Patents Examined by Brett Spurlock
  • Patent number: 8079303
    Abstract: An improved lid (1) for covering containers for cooking foods (2), includes elements for cooling vapor (3) placed outside and above the lid (1), and support elements (4) for the vapor cooling elements (3). The lid has an extension in the thickness direction so as to provide a plurality of channels (11) through the lid. The channels (11) define a passage path for the vapor coming from the container (2) for cooking the foods outward, causing an acceleration of the vapor, the accelerated vapor contacting through the channels (11) a lower surface (31) of the vapor cooling elements, condensing and flowing again, at a liquid phase, inside the cooking container (2) through the plurality of channels (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Opinion Leaders S.r.l.
    Inventors: Daniela Cioeta, Lorena Vecchini
  • Patent number: 8030593
    Abstract: A laser welding apparatus and method for easily adjusting a laser focusing position according to a distance from a laser irradiating device to a laser irradiating point on a work piece, or a welding point. A post-collimation laser diameter is measured when the laser emitting end has an optimal laser diameter on the work piece with respect to the distance from the laser processing head to the work piece. Corresponding data is stored with the above distance and the post-collimation laser diameter corresponding to each other. During welding, a diameter of the laser beam passing through a collimate lens is measured by a laser diameter measuring device. The post-collimation laser diameter is adjusted to be an optimal value according to the corresponding data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 7992490
    Abstract: A by-pass control system for a meat injection system has a variable speed pump that transports fluid to a meat injection machine. Excess fluid is transported to a by-pass control valve. The valve has a moveable piston disposed therein that separates the valve into a fluid chamber and an air chamber. The piston moves back and forth based on the relationship between fluid pressure and air pressure. Sensors are disposed within or through the lid or the valve to sense the position of the piston. A controller is connected to the sensors and the variable speed pump and adjusts the speed of the pump based on the position of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Stork Townsend Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Pfeffer, Michael S. Simpson, Craig A. Smiens
  • Patent number: 7987770
    Abstract: A pitcher includes a container body defining a liquid storage cavity therein and having an open end and a cover removably coupled to the container body. The cover extends along the open end, and the cover defining a fill opening configured to receive a liquid therein. The fill opening is in communication with the liquid storage cavity. The pitcher also includes a lid assembly having a lid closing access to the fill opening. A slide mechanism is coupled to the lid, and the slide mechanism is slidably coupled to the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James M. Klump, Daniel Ryan Capelle, Norman J. Boulard, Jay Andrew Broniak, John Steven Holmes
  • Patent number: 7980168
    Abstract: A process for making a hot beverage, such as coffee or tea, includes placing ground coffee or tea into a filter, inserting the filter into a filter basket to support the filter with respect to a reservoir that is to receive a brewed beverage; introducing water into the filter; and repeatedly deforming the filter to alter its shape as water passes through the filter and ground coffee or tea en route to the reservoir. A device for making a hot beverage includes a drive and a filter basket. The filter basket defines a filter basket chamber for receiving an associated filter. The filter basket includes a movable component operably connected to the drive and movable for deforming the associated filter. The movable component is operable between a first operating position where the filter chamber has a first dimension and a second operating position where the filter chamber has a second dimension that is smaller than the first dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Inventor: Scott D. Maurer
  • Patent number: 7980171
    Abstract: A cooking or food warming appliance having a heated heat sink plate situated in a vacuum environment within an outer shell. A food vessel intimately engages the heat sink plate along a food contacting surface thereof by virtue of the vacuum. The vacuum eliminates air gaps between the food contacting surface of the food vessel and the heat sink plate so as to provide instantaneous and uniform heating of the food vessel. The vacuum environment also provides thermal insulation for the heat sink plate whereby heat loss by convection is virtually eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: All-Clad Metalcrafters LLC
    Inventor: William A. Groll
  • Patent number: 7958817
    Abstract: One embodiment of a food heating device includes a platen (101) and an opening (103) disposed in the platen (101). The opening (103) is arranged and sized to receive a food product (203) from a first side of the platen (101) and to output the food product (203) to a second side of the platen (101). Alternative embodiments involve diagonally guiding a food product (203) along a different arrangements of platens (801, 901, 1001, 1101, 1401).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Prince Castle LLC
    Inventors: Terry Tae-Il Chung, Loren Veltrop, Brian Hee-Eun Lee, Donald Van Erden, Christopher B. Lyons
  • Patent number: 7954423
