Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Berger
Thomas R. Berger 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: 11717835Abstract: A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2021Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: InSinkErator LLCInventors: Thomas R. Berger, Charles A. Farago, Ronnie A. Wunderlich, Gregory L. Cleveland, Alan S. Rohulich
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Publication number: 20230228074Abstract: Baffles for food waste disposers, systems employing such baffles, and methods of assembling, manufacturing, fabricating, or operating such baffles or baffle systems are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a baffle for implementation in connection with a food waste disposer includes a rim portion, a plurality of flaps, and a plurality of living hinges, wherein the rim portion, living hinges, and flaps constitute a single integrally-formed structure. The respective living hinges permit the respective flaps to be rotatable about respective axes that respectively are substantially tangent to respective locations along or proximate to the rim portion, so that the respective flaps can be rotated to respective closed positions. Either the living hinges or at least one additional component tend to cause the respective flaps to remain at the respective closed positions or to return to the respective closed positions when not at the respective closed positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2023Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventors: Thomas R. Berger, Brian Retzke, Mile Nikolic
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Patent number: 11549248Abstract: Baffles for food waste disposers, systems employing such baffles, and methods of assembling, manufacturing, fabricating, or operating such baffles or baffle systems are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a baffle for implementation in connection with a waste disposer includes a rim portion, a plurality of flaps, and a plurality of living hinges, where the rim portion, living hinges, and flaps constitute a single integrally-formed structure. The respective living hinges permit the respective flaps to be rotatable about respective axes that respectively are substantially tangent to respective locations along or proximate to the rim portion, so that the respective flaps can be rotated to respective closed positions. Either the living hinges or at least one additional component tend to cause the respective flaps to remain at the respective closed positions when already at those respective positions, or to return to those respective positions when not at those respective positions.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2019Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: InSinkErator LLCInventors: Thomas R. Berger, Brian Retzke, Mile Nikolic
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Patent number: 11308440Abstract: A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2020Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Thomas R. Berger, Joseph E. Denny, David S. Robins, LaMonte Peter Koop, Edward Allen Payne, Robert W. Twitchell
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Publication number: 20220048038Abstract: A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2021Publication date: February 17, 2022Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.Inventors: Thomas R. BERGER, Charles A. FARAGO, Ronnie A. WUNDERLICH, Gregory L. CLEVELAND, Alan S. ROHULICH
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Patent number: 11161123Abstract: A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2019Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.Inventors: Thomas R. Berger, Charles A. Farago, Ronnie A. Wunderlich, Gregory L. Cleveland, Alan S. Rohulich
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Publication number: 20210062764Abstract: An effector health monitor system is configured for coupling with an energetic component. The effector health monitor system includes a characteristic sensor suite including at least first and second characteristic sensors. The first characteristic sensor is proximate to the energetic component and configured to measure a failure characteristic of the energetic component. The second characteristic sensor is configured to measure at least one environmental characteristic proximate to the energetic component. A communication hub is coupled with the first and second characteristic sensors, and is configured to communicate the measured failure and environmental characteristics outside of an effector body. A failure identification module compares the measured failure characteristic with a failure threshold and identifies a failure event.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2019Publication date: March 4, 2021Inventors: Louis J. Gullo, Mark T. Langhenry, Thomas R. Berger
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Publication number: 20200347584Abstract: Baffles for food waste disposers, systems employing such baffles, and methods of assembling, manufacturing, fabricating, or operating such baffles or baffle systems are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a baffle for implementation in connection with a waste disposer includes a rim portion, a plurality of flaps, and a plurality of living hinges, where the rim portion, living hinges, and flaps constitute a single integrally-formed structure. The respective living hinges permit the respective flaps to be rotatable about respective axes that respectively are substantially tangent to respective locations along or proximate to the rim portion, so that the respective flaps can be rotated to respective closed positions. Either the living hinges or at least one additional component tend to cause the respective flaps to remain at the respective closed positions when already at those respective positions, or to return to those respective positions when not at those respective positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2019Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Thomas R. Berger, Brian Retzke, Mile Nikolic
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Publication number: 20200286035Abstract: A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Thomas R. Berger, Joseph E. Denny, David S. Robins, LaMonte Peter Koop, Edward Allen Payne, Robert W. Twitchell
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Publication number: 20200171507Abstract: A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Applicant: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.Inventors: Thomas R. BERGER, Charles A. FARAGO, Ronnie A. WUNDERLICH, Gregory L. CLEVELAND, Alan S. ROHULICH
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Patent number: 10664792Abstract: A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2018Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Thomas R. Berger, Joseph E. Denny, David S. Robins, LaMonte Peter Koop, Edward Allen Payne, Robert W. Twitchell
