Patents Examined by Phuong T Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11927396
    Abstract: A safety auditor is designed to perform opening and closing of every safety switch that is used in an industrial bakery oven. Every pressure sensor can be tested for on and off states. The low gas pressure switch can be vented and the high gas pressure switch pressurized. All thermocouples associated with the high temperature circuits are tripped. Fans are started and stopped over a communications signal or via the hard-wired interface as required to generate the safety testing. Once the safety testing is complete, the results along with time, date, name of tester, pass or fail will be printed out via a small kiosk printer. This ticket can then be filed in an office. As the operation is easy to do and requires little effort, it is much more likely to be performed and therefore safer for the host bakery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Flynn Burner Corporation
    Inventor: Simon Walker
  • Patent number: 11918022
    Abstract: Apparatus, system and method for cold pressing juice from a food including a food delivery chute, a food grinder, and a pressing chamber which may removably fit together as a single, stand-alone unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Goodnature Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale Wettlaufer, Eric Wettlaufer
  • Patent number: 11910952
    Abstract: An automatic beverage brewer for coffee, tea, and the like, and more particularly, which is customizable both in physical configuration including number and location of external brewing fonts, optionally in association with a bulk brewing font and receiving container, and in automatic operation to dispense hot water to the respective fonts and a main brewing basket or baskets responsive to user inputted beverage brewing commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NEWCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Webster, Jody G. Jacobsen, David L. Brandsma, Thomas Liebe
  • Patent number: 11910956
    Abstract: Grill grates include side walls defining the perimeter of the grill grate and flavor bars, with grease channels between them. The grease channels have continuous, closed bottoms. The flavor bars include dormers. The dormers are configured to direct drippings around the openings, to the grease channels. The dormers can have openings facing substantially towards the grease channels. The grill grates can be formed by methods such as stamping or casting. Stamping the grill grates can include providing metal with flanges and tabs to ensure sufficient material to allow the flavor bars and dormers to be formed, and the grease channels and side walls then sealed through welding. The grill grate can trap drippings in the grease channels while allowing smoke and heat to reach cooked items through the dormers in addition to heat transfer through the material of the flavor bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Inventor: Lynn Ringdahl
  • Patent number: 11903518
    Abstract: A coffee holder includes a holder body and a holder lid. The holder body includes a holder base, a holder sidewall extending from the base and defining an interior configured to receive loose coffee, and an open receiving end opposite the base. The holder lid is configured to engage the holder body to cover the open receiving end. The holder lid includes a recessed portion that extends into the holder body interior when the holder lid engages the holder body, and a passage in the recessed portion configured to allow fluid to flow into the holder body interior from the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventor: Adrian Rivera
  • Patent number: 11901531
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to establishing a direct electrical bond between a bonding connector of a contact plate and a battery cell in a battery module. In a first embodiment, an oscillating laser is used to weld the bonding connector to a battery cell terminal over a target area over which the bonding connector makes non-flush contact. In a second embodiment, the bonding connector is flattened to reduce a gap between the bonding connector and the target area on the battery cell terminal, and then laser-welded (e.g., using an oscillating or non-oscillating laser). In a third embodiment, at least one hold-down mechanism is applied over the bonding connector to secure the bonding connector to the battery cell terminal, after which the bonding connector is laser-welded to the battery cell terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: AMERICAN BATTERY SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Heiner Fees, Andreas Track, Alexander Eichhorn, Ralf Maisch, Jörg Damaske, Martin Eberhard
  • Patent number: 11882964
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are directed to automated preparation of food or consumable items, such as for preparation of fried foods. An example cooking apparatus may include processing devices for the consumable items. In some examples, a robot arm is provided that extends from a moveable base. Locators may define a relative position of the moveable base relative to processing device(s) of the cooking apparatus, such that the robot arm is configured to determine robot arm movements to move the consumable items to and from the processing device(s). In some examples, one or more zones may be used to detect movement near a robot arm, with one or more restrictions being placed upon robot arm and/or base movement in response. In some examples, a cooking apparatus provides automated transport of food ingredients for preparation of food or other consumable items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Lab2Fab. LLC
    Inventors: Samuel Lewis Tanaka, Hogan Hall Hempy, Peter Elliot Ishiguro, Shawn Michael Lange, Cory David Lent, John Paul Norman
  • Patent number: 11877586
    Abstract: A food dehydrator with a heating element located beneath a fan in a chamber of the food dehydrator. The heating element includes resistors, connected in series, sandwiched between and in thermal contact with two heatsinks to heat and dry the air within a volume defined by the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventor: Richard Weldon-Ming
  • Patent number: 11871868
    Abstract: A coffee machine includes a grinder for grinding coffee beans, and collects wastes such as chaff and fine powder. The coffee machine includes a grinder to grind coffee beans; a separation unit to separate a waste from coffee beans; and a reservoir unit to store the waste separated from the coffee beans in the separation unit. The reservoir unit includes an outer case body and an inner case body inside the outer case body, and the inner case body has, in a circumferential wall thereof, an opening connected to the inside of the outer case body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: DAITO GIKEN, INC.
