Patents Examined by Phuong T Nguyen
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Patent number: 11678761Abstract: The invention relates to a device, method and system for dispensing a fat-based edible consumable, and more particularly relates to a device, method and system for dispensing melted or softened chocolate. The device includes a receptacle having a chamber configured to receive a fat-based edible consumable and adapted to be coupled with a source of heated and pressurised fluid; and a barrier member adapted to separate heated and pressurised fluid supplied by the source from the consumable, wherein the barrier member is configured to transfer heat and pressure from the heated and pressurised fluid; such that when heated and pressurised fluid is delivered to the barrier member at least a portion of the consumable is softened and is urged through an opening.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2017Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Nupuk LimitedInventors: Gabriel Davidson, Adam Rogan Ben-Dror
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Patent number: 11678763Abstract: A kombucha brewing device includes two brewing chambers; a first stage (F1) fermentation chamber, and second stage (F2) fermentation chamber. A lid covers both chambers, and may include a first portion for the F1 chamber and a second portion for the F2 portion. The F1 portion of the lid may include a gasket and removable fabric cover insert. A base containing both chambers may include separate or segmented heating elements and temperature sensors associated with each chamber. A temperature controller may maintain the first chamber within a first temperature range and maintain the second chamber within a second temperature range by monitoring information from the temperature sensors and activating and de-activating the heating elements as appropriate.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2022Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Inventors: Michael John Evans Churchill, Natalia Amijo
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Patent number: 11678767Abstract: A solid-fuel grilling device comprises a direct-current power source. A direct-current sensor is in communication with the direct-current power source. The direct-current sensor is configured to gather power characteristic data in relation to the direct-current power source. A solid-fuel grilling component is in communication with the direct-power source. The direct-power source provides power to the solid-fuel grilling component. A processor, in communication with the direct-current sensor, is configured to analyze the power characteristic data and determine operational health of solid-fuel grill components.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2019Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills LLCInventors: Michael V. Colston, Daniel W. Sluder, Daniel A. C. Altenritter
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Patent number: 11678769Abstract: An automated cooking system is provided for adding time and labor efficiencies in food production environments such as restaurants. The automated cooking system includes at least a fryer, a dispensing freezer, a hot holding station, a plurality of baskets, and a gantry system. The gantry system includes a gantry control for a gantry, configured to engage and move each of the baskets. A method for managing basket workflow during food preparation at an automated cooking system is described. Further, a method for managing basket workflow at a dispensing freezer during food preparation at an automated cooking system is described. The automated cooking system and methods provide repetition of basket loading and discharge cycles such that the gantry can fully manage and automate cooking using up to 6 or more baskets at the fryer, thereby maximizing food product throughput in the standard footprint space for the fryer.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2021Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Henny Penny CorporationInventors: Kimberly Reichelderfer, Thomas M. Smith, Adrian Jason Pereira, Michael Maddux
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Patent number: 11672377Abstract: A cooking system includes a housing having at least one internal compartment and a cooking container receivable within said at least one internal compartment. A cooking volume is defined within an interior of said cooking container. A bottom surface of said cooking container is angled upwardly. A heating element is associated with said at least one internal compartment.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2022Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLCInventors: Christopher T. Martin, Thomas Guerin, Roger Neil Jackson, Joshua D. Anthony, Kerry Schwarz, Michaela Dubeau
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Patent number: 11672373Abstract: There is disclosed a method for forming tea using a tea material, the method includes providing a vessel comprising an internal space configured to receive a liquid, inserting a container assembly into the vessel, the container assembly configured to contain the tea material and allow the liquid to interact with the tea material when submerged within the liquid, injecting steam through a double-walled nozzle into the vessel to heat the liquid while maintaining an exterior surface of the steam nozzle below the temperature of the steam, and allowing the tea material to stew within the liquid to form the tea. There is also disclosed an apparatus for forming a tea configured to inject steam into a vessel to heat a liquid to be infused with a tea material, and a beverage cartridge for forming a tea to be deposited into the vessel.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2019Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Inventors: Samir Prakash Sahoo, Bhavish Satyapal Bhatia
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Patent number: 11666175Abstract: Device for heating milk or milk froth with steam in a steam/liquid mixer which is equipped with a tubular mixing chamber, at least one steam supply pipe and a milk/milk froth supply nozzle aligned in the longitudinal direction of the mixing chamber. The steam supply pipe operatively discharges steam into a steam supply chamber upstream of the mixing chamber and which is connected to the mixing chamber by steam inlet holes running around the milk/milk froth supply nozzle in the longitudinal direction of the mixing chamber. The steam supply holes are preferably aligned axially parallel to the center axis of the mixing chamber. This arrangement of the steam inlet holes brings about even and thorough mixing of the steam with the cold milk or the milk froth in the mixing chamber, and so optimal heating of the milk or the milk froth.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2017Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: STEINER AG WEGGISInventor: Adrian Steiner
