The Vollrath Company, LLC

Oshkosh Truck Corporation

John A Wojcik

David M Wasserman

Paul J Mulhauser

Mark V LeGreve

Peter Roever

Alan J Schommer

Yang Wang

Karl D Kirk

William Charles Lindeman

Cory R Boudreau

Daniel Roger Nett

Craig P Conner

Ronald E Bratton

David E Barnard

Karl Dallas Kirk, Iii

Richard A Nelipovich

Jeffrey T Zank

Ronnie I Matteucci

A rethermalizing station includes a well defined by a side wall, a food pan configured to be inserted into the well and to hold a food item, a first induction coil surrounding the side wall of the well, the first induction coil configured to warm the food item via inductive heating of the food pan, a first temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the food pan, and a control unit coupled to the first induction coil and the first temperature sensor, the control unit configured to control the first induction coil in response to the temperature of the food pan detected by the first temperature sensor such that temperature of the food pan is maintained at a targeted temperature.

Three dimensional induction rethermalizing stations and control systems

A method of operating a rethermalizing station having an induction coil includes detecting a temperature of a food pan, selecting, based on the temperature of the food pan, a selected mode from a set comprising a low temperature mode, an over temperature mode, and a keep warm mode, and varying, in accordance with the selected mode, an output power of the induction coil by controlling a supply current to the induction coil to vary between a first nonzero current value and a second nonzero current value.

Three dimensional induction rethermalizing station and control system

A rethermalizing station includes a well defined by an exterior wall, a food pan configured to be inserted into the well and to hold a food item, a first induction coil surrounding the exterior wall of the well, the first induction coil configured to warm the food item via inductive heating of the food pan, a first temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the food pan, and a control unit coupled to the first induction coil and the first temperature sensor, the control unit configured to control the first induction coil in response to the temperature of the food pan detected by the first temperature sensor such that temperature of the food pan is maintained at a targeted temperature.

A food service unit for use with a cooking unit includes a food shield including an upper wall, a customer-side wall, and two lateral sidewalls, a ventilation volume defined at least in part by the food shield, a recirculating ventilation system including a filter, a fan downstream of the filter, and an exhaust vent, wherein the fan is configured to draw air from the ventilation volume through the filter and exhaust the air through the exhaust vent, a pressure sensor configured to detect a differential pressure between atmosphere and a location between the filter and the fan, a control system configured to prevent a cooking unit from operating when the detected differential pressure is outside a specified range of pressures, a fire suppression system including a nozzle and a source of fire extinguishing agent and a fire detection sensor configured to detect a fire and activate the fire suppression system.

Food service unit including recirculating ventilation system and fire suppression system

Three dimentional induction rethermalizing station and control system

A handle is disclosed. The handle is for use with a utensil or tool such as a pan or other cookware. The handle comprises a core and may comprise a grip. The core comprises a base mounting portion coupled to the base and a grip portion including a first member and a second member spaced apart from the first member. Each of the first and second members include a vertical dimension greater than its horizontal dimensions. Bridge portions may extend between the first and second spaced apart members. The grip at least partially surrounds the grip mounting portion and may be overmolded to the core or slid on as a sleeve.

Handle

Heater

Grip for pan

Food pan cover

Growing community of inventors

Sheboygan, WI, United States of America

John A Wojcik