Patents Examined by Robert W. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 5402706
    Abstract: Automatic coffee machine has ground coffee deposited into an infusion chamber, in which it is compressed between an infuser piston and a filter piston. A packing stabilizes the seal between the infusion chamber and the infuser piston. The infuser piston is divided into two parts, with one part sliding into the other part against an opposing spring resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Cimbali S.p.A.
    Inventor: Santino Locati
  • Patent number: 5402705
    Abstract: Control device (1) for an electrical household appliance for the preparation of infusion beverages, having a housing (2) enclosing a reservoir (3) for cold water, a heating plate (4) supported an infusion collector (5), a water heater (6) connected thermally to the plate (4) and having a conduit (6') connected to the cold water reservoir (3) and a rising conduit (6") connected to a water pipe (7) of an infusion filter (8) disposed above the infusion collector (5). An electrical heating resistance (9) for the water heater (6) is connected to an electrical supply circuit (10) switchingly controlled by the device. The device supplies the electrical resistance (9) in a first phase intermittently by current pulses of predetermined duration, separated by pause times also of predetermined duration, and in a second phase supplies the electrical resistance (9) with a direct current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Moulinex S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Bailleux, Gregor Storsberg, Stephan Buchmann
  • Patent number: 5401098
    Abstract: A portable hand-held concrete, mortar and gypsum mixer comprises a small gasoline powered implement having a drive shaft extending generally downward from the handles to a gear box. A transverse shaft driven by the drive shaft extends to either side of the gear box. Mounted on the transverse shaft are a plurality of blades shaped to thoroughly agitate and mix a combination of water and the ingredients for concrete, mortar, gypsum or similar heavy, hard to mix materials. Surrounding the blades are thin rings attached to the blades to form a round circumferential surface about the blades and thereby prevent the blades from directly contacting the mixing trough or other means of containing the mix. In the alternative, the plurality of blades may be shaped at their peripheries to form substantially continuous circular circumferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Inventor: Kenneth Vadnais
  • Patent number: 5399144
    Abstract: A centrifuge tube adapter for supporting a closed tube in a cavity of a vertical angle centrifuge rotor includes an inboard and an outboard adapter segment. A hinge connects the segments and supports relative pivotal movement of one segment with respect to the other. The hinge comprises a pair of axles formed at the lower end of one segment and a pair of trunnions formed at a corresponding location on the other segment. The inboard segment has a flange and the outboard segment has a channel therein sized to receive the flange. The flange has serrations thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: William A. Romanauskas, Edward T. Sheeran, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5397180
    Abstract: A motionless mixer tube for mounting on the end of a discharge nozzle of a dispensing device for mixing and dispensing extremely small volumes of a pair of liquid materials, such as chemical reacting resins. The mixer tube has an elongated housing with a female luer lock at one end for mounting the tube on the dispensing device, and a male luer lock on the other end for easily mounting a dispensing needle on the outlet end of the housing. A helical motionless mixer element is mounted in a bore of the tube housing and extends from immediately adjacent the outlet end of an inlet socket of the female luer lock to immediately adjacent the outlet end of a discharge nozzle of the male luer lock. The dispensing needle is mounted immediately adjacent the outlet end of the discharge nozzle and mixer element. This arrangement avoids dead spaces within the mixer tube to prevent the formation of disruptive air bubbles therein and enables secure and rapid attachments at both ends of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Liquid Control Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Miller
  • Patent number: 5393140
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously processing viscous liquids and masses has axially parallel satellite shafts (23) disposed in a ring within a housing (4) which bear meshing processing means (24) and are driven by a central shaft (17) via pinions (28, 29) on the inlet side to perform a common revolving motion about the central shaft (17). The pinions (28, 29) have associated therewith a distributing plate (60) which is provided with through bores (61) for the satellite shafts (23) and has an annular groove (63) opening toward the inlet side, from which channels (64) lead into the area of the processing means (24) on the satellite shafts which is located on the thick-layer side of the satellite shafts (23) facing away from the enveloping housing (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 5393139
