Patents Examined by Timothy F. Simone
  • Patent number: 7373876
    Abstract: A cook pot in which the lid acts as a supplementary heating device to heat the contents inside the pot quickly. The lid has a top and a long cylindrical piece which fits inside the pot body and extends all the way down to the bottom of the pot. A heating band is then located in the lower end of the cylindrical piece towards the bottom of the pot. This heating band heats the entire cylindrical piece, and thus the contents inside the pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Inventor: Byung Doo Kim
  • Patent number: 7373874
    Abstract: The invention relates to an appliance for cooking food under pressure, the appliance comprising: a bowl and a lid; locking/unlocking means suitable for going between a locking position in which the lid (2) is locked relative to the bowl and an unlocking position; and decompression means (6) for decompressing the vessel; wherein said locking/unlocking means and said decompression means (6) are connected functionally to a single, common control member (7A), said control member (7A) being designed to be suitable for finding itself in a locking and decompression position in which the locking/unlocking means find themselves in their locking position, while the decompression means are activated. The invention is applicable to household appliances for cooking under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Seb S.A.
    Inventors: Claire Marie-Aurore Seurat Guiochet, Daniel Jean-Marie Anota, Eric Chameroy
  • Patent number: 7367262
    Abstract: A spit holder assembly comprises a longitudinally oriented hollow body having a triangular cross section and opposite ends, and an outwardly directed transverse flange connected to the body between the opposite ends thereof. A lower portion of the body on one side of the transverse flange comprises a base constructed and arranged to fit within an opening in a worktable with the flange functioning as a stop. An upper portion of the body on the other side of the flange includes at least a pair of spaced apart longitudinally oriented slots constructed and arranged to receive and hold a spit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Metal Masters Foodservice Equipment Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Powell, Kenneth E. Reese
  • Patent number: 7360481
    Abstract: A roaster for roasting coffee beans includes a roasting chamber having a top and a bottom. A cover is seated on the top of the roasting chamber and a bottom of the roasting chamber is seated on a base. A hot air supply is provided in the base for supplying hot airflow into the roasting chamber for heating the coffee beans. At least one air opening is formed on the bottom for enabling the airflow to enter the roasting chamber. A wind tunnel is provided over the air opening for increasing the speed of the airflow in the roasting chamber as the airflow passes through the wind tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Hearthware Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jung S. Moon, Rong Liu, Kitak Chae, Jongrok Kim
  • Patent number: 7357071
    Abstract: An automatic coffeemaker having, at the interior of a housing: an infusion group that includes an infusion chamber arranged to receive a pressing piston and means for actuating a relative sliding movement, between the pressing piston and the infusion chamber, between a rest position in which the piston is outside of the infusion chamber and a working position in which the piston is inside the infusion chamber; and a ground coffee distributor having a distribution orifice that communicates with a chute arranged to channel ground coffee toward the infusion chamber, wherein a drawer for collecting ground coffee grains is disposed under the chute and covers the periphery of the infusion chamber, the drawer being mounted in a manner to allow it to be directly withdrawn from the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Marc Geroult, Séverine Mih
  • Patent number: 7353750
    Abstract: A sprinkling device, particularly for processes for making wine from red grapes, which can be associated with a fermentation and/or storage tank in order to recirculate the wine must that is being fermented from the base region to the top region of the fermentation tank and to sprinkle the recirculated wine must in a stream into the top region of the fermentation tank, comprises: an auxiliary tank which can be fitted in a hatch or similar top opening of a main tank and which is provided with means for fixing to the hatch, first discharge means for the discharge of the wine must supplied to the auxiliary tank from the main tank, which means comprise a base opening of the auxiliary tank and a closure member which is movable between a closure position and an open position in order to produce a first sprinkling stream of the recirculated wine must, and second discharge means for the discharge of the wine must, which means are associated with the closure member and can discharge the wine must by means of a second
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Gimar Tecno S.R.L.
