A contact baking mechanism of a toaster comprises a baking tray, a fixed bracket, and a mobile mechanism. The baking tray is provided in the fixed bracket and includes a left baking tray and a right baking tray. The mobile mechanism includes a bread tray and a mobile bracket. The bread tray is provided between the left baking tray and the right baking tray, and one end of the bread tray is clamped in the fixed bracket through a T-shaped groove. The mobile bracket is provided outside the fixed bracket and fixedly connected with the bread tray. The left and right baking trays are moved back and forth by an elastic mechanism when the bread tray moves up and down along the T-shaped groove.

Toasting apparatus for preparing food products, e.g., buns, are provided for a griddle including a flat griddle surface onto which food products may be placed for cooking, as well as methods for using such apparatus. The apparatus includes a rigid frame movable between a raised position to place food products on or remove food products from the griddle surface and a lowered position wherein a lower surface of the frame is positioned above the griddle surface. The frame includes a plurality of flexible members, e.g., elongate strips, including intermediate regions extending from the lower surface to contact food products on the griddle surface such that the flexible members conform to shapes of food products placed on the griddle surface when the frame is placed in the lowered position to apply pressure to the food products.

A conveyorized contact toaster includes a toasting platen and a conveyer mechanism. The toasting platen includes a planar toasting surface. The conveyer mechanism is arranged in a loop and includes a bun interface portion and a return portion. The bun interface portion is in opposed relation to the planar toasting surface and comprises a base including a pair of lateral edges, and a plurality of gripping bodies extending from the base. The gripping bodies may be resilient and independently compressible. The plurality of gripping bodies are positioned along a plurality of gripping axes, with each gripping axis extending orthogonal to the pair of lateral edges and having at least two of the plurality of gripping bodies residing thereon.

A toasting tray for buns is shown and described. The toasting tray for buns comprises a ridge that is further comprised of an apex defined by the intersection of a first side surface and a second side surface. The toasting tray for buns also has a horizontal section connected at a lower end of said sides. A plurality of ribs protrudes above the apex, the first side surface, second side surface, and the horizontal section of the toasting tray for buns. Additionally, a plurality of elongated conducting elements are positioned inside of the ridge. The plurality of elongated conducting elements are in thermal contact with a downward facing surface of the toasting tray.

A cooking system positionable on a support surface includes a housing having an internal cooking compartment and an opening formed in said housing for accessing said internal cooking compartment. The housing is positionable about the support surface in both a first orientation and a second, distinct orientation. At least one heating element is associated with said internal cooking compartment. The at least one heating element is operable to heat said internal cooking compartment in both said first orientation and said second orientation.

Disclosed is a toaster, including a box body, a feeding bin, a conveying device, a first heating device and a second heating device. One side of the box body is provided with a discharging port; the feeding bin is provided with a feeding port in communication with an inner cavity of the box body. The conveying device is arranged between the feeding port and the discharging port, and is configured to convey foodstuffs from the feeding port to the discharging port. The first heating device is configured to heat foodstuffs on the conveying device, and the second heating device is configured to preheat the foodstuffs within the feeding bin.

A cooking system positionable on a support surface includes a housing having an internal cooking compartment and an opening formed in the housing for accessing said internal cooking compartment. At least one heating element is provided for heating said internal cooking compartment. The heating element is operable to heat the internal cooking compartment while the opening is at least partially exposed to an ambient environment to allow fluid transfer between the ambient environment and the internal cooking compartment. An output from said at least one heating element is variable across said internal cooking compartment during operation of the system.

A conveyor toaster includes a conveyor assembly with a bracket and a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt rotates about first and second gears. A drive motor operates to move the conveyor belt about the first and second gears. A platen is configured to be heated and is positioned relative to the conveyor belt. A mounting bracket is connected to the bracket of the conveyor assembly. Movement of the mounting bracket changes the position of the conveyor assembly relative to the platen.

An infrared source is arranged relative to support for bread product and operates to direct IR energy to the bread product. A light source is arranged relative to the support and operates to illuminate the bread product and a camera operates to capture images of the bread product. A processor receives the images from the camera. The processor compares successive images received from the camera. Based upon the comparison, the processor operates the IR source to achieve a predetermined toasting level of the bread product.

An infrared toaster and a method of toasting use a support configured to hold a food product relative to an infrared source. A light source and a camera are arranged relative to the support to illuminate the food product and capture digital images of the food product. A processor receives and analyzes successive images from the camera. The processor operates the IR source to achieve a predetermined toasting level of the food product. The processor operates the IR source to terminate operation directing IR energy when the predetermined toasting level is reached.