Patents Examined by Brandon Harvey
  • Patent number: 9259120
    Abstract: A beverage making device comprising a brewing chamber for enclosing a pad containing a substance from which the beverage is brewed. A water supply conduit is present between pumping means and the brewing chamber. The brewing chamber has an outlet having an orifice through which the brewed beverage can leave the brewing chamber. A portion of the wall of the brewing chamber is stationary and the other portion of the wall can move away from the stationary part in order to open the brewing chamber. Means (1) are present for releasing pressure from the brewing chamber after the water supply to the brewing chamber has been terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Hans J. Kodden
  • Patent number: 9259886
    Abstract: A composite part is cured out-of-autoclave using an inductively heated, stand-alone tooling. The part in placed on a tool and is covered by a heating blanket. One side of the part is heated by inductive coil circuits in the tool, and the other side of the part is heated by inductive coil circuits in the blanket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Marc Rollo Matsen, Robert James Miller, Mark Alan Negley, Jennifer Sue Noel
  • Patent number: 9254534
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for converting the energy of an energy storage (2) for operating an arc (6), wherein in order to convert energy, at least one switch (9) of a step-down converter is switched on and off in a controlled manner, wherein said at least one switch (9) is connected to the energy storage (2) at the input end. In order to be able to supply as much of the limited energy available from the energy store (2) to the arc (6), it is provided that a synchronous converter is used as the step-down converter for operating the arc (6), and that the at least one switch (9) of the synchronous converter that is designed as a power unit (3) is connected to a snubber circuit (10) at the output end such that at least the switch (9) is switched on and off in an snubbed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Magerl, Jürgen Binder, Walter Stieglbauer, Bernhard Artelsmair
  • Patent number: 9237826
    Abstract: A sandwich press and grill apparatus. The apparatus comprising a lower housing and an upper housing, each hingedly interconnected. The lower housing is adapted to releasably engage a lower cooking plate, the lower housing including a first temperature sensor adapted to be in thermal communication with the lower cooking plate when engaged. The upper housing is adapted to releasably engage the upper cooking plate, the upper housing including a second temperature sensor adapted to be in thermal communication with the upper cooking plate when engaged. The lower housing has a first releasable power coupling element for providing electrical power to a lower heating element integrally formed with the lower cooking plate, and the upper housing has a second releasable power coupling element for providing electrical power to an upper heating element integrally formed with the upper cooking plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Breville Pty Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Robinson, Lochana Subasekara Widanagamage Don
  • Patent number: 9232875
    Abstract: A fryer pot for a deep fryer having a pair of opposed sidewalls, a pair of opposed end walls and a bottom wall. Each of the pair of opposed sidewalls has three successive vertical portions. Wherein each of the three successive vertical portions of each of the pair of opposed sidewalls is inboard of a preceding vertical portion to thereby taper the fryer pot towards the bottom wall. A fryer pot for a deep fryer having a pair of opposed endwalls and a pair of opposed sidewalls and a bottom wall. Each of the pair of opposed endwalls has a first vertical portion and a second vertical portion that are each connected by an angled offset portion to decrease a volume of the fryer pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Restaurant Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lamont Eric Lackman, Charles Milton Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 9228782
    Abstract: The invention concerns a microwave oven (10) for the heat treatment of ceramic components, in particular of dental ceramic components (12). It is equipped with a susceptor (14) which is positioned in the swell or in the area between a source of microwaves and the component. The susceptor (14) is made of highly pure silicon carbide of hexagonal, rhombohedral or cubic crystal structure, which has in particular a 2H, 4H, 6H or 3C crystal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Jussel, Jürgen Laubersheimer, Christian Werling
  • Patent number: 9228163
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method to create and a process for using a compact, automated, all-grain beer brewing appliance. The method may include a microprocessor-based Process Control System, a Heat EXchanger loop, a Fluid Distribution Manifold, a Step Filter Basket, a Hot Fluid Tank, pumps, valves, plumbing and brewing control instruments. The invention may also make use of a Filter-Keg in lieu of a Hot Fluid Tank allowing fermentation, conditioning and dispensing from a single replaceable vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: PICOBREW, INC
