Patents Examined by Steven N Leff
  • Patent number: 10834954
    Abstract: Device for forming and dividing of at least one string-shaped pasty foodstuff into slice-shaped products, with a forming nozzle for extruding the string-shaped foodstuff along a conveying direction through a nozzle opening, which determines the thickness of the slice-shaped product, at least one forming plate that is arranged downstream of the forming nozzle and that can be displaced during extrusion with at least one positioning element in at least one component transversally to the conveying direction, and with a control unit that controls the positioning element synchronously to the extrusion velocity in a way that the at least one forming plate forms a longitudinal contour of the slice-shaped product variably during extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ALBERT HANDTMANN MASCHINENFABRIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Baechtle, Siegfried Reutter, Claudiu Cret, Daniel Teufel, Achim Werner, Peter Willburger, Simon Haid
  • Patent number: 10820750
    Abstract: A computer-controlled grill can operate burners based on a set of instructions in the form of a recipe. The grill can provide notifications corresponding to steps of the recipe, to alert the user to perform the steps. The notifications can be provided at the grill, through a connected mobile device, or both. The grill adjusts gas flow to one or more burners based on the recipe steps. If the grill detects that the user has not performed required steps, the grill reduces or shuts off gas flow to the burners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: LYNX GRILLS, INC.
    Inventors: Hyunyup Chin, James Buch, John Timothy French, William Chappell Pack
  • Patent number: 10799062
    Abstract: The invention concerns a unit for controlling transmission of power to a thermal conditioning device e.g. for coffee machine, comprising a controller with a start-up profile for starting-up the device from a temperature of inactivity to an operative temperature for bringing to a target temperature a fluid circulating through said device at start-up end, the controller being arranged to allow circulation of fluid through the device at start-up end and to compare the determined temperature of fluid circulated at start-up end to the target temperature and derive a temperature difference therefrom. The start-up profile has at least one parameter and in that the controller has a self-learning mode for adjusting the parameter as a function of the temperature difference and to store the adjusted parameter for a subsequent starting-up of the device. The invention concerns in particular a method for optimized heating up of a coffee machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Stefan Etter, Peter Mori
  • Patent number: 10772337
    Abstract: A product multiplying system or a multiplier may divide a product into a plurality of units and may increase a number of units of the product that may be released into a receptacle. The product multiplying system or a multiplier may increase the number of units of the product by a factor of two and may not jam the products. The product multiplying system or a multiplier may match a rate of cuts per minute of a first divider and a second divider. A first set and a second set of a plurality of diagonal channels may guide the product toward a center discharge guide and toward an outside discharge guide, respectively. Additionally, the product may be divided and rounded prior to being transferred to the multiplier where the product may be dusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: STEWART SYSTEMS BAKING, LLC
    Inventor: Augusto Florindez
  • Patent number: 10772455
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooking appliance comprising: a cabinet defining a cooking chamber; a heating means installed on the cabinet and formed so as to heat the inside of the cooking chamber; an air pump installed on an outer side extends into the cooking chamber; a cooking pack arranged selectively inside the cooking chamber and formed so as to accommodate an object to be cooked; and a control unit for controlling the heating means and the air pump, wherein one side of the cooking pack is detachable from a free end of the tube. According to the present invention, sous vide cooking is enabled by, within a single plate, vacuum treating the space where the object to be cooked is accommodated and controlling the temperature inside the cooking chamber during cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Sungho Choi
  • Patent number: 10750755
    Abstract: A continuous method for improving the firmness of vegetable products uses a continuous vegetable product treatment device comprising a vegetable product treatment chamber having a vegetable product inlet, a vegetable product outlet, a vegetable product transport mechanism for urging the vegetable product toward the vegetable product outlet, and at least one liquid introduction orifice for introducing a liquid. Vegetable product is continuously treated in the chamber at a temperature of from about 125° F. to about 160° F., and the liquid in the treatment chamber is maintained at a pH of from about 5 to about 7. Individual vegetable products reside in the treatment chamber for a time of from about 20 minutes to about 60 minutes. The heat-treated vegetable products are blanched in a subsequent blanching step at a temperature ranging from about 190° F. to 210° F. for a time of from about two to about 10 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignees: General Mills, Inc., Oregon Potato Company
