Abstract:
A pan for baking e.g. single-serving-sized food product is adapted to promote substantially even heat distribution, to shield the food product from excessive browning and crisping, and to substantially prevent burning. The pan accomplishes these functions by utilizing one or more structural features, including, for example, perforations, sloped, variable-height walls and a sloped arcuate rim. Embodiments of the invention may be used in combination with a separator to stack and store food product in a heated or cooled receptacle, and in combination with a slicing/topping guide.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The subject matter of this application is related to the subject matter of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/075,660, filed Feb. 23, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference and priority to which is claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e). 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to implements for use in preparing sliced food products, and more particularly, according to embodiments of the invention, for use in preparing products having a dough base and at least one topping disposed over the dough base. Embodiments of the invention especially apply to pizza slices for retail sale. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Pizza products enjoy tremendous popularity throughout the world. Pizza restaurants and others commonly sell single slices of pizza, instead of entire pizza pies, to customers who have e.g. limited time or for other reasons do not wish to purchase a pizza product of substantial size. 
     To create individual slices for retail sale, restaurants typically prepare and bake an entire pizza pie and then cut it into a desired number of individual portions. This presents a number of disadvantages, however. Following this process can waste a substantial amount of food, given the short shelf life of baked pizza products in a commercial sale environment. This process can also result in non-uniform distribution of cheese and toppings on the individual slices, or non-uniformity from slice to slice. Additionally, the substantial mass of an entire pizza pie can adversely affect various baking parameters associated with the single-slice environment, e.g. it can lengthen the baking time required adequately to heat the center of the pie. Other disadvantages will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Attempts to bake pizza slices individually generally have met with difficulty. Overbaking, excessive browning, hardening, or even burning of individually baked slices are common, especially on the sides of the slice. Placing toppings, cheese and/or tomato sauce on individual slices is also somewhat difficult, given e.g. the relatively small slice sizes desirable for commercial sale. 
     Although various triangular or triangularly sectioned pans or containers are known in the art (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,452,969, 1,021,640, and 348,839), none of them adequately overcomes the disadvantages noted above in a baking environment. For the first time, the slice pan embodiments of the invention shown and described herein provide significant advantages not known or contemplated in the prior art. 
     One type of guide apparatus for preparing pie slices is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,777 to Garner, which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent discloses an apparatus for making a split pie, including a dividing assembly to be inserted into a pie pan for separating a pie into sections, each section having a distinct pie filling. The FIG. 13 embodiment is used for making pre-sliced and divided pizza pies. This embodiment can be used to divide and slice a pizza pie into six equal and distinct portions, allowing a different and distinct topping or combination of toppings to be placed onto each portion before the pizza is baked. If six different people want six different toppings, for example, six toppings can be easily applied to the different slices. The divider also ensures that the various pizza toppings do not overflow or run onto adjacent slices. Finally, the sides of the divider are tapered to conform to the shape of the corresponding pan (column  12 , lines  32 - 35 ). 
     The Garner embodiments, however, are of significant structural and manufacturing complexity and are believed prohibitively expensive for use on a large scale. The FIG. 13 embodiment, for example, includes upper and lower eyelet-forming means disposed in a central blade  147 , as well as eyelet-forming means on additional, separate blades  151 ,  153 . A pivotal connection between first and second rigid V-shaped adjustable members is provided, the members being movable to create sliced sections of unequal dimensions. Mere use of the Garner embodiments in e.g. chain restaurants also would be problematic, as product uniformity would be difficult if not impossible to achieve from restaurant to restaurant, or even from pizza to pizza and slice to slice. 
     Embodiments of the invention, on the other hand, provide significant advantages while overcoming the above-described and other disadvantages, as will now be described. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the figures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of a slice pan according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a slice pan according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a slice pan according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is rear view of a slice pan according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a separator for a slice pan according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of the FIG. 5 separator; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken at A in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view of a topping/baking guide according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of the FIG. 8 guide; 
     FIG. 10 is a side view taken at B in FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is a plan view of a single-slice topping/baking guide according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of the FIG. 11 guide. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the invention relate primarily to pizza pies and pizza slices, and the implements used in preparing and baking these products. The invention relates to a wide variety of food products, however, mainly those intended for division into a number of portions or slices, e.g. dessert pies, cakes, other baked goods, etc. Therefore, although primary embodiments of the invention will be described with respect to pizza and pizza slices, the invention is by no means limited to such embodiments. 
