Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Yingst

Thomas E. Yingst 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).

  • Patent number: 9562695
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide devices and systems for re-routing escaping steam and grease from an oven interior to a separate compartment of the oven where the live steam and grease can be condensed and safely disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Turbochef Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Carl Jay Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20160348920
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide devices and systems for re-routing escaping steam and grease from an oven interior to a separate compartment of the oven where the live steam and grease can be condensed and safely disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicant: TURBOCHEF TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Carl Jay Dougherty
  • Patent number: 8671618
    Abstract: A product server for holding and displaying food products is disclosed. The product server has a front customer side, a rear employee side and a breath guard. The breath guard comprises a cover on a cabinet of the product server that is moveable between a lowered position covering the food products and a raised position in which the cover serves as a breath guard and allows access to the food products. Upright side panels are provided adjacent opposite ends of the product server. The breath guard extends between the upright side panels as it moves between its raised and lowered positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Frederick A. Deluca
  • Publication number: 20110204755
    Abstract: A product server for holding and displaying food products is disclosed. The product server has a front customer side, a rear employee side and a breath guard. The breath guard comprises a cover on a cabinet of the product server that is moveable between a lowered position covering the food products and a raised position in which the cover serves as a breath guard and allows access to the food products. Upright side panels are provided adjacent opposite ends of the product server. The breath guard extends between the upright side panels as it moves between its raised and lowered positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: DUKE MANUFACTURING CO.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Frederick A. Deluca
  • Patent number: 7958673
    Abstract: A product server for holding and displaying products. The product server has a front customer side, a rear employee side and a breath guard. The breath guard comprises a cover attached to the product server that is moveable between a lowered position covering the products held by the product server and a raised position in which the cover serves as a breath guard and allows access to the products. The cover is sufficiently transparent to allow viewing of the products from the customer side of the product server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Frederick A. Deluca
  • Patent number: 7640696
    Abstract: A product server for holding and displaying products. The product server has a front customer side, a rear employee side and a breath guard. The breath guard comprises a panel attached to the product server and moveable between a lowered position preventing access to products held by the product server and a raised position allowing access to the products. The panel being sufficiently transparent to allow viewing of the products held in the product server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Thomas E. Yingst
  • Patent number: 7028498
    Abstract: A temperature controlled food serving bar having a cabinet with an elongate opening. At least one divider of thermally conductive material extends the length of the elongate cabinet opening and divides the interior cabinet space into a plurality of elongate, pan-receiving cavities. The divider comprises a side wall and a bottom wall and at least one of the bottom wall and the side wall having a wall thickness between about 0.1 inch and about 0.2 inch. At least one food-holding pan received in one of the pan-receiving cavities has a bottom wall and side walls. At least one of the side walls of the at least one food-holding pan is spaced from the side wall of the divider between about 0.03 inch and about 0.15 inch. A temperature control system controls the temperature of the at least one divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Daryl R. Monroe, Kim C. Fietsam, Paul S. Rusk, Thomas E. Yingst, Albert D. Smith
  • Patent number: 6910347
    Abstract: A temperature controlled food serving bar. The food serving bar has a plurality of elongate, generally parallel, spaced apart dividers of thermally conductive material extending lengthwise of the serving bar. The dividers have side walls dividing the food serving bar into a plurality of elongate generally parallel cavities. A temperature control system controls the temperature of the side walls of the dividers. Upwardly facing surfaces on the dividers support food-holding pans in positions in which the pans extend down into the cavities adjacent the side walls of the dividers for being heated or cooled thereby. Thermal barriers below the upwardly facing surfaces inhibit the transfer of heat between the side walls of the dividers and the surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Daryl R. Monroe, Kim C. Fietsam, Paul S. Rusk, Thomas E. Yingst, Albert D. Smith
  • Patent number: 6817201
    Abstract: A counter top merchandiser for holding and displaying hot and cold products. The merchandiser includes a warm compartment within the merchandiser for holding and displaying warm products. A cold compartment below the warm compartment is defined in part by a bottom wall positioned above the counter top when the merchandiser is placed on the counter top. The cold compartment has a display section and a storage section. A partition separates the warm and cold compartments. A heating unit heats products within the warm compartment and a refrigeration unit cools products within the cold compartment. At least one transparent wall allows viewing of products within the merchandiser. Openings provide access to the warm and cold compartments from the rear of the merchandiser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Thomas E. Yingst
  • Publication number: 20040211206
    Abstract: A temperature controlled food serving bar. The food serving bar has a plurality of elongate, generally parallel, spaced apart dividers of thermally conductive material extending lengthwise of the serving bar. The dividers have side walls dividing the food serving bar into a plurality of elongate generally parallel cavities. A temperature control system controls the temperature of the side walls of the dividers. Upwardly facing surfaces on the dividers support food-holding pans in positions in which the pans extend down into the cavities adjacent the side walls of the dividers for being heated or cooled thereby. Thermal barriers below the upwardly facing surfaces inhibit the transfer of heat between the side walls of the dividers and the surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Applicant: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Daryl R. Monroe, Kim C. Fietsam, Paul S. Rusk, Thomas E. Yingst, Albert D. Smith
  • Publication number: 20030233841
    Abstract: A counter top merchandiser for holding and displaying hot and cold products. The merchandiser includes a warm compartment within the merchandiser for holding and displaying warm products. A cold compartment below the warm compartment is defined in part by a bottom wall positioned above the counter top when the merchandiser is placed on the counter top. The cold compartment has a display section and a storage section. A partition separates the warm and cold compartments. A heating unit heats products within the warm compartment and a refrigeration unit cools products within the cold compartment. At least one transparent wall allows viewing of products within the merchandiser. Openings provide access to the warm and cold compartments from the rear of the merchandiser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicant: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Thomas E. Yingst
  • Patent number: 6178763
    Abstract: A refrigeration unit with a thermal break member and an anti-sweat heating mechanism in the form of a heater wire suitable for high humidity environments is provided. The thermal break member includes a main body portion and a conduit portion connected to the main body portion. The conduit portion defines a channel disposed near the access opening of the refrigerated compartment and configured to receive therein the heater wire. The thermal break member includes a closure member and a flexible hinge portion. The flexible hinge portion has a first end connected to the main body portion and a second end connected to the closure member. A typical value for the durometer of the flexible hinge portion is 70 Shore A, and a typical value for the durometer of the main body portion and the closure member is 80 Shore D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Specialty Equipment Companies, Inc.
