The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 08, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 05, 1997
David B Winter, Eaton, OH (US);
Robert W Stirling, Dayton, OH (US);
Henny Penny Corporation, Eaton, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining a load size of a food product in a cooking device is described. The apparatus includes a carrier assembly for receiving a food product; a cooking vessel containing a cooking medium, for receiving the carrier assembly; a lid assembly for raising and lowering the carrier assembly; a weight-bearing portion for supporting the lid assembly and the carrier assembly; a load sensor placed on the weight-bearing portion so as to measure a weight of the carrier assembly, the load sensor providing an output signal; and a control device for receiving the output signal and determining cooking parameters for the food product. A method for determining a load size of a food product in a cooking device includes the following steps: weighing a carrier assembly when the carrier assembly is empty to determine an empty carrier weight; weighing the carrier assembly when the carrier assembly contains a food product to determine a loaded carrier weight; determining a differential between the empty carrier weight and the loaded carrier weight, resulting in a food product load; reporting the food product load; and modifying cooking parameters responsive to the food product load.