Patents Assigned to Premark FEG L.L.C.
  • Power bowl lift, motor mount and tensioner for mixing machine
    Patent number: 7014354
    Abstract: A mixing machine includes a power bowl lift mechanism that operates independent of a drive motor for mixing operations, and may be formed by a linear actuator. A pivoting motor mount assembly can be used in conjunction with a portable tensioning tool for tensioning a drive belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Donthnier, Richard Dwight Valentine, Janice J. Schnipke, Brian A. Brunswick, Brian E. Bader
  • Power driven food machine and related multi-action switch assembly
    Patent number: 6998557
    Abstract: A power driven machine such as a food product slicer, band saw apparatus or food mixer, includes a multi-action switch assembly with first and second switch units and a switch actuator for selectively actuating the first and second switch units in a manner to trigger certain control functions of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Douglas J. McGuffin-Noll
  • Mixer with pivotable bowl
    Patent number: 6991363
    Abstract: A pivotable mixer bowl including a bowl body for receiving material to be mixed, a first mounting bracket coupled to and extending from an outer surface of the bowl body and having an opening therein, and a second mounting bracket coupled to and extending from the outer surface and having an opening therein. The second mounting bracket is vertically spaced from the first mounting bracket. The opening of the second mounting bracket is generally aligned with the opening of the first mounting bracket to define a pivot axis of the mixer bowl. The mixer bowl further includes a locking bracket coupled to and extending from an outer surface of the bowl body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Brian A. Brunswick, Joseph C. Huang, Brian E. Bader
  • Food product scale with customer voice prompting and related methods
    Patent number: 6982388
    Abstract: A food product scale system includes a customer detecting functionality and a voice functionality for outputting one or more audible voice messages when a customer is detected. When a customer is at a first distance from a weighing station of the scale a customer attracting message may be output and when the customer is at a second, closer distance from the weighing station an instruction message may be output. Other electronic devices may utilize a similar staged message feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Harvey A. Kasinoff
  • Mixer with pivotable bowl
    Patent number: 6966691
    Abstract: A mixer system including a bowl for receiving a material to be mixed, a mixer body having a rotatable output component, and a hinge. The bowl is pivotable about the hinge relative to the mixer body such the bowl can be pivoted between a loading/unloading position and a closed position relative the mixer body. The mixer system further includes a locking mechanism located at least partially on one of the bowl or the mixer body, the locking mechanism being normally biased into a locking position. At least a portion the bowl or the mixer body interacts with the locking mechanism to move the locking mechanism toward the release position to allow the bowl to move to the closed position, the locking mechanism being movable back toward the locking position when the bowl is in the closed position to retain the bowl in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Brian A. Brunswick, Joseph C. Huang, Brian E. Bader, John C. Baron
  • Arm construction for warewash machine and method of manufacturing
    Patent number: 6964090
    Abstract: A warewash machine arm includes a body formed of a single piece of sheet metal. Adjacent edge parts of the formed sheet metal mat be sealed, such as by a seam weld, an epoxy or another sealing technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Mathieu, Brian J. Bowers, David L. Fischer
  • Mixing machine with accessible internal control unit
    Patent number: 6953278
    Abstract: A mixing machine includes portions of a control system formed as a unit that is mounted within the machine for movement between an operating position internal of the machine and a service position in which at least part of the unit extends through an opening in the machine for access thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ellis Gale Short, Brian E. Bader, Joseph C. Huang, James K. Miller
  • Food cooking oven
    Publication number: 20050188982
    Abstract: The invention relates to a food cooking oven comprising a chamber, a turbine which is used to agitate the atmosphere in the chamber and a heating device which is disposed at the centre of the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Applicant: PREMARK FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert Bujeau, Michel Foray
  • Belt tensioning device
    Patent number: 6935216
    Abstract: A belt tensioning device for shifting a pulley such that a belt passed around the pulley is tightened to a predetermined tension. The device includes a rod coupled to the pulley, a member coupled to and movable along the rod, and a spring that exerts a reactive force against the member when the member is moved in a first direction along the rod. The device further includes a spacer which engages the member to limit the advancement of the member in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Gongpu Yan, Anthony L. DeBrosse
  • Systems and methods for controlling warewasher wash cycle duration, detecting water levels and priming warewasher chemical feed lines
    Patent number: 6918398
