Patents Examined by Spencer H Kirkwood
  • Patent number: 10390653
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a beverage preparation module intended for installation in a self-service beverage vending machine. According to the disclosure, a water connection and a preparation device for preparing a beverage by means of water provided at the water connection are provided. Beverage preparation parameters can be transmitted to a control unit via a communication interface. The control unit is configured to control the preparation device in order to prepare a beverage based on the beverage preparation parameters. A beverage outlet for discharging the beverage prepared by the preparation device is provided. In one embodiment, at least one additional module interface is provided for connecting the control unit to at least one additional module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SCHAERER A.G.
    Inventors: André Lüssi, Bruno Mosimann, Peter Egli, Bruno Aeberhard
  • Patent number: 10368697
    Abstract: An egg cracker may include a platform with a generally planar upper surface and a protrusion may extend upwardly from the generally planar upper surface of the platform to form an egg cracking structure. The platform may be connected to an annular support ring and connecting members may connect the platform and the annular support ring. The annular support ring may be sized and configured to be disposed within an upper portion of a container and, when a lid is attached to the container, the egg cracker may be enclosed by the container and lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Runway Blue, LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. Sorensen, David O. Meyers, Kim L. Sorensen
  • Patent number: 10368679
    Abstract: A slow cooker comprises a case; a control circuit component and an inner pot for receiving food are disposed inside the case; the inner pot is arranged inside the case in a pick-and-place manner; a temperature detection component for temperature detection is arranged on the sidewall of the inner pot, and a mount seat connected to the case is arranged at the bottom of the inner pot; a liftable heating apparatus is arranged on the mount seat; the heating apparatus comprises a heating component and a lifting mechanism which can drive the heating component upwards and downwards. A temperature detection component arranged in the slow cooker is capable of detecting the temperature in the inner pot precisely; a lifting mechanism arranged in the slow cooker is capable of adjusting the distance from the inner pot to preheat the inner pot, improving cooking efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: T.F. ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wenhung Chou
  • Patent number: 10368690
    Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing food or beverage products is provided. Said machine (1) is adapted for injecting a fluid under pressure in an ingredient capsule inserted therein. Said machine (1) comprises a fluid reservoir (3), a fluid system, a fluid heating element, and a controller for managing at least one preparation parameter, and further comprises a selector for allowing a user to manually select at least one food or beverage preparation parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Nicolas Louis Robert Martz, Markus Steckhan
  • Patent number: 10357039
    Abstract: A baking device for producing baked goods, in particular for producing filled baked goods, includes baking presses that can be swung open and closed, can be moved from a feeding device through the baking chamber of the oven and to a goods removal device on a continuously moving continuous conveyor that circulates in the longitudinal direction of the oven. The baking presses have a lower baking mold and an upper baking mold, each movable between open and closed positions about a baking-press axis. The baking presses are connected to the continuous conveyor by releasable mechanical connections. The baking device also has a baking-press removal station at at least one point of the continuous conveyor, at which baking-press removal station baking presses can be removed and reattached. The removal and redelivery of the baking presses are performed on the continuously moving continuous conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Haas Food Equipment GmbH
    Inventors: Adam Reinhart, Johannes Haas, Josef Haas, Stefan Jiraschek
  • Patent number: 10285530
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cooking attachment (2) for a heatable vessel (3) of a kitchen appliance, which cooking attachment (2) has a bottom (4) comprising at least one bottom opening (5), through which steam, which escapes from the vessel (3), can enter the cooking attachment (2) and/or condensate, which escapes from the cooking attachment (2), can enter the vessel (3). To attain a more homogenous and quicker cooking of the food contained in the cooking attachment (2), it is proposed for the bottom (4) to have a plurality of spacers (6), which stick out from the bottom (4), for keeping a food contained in the cooking attachment (2) at a distance from the bottom opening (5), on the side, which faces the interior of the cooking attachment (2), wherein the bottom opening (5) is at least partially surrounded by the spacers (6) in circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Cornelissen
  • Patent number: 10279984
    Abstract: A cartridge for obtaining a beverage by injecting into the cartridge a pressurized fluid, comprising a box-like body, which accommodates a substance from which it is possible to extract the beverage, and which accommodates on its inside an insert which separates the substance from a bottom wall of the box-like body, forming an interspace. The insert comprises an orifice for the passage of the beverage toward the interspace, whereas the bottom wall comprises a region which can be pierced to obtain an opening for the outflow of the beverage. In the interspace there is a basin which is arranged laterally with respect to the pierceable region in order to accumulate the beverage received directly from the orifice and make it flow out of the opening by overflowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: ILLYCAFFE' S.P.A.
