chamber connected to said air heating means for forming a plurality of columnated heated air jets and for impinging said heated air jets against a plurality of discrete points of a surface of a food product supported on said conveying means; and means in said chamber for impinging jets of steam against a plurality of discrete points of a surface of said food product supported on said conveying means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said steam impinging means is disposed above such food product support means and said air impingment means is disposed below such food product support means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said steam impinging means comprises a plurality of tubes disposed above said food product, said tubes including apertures for forming columnated jets of steam directed toward the top surface of said food product.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said food supporting means comprises a perforated conveyor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 1, including means for superheating steam and for supplying said steam to said steam impinging means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 80 words

The apparatus of claim 1, including a second cooking chamber disposed in serial communication with said first cooking chamber; said means for conveying adapted to convey said food product serially through said first and second cooking chambers; and means in said second chamber for forming a plurality of columnated jets of heated air and for impinging said jets of air against discrete points of a surface of said food product as said food product is conveyed through said second chamber.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 77 words

The apparatus of claim 6, and including a third cooking chamber disposed in serial communication with said first and second cooking chambers; said means for conveying adapted to convey said food product serially through said three cooking chambers; and means in said third cooking chamber for forming columnated jets of heated air and for impinging said jets against discrete points of a surface of said food product as said food product is conveyed through said third chamber.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 180 words

A food preparation apparatus comprising: a first oven chamber; first means for supporting a food product in said first chamber; air impinging means disposed in said first chamber for impinging columnated jets of heated air onto discrete points of a surface of a food product being supported on said first food supporting means; a second oven chamber in communication with said first oven chamber; second means for supporting a food product in said second chamber; steam impinging means in said second chamber for impinging jets of steam onto discrete points of a surface of a food product being supported on said second food product supporting means; a third oven chamber in communication with said second chamber; third means for supporting a food product in said third chamber; air impinging means disposed in said third chamber for impinging columnated jets of heated air onto discrete points of a surface of a food product being supported on said third food supporting means; and means for conveying a food product serially from said first supporting means to said second and third supporting means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 180 words

A food preparation apparatus comprising: a first oven chamber; first means for supporting a food product in said first chamber; air impinging means disposed in said first chamber for impinging columnated jets of heated air onto discrete points of a surface of a food product being supported on said first food supporting means; a second oven chamber in communication with said first oven chamber; second means for supporting a food product in said second chamber; steam impinging means in said second chamber for impinging jets of steam onto discrete points of a surface of a food product being supported on said second food product supporting means; a third oven chamber in communication with said second chamber; third means for supporting a food product in said third chamber; air impinging means disposed in said third chamber for impinging columnated jets of heated air onto discrete points of a surface of a food product being supported on said third food supporting means; and means for conveying a food product serially from said first supporting means to said second and third supporting means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said steam impinging means is disposed above said second food product supporting means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said steam impinging means comprises a plurality of tubes disposed above and adjacent to said food product second suppporting means, said tubes including apertures directed toward said food product supporting means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said food product supporting means comprises a perforated conveyor.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 8, including means for superheating steam and for supplying said steam to said steam impinging means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 8 including air impingement means disposed in said second chamber.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said steam impingement means in said second chamber is disposed above said second food product supporting means and said air impingement means is disposed below said second food product supporting means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said air impingment means in each of said first and third chambers comprises third means disposed above said first and third food supporting means and means disposed below said first and third food supporting means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 187 words

A food preparation apparatus comprising a first oven chamber; first means in said first oven chamber for supporting a food product container; means in said first oven chamber for forming columnated jets of steam and for impinging said steam jets onto the top surface of a food product received in a container supported on said first supporting means; means in said first oven chamber for forming columnated jets of heated air and for impinging said heated air jets onto a bottom surface of said food product container supported on said first supporting means; a second oven chamber disposed in serial communication with said first oven chamber; second means in said second oven chamber for supporting a food product container; means for moving a food product container from said first supporting means to said second supporting means whereby said container moves serially through said chambers; and means in said second chamber for forming columnated jets of heated air and for impinging said heated air jets onto both a surface of a food product disposed in a container supported on said second means and a surface of said container.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 187 words

