Patents Examined by Joseph Pelham
  • Patent number: 7208701
    Abstract: A method of cooking food with steam in an automatic household oven comprises receiving a user inputted cooking temperature, receiving a user inputted steam level, and implementing a preprogrammed steam cooking cycle based on the user inputted cooking temperature and the user inputted steam level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Stefania Fraccon, Tamara Distaso
  • Patent number: 7208702
    Abstract: A steam cooker includes a first reservoir for receiving water, a second reservoir for receiving water, and a heating element. The water in the second reservoir is in fluid communication with the water in the first reservoir. The heating element is positioned proximate to the first reservoir and remote to the second reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Goodway Electrical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lung Wai Choi
  • Patent number: 7205508
    Abstract: A showcase including an electric heater in a rack. The rack can be inexpensively constituted to be light in weight, and processing of an electric heater leader line can be facilitated. The showcase includes the electric heater in the rack for displaying commercial goods. The rack includes a metal main body and edge members made of resins. The edge members are mounted to front and rear parts of the main body. An insertion hole for mounting a partition member to partition the rack is formed in the edge member. An insertion hole for mounting a guard to prevent falling of the commercial goods is formed in the edge member mounted to a front edge of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sakanoue, Kouji Hayase, Kazuo Tetsukawa
  • Patent number: 7202448
    Abstract: A heating muffle for a muffle kiln for the production of a dental ceramic product containing titanium, which comprises a hollow unit, which is provided with at least one opening for the uptake of the ceramic product and has completely heatable inner walls, an which can form together with a pedestal a firing chamber in which the ceramic product is heated by the inner walls, wherein the hollow unit comprises at least one spirally bent tube containing a heat conductor for a uniform heat transfer to the product and in order to avoid temperature gradients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: DENTSPLY International Inc.
    Inventor: Wigbert Hauner
  • Patent number: 7202447
    Abstract: A conveyor type oven (10) for processing food products (32) and a method of use that includes heating sections and/or zones, each of the heating sections/and or zones being individually temperature controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Inventors: Charles J. Kingdon, Christopher J. Adelmann, Abel Anthony Arellano, Joe Louis Gallardo
  • Patent number: 7199334
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating and transferring a workpiece to a forming press for superplastic forming. The apparatus includes a heater assembly, having upper and lower heated platens, mounted to a frame. The heater assembly heats the workpiece to a predetermined temperature. A shuttle assembly operates to remove the heated workpiece from the heater assembly and transfer it to the forming press for forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC.
    Inventors: Peter Friedman, Richard Allor, George Luckey, Jr., Warren Copple
  • Patent number: 7199332
    Abstract: Within a fixing roller (231) are disposed a main heater lamp (234a) for heating a central portion of the fixing roller and a sub-heater lamp (235a) for heating opposite end portions of the fixing roller. MRnh, SRnh and ?Rnh satisfy the formula (1) or (2): ?Rnh?30.5·Ln(Ht)+382??formula (1) MRnh??21.9·Ln(Ht)?198,??formula (2) where MRnh is a mean value of heat distribution in a no-heat generating section of the main heater lamp; SRnh is a mean value of heat distribution in the a no-heat generating section of the sub-heater lamp; ?Rnh is the sum total of these mean values; and Ht=vp/(Mh·?) where vp is a fixing speed (m/s), Mh a heat capacity per unit length of the heating member (J/(° C.·m)) and ? a heat conductivity of a material forming the heating member (W/(m·° C.)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kagawa, Hiroshi Kida, Takashi Yamanaka, Tetsunori Mitsuoka
  • Patent number: 7196293
    Abstract: An electric adapter for providing output power to an accessory includes an adapter housing having a projection configured for insertion into a DC power accessory port, the projection carrying an electrical input conductor, a power outlet cord extending from the housing, a manually operable power switch mounted on the housing, the switch operable to electrically connect the electrical input conductor to the power outlet cord, and a timer circuit contained within the housing and configured to electrically disconnect the input conductor from the power outlet cord after a predetermined cycle time period, without removing the projection from the DC power accessory port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: The First Years Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Britto
  • Patent number: 7196292
    Abstract: A method for controlling a cooking process in the cooking chamber of a cooking device according to the point of condensation inside the cooking device includes introducing at least one cooking item and at least one accessory such as a gastronomic container, a plate, tin plate, a support, a suspended ladder, a kiln tray and/or kiln tray cart and/or at least one reference body into the cooking chamber; at least partially determining during the cooking process at least one climate parameter, especially one relating to temperature and moisture, in the cooking area, or on the cooking item, or on the accessory or on the reference body; determining the actual extent by which the point of condensation is exceeded or is not achieved on the cooking item, accessory and/or reference body; and adapting the climate parameter in the cooking chamber during the cooking process according to the extent by which the point of condensation is exceeded or not achieved such that the climate inside the cooking chamber, especially the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Rational AG
    Inventors: Judith Imgram, Andrea Jürgens, Katharina Wallenwein, Thomas Garner, Michael Greiner, Jürgen Klasmeier, Thomas Schreiner
  • Patent number: 7196291
    Abstract: An improved food oven apparatus and related methods for preparing food utilizing digitally controlled heating elements and a smoker unit. User-operable controls in communication with a digital controller allow for independent control of the heating elements and the smoker unit. One or more electric fans can be provided for reducing condensation from forming within a control unit of the food oven. A heating element connection assembly can also be provided for reducing stress exerted on the heating elements caused by the repeated expansion and contraction of the compartment. The food oven can also be provided with an air cleaning apparatus configured to perform a multi-stage cleaning process, thereby eliminating the need for a separate fixed hood system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Inventor: Herman Cothran