     Slice Pan 
     Slice pan embodiments of the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. Slice pan  10  includes base  20  preferably having multiple perforations  25 , two substantially straight-edged sidewalls  30  bordering base  20 , and substantially curved-edged sidewall or rim  40  bordering base  20  and defining preferably an arc between substantially straight-edged sidewalls  30 . Sidewalls  30  are connected to base  20 , to each other at the tip of the pan, and to rim  40  by tack welding, according to one embodiment, but of course a number of different connection schemes are contemplated, including integral molding or stamping which likely provide the best manufacturing and cost advantages. When molding/stamping is not possible, tack welding has been found advantageous over continuous welding to avoid damage to any coating on the pan. Rim  40  preferably is one-piece with base  20  and is formed e.g. by bending the sheet of material forming base  20  upwardly at a desired angle, e.g. about 52 degrees from the plane of base  20 . Of course, rim  40  also can be a separate piece originally and welded or otherwise secured to base  20 . Rim  40  and base  20  together comprise means for receiving and supporting a food product. 
     Straight-edged sidewalls  30  define a first height  50  at apex  55  of pan  10 , and define a second height  60  at the ends of sidewalls  30  opposite apex  55 . Heights  50 ,  60  are defined between the top edge of the respective sidewall  30  and the plane of contact between pan  10  and the surface on which it rests. According to preferred embodiments, height  50  is greater than height  60 , such that sidewalls  30  have a greater elevation at apex  55 , i.e. at the tip of the slice to be contained within pan  10 , than at the arcuate rim  40 . According to one specific embodiment, the height of sidewalls  30  is about 3.0 centimeters at tip  55  and about 2.5 centimeters at rim  40 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, rim  40  defines a height  70  with respect to the plane of contact between the bottom of pan  10  and its underlying surface. According to preferred embodiments, rim height  70  is less than sidewall height  60 , and according to one specific embodiment, rim height  70  is about 2.0 centimeters. Base  20  and rim  40  can be formed from sectors of a full pizza pan of the type primarily disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,956, issued Oct. 28, 1997, which is incorporated by reference herein. Base  20  can also be of substantially constant perforation density, and is so according to primary embodiments of the invention. 
     Sidewalls  30 , which comprise means for shielding the sides of and which may serve to contain the food product, define an included angle  80 , which can vary depending on the size of slice desired. Angle  80  can range from a few degrees to near a full circle. Angle  80  can be defined as (360°/N), where N is the number of slices that would be obtained from a full pizza pie having a radius equal to the length of sidewalls  30 . In other words, if N =6, angle  80  is about 60 degrees and the size of slice accommodated in pan  10  is roughly equal to that which would be obtained if a like-sized full pizza pie were cut into six slices. Additionally, pan  10  can easily accommodate a slice that already has been prepared by dividing a pie into six pieces, e.g. for re-warming purposes or in a par-baking application. According to preferred embodiments, however, as will now be described, slices are individually prepared and baked within pan  10  originally. 
     Slice pan embodiments according to the invention have been developed to enable cooking of individual slices in a very short period of time while maintaining high product quality. The slope of sidewalls  30  toward apex  55 , for example, provides better support for a fully topped slice within pan  10  and also serves better to retain the toppings in place, i.e. eliminate their loss from the slice, during e.g. assembly of the slice or transfer of the slice from pan  10 . Sidewalls  30  protect the sides, corners and edges of the slice from excessive heat accumulation and excessive, undesirable browning/crisping or burning there. 
     Sidewalls  30  also preferably are sloped slightly outwardly relative to base  20 , to facilitate transfer of product from the pan. (Of course, a right-angle intersection between base  20  and sidewalls  30  is also contemplated.) Further, the reduced elevation of rim  40  relative to sidewalls  30  also facilitate transfer, e.g. by more easily allowing placement of a spatula or other utensil under the slice. Finally, sidewalls  30  can provide a guide for the topping process, assuring that toppings are placed accurately as the pizza slice is assembled. 