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Patent number: 10486162Abstract: A food waste disposer system (300) has active noise control of food waste disposer noise that is generated by the food waste disposer (302) when a motor of the food waste disposer (302) is running. The food waste disposer (302) has a food conveying section that conveys food waste to a grinding section. The grinding section has a rotatable shredder plate that is rotated by a motor of a motor section. Active noise sound waves (310) are radiated into an area (313) where the food waste disposer noise is to be controlled at an amplitude and frequency to at least cancel or mask the food waste disposer noise.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2015Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.Inventors: Samuel Alberts, Thomas R. Berger
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Publication number: 20180293538Abstract: A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Thomas R. Berger, Joseph E. Denny, David S. Robins, LaMonte Peter Koop, Edward Allen Payne, Robert W. Twitchell
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Patent number: 9968940Abstract: A food waste disposer system has a food waste disposer and a rechargeable power source that provides power to a motor of the food waste disposer. In an aspect, the motor is a permanent magnet DC motor having a nominal no-load speed in the range of 15,000 revolutions per minute to 30,000 revolutions per minute and the motor section includes a gear reduction mechanism. In an aspect, the food waste disposer system includes a power module that communicates wirelessly with a wireless activator. In an aspect, a stopper receivable in an inlet of the food waste disposer includes or is couplable to a power source which in an aspect is a rechargeable power source and in an aspect, is disposed in a housing of the stopper. In an aspect, the stopper includes a cord for coupling the stopper to the power source which is a source of AC power.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2015Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.Inventors: Thomas Hartmann, Nicholas J. Hirsch, Thomas R. Berger, Jiming Sun
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Publication number: 20170358290Abstract: A food waste disposer system (300) has active noise control of food waste disposer noise that is generated by the food waste disposer (302) when a motor of the food waste disposer (302) is running. The food waste disposer (302) has a food conveying section that conveys food waste to a grinding section. The grinding section has a rotatable shredder plate that is rotated by a motor of a motor section. Active noise sound waves (310) are radiated into an area (313) where the food waste disposer noise is to be controlled at an amplitude and frequency to at least cancel or mask the food waste disposer noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2015Publication date: December 14, 2017Applicant: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.Inventors: Samuel ALBERTS, Thomas R. BERGER
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Publication number: 20170203987Abstract: A system and method are provided for a food loading station having a disposer that grinds food waste that is located at a facility that processes food waste. A storage tank receives a slurry of food waste and water from the disposer. A controller is connected to the disposer and in communication with a scale that senses a weight of the food waste before grinding by the disposer. A remote module is in communication with the controller, receives the sensed weight of the food waste, and calculates, based on the sensed weight, a total amount of the food waste ground by the disposer and received by the storage tank over a predetermined time period. A terminal associated with the facility and connected to the remote module receives a report that includes diverted food waste data for the predetermined time period corresponding to the total amount of food waste.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2015Publication date: July 20, 2017Inventors: Jeffrey S. MCMAHON, Matthew WHITENER, Gregory J. CHESACK, Thomas R. BERGER, Cynthia C. JARA-ALMONTE
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Publication number: 20160300183Abstract: A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2016Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Thomas R. BERGER, Joseph E. DENNY, David S. ROBINS, LaMonte Peter KOOP, Edward Allen PAYNE, Robert W. TWITCHELL
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Patent number: 9386553Abstract: A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Thomas R. Berger, Joseph E. Denny, David S. Robins, LaMonte Peter Koop, Edward Allen Payne, Robert W. Twitchell, Jr.
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Publication number: 20160053473Abstract: A food waste disposer system has a food waste disposer and a rechargeable power source that provides power to a motor of the food waste disposer. In an aspect, the motor is a permanent magnet DC motor having a nominal no-load speed in the range of 15,000 revolutions per minute to 30,000 revolutions per minute and the motor section includes a gear reduction mechanism. In an aspect, the food waste disposer system includes a power module that communicates wirelessly with a wireless activator. In an aspect, a stopper receivable in an inlet of the food waste disposer includes or is couplable to a power source which in an aspect is a rechargeable power source and in an aspect, is disposed in a housing of the stopper. In an aspect, the stopper includes a cord for coupling the stopper to the power source which is a source of AC power.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2015Publication date: February 25, 2016Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.Inventors: Thomas HARTMANN, Nicholas J. HIRSCH, Thomas R. BERGER, Jiming SUN
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Publication number: 20150251921Abstract: A food waste collector system includes a tank and a pump that recirculates water by pumping it from the tank and back into the tank, and a bacteria treatment method and system that treats the recirculating water to reduce bacteria. In an aspect, the bacteria treatment includes irradiation of recirculating water by ultraviolet light to sterilize bacteria. In an aspect, the bacteria treatment includes killing bacteria in the recirculating water with oxidizers. In an aspect, the bacteria treatment includes killing bacteria in the recirculating water with ozone. In an aspect, the food waste collector system includes an ultraviolet (UV) tube holder in which one or more UV tubes are disposed and through which the recirculating water is pumped. In an aspect, the UV tube holder has an inner wall surface with a catalytic surface coating that in conjunction with the UV light provides an oxidation process that generates the oxidizers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2015Publication date: September 10, 2015Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.Inventors: William SOBANSKI, Thomas R. BERGER