IMPROVED HEATING ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATED APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COOKING

DISPOSITIF DE CHAUFFAGE AMELIORE POUR APPAREIL AUTOMATISE ET PROCEDE DE CUISSON

English Abstract

A cooking apparatus comprising: a housing (122); at least one heating unit
(170) disposed within and on the periphery of said housing (122), said heating
unit (170) radiating substantially radially inwards to the centre of the
cooking apparatus; at least one support plate (136) provided above said
heating unit, said support plate (136) having an inclined surface for
supporting and retaining flat dough for cooking; at least one support plate
revolving means, coupled to said support plate (136), for rotating said
support plate (136); and a means for maintaining the temperature of the top
surface of said dough to allow equal cooking of top and bottom surfaces of
said dough.

French Abstract

La présente invention concerne un appareil de cuisson comprenant : un boîtier (122) ; au moins une unité de chauffage (170) placée à l'intérieur du boîtier (122) et autour de sa périphérie, laquelle unité de chauffage (170) irradie de façon sensiblement radiale vers l'intérieur, en direction du centre de l'appareil de cuisson ; au moins une plaque de support (136) placée au-dessus de l'unité de chauffage, laquelle plaque de support (136) possède une surface inclinée destinée à supporter et retenir une pâte de cuisson plate à cuire ; au moins un moyen de rotation de plaque de support, couplé à ladite plaque de support (136) et permettant de faire tourner la plaque de support ; et un moyen permettant de maintenir la température de la surface supérieure de la pâte de cuisson afin de permettre une cuisson uniforme des surfaces supérieure et inférieure de la pâte.

Claims

6
CLAIMS
We claim:
1. A cooking apparatus comprising
a housing;
at least one heating unit disposed within and on the periphery of said
housing, said heating unit radiates substantially radially inwards to the
centre of said cooking apparatus;
at least one support plate provided above said heating unit, said
support plate having an inclined surface for supporting and retaining flat
dough for cooking;
at least one support plate revolving means, coupled to said support
plate, for rotating said support plate; and
a means for maintaining the temperature of the top surface of said dough
to allow equal cooking of top and bottom surfaces of said dough.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining
temperature is adapted to maintain the top surface of said dough to within
15°C
of the temperature of the bottom surface of said dough.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support plate has the
shape of a cone with a truncated top, said truncated top provided with
convection holes adapted to allow convection of hot air from said heating unit
to
the upper surface of said support plate.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support shaft rotating
means comprises a central support shaft, coupled to the centre of said support
plate at one end and to a motor at the other end.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said heating unit further
comprises at least one skewer support means adapted for supporting a

7
substantially vertical array of skewers of food around the periphery of
said heating unit.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said heating unit comprises at
least one gas burner and at least one infrared heater adapted to radiate
infrared rays substantially radially inwards towards said array of skewers
and the centre of said cooking apparatus.
7. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said skewer support means
comprises at least one circular bracket coupled to at least one skewer shaft,
said
skewer shaft coupled to at least one skewer revolving means adapted to rotate
said bracket.
8. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said skewer support means
further comprises at least one cam means for the rotation of each of said
skewer
around its longitudinal axis.
9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support plate has at least
one wire disposed substantially in parallel and offset from the top inclined
surface of said support plate for removing cooked bread therefrom
automatically.
10. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said cam means comprises at
least one skewer head with extensions, connected to said skewer, and at least
one cam provided proximate said circular bracket, said cam adapted to interact
with said extensions to rotate said skewer around its longitudinal axis as
said
skewer support means revolves.
11. A cooking apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a heating unit disposed on the periphery of said housing;

8
a truncated cone-shaped support plate disposed above said heating
unit, said support plate containing a flat top with holes disposed therein
for convection of air heated by said heating unit; and
a vertical drive shaft with one end connected to the centre of said flat top
and the other end coupled to a motor, said motor adapted to cause
rotation of said support plate around said shaft.
12. A cooking apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said heating unit
radiates heat radially inwards, said apparatus further comprising a meat
cooking
module for cooking meat on a skewer, said meat cooking module comprising
a skewer support rack having a circular bracket with slots for hanging said
skewers in a vertical parallel array around the periphery of said heating
unit;
a rack shaft coupled to said support rack at one end and a skewer motor
at the other end, said skewer motor adapted to revolve said support
rack around said rack shaft; and
a cam disposed around said support rack and adapted for rotating each skewer
around the longitudinal axis of said skewer.
13. A cooking apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said heating unit is a
gas burning infrared heater adapted to radiate infrared rays radially inwards.