    Inventor: Toshio Saito
  • Patent number: 11866249
    Abstract: Capsule containing a substance for the preparation of a potable beverage, the capsule having an aluminum capsule body having a side wall and an outwardly extending flange and a sealing member at the outwardly extending flange for providing a fluid sealing contact with an enclosing member of a beverage preparation device. The beverage preparation device comprises an annular element having a free contact end which may be provided with a plurality of radially extending open grooves. The sealing member is integral with the outwardly extending flange and comprises a projection. An annular trough between the inner projection foot and the side wall has a bottom axially spaced from the outer projection foot towards the bottom of the capsule body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Ralf Kamerbeek, Arend Hendrik Groothornte, Hielke Dijkstra, Erik Pieter Van Gaasbeek
  • Patent number: 11857101
    Abstract: The coffee dispenser disclosed herein may serve a single serving of coffee. The coffee dispenser may including a coffee concentrate fluid line which intersects with a water fluid line at a junction to allow mixing of coffee concentrate with water as the respective fluids flow through the coffee dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventor: Nicholas J. Singer
  • Patent number: 11857106
    Abstract: Inline fluid foaming device (10) for providing a foamed fluid directly into a container, the device (10) comprising an air path (120) for introducing a certain quantity of air into the device (10), and a fluid path (130) for introducing fluid into the device (10) coming from a fluid container (16), the mixture of air and fluid passing to a centrifugal pumping and foaming element (11) such that the amount of fluid into the device (10) is pumped by the centrifugal movement of the pumping and foaming element (11) and the foaming of the mixture is provided by driving it under a certain level of shear stress in the element (11), the device (10) further comprising a heating unit (14) to where the foamed mixture of fluid and air is conveyed for its optional later heating. The invention further relates to a beverage system comprising such an inline fluid foaming device (10) and a beverage dispensing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventor: Gregory Savioz
  • Patent number: 11849748
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for cooking a starch-based food item. The device comprises a vessel for receiving a quantity of the starch-based food item with an initial weight; a weighing scale for weighting the food item during cooking; a heater for heating the starch-based food item; and a controller coupled to the weighing scale and the heater. The controller causes the heater to cook the starch-based food item at a first temperature for a first time duration, the first temperature is higher than a starch gelatinization temperature; and causes the heater, based on the weighing scale reading, to cook the starch-based food item at a second temperature for a second time, where the second temperature is higher than the first temperature and above 150° C. The device makes cooked food healthier and more appetizing, which is beneficial to health especially for individuals with diabetes and obesity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: VERSUNI HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Guangming Su, Weihua Lu, Xiao Yun Kui
  • Patent number: 11844462
    Abstract: A grill includes a base structure, a first platen assembly connected to the base structure, and a second platen assembly connected to the base structure. At least the second platen assembly is movable between a first position and a second position. A latch mechanism is operable to selectively retain the upper platen assembly in the second position. The latch mechanism includes a first portion and a second portion. The second portion further comprises a retaining ring movable to receive and cooperate with the first portion when the first portion and the second portion of the latch mechanism are misaligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: TAYLOR COMMERCIAL FOODSERVICE, LLC
    Inventors: Carl A Pahnke, Dennis J. Nelson, Christopher P. Norris, Jeffrey L. Sands, Nathan A. Matz, Otley Dwight Freymiller
  • Patent number: 11844453
    Abstract: The document describes an assembly of a capsule and brew chamber for a beverage preparation machine. The brew chamber has a first brew chamber part including a cavity for the capsule, and knives for piercing the capsule. The aluminum capsule body is frusto conical shaped and has a bottom, a side wall, a flange and a lid for closing the capsule. The flange is configured to be held between the first and a second brew chamber part, to provide a seal cooperating with a rim of the brew chamber parts. The bottom includes a slanted wall portion under an angle with a longitudinal axis through the capsule, and configured for cooperating with the knives which engage therewith upon closing of the brew chamber. This enables centering of the capsule relative to the central axis of the brew chamber prior to piercing thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts N.V.