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for determining crystallization solidification curves of a chocolate mass (6) includes a removal location (37), a measurement chamber (9) and a melting chamber (21). The removal location (37) serves to remove a liquid sample (38) of chocolate mass (6) from a flow of liquid chocolate mass (6). The measurement chamber (9) is connected to the removal location (37) such that the liquid sample (38) of chocolate mass (6) enters the measurement chamber (9). The measurement chamber (9) includes a temperature sensor (16) serving to sense the temperature of the sample (38) of chocolate mass (6) contained in the measurement chamber (9). The measurement chamber (9) includes a cooled wall serving for solidification of the liquid sample (38) of chocolate mass (6) contained in the measurement chamber (9). The measurement chamber (9) includes a movable piston (14; 41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Sollich KG
    Inventor: Thomas Sollich
  • Patent number: 7946220
    Abstract: A method for regulating a cooking process of a cooking product in an oven of a steamer, during which the moisture in the oven coming from the cooking product is at least periodically determined over time by a moisture sensor. During a measuring phase there is no introduction of steam into the steam oven and the moisture sensor is evaluated. For a given cooking process with fixed times for the supply of steam, on the basis of the moisture sensor evaluation during the measuring phase, the end of cooking is determined. Prior to the measuring phase and during a steam phase, steam is introduced into the oven, the steam supply being terminated following the steam phase and prior to the measuring phase during a ventilating phase. During the ventilating phase the steam concentration in the oven is greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Lutz Ose, Michael Riffel, Wilfried Schilling, Konrad Schoenemann
  • Patent number: 7934449
    Abstract: A food tray assembly includes a serving platter and a receptacle platter. The serving platter has a central aperture extending there through and a serving area defined between the central aperture and a perimeter thereof. The receptacle platter has a bottom and a peripheral wall extending from the bottom at a perimeter thereof. The serving platter and the receptacle platter are releasably coupled to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Edison Nation, LLC
    Inventors: Brent W. Anderson, Daniel Lee Bizzell, Russ Stanziale, Ian D. Kovacevich, Louis J. Foreman
  • Patent number: 7870821
    Abstract: Provided is a coffee maker having a structure for preventing water from leaking while a water storage container is unloaded, and a microwave oven having the same. The coffee maker includes: a water storage container storing water for extracting coffee and having a drainage hole formed at one sided portion thereof; a tube guiding water drained through the drainage hole of the water storage container so as to extract coffee; and a connection unit having a first connector of which one end is connected to the water storage container, and a second connector of which one end is connected to the tube and the other end is separatably connected to the first connector. The connection unit communicates the water storage container with the tube and prevents water from leaking from at least one of the water storage container and the tube when the first connector and the second connector are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Ju Kwon, Dae Sik Kim, Man Su Park, Wang Lim Lee, Wan Je Cho
  • Patent number: 7838798
    Abstract: A collar iron buck on which the collar of a shift is mounted while being extended in a lateral direction and a press iron for press finishing the collar while pressing against the upper surface of the collar iron buck includes surface corresponding to the central part of the collar in its longitudinal direction that is notched in inverse triangular-shape as seen from a front elevational view. The right and left portions of the supper surface are communicated with the upper surface corresponding to the central part of the collar and corresponding to both ends of the collar in its longitudinal direction are formed into two horizontal plates. First resilient members support the right and left horizontal plates with a resilient pressure selected to be larger than the resilient pressure of second resilient members supporting the inverse triangular-shaped upper surface of the collar iron buck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sankousha Engineering Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Mitsuyuki Uchikoshi
  • Patent number: 7658141
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a closed cartridge (10), for extraction under pressure, comprising a dish (12) with a bottom (13) with a central part and a peripheral part and a side wall having substantially the shape of a frustum of a cone and a circular edge with a diameter greater at the bottom and a cover (15) welded to the periphery of the edge of the dish and the cover is intended to be torn only through the effect of the force of the extraction fluid when extraction starts, the said cartridge comprising, in the dish at the level of the bottom, a means (16) guaranteeing retention of the solid substance when it is opened, in which the means guaranteeing retention of solid substance is a sheet of fabric sealed in the bottom of the dish in two zones, on the one hand in the central part (17) and on the other hand in the peripheral part (18) of the said bottom (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Petr Masek, Alain Riesterer