    Inventors: William H. Mitchell, James B. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9228164
    Abstract: A beverage receptacle for louching alcohol. Particular implementations include a beverage receptacle with a first reservoir and a second reservoir coupled by a communication channel with a minimum diameter sufficient to cause dripping. Beverage receptacle dimensions and features may vary. Communication channel may comprise any of a plurality of shapes and sizes and may even comprise a controllable valve. Mixed beverage may be served directly from the beverage receptacle or in a separate glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Inventors: Dimitri Uhlik, Michael Uhlik
  • Patent number: 9193510
    Abstract: A system is provided for heating a comestible. The system includes a container and a flexible vented package containing a liquid, semi-solid or liquid/solid combination comestible. The package is positioned within the container in a manner that hinders the comestible from escaping through the package's vent(s). The container is penetrable to microwaves and is adapted to not experience heat-induced damage when subjected to a heating cycle in a combination microwave and convection oven. The container is adapted to protect the package from heat-induced damage when the container is subjected to a heating cycle in a combination microwave and convection oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Campbell Soup Company
    Inventors: Rasheed Mohammed, Adrienne Lynn Sienkowski, Talia Salamon-Hickey, Mohammed Karkache, Mark R. Watts, Amanda Zimlich, Allan Sinclair, Chris Dawson, James Howarth, William Cramer
  • Patent number: 9186019
    Abstract: A machine for producing coffee and the like, includes an infusion unit (11) with an infusion chamber, a unit (31) to control dispensing cycles, a hydraulic circuit (1-13) to supply hot water to the infusion chamber, with a boiler (3) to heat the water and a pump (7) to supply water to the infusion unit. The machine also includes a system (22, 23, 25) for preheating the infusion chamber at the beginning of a dispensing cycle by feeding steam into said infusion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Emanuele Masciandaro, Michele De Nicolo
  • Patent number: 9174306
    Abstract: A laser processing method for a nonlinear crystal substrate having a plurality of crossing division lines which includes the step of applying a pulsed laser beam to a work surface of the nonlinear crystal substrate along the division lines to thereby form a plurality of laser processed grooves on the work surface along the division lines. The pulse width of the pulsed laser beam is set to 200 ps or less and the repetition frequency of the pulsed laser beam is set to 50 kHz or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Morikazu, Yoko Nishino
  • Patent number: 9174426
    Abstract: An apparatus and a process for producing a shrouded centrifugal impeller where a rear hub opening is machined into the stock material so that hard to reach surfaces in the enclosed passages can be machined. When the hard to reach passages are machined to a final stage, the rear hub opening is closed using a process such as electron beam melting or electron beam welding to enclose the passages and form a single piece shrouded impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam R. Dowd
  • Patent number: 9172023
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrothermal converter, which has at least one cold side and one warm side. Provision is made that all the components of the converter cope with the thermal loads appearing when the converter is operated and/or in particular maintains its mechanical stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: GENTHERM GMBH
    Inventors: Goran Bajic, Syed Iqbal, Dmitri Axakov, Tim Normand
  • Patent number: 9163907
    Abstract: In a system for the adaptive camouflage of objects, particularly of vehicles, at least one panel-like layer (5) is provided, which is at least partially air-permeable. The air suctioned in from the surroundings can be controlled, before or while it is fed into the layer, to a temperature that is determined at least almost from the background of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SSZ CAMOUFLAGE TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventor: René Schwarz
  • Patent number: 9163874
    Abstract: Within a housing, a rotating shaft extends horizontally, and curved unbinding rods are secured to the rotating shaft at diagonally opposed positions to extend in radial directions. Within the housing, an inner wall surface is arranged along a circular arc whose center is aligned with an axis of the rotating shaft and whose diameter is slightly larger than a diameter of a circle drawn by rotating tips of the unbinding rods. A portion of the inner wall surface is formed as an unbinding surface having a circular arc cross sectional shape facing the unbinding rods with a small clearance. A mass of noodles for one meal charged into the housing from the inlet is sent in the counter-clockwise direction by the unbinding rods rotated at a high speed and is hit by the unbinding rods repeatedly to perform an effective unbinding function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SANYO FOODS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nagayama, Nozomu Ishida