     Slice pan  10  can be used to hold finished pizza-slice products in hot storage, e.g. in a heated holding cabinet. To this end, pan  10  can be elevated above its underlying surface, according to one embodiment, e.g. by three legs or equivalent structure attached to base  20 . This improves air circulation and heat exposure to the bottom of the slice, providing more uniform heat transfer and allowing the temperature of the product to be maintained at a higher level for a longer period of time. Other advantages associated with base  10 , and perforations  25  of base  10 , are discussed in the above-referenced commonly assigned U.S. patent. 
     Further embodiments of the invention include a non-stick coating on the sides of the pan, to further ease transfer of the slice. Although the illustrated slice pan embodiments are designed to correspond to a six-slice pie, pans according to the invention can be formed to accommodate slices of any cut, diameter, thickness, or shape. In some embodiments, it may be preferable to leave base  10  unperforated or, alternatively or additionally, to provide perforations in sidewalls  30  and/or rim  40 . 
     According to preferred embodiments, slice pan  10  is constructed of a metal such as aluminum, and is provided with a non-stick coating. Such embodiments provide rapid thermal conduction and quick heat-up and cool-down. A wide variety of materials are contemplated, however, depending e.g. at least in part on the environment for which the pan is intended. Wear-resistant materials are especially desirable, given the frequent contact of pan  10  with e.g. steel spatulas and the like. 
     Thus, slice pan  10  according to the invention provides significant advantages, and does so throughout the entire life of the pizza slice, e.g. during topping, baking, storing, hot-holding and ultimate transfer. 
     Pan Separator 
     In many instances, it is desirable to stack slice pans according to the above embodiments together, e.g. in a cooler, a heated holding cabinet, or other environment. The preferred outward angling of sidewalls  30  with respect to base  20 , however, such that pan  10  is of greater circumferential dimension at its top edge than at base  20 , makes stacking difficult without nesting vertically adjacent pans into each other and potentially damaging a held slice. Additionally, the differing heights  50 ,  60  of sidewalls  30 , at their opposite ends, contribute to the difficulty in stacking. Therefore, embodiments of the invention include pan separator  100 , illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. 
     Pan separator  100  is intended to be placed between vertically adjacent slice pans  10  and to compensate for the stacking difficulties outlined above. Separator  100  includes side panels  120  and stepped rim  110 , best shown in FIG. 7, with rim  110  constructed to engage the top of one rim  40  at  112 , to engage a portion of sidewalls  30  at  114 , and to support the bottom surface of a vertically adjacent pan  10  at floor  116 . Toppings and crust are thus positioned within and covered by pan separator  100  at  118 , as shown. According to one embodiment, separator  100  can take the form of a sector of the pan separator disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D297,297, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     According to preferred embodiments, separator  100  is constructed of a plastic material. A wide variety of materials are contemplated, however, depending e.g. at least in part on the environment for which the separator is intended. TEFLON and metals or metal alloys also are contemplated, for example. 
     Topping and Baking Guide 
     According to embodiments of the invention, topping and baking guide  200  is provided and is described herein with reference to FIGS. 8-12. As shown in the FIG. 8 embodiment, topping guide  200  includes six guide arms  210  that are preferably in substantially fixed positional relationship to each other, e.g. by welding at their central intersection. Guide arms  210  preferably are disposed to form substantially equally sized slices of food product, but of course can be configured to provide slices of any desired size or shape. Additionally, guide  200  is constructed for insertion into a pizza pan or the like. 
     As shown in FIG. 10, the outer portion of bottom edge  220  of each guide arm  210  includes a curved portion  230  having a radius of curvature R. Outer edge  240  of each guide arm  210  defines an angle  250  with respect to bottom edge  220 . According to one particular embodiment, radius of curvature R is about 0.250±0.30 inches, preferably substantially matching that of the pan into which guide  200  is placed. Angle  250  is preferably about 60±20 degrees, and according to one particular embodiment is about 80 degrees, again preferably to match the pan into which guide  200  is placed. According to one embodiment, top edge  260  of each set of collinear guide arms  210  defines a diameter, D T , of about 15 inches, and bottom edge  220  a diameter, D B , of about 14.25 inches, substantially matching the top inner and bottom inner diameters of the corresponding pan. Note, for example, FIG.  9 . Thus, the ends of guide arms  210  are angled and dimensioned to provide a good fit with the profile of the sides of the pan into which guide  200  is placed. Guide  200  preferably is about as high as the pan, e.g. to prevent toppings from falling off the slice. Of course, a wide variety of angular and linear dimensions, numbers of slices, and slice shapes are contemplated according to the invention. 
