Patents Examined by Steven Leff
  • Patent number: 7491416
    Abstract: A heating attachment for improving uniformity of microwave heating of a food product in a food container. The heating attachment has a microwave shield of microwave-reflective material. An attachment member is configured for attaching the shield to a food container in an operative association in which the container is disposed in a heating space by the shield. In this association, the shield improves the uniformity of microwave heating of a food product within the container. The heating attachment sufficiently surrounds the container in the operative association to capture the container for promoting breakage of the heating attachment when the container is removed therefrom to inhibit or prevent reuse of the heating attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Hua Zhang, Brita F. Sheehan, Mark A. Williamson, Robert Croft, Martin Short
  • Patent number: 7406913
    Abstract: A coffee bean roaster and a method for roasting coffee beans using the roaster are disclosed. The coffee bean roaster includes an oven having a ceramic heating plate with a gate, and a rotary sliding unit to enter the gate so as to slide into the ceramic heating plate, so that the rotary sliding unit roasts coffee beans while rolling the coffee beans and spacing the coffee beans from both the ceramic heating plate and a burner. The method for roasting coffee beans using the coffee bean roaster includes entering the rotary sliding unit containing the coffee beans into the oven through the gate so as to place the rotary sliding unit in the oven at a position spaced apart from both the ceramic heating plate and the burner, roasting the coffee beans by far-infrared radiant heat emitted from the ceramic heating plate, and reburning combustion gases, generated from the roasting of the coffee beans, by the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: HRS Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: David Chung