System for recovery and refilling of cooking oil

• US 6,792,983 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oilmatic LLC, Oilmatic Systems LLC (ReflectKote, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oilmatic LLC
• Inventors: Allora, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEVORE, PETER T
• Application Number:
  US10/122,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20030192621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1, 141/2, 141/18, 141/82, 141/94, 141/98, 141/100, 141/231, 994/03, 540/8
• US Class Current: 141/98
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/1223 with means for filtering the frying liquid

Abstract

A nozzle for draining and filling liquids has a line for used liquid and a separate line for fresh liquid. A system and a method of draining and filling a cooking apparatus are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for draining used cooking oil and refilling fresh cooking oil of a cooking fryer, comprising:

(a) a cooking fryer;

(b) a fresh oil tank;

(c) a used oil tank;

d) at least one pump for delivering fresh oil to the cooking fryer and for draining used oil from the cooking fryer;

e) a nozzle capable of being held in the hand of an operator of said system, having a fresh oil line and a used oil line, said used oil line being separate from said fresh oil line; and

(f) piping connecting the fresh oil tank, used oil tank, the at least one pump, and the nozzle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fill box having at least one port for communicating from an exterior side of a building to an interior side of the building.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said fill box includes a first port connected to said used oil tank and a second port connected to said fresh oil tank.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one pump comprises:

(a) a used oil pump including an outlet in communication with said used oil tank; and

(b) a fresh oil pump having an inlet in communication with said fresh oil tank.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control box connected to said at least one pump for actuating said at least one pump in draining and refilling the cooking fryer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said nozzle has an actuator connected to said at least one pump for draining and refilling the cooking fryer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said piping includes a material for conveying hot cooking oil.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said piping includes a food grade material.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said actuator comprises:

(a) a first switch in communication with a fresh oil pump; and

(b) a second switch in communication with said used oil pump.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said actuator comprises at least one switch for actuating a fresh oil pump and a used oil pump.

14. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a condition of a fresh oil tank.

15. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a condition of a used oil tank.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising refilling the fresh oil tank.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising draining the used oil tank.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of refilling includes accessing the fresh oil tank at a fill box.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of draining includes accessing the used oil tank at a fill box.

11. A method of draining and refilling cooking oils in a cooking fryer, comprising:

(a) inserting an inlet of a nozzle, capable of being held in the hand of an operator, into the cooking fryer;

(b) actuating a used oil pump in communication with said nozzle through a used liquid line;

(c) actuating a fresh oil pump in communication with said nozzle through a fresh oil line, wherein said fresh oil line is separate from said used oil line, said fresh oil pump directing fresh oil to the cooking fryer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting between a draining mode and a refilling mode of the nozzle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting comprises selecting between actuation of a used oil pump and a fresh oil pump.

20. An apparatus for draining and refilling cooking oil from a cooking fryer comprising:

(a) a housing capable of being held in the hand of an operator of said cooking fryer;

b) a fresh oil line carried by said housing and having an outlet for dispensing fresh oil;

c) a used oil line carried by said housing and having an inlet for receiving used oil;

d) an inlet tube connected to said used oil line and an outlet tube connected to said fresh oil line; and

e) a screen disposed in the free end of said inlet tube.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an end cap connected to the free end of said inlet tube, said end cap carrying said screen.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a check valve connected to the free end of said outlet tube.

23. An apparatus for draining and refilling cooking oil from a cooking fryer comprising:

(a) a housing capable of being held in the hand of an operator of said cooking fryer;

(b) a fresh oil line carried by said housing and having an outlet for dispensing fresh oil;

(c) a used oil line carried by said housing and having an inlet for receiving used oil;

d) an inlet tube connected to said used oil line and an outlet tube connected to said fresh oil line; and

e) a check valve connected to the free end of said outlet tube.

24. A nozzle for draining and refilling cooking oil from a cooking fryer comprising:

(a) a housing capable of being held in the hand of an operator of said cooking fryer;

(b) a fresh oil line carried by said housing and having an outlet for dispensing fresh oil;

(c) a used oil line, which is separate from said fresh oil line, is carried by said housing and has an inlet for receiving used oil; and

(d) at least one actuator carried by said housing for actuating at least one pump;

wherein the at least one actuator comprises a first switch for actuating a first pump and a second switch for actuating a second pump.

25. The nozzle of claim 24, wherein said fresh oil line and said used oil line comprise flexible tubing for communicating with at least one pump.

26. The nozzle of claim 25, further comprising wiring connected to said at least one switch and extending from said housing.

27. The nozzle of claim 26, further comprising tubing attached to said housing, said wiring, fresh oil line, and said used oil line extending from said housing through said tubing.

28. The nozzle of claim 27, further comprising:

a selector knob for selecting said first switch or said second switch; and

a button for actuating a selected one of said first switch and said second switch.

29. A nozzle for draining and refilling cooking oil from a cooking fryer comprising:

(a) a housing capable of being held in the hand of an operator of said cooking fryer;

(b) a fresh oil line carried by said housing and having an outlet for dispensing fresh oil;

(c) a used oil line, which is separate from said fresh oil line, is carried by said housing and has an inlet for receiving used oil;

(d) an inlet tube connected to said used oil line and an outlet tube connected to said fresh oil line; and

(e) an end cap connected to a free end of said inlet tube, said end cap carrying a screen;

wherein said used oil line and said fresh oil line comprise flexible tubes and said inlet tube and said outlet tube comprise rigid tubing.

30. The nozzle of claim 29, further comprising a shut-off valve connected to a free end of said outlet tube.

31. The nozzle of claim 30, wherein the shut-off valve comprises a check valve.

32. The nozzle of claim 29, wherein said inlet tube and said used oil line comprise a material for conveying hot cooking oil.

33. The nozzle of claim 32, wherein said outlet tube and fresh oil line comprise food grade materials.

34. The nozzle of claim 29, wherein said inlet tube and outlet tube are comprised of stainless steel tubes.

35. The nozzle of claim 34, wherein said fresh oil line and said used oil line comprise silicon tubes.

36. A nozzle for draining and refilling cooking oil from a cooking fryer comprising:

(a) a housing capable of being held in the hand of an operator of said cooking fryer;

(b) a fresh oil line carried by said housing and having an outlet for dispensing fresh oil;

c) a used oil line, which is separate from said fresh oil line, is carried by said housing and has an inlet for receiving used oil;

(d) an inlet tube connected to said used oil line and an outlet tube connected to said fresh oil line; and

(e) a shut-off valve connected to a free end of said outlet tube;

wherein said used oil line and said fresh oil line comprise flexible tubes and said inlet tube and said outlet tube comprise rigid tubing.

37. The nozzle of claim 36, wherein the shut-off valve comprises a check valve.

38. The nozzle of claim 36, wherein said inlet tube and said used oil line comprise a material for conveying hot cooking oil.

39. The nozzle of claim 38, wherein said outlet tube and fresh oil line comprise food grade aterials.

40. The nozzle of claim 36, wherein said inlet tube and outlet tube are comprised of stainless steel tubes.

41. The nozzle of claim 36, wherein said fresh oil line and said used oil line comprise silicon tubes.