    Inventors: Luca Mastropasqua, Angelo Dori, Stefano Santagiuliana, Giuseppe Cutuli, Gaia Brollo, Furio Suggi Liverani, Gianluca Giamba
  • Patent number: 10278539
    Abstract: An actuating mechanism for a toaster, and in particular a bread identification actuating mechanism for a toaster, comprises a toast frame arranged in a housing, a sliding rack capable of moving upwards and downwards, and a control circuit, a toast rack being coupled to the sliding rack, a bracket being fixed to one end of the toast rack, the bracket being hinged to the sliding rack: wherein the toaster actuating mechanism is provided with a sensing device for identifying an angular displacement of the bracket, and the bracket drives a light barrier, the sensing device being arranged on a movement tack of the light barrier, the light barrier being capable of blocking a sensing light passage of the sensing device, the sensing device being coupled to the control circuit via a data line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Shenzhen Crastal Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: George Mohan Zhang, Huajin Chen, Yanbing Luo
  • Patent number: 10231565
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an electric pressure cooker, which includes a cooker body and a cooker cover, wherein the cooker body is provided with a magnetic sensitive switch and a magnetic member, and the magnetic member can move between a first position and a second position relative to the magnetic sensitive switch so that a control circuit of the electric pressure cooker can be powered on or powered off; and the cooker cover is arranged on the cooker body, and can rotate relative to the cooker body so that the magnetic member can move between the first position and the second position. According to the electric pressure cooker, the magnetic sensitive switch and the magnetic member constitute a detection device for detecting whether the cooker cover is closed in place, and therefore the electric pressure cooker is simple in structure and low in manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignees: Foshan Shunde Midea Electrical Heating Appliances Manufacturing Co. Limited, Midea Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yanping Song, Ruide Chen, Siheng Cao
  • Patent number: 10213049
    Abstract: A rotisserie adapter apparatus for use with a cooking device includes an annular cylindrical base. The base has an inner wall about a central opening, the inner wall having a substantially consistent depth about the base. The base also includes a top surface abutting the inner wall and an outer wall abutting the top surface, the outer wall having a depth ranging from a first depth at a front of the base comparable to the depth of the inner wall to a near zero depth at a back of the annular cylindrical base. A bottom surface of the base connects between a bottom of the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner wall. At least two notches are formed in the inner wall, wherein the central opening is positioned between notches, and wherein at least one of the notches extends through the top surface of the cylindrical base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: KAMADO CONCEPTS, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Frank Skrodzki, Gary F. Bertassi
  • Patent number: 10189116
    Abstract: A laser machining head includes a collimation lens, a focusing lens, and a nozzle unit. The nozzle unit includes a protective member, an inner nozzle, an outer nozzle, a nozzle holding section, and an orifice. The outer nozzle is disposed outside the inner nozzle and the nozzle holding section holds the inner nozzle and the outer nozzle. The orifice is in contact with the inner nozzle and is interposed between the nozzle holding section and the outer nozzle. The nozzle holding section has a first gas path connecting the air supply port disposed in the nozzle holding section and the orifice. The orifice has a third gas path for connecting a second gas path disposed between the inner nozzle and the outer nozzle, and the first gas path. In the vicinity of the tip of the nozzle unit, an opening connected to the second gas path is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Yasushi Mukai, Yiheng Kung
  • Patent number: 10183354
    Abstract: A weld stud for drawn-arc stud welding has a functional portion and a welding portion which represents one end of the weld stud and which is delimited by a front face that is curved outwards in a longitudinal direction of the weld stud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Erich Kerscher, Reinhard Holzner
  • Patent number: 10172495
    Abstract: Embodiments of an infusion extractor are provided including a plunger to be inserted into an infusing container containing the infusion mixture that can have vertical inner walls oriented parallel to a vertical axis of the container. In some implementations, the plunger includes a first surface with a seal situated at an edge of the surface. The seal is adapted for sealing against the inner walls of the infusing container as the plunger moves within the container. The plunger also includes a second surface extending from the first surface and defining a second chamber. At least a portion of the extract flow openings are situated at a depth either above or below the first surface along the vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: ESPRO, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher R. McLean, Bruce A. Constantine
