Patent · US Expired

Portable unit for heating packaged food

US4455478A · kind A · utility

89Cited by
8References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 3, 1982
Grant dateJun 19, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 3, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA23B2/82
  • WIPO fieldFood chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A portable unit for heating packages containing pre-cooked cold food, the unit acting to rapidly heat up the food to a service temperature level and to thereafter maintain this level. The unit includes a case having a rack therein divided by shelves into a series of compartments, each adapted to receive a food package. Standing vertically behind the rack is an air modulator including a stationary outer tube having a series of longitudinally-aligned ports communicating with the respective compartments. Rotating within the outer tube is an inner tube having a series of angularly-displaced holes which successively register with the ports in the course of a rotary cycle. Air drawn from the free region in the front of the rack is conveyed through a heater station and from there blown into the inner tube to create a pressure differential between the free region and the inner tube. As a consequence, the heated air is projected successively through the ports into the compartments whereby the heated air flowing at high velocity through each compartment has a pulsatory waveform which acts to rapidly heat the food therein.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.