Patents Examined by Anthony Weier
  • Patent number: 9215947
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a brewing apparatus for brewing by extraction from a portion capsule, having a first brewing-chamber element and a second brewing-chamber element, wherein the first brewing-chamber element can be moved between a loading position, in which the first and the second brewing-chamber elements are spaced apart from one another in order for the portion capsule to be introduced, and an extraction position, in which the first and the second brewing-chamber elements have been advanced towards one another in order to form a substantially closed brewing chamber for the portion capsule, wherein the brewing apparatus is designed such that the orientation of the portion capsule remains substantially constant as it is transferred from the loading position into the extraction position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Eugster/Frismag AG Elektrohaushaltgerate
    Inventors: Remo Sonderegger, Daniel Fischer
  • Patent number: 9218914
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of sensitising dyes of natural origin in photoelectrochemical solar cells and to the process for obtaining such vegetal extracts from fruits and vegetables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche
    Inventors: Giuseppe Calogero, Gaetano Di Marco
  • Patent number: 9204752
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the described technology, a multi-chamber cup is used to brew coffee or other (hot) drink in a brewing machine. Such a device allows one to add any coffee, but use all the features of an automated single-cup or multi-cup brewing machine. The multi-chamber cup has an inner cup, an intermediate cup, and an outer cup each having sides with circular cross-sections between a top side and bottom side, defining an inner cavity there-between, each with a lip at a top side of the respective cup, extending outwards from a respective inner cavity of each cup. This allows water to enter and flow through multiple cups (at least three) before exiting the multi-chamber cup, such that the liquid becomes homogenized with dissolved particulate solid matter to produce a flavorful, high-quality drink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Inventor: Louis Dakis
  • Patent number: 9207222
    Abstract: A method to adjust gas concentration in a fluid and a device thereof is provided. The method includes configuring a container of a second volume (VC) to receive a first volume (VL) of the fluid into the container. The second volume (VC) of the container is determined based on an initial concentration (Ci) of the first gas in the fluid, a target concentration (Cf) of the first gas in the fluid, a partition coefficient (?) of the first gas, and the first volume (VL) of the fluid for obtaining the target concentration (Cf).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Inventor: Murthy Tata
  • Patent number: 9205387
    Abstract: A carbonation device, having a container of a liquid, a body and a cartridge which contains a substance to be dispensed in the liquid, the body being adapted to be applied to an opening of the container and comprising a duct which is adapted to connect the liquid to the cartridge of the substance to be dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: SPARKLING DRINK SYSTEMS INNNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SAS (SDS-IC INTERNATIONAL)
    Inventor: Serge Joseph Bueno
  • Patent number: 9198447
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system (1) for conching edible mass, in particular cocoa containing mass, such as chocolate, cocoa liquor or compound, including a shear device, in particular a so-called taste-changer (14), in turn has a housing (16), a shaft (17) rotatably mounted in the housing (16), means (19, 20) for subjecting the edible mass to high shear stresses, means (21, 22) for spreading the edible mass after it has been subjected to high shear, and an inlet (24, 25) for supplying a gas to the spread edible mass. The system further includes a thin film evaporator (15) to treat the edible mass exiting the shear device (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Royal Duyvis Wiener B.V.
    Inventor: Jan Kruiver
  • Patent number: 9198946
    Abstract: A process for selectively removing caffeine from a caffeine-containing catechin composition, which includes dissolving the caffeine-containing catechin composition in a 9/1 to 1/9 by weight mixed solution of an organic solvent and water, and then bringing the resultant solution into contact with activated carbon alone or with activated carbon and also acid clay or activated clay; and a packaged beverage containing such a decaffeinated composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: KAO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Ogura, Susumu Ohishi, Masahiro Fukuda, Hirokazu Takahashi, Eri Itaya, Atsushi Konishi
  • Patent number: 9192588
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide zeaxanthin-enriched poultry eggs containing zeaxanthin at high concentrations. The present invention specifically relates to zeaxanthin-enriched poultry eggs obtained by feeding poultry with a poultry feedstuff containing zeaxanthin-producing bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Kawashima, Hidetada Nagai, Michihisa Ikarashi
  • Patent number: 9193081
    Abstract: A child-safe, hand, fruit corer and slicer includes: handle, a wire member having two ends and a configuration between these ends that is adapted to: (a) provide the outline of: (i) a triangular-shaped structure that has three corners and a base that is situated approximately perpendicular to the handle's centerline, and (ii) a wing-like structure that extends perpendicular to the handle's centerline from each of the corners of the base of the structure, (b) enable the triangular-shaped structure to penetrate a fruit that is to be cored and sliced, and by the at least 180 degree rotation of the handle to core out a core section of the fruit, and (c) enable this wing-like structure to penetrate and slice the fruit into two halves when the handle is moved forward along the handle's centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventor: Peter Wright
  • Patent number: 9186017
    Abstract: The brewing device for creating a coffee beverage has a brewing unit having a brewing chamber, a crema unit having a crema chamber connected to the brewing chamber by means of a coffee passage and having a valve piston for opening and/or closing the coffee passage, which valve piston can be moved in the crema chamber relative to the coffee passage, and an outlet opening. The valve piston can be moved into a plurality of different specified movement positions relative to the coffee passage, wherein different consecutive brewing processes for creating different coffee beverages can be realized, and wherein the crema unit is designed in such a way that coffee brewed during a particular brewing process can be swirled through at different intensity than a different brewing process depending on the particular specified movement position of the valve piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Jura Elektroapparate AG
    Inventor: Shahryar Reyhanloo
  • Patent number: 9185926
