Foods and beverages: apparatus – Cooking – Automatic control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-03
2002-06-11
Hendricks, Keith (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Cooking
Automatic control
C099S356000, C099S357000, C099S476000, C099S479000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06401600
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a device for the processing of foods.
A device is already known from French Patent No. 2,597,319 A1 which permits the preparation or deep-frying of French fries, whereby the frozen French fries are taken out of a storage container and conveyed to the preparation container via a metering device or scales. In the preparation container, the French fries are cooked in fat in the conventional manner and, after an appropriate preparation time, removed from the preparation container. In this case, the storage container is connected, via an outlet opening, to an opening of a preparation container that can be closed by a third closing means. The outlet opening of the storage container can be closed by a first closing means, which can be moved into an opened and/or closed position by means of an actuator as a function of a control variable or an amount of food. The preparation container is connected via at least one opening to a collecting container.
Accordingly, the object of the invention consists in creating a device for the processing of foods by means of which foods, in particular frozen foods such as, for example, French fries, can be prepared more quickly and gently, and brought into an edible state and then dispensed to an operator.
The object is achieved by the following characteristics:
The device has a storage container for receiving foods. The storage container is connected, via an outlet opening, to an opening of a preparation container which can be closed by a third closing means during the preparation of the foods. The outlet opening of the storage container can be closed by a first closing means, which can be moved into an opened and/or closed position by means of an actuator as a function of a control variable or an amount of food. The preparation container is connected to a pressure-increase device as well as a supply device for water or another substance or liquid and, only after the preparation of the foods is the preparation container connected, via at least one opening, to a collecting container, which can be removed by an operator.
Through the advantageous configuration of the device for the processing of foods, it is possible to store, for example, frozen French fries in a refrigerated container until they are removed and then to process them by means of this device in such a way that the operator can remove the French fries for consumption. For this purpose, the French fries are stored in a refrigerated container and then, at the push of a button, they are automatically fed via a feeding device and a metering device to a preparation container. Through the advantageous configuration of the metering device, it is possible to feed the French fries or else other foods to the preparation container. In the preparation container, the foods are heated up, for example, the French fries, which can be pre-fried, are treated once again in such a way that they are suitable for consumption. After the processing of the foods, they are fed automatically to a container, so that they are now dispensed to the operator for consumption. Thus, by means of this device for the processing of the foods, foods that have already been pretreated such as, for example, French fries, can be stored in the container up to the time when they are to be removed from the container by an operator. Since the device is fully automatic, the operator who wants to remove the foods from the device needs only to operate a single push button, by means of which the entire operation for processing the foods is controlled. For this purpose, it is advantageous for the storage container to be incorporated in an insulated housing that is maintained at the desired freezing temperature by means of a refrigerating unit. In an advantageous way, this storage container serves to receive the foods—for example, the French fries. Thus, when the operator wishes to remove the French fries from the device, he or she operates a push button for this, which controls the operation of the device. After actuation of the push button, first of all, the opening in the supply container is opened and the French fries can be fed through this opening to a conveying device, which then conveys the French fries to a metering device—for example, a set of scales. Once a specific amount has been received in an intermediate container, a flap that is a part of the metering device opens another opening and feeds the foods, via an outlet opening of the refrigerated container, to a preparation container, which can advantageously be equipped with a heater. The opening of the refrigerated container, which is closed by means of a gate or a flap, only opens once the closing means in the preparation container is opened. Subsequently, the flap in the refrigerated container also opens and the foods or the French fries are now fed to the preparation container and processed by means of a heater, either heated up, baked, or roasted, or brought into an edible state.
After this operation, the preparation container can rotate, for example, by 180° until the opening is situated above a collecting container and the foods can be deposited into this collecting container. For this purpose, the collecting container is passed under the opening of the preparation container at specific intervals in a cycle. After this operation, the operator can remove the collecting container and consume the food. Thus, by means of this device, foods can be processed in a simple and very fast way—for example, between 30 and 60 seconds—and then dispensed for consumption. A device of this kind is suitable, in particular, for French fries that have already been pre-fried and that merely have to be treated once again in the preparation container. Depending on the control of the operating sequences, however, it is also possible to cook, heat up, or bring other foods into an edible state without any problem using a device of this kind. This process employs an appropriate software program, which, depending on the kind of foods being prepared, controls the operating sequence of the device for the processing of the foods.
Furthermore, it is advantageous for the first closing means, which is provided before the opening of the preparation container, to be configured as a metering device and to serve to portion out the foods that are fed to the preparation container. Since a metering device is associated with the preparation container, the foods can be portioned out in a simple way and then fed to the preparation container.
For this purpose, it is advantageous for the first closing means, which is provided before the opening of the preparation container, to be configured as a set of scales consisting of a flap arranged in a pivoting manner on an axis and a lever arm connected to the flap, this lever arm being connected to a drive device. In a simple way, the metering device can be configured as a set of scales, in particular as a flap, on which a specific amount of French fries is held until a specific filling amount has been reached. Once this filling amount is reached, the scales, configured as a flap, are pivoted and moved to the outlet opening. For this purpose, the collecting container and the scales are advantageously situated in an insulated housing, which is equipped with a refrigerating unit.
In an advantageous way, the drive device has a cam wheel, which is operatively engaged with the lever arm via a connecting piece.
Finally, in a preferred embodiment of the solution according to the invention, it is provided that the actuator is associated with the first closing means, whereby said actuator effects a shift of the flap to an opened position in response to a specific filling amount of the food and in response to a control variable resulting therefrom, and, after the foods have been discharged, said actuator effects a shift to a closed position, and it is provided that the closing means has a lever arm, whereby there is a weight corresponding to the filling amount on the lever arm of the flap.
In connection with the configuration and arrangement according to the
Becker Drew
Hendricks Keith
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