Patents by Inventor Stephen Hingston

Stephen Hingston 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).

  • Method and apparatus for cooling beverage liquid with finned ice bank
    Patent number: 10093530
    Abstract: A beverage making machine may be arranged to cool a precursor liquid in a tank using a cooling liquid in a cooling container disposed around the tank. The cooling liquid may be freezable to form ice, e.g., to provide the system with improved cooling capacity and/or speed. A plurality of fins may extend between the tank and the cooling container, with each of the plurality of fins being physically attached to the cooling container or the tank and being arranged to conduct heat from the tank and/or from the cooling liquid. The plurality of fins may include first portions attached to the tank and extending outwardly, and second portions attached to the cooling container and extending inwardly. Side surfaces of corresponding first and second portions may be in contact with each other to aid in transferring heat via the fin portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Bedford Systems LLC
    Inventors: Steven Mackey, Pranav Chopra, Scott Grubb, Thomas Fedorka, Jeremy B. Gordon, Stephen Hingston
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING BEVERAGE LIQUID WITH FINNED ICE BANK
    Publication number: 20160107876
    Abstract: A beverage making machine may be arranged to cool a precursor liquid in a tank using a cooling liquid in a cooling container disposed around the tank. The cooling liquid may be freezable to form ice, e.g., to provide the system with improved cooling capacity and/or speed. A plurality of fins may extend between the tank and the cooling container, with each of the plurality of fins being physically attached to the cooling container or the tank and being arranged to conduct heat from the tank and/or from the cooling liquid. The plurality of fins may include first portions attached to the tank and extending outwardly, and second portions attached to the cooling container and extending inwardly. Side surfaces of corresponding first and second portions may be in contact with each other to aid in transferring heat via the fin portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Mackey, Pranav Chopra, Scott Grubb, Thomas Fedorka, Jeremy B. Gordon, Stephen Hingston