A hinge module includes a base, a first shaft, a second shaft, a first bracket, a second bracket, and a linkage component. The base has a bottom plate and two guiding plates opposite to each other. The first shaft is movably and rotatably penetrates through the two guiding plates. The second shaft is movably and rotatably penetrates through the two guiding plates. The first bracket is disposed at a first end of the first shaft. The second bracket is disposed at a first end of the second shaft. The linkage component is disposed in the base and is connected to the first shaft and the second shaft. The first shaft and the second shaft linearly move along the two guiding plates through the linkage component to change a spacing distance between the first shaft and the second shaft and are configured to drive the first bracket and the second bracket to move away from each other or approach each other.

A grilling appliance with a grilling surface for placing food to be cooked, with a heat source located below the grilling surface for heating a food item on the grilling surface and with a second heat source located above the grilling surface. The second heat source is adjustable in such a way that it can be used to heat a food item located on the grilling surface from the side and/or from above, depending on the position of the second heat source, in that the second heat source is retained on a rear wall of the grilling appliance that extends beyond the top of the grilling surface so as to be translationally height-adjustable, and in that the second heat source can be pivoted about a pivot axis, in order to adjust the direction of the desired heat radiation downward between a position for releasing heat in a horizontal direction and a position for releasing heat in a vertical direction.

A grill is provided including a base structure. An upper platen assembly is connected to the base structure and includes an upper grilling surface. A lower platen assembly is connected to the base structure and includes a lower grilling surface. A plurality of leveling mechanisms is mounted to the base structure with a mounting bracket. A portion of each leveling mechanism is arranged in contact with the lower platen assembly. The leveling mechanisms are configured to automatically level the lower grilling surface relative to the upper grilling surface. Each of the plurality of leveling mechanisms is configured to independently move a portion of the lower grilling surface about a different axis.

The present invention is related to a cooking appliance (100) comprising a first cooking plate (1) and a second cooking plate (2), said second cooking plate (2) being positionable in an operating condition, in which it faces the first cooking plate (1), so as to be able to heat a product positioned on the first cooking plate (1), and in an open condition in which it is lifted with respect to the first cooking plate (1) in such a way to allow freely positioning a food product on the first cooking plate (1), the cooking appliance (100) comprising a positioning device (3) for adjusting the position of the second cooking plate (2) with respect to the first cooking plate (1) when the second cooking plate (2) is in the operating condition, the positioning device allowing movements of the second cooking plate (2) with respect to the first cooking plate (1) having at least two degrees of freedom; it further comprises a control unit (4) operatively associated to the positioning device (3) and configured to control movements of the second cooking plate (2) with respect to the first cooking plate (1) individually for at least two of the at least two degrees of freedom. The invention is also related to a method for controlling a distance (d) between cooking plates (1, 2) of a cooking appliance (100) comprising a first cooking plate (1) and a second cooking plate (2), the second cooking plate (2) being positionable in an operating condition, in which it faces the first cooking plate (1), so as to be able to heat a product positioned on the first cooking plate (1), and in an open condition in which it is lifted with respect to the first cooking plate (1) in such a way to allow freely positioning a food product on the first cooking plate (1), the method comprising: —adjusting the position of the second cooking plate (2) relative to the first cooking plate (1), when the second cooking plate (2) is in the operating condition, by a movement of the second cooking plate (2) having at least two degrees of freedom; —calculating the distance between said first cooking plate (1) and the second cooking plate (2).

A cooking appliance includes an upper cooking surface and a lower cooking surface. The lower cooking surface employs a plurality of horizontally-offset apertures in each of the furrows formed in the lower cooking surface for facilitating the egress of cooking juices from the lower cooking surface.

An apparatus for heating food includes a base and a lid coupled to one another by a hinged handle. Two fluid-filled thermal fluid vessels with flexible surfaces are installed in the lid and base to form a chamber for holding a food item in a low temperature cooking container f. The thermal fluid vessels may be replaced with high temperature cooking plates to sear or brown the food items. A user of the appliance is protected from exposure to hot thermal fluid retained in the vessels during low temperature cooking.

Embodiments of the invention described herein thus provide systems and methods for creating a pressed food item in an oven cooking cavity. The oven system is secured within the oven cooking cavity and is not dependent upon oven door movement or any other oven function. A movable platen is configured to move up and down with respect to a lower platen in order to press a food item during the cooking process. The movable platen may be activated via an actuating arm that extends and is manipulated from outside the oven cooking cavity. In another example, the movable platen may be activated by motor.

A device for cooking food on a grill has opposed upper and lower platens wherein a gap spacing between the platens is automatically adjusted in an initial stage and in subsequent stages of the cooking time for the food. The food is caused to be located between two opposed platens, the opposed platens each having opposed cooking surfaces and the opposed cooking surfaces defining a gap spacing that is adjustable. A controller and drive mechanism adjust the gap spacing between the platens so that during an initial stage of the cooking the gap spacing is equal to or less than the nominal initial uncooked thickness of the food, and during one or more subsequent stages of the cooking, after the initial stage, the gap spacing between the platens is varied.

A grill including a first platen assembly, an second platen assembly movable with respect to the first platen assembly, a motor operable to move the second platen assembly with respect to the first platen assembly, and a control operable to measure movement of the second platen assembly with respect to the first platen assembly while the motor is off.

The present technology provides a device, such as an electric grill, that cooks food items on two or more sides. The electric grill includes upper and lower elements to create the sealed interior cooking environment. One of the elements of the electric grill includes a pressure plate that compresses the distance between the upper and lower thermal plate to create a sealed interior cooking environment and to engage the food item with both an upper and lower element. The pressure plate may be compressed by one or more spring-actuated cylinders or any other suitable mechanism. The compressed cooking area allows the cooking environment to contain any smoke generated from the cooking environment.