Henny Penny Corporation

Peter J Koopman

Thomas M Smith

Robert T Wood

Melissa M Hohler

Gary L Mercer

Douglas A Burkett

Tim A Landwehr

Danny Halcomb

Sabrina M Domi

Barry Baker

Holding cabinet for serving precooked food products

A merchandiser for displaying food products and holding such food products at a controlled temperature has a well divided into three or more well sections, wherein each of the well sections receives a serving tray and wherein the serving trays collectively have a center line. A rear access door, a pair of side plates, and a transparent front plate, together with the well, define a food product holding cavity. A pair of supporting brackets position a merchandiser heating and control device above the well. The merchandiser heating and control device has a heating compartment, which positions three or more heating elements and three or more illuminating elements substantially above the center line of the serving trays, wherein the heating compartment includes three or more circulating fans for circulating heated air from the heating compartment into the holding cavity. The merchandiser heating and control device also has a retaining bracket for receiving an upper edge of the rear access door and has an enclosed guide surface. Further, the merchandiser heating and control device has a control compartment positioned above the retaining bracket and containing control elements for controlling heating elements and illuminating elements and having a rear control panel, wherein the control compartment includes a cooling fan for cooling the control elements and a plurality of vents formed in the control panel for drawing cooling air into the control compartment from outside the holding cavity and for exhausting heated air outside the holding cavity. Moreover, the merchandiser heating and control device has a securing bracket for mounting an upper edge of the transparent front plate. Methods for manufacturing such merchandisers permit them to be readily reconfigured during manufacture or at a customer site.

Merchandisers with central heating and control mechanisms and methods for manufacturing and reconfiguring such merchandisers

Holding cabinet

An apparatus prepares food products using high velocity air flow. The apparatus includes a cabinet for holding food products and a blower for supplying an air flow to the cabinet in order to heat the food products to a preparation temperature and to maintain the food products at a holding temperature. The cabinet includes a plurality of air inlet ports through which a portion of the air flow enters the cabinet, and a plurality of air outlet ports from which the air flow exits the cabinet. The air flow is controlled at a rate within a range of about 1800 to about 2000 cubic feet per minute during a preparation period and within a range of about 810 to about 930 cubic feet per minute during a holding period. Further, a method for preparing food products using high velocity air flow includes the following steps: placing food products contained in a substantially moisture-tight, storage bags into a cabinet; directing an air flow against the storage bags at a first flow rate within a range of about 1800 to about 2000 cubic feet per minute during a preparation period, and then directing an air flow against the storage bags at a second flow rate within a range of about 810 to about 930 cubic feet per minute during a holding period.

Apparatus, system, and methods for preparing food products using high

A humidity controlled holding cabinet for storing food products or other items at controlled heat and humidity levels having an environment conditioning system. The system comprises a chamber with at least one access and containing heat and humidity detection devices which signal a microprocessor when heat or humidity, or both, deviate from predetermined parameters. The microprocessor controls a heater and a humidity control device that are contained in a module located adjacent to the chamber. Air is drawn from the chamber by a forced air blower and is circulated and recirculated through the module. Depending on the input from the detection devices, the microprocessor will instruct the heater to heat the air or the humidity control device to increase the humidity of the air. The system may also exhaust air containing excess heat or humidity, or both. The system also may be equipped with means to recapture water from exhausted air carrying excess humidity.

Humidity generating system

A method and apparatus for programmably controlling a cooking appliance. In addition to PREHEAT, COOK, and HOLD modes, the control is operable in a PROGRAM, SPECIAL PROGRAM and TEST mode. In PROGRAM mode a user sets parameters for a plurality of products. In SPECIAL PROGRAM mode global or system oriented settings are made. In TEST mode, individual components may be tested under operation of a control panel. Data may be logged to record usage for individual components and system information. A door sensor override may be used to turn OFF desired components when a door is open. A vent may be opened to reduce humidity at various programmed times during a COOK cycle or based on sensed parameters (e.g. humidity in the cooking chamber. A speaker may provide alarms that are programmable in volume and frequency for different products or events. Restricted access to different program or test modes is disclosed.

Programmable load compensation method and apparatus for use in a food

A rotisserie oven includes an air plenum having three sections surrounding a cooking chamber. Two sections extend along opposing lateral walls while a third section extends along the top wall of the cooking chamber. Exhaust vents in the air plenum provide forced, heated air into the cooking chamber from at least two sides. A control system, disposed adjacent a cooling fan for a blower motor, is isolated from the relatively hot cooking chamber by a stream of cool ambient air. A source of dry ambient air is selectively supplied to the interior of the cooking chamber based on the detected relative humidity. Also, the drip tray on which the grease falls is cooled by a stream of bleed air so that smoke from burning grease is minimized.

Rotisserie oven

A spit for a rotisserie oven includes first and second support rods extending within the cooking chamber and a plurality of food carrying devices affixed to the support rods. The food carrying devices include a base having a locking portion depending from one end thereof and a skewer portion depending from the other end thereof. The locking portions and skewers cooperate to individually lock the food product on the spit. Accordingly, food can be removed from the spit without removing the spit from the oven. Moreover, more even cooking is obtained since the outer surface of the food is evenly exposed to the heat source.

Spit for rotisserie oven

A rotisserie oven includes an air plenum having three sections surrounding a cooking chamber. Two sections extend along opposing lateral walls while a third section extends along the top wall of the cooking chamber. Exhaust vents in the air plenum provide forced, heated air into the cooking chamber from three sides. The inlet and exhaust vents have hooded louvers to reduce the amount of grease entering the air plenum. A grease collection device includes a drawer having two handles for easier manipulation thereof. A control system, disposed at the bottom of the oven near the grease drawer, is isolated from the relatively hot cooking chamber by a stream of cool ambient air. A temperature sensor is disposed on the suction chamber side of a blower and near the oven door so that changes in the cooking chamber temperature are rapidly sensed.

Cabinet

An elongated food holding cabinet adapted to be mounted on a wall, the cabinet having a plurality of drawer-containing modules arranged in side-by-side relation, each module having a heating element and an integral water reservoir. The drawers may be provided with vents to control humidity or provided with dispensers for sauces and gravies contained in receptacles in the drawers.

Growing community of inventors

Richmond, IN, United States of America

Peter J Koopman