Patents Examined by Timothy F. Simone
  • Patent number: 7484454
    Abstract: Based on an outflow distributor for espresso coffee makers comprising one common coffee inlet (2) and at least two partial outflow openings (19, 20) connected to it in a flow conducting manner, and flow dampening means disposed upstream of the partial outflow openings, brewed coffee is to be equally distributed over two cups while avoiding considerably differently-sized air bubbles. To this end, two partial outflow ducts (3, 4) branched off from the common coffee inlet (2) include an open end section (5, 6) each, which is directed in a baffle chamber (11, 12) each against a baffle wall (9, 10). One of the baffle chambers (11, 12) each is formed in one outflow body (7, 8) each which includes, in spaced relationship below said baffle wall (9, 10), one of the partial outflow openings (19, 20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Eugster/Frismag AG
    Inventor: Max Oehninger
  • Patent number: 7481154
    Abstract: The invention provides a food-cooking basket for pressure cooking in a pressure cooker, the basket being formed by a sheet of rigid material defining a bottom and side walls of the basket. The sheet is provided with perforations that are made through the bottom and through the side walls. The basket is provided with a structure for adjusting the flow rate of steam passing through the basket via the perforations, the structure being associated with the bottom in such a manner as to enable the flow rate of steam through the perforations at least in the bottom to be adjusted. The invention is applicable to appliances for pressure cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Marie-Pierre Murat, Ines Birlouez-Aragon, Pascal Roland Clement Murat, Eric Christian Jacques Rhetat
  • Patent number: 7481153
    Abstract: A toaster for heating a food stuff to a selected shade, includes a housing having at least one wall, at least one heating chamber within the housing for receiving the food stuff to be heated and at least one heating element for heating the food stuff in the heating chamber. A window is provided in the wall and a control knob is provided for controlling the time period that the food stuff is heated. The control knob is rotatable between a first end position at which the food stuff is heated for a short time period to provide a light food stuff shade, a second end position at which the food stuff is heated for a long time period to provide a dark food stuff shade and a plurality of intermediary positions between the first and second end positions it which the food stuff is heated for a selected time period between the short and long time periods to provide a food stuff shade between light and dark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Barnes, Martin Patrick Brady
  • Patent number: 7481155
    Abstract: A fruit and vegetable juice extractor for extracting juice includes a grating disc rotatable about a substantially vertical axis. A frustoconically shaped filter is attached to the outer periphery of the grating disc and projects upwardly and outwardly thereof. A food chute is arranged above the grating disc and the filter. The food chute includes a rib extending at least partially in the axial direction and projecting radially inwardly. A food pusher is insertable into the food chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Atle Larsen
  • Patent number: 7481151
    Abstract: A beverage maker has a valve structure (13; 43; 153) adapted block the return of water from a boiler (5) to its water reservoir (2) in response to a water pressure from the boiler exceeding a shut-off pressure value. The valve structure (7; 47; 107) further includes a discharge outlet (20; 120) connected for water outflow to the brewing unit (8) and is adapted to open a passage from that inlet (9; 109) to the discharge outlet (20; 120) in response to a water pressure at the inlet (9; 109) exceeding a discharge pressure value below the pumping pressure. The valve structure (7; 47; 107) is further adapted to block the return of water from the boiler (5) to the water reservoir (2) also in response to a water pressure from the boiler below a relief pressure value above atmospheric pressure and below the shut-off pressure value. The pressure in the boiler during heating towards boiling is thus kept above atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Sijtze Van Der Meer, David Johannus Theodorus Huntink
  • Patent number: 7481152
    Abstract: A brewing unit 1 for a coffee machine comprises a brewing cylinder 2 and a piston 5, 13, wherein the brewing cylinder 2 and the piston 5, 13 are movable relative to one another in the axial direction. An activatable seal 12, 18 or seal assembly is provided to seal the piston 5, 13 against the inner wall 3, 15 of the brewing cylinder 2. The seal 12, 18 is activated by an axial movement of piston 5, 13 with respect to the brewing cylinder 2. Under compression when activated, to form a seal between piston 5, 13 and brewing cylinder inner wall 3, 15, and which seal 12, 18 or seal assembly. When not activated, the seal 12, 19 is either not at all, only under low compression contact with the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: WIK Far East Ltd.