    Abstract: A system and method of selectively extending a wash cycle duration of a warewasher beyond a set minimum duration provides suitable cleaning of wares while at the same time seeking to increase the number of wash cycles per unit time. A system and method for detecting water level in a wash chamber or other tank provides the ability to identify a progressively fouling electrode. A system and method of automatically priming one or more chemical feed lines of a warewasher is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: David Charles Edelmann, Richard W. Cartwright, Gary V. Hoying
  • Attachment mechanism
    Patent number: 6908222
    Abstract: A mixing element for attachment to an output shaft of a mixer, the mixing element including a body having a mixing portion and a collar portion having an opening formed therein, the opening being shaped and located to receive the output shaft of a mixer therein. The mixing element further includes a retainer coupled to the body, the retainer being movable between an engaged position wherein at least part of the retainer protrudes into the opening and a disengaged position wherein the retainer does not protrude into the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Brian A. Brunswick, Janice J. Schnipke, Thomas S. Donthnier, Lilian Chen, Gongpu Yan
  • Dough proofing apparatus and related methods
    Patent number: 6894252
    Abstract: A dough proofing cabinet includes a chamber having a chamber panel with a plurality of openings distributed thereon. A heating element may be located to the backside of the chamber panel, or elsewhere outside of the chamber. Operation of a blower causes air flow through the chamber panel openings, past the heating element and back to the chamber along at least one air flow path. In one example both upper and lower air flow paths are provided. An intermediate panel with one or more openings may be provided adjacent the chamber panel to create an area that receives air passing through the wall openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Hans Paller, Michael Bock
  • Rack oven and associated rack carrier
    Patent number: 6883513
    Abstract: A rack oven includes a rack carrier with a main body ant at least one side support connected to the main body for movement between a rack holding position and a rack transfer position. The main body and side support form a rack receiving channel. The side support may be biased into one of the rack holding and the rack transfer positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Michael Bock
  • Scale for weighing and determining a price of an item
    Patent number: 6884946
    Abstract: A scale for weighing an item and determining a price for the item includes a weighing station for receiving the item, the weighing station producing at least one weight indicative signal. A scale controller receives the weight indicative signal and determines the price for the item based upon the weight indicative signal. A remote interface link includes associated communication software. A web server associated with the controller serves user interface web page data to the remote interface link for transfer to a remotely located device. Advanced functions such as a monitoring function and service functions may be enabled by remote connection to the scale via the remote interface link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: David Scott Miller, Joe Howard Crew, Clare Cecelia Dickey, Lawrence A. Pevoar, Harry Winn Collins
  • Power bowl lift, motor mount and tensioner for mixing machine
    Patent number: 6883959
    Abstract: A mixing machine includes a power bowl lift mechanism that operates independent of a drive motor for mixing operations, and may be formed by a linear actuator. A pivoting motor mount assembly can be used in conjunction with a portable tensioning tool for tensioning a drive belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Donthnier, Richard Dwight Valentine, Janice J. Schnipke, Brian A. Brunswick, Brian E. Bader
  • Bowl scraper and related attachment system for mixing machine
    Patent number: 6866413
    Abstract: A bowl scraper is configured for attachment to a rotatable mixing machine support such that forces exerted on the bowl scraper during scraping operations hold the bowl scraper in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Donthnier, Janice J. Schnipke
  • Convection oven and related cooking air flow system
    Patent number: 6854457
    Abstract: A rack oven includes a cooking air flow path that, in one embodiment, is generally horizontal and/or that flows along an axial length of a plurality of heat exchange tubes. Air flow may be driven by a plurality of vertically spaced axial fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jiri Rabas, Paula Schmitz, Nigel Mills
  • Package wrapping machine with automatic package positioning prior to wrapping
    Patent number: 6851250
    Abstract: A method for conveying a package to a wrap station of a package wrapping machine involves the steps of providing a conveying system for moving the package to the wrap station, the conveying system being selectively adjustable for varying a lateral position of a package; sensing a lateral position of the package as it travels along the conveying system; comparing the sensed lateral position of the package with a desired lateral position of the package; and based upon the comparison, adjusting the conveying system to place the package in the desired lateral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Michael A. Whitby, Lee E. Trouteaud
  • Slicer carriage tracking arrangement
    Patent number: 6845697
    Abstract: A system and method for tracking and controlling the food product carriage of a food product slicer is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mark Kovacs
  • Oven heat exchanger and floor construction
    Patent number: 6837234
    Abstract: An oven construction includes a heat exchanger with substantially vertically arrange heat exchange tubes and an anchor-free and adjustable floor construction for the baking chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jiri Rabas, Hans Paller