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BR-112022019466-B1 - Modular cooking appliance and method for cooking in a modular cooking appliance.

BR112022019466B1BR 112022019466 B1BR112022019466 B1BR 112022019466B1BR-112022019466-B1

Abstract

MODULAR COOKING APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR COOKING IN A MODULAR COOKING APPLIANCE. This is a modular cooking appliance comprising a housing that has a first interchangeable cooking module, a second interchangeable cooking module, and a single power connection to receive electrical power from a wall outlet. The first interchangeable cooking module contains a first oven, and the second interchangeable cooking module contains a second oven. The second oven is a different type of oven from the first oven. The modular cooking appliance also includes a controller within the housing to control the first and second ovens. The controller includes a memory to store a list of food items to be cooked within the modular cooking appliance and a corresponding oven type for each of the food items. The modular cooking appliance further includes a control panel in the housing that displays a user interface that directs an operator of the modular cooking appliance to the oven that should be used to cook a particular food item.

Inventors

  • PHILIP R. MCKEE
  • III JAMES K. POOL

Assignees

  • Automation Tech, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20210329
Priority Date
20200402

Claims (20)

  1. 1. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’) characterized by comprising: a housing (11, 11’) having a first interchangeable cooking module (12a, 12b, 12c), a second interchangeable cooking module (12a, 12b, 12c) and a single power connection to receive electrical power from a wall socket; a first oven (20, 40, 60) contained within said first interchangeable cooking module; a second oven (20, 40, 60) contained within said second interchangeable cooking module (12a, 12b, 12c), wherein said second oven is a different type of oven from said first oven; a controller (70) within said housing for controlling said first and said second ovens, wherein said controller includes a memory (73) for storing a list of food items to be cooked within said modular cooking apparatus and an oven type. corresponding to each of said food items; and a history of currents consumed by said first oven in a plurality of time units when said first oven is cooking said food items stored in said list of food items and currents consumed by said second oven in said plurality of time units when said second oven is cooking said food items stored in said list of food items, said controller configured to control the oven temperatures of said first oven and said second oven using said currents contained in said plurality of time units; and a control panel (17, 17’) in said housing, wherein said control panel displays a user interface that directs an operator of said modular cooking apparatus to that of said first oven and said second oven which should be used to cook a particular item of said food items.
  2. 2. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 1, characterized in that: said control panel (17, 17’) displays said oven type of said first oven (20, 40, 60) in a first subsection (112, 114, 116) of a first section (110) of said user interface and displays said oven type of said second oven (20, 40, 60) in a second subsection (112, 114, 116) of said first section, wherein said first and said second subsections of said first section are arranged in a manner corresponding to the relative positions of said first oven and said second oven in said housing; and said control panel also displays, in a second section (118) of said user interface, said food items for which said first oven or said second oven is a corresponding oven type.
  3. 3. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 2, characterized in that each of said food items for which said first oven (20, 40, 60) or said second oven (20, 40, 60) is a corresponding oven type is displayed in a separate subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140) of said second section (118) of said user interface.
  4. 4. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 3, characterized in that each of said food items is displayed with the use of a text description of said food item.
  5. 5. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 3, characterized in that each of said food items is displayed using an image of said food item.
  6. 6. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 3, characterized in that each of said food items is displayed using an icon representing said food item.
  7. 7. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 3, characterized in that each subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140) of said second section (118) of said user interface further includes a first oven designator (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) representative of said first oven (20, 40, 60) and a second oven designator (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) representative of said second furnace (20, 40, 60), wherein the said first and said second furnace designators are arranged within the said subsection in such a manner as to correspond to the relative positions of the said first furnace and said second furnace in the housing.
  8. 8. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 7, characterized in that said first and said second oven designators (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) indicate which of said first oven (20, 40, 60) and said second oven (20, 40, 60) were designated to cook said food item identified within said subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140).
  9. 9. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 8, characterized in that: said memory (73) stores a primary oven type and a secondary oven type for at least one food item in said list of food items to be cooked within said modular cooking apparatus; the said first and said second oven designators (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) indicate whether one of the said first oven (20, 40, 60) and the said second oven (20, 40, 60) is available for cooking the said food item identified within the said subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140) as a type of secondary oven for the said food item.
  10. 10. Modular cooking appliance (10, 10’) characterized by comprising: a housing (11, 11’) having a first interchangeable cooking module (12a, 12b, 12c), a second interchangeable cooking module (12a, 12b, 12c), a third interchangeable cooking module (12a, 12b, 12c) and a single power connection to receive electrical power from a wall socket; a first oven (20, 40, 60) contained within said first interchangeable cooking module; a second oven (20, 40, 60) contained within said second interchangeable cooking module; a third oven (20, 40, 60) contained within said third interchangeable cooking module, wherein said third oven is a type of oven different from said first and said second ovens; a controller (70) within said housing for controlling said first, said second and said third ovens, wherein said controller includes a memory (73) for storing a list of food items to be cooked within said modular cooking apparatus and a corresponding oven type for each of said food items; and a history of currents consumed by said first oven in a plurality of time units when said first oven is cooking said food items stored in said list of food items, currents consumed by said second oven in said plurality of time units when said second oven is cooking said food items stored in said list of food items and currents consumed by said third oven in said plurality of time units when said third oven is cooking said food items stored in said list of food items, said controller configured to control the oven temperatures of said first oven, said second oven and said third oven using said currents contained in said plurality of time units; and a control panel (17, 17’) in said housing. wherein said control panel displays a user interface that directs an operator of said appliance to modular cooking to one of the ovens among said first oven, said second oven, and said third oven that must be used to cook a particular item of said food items.
