Patents Examined by Chaim A Smith
  • Patent number: 10667542
    Abstract: A system for providing a single serving of a frozen confection, wherein the system comprises a pod comprising at least one ingredient for providing a single serving of a frozen confection; the system cools the pod; the system introduces water into the pod; the system simultaneously stirs the contents of the pod while scraping at least one wall of the pod to prevent a build-up of the frozen confection on the at least one wall of the pod; and the system ejects the frozen confection out of the pod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Sigma Phase, Corp.
    Inventor: Matthew Fonte
  • Patent number: 10669093
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a single serve capsule for preparing a beverage, comprising a side wall and a bottom, which together define a space, a filter element being sealed to the bottom within said space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: K-FEE SYSTEM GMBH
    Inventors: Günter Empl, Andre Throm, Marco Hanisch
  • Patent number: 10661967
    Abstract: An assembly (10) including a container (12) having a first end (14) and an opposing second end (16). The assembly (10) also includes a housing (18) for removably receiving a cartridge (20) of the type including a substance storage compartment (22) for storing a substance therein. The housing (18) is connectable to the second end (16) of the container (12). When connected to the container (12), the housing (18) is movable relative to the container (12). A rupturing device (24) is provided for rupturing the storage compartment (22) upon relative movement between the housing (18) and container (12), so as to combine any storage compartment contents with any container contents. The rupturing device (24) is mounted within the container (12). A container opening (26) is provided in the first end (14) of the container (12); and a closure (28) provided for sealing the container opening (26). The closure (28) is movable between a closed position, and an open position for providing access to the container (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: NEXT CARTEL BEVERAGES PTY LTD
    Inventor: Ben Acott
  • Patent number: 10604337
    Abstract: Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Sigma Phase, Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew Fonte, Robert Devaney, John Heymans, Nicholas Fonte, Ian McGirty
  • Patent number: 10597224
    Abstract: A capsule for preparing a predetermined quantity of beverage with a beverage brewing device is disclosed. The beverage brewing device comprises a receptacle for receiving the capsule. The capsule comprises a cup comprising a circumferential wall, a bottom closing the circumferential wall at a first end, and a lid in use connected to the cup at a second end of the circumferential wall opposite the bottom. The wall, bottom and lid, in use, enclose an inner space comprising the extractable product. At least a portion of a surface of the capsule conceived to, in use, interact with the receptacle is provided with at least one projection for forming a sealing engagement with the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Ralf Kamerbeek, John Henri Flamand, Angenita Dorothea van Loon-Post, Hendrik Cornelis Koeling, Arend Cornelis Jacobus Biesheuvel
  • Patent number: 10589922
    Abstract: A capsule for producing a beverage in an automatic beverage production device is provided that includes a cup-shaped body defined by a lateral wall and a bottom wall with a beverage outflow opening closed by a sealing film, and a filter member provided with a perforation member and extending transversely so as to ideally divide the cup-shaped body into an upper part containing the substance to be brewed, and a lower part containing a chamber for collecting the beverage. The bottom wall comprises an annular portion extending transversely to the capsule axis to define a stable support base for the capsule when the latter is arranged in a corresponding percolation seat of the automatic beverage production device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Gruppo Gimoka S.r.l.
    Inventors: Massimiliano Valsecchi, Massimo Faravelli
  • Patent number: 10561271
    Abstract: A method of preparing a beverage, wherein the method comprises the step of heating a beverage in a cup by means of injecting steam into the beverage through a wand and the step of measuring the temperature of the beverage in the cup, wherein the step of measuring the temperature of the beverage comprises during the step of heating the step of continuously recording an audio signal from the beverage and the step of deriving the temperature of the beverage from the recorded audio signal. A device for preparing a beverage, said device being provided with a beverage temperature sensor comprising at least one microphone and a controller which is loaded with a computer program for performing the inventive method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Gerbrand Kristiaan de Graaff, Trevor Michael Wood, William Roger Mainwaring-Burton
  • Patent number: 10543978
    Abstract: Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Sigma Phase, Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew Fonte, Robert Devaney, John Heymans, Nicholas Fonte, Ian McGirty
  • Patent number: 10517309
    Abstract: A method for processing vegetables to reduce unpleasant odor and/or taste, and/or to minimize discoloration, deterioration, degradation, or rot over a period of storage time is described. The method includes: i) subjecting the vegetable to mechanical size reduction; ii) heating or freezing the vegetable for a pre-determined period; and iii) bringing the softened vegetable product into contact with one or more reactive oxygen species selected from: peroxides; superoxides; and ozone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: FULLGREEN LTD
    Inventors: Nigel Parker, Joanna Misa-Harris
  • Patent number: 10501216
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a product package having a tray and a combination flexible/rigid lid design that comprises a rigid or semi-rigid frame and a flexible film that is transparent or translucent that is fixedly attached to the frame and releasably attached to the package tray. The novel product package is capable of maintaining a seal until opened by a consumer, allows a consumer to see the product through the lid, can be opened with a single step, and is resealable and/or reusable by the consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: The Hillshire Brands Company
    Inventors: Mary Lou Resh, Jason Kroeyr, Matt Guske, Jeff Czarny
  • Patent number: 10478008
    Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing aromatic beverages by means of extraction of a respective substance, such as espresso coffee and similar, that comprises at least one extraction device (3) adapted for extracting an single dose of said substance provided in a package (2), for example in the form of a substantially rigid capsule or substantially flexible pod, and a previous opening disposition (5) disposed upstream of the extraction device (3) and adapted to provide passageways (53) in the single dose packages (2) before the latter are supplied to the extraction device (3). A process for preparing beverages with anticipated opening of a package (2) by means of the previous opening disposition (5) disposed upstream of the extraction device (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: NOVADELTA—COMÉRCIO E INDÚSTRIA DE CAFÉS S.A.
