Patent Publication Number: US-2023160581-A1

Title: Rapid Cook Broiler with Movable Heat Shields for Improved Temperature Control

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Pat. Application Serial Number 63/264,377, filed Nov. 22, 2021 (Nov. 22, 2021), which application is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention: The invention relates most generally to a food finishing broiler that rapidly heats all or a portion of a food product, and more particularly to a programmable open-front salamander broiler that includes a blower system to distribute and direct air onto cooking food product and movable heat shields that selectively open and close to commence a heating cycle and rapidly terminate when food has been exposed a predetermined amount of time. 
     Background Discussion: Food finishing broilers, often called salamander broilers, are used in commercial and restaurant kitchens for a finishing step in preparing food. Such finishing steps might include such things as melting cheese on a dish, toasting a marshmallow, or putting a slight toast or char on a food surface. Food cooking in salamanders generally must be closely monitored to prevent burning. 
     Salamanders often have open fronts, both to facilitate easy viewing of the cooking food product and for ease in inserting and removing plates. In consequence, they are frequently turned to a high heat setting and left on that high setting the duration of daily restaurant operations. In some establishments, the salamander may be turned to a high setting when food is placed under the heating elements and turned down as soon as the food is finished. In either scenario, because the food is finished so rapidly, operator error is common, and overcooked or burned food is the consequence. It will be appreciated, then, that the vigilance required to prevent burning also prevents the operator from attending to other pressing tasks. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention resolves shortcomings in the prior art by providing a salamander broiler with programmable, movable heat shields that open at the beginning of a cook cycle and close after a set period of time blocking much of the heat from heating elements from reaching food disposed below. Use of such shields enables users to keep the heat source at a high setting, which reduces the amount of time to finish a food product. 
     The inventive salamander broiler further includes shelves with adjustable heights and a blower system that provides air flow to distribute and direct hot air onto food product to reduce cooking times. All broiler functions are under user control through a user interface that puts each cooking cycle on a timer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is an upper front right perspective view of the salamander broiler of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a partially exploded view thereof, with the top cover and blower manifold removed to show the heating elements and movable shields; 
         FIG.  3    is a front view in elevation showing the user interface for controlling both the right and left zones of the broiler; 
         FIG.  4 A  is a cross-sectional front view in elevation taken along section line  4 A- 4 A of  FIG.  1   , this view showing heat shields in both cooking zones closed; 
         FIG.  4 B  is the same view showing the right heat shields in an open configuration; and 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional, right side view in elevation taken along section lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  1   , showing the air flow through the plenum and manifold to direct air flow across and then down from the sides of the heating elements. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  through  5   , wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein a new and improved salamander broiler, generally denominated  10  herein.  FIG.  1    shows the broiler assembled and configured for use.  FIG.  2    is a partially exploded view thereof. These views show that the broiler includes an interior chamber  12  divided into a lower cooking chamber  14  and an upper heating chamber  16 . The interior chamber has a left wall  20 , a right wall  22 , a rear wall  24 , an open front  26 , and a bottom  28 . The broiler is supported by height adjustable legs  30 . 
     Looking into the open front side  26 , it is seen that the cooking chamber includes a plurality of shelf supports  32  onto which a movable cooking shelf  34  is selectively placed. 
     The heating chamber  16  is divided into left and right sides  36 ,  38  by a partition  40 . In each of the left and right sides, a plurality of parallel electric heating elements  42   a ,  42   b , run transversely (from side to side). 
     Immediately below the heating elements are left and right sets of movable heat shields  44 ,  46 , configured as parallel overlapping slats and linked separately in each of the left and right cooking chambers for unified rotational movement about their longitudinal axis using a push rod or other link. The links are structurally and operatively connected to a motor that rotates one or more of the slats, and thus all slats on a side coupled by the link, or by a motorized linear actuator using a push rod (not shown). 
     Next, the upper chamber includes left and right air blower manifold assemblies  48 ,  50 . Each are rectangular boxes with a planar top  52 ,  54 , an upper peripheral rim  56 ,  58 , contiguous sides  60 ,  62 , a lower peripheral rim  64 ,  66 , a planar lower side  68 ,  70 , and a plurality of parallel spaced-apart heat reflectors  72  coupled to the lower side. Not fully visible in the views are linear air hole arrays  75  straddling each side of the heat reflectors. Each air blower manifold assembly includes an interior plenum  74  configured with an air inlet  76  coupled to and co-located with an air blower outlet  78 . When one or the other or both sides of the heating chamber are in operation, the slats are opened and the air blower is turned on for the working side(s). This moves a volume of air into the plenums and across horizontally disposed baffles  80 , which divide the plenums into upper and lower halves  82 ,  84 , in fluid communication with one another, such that air in the lower halves is under pressure. Air in the lower halves exits the air hole arrays under low pressure and is driven downwardly, alongside the heating elements and heat reflectors, to shape and direct the heat pattern over and onto food product on the movable shelf. 
     The air blower motor  86  and heat shield motors  88  are housed in a motor compartment  90  on the backside of the left and right cooking chambers. 
     A controller  92  (e.g., an ASIC or microcontroller) having a user interface  94 , as well as a power supply  96  for operating the electric heating elements, are housed in a cuboid systems enclosure  98  having air vents  100  on its right side  102 . The controller is programmed to control the heating elements, the blower motor, and the heat shield motors. User inputs through the user interface will call the programs to operate according to time inputs by the user. The entire broiler system is capped with a top  104  having a front side  106  that extends down to cover and complete the enclosure of the upper heating chamber  16 . 
     In operation when the unit is turned on, the electrical heating elements produce heat. The heat shields remain closed to prevent most of the heat from passing through to the product chamber until an input is given to the control system by the operator through the user interface. The input provides an option to specify which side of the cooking chamber will be employed (right or left)  108 ,  110 , and how much time will be required for the product finishing. User input that a food product is in the chamber is signified by pressing one of the start buttons  112 ,  114 , indicates to the controller that the shields should open and the elements be exposed so that the directed heat may pass through. Once the shields are fully open, the blower pushes heated air from the air plenum above the elements to speed up the toasting process. The controller has been programmed to turn off the blower and close the heat shields after the selected time has passed. 
     It will be obvious to those with skill that additional inputs and programming can be provided to control the power provided to the heating elements, the force of the air blown through the manifolds, and the degree of openness or closure of the heat shields, such that finely tailored cooking specifications can be followed to achieve an optimal result. Such features are not considered here, inasmuch as the fundamental novel aspect of the invention resides in the programmable, selectively opened and closed heat shields used in conjunction with directed air to control, enhance, and expedite finish cooking of food product in a rapid cook broiler. 
     The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of this invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensional relationships, and operation shown and described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like. 
     Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.