Patents Examined by Timothy F. Simone
  • Patent number: 7802515
    Abstract: A drawer-type heating cooker capable of preventing, during an opening/closing operation of an automatic opening and closing door, a danger, such as being hit by the opening and closing door that is opening, or a hand or finger being get stuck in the opening and closing door that is closing, by calling attention to the opening and closing door movement, is provided. A drawer body allowing a heated object to be placed therein can be pulled out together with a door from a cooker body. In a state in which the drawer body is housed in the cooker body, an opening of a heating chamber is closed by the door. During opening/closing of the door, a warning sound is generated from a speaker provided in the cooker body or the door. For the warning sound, various settings such as the pitch, the tone and the volume can be made according to, for example, the open distance of the door detected by sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yumiko Suetsugu
  • Patent number: 7762180
    Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a beverage fit for consumption with a fine-bubble froth layer, in particular cappuccino. The invention provides a beverage unit, which dispenses under pressure a beverage to be processed to a beverage processing path, through which, in use, the beverage flows to obtain the beverage with the fine-bubble froth layer. The beverage processing path successively includes a nozzle and a buffer reservoir, the nozzle being positioned relative to the buffer reservoir such that, in use, it generates a liquid jet squirting into the buffer reservoir to obtain the beverage with the fine-bubble froth layer. The buffer reservoir is provided with an outlet path for discharging the beverage from the buffer reservoir, the liquid flow path, upstream of the nozzle, further including an additive holder which, in use, can be filled with a product to be dissolved in the beverage, such as concentrated milk or milk powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Sara Lee/DE N.V.
    Inventors: Gustaaf Frans Brouwer, Diederik Kraan
  • Patent number: 7752958
    Abstract: A cooking appliance including a pair of cooking plates pivotally mounted to each other by a slideable hinge at one end. Stops at their opposite ends are pre-settable to a first position permitting two-surface contact with the food article, or a second position supporting one cooking plate in spaced parallel relationship with respect to the other cooking plate to permit single-surface contact with the food article. At least one of the said cooking plates carries on its outer surface a removable tray communicating with the interior of the cooking appliance for receiving drippings accumulating within the cooking appliance during a cooking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: AAC Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Eli Cohen, Ann Grant
  • Patent number: 7743695
    Abstract: In an espresso coffee maker having an espresso brew unit (1) and a coffee outflow duct (18) in fluid-conductive connection with the espresso brew unit via a crema valve (15) and having an end sided coffee outflow (19), no brewed residual coffee should remain in the coffee outflow duct nor leak out, for instance as leakage, through the coffee outflow. In order to avoid this, a return-flow suction unit (21), which is preferably independent except for a drive means, is in fluid-conductive connection with the coffee outflow duct (18) between crema valve (15) and coffee outflow (19), which is automatically activated when a brewing process is finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Eugster/Frismag AG
    Inventor: Max Oehninger
  • Patent number: 7721645
    Abstract: A belt drive system for a reciprocating mold plate in a food product molding machine. The invention relates to a belt drive system having a belt tensioning device configured to tension a drive belt of an indexing motion food product molding machine. The invention provides ease of service and/or replacement of components of the drive system. The invention provides a manifold configuration to balance the flow and pressure of the food product over a wide fill area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Patriot Universal Holdings, LLC.