    Inventor: Rui Miguel Nabeiro
  • Patent number: 10463189
    Abstract: An extraction appliance with a brewing module for forming a brewing chamber for a portion capsule, with a water feed comprising a pump and a water heater for feeding water under pressure to the brewing chamber. The extraction appliance includes a control for the pump that can be integrated into the pump or be present at least partly externally of the pump, as well as a device for measuring the fluid flow into the brewing chamber. The control is configured such that a pump power of the pump is dependent on the fluid flow, and specifically such that given a lower fluid flow, the pump power is reduced in comparison to a greater fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: QBO COFFEE GMBH
    Inventors: Tobias Conrady, Claudio Foscan
  • Patent number: 10464733
    Abstract: Microwave foodstuff packages and methods of making and using the same. The microwave foodstuff packages include only a single gusset and/or a Z-fold configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignees: General Mills, Inc., General Mills Brasil Alimentos Ltda.
    Inventors: Randal Joseph Monforton, Donald Stephen Mathers, Valdir Jose Chiomento, Danilo Doriguelo De Melo
  • Patent number: 10455970
    Abstract: The invention concerns pack (1) with an inner volume (2) in which a food or beverage ingredient (7) is stored and in which a beverage is produced when water is introduced inside,—said inner volume (2) being defined by two sheets of material (10) joined to one another at their edges and said inner volume (2) presenting a generally plane shape defining a plane (P) vertically oriented during beverage production,—said pack comprising at least one inlet (3) for introducing water in the inner volume and at least one outlet (4) for delivering the beverage from said inner volume, the water inlet (3) and the beverage outlet (4) being included in one single insert (5), said single insert (5) being positioned at the bottom of the pack and being partially positioned between two joined edges of the sheets of material (10), the water inlet (3) being oriented essentially perpendicularly to the plane (P) defined by the inner volume (2), and—wherein the single insert (5) comprises a centring hole (53) extending essentially pe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Silvio Butscher, Thomas Kaeser, Alfred Yoakim, Cynthia Scherz, Jean-Luc Denisart
  • Patent number: 10450131
    Abstract: A coffee pod is described with an improved sealing surface for a filter disposed within the pod. The improved sealing surface provides better adherence between the filter and a sidewall of the pod so that unadhered portions are minimized and operation is improved. A coffee pod is also described with an improved foot structure having a configuration and thickness designed to minimize buckling while also utilizing a cost-efficient amount of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC
    Inventors: Mark Richard Thomas Norton, Piaras Valdis De Cleir
  • Patent number: 10426180
    Abstract: A system for providing a single serving of a frozen confection, wherein the system comprises a pod comprising at least one ingredient for providing a single serving of a frozen confection; the system cools the pod; the system introduces water into the pod; the system simultaneously stirs the contents of the pod while scraping at least one wall of the pod to prevent a build-up of the frozen confection on the at least one wall of the pod; and the system ejects the frozen confection out of the pod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Sigma Phase, Corp.
    Inventor: Matthew Fonte
  • Patent number: 10421603
    Abstract: A capsule for beverages includes a casing made by forming a sheet of thermoformable plastic material, the casing including: a base wall and a side wall defining a cavity suitable for containing an initial product to be combined with a fluid to obtain a final product in the form of a beverage, a first opening of the cavity opposite the base wall, an edge extending from the side wall and surrounding the first opening and a second opening made in the base wall. The first opening is closed hermetically by a cover element fixed to the edge, said the cover element being perforable by an injection arrangement of a dispensing machine in which the capsule is usable. The second opening is closed hermetically by a closing element) suitable for tearing when pressure inside the cavity exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: SARONG SOCIETA' PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Andrea Bartoli, Davide Capitini, Alessandro Grillenzoni, Flavio Traldi
  • Patent number: 10420438
    Abstract: A portion pack for preparing beverages, in particular tea or coffee, comprises a container for holding a substance suitable for beverage preparation and an adapter which can be inserted into a machine for beverage preparation. The container is liquid-permeable at least in some regions or can be perforated during the beverage preparation. The container is releasably fastened to the adapter. The adapter can be reused to prepare a plurality of beverages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: MELITTA SINGLE PORTIONS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Sandra Aus der Fuenten, Jan Pahnke
  • Patent number: 10384850
    Abstract: Provided herein is a degassing valve for a dry consumer product (e.g., a dry foodstuff, a cannabis-containing medicinal or recreational product, etc.) that has an enticing or pleasant aroma. Such a valve includes a valve body, a one-way valve element positioned on the valve body, and, preferably, a filter associated with said valve body wherein the filter is configured to facilitate the passage of a gas. The gas may be selected from the group consisting of air, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, and methane, or mixtures thereof. Additionally, the gas contains one or more aroma-conferring volatile molecule species responsible for the aroma characteristic of the product. The filter of the valve body may include activated charcoal, an activated charcoal mixture or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Panache Pantry
    Inventors: Nicole Marie Devine, Melissa Scorsone
  • Patent number: 10358284
    Abstract: A system for providing a single serving of a frozen confection, wherein the system comprises a pod comprising at least one ingredient for providing a single serving of a frozen confection; the system cools the pod; the system introduces water into the pod; the system simultaneously stirs the contents of the pod while scraping at least one wall of the pod to prevent a build-up of the frozen confection on the at least one wall of the pod; and the system ejects the frozen confection out of the pod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Sigma Phase, Corp.
    Inventor: Matthew Fonte