    Inventors: Harry A. Brancheau, Dan G. Hopkins, Thomas E. Yingst, Michael A. Branz
  • Patent number: 5551250
    Abstract: A freezer system is disclosed comprising a freezing mechanism and an adjacent freezer cabinet. The freezer mechanism has a compressor that produces hot gas refrigerant, a condenser, and an evaporator which accumulates ice on its outside surface. An evaporator condensate pan is mounted beneath the evaporator and a compressor condensate pan is mounted beneath the compressor and connected by a conduit to the evaporator condensate pan. A condensate pan heater coil is attached to the bottom of the evaporator condensate pan. A hot gas valve connected between the compressor and the condensate pan heater coil, when activated, conducts hot gas refrigerant to the condensate pan heater coil to heat it and thereby heat the attached evaporator condensate pan, which in turn heats the outside of the evaporator to help melt accumulated ice. The hot gas refrigerant is then fed from the condensate pan heater coil to the evaporator, heating the inside of the evaporator and fully melting the ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Traulsen & Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Gerald J. Stensrud, Ronald S. Davis
  • Patent number: 5491980
    Abstract: A refrigerator system having a refrigerating mechanism packaged in a separate case from the refrigerated cabinet and adapted to be attached to either side of the refrigerated cabinet. The refrigerated cabinet has discharge and return openings on each of opposite sides. The refrigerating mechanism has matching discharge and return openings on each of opposite sides. The discharge and return openings on the unattached side of the refrigerating mechanism and refrigerated cabinet are covered. The refrigerating mechanism has an evaporator blower which draws warm air through the return opening in the attached refrigerated cabinet, then through a cooling evaporator coil to propel the cooled air into a blower plenum, and then out a discharge outlet of the blower plenum directly into the matching discharge opening in the adjacent refrigerated cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Traulsen & Co. Inc., A Delaware Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Gerald J. Stensrud, Ronald S. Davis
  • Patent number: 5476318
    Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet is disclosed comprising a metallic cabinet case having a door opening in the front, a metallic cabinet liner mounted on the inside and thermal insulation separating the cabinet case and liner. A door is hingedly connected to the front of the cabinet case and adapted to swing over the door opening. A plastic cabinet thermal breaker is mounted between the metallic cabinet case and the metallic cabinet liner and frames the opening. A removable metallic breaker cap snaps on and covers the outside of the plastic cabinet thermal breaker except for a front facing portion of the plastic thermal breaker. A plastic door thermal breaker is mounted along the outer edge of the inside of the door and has an outwardly extending compressible portion which is adapted to press against the front portion of the plastic cabinet thermal breaker when the door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Traulsen & Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Gerald J. Stensrud, Ronald S. Davis
  • Patent number: 4774814
    Abstract: A self-contained ice making machine includes a programmable controller connected to control operation of the machine which includes monitoring the operation of the machine for producing diagnostic type error signals for display, and issuing operating instructions to the refrigeration unit. The refrigerator unit has a condenser with cooling fans, evaporator, a water supply means, and an ice harvest probe assembly. The evaporator includes a coil, and an array of ice cube molds. The water supply means includes a water tank for flowing water over the evaporator, a pump for pumping water to the evaporator and from the tank and a solenoid controlled valve for controlling the flow of water to and from the tank. The ice harvest probe assembly includes a probe driven by a slip clutch motor for pushing against an ice cube bearing slab formed on the evaporator during ice cube harvest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Mile High Equipment Company
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Frederick A. Weis
  • Patent number: 4706466
    Abstract: An under the counter ice making machine has a refrigerator for producing ice cube bearing slabs. A freezer compartment support means includes a bottom compartment having a rear panel extending upwardly to a top panel. The evaporator of the refrigerator is attached to the rear panel adjacent to the top panel and the remainder of the refrigerator components are supported in the bottom compartment which has an open top. A separate unitary freezer compartment includes an integrally formed ice bin portion and a top portion. When the freezer compartment is resting on the bottom compartment of the support means the top portion coacts with the evaporator bearing rear wall end to enclose the top portion. Thus, the freezer compartment is slidably mounted on the bottom compartment so that the bottom of the ice bin portion closes the bottom compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Mile High Equipment Company
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Fredrick A. Weis