Description

CA 02396828 2002-07-08
WO 01/58329 PCT/SGO1/00037
1
IMPROVED HEATING ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATED
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COOKING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to automated cooking apparatus. In particular,
the
present invention relates to an improved heating arrangement for oven-type
cooking apparatus and method for using the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1o In Singapore Patent Application No. 200000777-3 filed on 9 February 2000,
the applicant of the present invention described a novel, automated, oven-
type cooking apparatus that could achieve the dual function of baking bread or
dough based products and cooking skewered meats similar to that of a
traditional tandoori oven.
The automated oven-type cooking apparatus as taught in Singapore Patent
Application No. 200000777-3 achieves substantially the major objectives of
the invention: (1 ) capable of dual function of cooking bread and meat; (2)
produces high quality and consistency without the monitoring of an experienced
chef; and (3) features a compact and hygienic design that results in easy
maintenance.
It is the ultimate objective of the applicant of the present inveni~on to make
available to almost all types of restaurants such automated oven-type cooking
apparatus, in particular, fast food restaurants and catering specialists.
Towards
that end, the automated oven-type cooking apparatus taught in Singapore
Patent Application No. 200000777-3 should have a throughput that is higher,

CA 02396828 2002-07-08
WO 01/58329 PCT/SGO1/00037
2
weight less so that it is not only compact but portable; more energy efficient
so
that auxiliary source of fuel is obviated; and attain better safety in
handling b y
non-professional kitchen staff.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide for an improved heating
arrangement in automated oven-type cooking apparatus so that more bread
and meats can be processed with consistent quality.
It is another object of the present invention to reduce the overall material
weight
of the automated oven-type cooking apparatus while optimizing the baking
and skewering capacity of the equipment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to improve the overall
safety n
loading and unloading of breads and meats in and out of automated oven-type
cooking apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The orientation of the heating unit of an automated oven-type cooking
2 o apparatus is changed from outwardly radiating direction to and inwardly
radiating
one. As a result, the center core of any automated oven-type cooking
apparatus can make way for more meat skewers. Not only is the overall safety
of handling breads and/or meat skewers improved, the heat differential
between the top and bottom surface of the bread products is narrowed
signficantly. It follows that the browning of bread products such as naan is
completed with the improved orientation of the heating unit while the cooking
of

CA 02396828 2002-07-08
WO 01/58329 PCT/SGO1/00037
3
skewered meats is unaffected. As a result, a truly portable oven-type cooking
apparatus is realized.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective, cutaway, elevational view of the automated oven-type
cooking apparatus featuring an improved heating unit that radiates inwardly
towards the core of the apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1o The present invention discloses an improved heating unit for an automated
oven-type cooking apparatus. The contents of Singapore Patent Application
No. 200000777-3 filed on 9 February 2000 by the same applicant as the
present invention are incorporated by reference to the extent the description
relates to non-heating unit portion of the application. Specifically, the
present
invention relates to the arrangement of the heater of the heating unit.
Fig. 1 is a perspective, cutaway, elevational view of the automated oven-type
cooking apparatus featuring an improved heating unit that radiates inwardly
towards the core of the apparatus. Fig. 1 is substantially similar to the
r~aan
2 0 cooking module and meat cooking module as illustrated and described in
Fig.
1 A of Singapore Patent Application No. 200000777-3 by the same applicant
except for the heating. Referring again to Fig. 1, an improved automated
oven-type cooking apparatus 110 of the present invention comprises of at
least one naan cooking module 130 and at least one meat cooking module 134
disposed on top of at least one base 122. Instead of being centrally located,
a
heating unit 170 of the present invention is located on top of the periphery
of a
base 122 of the automated oven-type cooking apparatus. The gas burner

CA 02396828 2002-07-08
WO 01/58329 PCT/SGO1/00037
4
(not shown in the figures) and the heaters assembly 172 and 172A are the
same as those in Singapore Patent Application No. 200000777-3.
The arrangement of the present invention obviates the central burner housing
structure of Singapore Patent Application No. 200000777-3. As a direct result,
the weight of the improved automated oven-type cooking apparatus is
reduced. Above all, it frees up a lot of space 132 for the meat cooking module
134. It follows that more meat skewers can be inserted into the meat cooking
module per production run. More importantly, the orientation of the heaters
i0 172 and 172A is directed substantially radially inwards towards the centre
of
the cooking apparatus 110. It means that non-professional kitchen staff can
handle the cooking process with greater safety.
Again in Fig. 1, the convection of heat from an inwardly radiating set of
heaters
170 generates better thermo environment for the cooking of bread-based
products. Not only are most of the energy from the inwardly radiating heaters
utilized by the meat cooking module, the convection of heat to the naan
cooking
module 130 is improved because the energy from the heaters not only
dissipates from the gap between the support plate 136 and the heaters 170
2 o but also the remaining inwardly directly heat through the convection holes
138.
Consequently, the naan disposed on the support plate are browned more
completely than that of the apparatus in Singapore Patent Application No.
200000777-3.
Once the bread products are baked and browned, a wire 131 disposed
substantially in parallel and offset with the inclined surface of the support
plate

CA 02396828 2002-07-08
WO 01/58329 PCT/SGO1/00037
136 removes the cooked bread products or naan from the bread cooking
module automatically.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without
5 departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The
presently
disclosed embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as
illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated
by the
appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of
equivalency of the claims are, therefore, to be embraced therein.

Representative Drawing