A bun separator separates pre-sliced buns into portions. A bun feeder receives a pre-sliced bun having a plurality of portions and moves the pre-sliced bun along a first feed path. An obstruction is arranged relative to the first feed path and engages at least one portion of the plurality of portions of the pre-sliced bun. An actuator operates to selectively engage at least one portion of the plurality of portions of the pre-sliced bun against the obstruction to separate the least one portion of the pre-sliced bun and transfer the at least one portion to a second feed path.

A baked goods handling system includes a holding cabinet operable to create a controlled environment therein. A dispenser receives a baked good from the holding cabinet and directs the baked good away from the holding cabinet. A treatment device receives the baked good from the dispenser to perform a treatment on the baked good.

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.

One variation of a method for slicing a type of whole bread buns includes: retracting a cutting block along a chute into a load position; dispensing a whole bread bun into the chute between the cutting block and a blade extending across the chute; advancing the cutting block along the chute toward the blade; detecting contact between the cutting block and the blade at a contact position; at a first time, advancing the cutting block into a pierce position offset from the contact position toward the blade by a pierce distance less than a common width of the type of whole bread buns; and, at a second time succeeding the first time by a pierce duration, advancing the cutting block from the pierce position into a slice position adjacent the blade to drive the whole bread bun fully through the blade.

A toasting device includes a housing, a heating spike extending outwardly from an upper surface of the housing, and an insulating spacer connected to a base portion of the heating spike and to the upper surface of the housing by first attachment members. The insulating spacer is composed of a highly heat resistive material to substantially insulate the housing from heat associated with the heating spike.

A bun toasting assembly for permanently toasting a depression into a bun includes a toaster that may have a plurality of buns positioned therein. The toaster is structured to form a depression in the buns. A heating coil is positioned within the toaster to toast the buns thereby facilitating the depression to be permanently toasted into the buns.

A toasting device includes a housing, a plurality of heating spikes extending outwardly from an upper surface of the housing, and a controller electrically coupled to infrared heating sources in the plurality of heating spikes. The controller is configured to control electrical power to the plurality of heating spikes to thereby control temperature.

A device and a method for the automatic preparation and dispensing of hot dogs comprising a housing fitted with a door, inside of which is a hot dog preparation system comprising a refrigeration unit, a gripper, a drive system, a controller, a toaster system and a sauce application mechanism, together with a self-cleaning system, characterised in that a control panel is located on the outside of the housing, a hot dog pick-up point is located in the housing, constituting a link between the external part and the interior of the housing, and inside the housing there is a refrigerating unit containing storage for the buns and the food input in the form of drawers with closing mechanism that are opened and closed by a dedicated manipulator in response to an order signal received by the controller, the toaster system comprising a dedicated toaster for the food input and a mobile toaster for the buns, wherein the dedicated food input toaster is equipped with rollers containing patron heaters and an infrared radiator, while the mobile bun toaster is equipped with a housing with a lockable lid, heating elements in the form of patron heaters arranged around the plates, while the sauce application mechanism comprises at least one sauce container, at least one movable sauce application nozzle and at least one sauce pump.

A clamshell toaster comprising a toasting platen having a planar toasting surface configured for toasting a plurality of buns. An upper body is moveable relative to the planar toasting surface between a raised position and a lowered position, with the upper body moving toward the planar toasting surface as the upper body transitions from the raised position towards the lowered position. The clamshell toaster additionally includes a resilient compression element comprising a base and a plurality of compression fingers extending from the base, the base being configured to be slidably engageable with the upper body, the plurality of compression fingers extending from the base at a non-perpendicular angle.

A conveyorized contact toaster includes a toasting platen having a planar toasting surface and a belt assembly configured to interface with a food item to urge the food item against and along the planar toasting surface. The belt assembly includes a belt body having a first end portion, a second end portion, an inner surface, and an opposing outer surface. A first belt connector is coupled to the first end portion of the belt body, and a second belt connector is coupled to the second end portion of the belt body. The belt body is configurable in a loop configuration with the first end portion being positioned adjacent the second end portion, and the first belt connector detachably coupled to the second belt connector to maintain the belt body in the loop configuration.