Method of and an apparatus for preparing a food product

• US 4,072,092 A
• Filed: 03/23/1976
• Issued: 02/07/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Concordia Development S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Concordia Development S.r.l.
• Inventors: Kohli, Martti I., Eklund, Fjalar E. E., Callerhorn, Bo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarthy, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US05/669,628
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 99/349, 99/386, 99/389, 99/393, 99/391, 99/400, 99/401, 99/427, 99/443 C, 99/447
• US Class Current: 99/389
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/044 with conveyors moving in a horizontal or an inclined plane A47J37/045, A47J37/046 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0688 Broilers with vertically disposed heat sources and food supports

Abstract

A food product is prepared in a vertically slot-shaped oven space by being exposed to IR-radiation having a very short wave-length of the order of μm simultaneously on two opposite vertical sides while being surrounded by a controlled air flow directed downwards. IR-radiation means are arranged adjacent the two opposite side walls delimiting the oven space. In a first embodiment the food product is held between two vertical net plates mounted on the inside of an oven door for being turned into the oven space when the door is shut. In a second embodiment the food product passes through the oven space while being held between two vertical parts of two endless net bands circulating downwards through the oven space.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cooking a food product of meat, fish or the like comprising an oven defining an oven space and including holding means for holding the product to be cooked in the oven space, and IR-radiating means for IR-radiation of the product in this oven space, said holding means including means for holding the product vertically in the oven space, said IR-radiating means being arranged at two opposite sides of the oven space on opposite sides of the holding means for simultaneous two-sided irradiation of the product, said IR-radiating means including a plurality of generally horizontally extending vertically spaced separate tubular electric IR-elements arranged on said opposite sides of the oven space for emitting IR-radiation with wavelengths within the range of 0.7 to 5 μ

m, and fan means for providing a controlled air flow directed downwards around the product during its radiation in the oven space.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oven space defines a generally vertically extending slot and said IR-radiating means is positioned with said tubular elements adjacent to each of the sides of the slot.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said holding means include two endless net or grill bands (139, 140) passing vertically through the oven space (105) and arranged to transport the food product (136) between each other vertically downwards through the oven space.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said IR-radiating means emits IR-radiation having a wavelength of about 1.2 μ

m.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection means at both ends of the IR-elements (50) are arranged outside the oven space (5), said fan means being arranged to suck air into the oven space through slots (57) around the IR-elements, where said elements pass through the wall of the oven space.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said fan means are arranged to evacuate air from the oven space through a bottom opening and after a change of direction through a filter (28;

128), a collecting container (26;

     126) for collecting fat dripping from the product being arranged below said bottom opening, said container being arranged that collected fat cannot be exposed to radiation from the oven space through said bottom opening.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said IR-radiating means are arranged to provide an IR-radiation with an intensity of between approximately 5 W/cm² and 8 W/cm² at a distance of approximately 5 cm from the center of the product.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said oven includes a door pivotally mounted thereon for pivotal movement with respect to said slot between open and closed positions, said door lying in a plane perpendicular to said slot in said closed position, and said holding means being mounted on the inside of said door to close the oven space so that said holding means are in position in said slot when the door is closed.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the door (3) is pivotable around a horizontal shaft (4) the holding means (35) being arranged to be turned into the oven space essentially in a vertical plane substantially in parallel with said two opposite sides of the oven space (5).

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the door (3) is provided with means for bringing the holding means (35), when the door is open, into a condition for receiving the food product (36) to be prepared substantially horizontally.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that said holding means (35) include two net or grill elements (39, 40) each arranged to engage a respective one of the sides of the food product to be prepared, said elements being pivotable in relation to each other at the inside of the door (3), and that the door is provided with a displaceable handle (41, 89) guided in a slit and coupled to said net elements in such a way that when the handle is in a first end position in the slit the net elements are in a vertical position to be turned into the oven space (5) and when the handle is in an intermediate position in the slit the net elements are in an essentially horizontal position with gripping action and when the handle is in a second end position one net element is turned up in relation to the other net element which is substantially horizontal for receiving a food product.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said IR-radiating means are arranged in two substantially parallel vertical planes with a distance of the order of 10 cm from each other.