System and method for producing par-baked pizza crusts

• US 6,327,968 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2000
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pizza Hut Incorporated (Yum! Brands Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pizza Hut Incorporated (Yum! Brands Incorporated)
• Inventors: Scannell, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/527,802
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 994/32, 994/33, 994/39, 994/48, 99D/IG.15, 993/53, 993/49, 994/26, 425/394, 425/398, 220/4.26, 215/503, 215/504, 215/508, 426/505, 426/549, 426/293, 426/468, 426/514, 426/523
• US Class Current: 99/353
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 3/132 Assemblies of several baking-tins or forms A21B3/134 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 11/004 forming the dough into a substantially disc-like shape with or without an outer rim, e.g. for making pie crusts, cake shells or pizza bases
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 13/41 Pizzas
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 8/06 Baking processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 99/15 Pie pans

Abstract

A system for producing par-baked pizza crusts includes a pan formed from a unitary sheet of metal. The pan includes a number of recesses stamped into the sheet of metal, each recess being adapted to receive a corresponding dough portion. The pan also includes a ledge formed around a perimeter of the pan. The system for producing par-baked pizza crusts further includes a lid assembly formed from a unitary sheet of metal for use in conjunction with the pan. The lid assembly includes a number of lids stamped into the sheet of metal, each lid corresponding to one of the recesses of the pan. The lid assembly also includes a ledge formed around a perimeter of the lid assembly. The ledge is formed such that when the lid assembly is placed over and in contact with the pan, the ledge of the lid assembly aligns with and rests on the ledge of the pan to enclose dough portions in an enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan.

Claims

1. A system for producing par-baked pizza crusts, comprising:

a pan formed from a unitary sheet of metal and comprising;

a plurality of recesses stamped into the sheet of metal, each recess adapted to receive a corresponding dough portion; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the pan; and

a lid assembly formed from a unitary sheet of metal for use in conjunction with the pan, the lid assembly comprising;

a plurality of lids stamped into the sheet of metal, each lid corresponding to one of the recesses of the pan and each lid having a generally flat central portion;

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the lid assembly such that when the lid assembly is placed over and in contact with the pan, the ledge of the lid assembly aligns with and rests on the ledge of the pan to enclose dough portions in an enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan, wherein the ledge of the lid assembly and the ledge of the pan being formed to align in a manner such that moisture in the dough portions is at least partially prevented from escaping from the enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan; and

the lid assembly being of sufficient weight such that the lids compress the dough portions as the dough portions rise and such that the central portion of the lids forms a topping area in the dough portions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the lid assembly is comprised of a metal having a lower thermal conductivity than the metal comprising the pan.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the lid assembly is comprised of stainless steel.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pan is comprised of aluminum.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the central portion of each lid is smaller than the dough portion in the corresponding recess such that a raised rim is formed around the dough portion.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each lid further comprises a flange extending upwardly and outwardly from the central portion.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the perimeters of the pan and the lid assembly are generally rectangular; and

the lids and recesses are generally circular.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pan further comprises an angled face formed around the perimeter of the pan, the angled face operable to direct alignment of the ledge of the lid assembly with the ledge of the pan.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each lid is formed in the lid assembly such that the lid is aligned with a corresponding recess in the pan when the ledges of the pan and the lid assembly are aligned.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the pan further comprises a reinforcing bar included in the ledge; and

the lid assembly further comprises a reinforcing bar included in the ledge.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the lids of the lid assembly include apertures formed in the lids.

12. A system for producing par-baked pizza crusts, comprising:

a mixer operable to mix a plurality of ingredients to produce pizza crust dough;

a cutter operable to cut a plurality of dough portions from the dough;

a pan adapted to support the dough portions, the pan formed from a sheet of metal and comprising;

a plurality of recesses stamped into the sheet of metal, each recess adapted to receive a corresponding dough portion; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the pan;

a proofer through which the pan travels to proof the dough portions;

a lid assembly positioned over the dough portions after the pan exits the proofer, the lid assembly formed from a sheet of metal for use in conjunction with the pan, the lid assembly comprising;

a plurality of lids stamped into the sheet of metal, each lid corresponding to one of the recesses of the pan; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the lid assembly such that when the lid assembly is placed over and in contact with the pan, the ledge of the lid assembly aligns with and rests on the ledge of the pan to enclose dough portions in an enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan; and

