Patents Examined by L. Alexander
  • Patent number: 10231573
    Abstract: A beverage preparation machine (1) comprises a user-interface (10, 10?, 20, 30, 40, 50) that has: a generally peripheral illuminatable arrangement (11, 11?, 21, 31, 41, 51) formed of illuminatable parts (11A-11F, 11A?-11H?, 21A-21G, 31A-31F, 41A-41B, 51A-51H, 51X) and extending around an inner portion (110,120); and a control arrangement (100,105) for activating and deactivating an illumination of the illuminatable parts. The control arrangement (100,105) has at least one configuration for activating part of the illuminatable parts (11A-11F, 11A?-11H?, 21A-21G, 31A-31F, 41A-41B, 51A-51H, 51X), for instance to successively activate consecutive parts (11A-11F, 11A?-11H?, 21A-21G, 31A-31F, 41A-41B, 51A-51H, 51X) in a turning sequence about the inner portion (110,120) and optionally either deactivate all the parts simultaneously after activation of all the parts or successively deactivate previously activated parts at the same pace as the activation pace or at a lower pace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Antoine Cahen, Pietro Cacace
  • Patent number: 10219648
    Abstract: System for making an infused beverage, includes: at least one infusion assembly of a machine for preparing infused beverages; at least one capsule containing an aromatic substance for the preparation of an infused beverage through interaction with a liquid; the capsule including: a cup-shaped body with a recess having a depth for containing a predetermined amount of an aromatic substance; the body including at least one side wall and a bottom, and running around a vertical axis; the first infusion assembly including: a first infusing member, including a recess for accommodating at least partially the capsule; a second infusing member for cooperating with the first infusing member so as to at least partially close the recess to define an accommodating seat with the first infusing member; the capsule including first coupling elements; the infusion assembly including second coupling elements structured to removably engage the first coupling elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: SCACCO SA
    Inventor: Emilio Alfredo Capitani
  • Patent number: 10194767
    Abstract: A device (1) handles a capsule (2a, 2b) having a flange (2a?, 2b?). The device comprises: a first part (10) and a second part (20) that are relatively movable across a space (3a, 3b) from a transfer position for inserting and/or removing such capsule (2a, 2b) to an extraction position for extracting such capsule; a third part (30) for guiding such capsule (2a, 2b) to in between the first and second parts (10,20) when in the transfer position; and stop means (32a,32b). The stop means are configured for successively: stopping the capsule (2a, 2b) in between the first and second parts (10, 20) in the transfer position; maintaining the capsule while the first and second parts (10, 20) are relatively moved from the transfer position towards the extraction position to receive the capsule; and allowing a liberation of the capsule from the stop means after reception of the capsule by at least one of the first and second parts (10,20) while relatively moving towards the extraction position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Andrew Gunstone, Enzo Bonacci, Jean-Marc Flick
  • Patent number: 10194769
    Abstract: A beverage making device comprising a brewing chamber configured to brew a beverage, the device comprising: a valve assembly comprising: a housing including an inlet for receiving pressurized water into the housing, a two way passage coupling the housing to the brewing chamber, an outlet configured to remove the brewed beverage from the housing, and a pressure release valve configured to close the outlet to send the pressurized water out of the two way passage to the brewing chamber when the pressurized water is supplied to the inlet, and close the inlet to receive a brewed beverage from the brewing through the two way passage when the pressurized water is not provided to the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Hans J. Kodden
  • Patent number: 10196201
    Abstract: A capsule for preparation of a beverage from a brewing device, and a system including the capsule and brewing device. The capsule includes a lateral wall, a water inlet wall and an outlet wall forming a hollow body where a brewing product is contained. The hollow body has a central axis passing through the inlet and outlet walls. At least one portion of the inlet wall extends along an ellipse curve as defined by a circumference, having a diameter substantially equal to the maximum diameter of the lateral wall of the capsule lying on a plane inclined at an angle with respect to a first plane perpendicular with respect to the central axis of the capsule, the planes intersecting at an axis, the circumference being projected on a plane perpendicular to the first plane containing an axis selected from the intersection axis or an axis parallel to the intersection axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TUTTOESPRESSO S.r.l.
