Patents Examined by Anthony Weier
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Patent number: 10154675Abstract: The present embodiments generally relate to beverages with enhanced flavors and aromas and method of making same. Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to soluble coffee and methods of making soluble coffee with improvements in such qualities as taste and aroma.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: Starbucks CorporationInventors: Urano A. Robinson, J. Marcio Da Cruz
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Patent number: 10080382Abstract: Shown herein is a vessel having a rigid cylinder having an inside surface, an outside surface, a middle area, a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end is open. A frictional surface is located on the inside surface of the cylinder and in the middle area of the cylinder, and is capable of engaging with produce placed inside the cylinder. A first mounting surface extends from the first end of the cylinder and a first cap is removable and configured to couple with the first mounting surface on the first end. The outside surface of the cylinder is configured to engage with a hand of a user. When the produce is placed inside the cylinder and the user shakes the vessel, the produce engages the frictional surface to remove an outer surface of the produce.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2015Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: GARLICSHAKER, INC.Inventors: Matthew Ramos, Adam Wagner
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Patent number: 10080376Abstract: A process for enhancing polyphenolics content of beverages brewed from polyphenolic containing, processed beverage substrate by pre-soaking substrate (coffee beans, for example) before roasting and then quenching the substrate after processing with the liquid in which the substrate was first “pre-soaked.” Beverages produced from the treated substrate exhibit substantially increased polyphenolics content, when compared to conventionally processed beverage substrate of the same nature and processing.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2014Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignees: ONCOLOGY SCIENCES CORPORATION, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, A BODY CORPORATEInventors: Loretta Zapp, Thomas J. Slaga, Jifu Zhao, Mark Lange
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Patent number: 10077418Abstract: A system and method for carbonating a beverage is shown. The system includes a saturation tank having a gas head space of CO2, a carbonation tank, and a beverage supply system to pass the beverage between the saturation tank and the carbonation tank. A beverage supersaturated with CO2 from the head space is formed in the saturation tank. The supersaturated beverage is passed from the saturation tank to the carbonation tank. Once the amount of CO2 added to the beverage exceeds saturation, some of the CO2 escapes from solution from the beverage and the pressure in the carbonation tank increases. Once the pressure within the carbonation tank reaches a pre-defined pressure for the desired volume CO2/volume beverage, a pump supplying the beverage to the saturation tank is shut-off and the inlet and outlet valves of the carbonation tank are closed.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2016Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of ArkansasInventor: Gregory Scott Osborn
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Patent number: 10064422Abstract: A process is shown for reducing the alcohol content and/or the sugar content of a beverage. The process includes wetting a predetermined amount of a particulate solid material with a predetermined amount of water, and contacting the beverage with the pre-wetted solid adsorbent material. The material selectively adsorbs alcohol, sugar, or alcohol and sugar from the beverage. The process can be carried out at a small scale and does not require any sophisticated equipment.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2014Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: D'ALCANTE B.V.Inventors: Paul O'Connor, Sjoerd Daamen
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Patent number: 10051988Abstract: A beverage making machine may employ a mixing chamber to mix a beverage medium with a precursor liquid, such as carbonated water. The mixing chamber may have a precursor liquid inlet coupled to a precursor liquid supply, a beverage medium chamber to receive a beverage medium into the beverage medium chamber, and a dispense outlet from which beverage medium and precursor liquid are dispensed, e.g., into a user's cup. The beverage medium chamber may include a chamber inlet coupled to the precursor liquid inlet, e.g., so precursor liquid can enter the chamber when a pressure is low in the beverage medium chamber, and a chamber outlet downstream of the chamber inlet that is coupled to the dispense outlet, e.g., so that beverage medium can exit the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Bedford Systems LLCInventors: Jeremy B. Gordon, Charles Evan O'Neill, Miles Hember, Trevor Beckett, Thomas Paul Dutremble, Gwynn Masada
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Patent number: 10034486Abstract: Shown is a method of making a coffee concentrate, and a coffee concentrate obtainable by the method. The method involves primary and secondary extraction, with split tapping of the primary extract into a first and second primary draw off. The extraction is conducted under such conditions as to satisfy a minimum mass transfer Fourier number, and a minimum ratio of the extraction yield of the first primary draw-off to the extraction yield obtained in all extraction sections.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.Inventors: Joannes Hubertus Petrus Maria Smits, Cornelis Hendricus de Vos, Ghanshijam Bhansing
