Importance

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Abstract

A steam heating unit for heating and freshening food products having a food compartment enclosed by a pivoted cover or lid and a heat exchanger assembly for generating and superheating a charge of steam. The heat exchanger assembly comprises a heater plate having an electric resistance heating element therein and a heater plate cover disposed over the heater plate. The heater plate cover includes a plurality of ribs or barriers which form with the heater plate a steam generating chamber and a pair of steam superheating chambers. A charge of water is directed onto the heater plate upper surface, which converts the water to steam that then passes through a pair of throttling passages into the superheating chambers. In the superheating chambers, the steam is dried and superheated and then flows through a plurality of passages into the food compartment where it heats the food contained therein and imparts a limited amount of moisture to freshen it. The charge of water is drawn from a water storage tank contained within the unit by means of a double duckbill valve pump, which is actuated manually.

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First Claim