    Inventors: Lily Leung Fee, Donald F. Steenson, Robert Erickson, Mark Stueber, Anita J Hall, Frank Tiegs, Steve Harris, Craig Bolt
  • Patent number: 10743558
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for transferring an aroma from a aroma providing substance to a an aroma-adsorbing substance by a gas flow and without the aroma-providing substance and the aroma-adsorbing substance getting in direct contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Matthieu Pouzot, Alessandro Gianfrancesco, Mathieu Murith, Gerhard Niederreiter, Christoph Reh
  • Patent number: 10681916
    Abstract: A device for forming a sheeted dough from a dough piece, which includes: (i) a lower tray arranged so as to support the dough piece during a forming operation, (ii) an upper tray, and (iii) a forming actuator arranged so as to move the upper plate in relation to the lower plate, in such a way as to be able to press the dough piece between the lower tray and the upper tray in order to form a sheeted dough, the lower tray containing a system of mobile ejectors that can assume a so-called retracted position in such a way as to form, overall, a continuous surface with the lower tray, and a so-called raised position in such a way as to form a raised surface in relation to the lower tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: EKIM
    Inventors: Cyrill Hamon, Sébastien Roverso, Faustine Calvarin
  • Patent number: 10660470
    Abstract: A double walled domed electric roasting oven and method of use is described. The double walled domed electric roasting oven includes a double walled dome lid, a base pan, a temperature controlling component and a heating element. The double walled dome lid is formed by coupling a domed inner wall and a domed outer wall with a fastener. The double walled dome lid has a dome lid height. The base pan interfaces with a bottom of the double walled dome lid. The base pan has a base pan height. The dome lid height is at least 2.5 times greater than the base pan height. The temperature controlling component is disposed on an exterior outer wall of the double walled dome lid. The temperature controlling component includes a heating element that is electrically coupled to the temperature controlling component. The heating element is radially disposed about the exterior inner wall surface of the domed inner wall and positioned within the domed outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Lam & Sons, LLC
    Inventors: George T. C. Li, Eric Li
  • Patent number: 10631550
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of extruding sleeves extruded of collagen for encasing sausages, wherein a collagen fluid is fed to an extrusion head; the collagen fluid is guided through the extrusion head; and the collagen fluid is discharged from the extrusion head. The invention also relates to an extrusion head for performing such a process as well as a co-extrusion sausage line. Finally also the sleeve extruded with this method or devices is part of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: MAREL TOWNSEND FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Albertus Dunnewind, Patricia Rosa Maria Hoekstra-Suurs, Wilhelmus Johannes Everardus Maria Van Den Dungen, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Frank Johannes Antonius Van Den Heuij, Henk Robert Hoogenkamp
  • Patent number: 10627790
    Abstract: A method for “sous-vide” cooking includes receiving food type, food quantity, cook begin time, and cook finish time parameters and looking up a default time-temperature pair in a cooking services database. When the default time-temperature pair is suitable for yielding a cooked food meeting the food type, food quantity, cook begin time, and cook finish time parameters, a cooking control routine is derived from the default time-temperature pair. Subsequently, a cooking process may be performed in accordance with the cooking control routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Inventors: José Guilherme Mendonça Vilela Pinto Ferreira, Ana Catarina Violante Vieira
  • Patent number: 10624381
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for changing the positional orientations of peppers or other individual food product items or pieces on an open conveyor belt as the product items or pieces are being continuously conveyed through an apparatus for flame roasting, cooking, searing or otherwise treating the product. The open conveyor belt carries the peppers or other products over one or more air knives which are installed in the apparatus beneath the open conveyor belt for rolling, rotating, and/or momentarily lifting the product items or pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: UNITHERM FOOD SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Adam Thomas Cowherd
  • Patent number: 10617124
    Abstract: A kitchen appliance (100) is disclosed comprising a compartment (110) for receiving flour, said compartment comprising a sensor (120) for producing a sensor reading indicative of a dielectric property of said flour or a product comprising said flour. The kitchen appliance further comprises a processing arrangement (130) communicatively coupled to the sensor for determining an initial moisture content of said flour or product from said sensor reading and adapted to generate a control signal indicative of an amount of water to be added to the compartment as a function of the determined moisture content. A method of controlling a flour product-based food preparation process is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Wei Li, Yuqiang Wu, Zhongchi Luo