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Patent number: 11653787Abstract: A milk supply device for supplying milk from a milk supply container to a milk dispensing device is provided. The milk supply device comprises a milk transport line which can be connected to the milk supply container and with which milk which has been taken from the milk supply container can be delivered to the milk dispensing device. The milk supply device further comprises a three-way junction, which can be operated such that optionally milk can be transported from the milk supply container to the milk dispensing device, whilst the milk transport line is sealed off by it, at the same time, relative to the cleaning agent transport line, in a fluid-impermeable manner, or cleaning agent can be conducted from the cleaning agent transport line in the direction towards the milk dispensing device and/or in the direction towards a discharge of the milk supply device.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2018Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Inventors: Peter Arndt, Frank Göltenboth, Jochen Gussmann, Alexander Kiefer, Philipp Schirrmacher, Armin Startz
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Patent number: 11649422Abstract: An alcoholic beverage maturing device is provided including a container and an ultrasonic energy device. The container defines an interior volume for holding an alcoholic beverage and the ultrasonic energy device is configured for subjecting the alcohol beverage within the interior volume of the container to ultrasonic energy. The ultrasonic energy device defines a range of exposure of ultrasonic energy to the interior volume of the container that is greater than 180 degrees in order to efficiently subject the alcoholic beverage contained therein to ultrasonic energy.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: GREEN RIVER SPIRITS COMPANYInventors: Edward Bailey, Norma Lindsay
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Patent number: 11638964Abstract: A welding tool includes a tool support and a welding torch coupled to the tool support. The welding tool is configured to rotate relative to the tool support about a welding axis. A locating device is coupled to the tool support and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. In the extended position, the locating device extends toward the welding axis. The locating device includes a recess at an end of the locating device. The recess is configured such that, when a predetermined object to be welded (such as an anchor rod) is positioned at least partially within the recess of the locating device in the extended position, the welding axis passes through the object to be welded.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2020Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: SUPREME GROUP LPInventors: Wilfred Jerome Cupido, John Leder
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Patent number: 11627834Abstract: A cooking system for cooking food is provided, the system including a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive a food container. The housing has an upper portion defining an opening to the hollow chamber. A lid is configured to cover the upper portion of the housing and the opening to the hollow chamber in a closed position. The lid is moveable to an open position where the lid does not cover the opening to the hollow chamber. At least one heating element is associated with at least one of the housing and the lid. The cooking system is operable in a plurality of modes including a pressure cooking mode and a dry cooking mode. In the pressure cooking mode, the cooking system is operable as a pressure cooker and in the dry cooking mode, the cooking system is operable as a dry cooker.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2019Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLCInventors: Aaron Michael Gill, Ross Richardson, Naomi Kalia Williams Zabel, Da Deng, Mete Gursel, Andrew John Roy Tattersfield, Niall Christopher Denham, Roger Neil Jackson, Ronan Patrick Leahy, Evan James White, Thomas Guerin, Chris Martin, Nathaniel R. Lavins, Mackenzie Lee Swanhart, Samuel Andrew Ferguson, Scott James Stewart
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Patent number: 11628578Abstract: Provided is an alimentary-product assembling and dispensing device comprising: a plurality of alimentary-ingredient dispensers positioned to dispense respective ingredients in a plurality of different locations of a robotic work environment; a robot configured to receive an open-top vessel from an open-top-vessel dispenser and move the open-top vessel to the different locations to receive different ingredients from the plurality of alimentary-ingredient dispensers, wherein the robot comprises four or fewer degrees of freedom; and a vending aperture through which consumers retrieve vended alimentary products assembled by the robot from ingredients dispensed from the plurality of alimentary-ingredient dispensers.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2019Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Truebird Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Michael Hazen Knuepfel, Andrew William Lynch, Darian Montague Ahler, Jordan Ross Adelson
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Patent number: 11627645Abstract: A microwave heating device includes at least two radiating portions that are adapted to radiate microwaves to the heating chamber and can be operated according to a plurality of operational configurations that differ in frequency and/or in phase shift(s) between the radiated microwaves. Data of energy efficiency, as a function of operational configurations, can be obtained for a product in the heating chamber. For example, energy efficiency data are obtained through a learning procedure. The obtained data can be processed to select one or more operational configurations ranking high in energy efficiency and a heating procedure for the product inside the heating chamber can be executed by operating the at least two radiating portions according to the selected one or more operational configurations.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2020Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Nicola Lanza, Chiara DeMassari, Francesco Gambato, Michele Sclocchi, Andrea Baccara, Benoît Flipot