    Inventors: Ralf Kamerbeek, Arend Hendrik Groothornte, Hielke Dijkstra, Erik Pieter Van Gaasbeek
  • Patent number: 11839325
    Abstract: A beverage preparation machine having an inlet arrangement and a gasket arrangement is provided, where the inlet arrangement is configured with a plurality of inlet ports to deliver liquid to a beverage cartridge. The gasket arrangement may include a single unitary shape with a plurality of openings for receiving the plurality of inlet ports. The gasket arrangement may include one or more inner ribs disposed about each of the plurality of openings. A perimeter rib may extend along a perimeter of the gasket arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Y. Smith, Blair Mikkelsen, Steven Mackey, Joseph George Fucci, Roger Johnson
  • Patent number: 11832637
    Abstract: Proposed is a smart method of providing information about green vegetable juice, the method including: obtaining juice-extraction information which includes information about juice-extraction time of the green vegetable juice, information about weight of the green vegetable juice, and information about ingredients for the green vegetable juice; receiving intake information about the green vegetable juice from a user; calculating change in the weight and freshness of stored green vegetable juice based on the juice-extraction information and the intake information; and generating and displaying a smart button with status information about the stored green vegetable juice based on the calculated change in the weight and freshness of the green vegetable juice. By this method, it is possible to intuitively know the weight and the freshness of the stored green vegetable juice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: ANGEL Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwang Hui Lee
  • Patent number: 11832757
    Abstract: A beverage preparation device, in particular for preparing coffee, tea or milk beverages, having a milk system for dispensing milk and/or milk froth, and having a control unit for controlling the beverage preparation device to dispense beverages portion by portion. The milk system here has a connectable conveying line to a milk container, and a milk pump which is attached to the conveying line. A first mechanical flow meter is arranged in the conveying line, this flow meter meters the volume of milk conveyed by the milk pump and is connected in terms of signaling to the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Franke Kaffeemaschinen AG
    Inventor: Simon Mueller
  • Patent number: 11832764
    Abstract: Provided is a cooking apparatus in which a heating plate, a frame, and a pocket part are independently provided and which has a structure that is capable of securing use convenience and safety by a coupled structure of the heating plate, the frame, and the pocket part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kookhaeng Lee, Yangho Kim, Junho Seok
  • Patent number: 11825983
    Abstract: A milk-frothing apparatus for preparing high quality micro-foamed milk for coffee drinks consistently and at high volume. A machine having one or more steaming stations includes an elevator at each station with an elevator-mounted steaming wand have a precise angle at the discharge end. The elevator-mounted steaming wand is configured to travel from an upward stowed status to a downward deployed status to insert the discharge end of the elevator-mounted steaming wand into milk inside a pitcher precisely located on the machine. A steam boiler is hydraulically coupled to the elevator-mounted steam wand via flexible tubing and an infrared sensor monitors the temperature of the pitcher during a downward deployed status. An LCD screen with operator controls and displays oriented to coincide spatially with the elevator indicate different operational settings selected by the user and related to machine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventors: Kyle Johan Hendrickson, Silas Hilliard