A food preparation apparatus comprising a first oven chamber; first means in said first oven chamber for supporting a food product container; means in said first oven chamber for forming columnated jets of steam and for impinging said steam jets onto the top surface of a food product received in a container supported on said first supporting means; means in said first oven chamber for forming columnated jets of heated air and for impinging said heated air jets onto a bottom surface of said food product container supported on said first supporting means; a second oven chamber disposed in serial communication with said first oven chamber; second means in said second oven chamber for supporting a food product container; means for moving a food product container from said first supporting means to said second supporting means whereby said container moves serially through said chambers; and means in said second chamber for forming columnated jets of heated air and for impinging said heated air jets onto both a surface of a food product disposed in a container supported on said second means and a surface of said container.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said steam impinging means comprises a plurality of tubes disposed above and adjacent said first means, said tubes including apertures directed toward said food product top surface.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said food product moving means comprises a perforated conveyor.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 88 words

The apparatus of claim 16, including a third oven chamber disposed in serial communication with said first and second chambers and including third means for supporting a food product container and means for conveying a food product serially from said second means to said third means; means in said third chamber for forming columnated jets of heated air and for impinging said heated air jets onto both a surface of a food product disposed in a container supported on said third means and a surface of said container.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said columnated air jets in said second chamber are impinged onto both a top surface of a food product supported in a container on said first means and the bottom surface of said container.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 53 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the columnated air jets in both said second and third oven chambers are adapted to impinge on the top surface of a food product disposed in a container as it is conveyed on said second and third means and the bottom surface of said food product container.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 16, including means for superheating steam and for supplying said steam to said steam jet forming means.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first oven chamber is serially disposed between said second and third oven chambers.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said apertures in said tubes have a diameter in the range of 3/64 to 3/16 inch.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the distance between said apertures and the top surface of said food product is in the range of 11/2 to 21/2 inch.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 107 words

A method for cooking a food product comprising the steps of: supporting a food product in an open container; forming a plurality of columnated jets of heated air; directing said columnated jets of heated air onto an outside surface of said container so that the jets of heated air impinge against discrete points of said outside surface of said container; forming a plurality of columnated jets of steam; directing said columnated steam jets against a surface of said food product so that said steam jets impinge against discrete points of said food product surface; and moving said food product relative to said air jets and steam jets.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 107 words

A method for cooking a food product comprising the steps of: supporting a food product in an open container; forming a plurality of columnated jets of heated air; directing said columnated jets of heated air onto an outside surface of said container so that the jets of heated air impinge against discrete points of said outside surface of said container; forming a plurality of columnated jets of steam; directing said columnated steam jets against a surface of said food product so that said steam jets impinge against discrete points of said food product surface; and moving said food product relative to said air jets and steam jets.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method according to claim 26, wherein said steam jets are directed onto a top surface of said food product and said air jets are directed onto the bottom surface of said container.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method according to claim 26, including superheating said steam and heating said air to a higher temperature than said superheated steam.

Claim 33

Independent Claim 119 words

A method for heating a food product comprising the steps of: supporting a food product in an open container; providing an oven cavity including a plurality of serially connected oven chambers; moving said food product through said plurality of chambers; forming a plurality of columnated jets of heated air; impinging said jets of heated air onto a bottom surface of said container and a top surface of said food product as said food product moves through one of said chambers; forming a plurality of columnated jets of steam in one of said chambers; and impinging said jets of steam onto a top surface of said food product as said food product moves through a second one of said chambers.

Claim 34

Independent Claim 119 words

A method for heating a food product comprising the steps of: supporting a food product in an open container; providing an oven cavity including a plurality of serially connected oven chambers; moving said food product through said plurality of chambers; forming a plurality of columnated jets of heated air; impinging said jets of heated air onto a bottom surface of said container and a top surface of said food product as said food product moves through one of said chambers; forming a plurality of columnated jets of steam in one of said chambers; and impinging said jets of steam onto a top surface of said food product as said food product moves through a second one of said chambers.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method according to claim 29 wherein said plurality of chambers comprises three chambers.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method according to claim 30 wherein said steam jets are disposed in the middle chamber.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method according to claim 29 wherein heated air is impinged against said food product and container in at least two chambers and wherein the temperature of said air jets in the first of said two chambers is lower than the temperature of said air jets in the second of said chambers.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method according to claim 29 wherein the temperature of said steam jets is less than the temperature of said jets of heated air in said one chamber.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method according to claim 29 wherein said steam is superheated.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 29, wherein the temperature of said steam jets is in the range 230° F.-260° F.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 29, wherein the temperature of said air jets is in the range of 400° F.-700° F.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method of claim 29, wherein the temperature of the air jets in said first chamber is less than the temperature of the air jets in said second chamber, and wherein the temperature of the air jets in said second chamber is greater than the temperature of the air jets in said third chamber.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-10-19	1991-04-20	1991-10-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-10-19	1995-04-20	1995-10-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-10-19	1999-04-20	1999-10-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Impingement and steam oven apparatus for preparing food products

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