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Patent number: 11613025Abstract: Provided is a device, comprising: a barrier configured to impeded or prevent particles shed by a robot in a first volume of space from entering a second volume of space in which the robot manipulates a workpiece; and a robot having three or more degrees of freedom, the robot comprising: a first portion disposed on a first side of the barrier in the first volume, the first portion comprising an actuator of the robot, the actuator being configured to drive movement of the robot to manipulate the workpiece; and a second portion disposed on a second side of the barrier in the second volume, the second portion comprising an end-effector of the robot by which the robot makes contact with the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2019Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: Truebird Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Michael Hazen Knuepfel, Andrew William Lynch, Darian Montague Ahler, Jordan Ross Adelson
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Patent number: 11609121Abstract: A temperature-regulating unit includes a base, a thermal element, a contactless sensing assembly, and a controller. The base is configured to support at least one of a pan or a food product. The thermal element is positioned to thermally regulate the at least one of the pan or the food product. The contactless sensing assembly is positioned to acquire sensor data regarding the at least one of the pan or the food product. The controller is configured to receive the sensor data from the contactless sensing assembly and adaptively control the thermal element based on the sensor data.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: Hatco CorporationInventors: Nick Bassill, John Scanlon, Fei Shang, Ishan Shah, Mark Gilpatric, Dave Rolston, Ronghua Yu
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Patent number: 11589706Abstract: A deployable grill including a support frame having a support member operable between a stowed position and a deployed position. First and second brackets outwardly extend from the support member and are spaced-apart from one another to define a receiving area therebetween. A heating element is disposed on the support member adjacent to the receiving area. At least one spit rod is received in the receiving area.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2019Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Vinit Vijay Bhavthankar, Nilesh Chhotu Jadhav, Binesh Raj Pillai
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Patent number: 11583949Abstract: A swing/rotating gas metal arc welding torch, include a hollow shaft motor and a feeder panel. An upper extending shaft of the feeder panel penetrates through a brush mechanism, and is fixedly connected to a lower extension shaft of the hollow shaft by means of a coupling, and a lower extending shaft of the feeder panel penetrates through a support bearing mounted in a brush base and is then connected to an eccentric or bent conductive rod mechanism; the motor base is fixedly connected to the brush base by means of connecting screws, and a welding shielding gas is provided and welding torch cooling is achieved by means of inner holes of the connecting screws as well as a built-in gas passage and a cooling water passage of the brush base; the length of the conductive rod mechanism is adjusted by means of modulation or extension and retraction.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignees: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NANTONG DONGDE STEEL CO., LTDInventors: Jiayou Wang, Jie Zhu, Tianwei Wang, Wei Wang, Kai Wang, Da Jiang, Biao Wang, Yuqing Jiang, Jianjian Pang, Luxiao Zhang
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Patent number: 11583129Abstract: This invention provides a coffee maker having: an upper structure with a filter (1) and a measurement chamber (2); the measurement chamber (2) has TDS sensor (8), a temperature sensor (9) and a fluid transfer system (7); a lower structure with a weight sensor (52); a plurality of connecting elements (4) enacting the upper structure above the lower structure; and carafe (6) to be placed between the upper structure and lower structure; and a display panel (51) showing data from the TDS sensor, temperature sensor, or weight sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2018Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: EnE Holdings LtdInventors: Yuen Chin Andrew Chen, Wai Ming Raymond Wong, Chui Wa Alfie Lau, Pui Yin Amy Decem Cheng, Kok Leong Jeremy Tay
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Patent number: 11578873Abstract: An oven appliance may include a cabinet, a plurality of chamber walls, a cooking surface, a top heating element, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The cooking surface may be defined in a cooking chamber. The top heating element may be mounted above the cooking surface to heat the cooking chamber. The temperature sensor may be disposed within the cabinet. The controller may be configured to initiate a cooking operation that includes initiating preheat activation of the top heating element, receiving temperature signals from the temperature sensor during the preheat activation, determining a preheat threshold is met based on the received temperature signals, and initiating cooking activation of the top heating element based on a cooking cycle having a predetermined time interval subsequent to determining the preheat threshold is met. Initiating cooking activation may include directing the top heating element based on the cooking cycle for the predetermined time interval.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventor: Eric Scott Johnson
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Patent number: 11576525Abstract: A cooking appliance including a temperature sensing system having an upper housing having a first heating surface and a lower housing having a second heating surface includes a temperature sensing probe, a control panel and a control unit in electrical communication with the temperature sensing probe and the control panel. The temperature sensing probe is removably received by the upper housing and extends through the first heating surface. The control panel has one or more input buttons for allowing a user to select at least one input parameter including a desired internal temperature of a food item.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2018Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Conair LLCInventors: Kam Fai Fung, Kin Man Lai