초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for cooking food, such as meat, protein, vegetable, or soup is disclosed. In one embodiment, the food items are supplied in a flexible polymer package that can withstand the temperature needed to cook the item. The cooking apparatus has two cooking surfaces in the form of hea

An apparatus and method for cooking food, such as meat, protein, vegetable, or soup is disclosed. In one embodiment, the food items are supplied in a flexible polymer package that can withstand the temperature needed to cook the item. The cooking apparatus has two cooking surfaces in the form of heated platens, which may be arranged in a vertical orientation. These platens come together to simultaneously contact both sides of the food item. The cooking apparatus further includes a controller, configured to prepare the food using various control system algorithms. The apparatus cooks the food item from both sides to affect rapid and even cooking. It uses a combination of temperature, time, food thickness, platen force and a cooking code that is unique for each food type. The control system algorithm uses some or all of these parameters to determine precisely when the food item is cooked correctly.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for cooking a packaged food item, comprising: a. two vertically oriented platens, where each platen is heated to a temperature capable of cooking a packaged food item, and wherein at least one of said platens is movable in relation to the other;b. drive means, configured to move at l

1. An apparatus for cooking a packaged food item, comprising: a. two vertically oriented platens, where each platen is heated to a temperature capable of cooking a packaged food item, and wherein at least one of said platens is movable in relation to the other;b. drive means, configured to move at least one of said platens relative to the other platen; andc. a controller, configured to control said drive means, having an output used to supply power to said drive means, wherein said controller monitors current applied to said drive means and varies said output so as to control said current, so as to move said platens together to contact said packaged food item, with a predetermined force proportional to said current. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to determine the distance between said platens. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensing device in proximity with at least one of said platens. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said controller regulates the temperature of said platens. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller maintains said force applied by said platens on the packaged food item at a constant level. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a temperature probe mounted to an actuating means and adapted to be inserted into said packaged food item. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the distance between the platens is used to calculate a position substantially midway between said platens, and said actuating means places said temperature probe in said position. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said distance between said platens is monitored during the cooking cycle, wherein the location of said midway point is recalculated and said actuating means places the probe into the recalculated midway point at least once during the cooking cycle. 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said actuating means indexes said temperature probe while monitoring the temperature to find a location inside said packaged food item that is coolest. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to control the temperature of the platens, the movement and force applied by the platens, to determine the distance between the platens, and to calculate the cooking time for said packaged food item. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to receive an input that corresponds to a particular type of packaged food item, wherein said input is used to identify a set of cooking parameters used in cooking said packaged food item. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said cooking parameters are selected from the group consisting of cook temperature, cooking time, force applied to said packaged food item and distance between platens. 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said controller comprises a storage element containing a table of cooking parameters, and said input determines which set of cooking parameters is used. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said input comprises said set of cooking parameters. 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said controller is configured to determine the distance between said platens and said distance is used in conjunction with said input to identify said set of cooking parameters. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said distance is recalculated during the cooking cycle, and said cooking parameters are modified based on said recalculated distance. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises means to hold said packaged food item during cooking. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises means to make ventilation openings in said package. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said apparatus further comprises a filter configured to absorb odor or moisture from said ventilation openings. 20. A method of cooking a packaged food item utilizing a cooking apparatus having two vertically oriented platens, comprising; a. controlling the platen temperature,b. monitoring current applied to a motor;b. pressing said platens against said packaged food item with a predetermined force by applying power to said motor, wherein said predetermined force is proportional to said current, based on a cooking algorithm for said packaged food item,c. determining the distance between said platens when said platens stop moving; andd. calculating the cooking time required to cook said packaged food item based on said predetermined force and said distance. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said calculation of the cooking time is based on a predetermined algorithm. 22. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing an indication of the particular type of packaged food item to be cooked. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein an algorithm selects a set of cooking parameters based on said indication. 24. The method of claim 22, wherein said indication is input either manually or automatically. 25. A cooking apparatus for cooking a packaged food item, comprising one or more vertically oriented platens and a controller in communication with a memory element, wherein said memory element comprises an algorithm that determines cooking time, the temperature of the platens and the force to be applied by the platens against the packaged food item, based on parameters that correspond to a particular type of packaged food item, where the force applied is determined by monitoring current applied to a motor. 26. The cooking apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means to determine the distance between said platens, wherein said algorithm varies said cooking time based on said determined distance. 27. The cooking apparatus of claim 26, wherein one or both of the temperature of the platens and the force of the platens against the packaged food item can vary during the cooking process. 28. The cooking apparatus of claim 26, wherein said algorithm is configured to determine whether packaged said food item is frozen or slacked based on said determined distance. 29. An apparatus, having at least two vertically oriented platens, for cooking a packaged food item that calculates the desired force to be applied by said platens on said packaged food item based on the type of said packaged food item, monitors the current applied to a motor, converts that monitored current into an applied force, and varies an output to said motor to maintain desired force. 30. A method of cooking and keeping warm a packaged food item, utilizing a cooking apparatus having two vertically oriented platens, comprising; a. controlling the platen temperature,b. opening the platens to create a gap between said platens;c. positioning said packaged food item in said gap;e. monitoring current applied to a motor;f. pressing said platens against said packaged food item with a predetermined force by applying power to said motor, wherein said predetermined force is proportional to said current;g. cooking said packaged food item according to a cooking algorithm, andh. opening said platens to create a gap between said platens so that said packaged food item remains in said gap. 31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said package has a maximum allowable temperature, and said apparatus further comprises a second controller configured to heat said platens, wherein said second controller ensures said platens do not exceed said maximum temperature. 32. The method of claim 20, wherein said package has a maximum allowable temperature and said platen temperature is controlled to ensure said maximum temperature is not exceeded. 33. The cooking apparatus of claim 25, wherein said package has a maximum allowable temperature and said temperature of said platens does not exceed said maximum temperature.