A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

Example embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to food preparation systems and associated automated gantry systems. An example automated food preparation system may include a housing that supports one or more baskets therein and a gantry system. The gantry system may include a retrieval arm and a drive system operably coupled with the retrieval arm. The drive system may cause movement of the retrieval arm in at least two directions relative to the housing. In operation, the retrieval arm may engage a basket and cause movement of the basket about the housing. In some instances, an ejection mechanism is provided that receives the basket from the retrieval arm and causes removal of the contents of the basket.

A heating system for a fluid includes a double helical coil of continuous tube, a burner, and a containment structure. The double helical coil has an inlet and an outlet disposed at a bottom end and a plurality of external radial fins spaced apart along a length thereof. The burner is centered in the double helical coil and disposed above the inlet and the outlet. The containment structure has a closed bottom end and a flue opening at an upper end. The containment structure is positioned above the inlet and the outlet to enclose the double helical coil and the draft-type burner. The burner heats the continuous tube to evenly transfer heat to the fluid while the fluid flows through the continuous tube from the inlet to the outlet.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional cooking oven comprises an oven cover, an oven body, a first heating device, a second heating device, an elastic device and a first control panel, wherein the oven cover is hinged with the oven body, the rotation angle between the oven cover and the oven body falls in between 0 degree and 180 degrees; the first heating device is arranged on the bottom surface of the oven cover, and the elastic device is arranged in the inner cavity of the oven body; the second heating device is arranged in the inner cavity of the oven body and connected with the elastic device, which drives the second heating device to go up and down; the multifunctional cooking oven also comprises a pot cover, which is buckled onto the pot body; in a word, the multifunctional cooking oven has multiple functions and thus possesses powerful practicability.

A taco shell maker for holding tortillas during deep frying. The taco shell maker includes a generally round disk folded to create a body having two half round edges. Two opposing tabs are generally centered on the half round edges. The body is preferably a little larger than the tortillas made into the taco shells, for example ½ inch larger diameter than the tortillas before folding. The tabs are folded outward about 180 degrees to be generally parallel to the body. The tabs may include flared out ends to facilitate sliding an edge of the tortilla between the body and each tab. The taco shell maker further allows frying the taco shell in oil in a typical frying pan, not requiring a deep fryer and using much less oil than a deep fryer. The heat of the oil and pan allows the tortilla to contour to the taco shell maker.

Disclosed is an automatic stir-fryer comprising: a machine stand; a base pivotably provided on the machine stand; a rotary shaft providing rotary power and connected to a stir-frying rotary tank containing foodstuffs; a high-frequency induction heating unit coaxially covering the stir-frying rotary tank; a tilting unit pivotably disposed on the base; a receiving tank provided on the machine stand for receiving the cooked foodstuffs and controlled by an automatic push rod to move forward and backward; a cleaning unit assembled on the machine stand and corresponding to the stir-frying rotary tank after tilting by the tilting unit for water cleaning the stir-frying rotary tank; a control unit vertically disposed on the machine stand and provided with an control panel for controlling the operating time of the automatic stir-fryer and the temperature of the high-frequency induction heating unit.

The invention features a cooking apparatus having a number of compartments for the cooking of different foods under different cooking conditions. Aspects of embodiments of the contemplated invention include a lid portion, an upper portion that is vertically retractable and removably engaged with a bottom portion. The cooking apparatus is modular and, as such, enables the use of multiple cooking apparatuses for the steaming and/or boiling of different foods within the same pot or cooking unit at the same time.

This invention relates to a flexible bag for storing raw milk where the flexible bag is for use in system comprising a cassette adapted to contain the flexible bag, where the flexible bag further comprises a spout, preferably with a screw top, and two or more perforations for fixing the flexible bag inside the cassette when the former is mounted in the cassette. Additionally, the invention relates to a cassette for use in a system comprising said cassette and the flexible bag, where the cassette comprises at least two sets of small pins, and at least two sets of cavities, where said cavities are adapted to receive said pins, and wherein said pins are constructed and placed such that they penetrate said perforations of said flexible bag, when said bag is placed inside said cassette. The invention also relates to a system comprising a cassette, a flexible bag and a heating tub adapted for holding a heating liquid, such as water, where the heating tub comprises a rack module for holding the cassette such that it is at least partly covered with said heating liquid.

An air fryer system is disclosed which comprises a base having a heating source and an air source located therein, both sources being supplied power for operation by an AC power cord. A cooking chamber is defined within the base and a cooking drawer fits securely within the cooking chamber to substantially seal the chamber against heat loss during use. A handled food basket which detachably secures to the cooking drawer is configured to facilitate even distribution of heated air within the cooking chamber. A digital, touch screen user interface attached to a surface of the base is electronically coupled to a controller for powering on the fryer system and setting cooking conditions. The preferred system also includes infrared heating, time and temperature controls, and an automatic safety shutoff mechanism.

A cooking apparatus may include a cooking chamber, a heating mechanism, a microwave generator, and a waveguide. The cooking chamber may hold cooking media. The heating mechanism may be disposed at the cooking chamber and may heat the cooking media. The microwave generator may produce microwave energy. The waveguide may be disposed on the cooking chamber and may transmit the microwave energy from the microwave generator to the cooking chamber. The microwave generator may be mounted to the waveguide at one end portion of the waveguide. An opening may be formed in an opposite end portion of the waveguide through which the microwave energy may enter the cooking chamber. The opposite end portion of the waveguide may be opposite to the one end portion of the waveguide.