Device for heating filled brioches
A device ( 1 ) for heating filled brioches preferably filled with ice-cream, comprising an upper subassembly ( 3 ) and a lower subassembly ( 4 ) linked by one or more joints or hinges ( 10 ). Each one of the subassemblies ( 3, 4 ) includes a heating plate ( 14 ) with a cavity ( 14 a ) intended to receive the filled brioche, or other similar product, in order to heat it, arranged so that in an operative position they overlap one another. Each heating plate ( 14 ) is positioned on top of a heat transfer plate ( 16 ) enclosed in a thermo-insulating layer ( 13 ), except for an opening to allow contact between the heating plate ( 14 ) and the heat transfer plate ( 16 ). The heating plates ( 14 ) are releasable from the subassembly by means of one or more releasable fastening elements protruding from the heating plate ( 14 ) and inserted in one or more slots ( 3 c, 4 c ) of either casing of the subassemblies.
1 . A device for heating filled brioches, especially with a frozen dough filling, comprising:
an upper subassembly and a lower subassembly defining a base, the upper subassembly and the lower subassembly being hinged to one another;
wherein each of the upper subassembly and the lower subassembly comprises:
a casing;
at least one heating plate in thermal contact with a heat transfer plate having a heating thermal resistor attached thereto;
the at least one heating plate being provided with a substantially semi-spherical cavity configured to receive a filled brioche;
the at least one heating plate being removably coupled to the respective casing by at least one releasable fastening element configured to allow shifting of the at least one heating plate relative to the respective casing during operation; each releasable fastening element comprising at least one elastic tab engaging a corresponding slot formed in the respective casing, each slot having a vertical extension and each tab having a vertical extension, the vertical extension of the slot being greater than the vertical extension of the corresponding tab;
the heat transfer plate and the heating thermal resistor being housed in a thermal insulating enclosure supported within the respective subassembly;
loaded elastic elements configured to urge the thermal insulating enclosure against the at least one heating plate, ensuring, through an opening of said thermal insulation enclosure, contact between the heat transfer plate and the heating plate;
guide columns configured to guide shifting movement of the thermal insulating enclosure along a shifting stroke;
the thermal insulating enclosure comprising at least one thermostat configured to adjust the temperature of the heat transfer plate and a thermo-insulating layer, except for an open area, in correspondence to the opening of the thermal insulating enclosure, for abutment of the heat transfer plate with the heating plate; and
wherein,
the at least one heating plate of the upper subassembly and the at least one heating plate of the lower subassembly are arranged, in an operative position of the device, mutually opposed and overlapping one another; and
the loaded elastic elements are configured to elastically urge the at least one heating plate of the upper subassembly and the opposed at least one heating plate of the lower subassembly, in the operative position of the device, through the shifting allowed by the corresponding releasable fastening elements.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said elastic elements are coaxially arranged relative to the guide columns, which rest on supports of said upper and lower subassemblies.
3 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal insulating enclosure is constituted by a coupling linkage of two half enclosures.
4 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein each heating plate is linked to its respective upper subassembly or lower subassembly by at least two releasable fastening elements arranged on opposite sides of the heating plate.
5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said heat transfer plate and said heating plate are quadrangular.
6 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein said elastic elements comprise four loaded springs, applied to each of the corners of the corresponding thermal insulating enclosure.
7 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the lower subassembly comprises at least two independent heating plates, and the upper subassembly comprises at least two independent heating plates complementary to the heating plates of the lower subassembly.
8 . The device according to claim 7 , wherein the heat transfer plates in thermal contact with each group of two opposing heating plates respectively supported in the upper or lower subassembly are controlled by an independent regulating thermostat.
9 . The device according to claim 1 , which also comprises two or more light indicators wherein at least the first light indicator indicates the operative state of the device and wherein at least the second light indicator indicates whether the heat transfer plates have reached a predetermined temperature.
10 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the heating thermal resistor, housed within the thermal insulating enclosure is attached and pressed against the heat transfer plate by means of an aluminium plate and fastening elements.
11 . The device according to claim 10 , further comprising an additional insulating layer between the aluminium plate and the heating thermal resistor.
12 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein each guide column, is supported on a support attached to each of the four corners of the interior of the casing that delimits each subassembly.
13 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein each thermostat is independent of the other.
14 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein each heating plate comprises a peripheral channel surrounding the substantially semi spherical cavity.
15 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein each heating plate comprises a sealing portion surrounding the substantially semi spherical cavity.
16 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein each heating plate comprises a peripheral channel surrounding the sealing portion.