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:
Jan. 09, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 12, 1999
Keith A. Stanger, New Port Richey, FL (US);
Donald Ross Bedwell, Columbia City, IN (US);
Mitchell C. Henke, Ft. Wayne, IN (US);
Robert J. Wenzel, New Port Richey, FL (US);
Lincoln Foodservice Products, Inc., Fort Wayne, IN (US);
Abstract
Food cooking apparatus for melting cheese disposed on a food product. The cheese topped food product, for example a bun half, burger patty and cheese stack, is transferred in and out of a cooking chamber by a trolley. Entry of the trolley to the cooking chamber starts a cooking cycle. A steam generator provides pressurized steam from a location just above the cheese by a distance of up to about 2.0 inches for a short time until the cheese is melted. The trolley carries a transport medium upon which the food product is placed. A plurality of holes is disposed in the medium to remove from it any water formed by condensation. The steam generator includes a heated platen and a lid that form a steam generating chamber. Water is injected into the chamber onto the heated platen in a small enough quantity that substantially all of the water is converted to steam substantially instantaneously. The steam quickly pressurizes the chamber and is forced through passageways disposed in bosses that extend from the platen into the chamber. The steam exits the passageways on the outside surface of the platen.