BAKE-OFF OVEN SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A bake-off oven system and method for baking off food products are described. The method for baking off food products includes baking off pre-baked products to be baked such as bread. The food products to be baked off are held in an infeed unit and the baked-off food products are held in an outfeed unit. A lift system moves a bake-off compartment between compartments of an infeed unit and compartments of an outfeed unit.

Claims

1. A bake-off oven system, comprising: an infeed unit for holding food products to be baked off; a bake-off compartment for baking off food products to be baked off which are present in the infeed unit; and an outfeed unit for holding the food products baked off by the bake-off compartment; wherein the infeed unit and the outfeed unit each comprise a plurality of compartments, and the bake-off oven system further comprises a lift system for moving the bake-off compartment between the compartments of the infeed unit and the compartments of the outfeed unit.

2. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each compartment of the outfeed unit is associated with a different outfeed position, and wherein, if the bake-off compartment is in a determined outfeed position, the bake-off compartment and the outfeed unit are configured to transport the food products baked off in the bake-off compartment to the compartment of the outfeed unit associated with the determined outfeed position; and each compartment of the infeed unit is associated with a different infeed position, and wherein, if the bake-off compartment is in a determined infeed position, the bake-off compartment and the infeed unit are configured to transport the food products to be baked off, which are situated in the compartment of the infeed unit associated with the determined infeed position, to the bake-off compartment; and the lift system is configured to move the bake-off compartment between the infeed positions and outfeed positions.

3. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, when the bake-off compartment is in one of the outfeed positions, the bake-off compartment is in line with the compartment of the outfeed unit associated with this outfeed position, and wherein, when the bake-off compartment is in one of the infeed positions, the bake-off compartment is in line with the compartment of the infeed unit associated with this infeed position.

4. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lift system is configured to move the bake-off compartment between the infeed position and the outfeed position by at least one of a horizontal and a vertical displacement of the bake-off compartment.

5. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the compartments of the outfeed unit is provided with a respective sensor for detecting a degree of filling of the associated compartment, the bake-off oven system further comprising a control unit for controlling the lift system and the bake-off compartment based on the detected degree of filling of the compartments of the outfeed unit.

6. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each compartment of the infeed unit and each compartment of the outfeed unit is associated with one of a plurality of groups of food products to be baked off, wherein the control unit is configured to control the lift system after the control system detects that the degree of filling of a relevant compartment of the outfeed unit is less than a predetermined threshold value, such that the bake-off compartment is brought into an infeed position in order to receive from the infeed unit food products to be baked off, which belong to the group associated with this associated compartment, to control the bake-off compartment to bake off the food products to be baked off, and to control the lift system such that the bake-off compartment is brought into a position to export he food products to the associated compartment in order to increase the degree of filling.

7. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bake-off compartment comprises a conveyor belt and a drive unit for driving the conveyor belt.

8. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drive unit is configured to move the conveyor belt up and downward, at least during baking off of the food products.

9. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 7, wherein each compartment of the infeed unit comprises an individually movable conveyor belt which can be coupled to the conveyor belt of the bake-off compartment such that after coupling the drive unit of the bake-off compartment drives both the conveyor belt of the bake-off compartment and the movable conveyor belt of a compartment for the purpose of transporting food products to be baked off from the compartment to the bake-off compartment.

10. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the movable conveyor belt of the compartment of the infeed unit and the conveyor belt of the bake-off compartment are each mounted around a respective pair of shafts placed at a mutual distance, wherein at least one shaft of the pair of shafts of the infeed unit is coupled mechanically to a first engaging element and wherein at least one shaft of the pair of shafts of the bake-off compartment is coupled mechanically to a second engaging element, wherein the first and second engaging element are engageable with each other for said driving of the movable conveyor belt of the compartment of the infeed unit by the drive unit.

11. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and the second engaging element each comprise a toothed wheel.

12. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the infeed unit and the bake-off compartment comprises a pivotally mounted arm, which arm can pivot relative to the shaft to which an engaging element is coupled mechanically and wherein the engaging element is rotatably mounted on an end of the shaft remote from the shaft, wherein rotation of the shaft and rotation of the engaging element are coupled and wherein said at least one of the infeed unit and the bake-off compartment comprises a second drive unit for allowing the arm to pivot for bringing the engaging elements into engagement.

13. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bake-off compartment comprises said pivotally mounted arm, and wherein the infeed unit comprises a pivotally mounted protective bracket per compartment, which bracket is configured to be pushed away by the pivotally mounted arm of the bake-off compartment during pivoting of the pivotally mounted arm for allowing the engaging elements to enter into engagement.

14. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a frame on which the lift system with the bake-off compartment is mounted, wherein the infeed unit comprises a mobile trolley which is coupleable to the frame.

15. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bake-off compartment comprises an upstream flap which is placed between the infeed unit and the bake-off compartment and a downstream flap which is placed between the bake-off compartment and the outfeed unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to open the upstream flap prior to receiving from the infeed unit the food products to be baked off, and to open the downstream flap after baking of these food products for the purpose of exporting these to the outfeed unit.

16. The bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the bake-off compartment comprises: a housing; a heat source for heating the air present in the bake-off compartment; a fan for causing a flow in the heated air; a distributing unit for distributing the heated air over the food products to be baked off; and a collecting unit for collecting the air which has been distributed over the food products to be baked off; wherein the distributing unit is in communication with a blowing side of the fan and wherein the collecting unit is in communication with a suction side of the fan; wherein at least one of the collecting unit and the distributing unit comprises a perforated plate with a plurality of openings through which passes the air to be distributed and/or collected.

17. A method for baking off food products to be baked off, comprising: providing a bake-off oven system as claimed in claim 1; bringing the bake-off compartment into line with one of the compartments of the infeed unit; transporting food products to be baked off from said one compartment of the infeed unit to the bake-off compartment for baking off the food products; displacing the bake-off compartment to bring the bake-off compartment into line with one of the compartments of the outfeed unit; and transporting said baked-off food products from the bake-off compartment to said one compartment of the outfeed unit.

18. A method for baking off food products to be baked off, comprising of: providing an outfeed unit for holding baked-off food products; providing an infeed unit for holding food products to be baked off, wherein the infeed unit and the outfeed unit each comprise a plurality of compartments, wherein each compartment of the infeed unit and outfeed unit is associated with a different group of food products; detecting a degree of filling of each of the compartments of the outfeed unit; wherein when the detected degree of filling of a relevant compartment lies below a predetermined threshold: moving a bake-off compartment relative to the infeed unit using a lift system to reach a position suitable for receiving food products from the group associated with said relevant compartment, and receiving these food products; baking off the received food products with the bake-off compartment; moving the bake-off compartment relative to the outfeed unit using the lift system to reach a position suitable for exporting the baked-off food products to the relevant compartment; and exporting the baked-off food products to the relevant compartment.

Description

[0026] The invention will be discussed in more detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0027] FIGS. 1A-1F show different views and details of an embodiment of a bake-off oven system according to the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a lift system of the bake-off oven system of FIG. 1A;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a falling safety of the bake-off oven system of FIG. 1A;

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the bake-off compartment of the bake-off oven system of FIG. 1A;

[0031] FIGS. 5A and 5B show an infeed unit of the bake-off oven system of FIG. 1A; and

[0032] FIGS. 6A-6D show an engagement between the conveyor belts of the infeed unit and the bake-off compartment of the bake-off oven system of FIG. 1A.

[0033] FIGS. 1A-1C show an embodiment of a bake-off oven system. FIGS. 1A and 1B show here a frame 1 in which a lift system 2 is incorporated, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. A bake-off compartment 3 which is supported by lift system 2 is also visible.