    Inventors: Rick G. Gosz, Mark A. Kubsh
  • Patent number: 7717033
    Abstract: A nut cracking mechanism for shelling variable-sized nuts having a brittle shell and fragile nut meat, the nut cracker mechanism having a housing with a horizontally positioned rotatable drum contained in the housing, and an adjustable, substantially vertical compression plate mounted in the housing with a cracking surface displaced from a cylindrical slip resistant cracking surface of the drum to form a narrowing gap between the drum and the compression plate, the gap having an upper portion sized to accommodate nuts of varying sizes and a lower portion sized to compress nuts between the cylindrical surface of the drum and the compression plate until the nut cracks and releases its meat, the mechanism having associated components to feed nuts to the top of the mechanism and receive shells and meat from the bottom of the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Inventor: Sun Y. Kim
  • Patent number: 7707929
    Abstract: An improved outdoor cooking apparatus features a specially configured pot with multiple specially configured cooking inserts and burner frame that supports a burner element. One insert is a rack that can be used for cooking one or more whole poultry carcasses. Another insert is a perforated basket that can be used to hold items to be cooked. The pot has a lower tapered section that includes a tapering downwardly sidewall or walls meeting a smaller, generally rectangular bottom panel. The pot has an upper section with a larger transverse cross section than the pot bottom, preferably comprised of generally vertically oriented side all sections. The basket can be correspondingly shaped to the contour of the pot interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventors: Norman R Bourgeois, Michael P. Bourgeois
  • Patent number: 7707928
    Abstract: A vertical rotisserie sub-assembly, comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a motor; (c) an energy source; (d) a switch; (e) a rotating member; (f) a lower suspending member; and (g) an upper suspending member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Robert A. Kamps
  • Patent number: 7707930
    Abstract: Device for manufacturing lollipops, including a rotatably driven drum provided with lollipop moulds at its circumference, a supply for supplying a strand of lollipop material to the lollipop moulds and a discharge for lollipops formed in the lollipop moulds, wherein the drum is disposed on a hollow shaft and wherein the lollipop moulds are disposed at the circumference of a casing, which defines an annular space with the hollow shaft, wherein the hollow shaft is provided with a first passage and a second passage, each forming a fluid connection between the cavity in the hollow shaft and the annular space, wherein the hollow shaft is provided with a fluid supply and a fluid discharge, which fluid supply is in fluid connection with a pressure source for cooling air, wherein the lollipop moulds comprise lower moulds that are fixed to the casing and the casing with the lollipop moulds forms a detachable part of the device and can be slid on the hollow shaft when being placed or removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: CFS Weert B.V.
    Inventor: Seferinus Jelle Asma
  • Patent number: 7707927
    Abstract: A beverage machine having a height-adjustment device that includes a movable support plate for adjusting the position of the recipient relative to at least one beverage outlet. The support plate is movable relative to the at least one beverage outlet. The machine also includes a displacement mechanism for displacing the support plate relative to the outlet. The displacement mechanism includes a motorized driver for driving the displacement mechanism, a controller for controlling the actuation of the driver and which is configured to set a predetermined distance between the outlet and the recipient. A drip-collecting device can also be selectively provided to collect liquid falling from the beverage outlet when the recipient is not present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe S. Boussemart, Fabien Ludovic Agon, Antoine Ryser
  • Patent number: 7703380
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for extracting a cap (16) comprising a first part (2), a second part (3) which is movable with respect to the second part (2) which is provided with a space for the cap and defines the cap extracting position in a closed position thereof, an introduction and positioning part comprising the cap guiding elements (6, 7) which are arranged in such a way that it is possible to insert the cap by gravity force and position it in an intermediate position and a beverage pouring system (19) in which the second movable part (3) displaces the cap from the intermediate position to the extraction position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Antoine Ryser, Christophe Boussemart, Jean-Luc Denisart, Antoine Cahen
  • Patent number: 7703384
    Abstract: A food transfer platform incorporating a stove unit elevates to different heights, by an extendible column, and can move along a floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: WiSys Technology Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Annis, James Hubbard
  • Patent number: 7703385
    Abstract: A pressure cooking appliance arranged to form a cooking chamber and comprising an adjustment device (7) of the pressure inside the chamber, which comprises a steam leakage pipe, said pipe defining a steam inlet section (8) and a flow section (9), wherein the adjustment device (7) comprises setting means (11) of the inlet section (8) and flow section (9), which is mobile between an open position, wherein it sets the inlet section (8) and flow section (9) so as to prevent the pressure applied inside the chamber from rising above a safety pressure and a decompression position, wherein it sets the inlet section (8) and flow section (9) to enable the decompression of the chamber to the safety pressure, without food projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Marie-Aurore Claire Seurat Guiochet, Jean-Marie Daniel Anota, Eric Chameroy
