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BR-112022019416-B1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOKING

BR112022019416B1BR 112022019416 B1BR112022019416 B1BR 112022019416B1BR-112022019416-B1

Abstract

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOKING. A method for cooking is disclosed. In response to the selection of an oven for cooking a food item, it is determined whether or not any oven is involved in cooking. If no oven is involved in cooking, then the temperature control mode is used to control the oven temperature of the selected oven. If an oven is involved in cooking at the moment, then a further determination is made as to whether the total electrical current demand of the two ovens for cooking respective food items exceeds a predetermined electrical current limit under the temperature control mode. If the total electrical current demand does not exceed the predetermined electrical current limit, then the temperature control mode is used to control the oven temperature of the two ovens. If the total electrical current demand exceeds the predetermined electrical current limit, then the time control mode is used to control the oven temperature of the two ovens.

Inventors

  • PHILIP R. MCKEE
  • Andrew Podevels
  • HAROLD HANSEN

Assignees

  • Automation Tech, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260310
Application Date
20210329
Priority Date
20200402

Claims (7)

  1. 1. A cooking method using a modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’) having a plurality of ovens (20, 40, 60) characterized by: in response to one of said plurality of ovens (20, 40, 60) being selected to cook a food item, determining that at least one of said plurality of ovens is involved in cooking at the moment; in response to the determination that at least one of said plurality of ovens (20, 40, 60) is currently involved in cooking at the moment, determining whether a total electrical current demand by said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) and said oven selected (20, 40, 60) to cook the respective food items exceeds a predetermined electrical current limitation at any time during a complete cooking cycle of said at least one oven involved and a complete cooking cycle of said oven selected under a temperature control mode; In response to the determination that said total electrical current demand exceeds said predetermined electrical current limitation, utilize a time control mode to control the oven temperature of said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) during the complete cooking cycle of said at least one oven involved and the oven temperature of said selected oven (20, 40, 60) during the complete cooking cycle of said selected oven, wherein said time control mode comprises controlling the oven temperature using previously stored information regarding the electrical current consumed by said oven involved and said selected oven when involved for cooking said respective food items.
  2. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said plurality of furnaces includes an impact furnace (20) and a convection furnace (40).
  3. 3. Method, according to claim 1, characterized in that said predetermined electric current limitation is 50 amperes.
  4. 4. Method, according to claim 1, characterized in that said determination that the total electric current demand by said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) and said oven selected (20, 40, 60) for cooking respective food items exceeds a predetermined electric current limitation is determined using information stored within a Maximum Electric Current Consumption Table.
  5. 5. Method according to claim 1, characterized by further determining whether the total electrical current demand by said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) and by said oven selected (20, 40, 60) for cooking respective food items exceeds or does not exceed said predetermined electrical current limitation in each and every time unit during the complete cooking cycle of said at least one oven involved and the complete cooking cycle of said oven selected under said time control mode; and in response to the determination that the total electrical current demand exceeds said predetermined electrical current limitation, preventing said oven selected (20, 40, 60) from starting cooking until one time unit such that the total electrical current demand by said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) and by said oven selected for cooking the respective food items does not exceed said predetermined electrical current limitation in the remaining time units.
  6. 6. Method, according to claim 5, characterized in that the determination of whether or not the total electric current demand by said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) and by said oven selected (20, 40, 60) for cooking respective food items exceeds said predetermined electric current limitation in each and every time unit during the complete cooking cycle by said at least one oven involved and the complete cooking cycle of said oven selected under said time control mode is made using the information stored within an Electric Current Consumption History Table.
  7. 7. Apparatus (10, 10’) for cooking, using the method as defined in claim 1, characterized by: a housing (11, 11’) containing a plurality of ovens (20, 40, 60); a control panel (17, 17’) in said housing (11, 11’) for receiving instructions from an operator; a processor (71) within said housing (11, 11’), wherein said processor (71) performs the following steps: - determining whether or not at least one of said plurality of ovens (20, 40, 60) is involved in cooking at the moment, in response to an instruction to select one of said plurality of ovens to cook a food item; - using the temperature control mode to control an oven temperature of said selected oven (20, 40, 60) during a complete cooking cycle of said selected oven, in a determination that none of said plurality of ovens (20, 40, 60) is involved in cooking at the moment; - determining whether the total electrical current demand by said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) and by said selected oven (0, 40, 60) to cook respective food items exceeds the predetermined electrical