Patent ID: 9282852
Filing Date: 2016-03-15
CPC Classification: A23L,A47J,B65G

Claim Text:
1. A conveyor-based frying apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a base having a reservoir for receiving oil for frying a food product, the base defining a top channel slot and a bottom channel slot forming a continuous track for a conveyor; a hood coupled to the base, the hood and the base defining an upstream opening that is open to the environment outside of the conveyor-based frying apparatus and a downstream opening that is open to the environment outside of the conveyor-based frying apparatus; an upstream inlet chamber arranged between the upstream opening and a first baffle member, wherein the upstream inlet chamber has an inlet exhaust port in communication with at least one fan, wherein the at least one fan and the inlet exhaust port cause a negative pressure in the upstream inlet chamber to draw air through the upstream opening and from under the first baffle, wherein the air is exhausted from the inlet exhaust port into the environment outside of the conveyor-based frying apparatus; a downstream outlet chamber arranged between the downstream opening and a second baffle member, wherein the downstream outlet chamber has an outlet exhaust port in communication with at least one fan, wherein the at least one fan and the outlet exhaust port cause a negative pressure in the downstream outlet chamber to draw air through the downstream opening and from under the second baffle, wherein the air is exhausted from the outlet exhaust port into the environment outside of the conveyor-based frying apparatus; a fry chamber arranged between the first baffle member and the second baffle member, wherein the fry chamber has a heat recapture port, wherein the heat recapture port transfers heat to at least one member of a group consisting of: the conveyor-based frying apparatus, to a heat exchanger, and to another source beside the conveyor-based frying apparatus; at least one conveyor for moving product from the upstream opening, into the upstream inlet chamber, under the first baffle, into the fry chamber, under the second baffle, into the downstream outlet chamber, and out of the downstream opening, wherein the at least one conveyor includes a plurality of side links coupled together via rod members extending across the width of the at least one conveyor; and a plurality of slidable members extending into the top channel slot and the bottom channel slot in the base, wherein each slidable member is configured to receive at least a portion of one side link to retain the conveyor in the top channel slot and the bottom channel slot in the base and restrict contact of the side links with the base.