  • Patent number: 10610043
    Abstract: Disclosed is a food preparation apparatus (100) comprising a food preparation compartment (101); a dielectric sensor (120) in said food preparation compartment, a data storage device (130) storing food seasoning data as a function of a dielectric constant of the food product, said food seasoning data relating to a plurality of condiments to be added to the food product; and a processor arrangement (110) coupled to said dielectric sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Zhongchi Luo, Mo Li, Wei Li, Bin Yin
  • Patent number: 10602745
    Abstract: A food preparation apparatus for a slice includes a flat bottom and raised side members. The flat bottom is shaped like the slice with two angled sides and an open end. The open end connects the two angled sides. The open end is also straight. Raised side members are on the two angled sides. Wherein, the food preparation apparatus is configured to hold the slice on the bottom where the raised side members are configured to retain the slice and toppings on the food preparation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Inventor: Mark A. Goddard
  • Patent number: 10605670
    Abstract: A method determines a performance index of a cooking vessel subjected to a heating power, the index being representative of the capacity of the vessel to distribute the heating power in a homogeneous manner, the vessel including a bottom and a lateral wall furnished with an external face. The method includes a) subjecting the bottom of the vessel to a heating system, b) measuring and recording at regular time intervals the temperature at least three points of predetermined altitude of the external face until the stabilization of at least one of the measured temperatures at each time interval at the level of the at least three points, c) calculating and recording in the course of the time taken for the temperature of the external face to rise, the difference between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature measured, d) determining the performance index based on the calculations and recordings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventor: Céline Hofleitner
  • Patent number: 10588326
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for the production of cheese. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for making pasta filata cheese. In one embodiment, electromagnetic energy is used for the production of pasta filata cheese.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Peter F. Nelles, Gary L. Nesheim, Grant L. Nesheim
  • Patent number: 10588454
    Abstract: A dry well food warmer assembly and method for warming food with a serving pan, comprises a housing having a well, surrounding wall structure and bottom wall; a heating element within the well generally oriented parallel to the floor, and a blower rotatably mounted for blowing air toward the outer wall and about the heating element. A baffle is located above the heating element and generally parallel to the floor and element, with a plurality of suitably sized intake and passageway openings for airflow and directioning. The method comprises energizing the element to heat air within the well, energizing the blower to rotate generally perpendicularly to blow outwardly to and past the element toward the outer structure, to pass outside and above the baffle, and through the baffle towards the blower. A pan and food within it positioned within the well can be heated by the assembly and method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventors: William E. Booth, Thomas Hunot
  • Patent number: 10575677
    Abstract: A method for operating a food processor driven by an electric motor for preparing a preparation item based on a recipe prepares the preparation item in a vessel of the food processor in one or more sequential preparation steps, in particular via mixing and/or heating and/or comminuting. In order to further support the user of the food processor during the preparation process, an operating parameter of the food processor is automatically controlled as a function of a repeated, similar behavior of the user while selecting or executing a recipe and/or of a presence of a user in the area of the food processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Andres Sauerwald, Ramona Wehlig, Stefan Hilgers
  • Patent number: 10561116
    Abstract: Method and device for cutting a soft food mass, in particular for cutting machine-processed cheese, such as processed cheese or mozzarella, whereby the food mass is present as a broad food ribbon of small ribbon thickness, whereby the food ribbon is fed by means of a conveyor belt with a travel speed leading to a longitudinal cutting system, in particular in the form of a cutting roller, which cuts the food ribbon with axially arranged cutting disks into parallel longitudinal strips, whereby the direction of rotation of the longitudinal cutting system corresponds to the travel direction of the food ribbon, whereby the cutting disks in each case have blades that are provided with at least one tooth, whereby the tooth height is greater than the ribbon thickness, whereby the peripheral speed of the cutting roller is adjusted in such a way that a tooth is immersed in the food ribbon when cutting with the tips of the teeth and creates a slot of a specific slot length in the food ribbon that moves in the same direc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Hochland Natec GmbH
    Inventor: Roland Zeuschner