An actuating mechanism for a toaster, and in particular a bread identification actuating mechanism for a toaster, comprises a toast frame arranged in a housing, a sliding rack capable of moving upwards and downwards, and a control circuit, a toast rack being coupled to the sliding rack, a bracket being fixed to one end of the toast rack, the bracket being hinged to the sliding rack: wherein the toaster actuating mechanism is provided with a sensing device for identifying an angular displacement of the bracket, and the bracket drives a light barrier, the sensing device being arranged on a movement tack of the light barrier, the light barrier being capable of blocking a sensing light passage of the sensing device, the sensing device being coupled to the control circuit via a data line.

A conveyor toaster includes a housing having an entry slot on one side for inserting a slice of bread, a conveying mechanism for transporting the slice of bread through the toasting chamber, at least one heating element for toasting the bread, and a second opening, or exit slot, on an opposite end of the housing for extracting the toast. Speed controls operate the speed of the conveyor mechanism, and heat controls determine the level of heat intensity. Windows are provided on a front and rear portion for viewing during a toasting operation. The toaster may include a remote control via smart phone, tablet or the like, and programmable default buttons allow a user to assign heat and speed intensities and variable sequences to the programmable button to capture a user's specific heating pattern, as desired. Other pre-programmed buttons may include other speed and temperature levels and sequences.

A conveyor belt system provides a continuous flat support surface for a food item that moves the food item through a food preparation device. The conveyor belt system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of spaced apart rods and a plurality of slats that are removably attached to the conveyor belt with a snap on mechanism. The slats are easily assembled and provide enhanced field service and/or replacement capability.

A toaster includes a toaster body. The toaster body defines a plurality of toasting grooves. The plurality of toasting grooves is arranged from front to rear. Each of the toasting grooves extends from left to right. A toasting device is arranged in each of the toasting grooves. A support base is arranged on a lower end of a front side of the toaster body. A heating device is arranged on the support base. A heating box is detachably arranged on the heating device. The heating box is configured to fry or steam food, so that the toaster can not only toast bread, but also fry and steam other foods. Further, a first control panel and a second control panel are arranged on a top surface of the toaster body, which facilitates operation and saves space, and further makes a structure of the toaster compact.

A conveyor belt for conveying articles along a conveyor path comprises a plurality of slat members disposed parallel to each other and disposed transversely with respect to the conveyor path, wherein leading and trailing edge portions of the slat members are angled downwardly with respect to the conveying surface upon which articles being conveyed are supported so as to prevent edge portions of the articles being conveyed from being interposed between the leading and trailing edge portions of the slat members so as not to be pinched by adjacent ones of the leading and trailing edge portions of adjacent slat members.

A combination toaster oven and air fryer is described. The combination toaster oven and air fryer includes a housing, a door, a fan, basket drive element, a basket, a first heating element, a second heating element, and a control panel. The combination toaster oven and air fryer provides toasting, baking, and air frying cooking modes in a single stand-alone countertop unit. The first heating element includes a tubular infrared heater and a tubular quartz heater positioned to avoid crumbs falling from the basket during rotation and optimally cook and crisp food product.

A toaster includes a housing, a conveyor configured to support food products, a motor configured to drive the conveyor to move the food products through the housing, a heating element disposed adjacent the conveyor and configured to emit thermal energy toward the food products as the food products are moved through the housing, a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature within the housing, and a controller operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and configured to control the motor to drive the conveyor at a conveyor speed. The controller is configured to store the sensed temperature within the housing as a function of time and calculate a derivative of the sensed temperature with respect to time. The controller is configured to vary the conveyor speed based on a value of the derivative.

Food service equipment comprises a multiple-pass feeder conveyor and toaster which comprises an upper inclined food product infeed conveyor ramp for causing the food products to proceed in a first direction extending from the rear of the appliance toward the front of the appliance and onto the upper run of a first upper endless conveyor. The upper run of the first upper endless conveyor conveys the food products into a semi-circular return product feeder which causes the food products to be conveyed in a second opposite direction extending from the front of the appliance toward the rear of the appliance and into an entry space defined by means of the lower run of the first upper endless conveyor and the upper run of a second lower endless conveyor, the two conveyors being synchronized together. The pair of conveyors convey the food products between heated platens respectively associated with the two conveyors whereby the food products are cooked or toasted. The cooked or toasted food products are discharged onto a lower inclined food product discharge ramp which is disposed substantially parallel to the first inclined food product infeed ramp such that the finished food products are conveyed in a third direction, parallel to the first direction, toward a finished food product platform from which the finished food products may be removed for serving to diners. Additional pairs of conveyors can also be incorporated within the system, in a vertically stacked array, so as to effectively increase the length of travel experienced by the multiple food products without increasing the footprint of the equipment.

A method of operating an oven to cook a food product that includes changing a heat setting of a heating element of the oven, selecting a cook time for the food product in the oven, driving a heating element of the oven at a heat power input based on the heat setting, predicting a cooking ability of the oven by calculating an estimated temperature in the oven using a formula that is a function of a heat power input during a previous time period, and modifying the cook time to a modified cook time based on the estimated temperature that was calculated using the formula.

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 positon of the conveyor assembly relative to the platen.