current limitation at any time during a complete cooking cycle of said at least one oven involved and of complete cooking cycle of said selected oven under said temperature control mode, provided that at least one of said plurality of ovens (20, 40, 60) is involved in cooking at the time; - use said temperature control mode to control the oven temperature of said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) during the complete cooking cycle of said at least one oven involved and the oven temperature of said selected oven (20, 40, 60) during the complete cooking cycle of said selected oven, provided that said total electrical current demand does not exceed said predetermined electrical current limitation; then - use a time control mode to control the oven temperature of said at least one oven involved (20, 40, 60) during the complete cooking cycle of said at least one oven involved and the oven temperature of said selected oven (20, 40, 60) during the complete cooking cycle of said selected oven, provided that said total electrical current demand exceeds said predetermined electrical current limitation, wherein said time control mode comprises controlling the oven temperature using previously stored information regarding the electrical current consumed by said at least one oven involved and said oven selected when involved for cooking said respective food items.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE ON RELATED REQUEST [001] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 16/838,563, filed April 2, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. RELATED ORDERS [002] This application relates to 1. U.S. Patent Application No. 16/838,540, entitled “MODULAR COOKING APPLIANCE”, filed April 2, 2020; and 2. U.S. Patent Application No. 16/838,589, entitled “MODULAR COOKING APPLIANCE HAVING AN AUTO-LOADING MICROWAVE OVEN”, filed April 2, 2020. FIELD OF TECHNIQUE [003] The present invention relates to a method for cooking in general and, specifically, to a method for cooking in a modular cooking apparatus with multiple ovens. BACKGROUND [004] To cook and serve a wide variety of foods, such as pizzas, baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, proteins, etc., food service operators often have to have different types of ovens in the same shop location. Typically, different operational skills are required to use each of the different types of ovens for cooking, and multiple ovens tend to occupy valuable counter space and require multiple electrical power outlets. [005] The present disclosure provides an improved cooking equipment that can speed up the cooking task of a food service operator. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [006] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, in response to the selection of an oven within a modular cooking equipment that has multiple ovens to cook a food item, a determination is made as to whether or not any of the ovens is involved in cooking at the moment. If none of the ovens are involved in cooking at the moment, then the temperature control mode is used to control the oven temperature of the selected oven during the entire cooking process. If one of the ovens is involved in cooking at the moment, then another determination is made as to whether the total electrical current demand of the oven involved and the oven selected to cook the respective food items may exceed a predetermined electrical current limitation at any time during their respective complete cooking cycle under the temperature control mode. If the total electrical current demand cannot exceed the predetermined electrical current limitation, then the temperature control mode is used to control the oven temperature of the oven involved and the selected oven during their respective complete cooking cycles. If the total electrical current demand may exceed the predetermined electrical current limit, then the time control mode is used to control the oven temperature of the oven involved and the selected oven during their respective complete cooking cycles. [007] All the features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [008] The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, additional objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in combination with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a modular cooking apparatus according to an embodiment; Figure 1A is an isometric view of the structure of a modular cooking apparatus according to an alternative embodiment; Figure 1B is an isometric view of an interchangeable cooking module within the modular cooking apparatus of Figure 1A according to an embodiment; Figure 1C is an isometric view of a rear wall within the interchangeable cooking module of Figure 1B according to an embodiment; Figures 2A-2C are cross-sectional views of an impact oven within the modular cooking apparatus of Figure 1 according to an embodiment; Figure 3 is a diagram of the heating and airflow system within the impact oven of Figures 2A-2C. Figure 4 is an isometric view of a convection oven within the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1, according to one embodiment; Figure 5 is a diagram of a heating and airflow system within the convection oven of Figure 4, according to one embodiment; Figure 6A is a front cross-sectional view of a microwave oven within the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1, according to an embodiment; Figures 6B-6D are cross-sectional views of a food transport system within the microwave oven of Figure 6A, according to an embodiment; Figure 7 is a block diagram of a controller for controlling various oven modules within the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1, according to an embodiment; Figure 8A shows an example of a Food Input Table within the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1; Figure 8B shows an example of a Maximum Electrical Current Consumption Table within the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1; Figure 8C shows an example of an Electrical Current Consumption History Table within the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1; and Figure 9 is a flow diagram of a method for cooking food items using the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1, according to an em