    Abstract: A mounting assembly for the primary mixing paddles in a pan-type mixer includes a single bolt paddle support arm mounting and adjustment device, and a two bolt paddle mounting feature, both of which are constructed and located to provide reliable adjustability and demountability and to protect the assemblies against the ingress of contaminants and abrasive wear from the materials being mixed. The single bolt clamping device also provides simple vertical adjustment of the paddle height in a manner which retains the adjustment mechanism enclosed against the entry of contaminants. The two bolt paddle mounting assembly encloses both threaded connections inside the body of the paddles, and includes a protective enclosing shroud and positions the exposed bolt heads at the back of the assembly out of the direct path of abrasive materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Mixer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Thorson, Norman E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5392694
    Abstract: A coffee maker having a heating device for heating water to the temperature necessary for producing a coffee drink. The coffee maker is equipped with an electrically powered pump for the delivery of water, with a bore being provided in the pump casing. Within the bore, a working piston reciprocates, its stroke determining a working chamber. The coffee maker is provided with a suction valve and a discharge valve, each including a valve closure body spring-loaded in the closing direction. The suction valve is opened by pressure below atmospheric and the discharge valve by pressure above atmospheric in the working chamber. The preparation of the coffee drink is accomplished by the pump drawing water through the suction valve and delivering it under pressure through the discharge valve to a brewing chamber adapted to be filled with coffee grinds from which it escapes following extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Roland Muller, Walter Hufnagl
  • Patent number: 5390587
    Abstract: Herbs contained within a filter assembly disposed within an outer enclosure assembly is infused by hot water from a faucet when a connector tube at the top of the enclosure assembly is attached to the faucet outlet and an outlet at the bottom of the enclosure assembly is opened, thereby permitting the herb infused liquid to be dispensed for a medicinal bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Inventor: Hsien-Jung Wu
  • Patent number: 5388502
    Abstract: An espresso coffee machine including an electrically heatable water heater, a filter basket holder, and a filter basket holding device which can be sealingly closed by introducing therein the filter basket holder. The filter basket holder is subdividable by a filter into a brewing chamber that can be filled with coffee grounds and into a pouring device arranged at its bottom. The coffee machine further includes a first duct and a second duct having a steam outlet. The first duct opens into the filter basket holding device so as to connect the brewing chamber to the water heater and it includes a throughflow controlling valve arranged therein which is always closed when the filter basket holder is not inserted. After the filter basket holder is inserted into the machine, the filter basket holder causes the valve to move from its closed into an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Walter Hufnagl
  • Patent number: 5388501
    Abstract: An appliance for infusing a substance, for example coffee, comprises means (23, 16) for dividing an initial quantity of water into a pre-wetting quantity and at least one additional quantity, which quantities are poured on in at least two steps which are spaced in time. Means (20a, 20b, 22) for continuously measuring the level of the water to be poured on enable several dividing programs to be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: U.S. Phillips Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Hazan, Jean-Louis Nagel
  • Patent number: 5388905
    Abstract: A polymer mixing/activation system comprising a liquid inlet line, a polymer inlet line, a mixer-ejector, an ejector outlet line, and a mixing/retention chamber. The liquid inlet line is connected to a source of pressurized liquid, such as a city water line. The polymer inlet line is connected to a source of emulsion polymer which, when mixed with the liquid and activated, forms a liquid/polymer solution suitable to attract, coagulate or flocculate suspended solids in a fluid, such as waste water. The liquid inlet line and the polymer inlet line are connected to the mixer-ejector. The mixer-ejector has passageways arranged and shaped so that when the liquid flows therethrough, a suction is created which draws the polymer into the mixer-elector and simultaneously mixes the polymer with the liquid to form a liquid/polymer mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Or-Tec, Inc.