  11. 11. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 10, characterized in that: said control panel (17, 17’) displays said oven type of said first oven (20, 40, 60) in a first subsection (112, 114, 116) of a first section (110) of said user interface, said oven type of said second oven (20, 40, 60) in a second subsection (112, 114, 116) of said first section and said oven type of said third oven (20, 40, 60) in a third subsection (112, 114, 116) of said first section, wherein said first, said second and said third subsections of said first section are arranged in a manner corresponding to the relative positions of said first, said second and said third ovens in the housing; and the said control panel also display, in a second section (118) of the said user interface, the said food items for which the said first oven, the said second oven or the said third oven is a corresponding oven type.
  12. 12. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 11, characterized in that each of said food items for which said first oven (20, 40, 60), said second oven (20, 40, 60) or said third oven (20, 40, 60) is a corresponding oven type that is shown in a separate subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140) of said second section (118) of said user interface.
  13. 13. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 12, characterized in that each of said food items is displayed with the use of a text description of said food item.
  14. 14. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 12, characterized in that each of said food items is displayed using an image of said food item.
  15. 15. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 12, characterized in that each of said food items is displayed using an icon representing said food item.
  16. 16. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 12, characterized in that each subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140) of said second section (118) of said user interface further includes a first oven designator (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) representative of said first oven (20, 40, 60), a second oven designator (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) representative of said second furnace (20, 40, 60) and a third furnace designator (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) representative of said third furnace (20, 40, 60), wherein said first, said second and said third furnace designators are arranged within said subsection in such a manner as to correspond to the relative positions of said first furnace, said second furnace and said third furnace in said housing.
  17. 17. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 16, characterized in that said first, said second and said third oven designators (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) indicate which of said first oven (20, 40, 60), said second oven (20, 40, 60) and said third oven (20, 40, 60) was designated to cook said food item identified within said subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140).
  18. 18. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 17, characterized in that: said memory (73) stores a primary oven type and a secondary oven type for at least one food item in said list of food items to be cooked within said modular cooking apparatus; and the said first, said second and said third oven designators (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) indicate whether one of the said first oven (20, 40, 60), the said second oven (20, 40, 60) and the said third oven (20, 40, 60) is available for cooking the said food item identified within the said subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140) as a type of secondary oven for the said food item.
  19. 19. Apparatus for modular cooking (10, 10’), according to claim 17, characterized in that said second oven (20, 40, 60) is the same type of oven as said first oven (20, 40, 60).
  20. 20. Modular cooking apparatus (10, 10’), according to claim 19, characterized in that, in each subsection (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140) of said second section (118) of said user interface displaying one of said food items for which said same oven type of said first and said second ovens (20, 40, 60) is a corresponding oven type, wherein said first oven designator (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) is representative of said first oven and said second oven designator (122a-122c, 126a-126c, 130a-130c, 134a-134c, 138a-138c, 142a-142c) representative of said second oven indicate that said first oven and said second oven were designated for cooking said food item identified within said subsection.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS [001] This application claims the benefit and priority of the following three applications: U.S. Patent Application No. 16/838,540, filed April 2, 2020; U.S. Patent Application No. 17/094,438, filed November 10, 2020, which is a continuation in part of U.S. Patent Application No. 16/838,540; and U.S. Patent Application No. 17/211,407, filed March 24, 2021, which is a continuation in part of U.S. Patent Application No. 17/094,438, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF TECHNIQUE [002] The present invention relates to cooking equipment in general and, in particular, to modular cooking equipment that has multiple ovens capable of cooking various types of food concurrently. BACKGROUND [003] In order to cook and serve a wide variety of food items, such as pizzas, bakery products, breakfast sandwiches, proteins, etc., food service operators generally need to have different types of ovens in the same store location. Different operational skills are typically required to utilize each of the different types of ovens for cooking, and multiple ovens tend to occupy valuable counter space and require multiple electrical power outlets. [004] The present disclosure provides an improved cooking equipment that can speed up the cooking task of a food service operator. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [005] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a modular cooking apparatus includes a housing that has a first interchangeable cooking module, a second interchangeable cooking module, and a single power connection to receive electrical power from a wall outlet. The first interchangeable cooking module contains a first oven, and the second interchangeable cooking module contains a second oven. The second oven is a different type of oven from the first oven. The modular cooking apparatus also includes a controller within the housing to control the first and second ovens. The controller includes a memory to store a list of food items to be cooked within the modular cooking apparatus and a corresponding oven type for each of the food items. The modular cooking apparatus further includes a control panel in the housing that displays a user interface that directs an operator of the modular cooking apparatus to the oven that should be used to cook a particular food item. [006] All the features and advantages of the present invention will become evident in the detailed written description that follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS [007] The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, additional objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood in 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 airflow and heating 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 an embodiment; Figure 5 is a diagram of an airflow and heating system within the convection oven of Figure 4, according to an embodiment; Figure 6A is a cross-sectional front view of a microwave oven within the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1, according to one embodiment; Figures 6B-6D are cross-sectional views of a food loading system within the microwave oven of Figure 6A, according to one 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 one 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; Figure 9 is a flowchart of a method for cooking food items using the modular cooking equipment of Figure 1, according to one embodiment. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of modular cooking equipment, according to one embodiment. Figure 11A shows an example of a user interface displayed on a control panel of the modular cooking equipment when its ovens are idle at their designated set temperatures, according to one embodi