TWO-SURFACED GRILL WITH COMPUTER CONTROLLED TWO-STAGE UPPER PLATEN POSITIONING MECHANISM

摘要

A microprocessor controlled grill apparatus for simultaneous two-sided cooking of food items. The grill apparatus includes a stationary lower cooking platen, and an upper cooking platen which is raised and lowered by a unique linear actuator. This actuator provides for two distinct types and phases of movement. The upper platen is lowered from its uppermost, angled open position first by an arcing movement which rotates the rear edge of the upper platen about a slide or thrust bearing and arcs the front edge of the upper platen downward until the upper platen is substantially parallel to but raised, or floating, above the lower platen and uncooked food. Next, the linear actuator lowers the upper platen toward the food, while keeping the upper platen horizontal and parallel to the lower platen. The microprocessor control of this apparatus allows the gap between the upper and lower platens to be calibrated to an extremely fine degree, which may be fixed or varied for preset cooking cycles for various standardized menu items, stored and accessed automatically.