Abstract:
A system and method for producing a cooked food product using multiple sections is described. The system includes a frying section for receiving and frying an uncooked food product to produce a partially cooked food product; a transition section operatively connected to the frying section for receiving and conveying the partially cooked food product at a substantially stable food temperature; and a baking section operatively connected to the transition section for receiving and baking the partially cooked food product conveyed from the transition section to produce the cooked food product.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    Under 35 U.S.C. §119, this application claims the benefit of a foreign priority application filed in the Canadian Patent Office, serial number 2,689,352, filed Dec. 30, 2009, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0002]    This application is a continuation-in-part and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/380,036, filed Feb. 23, 2009, currently pending, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to the field of food product cooking systems and methods. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    Cooking is most generally defined as a process of preparing food by applying heat. During the cooking process, the flavor, texture, appearance and chemical properties of the ingredients can change. Cooking can involve baking, frying, grilling, boiling, steaming and microwaving, to name but a few examples. Various methods use differing levels of heat and moisture and by varying cooking time of a particular food product and the method used can greatly affect the end result of the cooked food. 
         [0005]    Generally, current systems and methods for cooking are focused on one of the many cooking options independently. For example, one either fries donuts or bakes them (as in yeast donuts). There is a need for a system of cooking food products that combines the features of independent cooking systems to produce food products with different end results as discussed above. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Certain exemplary embodiments provide a system for producing a cooked food product, the system comprising: i) a frying section for receiving and frying an uncooked food product to produce a partially cooked food product; ii) a transition section operatively connected to the frying section for receiving and conveying the partially cooked food product at a substantially stable food temperature; and iii) a baking section operatively connected to the transition section for receiving and baking the partially cooked food product conveyed from the transition section to produce the cooked food product. 
         [0007]    Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system for producing a cooked food product, the system comprising: i) means for frying an uncooked food product in a frying medium to produce a partially cooked food product; ii) means for baking the partially cooked food product to produce the cooked food product; and iii) means for transitioning the partially cooked food product from the means for frying to the means for baking at a substantially stable food temperature. 
         [0008]    The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a food cooking system and method according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a detailed side schematic illustration of the food cooking system shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a portion of the conveyance mechanism shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the system of  FIG. 1  shown from the frying section; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the system of  FIG. 1  shown from the baking section; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a detailed side view of a section of the system of  FIG. 1  shown with the cover of the transition section removed. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a system  10  for cooking a food product (such as donuts, fish sticks, French fries, onion rings, calamari rings, chicken pieces, etc.). The system  10  includes a frying section  12  operable with a transition section  14  and a baking section  16  operable with the transition section  14 . An uncooked food product  20  is introduced into the frying section  12  to initiate the cooking process and produce a partially cooked food product  22 . 
         [0017]    The partially cooked food product  22  produced in the frying section  12  is received by and conveyed through the transition section  14  at a stable food temperature to the baking section  16  to complete the cooking process and produce a cooked food product  24 . In particular, during movement from the frying section  12  to the baking section  16  the transition section  14  assists in limiting/reducing the cooling of the partially cooked food product  22  by maintaining a temperature in the transition section  14  to substantially maintain the temperature of the partially cooked food product  22  prior to completing the cooking process in the baking section  16 . 
         [0018]    Referring to the schematic cross section of the apparatus  10  in  FIG. 2 , the frying section  12  includes a tank/reservoir  30  for retaining a supply of a frying medium  32  (such as cooking oils, lard, shortening, etc.) and a heater  34  for heating the frying medium  32  to a temperature suitable for frying the uncooked food product. The temperature of the frying medium  32  is controlled by a controller A  42 , which is connected to the heater  34 . 
         [0019]    The temperature of the frying medium  32  varies depending on the type of food being cooked but typically ranges from 250° F. to 500° F. (120° C. to 260° C.). For example, for frying donuts the frying medium temperature can be between 325° F. to 375° F. (160° C. to 190° C.), for meat products the frying medium temperature can be between 350° F. to 450° F. (175° C. to 230° C.). The uncooked food product  20  is initially deposited in the tank  30  for frying (i.e., the food is substantially surrounded by the frying medium to ensure an even frying process). The frying section  12  may also include a flipping mechanism  36  for flipping the food product during the frying process to assist in evenly cooking both sides of the food product. 
         [0020]    The transition section  14  includes a heat retention mechanism for maintaining the partially cooked food product  22  at a stable food temperature (i.e., to minimize food temperature loss during transfer from the frying section  12  to the baking section  16 ). In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , an insulated cover  38  (made from double wall insulated stainless steel, for example) acts as the heat retention mechanism for maintaining the partially cooked food product  22  at a stable food temperature. This arrangement permits heat from the baking section  16  to extend into and be maintained by the transition section  14 . 
         [0021]    As a result, in certain implementations, the temperature in the transition section  14  is similar to the temperature in the baking section  16 , and remains generally stable. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the partially cooked food product  22  can effectively start the baking process in the transition section  14  based on this heat transfer from the baking section  16 . Other heat retention mechanisms can be used in the transition section  14 , such as fans that can be arranged to blow warm air in the transition section  14 . 
         [0022]    The baking section  16  includes an oven enclosure  70  (see  FIGS. 4-6 ) having an entry opening  72  and an exit opening  74  and one or more heat sources  40  (see  FIG. 2 ) for generating a baking temperature suitable for completing the cooking of the partially cooked food product  22  to generate the cooked food product  24 . The baking temperature varies depending on the type of food being cooked but typically ranges from 300° F. to 400° F. (145° C. to 205° C.). The temperature of the heating sources  40  can be controlled by the controller A  42  or with a separate controller B  44 . 
         [0023]    The system  10  includes a conveyance mechanism for moving the food product through the various sections  12 ,  14 , and  16 . The conveyance mechanism can included either singly or in combination: a continuous conveyor belt type system  50  (as shown), blowers, oil stream, and moving trays. The conveyance mechanism  50  can be one continuous system that extends through all sections  12 ,  14 , and  16  or can he separate, independent and operably connected sub-systems such that the food product (at the various stages of preparation  20 ,  22 ,  24 ) moves through the sections  12 ,  14 , and  16  in a manner to permit proper cooking of the food product. 
         [0024]    A motor  52  drives the movement/speed of the conveyance mechanism  50 . The motor  52  is controlled by the controller A  42 , which can also be used to control the temperature of the frying medium  32  (as discussed above). 
         [0025]    The speed at which the food moves through the various sections  12 ,  14 , and  16  depends on the type of food being prepared. See Table 1 for specific examples and for a comparison with traditional frying methods. For many food products, such as donuts, chicken pieces, and frozen fish the overall cooking time through the system  10  is similar to the cooking time using frying alone, yet with healthier benefits as less fat is absorbed by the food product using the system  10 . 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 COOKED IN A 
                   