[0034] FIG. 1B shows an infeed unit which is embodied as a trolley 4, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 5A. Frame 1 and trolley 4 are movable here on individual wheels 5, 6. Trolley 4 comprises a plurality of compartments 7. Each of the compartments 7 comprises a conveyor belt 8 which is mounted round two shafts 9 placed at a mutual distance, sec FIG. 5B. Conveyor belt 8 is manufactured here from stainless steel and comprises a perforated structure. Each of the shafts 9 comprises one or more toothed wheels 10 which engage on conveyor belt 8.

[0035] A single group of food products is held in each compartment 7. The infeed unit shown in FIG. 5A comprises nine compartments 7, whereby the bake-off oven system can prepare up to a maximum of nine different groups of food product in this arrangement.

[0036] The outfeed unit 11 shown in side view in FIG. 1C likewise comprises a plurality of compartments 12. The outfeed unit is embodied here as a housing to which frame 1 can be coupled or is coupled. Frame 1 is hereby in a determined position relative to outfeed unit 11 during use in order to achieve that lift system 2 is able to move bake-off compartment 3 to a suitable position for exporting the food products.

[0037] FIGS. 1D and 1E show respectively a front view and a rear view of outfeed unit 11. FIG. 1D shows here that compartments 12 can be provided on the front side with covers which a consumer has to operate before gaining access to the exported products.

[0038] FIG. 1F shows a detail view of a compartment 12. This comprises an obliquely placed plate 12. Shown on the left in FIG. 1F is a compartment wherein the obliquely placed plate 12 has been omitted. An optical sensor is hereby visible which comprises a first part 13 and second part 14. A reflector is incorporated in first part 13, while a light source with a photosensitive diode is incorporated in second part 14. If the light coming from the light source reaches the photosensitive diode via the reflector, it can be established that the degree of filling of a compartment 12 lies below a predetermined threshold.

[0039] Lift system 2 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a lift fork 16 which is coupled to a carriage 17. Lift fork 16 forms the support member which supports bake-off compartment 3. The movement of carriage 17 is guided here by a linear guide 18. Carriage 17 is further fixedly connected to a toothed belt 19 which is driven by a drive 20.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a falling safety of lift system 2. The mechanism shown in FIG. 3 is incorporated in carriage 17 and comprises a catch 21 which is placed under spring tension by a spring 22. Catch 21 is mounted pivotally about a shaft 23 here. During normal use the catch also presses against toothed belt 19. If toothed belt 19 breaks, catch 21 will pivot and will engage in a pattern of holes 24 arranged in an upright 25 of lift system 2, whereby further falling of carriage 17 is prevented.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of bake-off compartment 3. This comprises a housing through which a conveyor belt 27 can move. This conveyor belt takes a perforated form and is manufactured from stainless steel.

[0042] Bake-off compartment 3 further comprises heating means 28 for heating the air in the compartment. This heated air is blown by fan 29 through holes 30 of a distributing unit. FIG. 4 shows that the heated air is supplied by the distributing unit on both the upper side and the underside of the food products to be baked off. This air is then fed back to fan 29 on the side of bake-off compartment 3 by a collecting unit formed by one or more air ducts.

[0043] FIG. 5B shows a detail view of a compartment 7 of trolley 4. This figure shows an engaging element in the form of a toothed wheel 32 which is fixedly connected to one of the two shafts 9 around which conveyor belt 8 is mounted. A protective bracket 33 is further visible which prevents products falling from trolley 4 during transport. Protective bracket 33 can co-act with a lever 34. During a rotation of lever 34 in the direction of protective bracket 33 this latter will more particularly move downward. The coupling between protective bracket 33 and lever 34 is here under spring tension by spring 35, whereby protective bracket 33 blocks the outlet of compartment 7 without an external force being exerted.

