Patents Examined by Lindsey C Staubach
  • Patent number: 9615691
    Abstract: The present invention relates to manufacturing of kitchen appliances, and particularly to air fryer, comprising fryer body, liner, frying basket provided within the liner, electrical heating tube arranged above the frying basket and fan located above the heating tube. Side wall of the frying basket is thin plate and bottom of the frying basket is grid. Air channel is provided between the liner and the frying basket. Swirl guide cylinder is provided externally at the bottom of the frying basket and is connected with the side wall of the frying basket. Air inlets for forming rotary air flow are opened on the bottom of the swirl guide cylinder. The air inlets divert the air flow in a same direction and form a swirl. With such configuration, the frying basket is simple in structure, the liner is easy to manufacture and clean, and the frying basket is better supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Shaoji Yan
  • Patent number: 9609977
    Abstract: A magnetic/floating force based brewing structure is used with an outer container. The magnetic/floating force based brewing structure includes an internal receptacle, which includes a receiving section, a floating structure, and an acted magnet, and an effector member, which includes an acting magnet. The acting magnet corresponds to the acted magnet of the internal receptacle for generating an effect of one of mutual attraction and mutual expulsion. With the effect of mutual attraction or expulsion between the acting magnet and the acted magnet, the internal receptacle that receives and holds therein a substance to be brewed can be kept in a position of being immersed in the liquid held in the outer container. Upon releasing the effect of mutual attraction or expulsion of the magnets, the internal receptacle is floated upward by buoyance to achieve an effect of automatically separating the substance to be brewed from the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Shiu-Cheng Yang
  • Patent number: 9609978
    Abstract: A jug includes a body and a cover. The cover is provided with a steam inlet and supports a detachable stirrer. The stirrer is configured to rotate under an effect of a steam jet exiting a steam nozzle near a bottom of the body for impinging on the stirrer to cause rotation of the stirrer. The detachable stirrer extends from the cover towards the bottom of the body of the jug. The steam nozzle is further detachably connected to the cover and extends towards the bottom of the body of the jug and is positioned adjacent to the detachable stirrer. The steam nozzle and the detachable stirrer are connectable to and detachable from the cover one independently of the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Cristiano Castelli, Filippo Agostini
  • Patent number: 9603372
    Abstract: A wood chip smoker is adapted for use in an outdoor grill that has a grate and a cover movable between open and closed positions. The smoker has a base for placement on the grill grate, a perforated section mounted on the base and provided with open spaces that collectively define an inlet area, a chimney extending above the perforated section, a regulator mounted on the chimney and movable between open and closed positions for the introduction of wood chips, and an outlet area for the outflow of smoke formed in at least one of the chimney and regulator, said outlet area being between 2 and 25% of the inlet area in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventor: Emil Paul Bader
  • Patent number: 9596721
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for protecting switching elements in an induction heating system. A switching power loss associated with a switching element of the induction heating system can be calculated and an operating frequency of the induction heating system can be adjusted based upon the switching power loss. According to one aspect, the switching power loss can be classified into one of a plurality of threat zones based upon the magnitude of the switching power loss and the operating frequency can be adjusted based upon the threat zone into which the switching power loss is classified. According to another aspect, the switching power loss can be calculated based at least in part on a duty cycle of an output signal. The duty cycle of the output signal can provide an indication of the proximity of the operating frequency of the induction heating system to resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingwei Shan, Gregory Francis Gawron, Sr., Daniel Vincent Brosnan, John Michael Kulp, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9574792
    Abstract: A modular manifold for a tankless water heater includes a first cavity member and a second cavity member. The first cavity member includes a first opening, a second opening, and a first base wall. The second cavity member is coupled to the first cavity member and includes a first opening, a second opening, and a second base wall. Two of the openings are configured to receive a first conduit and a second conduit. The first and second base walls and the two openings that receive the first and second conduits define a fluid flow path through the modular manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Keltech, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Lutz, II, Larry Donald Hartman
  • Patent number: 9556408
    Abstract: A brewing system that includes bicycle-driven generators to offset, or supply, the electricity used in the brewing process. The brewing system includes at least one bicycle, a bicycle generator associated with each bicycle, and electrical components to store the electricity generators and/or feed the electricity back into a power grid. The electricity is then drawn on during the brewing process. There is also provided a data collector for receiving the electricity generated by each bicycle, a computer for monitoring and recording the electricity generated by each bicycle, and a video monitor that displays real-time statistics of the electricity produced by each bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Windmill Pointe Brewing Company L.L.C.
    Inventors: Shawn M. Grose, Aaron Grose
  • Patent number: 9555502
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming a scribe line in a thin film stack on an inner surface of a thin film photovoltaic superstrate are provided via the use of a cleaning laser beam and a scribing laser beam. The cleaning laser beam is focused directly onto the exposed surface of the superstrate such that the cleaning laser beam removes debris from the exposed surface of the superstrate, and the scribing laser beam is focused through the exposed surface of the superstrate and onto the thin film stack such that the scribing laser beam passes through the superstrate to form a scribe within the thin film stack on the inner surface of the superstrate. The method and system can further utilize a conveyor to transport the superstrate in a machine direction to move the superstrate past the cleaning laser source and the scribing laser source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: First Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, William J. Schaffer
  • Patent number: 9545685
    Abstract: A method for producing a welded joint between a high-strength aluminum alloy with a copper proportion as a first metal and a second metal, in which the welded joint is produced by CMT welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Engineering AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Werner Karner
  • Patent number: 9539668
    Abstract: A device for removing a coating formed in a slot of a stator core. The device includes a carriage movably attached to a first guide rail assembly to enable movement of the carriage in a longitudinal direction. The device also includes a first drive screw wherein rotation of the first drive screw moves the first guide rail assembly in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the device includes a second guide rail assembly that is attached to the carriage wherein the second guide rail assembly enables movement of the carriage in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. Further, the device includes a second drive screw wherein rotation of the second drive screw moves the carriage in the transverse direction. The carriage includes a laser beam emitting head that moves within the slot in either or both the longitudinal or transverse directions wherein the laser beam emitting head emits a laser beam to remove the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Vindler, James A. Bauer
  • Patent number: 9532404
    Abstract: An electrical heating device for medical equipment is provided. The heating device includes a body, which may be an insulating body forming a channel therethrough for fluid travel, an insulating material surrounding the body, and a heater surrounding the body and the insulating material. In other forms, the electrical heating device for medical equipment has a conducting body, instead of an insulating body, forming a channel therethrough for fluid travel. A base dielectric layer is disposed on the conducting body, and a heater surrounds the base dielectric layer and the conducting body. A top dielectric layer is disposed on the heater, and a protection housing surrounds the top dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Martin Wallinger, Gernot Antosch, Reiner Lehnert, Wolfgang Pöschl, Gerhard Schefbänker