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Patent number: 10031533Abstract: A drinking water supply device may include a first channel configured to channel water, the first channel provided with a first valve, a flow rate sensor configured to sense a flow rate of the water, a water discharge channel connected to the rear end of the first channel, a connection pipe connecting the first channel and the water discharge channel, a second channel configured to supply minerals to the connection pipe, the second channel provided with a pressure sensor and a second valve, a mineral container configured to connect to the connection pipe via the second channel and configured to store condensed minerals, a pump configured to pressurize an interior of the mineral container to allow discharge of the condensed minerals from the mineral container, and a controller configured to control the flow rate sensor, the pressure sensor, and the first valve.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2015Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Changhun Jeong, Youngjin Kim, Sangduck Lee
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Patent number: 10028615Abstract: Shown herein are methods and systems for brewing coffee. In one example, a method of brewing coffee includes delivering a predetermined amount of water from a reservoir to a heater, heating the predetermined amount of water with the heater to form heated water, delivering the predetermined amount of the heated water from the heater to a brew basket containing ground coffee, and soaking the ground coffee with the predetermined amount of the heated water for a predetermined period of time to enable the heated water delivered to the brew basket to presoak the ground coffee contained in brew basket prior delivering a remaining amount of water from to the quantity of water to the brew basket to complete the brewing cycle.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLCInventors: Joshua Anthony, Justin Riley, Darwin Keith-Lucas
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Patent number: 10022020Abstract: The present invention relates to a food processing device, for example but not exclusively, a gripper, a conveying hook, or a collection cup (1), having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics: —a roughness value Ra, 0.2?Ra?1.2 (?m), and —a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm). It has been found that with devices treated in this manner, the application of vision technology is appreciably improved, so that much more reliable images are obtained. An example of this concerns observing yolk in albumen upon the breaking of eggs in egg breakers. Further, a particularly advantageous combination of usefulness is obtained, in this case for vision and cleanability.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2012Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: MOBA GROUP B.V.Inventors: Eddy Alfred Herre Van Der Goot, Rudolf Johan Veeneman
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Patent number: 10022011Abstract: A beverage preparation machine of the type which uses pre-packaged containers of beverage ingredients includes a cartridge recognition device for determining the type of beverage to be prepared from a cartridge inserted into the machine and a variable geometry valve located downstream of a cartridge when inserted in the machine. The valve enables preparation of beverages at a range of pressures by having at least an open position and at least one restricted flow position, and a controller for selecting an initial valve position and controlling the subsequent operation of the valve according to the determination of the type of beverage to be prepared by the cartridge recognition device.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.Inventors: Mark Norton, Andrew Halliday
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Patent number: 10023828Abstract: A method of decarbonating fermented liquids in-line may include directing a carbonated malt-based liquid through a nozzle, and directing the carbonated malt-based liquid from the nozzle into a space maintained at a partial vacuum pressure. The method may further include maintaining the carbonated malt-based beverage in the space until substantially all of the carbon dioxide dissolved within the carbonated malt-based beverage has been removed to provide a non-carbonated liquid, and removing the non-carbonated liquid from the space at substantially the same rate that the carbonated malt-based liquid is directed into the space.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Anheuser-Busch, LLCInventors: Jerome Pellaud, Patrick O'Riordan, Neeraj Sharma, Frank Z. Hellwig, Wilfried Lossignol, Aaron Penn
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Patent number: 10021904Abstract: A food processing system includes a slicer configured to slice a food item so the food item has at least one gap present between slices in the food item during slicing of the food item, and an infuser coupled with the slicer and including a reservoir containing an infusion ingredient, the infuser configured to deposit a portion of the infusion ingredient into the at least one gap during slicing. The infuser may be positioned to infuse the infusion ingredient between surfaces formed by a spiral cut in the food item during slicing. A peeler configured to peel the food item may be included. A corer configured to core the food item may also be included.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2015Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Inventor: Raymond Fikes
