Deep fat fryer with computerized control system
First Claim
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1. A controller for use with a cooking system wherein said cooking system comprises a cooking vessel for holding a cooking medium and for receiving a plurality of types of food products, a heating element for heating the cooking medium and temperature sensor means for sensing the temperature of the cooking medium, said controller comprising:
- heating element control means for controlling the operation of said heating element to enable said heating element to be in one of a plurality of modes including at least a pulsed mode and a full on mode;
temperature selector means for selecting a first selected temperature;
proportional control factor selector means operable by a user of said controller for selecting a proportional control factor independently of said first selected temperature, said proportional control factor selector means further establishing a second selected temperature a number of degrees below said first selected temperature corresponding to said proportional control factor;
wherein said heating element control means is responsive to said proportional control factor selector means for selectively controlling the operation of said heating element(a) in said full on mode when said sensed temperature is below said second selected temperature, and(b) in said pulsed mode when said sensed temperature is below said first selected temperature and above said second selected temperature.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a computerized control system for use with a deep fat fryer to provide maximum operating flexibility to a user so that consistent food quality may be maintained and efficient and economical operation of the fryer may be realized.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A controller for use with a cooking system wherein said cooking system comprises a cooking vessel for holding a cooking medium and for receiving a plurality of types of food products, a heating element for heating the cooking medium and temperature sensor means for sensing the temperature of the cooking medium, said controller comprising:
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heating element control means for controlling the operation of said heating element to enable said heating element to be in one of a plurality of modes including at least a pulsed mode and a full on mode; temperature selector means for selecting a first selected temperature; proportional control factor selector means operable by a user of said controller for selecting a proportional control factor independently of said first selected temperature, said proportional control factor selector means further establishing a second selected temperature a number of degrees below said first selected temperature corresponding to said proportional control factor; wherein said heating element control means is responsive to said proportional control factor selector means for selectively controlling the operation of said heating element (a) in said full on mode when said sensed temperature is below said second selected temperature, and (b) in said pulsed mode when said sensed temperature is below said first selected temperature and above said second selected temperature. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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2. A cooking system for cooking a plurality of food products comprising:
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cooking vessel means for holding a cooking medium; temperature sensor means for sensing the temperature of said cooking medium; first temperature selector means for selecting a first selected temperature of the cooking medium; second temperature selector means for independently selecting a second selected temperature a number of degrees below said first selected temperature; heating element means for heating the cooking medium; and heating element control means for controlling the operation of the heating element, said heating element control means selectively controlling said heating element means to be (a) in a full on mode when said sensed temperature of the cooking medium is below said second selected temperature, and (b) in a pulsed mode when said sensed temperature is below said first selected temperature and above said second selected temperature.
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26. In a computer controlled cooking system for cooking a plurality of food products in a cooking medium, a method of indicating a predetermined condition of said cooking medium comprising the steps of:
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selecting a number to associate with each of said plurality of food products; storing a value related to said number for each food product; initializing a counter with an initial value to produce a counter value; selectively cooking at least one food product; adding said stored value associated with said at least one food product to said counter value each time a food product is cooked; providing an indication when said counter value is within a predetermined amount of a selected value. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. In a cooking system comprising a cooking vessel, a heating element, a heating element control, a temperature sensor operatively connected to sense the temperature of a cooking medium in the cooking vessel and provide an indication of said temperature to said heating element control, and first, second and third temperature selectors, a method of controlling the operation of said heating element comprising the steps of:
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selecting a first selected temperature corresponding to a desired cooking temperature; selecting a second selected temperature independently of said first selected temperature corresponding to a temperature a number of degrees below said first selected temperature; selecting a third selected temperature which is a number of degrees below said first selected temperature to establish a temperature range extending from said third selected temperature to said first selected temperature; controlling said heating element to operate in a full on mode when the temperature of the cooking medium is below said second selected temperature; and terminating said full on mode when the temperature of said cooking medium is at said second selected temperature. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. In a computer controlled cooking system for cooking a plurality of food products, an apparatus for determining the condition of a cooking medium comprising:
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means for selecting a number representing the number of times a type of food product can be cooked in said cooking medium; means for storing a number related to said selected number; means for adding said related number to a counter when said food product is cooked; and means for providing an indication of the condition of said cooking medium when said counter reaches a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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Specification