  • Patent number: 9131539
    Abstract: Disclosed is an induction cooking device that is not likely to be affected by induction heating and wherein boiling-over can be detected. An induction cooking device has: a top plate on which a cooking container is placed; a heating coil that generates an induction magnetic field for heating the cooking container; a heating control unit that controls the heating power of the cooking container by controlling the high-frequency current supplied to the heating coil; electrodes disposed in a lower surface of the top plate; and an electrostatic capacity detector that detects changes in electrostatic capacity occurring in the electrodes when articles to be cooked contact with the top plate. When the electrostatic capacity detector senses changes in the electrostatic capacity of the electrodes, the heating control unit decreases or stops the heating power of the cooking container, and the electrodes are disposed outside of the outer circumference the heating coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Fujinami, Masafumi Sadahira, Naoaki Ishimaru, Izuo Hirota, Takahiro Miyauchi, Fumitaka Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 9119498
    Abstract: A culinary tool is provided including a handle and a housing that pivot relative to one another during a forward stroke of the handle to incrementally move, and optionally ratchet, a ram within the housing toward a cutting grid, thereby extruding food through the cutting grid. A cutting blade, joined with the handle distal from the pivot, travels along a blade path near the cutting grid to mince the extruded food. The blade can be joined with the handle at a cantilevered connection, and can be flexible so that as it moves along the blade path, a portion of the blade flexes to allow the blade to cut the extruded food material without binding as the blade moves across the cutting grid. The blade can include one or more sledded feet that project outwardly from the blade and that guide the blade near the cutting grid in a non-binding manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Grace Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan B. Schmidt, Dennis P. Haggerty
  • Patent number: 9113751
    Abstract: The machine (M) comprises electric heaters (15, 42) suitable to heat an amount of water for preparing hot beverages to a preset temperature; a first unit (1) for preparing and delivering a first hot beverage, particularly coffee, including a bearing structure (3) wherein at least one extraction assembly (4) is mounted which is suitable to accommodate a capsule or pod containing a substance for preparing the first beverage, particularly roasted ground coffee, and an underlying movable dispenser (21, 22) which is capable of taking at least first and second delivery positions, and a second unit (2) for preparing a beverage by means of centrifugation, which is arranged adjacent the first unit (1) and including a vessel (26) to receive an amount of the first beverage from the dispenser (21, 22) of the first unit (1), when this dispenser (21, 22) is in a preset delivery position, and optional further substances, and a motor-driven centrifuge assembly (28) including a stirring member (36) suitable to be introduce
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Cocco, Alfredo Faccinti
  • Patent number: 9108794
    Abstract: A disposable single use beverage package includes a frame. The frame includes a continuous rim that defines an opening at a top of the frame, a bottom portion that is closed, and a plurality of spaced apart ribs that extend from the rim to a peripheral edge of the bottom. The bottom portion, plurality of ribs and rim define a plurality of openings that facilitate fluid flow. The basket is tapered to facilitate stacking of multiple baskets. At least one rib includes a ledge positioned in a center region configured to limit an amount by which an upper basket is insertable into a lower basket to thereby define a space between respective bottoms of the upper basket and the lower basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: LBP MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Z. Fu, Matthew R. Cook
  • Patent number: 9101246
    Abstract: The machine comprises: a brewing unit (3); a water reservoir (7); a boiler (11) for the production of hot water to supply to the brewing unit; a coffee container (13); an electronic control unit (27); a user interface (33). At least one capacitive sensor (31) is associated to the coffee container to detect the quantity of residual coffee in the container (13). The sensor is connected to the electronic control unit, which is programmed to supply to a user by means of the interface at least a piece of information regarding the quantity of coffee in said container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Stefano Pozzari, Ciro Adelmo Pilone