Patent ID: 9049875
Filing Date: 2015-06-09
Classification: A23L,A47J

Abstract:
1. A device for steaming and then toasting a food item having height, width, area and thickness, including such items as buns, comprising: a food inlet for receiving the food item and a food outlet for discharging the food item after steaming and toasting the food item; a steam outlet between the food inlet and the food outlet, for steaming the food item by injecting steam into the food item; a positioning member facing the steam outlet, disposed at a distance from the steam outlet no greater than the thickness of the food item, for positioning the food item adjacent the steam outlet; a heated platen for toasting the food item along a toasting pathway; a toasting conveyor between the steam outlet and the food outlet, the toasting conveyor configured to convey the food item along the toasting pathway in contact with the heated platen to toast the food item while conveying the food item after steaming; wherein the steam outlet is an opening having a width perpendicular to the steaming pathway, the width approximately equal to the maximum width of the food item to be steamed, and having a substantially uniform height parallel to the steaming pathway to provide substantially even injection of steam across the width of the food item that is steamed while the food item is moving along the steaming pathway.