    Inventors: Markus Steckhan, Dietmar Becker
  • Patent number: 7478587
    Abstract: In a kitchen appliance (1) with a housing (2) and with a liquid crystal display device (12), the liquid crystal display device (12) is accommodated in an accommodating section (11) of the housing (2), and the accommodating section (11) is bounded, on a front face (13) and on a rear face (14), by a transparent housing-wall section (15, 16), and the liquid crystal display device (12) is in the form of a negatively transmissive liquid crystal display device (12), which is disposed between the two transparent housing-wall sections (15, 16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Sigot, Louis Johan Bouhuys, Oscar Enrique Pena Angarita
  • Patent number: 7478583
    Abstract: A draught beverage (170) which may be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, for example a lager or cider in an open-topped drinking vessel or glass (172). The beverage comprises a water content and dissolved gas content. The draught beverage is dispensed from a font at a cooled temperature below the freezing point of water at ambient atmospheric pressure. The dispense temperature may be in the range of ?1° C. to ?12° C. The beverage in the glass may or may not be subjected to external excitement energy, for example ultra-sound, to encourage formation of nucleation sites in the beverage. Either way dissolved gas bubbles out of the beverage causing occurrence of nucleation sites at which ice (188A, 188B) from the water content forms. At least in part the ice has a slushy character. A head (174) also forms on the dispensed draught beverage and below the head the ice (188A, 188B) locates and develops downwards into the beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Coors EMEA Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Daniel Scullion, Peter Thomas Foster, Stephen Paul Smith
  • Patent number: 7478586
    Abstract: A self-contained apparatus having a rotating flavor barrel for roasting, grilling, searing, rotisserie cooking, and smoking food. The apparatus is easily assembled, disassembled and transported making it ideal for “tailgate” cooking. The apparatus may be mounted on a wheeled frame or on a vehicle mounted frame. The apparatus can include an adjustable-height firebox and a smoker cover. Multiple accessories may be attached to the flavor barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Peacock Myers, P.C.
    Inventor: Victor Gabrielle
  • Patent number: 7478585
    Abstract: A cooking device includes: a base unit; a cooking unit including a griddle member having opposite first and second portions and a pivot portion that is disposed between the first and second portions and that is pivoted to the base unit; and an adjusting unit including a rotatable spindle mounted rotatably on the base unit and having a bent end that is connected to the second portion of the griddle member in such a manner that rotation of the spindle relative to the base unit results in pivoting movement of the griddle member relative to the base unit so as to selectively lift and lower the second portion of the griddle member relative to the base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Tsann Kuen Enterprise Co., Ltd,
    Inventor: Hsin Tsung Wang
  • Patent number: 7478590
    Abstract: A folding control apparatus for left and right lateral pieces of slice food is provided, such that when the slice food is moving forward on a transfer belt surface, the slice food is attached and positioned on the transfer belt surface; and a left and right lateral pieces of the slice food are blown by high-pressure air at a different time sequence to be folded and overlapped with respect to each other, so as to cover a stuffing strip on a surface of the slice food for forming a food enclosing material, thereby further simplifying a structure for folding the slice food to reduce a manufacturing cost and lower noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Inventor: Robert Ou-Young
  • Patent number: 7475631
    Abstract: A piston assembly for a food extruder having a food reservoir with a chamber and an inner surface, a piston rod and a piston dish. The piston rod slidably extends into the chamber of the food reservoir. The piston dish is attached loosely to the piston rod and has a lower segment, an upper segment, an annular groove and a sealing ring. The lower segment has an outer surface with an inclined bottom edge. The upper segment is hollow and is formed with the lower segment. The annular groove is formed in the outer surface of the lower segment adjacent to the upper segment. The sealing ring is mounted in the annular groove and slidably presses against the inner surface of the food reservoir to form an airtight seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Inventor: Yu-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 7475628
    Abstract: In a device for dispensing milk and/or milk froth from a container (1) containing milk, this container is placed in a coolable cabinet (3). Via an extraction line (4) and a further line (5), the milk reaches an emulsifying device (6) disposed outside the coolable cabinet. The product received is dispensed from this emulsifying device (6) via the discharge nozzle (7). Steam is feedable into the emulsifying device (6) with which steam the milk conducted through the emulsifying device (6) is able to be heated up and/or frothed up. The further line (5) consists of a flexible tube which is placed in a peristaltic pump (9). This peristaltic pump (9) is equipped with switching means (10) with which the peristaltic pump (9) is switchable from a closed pump state into an open pump state releasing the passage of the flexible tube (5). Milk of different temperatures or milk froth can be optimally dispensed using this device; in addition an optimal cleaning can be carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: M. Schaerer AG