    Inventor: Luca Doglioni Majer
  • Patent number: 10194768
    Abstract: A beverage machine that includes a brewing chamber; and a dispensing spout for dispensing liquid into the brewing chamber, wherein the dispensing spout includes a liquid inlet; a main body having a central axis and at least a first liquid outlet and a second liquid outlet, wherein the second liquid outlet has a larger distance from the central axis than the first liquid outlet; a liquid distributor fluidly connecting the liquid inlet selectively to the first liquid outlet or to the second liquid outlet, and an actuator for changing a position of the liquid distributor relative to the main body between at least a first position, wherein the liquid inlet is fluidly connected to the first liquid outlet and a second position, wherein the liquid inlet is fluidly connected to the second liquid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Mark Ronald Van Der Woning, Fred Fraij
  • Patent number: 10194667
    Abstract: A continuous-belt baking system having a pair of upper rollers rotatably mounted in frame and spaced at a first distance, a pair of lower rollers rotatably mounted in frame and spaced at a second distance, a continuous thermally-conductive belt passing over the upper rollers, a continuous thermally conductive belt passing over the lower rollers, and two arrays of radiant heating elements. The radiant arrays include a first group of heating elements above a lower run of the upper belt between said upper rollers and a second opposing group of heating elements below an upper run of the bottom belt between the lower rollers. Each heating element may be separately controlled insofar as its ON/OFF state or in accordance with temperature, to provide more localized baking capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Inventor: Jeffrey F. Klein
  • Patent number: 10188120
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a smoker with multiple separate drawers for smoking meat, fish, sausage, etc. In an example embodiment, one drawer may contain water and another drawer may contain smoking material such as wood chips. The sliding drawers enable the maintenance of a stable smoking temperature and offer a safer means to replenish water and/or wood during the actual smoking operation. The multiple drawers allow a user to add wood and/or water without opening the smoking chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: LANDMANN USA
    Inventor: Jared I. Cohen
  • Patent number: 10182680
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrically operated food processor (1) for preparing a cooked product, which exhibits a basic unit (14), a vessel (2) with an agitator (18) that can be inserted into the basic unit (14), a heating device (9) allocated to the vessel (2), a temperature sensor (5), a transceiver device (12) for communicating with the temperature sensor (5), and an evaluator (13) for evaluating the measurement data received from the temperature sensor (5). In order to provide an electric food processor (1) with an alternative connection between the temperature sensor (5) and evaluator (13), it is proposed that the temperature sensor (5) be a surface acoustic wave sensor (SAW sensor).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Hendrik Koetz
  • Patent number: 10182589
    Abstract: A juice extractor with an easily assembled and disassembled housing includes: a driving unit having a motor housing having a motor mounted at the inside thereof, a rotary shaft connected to the motor and protruded toward one side of the motor housing, and a fixing shaft disposed adjacent to the rotary shaft on the motor housing; a juice extracting unit having roller portions operated by the motor provided at the driving unit to crush, extract and transfer juice extraction materials and the housing for accommodating the roller portions thereinto; a fastening unit for detachably coupling the housing of the juice extracting unit to the motor housing; and a sensor unit having a sensor operator mounted on the housing of the juice extracting unit and a sensor mounted on the motor housing in such a manner as to be operated by a change in distance with the sensor operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Inventor: Ji Hye Lee
  • Patent number: 10183261
    Abstract: A milk-whipping device is disclosed. The device includes a heating base, a cylindrical container for the milk which rests on the base and which has a thermal exchange, a sealing closing flange, an impeller inserted in the container to produce an emulsifying effect on the milk; and a pair of connecting arms which can be snap-actuated. The connecting arms are revolvingly constrained to the base and extend along the lateral skirt of the container until hooking onto the closing flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: IDES DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Roberto Stefanoni
  • Patent number: 10159258
    Abstract: An improved assembly for automatically folding and pressing submarine sandwiches in line production. Once a preparer has assembled the sub with the customer's selection of meats and vegetables, it is placed on the assembly to quickly and efficiently prepare the sub for cutting, wrapping and delivery without uncoordinated or awkward handling by the employee and the loss of ingredients. The assembly includes a conveyor belt for movement of the sandwiches into a curvilinear channel having a converging outlet which provides the dual functions of folding and pressing the sandwich, following which it ready for packaging and/or delivery to a customer. In other embodiments, the assembly includes a plurality of hinged plates, a central press down bar, and options for a hand crank or foot pedal control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOMATED SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Norman Wartman, Daniel Pijeira, Omar A Tavarez, Carlos Bonilla
  • Patent number: 10159379
    Abstract: A grill is provided including a base structure. An upper platen assembly is connected to the base structure and includes an upper grilling surface having a first cooking surface. A lower platen assembly is connected to the base structure and includes a lower grilling surface having a second cooking surface. A release sheet is removably mounted to the grill. The release sheet has a central portion configured to cover at least the first cooking surface and a joint between the upper platen assembly and the lower platen assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Taylor Commercial Foodservice Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10154749
