Patents by Inventor Richard Koehl
Richard Koehl 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).
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Patent number: 11185091Abstract: A method of using a frozen food product dispensing machine includes producing, by the frozen food product dispensing machine, a frozen food product, and dispensing, by the frozen food product dispensing machine, the frozen food product through a nozzle passage of a nozzle coupled to the frozen food product dispensing machine. The nozzle defines a food product inlet fluidly coupled to the frozen food product dispensing machine and a food product outlet. The nozzle passage extends between the food product inlet and the food product outlet. The method includes introducing, by a cleaning fluid source, a cleaning fluid into the nozzle passage through a cleaning fluid inlet in the nozzle. The cleaning fluid inlet is fluidly coupled to the nozzle passage between the food product inlet and the food product outlet.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.Inventors: Richard Koehl, Ken Wetenkamp
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Patent number: 11166475Abstract: An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a freezer barrel configured to produce a frozen food product, a spigot fluidly connected to the freezer barrel, the spigot for dispensing the frozen food product, a movable platform for supporting a container to receive frozen food product, the movable container movable among a home position and a fill position below the spigot, and a processing circuit configured to open the spigot and fill the container with an amount of frozen food product.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2019Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford
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Patent number: 11019834Abstract: An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a frozen food product dispensing station for dispensing at least one frozen food product, a container dispenser for storing multiple frozen food product containers and configured to automatically dispense one frozen food product container at a time, a first movable platform for supporting a dispensed frozen food product container, a topping dispensing station for dispensing at least one topping, a second movable platform for supporting the dispensed frozen food product container, a user input device configured to receive a user selection of a desired frozen food product and a user selection of a desired topping, and processing electronics configured to automate operation of the vending machine after the user selections are made.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2018Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford
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Publication number: 20200375214Abstract: A method of using a frozen food product dispensing machine includes producing, by the frozen food product dispensing machine, a frozen food product, and dispensing, by the frozen food product dispensing machine, the frozen food product through a nozzle passage of a nozzle coupled to the frozen food product dispensing machine. The nozzle defines a food product inlet fluidly coupled to the frozen food product dispensing machine and a food product outlet. The nozzle passage extends between the food product inlet and the food product outlet. The method includes introducing, by a cleaning fluid source, a cleaning fluid into the nozzle passage through a cleaning fluid inlet in the nozzle. The cleaning fluid inlet is fluidly coupled to the nozzle passage between the food product inlet and the food product outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Richard Koehl, Ken Wetenkamp
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Patent number: 10743563Abstract: A frozen beverage dispenser includes a housing, a hopper configured to store a beverage product, a freezing chamber, a front cover removably coupled to the housing, a refrigeration system, an auger positioned within the freezing chamber, a drive configured to rotate the auger, an air inlet formed near the bottom of the housing, a single air outlet formed near the rear and the top of the housing, a fan for drawing air through the air inlet into the interior of the housing and exhausting air from the interior of the housing through the single air outlet, a spigot fluidly coupled to the freezing chamber, the spigot including a valve and an outlet wherein with the valve in a closed position, frozen beverage does not pass through the valve and with the valve in an open position, frozen beverage passes through the valve and exits through the outlet of the spigot.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2015Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.Inventors: Aamer Mohammed, Ken Wetenkamp, Richard Koehl
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Patent number: 10682006Abstract: A hopper cover for a dispensing machine includes an exterior side having an exterior surface and an interior side having an interior surface that defines a plurality of recesses. The plurality of recesses are configured to receive a plurality of components of the dispensing machine. Each recess of the plurality of recesses corresponds with a specific component of the plurality of components. The hopper cover is configured to cover a hopper cavity of the dispensing machine when in a first orientation and facilitate organized disassembly and reassembly of the dispensing machine when in a second orientation.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2017Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jill Hundley, Richard Koehl, Ken Wetenkamp
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Publication number: 20190150470Abstract: An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a freezer barrel configured to produce a frozen food product, a spigot fluidly connected to the freezer barrel, the spigot for dispensing the frozen food product, a movable platform for supporting a container to receive frozen food product, the movable container movable among a home position and a fill position below the spigot, and a processing circuit configured to open the spigot and fill the container with an amount of frozen food product.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2019Publication date: May 23, 2019Applicant: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford
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Publication number: 20190116831Abstract: An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a frozen food product dispensing station for dispensing at least one frozen food product, a container dispenser for storing multiple frozen food product containers and configured to automatically dispense one frozen food product container at a time, a first movable platform for supporting a dispensed frozen food product container, a topping dispensing station for dispensing at least one topping, a second movable platform for supporting the dispensed frozen food product container, a user input device configured to receive a user selection of a desired frozen food product and a user selection of a desired topping, and processing electronics configured to automate operation of the vending machine after the user selections are made.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2018Publication date: April 25, 2019Applicant: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford
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Patent number: 10188128Abstract: An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a frozen food product dispensing station for dispensing at least one frozen food product, a container dispenser for storing multiple frozen food product containers and configured to automatically dispense one frozen food product container at a time, a first movable platform for supporting a dispensed frozen food product container, a topping dispensing station for dispensing at least one topping, a second movable platform for supporting the dispensed frozen food product container, a user input device configured to receive a user selection of a desired frozen food product, a user selection of a desired amount of frozen food product, and a user selection of a desired topping, and processing electronics configured to automate operation of the vending machine after the user selections are made.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford
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Publication number: 20170334617Abstract: A hopper cover for a dispensing machine includes an exterior side having an exterior surface and an interior side having an interior surface that defines a plurality of recesses. The plurality of recesses are configured to receive a plurality of components of the dispensing machine. Each recess of the plurality of recesses corresponds with a specific component of the plurality of components. The hopper cover is configured to cover a hopper cavity of the dispensing machine when in a first orientation and facilitate organized disassembly and reassembly of the dispensing machine when in a second orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Applicant: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jill Hundley, Richard Koehl, Ken Wetenkamp
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Patent number: 9764880Abstract: A hopper cover for a dispensing machine includes an exterior side having an exterior surface and an interior side having an interior surface that defines a plurality of recesses. The plurality of recesses are configured to receive a plurality of components of the dispensing machine. Each recess of the plurality of recesses corresponds with a specific component of the plurality of components. The hopper cover is configured to cover a hopper cavity of the dispensing machine when in a first orientation and facilitate organized disassembly and reassembly of the dispensing machine when in a second orientation.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jill Hundley, Richard Koehl, Ken Wetenkamp
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Publication number: 20170225853Abstract: A hopper cover for a dispensing machine includes an exterior side having an exterior surface and an interior side having an interior surface that defines a plurality of recesses. The plurality of recesses are configured to receive a plurality of components of the dispensing machine. Each recess of the plurality of recesses corresponds with a specific component of the plurality of components. The hopper cover is configured to cover a hopper cavity of the dispensing machine when in a first orientation and facilitate organized disassembly and reassembly of the dispensing machine when in a second orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2016Publication date: August 10, 2017Applicant: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jill Hundley, Richard Koehl, Ken Wetenkamp
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Publication number: 20170143000Abstract: An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a frozen food product dispensing station for dispensing at least one frozen food product, a container dispenser for storing multiple frozen food product containers and configured to automatically dispense one frozen food product container at a time, a first movable platform for supporting a dispensed frozen food product container, a topping dispensing station for dispensing at least one topping, a second movable platform for supporting the dispensed frozen food product container, a user input device configured to receive a user selection of a desired frozen food product, a user selection of a desired amount of frozen food product, and a user selection of a desired topping, and processing electronics configured to automate operation of the vending machine after the user selections are made.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2017Publication date: May 25, 2017Applicant: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford
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Patent number: 9635874Abstract: An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a frozen food product dispensing station for dispensing at least one frozen food product, a container dispenser for storing multiple frozen food product containers and configured to automatically dispense one frozen food product container at a time, a first movable platform for supporting a dispensed frozen food product container, a topping dispensing station for dispensing at least one topping, a second movable platform for supporting the dispensed frozen food product container, a user input device configured to receive a user selection of a desired frozen food product, a user selection of a desired amount of frozen food product, and a user selection of a desired topping, and processing electronics configured to automate operation of the vending machine after the user selections are made.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2015Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford
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Publication number: 20170094990Abstract: A frozen beverage dispenser includes a housing, a hopper configured to store a beverage product, a freezing chamber, a front cover removably coupled to the housing, a refrigeration system, an auger positioned within the freezing chamber, a drive configured to rotate the auger, an air inlet formed near the bottom of the housing, a single air outlet formed near the rear and the top of the housing, a fan for drawing air through the air inlet into the interior of the housing and exhausting air from the interior of the housing through the single air outlet, a spigot fluidly coupled to the freezing chamber, the spigot including a valve and an outlet wherein with the valve in a closed position, frozen beverage does not pass through the valve and with the valve in an open position, frozen beverage passes through the valve and exits through the outlet of the spigot.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2015Publication date: April 6, 2017Inventors: Aamer Mohammed, Ken Wetenkamp, Richard Koehl
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Patent number: 9118213Abstract: A modular portal system and method for harvesting energy from distributed power sources. The distributed power sources include renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, which are coupled to a backplane. The backplane receives modular preconditioner modules and inverter modules, which are inserted into module slots. The preconditioner modules receive power from the distributed power sources via backplane connections and output conditioned DC power to a DC bus on the backplane. The inverters are coupled to the DC bus, receive the DC power, and convert the DC power to AC power. The backplane also includes a controller for selectively coupling the energy harvesting system to a power grid. The AC power generated by the inverter is selectively applied to the power grid and to local loads.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Kohler Co.Inventor: Richard Koehl
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Patent number: D834092Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2016Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford, Ken Wetenkamp
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Patent number: D834365Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jill Hundley, Richard Koehl, Ken Wetenkamp
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Patent number: D844375Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jill Hundley, Richard Koehl, Ken Wetenkamp
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Patent number: D881277Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2018Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Gary E. Bruckner, Richard Koehl, Tony J. Kopidlansky, Aamer Mohammed, Douglas J. Shymanski, Dave Wattenford, Ken Wetenkamp