US 12,402,753 B2
Paddle-operated panini press within an oven cavity
Matthew David Underwood, England (GB); and Adam Sajjad, Slough (GB)
Assigned to WELBILT UK LIMITED, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (GB)
Filed by WELBILT UK LIMITED, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (GB)
Filed on May 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/740,452.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/187,053, filed on May 11, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0361712 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. A47J 37/06 (2006.01); A23L 5/00 (2016.01); A23L 5/10 (2016.01)
CPC A47J 37/0611 (2013.01) [A23L 5/15 (2016.08); A23L 5/00 (2016.08); A47J 2037/0617 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A grilling apparatus for use in a cooking chamber of an oven, wherein said apparatus comprises:
a panini press which comprises:
an upper grill comprising a pair of oppositely disposed downwardly facing first guide rails;
a lower grill comprising a pair of oppositely disposed upwardly facing guide surfaces;
wherein said upper grill is reciprocally movable in a substantially vertical direction towards and away from said lower grill by a pair of oppositely disposed alignment devices connected to opposing sides of said upper grill and disposed within a respective pair of upwardly facing guide surfaces connected to lower grill;
a paddle for holding at least one food product, wherein said paddle comprises:
a base portion, and
at least one oppositely disposed upward facing second guide rails which align with their respective said first guide rails, such that when said paddle enters said cooking chamber said second guide rails contact their respective said first guide rails which causes said upper grill to move upwardly away from said lower grill, thereby allowing said food product to be disposed between a lower surface of said upper grill and an upper surface of said lower grill;
wherein upon removal of said paddle, said upper grill moves toward said food product and applies sufficient pressure to condense and impress grill marks on said food product during a cooking process.