Patents Assigned to Vollrath
  • Hot-and-cold serving station
    Patent number: 9016192
    Abstract: A serving station includes a first well and a second well. The wells configured for receiving food pans. The serving station further includes an active cooling system and an active heating system. The active cooling system is configured to independently lower the temperature of either or both of the first and second wells, and the active heating system is configured to independently raise the temperature of either or both of the first and second wells. Both wells may be heated, both wells may be cooled, or one of the first and second wells may be heated while the other is cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Victor M. Frauenfeld, Peter Roever
  • Food pan having corner structure
    Patent number: 8869682
    Abstract: A food pan is configured for use with a serving station having wells within which to support the food pan. The food pan includes a bottom, a side wall, a rim, and four corner structures. The bottom has a substantially rectangular periphery. The side wall is connected to the bottom, and projects from the rectangular periphery of the bottom in an upward direction. Together, the bottom and side wall form a volume configured to support contents of the food pan. The rim is connected to the side wall on an end of the side wall opposite to the bottom, and extends from the side wall in an outward direction away from the volume formed by the side wall and the bottom. The cross-section of the rim further includes an ascending portion connected to the side wall, a top portion connected to the ascending portion, and a descending portion connected to the top portion. The ascending and descending portions are rounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David R. Tosdale, Theresa M. Mayer, Ronald J. McGettrick
  • LID DISPENSER
    Publication number: 20140263395
    Abstract: A lid dispenser for dispensing a first lid from a plurality of lids includes a housing having an opening therein through which the plurality of lids are dispensed, a door pivotally mounted and positioned frontwardly of the housing, and a claw assembly wherein the claw assembly is coupled to and movable relative to the door. The claw assembly includes a first claw including a first body portion and a first claw surface extending from the body portion, a second claw including a second body portion and a second claw surface extending from the body portion, and a depth stop plate that connects the first claw to the second claw, the depth stop plate including a depth stop spaced apart from the first claw surface and the second claw surface, wherein the depth stop plate defines and maintains the distance between the first claw and the second claw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jeffrey E. Gunderson
  • Ice cream scoops and methods of manufacturing
    Patent number: 8814554
    Abstract: An ice cream scoop includes a head configured to scoop frozen food product, a handle extending from the head to an end, the handle including an internal cavity with the end open to the internal cavity, a heat transfer fluid contained in the internal cavity and in thermal communication with the head, an end cap that closes the end of the handle, a gasket disposed between the end cap and the handle to seal the internal cavity, and a pin that secures the end cap to the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark V. LeGreve, Dake Wang, Michael Hollen
  • Induction heating and control system and method with high reliability and advanced performance features
    Patent number: 8803048
    Abstract: An induction heating and control system and method have enhanced reliability and advanced performance features for use with induction cooking devices, such as induction heating ranges. Enhanced performance is facilitated via the use of an induction heating system which integrates voltage management, power management, thermal management, digital control sensing and regulation systems, and protection systems management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Nicholas Bassill, Clifford Jameson, Dongyu Wang
  • Multiple drink lid dispenser
    Patent number: 8789723
    Abstract: A traveler has a platform which moves vertically within a carriage. By depressing one of three keys, the platform is depressed against a spring to the depth of one, two or three lids to be dispensed from a stack. With the desired key depressed, the entire carriage moves downwardly within a housing which has cams mounted to its side walls which displace spring mounted side separators which extend inwardly to separate the remainder of the stack of lids from the selected lids. The extended separators urge the selected lids past protruding pagers which support the remainder stack and prevent it from being dispensed. Once past the pagers, the selected lids are presented for one-handed removal by a user at a housing outlet. Constant force springs mounted between the carriage and the housing return the carriage to its initial position once pressure on the selected key is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey E. Gunderson
  • THREE DIMENTIONAL INDUCTION RETHERMALIZING STATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20140157998
    Abstract: A rethermalizing station includes a well defined by an exterior wall, a food pan configured to be inserted into the well and to hold a food item, a first induction coil surrounding the exterior wall of the well, the first induction coil configured to warm the food item via inductive heating of the food pan, a first temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the food pan, and a control unit coupled to the first induction coil and the first temperature sensor, the control unit configured to control the first induction coil in response to the temperature of the food pan detected by the first temperature sensor such that temperature of the food pan is maintained at a targeted temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Peter Roever, Yang Wang, John Wojcik
  • FOOD SERVICE UNIT INCLUDING RECIRCULATING VENTILATION SYSTEM AND FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20140020673
    Abstract: A food service unit for use with a cooking unit includes a food shield including an upper wall, a customer-side wall, and two lateral sidewalls, a ventilation volume defined at least in part by the food shield, a recirculating ventilation system including a filter, a fan downstream of the filter, and an exhaust vent, wherein the fan is configured to draw air from the ventilation volume through the filter and exhaust the air through the exhaust vent, a pressure sensor configured to detect a differential pressure between atmosphere and a location between the filter and the fan, a control system configured to prevent a cooking unit from operating when the detected differential pressure is outside a specified range of pressures, a fire suppression system including a nozzle and a source of fire extinguishing agent and a fire detection sensor configured to detect a fire and activate the fire suppression system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zank, John Wojcik
  • Steak weight
    Patent number: D673818
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark V. LeGreve, Jill E. Hundley
  • Food pan
    Patent number: D677972
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David R. Tosdale, Theresa M. Mayer
  • Stand for food service
    Patent number: D681372
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jill E. Hundley
  • Food pan
    Patent number: D690551
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jill E. Hundley
  • Food pan
    Patent number: D690552
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jill E. Hundley
  • Food pan
    Patent number: D690553
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company L.L.C.
    Inventors: David R. Tosdale, Theresa M. Mayer
  • Food pan
    Patent number: D691845
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David R. Tosdale, Theresa M. Mayer
  • Foodservice equipment
    Patent number: D695056
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jill E. Hundley
  • Handle for food service equipment
    Patent number: D695062
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Rebecca Schreiber-Pethan, Mark V. LeGreve
  • Foodservice equipment
    Patent number: D698596
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jill E. Hundley
  • Stand for food service
    Patent number: D703472
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company
    Inventor: Jill E. Hundley
  • Utensil
    Patent number: D708490
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark V. LeGreve, Dake Wang