     According to preferred embodiments, guide  200  is constructed of a metal such as aluminum, and is provided with a non-stick coating. Such embodiments provide rapid thermal conduction and quick heat-up and cool-down. A wide variety of materials are contemplated, however, depending e.g. at least in part on the environment for which the guide is intended. Plastics, TEFLON, and metals or metal alloys besides aluminum also are contemplated. Wear-resistant materials are especially desirable, given the frequent contact of guide  200  with e.g. steel spatulas and the like. 
     Guide  200  performs a number of advantageous functions with a simplicity and ease of manufacture not believed known in the prior art. Guide  200  works as a heat sink when food product is baked with guide  200  in place, for example. This enables better heat transfer throughout the product due to the contact of guide arms  210  with both sides of the respective slices. Heat concentration is more effective in the center of the pie, which especially helps cooking of the thicker, denser and/or more voluminous food products such as certain types of specialty pizza. Guide  200  also protects the sides of the slices from overbrowning and/or becoming too crisp. 
     Additionally, guide arms  210  facilitate equal distribution of pepperoni or other toppings over all six (or other desired number) of slices in the pizza pie or other food product. This enables a full pie to be topped instead of individual slices out of the pie, yet assures even toppings distribution and thus enhanced flavor and appearance. Use of personal pan pizza scoops can be eliminated, which is beneficial since such scoops can slow down the topping process considerably. Transfer of the finished, baked product is also facilitated, as guide arms  210  substantially prevent toppings loss and also guide the spatula or other serving implement to its proper position. Further, guide arms  210  substantially eliminate the possibility of adjacent slices sticking together due e.g. to cheese melt and/or overflow of melted cheese from one slice to another. 
     By designing guide  200  for topping as well as for baking, multiple functionality is achieved at minimum cost and with considerable manufacturing simplicity, unlike many devices of the prior art. 
     In operation, according to one embodiment, a dough base is placed in an underlying pan, and then guide  200  is placed on top of the dough base. Bottom  220  of guide arms  210  can form a “cookie-cutter” or similar edge, to easily cut the underlying dough layer into pieces. Then, the pizza pie or other food product is topped, using guide  200  to evenly distribute toppings as described above. Alternatively, different toppings can be placed on different slices or subsets of slices to correspond to e.g. anticipated customer demand. 
     According to different operational embodiments, the dough base can be a par-baked dough base to reduce final baking times. The dough base can be sauced prior to inserting guide  200 , or even cut into slices if desired. Saucing and/or topping the dough base can occur before or after guide  200  is placed on top of the dough base. 
     A single-slice guide embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11-12. Guide  300  includes two guide arms  310  separated by a desired angle  320 , e.g. about 60 degrees depending on the desired slice size. Guide  300  also includes a biasing device  330 , or piece of spring steel or other material, holding angle  320  substantially constant and/or “springing” guide arms  310  back to form an original angle  320  after arms  310  are accidentally (or otherwise) pushed open or closed. This substantially prevents guide  300  from becoming misshapen, which can cause the sides of the slice to e.g. sag and/or burn. According to one embodiment, arms  310  have a length, L, of about eight inches and a height, H, of about 1.5 inches. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the description is illustrative and is not to be construed as necessarily limiting the scope of the invention. For example, as mentioned throughout the specification, other types of food products advantageously can be baked using the pans, guides and separators disclosed herein, not just pizza-type products. The disclosed embodiments according to the invention also can be used in a wide variety of ovens, formed of a wide variety of materials, and can be of a wide range of shapes, sizes, and configurations. Further, various features of the different embodiments can be mixed and matched to suit a particular application. Various other modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill without departing from the sphere and the scope of the invention.