               
               
                   
                 TRADITIONAL 
               
               
                 FOOD PRODUCT 
                 OIL FRYER 
                 COOKED USING SYSTEM 10 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Chicken pieces (such as 
                 10 minutes in 400° F. 
                 4 minutes in 400° F. frying medium (in 
               
               
                 chicken wings, and 
                 oil 
                 the frying section 12) and 6 minutes (in 
               
               
                 chicken nuggets) 
                   
                 the baking section 16 at 400° F. 
               
               
                   
                   
                 including movement through the 
               
               
                   
                   
                 transition section 14) 
               
               
                 Donut 
                 120 seconds in 375° F. 
                 50 seconds in 375° F. frying medium (in 
               
               
                   
                 oil 
                 the frying section 12) and 70 seconds 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (in the baking section 16 at 375° F. 
               
               
                   
                   
                 including movement through the 
               
               
                   
                   
                 transition section 14) 
               
               
                 Fish (such as frozen fish 
                 5 minutes in 370° F. 
                 2 minutes in 370° F. frying medium (in 
               
               
                 sticks) 
                 oil 
                 the frying section 12) and 3 minutes (in 
               
               
                   
                   
                 the baking section 16 at 370° F. 
               
               
                   
                   
                 including movement through the 
               
               
                   
                   
                 transition section 14) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0026]    The conveyance mechanism  50  starts in the tank  30 , from a food receiving region  60   a,  to a frying region  60   b  and then, after being partially cooked, to a transfer region  60   c  and finally to the baking region  60   d.  The regions  60   a  and  60   b  are shown as overlapping since the defined regions are approximate. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , a section  62  of the conveyance mechanism  50  is upwardly angled for lifting the partially cooked food product  22  from the tank  30 . After the partially cooked food product  22  is lifted out of the tank  30 , a further section  64  transitions the conveyance mechanism  50  to the baking region  60   d  (i.e., into entry opening  72  of the oven enclosure  70 ) in the baking section  16 . 
         [0028]    Other types of mechanisms can be used to transfer the partially cooked food product  22  from the tank  30  to the baking section  16 , including aligned conveyors, transfer hooks, transfer grips, or the like. 
         [0029]    In a further embodiment, the conveyance mechanism  50  includes a perforated surface  90  as shown in  FIG. 3  for enabling the draining of frying medium residue from the partially cooked food product  22  during conveyance from the frying section  12  to the baking section  16 . 
         [0030]    In a further embodiment, the system  10  includes a mechanism  80  (see  FIG. 2 ) for dropping/placing/depositing the uncooked food product  20  in the tank  30  in the receiving region  60   a  of the frying section  12 , such as a hopper and immersing trays. 
         [0031]    A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.