  • Patent number: 7196286
    Abstract: A heating device of the invention comprises a heater, a main power supply, and an auxiliary power supply. The heater includes a main heating element which generates heat with power supplied from the main power supply, and an auxiliary heating element which has a resistance different from a resistance of the main heating element and generates heat with power supplied from the auxiliary power supply. The auxiliary power supply is provided to supply to the auxiliary heating element a current that is different from a current supplied from the main power supply to the main heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhito Kishi, Susumu Matsusaka, Takashi Fujita, Eriko Konno
  • Patent number: 7193185
    Abstract: A cooking device includes a main oven, a controller for controlling the main oven, a mini-oven, and a control for controlling the mini-oven, wherein the control is in communication with the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Fisher
  • Patent number: 7193184
    Abstract: An oven for providing radiant and impingement heat to a food item. The oven includes a fan mechanism for drawing air around the radiant heat elements of the oven. The air is then delivered to an impingement tray located adjacent the food item. The air is forced through a series of apertures and onto the food item. At the same time the oven is also being heated by the radiant heat elements. This allows greater heat to be applied to specific locations on the food item. An external heat source is not required to heat the air as the air is heated by the existing radiant heat elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventor: Michael Manning
  • Patent number: 7193180
    Abstract: A resistive heater adapted for heating a fuser belt is provided. The heater comprises a substrate, a first resistive trace formed over the substrate, and a second resistive trace formed so as to at least partially overlap the first resistive trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: William Paul Cook, Steven Jeffrey Harris, John William Kietzman, Gregory Hardin McClure, Mark Kevin DeMoor, Jerry W. Smith
  • Patent number: 7193181
    Abstract: The image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a heater having a substrate and first and second heat generating resistors, most of the region of said first heat generating resistor having smaller resistance value per unit length toward an end in the longitudinal direction of said substrate, and most of the region of said second heat generating resistor having larger resistance value per unit length toward the end part; wherein a safety element can control electrical power supply to said first heat generating resistor and electrical power supply to said second heat generating resistor individually, and operates in response to the heat of said heater to cut off electrical power supply to said first and second heat generating resistors; and wherein only said second heat generating resistor in said first and second heat generating resistors has a high resistance part high resistance part corresponding to said safety element in a part in the longitudinal direction thereof;
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Makihira, Hiroshi Takami, Hiroaki Sakai, Akira Kato, Atsushi Iwasaki, Yasunari Kobaru, Masaru Tsukada
  • Patent number: 7189945
    Abstract: A toaster for heating foodstuffs includes a chassis having a cavity therein and having at least one chassis opening for accessing the cavity. A door is movable with respect to the chassis between a closed position in which the door substantially covers the chassis opening, and an open position in which the cavity is accessible through the chassis opening. A carriage with at least one slot is movable between a first position disposed completely within the cavity and a second position extending at least partially from the cavity through the chassis opening. The toaster has a heating configuration in which the carriage is in the first position and the door is in the closed position to confine the foodstuff being heated and create a generally enclosed chamber within the cavity in which heat and moisture loss is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex, Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Starr, Nhiem V. Nguyen, Terry L. Myers, Paul M. Blankenship, Adam D. Steinman
  • Patent number: 7183520
    Abstract: An oven that is capable of minimizing heat transfer between adjacent cooking spaces along the wall of a cooking chamber. The oven includes an oven body having a cooking chamber, a partition to partition the cooking chamber into a plurality of cooking spaces, and insulating grooves formed at a wall of the cooking chamber to minimize heat transfer between the cooking spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Guen Yong Park
  • Patent number: 7183521
    Abstract: An oven having a cooking cavity and a removable rack structure has a rack sensor in the oven. The sensor provides an indication of an absence or presence of the structure and an oven control permits oven cleaning in response to the indication of the absence of the structure or prevents oven cleaning in response to the indication of the presence of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Fisher
  • Patent number: 7180035
    Abstract: A steam generator 40? provided in a substrate processing apparatus includes a tank 301 having a hollow cylindrical member 302 formed of a composite of PTFE and PFA and a pair of side wall plates 303 connected to the opposite ends of the cylindrical member 302. The tank 301 is surrounded by a shell 305 of an aluminum alloy to prevent deformation of the tank due to internal pressure of the tank. A heater 308 is attached to the outer surfaces of the plate members 307 of the shell 305. The shell 305 restrains the tank 301 and compresses elastic sealing members 305 to sealingly engage the cylindrical member 302 and the side wall plate 303 with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norihiro Ito, Hiroaki Kawaguchi, Yasuhiro Chouno
  • Patent number: RE39566
    Abstract: Some of the blind holes (6) between indentations (4) of a heating surface (3) contain lifting elements (7) which, after opening of a cover, release a microtitre plate (13) from the heating surface (3) and raise said microtitre plate about 2 to 3 mm, so that it can be removed without application of force. Each lifting element (7) consists of a coil spring (8) and a contact pin (9) made of, for example, PEEK which is inserted into said coil spring and presses with a round flat abutting surface (12) against the lower surface of the microtitre plate (13). The spring constant of the lifting element (7) is about 6 N/mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Applera Corporation
    Inventors: Donat Elsener, Werner Ryser, Daniel Ryser