  • Patent number: 7703379
    Abstract: A coffee maker and microwave oven includes: a room for mounting various electric parts on an inside thereof; a case at one side of the room; a water tank in an upper space of the case; a funnel under the water tank having a filter for extracting coffee; a water supply pipe having a first pipe connected to the water tank, and a second pipe for supplying water to the funnel directly; a water supply tube on a bottom of the case, having one end connected to the first pipe, and the other end connected to the second pipe; a heater tube in contact with the water supply tube, the heater tube having a heater for heating the water passing through the water supply tube; and a temperature sensing unit in the vicinity of the heater tube for measuring a temperature of the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dae Sik Kim, Man Su Park, Wan Je Cho, Wang Lim Lee, Jung Ju Kwon
  • Patent number: 7703386
    Abstract: A smoker apparatus is disclosed that provides a smoker cabinet having upper and lower end portions. The cabinet has a top, a bottom and a side wall or walls and an interior. The cabinet includes a plurality of vertically spaced apart shelves mounted within the cabinet interior. A cabinet door that enables access to the shelves. A gaseous fuel supplied burner element is positioned next to the lower end portion of the cabinet, the burner element being removably connectable to a source of gaseous fuel. A pair of containers is mounted within the cabinet below the shelves and above the burner element. One of the containers is preferably a water container for containing water. The other of the containers being a wood chips container for containing wood chips, wherein the wood chips container is positioned in between the water container and the burner element. A slide bracket supports the containers, the slide bracket positioned generally in between the burner element and the shelves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Inventors: Norman Bourgeois, Michael Bourgeois
  • Patent number: 7698996
    Abstract: A smoking apparatus is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the smoking apparatus includes a base having a base interior, at least one heating element provided in the base interior, a trough carried by the at least one heating element and a lid provided on the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventor: Alexander S. Savchuk
  • Patent number: 7698993
    Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a beverage fit for consumption with a fine-bubble froth layer, such as coffee or milk with a fine-bubble froth layer, provided with a beverage unit for dispensing under pressure a beverage to be processed, at least one nozzle, which is in fluid communication with the beverage unit for feeding the beverage to the nozzle to generate a jet of the beverage by means of the nozzle, and a collecting unit, into which the jet squirts to obtain the beverage with the fine-bubble froth layer. The collecting unit is then provided with a tubular chamber with at least one open end for dispensing the beverage with the fine-bubble froth layer, the nozzle and the collecting unit being in fluid communication with each other such that the jet squirts against an inner wall of the tubular chamber for beating, in the tubular chamber, air into the beverage to obtain the beverage with the fine-bubble froth layer, which, in use, leaves the tubular chamber via the at least one open end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Sara Lee/DE N. V.
    Inventors: Gustaaf Frans Brouwer, Hendrikus Christinus Maria Wessels, Antonius Cornelis Hubertus van der Pluijm
  • Patent number: 7698992
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-function coffee maker, comprising at least two brewing accessories including an espresso coffee brewing accessory and a drip coffee brewing accessory, which are interchangeable and each can be loaded within said brewing room of said cover assembly to form an individual brewing chamber. Said multi-function coffee maker further comprises a control circuit including a detection circuit for the brewing accessory. By a water distributor assembly and said control circuit, water flow of suitable pressure is provided into said brewing chamber and the brewing accessory in use is detected automatically so as to initiate a corresponding work mode according to desire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Toptechnology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kun-Iian Wei
  • Patent number: 7698994
    Abstract: A fryer unit includes a boil-out drain path that does not require boil-out fluid to pass through a pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred E. Mullaney, Jr., Paul Forrest, Charles Amoss
  • Patent number: 7698995
    Abstract: An apparatus (100, 100?) for thermally treating a confectionery mass includes a housing (1) having an approximately vertical axis (2), a core (3) being located in the housing (1) and being arranged in an approximately concentric way with respect to the axis (2) of the housing (1), a plurality of tubes (12) being located in the housing (1), each of the tubes (12) having an approximately vertical axis and being designed and arranged for a tempering medium to flow through them, and at least one deflecting element (13) being designed and arranged to connect the housing (1) to the core (3) such that a flow path of the confectionary mass through the apparatus (100, 100?) is determined, the flow path extending in a transverse direction with respect to the tubes (12), at least a part of the deflecting element (13) having a helical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Chocotech GmbH
    Inventors: Lucian Demmel, Erhard Hilker, Klaus Markwardt