US 11,717,111 B2
Contact toaster including independent compressible gripping members
Howard Jay Frantz, Irvine, CA (US); and Steve Raio, Perris, CA (US)
Assigned to STEARNS PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Perris, CA (US)
Filed by STEARNS PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Perris, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/148,253.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/995,068, filed on Jan. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0212517 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. A47J 37/08 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 37/0857 (2013.01) [A47J 37/0864 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A conveyorized contact toaster comprising:
a toasting platen having a planar toasting surface; and
a conveyer mechanism arranged in a loop as results in the formation of a bun interface portion and a return portion which are disposed in opposed relation to each other, with the bun interface portion further being juxtaposed to the planar toasting surface;
the bun interface and return portions being defined by a common sheet-like belt which includes a pair of lateral edges, and a plurality of resiliently flexible gripping bodies fixedly attached to and extending from the belt and being positioned along a plurality of gripping axes, each gripping axis extending orthogonal to the pair of lateral edges and having at least two of the plurality of gripping bodies residing thereon, the gripping bodies being shaped to move a food product along the toasting platen while exerting a prescribed level of pressure to the food product without damaging the same.