    Abstract: A method for producing a high-zinc-content yeast extract, including extracting the high-zinc-content yeast extract by suspending zinc-containing yeast into a solution containing a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid salt, or both thereof to thereby obtain a suspension liquid, and separating a solid component and a liquid component of the suspension liquid; the high-zinc-content yeast extract; food; and an agent for maintaining and restoring a green color of vegetables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: ORIENTAL YEAST CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rie Kodoi, Takayasu Takahashi, Osamu Oka, Hiromi Urasaki
  • Patent number: 9186018
    Abstract: A dispensing assembly (30) for a machine for the preparation of liquid products using capsules includes: an injector device (50), for introducing into a capsule (10) water and/or steam under pressure; a capsule holder (40), facing the injector device (50) and designed to receive the capsule (10); and an actuation linkage (80), for causing displacements of the capsule holder (40) between a spaced position and a close position with respect to the injector device (50). The dispensing assembly (30) further includes ejector means (70), which are designed to push the capsule (10) towards the outside of the capsule holder (40) according to the displacement of the capsule holder (40) towards its spaced position from the injector device (50). The ejector means (70) are mechanically constrained to the actuation linkage by means of a mechanical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Denis Rotta, Stefano Tornincasa, Elvio Bonisoli, Alberto Cabilli, Luca Bugnano
  • Patent number: 9180463
    Abstract: A method includes introducing at least one of a whole product or a milled product (e.g., corn) to an airflow (e.g., using a gravity hopper), directing the airflow into one or more accelerators, separating a first fraction of the at least one of the whole product or the milled product from a second fraction of the at least one of the whole product or the milled product in the one or more accelerators. For example, corn germ, starch, and bran components can be separated from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Inventor: Joseph R. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 9173416
    Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a roasted coffee bean extract suppressed in bitterness by selectively reducing the content of chlorogenic acid lactones while maintaining the content of chlorogenic acids and having taste and flavor intrinsic to the roasted coffee bean extract. The process for producing a roasted coffee bean extract includes adjusting a raw-material roasted coffee bean extract so as to have a Brix degree of from 10 to 40 and a pH of from 5.5 to 6.5, and treating the extract with heat at 100° C. or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: KAO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuji Matsui
  • Patent number: 9167843
    Abstract: A method for separating fat from beef pieces containing fat. The method includes, with an apparatus, reducing the size of beef pieces containing fat when the fat is in a brittle condition into a mixture of particles that comprise predominantly fat and particles that comprise predominantly lean; and, with an apparatus, separating the fat particles from the lean particles based on color differences or size differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 9155318
    Abstract: Described is a method of producing a beverage, including the steps of introducing a first portion of solvent into a container (11) stored with raw ingredients, the first portion of solvent having a first temperature; introducing a second portion of solvent into the container (11), the mixture of the first portion of solvent and the second portion of solvent having a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature; and grinding the raw ingredients together with the mixture of the first portion of solvent and the second portion of solvent to generate the beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Changjie Wang, Xiaoyun Kui, Qi Zhou, Donghai Yu
  • Patent number: 9155319
    Abstract: The present technology relates to compositions, assemblies, and methods for the brewing of ground coffee bean particles, where the ground coffee bean particles have been separated on the basis of size to provide a truncated Gaussian distribution of particle sizes of coffee particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventor: Daniel Perlman
  • Patent number: 9155420
    Abstract: The present invention has as an objective to provide an apparatus for brewing a beverage that provides an attractive brewing experience for the consumer, which can perform an effective and efficient brewing process, and which also can be easily rinsed to remove any spent infusible material. These objectives have been met by a beverage brewing machine having an at least one water inlet port that is arranged at an angle of less than 4 degrees relative to the wall of the brew chamber to direct water around the wall of the brew chamber. The apparatus also provides for improved agitation of infusible material. Moreover a method is provided to brew a beverage using the brewing machine of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Edward Quinn, Marco Karreman, Tjeerd Jan Pieter Gerbranda, Edwin Jeroen Muller
  • Patent number: 9154547
    Abstract: One variation of a method for brewing a cup of coffee at a coffee brewing machine includes: receiving a coffee source identifier; retrieving a recipe for a brewing coffee bean based on the coffee source identifier; initiating a brew cycle; heating water in a boiler to a target temperature specified by the recipe; metering a volume of water from the boiler into a brew chamber; heating the brew chamber to maintain the volume of water near the target temperature; according to the recipe, displaying an agitation instruction at a first time during the brew cycle; according to the recipe, triggering a first alarm to cease agitation at a second time during the brew cycle; and according to the recipe, triggering a second alarm to dispense fluid from the brew chamber at a third time during the brew cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Blossom Coffee, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Kuempel, Matthew Walliser, Matthew Leanse
  • Patent number: 9149147
    Abstract: A method for preparing a beverage from a container (1) containing beverage ingredients by centrifugation of the container in a beverage preparation device; said container (1) having: an outer wall (2) and an inner wall (3); each wall having a peripheral portion (4, 5) extending around a central axis (I) and a bottom portion (6, 7); a lid (18) covering said outer and inner walls (2, 3); and forming with said inner wall (3) an inner cavity (8) containing beverage ingredients (9), an outer collecting cavity (10) positioned between the outer and inner walls (2, 3), beverage outlets or outlet precursors (11) positioned on the peripheral portion (5) of the inner wall, wherein the method includes: supplying liquid in the inner cavity, rotating the container (1) around its central axis (I) to force liquid through beverage outlets from the inner cavity (8) to the outer cavity (10) under the effect of centrifugal pressure, maintaining an overpressure of supplied liquid in the container to enable the beverage to be
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Alexandre Perentes, Alfred Yoakim