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cooking device with optical identification means for identifying food to be cooked. A motion detector is provided to activate the optical identification means. The motion detector may also activate a light source for lighting the field of vision of the optical means. Optical identification is controlled by the outer appearance of the food. A controller accesses a physical feature database and compares previously stored picture data to the physical features of the food to be cooked. The controller calculates a matching probability rank between the stored picture data and the food to be cooked. The controller is also programmed to have a learning ability for recognizing a previously unknown food product. Based upon the identification of the food product to be cooked, the cooking device starts the recipe for cooking the food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: CONVOTHERM ELEKTROGERAETE GMBH
    Inventor: Lutz Riefenstein
  • Patent number: 10154761
    Abstract: A cover positionable over a food item placed atop a cooking surface to provide downward pressure on the food item to facilitate achieving flush contact with the undersurface of the food item on the cooking surface below is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a sheet of chainmail is secured to a frame which is hingedly supported above a heatable cooking surface. A support which allows the cover of the present disclosure to be easily retrofit to an existing cooking device such as a griddle may be utilized to hingedly support the frame relative to the cooking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: AccuTemp Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Seitz
  • Patent number: 10143209
    Abstract: A food processing apparatus includes a pressure vessel defining a compartment having an inlet end for receiving food product and an outlet end for discharging food product, an open-top screen mounted within the compartment and movable relative to the compartment between a first position, for food processing, and a second position, to facilitate cleaning, a rotatable auger mounted such that at least a portion of the auger is within the screen, the auger being operable to advance food product within the compartment from the inlet end of the pressure vessel toward the outlet end, and a transfer mechanism including a conduit in communication with the compartment, a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit, and a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge and operable to propel a fluid through the fluid discharge to move food product through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Lyco Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Maupin, David R. Zittel
  • Patent number: 10143336
    Abstract: A portable barbecue oven includes an oven body, a scissor-shaped frame movably attached to the oven body having a first bracket and a second bracket, and two guiding wheels; the top end of the first bracket is adjustable relative to the oven body through a folding mechanism, and the folding mechanism includes a connection member and an adjustment piece; the adjustment piece has a slot for the connection member to pass through, the connection member can slide inside the slot so as to achieve the unfolding or folding of the scissor-shaped frame. Furthermore, during operation, the frame is lifted up and down stably by the rolling of the guiding wheel and the connection member is positioned by the position locking hole, so that the barbecue oven can be effectively prevented from toppling over during the unfolding or folding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: A Carsfriend Network Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Guanxiong Liu
  • Patent number: 10143337
    Abstract: A commercial deep fryer filter utilizes a tubular suction pump having a plurality of apertures which are in fluid communication with the oil reservoir and an air pump. At the distal end opposite the portion plurality of apertures is an opening which permits fluid communication between the suction pump and oil filter. The oil filter is in fluid communication with the oil contained in the commercial deep fryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Inventor: Dewayne C. Ward
  • Patent number: 10143323
    Abstract: A device to disintegrate comestible articles, comprising: a containment vessel with a floor and generally tubular sidewalls projecting upwardly from the floor, the sidewalls having a central longitudinal axis, a power rotated agitator disposed within the containment vessel above and proximate to the floor, having a rotational axis, and operable to both agitate and disintegrate comestible articles placed within the containment vessel, a power source, configured to rotate the agitator, a support housing which encloses the power source which is structured to removably mount the containment vessel. The containment vessel is canted relative to the motor shaft. Output of the containment vessel is filtered. A resiliently closed opening into the containment is formed in the vessel lid. A food handling mechanism introduces comestible articles into the containment vessel. A support mechanism mounts vessels below a device outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Inventor: Alan Backus
  • Patent number: 10143324
    Abstract: The heating cooker includes microwave generation devices that transfer microwaves to a cooking chamber, and a steam generation device that generates steam. The generated steam is guided to a first container, and a second container is provided on the first container. Then, a first foodstuff in the first container is heated by microwaves, and is also directly heated by the steam. A second foodstuff in the second container is heated by the microwaves, and is also indirectly heated by the steam. Accordingly, the heating cooker provided with cooking container capable of quickly heating a plurality of foodstuffs while improving the taste can be realized by using the heat of the microwaves and the steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Kataoka, Masaki Shibuya