  • Patent number: 10149568
    Abstract: The present disclosure illustrates a filter positioning structure for a beverage infuser. In the filter positioning structure, a casing member includes upper and lower engaging parts respectively connected with top and bottom ends of a connecting part. A filter can be combined with the lower engaging part. The upper engaging part is ring-shaped and has protruding parts on an outer periphery thereof. Therefore, the filter positioning structure can be positioned in the beverage infuser by blocking between the protruding parts and a stop part of a body of the beverage infuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Inventor: Tzu Yuan Shen
  • Patent number: 10149352
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes an outer housing defining an accommodating chamber therein and having a first cooling air inlet and a first cooling air outlet therein; an inner housing disposed within the accommodating chamber and defining a heating chamber therein, the heating chamber having a second cooling air inlet and a second cooling air outlet communicated with the first cooling air outlet, a cooling air passage being defined between an upper surface of the inner housing and a top wall of the accommodating chamber and communicated with the second cooling air inlet; a cooling fan having an air inlet communicated with the first cooling air inlet via an air inlet passage and an air outlet communicated with the cooling air passage; and an electrical component disposed within the cooling air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignees: GUANGDONG MIDEA KITCHEN APPLIANCES MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhifei Huang, Quanhong Jiang, Shiyong Liu, Motan Zhu
  • Patent number: 10080462
    Abstract: A sprayhead for a pour over coffee brewing machine for delivering hot water to coffee grounds held in a brew basket therebelow, has a housing with a water inlet at one end thereof, which is connectable to an intermittent source of hot water. A holding chamber for accumulating a quantity of hot water therein is located within the housing and is connected to the water inlet. A dispensing chamber is located within the housing and below the holding chamber, in use. A bell siphon located in the holding chamber delivers the accumulated quantity of water from the holding chamber to the dispensing chamber, and then to the coffee grounds, once the water level in the holding chamber rises above an open end of a siphon tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Inventors: Sean Martin Moran, Paul Drewry Pearson, Paul Francis Stack
  • Patent number: 10040145
    Abstract: When two high-strength steel sheets (1A, 1B) whose sheet thickness ratio={the sum of sheet thicknesses of the steel sheets}/{the sheet thickness of the thinner steel sheet (when they have the same thickness, the sheet thickness per one sheet)} is within a range of not less than 2 nor more than 5 and which both have tensile strength of not less than 780 MPa nor more than 1850 MPa are stacked to be subjected to resistance spot welding, a first welding step being pre-welding with a pressurizing force P1 kN and a welding current I1 kA and a second welding step being main welding with a pressurizing force P2 kN and a welding current I2 kA are performed, the pressurizing forces P1, P2 are set to a fixed pressurizing force P=P1=P2 all through the first welding step and the second welding step and are set within a range expressed by {0.5?P?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiji Furusako, Hatsuhiko Oikawa, Yasunobu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10016095
    Abstract: A salad spinner includes an outer bowl configured to hold an inner basket. The bowl and basket are each configured with a central post supported by a base structure having a pillar and a piston. A helical screw positioned within the pillar engages a drive shaft within the piston in order to rotate the drive shaft as the piston moves upward and downward with respect to the pillar. A spring biases the piston in the upward position to enable reciprocal telescoping movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: PROGRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lawrence M. Hauser, Jennifer K. Cotter, Cole Dalton
  • Patent number: 10014084
    Abstract: Nuclear reactor vessel segmenting utilizing improved arc saw systems and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Arc Saw Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas S. LaGuardia, Richard Simoneau
  • Patent number: 9968220
    Abstract: There are disclosed cooking devices and methods for automatically emptying the drain/waste water of such devices with minimal spillage of the drain/waste water. More particularly, disclosed are structures for automatically emptying the drain/waste water of cooking devices that employ a moveable collection device with minimal spillage of the drain/waste water. The cooking devices of the present disclosure provide increased safety by: reducing the possibility of a slippery floor; reducing the potential of food/food area contamination; and reducing the possibility of water penetrating building construction or causing mold growth. Also disclosed are methods of suing such devices and methods of retrofitting cooking devices with such means for automatically emptying the drain/waste water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: CONVOTHERM ELEKTROGERAETE GMBH
    Inventors: Hannes Wild, Martina Feierabend, Konstantin Stroh