Patents by Inventor Kacy W. Denning

Kacy W. Denning has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240049913
    Abstract: A fryer includes a fryer vat and a heating system with at least one heat exchange tube a burner end, an opposite end, and an internal passage from the burner end to the opposite end. A baffle is located within the internal passage for enhancing heat transfer from combustion gases to the heat exchange tube. The baffle has an axial length from a burner facing end to a discharge facing end. The baffle includes a plurality baffle panels that are interconnected and sequentially arranged along the axial length, with each baffle panel extending at least partially across the internal passage of the heat exchange tube. At least one baffle panel includes multiple sets of interconnected openings, wherein the openings of each set are interconnected with each other by one or more panel through slits so as to facilitate thermal expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Kacy W. Denning, Matthew T. Rowell
  • Publication number: 20230337855
    Abstract: A convection cooking oven includes a cooking cavity for receiving food product to be cooked, a door movable between an open condition and a closed condition relative to the cooking cavity and a heater for generating heat. A fan system is provided for moving heated air within the cooking cavity. A controller is configured to operate the oven in an energy save mode and a normal mode, and to automatically switch between the two modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Randall B. DIGGINS, Nicholas C. STONE, Kacy W. DENNING, Henry SAWTELLE, Peter Welsh SCHELLENBACH, JR., Darrin FURGASON
  • Patent number: 11576526
    Abstract: A griddle apparatus, includes a lower cooking plate and an upper cooking plate, where the upper cooking plate is mounted for movement relative to the lower cooking plate between a lower cooking position and an upper access position by a biasing arrangement that provides an upward force sufficient to move the upper cooking plate up to the upper access position once the upper cooking plate has been manually moved to a set raised location between the lower cooking position and the upper access position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Kacy W. Denning, Jairad M. Sloyer
  • Publication number: 20200390277
    Abstract: A griddle apparatus, includes a lower cooking plate and an upper cooking plate, where the upper cooking plate is mounted for movement relative to the lower cooking plate between a lower cooking position and an upper access position by a biasing arrangement that provides an upward force sufficient to move the upper cooking plate up to the upper access position once the upper cooking plate has been manually moved to a set raised location between the lower cooking position and the upper access position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Kacy W. Denning, Jairad M. Sloyer
  • Patent number: 10806297
    Abstract: A griddle apparatus, includes a lower cooking plate and an upper cooking plate, where the upper cooking plate is mounted for movement relative to the lower cooking plate between a lower cooking position and an upper access position by a biasing arrangement that provides an upward force sufficient to move the upper cooking plate up to the upper access position once the upper cooking plate has been manually moved to a set raised location between the lower cooking position and the upper access position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Kacy W. Denning, Jairad M. Sloyer
  • Publication number: 20190125131
    Abstract: A fryer unit includes a fryer vat defining a volume for receiving oil to be heated for cooking. A heating system is provided for heating oil in the volume. The heating system includes at least one gaseous fuel burner and at least one heat exchange tube, the heat exchange tube passing through the volume such that an external surface of the heat exchange tube will be in contact with oil in the volume. The heat exchange tube defines an internal passage through which heated combustion gases of the gaseous fuel burner can pass, and a baffle is positioned within the internal passage for enhancing heat transfer from the combustion gases to the external surface of the heat exchange tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Kacy W. Denning, Craig D. Burnett, Carlos M. Franco-Pulgarin
  • Publication number: 20190125130
    Abstract: A fryer unit includes a housing, and a fryer vat supported by the housing and defining a volume for receiving oil to be heated for cooking. An oil heating system includes at least one immersed electrical heating unit within the fryer vat for heating oil within the fryer vat. An overall height of the fryer unit is no more than twenty-five inches so as to be adapted for positioning upon an appliance base or countertop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventor: Kacy W. Denning
  • Patent number: 10271685
    Abstract: A griddle apparatus includes a lower griddle plate, and an upper griddle plate mounted on arm assembly for movement relative to the lower griddle plate between a lower cooking position and an upper access position. The arm assembly carries a gap adjustment mechanism that includes a plurality of gap defining orientations, and the gap adjustment mechanism moves with the arm assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Bektas C. Gulkanat, Kacy W. Denning
  • Publication number: 20160227962
    Abstract: A griddle apparatus, includes a lower cooking plate and an upper cooking plate, where the upper cooking plate is mounted for movement relative to the lower cooking plate between a lower cooking position and an upper access position by a biasing arrangement that provides an upward force sufficient to move the upper cooking plate up to the upper access position once the upper cooking plate has been manually moved to a set raised location between the lower cooking position and the upper access position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Kacy W. Denning, Jairad M. Sloyer
  • Publication number: 20160227963
    Abstract: A griddle apparatus includes a lower griddle plate, and an upper griddle plate mounted on arm assembly for movement relative to the lower griddle plate between a lower cooking position and an upper access position. The arm assembly carries a gap adjustment mechanism that includes a plurality of gap defining orientations, and the gap adjustment mechanism moves with the arm assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Bektas C. Gulkanat, Kacy W. Denning