    Inventors: Sam E. Ake, Kieran F. O'Melia
  • Patent number: 5387034
    Abstract: Device for mixing at least two products (11, 21) each contained in a container (10, 20), one of the containers (10), or first container, having a volume suitable to receive the product (21) contained in the other container (20), or second container, in order to obtain the mixture (41) of the two products (11, 21), the first container (10) comprising, in its upper part, a push-button (15) equipped with a nozzle (16) and the actuation of which allows the mixture (41) to leave the first container (10) via the nozzle (16); the two containers (10, 20) are carried by a common casing (30) into which they are fitted so as to slide between two positions, a position called far-apart position for which the two containers (10, 20) are not in communication, and a position called close-together position for which the two containers (10, 20) are in communication, the casing (30) preventing, in the far-apart position, any action on the push-button (15) of the first container (10) and allowing action on the said push-button (
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventors: Daniel Bauer, Gerard Braque, Dominique Esclar
  • Patent number: 5383726
    Abstract: The device enables a first component such as a mixture of powdered dyes to be dissolved intimately in a liquid solvent. To a slide movable vertically are attached a duct for making the liquid solvent flow into a basin in which the powdered mixture is located and a plurality of rotary whisks or helical agitator members able to dip into the solution so as to cause the intimate mixing thereof due to their rotation. The movable slide also carries a protective hood which surrounds the agitator members and the duct. After the solution has been taken from the basin by suction through the said duct it is possible to wash the basin and all the parts of the device which have come into contact with the solution in order to avoid contamination of a mixture intended to be prepared subsequently in the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Lawer S.r.l.
    Inventor: Walter Lanaro
  • Patent number: 5382220
    Abstract: An adapter for a centrifuge tube comprises two segments that may be hinged along a hinge axis that extends perpendicular to the axis of the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: William A. Romanauskas, Edward T. Sheeran, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5382091
    Abstract: A scrubber for processing barite contained in drilling mud is disclosed. The scrubber includes a tank mounted above ground and has an inlet and outlet for the mud and a second outlet for heavier material that settles out from the mud. A set of blade agitators maintain the flow of the mud while a set of paddle wheel agitators concentrate and convey the heavier materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Inventor: John W. Roff, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5383163
    Abstract: A mixing apparatus for providing gyroscopic movement to a mixing container via a direct drive system including a fixed ring gear, a planetary gear engaging the ring gear and a mechanism for rotating the container both about a center drive axis and an orbiting axis which is angularly displaced from the center drive axis. The invention also relates to a mechanism for facilitating insertion and removal of the container from the mixing apparatus including a mixer chassis and a top lid and lid closure assembly which are pivotally connected to a portion of the mixer chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Red Devil Equipment Company
    Inventor: Randy J. Brunn
  • Patent number: 5382090
    Abstract: The machine includes an ice cream making machine, and a duct for feeding the produced ice cream to a tube communicating at its lower end with a mixing chamber. Injectors are provided opening into said tube in proximity of the mixing chamber for feeding one or more syrups to mixing chamber. A mixer is mounted in said mixing chamber, and the mixer is operated in order to mix the ice cream and the syrups which are delivered to the mixing chamber from the tube by a piston slidable into the tube. The syrup feeding injectors are located between the ice cream feeding duct and the mixing chamber, in an area of the tube which is separated from the ice cream feeding duct by at least one sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Carpigiani S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gino Cocchi
  • Patent number: 5382092
    Abstract: A mixing apparatus includes a bottom ribbon blade adapted for viscous fluid contents. The mixing apparatus includes a vertically positioned mixing vessel including a cylindrical wall and a bottom wall disposed on a lower portion of the cylindrical wall wherein the bottom wall is of a semi-ellipsoid shape, dished shape, or circular cone shape with an obtuse apex angle and each of the convex surfaces of which is oriented downwardly. An impeller shaft is vertically and coaxially aligned within the mixing vessel and a helical ribbon blade is disposed within the mixing vessel in such a manner as to be rotated by a driving mechanism via the impeller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Shinko Pantec Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukimichi Okamoto, Masahiko Kikuchi, Kazutaka Takata, Hisayoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 5380089
    Abstract: An emulsifying apparatus for solid-liquid multiphase flow and a nozzle for solid-liquid multiphase flow, whereby, in a high pressure vessel, there is provided a plate member made of a material with high hardness and having a through-hole sufficiently small compared with a passage of fluids in the high pressure vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Inventor: Yukihiko Karasawa