[0044] FIGS. 6A-6C show an arm 36 on which an engaging element in the form of a toothed wheel 37 is rotatably mounted. Arm 36 can rotate here relative to a shaft 38 around which the conveyor belt is mounted. Toothed wheel 37 is coupled here by means of a transmission in the form of a toothed wheel 37 (visible in FIGS. 6C and 6D) to a shaft 38, whereby rotation of shaft 38 is transmitted to toothed wheel 37. It is noted here that toothed wheel 37 is mounted on shaft 38 such that arm 36 can rotate about shaft 38, such that toothed wheels 37, 37 remain in continuous mutual engagement.

[0045] Drive 39 can be controlled by the control unit to move arm 36 outward. A further drive 40 can be controlled to allow conveyor belt 27 to move.

[0046] The operation of the bake-off oven system will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 5-6.

[0047] As starting situation it is assumed that trolley 4 is provided with three groups of food product, i.e. Kaiser rolls in the lower three compartments 7, croissants in the middle three compartments 7 and hard rolls in the upper three compartments 7. Outfeed unit 11 is configured here to receive the hard rolls in lower compartment 12, the Kaiser rolls in the compartment thereabove, and in the compartment lying above this the croissants.

[0048] At a given moment the optical sensor detects that the degree of filling of the Kaiser rolls is too low, i.e. below a predetermined threshold. This information is passed on to the control unit (not shown). This will then control lift system 2 to bring bake-off compartment 3 into an infeed position, wherein conveyor belt 27 of bake-off compartment 3 comes to lie in line with one of the lower three compartments 7 of trolley 4. It is possible here that trolley 4 is likewise provided with sensors for detecting the degree of filling of the different compartments 7. It can thus be achieved that bake-off compartment 3 only comes to lie in line with a compartment 7 which actually comprises enough products.

[0049] Once conveyor belt 27 of bake-off compartment 3 lies in line with conveyor belt 8 of trolley 4, the control unit will control drive 39 to move arm 36 outward. Due to this movement arm 36 will engage lever 34 and protective bracket 33 will move downward so that the outlet of compartment 7 is cleared. Toothed wheels 32, 37 and 37 will also mutually engage. The control unit will then control drive 40 to move conveyor belt 27. This driving will however also result in driving of conveyor belt 8 via toothed wheels 37, 37, 32, see FIG. 6D. As a result hereof the products from compartment 7 will be loaded into bake-off compartment 3. The control unit will also control drive 41 to open upstream flap 42 for the purpose of opening the oven part of bake-off compartment 3. Downstream flap 43 is closed here.

[0050] After a predetermined time the driving is stopped and it is assumed that all or at least enough products have been received from compartment 7. The control unit will then control drive 39 to rotate arm 36 back and the control unit will control drive 41 to close upstream flap 42. This flap is coupled to a brush 50 for keeping conveyor belt 27 clean. A similar brush can be provided at downstream flap 43.

[0051] After closing of upstream flap 42 the control unit will control bake-off compartment 3 to perform the baking process. For this purpose the control unit can provide bake-off compartment 3 with the correct parameters, such as temperature and/or time, specific to the group of food products. In another embodiment the control unit directly controls the relevant components, such as fan 29 and heat means 28. Conveyor belt 27 will move reciprocally during baking in order to prevent burns.

[0052] After the relevant baking time has elapsed, the control unit will control lift system 2 to bring bake-off compartment 3 to the relevant outfeed position, such that the outlet of bake-off compartment 3 is in a suitable position relative to upper compartment 12 of outfeed unit 11. The control unit will then control drive 44 to open downstream flap 43 and drive 40 to transport the baked-off Kaiser rolls to the lower compartment 12 of outfeed unit 11.

[0053] The above described process can be performed automatically. Personnel can be informed here as to the degree of filling of trolley 4 such that it can be replenished in time, for instance during a baking cycle. The use of the system is simplified considerably by associating compartments 7, 12 with groups of food products and the corresponding programming or actuation of bake-off compartment 3. This is because a user need only replenish trolley 4 when necessary.

[0054] It will be apparent to the skilled person that the invention is not limited to the above described embodiment but that different modifications are possible without departing from the scope of protection defined by the following claims.