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Patent number: 10021890Abstract: The invention relates to a process for treating animal skim milk and sweet whey and/or acid whey, having: (a) ultrafiltration (UF1) of a first liquid composition including animal skim milk with 70-90 wt % casein and 10-30 wt % whey proteins, based on total protein, over a first ultrafiltration membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of 2.5-25 kDa using a volume concentration factor of 1.5-6 to obtain a retentate (UFR1) and a permeate (UFP1); (b) ultrafiltration (UF2) of a second liquid composition including sweet whey and/or acid whey over a second ultrafiltration membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of 2.5-25 kDa using a volume concentration factor of 2-15 to obtain a retentate (UFR2) and a permeate (UFP2); and (c) mixing the UF retentate originating from step (a) with the UF retentate originating from step (b) to obtain a mixture of UF retentates.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2014Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: N.V. NutriciaInventors: John Tobin, Jitti Chiaranaipanich, Rudolph Eduardus Maria Verdurmen, Antonius Hendricus Janssen, Olivier Bertrand Rabartin, Raoul Charles Johan Moonen, Martijn Johannes Van Der Hoeven
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Patent number: 10010106Abstract: A method and apparatus for causing attrition to an outer surface of a food product to provide a removed portion of the food product and a remainder of the food product. In a first aspect, an abrasive stream contacts the outer surface of the food product, thereby separating at least a portion of the outer surface of the food product from the remainder of the food product to provide the removed portion of the food product. In a second aspect, the apparatus includes a product positioner to position the food product in an attrition zone and a nozzle for discharging the abrasive stream into contact with the food product in the attrition zone. The abrasive stream can be food grade and can include a food grade fluid and a food grade abrasive, for example, air and salt, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2015Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.Inventors: Wilfred Marcellien Bourg, Jr., Stephen Graham, Richard James Ruegg
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Patent number: 10005816Abstract: Described herein is a peptide with an amino acid sequence comprising a Leu-Leu moiety. Also described is a composition having a mixture of such peptides, and foods and beverages containing such compositions including, for example, roast and ground coffee, coffee brew, coffee creamer, and tea. The addition of one or more of these peptide(s) to coffee brews made from instant coffee, liquid coffee concentrate, or decaf coffee demonstrates that these peptides improve the taste profile of such coffee brews.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2014Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANYInventors: Jessalin Anise Howell, James Cody Hanreck
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Patent number: 10004351Abstract: A hot water dispenser adapter device includes a housing unit, a lid, a hinge mechanism for connecting the housing unit with the lid, an adapter, a hot water dispenser nozzle, and a nozzle latch pivotally connected to a pair of pivot pins on the adapter through a pair of pivot pin holes in the nozzle latch, wherein the nozzle latch in a closed position secures the hot water dispenser nozzle to the adapter, and wherein the nozzle latch in an open position releases the hot water dispenser nozzle from the adapter.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2017Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Inventor: Allan Erhart
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Patent number: 10004353Abstract: A capsule for use in a brewing device is provided, the capsule having a body part, which defines a cavity, a lid which is attached to the body part and which closes the cavity, the lid having lines of weakness which define an opening region having an area of from 75 mm2 to 300 mm2; and tea material enclosed within the cavity, wherein at least 75% by weight of the tea material particles have a size of from 2 to 10 mm. A method of preparing a tea-based beverage in a brewing device using the capsule is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2014Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: CONOPCO, INC.Inventors: David Murray Cross, Michael Paton, Cristian Simion Popa, Alistair David Smith, Terence John Wilby
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Patent number: 10004354Abstract: A coffee making appliance includes a housing having a base for supporting a container configured to receive brewed coffee, a reservoir for receiving water to be heated, a hopper configured to receive a quantity of whole coffee beans, the hopper having an outlet, a vertically-oriented burr grinder positioned adjacent to the outlet of said hopper, the grinder being configured to transform the whole coffee beans into coffee grounds, a filter removably received by the housing for receiving the coffee grounds from the grinder, a pump configured to supply water from the reservoir to the filter, and a driving mechanism configured to rotate the filter while the water is supplied to the filter to cause the water to pass radially through the coffee grounds to produce the brewed coffee.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2015Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: Conair CorporationInventors: Anthony Kit Lun Leung, Kam Fai Fung, Benjamin Lai
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Patent number: 10004243Abstract: A composite particle having a fluorinated surface and a discontinuous layer of gold nanoparticles disposed on the fluorinated surface, articles that include such particles, and methods of using the particles and the articles for removal of ethylene.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2016Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Evan Koon Lun Yuuji Hajime, Badri Veeraraghavan