a par-baking oven operable to par-bake the dough portions while the lid assembly is positioned over the dough portions to produce par-baked pizza crusts.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the par-baking oven is further operable to direct an air flow against the pan to provide convective baking of the dough portions.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising an oiler operable to deposit a layer of oil in the bottom of each recess of the pan before the dough portions are received in the recesses, the layer of oil contributing to the production of a bottom fried surface of the par-baked pizza crusts.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising an oiler operable to deposit a layer of oil on top of the dough portions after the dough portions are received in the recesses.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a lidding apparatus operable to position the lid assembly over the dough portions.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a delidding apparatus operable to remove the lid assembly from over the dough portions.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a first conveyor operable to convey the lid assembly for reuse after the dough portions have been par-baked; and

a second conveyor operable to convey the pan for reuse after the dough portions have been par-baked.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising a baking oven located remotely from the par-baking oven, the baking oven operable to produce a pizza for consumption by baking a par-baked pizza crust having a pizza topping.

20. A system for producing par-baked pizza crusts, comprising:

a pan adapted to support a plurality of dough portions, the pan formed from a sheet of metal and comprising;

a plurality of recesses stamped into the sheet of metal, each recess adapted to receive a corresponding dough portion; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the pan;

a lid assembly formed from a sheet of metal for use in conjunction with the pan, the lid assembly comprising;

a plurality of lids stamped into the sheet of metal, each lid corresponding to one of the recesses of the pan; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the lid assembly such that when the lid assembly is placed over and in contact with the pan, the ledge of the lid assembly aligns with and rests on the ledge of the pan to enclose dough portions in an enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan, wherein the ledge of the lid assembly and the ledge of the pan being formed to align in a manner such that moisture in the dough portions is at least partially prevented from escaping from the enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan; and

an oven operable to par-bake the dough portions while the lid assembly is positioned over the dough portions to produce par-baked pizza crusts.

21. A method for producing par-baked pizza crusts, comprising:

mixing a plurality of ingredients to produce pizza crust dough;

cutting a plurality of dough portions from the dough;

depositing the dough portions in a pan, the pan formed from a sheet of metal and comprising;

a plurality of recesses stamped into the sheet of metal, each recess adapted to receive a corresponding dough portion; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the pan;

proofing the dough portions;

positioning a lid assembly over the proofed dough portions, the lid assembly formed from a sheet of metal for use in conjunction with the pan, the lid assembly comprising;

a plurality of lids stamped into the sheet of metal, each lid corresponding to one of the recesses of the pan; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the lid assembly such that when the lid assembly is placed over and in contact with the pan, the ledge of the lid assembly aligns with and rests on the ledge of the pan to enclose dough portions in an enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan; and

par-baking the dough portions in a par-baking oven while the lid assembly is positioned over the dough portions to produce par-baked pizza crusts.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

depositing the dough portions on the pan comprises depositing each dough portion into a corresponding recess in the pan; and

the method further comprises depositing a layer of oil in the bottom of each recess of the pan before depositing the dough portions in the recesses, the layer of oil contributing to the production of a bottom fried surface of the par-baked pizza crusts.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising depositing a layer of oil on top of the dough portions after the dough portions are deposited in the pan.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

removing the lid assembly after par-baking; and

removing the par-baked pizza crusts from the pan.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

recirculating the pan after the par-baked pizza crusts have been removed from the pan such that additional dough portions may be positioned in the pan for proofing and par-baking; and

recirculating the lid assembly after the lid assembly has been removed such that the lid assembly may be repositioned over additional proofed dough portions.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

topping the par-baked pizza crusts with a pizza topping; and

baking the topped pizza crusts in a baking oven located remotely from the par-baking oven to produce pizzas for consumption.

27. A method for producing par-baked pizza crusts, comprising:

positioning a plurality of dough portions on a pan, the pan formed from a sheet of metal and comprising;

a plurality of recesses stamped into the sheet of metal, each recess adapted to receive a corresponding dough portion; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the pan;

positioning a lid assembly over the dough portions, the lid assembly formed from a sheet of metal for use in conjunction with the pan, the lid assembly comprising;

a plurality of lids stamped into the sheet of metal, each lid corresponding to one of the recesses of the pan; and

a ledge formed around a perimeter of the lid assembly such that when the lid assembly is placed over and in contact with the pan, the ledge of the lid assembly aligns with and rests on the ledge of the pan to enclose dough portions in an enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan, wherein the ledge of the lid assembly and the ledge of the pan are formed to align in a manner such that moisture in the dough portions is at least partially prevented from escaping from the enclosed gap between the lid assembly and the pan; and

par-baking the dough portions in an oven while the lid assembly is positioned over the dough portions to produce par-baked pizza crusts.