    Inventor: André Lüssi
  • Patent number: 7475632
    Abstract: An infrared barbecue grill which includes a body, a pair of infrared burners, a first shield member, a first baffle installed on the outer edge of the first shield member, a second shield member, a second baffle having a first edge installed on the outer edge of the second shield and having a lug, a grate placed on the body, a heat dissipator arranged on a bottom of the body, and a water basin mounted under the heat dissipator, whereby the baffles will guide the heat through the holes thereon to the region of the grate where the infrared ray emitted from the infrared burners cannot cover, the lug will prevent the rear infrared burner from emitting infrared rays directly to the user, and the water basin will provide water vapor to add moisture to the food on the grate thereby making the food juicy and delicious to eat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Grand Hall Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: William Home
  • Patent number: 7475629
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for cooking foods, includes a support frame (3), a container (2) for food to be cooked, provided with a door (6) for introduction and withdrawal of the foods, and heating fluid supply elements, characterised in that the container is rotatably mounted on a fixed axis (4) of the frame (3); and in that it includes a motor rotating the container (2), foods contained within the container (2) being cooked by the heating fluid during rotation of the container (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Turatti S.r.l.
    Inventor: Antonio Turatti
  • Patent number: 7475630
    Abstract: A cooking appliance is provided. The cooking appliance has a heating plate with at least one cooking surface, a heater for heating the heating plate, a support structure for supporting the heating plate, and an interface mechanism that, in response to the heating plate being positioned on the support structure in a predetermined position, is actuated to permit heating of the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Conair Corporation
    Inventors: Howard I. Steinberg, Michelle Carillo, Jill Kreutzer Orent, David J. Wanat
  • Patent number: 7472647
    Abstract: Egg separators having an upper elongated slit to prevent the yolk of an egg from entering a collection device for egg whites. The device provides for a method that will allow multiple separations of egg whites from egg yolks upon cracking individual eggs. The presence of an upper elongated slit in the concave compartments of the device allows the egg white of the eggs to separate from the egg yolks without the egg yolk entering a collection device and/or mixing, merging or flowing into the collected egg whites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Inventor: Claudia M. Patterson
  • Patent number: 7472644
    Abstract: An electric baking oven includes an open mesh vertically oriented baking basket to hold food while the food is baked in air by a programmed combination of radiant and convective and conductive energy transfer. An electrical programming control controls the energy from vertically oriented toaster heating elements located juxtaposed to the large vertical faces of the basket and from at least one elongated heating member located below the vertical baking basket with the axis of the elongated heating member oriented nominally horizontal and parallel to the longer horizontal axis of the vertically oriented baking basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Edgecraft Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel D. Friel, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7472646
    Abstract: A domestic appliance comprising at least one housing part with a detent element and at least one second housing part with a detent counter-element. Said elements are designed to interconnect the housing parts and are associated with a locking element, which is used to secure the detent elements, when the locking element is in the locked position, from becoming detached from the detent counter-elements. The aim of the invention is to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the detent device. To achieve this, the locking element comprises a first end that is supported on one of the housing parts and a second end that engages with the detent element in the locked position. The locking element can thus be pivoted back and forth in a simple manner between a release position and a locked position, facilitating a more rapid, simpler assembly and disassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Stanislav Mazej, Darko Ogrizek, Aleksander Sedovsek, Uros Semeja, Igor Zibret
  • Patent number: 7472642
    Abstract: A nozzle adaptable to the steam outlet of a coffee machine is designed to froth a liquid such as e.g. milk. Said nozzle comprises in the direction of the steam flow path: a steam inlet opening, a restriction with limited cross-section adapted to accelerate the velocity of the steam flow, and at least one cavity having a cross-section larger than the restriction and from which the frothed liquid can be drained. The nozzle further comprises an outer casing comprising a smoothening reservoir and a jet breaking surface facing the opening and at least one outlet opening radially offset relatively to the opening of the portion of the enlarged mixing cavity. The outer casing is arranged at least partially around the tubular portion of mixing cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Michael Stieger, Alfred Yoakim