    Inventor: Marco Francia
  • Patent number: 7350456
    Abstract: A device for the production of beverages such as coffee by infusion of a product contained in a tablet (2) includes an infusion chamber (1) adapted to receive a tablet (2) having two portions (3, 4) shaped to move toward or away from each other to close or open the infusion chamber (1), in which device only one of the portions has mobility and rotation so as to place the tablet (2) in abutment in the portion and that the portion (3) movable in rotation has mobility in translation to open or close the infusion chamber (1). The device includes additional elements for holding closed the two portions of the infusion chamber (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Compagine Mediterraneenne des Cafes S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Blanc, Christian Ferrier
  • Patent number: 7350458
    Abstract: A hanging roaster combines a “drip” pan, two pan-supports for suspending the pan from a rack (typically the top rack) in an oven, and at least two skewer-supports for supporting a food-carrying skewer spaced above the pan bottom and below the top rack of the oven. The pan-supports are pivotable to facilitate compact storage of the hanging roaster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Lapform Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Marc Leibowitz
  • Patent number: 7350455
    Abstract: A coffee maker is disclosed, having at least one coffee bean container adapted to receive whole coffee beans and a brewing module including a brewing chamber for brewing a coffee beverage by means of hot brewing water. The coffee bean container is subdivided into two compartments, whereby an individual coffee grinder assembly is assigned to each compartment. The outlets of the coffee grinder assemblies open into a common feeding channel serving for filling the brewing chamber with ground coffee. The coffee maker further comprises a slide controller serving for preselecting the proportional amount of coffee beans to be discharged from the particular compartment and ground by the coffee grinder assembly assigned to the particular compartment. With such a coffee maker, a coffee beverage can be prepared, using different blends of freshly ground coffee beans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Saeco IPR Limited
    Inventor: Heinz Vetterli
  • Patent number: 7347137
    Abstract: The invention concerns an espresso coffeemaker having a removable water reservoir (4) connected to a main hydraulic circuit including a pump which sucks up water from the reservoir (4) and sends it into a heating unit and hence through the ground coffee contained in a filter-holder, said reservoir (4) being also connected to a return water hydraulic circuit exiting from the heating unit. The invention is characterized in that the device (28) connecting said reservoir (4) to said hydraulic circuits comprises means for expanding (49) the water jet returning through the hydraulic circuit to the reservoir and means for directing (44) said jet to a storage zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Jean Marie Lafond, Patrick Charles, Alexandre Rouches
  • Patent number: 7347139
    Abstract: A food purifier includes a supporting base having an air outlet, an ozone generator supported in the supporting base for generating a flow of ozone mixing of air to form an airflow towards the air outlet, and a food container, which is supported on the supporting base, having an air inlet and a receiving cavity for containing the water and foods therein. A releasable valve is sealedly mounted at the air outlet of the supporting base for allowing the airflow to pass into the receiving cavity of the food container through the air inlet and for blocking the water from entering into the supporting base. An air dispenser is disposed at a bottom side of the receiving cavity of the food container for diffusing the airflow from the releasable valve to the water so as to guide the airflow in contact with the food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Intelli Innovations Ltd.
    Inventors: George F. Cheung, June Tok Lee, Wai Kay Choi, Kong Ping Lau
  • Patent number: 7343850
    Abstract: A cooking appliance including at least one heating unit for heating a cooking area and including at least one extractor fan. At least one parameter of the extractor fan can be controlled to different values by a control unit, regardless of the selected cooking mode. At least one parameter value is stored in an electronic storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Gerl
  • Patent number: 7344742
    Abstract: Apparatus (1) and process for the manufacture of lollipops in which lollipops (3) are transferred from a substantially horizontal condition in a hopper (4), to a substantially vertical condition in a stick retainer (7) prior to placement in sugar confectionery. The apparatus comprises a hopper (4) for holding the sticks (3) with their longitudinal axes substantially horizontal, means (5) for ejecting a stick from the hopper in a substantially horizontal direction and feeder means (6) for feeding the ejected stick downwardly into a stick retainer (7) prior to placement in the sugar confectionery, the feeder means comprising a flexible tube (8) operable to conduct the stick from the hopper to the stick retainer whilst simultaneously changing the orientation at the stick to that of a downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Baker Perkins Limited
    Inventors: Martyn Thomas Wray, Russell Kevin Hall
  • Patent number: 7340991
    Abstract: An improved coffee brewer and brewing method are provided for producing brewed coffee with improved flavor. The coffee brewer includes a brew basket having jet ports connected to a source of heated water and positioned to deliver hot water streams into the brew basket at a location beneath the level of coffee grounds contained therein. These hot water streams turbulently agitate and stir the coffee grounds to produce a substantially fluidized bed of water-borne coffee grounds for improved flavor extraction and enhanced aroma. This fluidized bed is directed against one or more mesh filter elements forming a wall portion of the brew basket for outward passage of the thus-brewed coffee which is then directed into an underlying carafe or the like. In one preferred form, a portion of the brew basket incorporates an illuminated window to permit visual observation of the fluidized bed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Aroma Fresh, LLC
    Inventor: Bruce D. Burrows
  • Patent number: 7340992
    Abstract: An air impingement conveyor oven including a baking case having an interior space, a food input port, a food output port, and having a longitudinal axis extending from the food input ports to the food output port; an air heating gas burner connected operatively to the baking case for heating air within the interior space; a plurality of air registers mounted within the baking case's interior space, the air registers being positioned longitudinally along the baking case's longitudinal axis; an air blower mounted within the baking case's interior space; a network of air ducts interconnecting the air registers and the air blower; left and right conveyor belts extending along the baking case's longitudinal axis and being respectively positioned leftwardly and rightwardly from the longitudinal axis; a first roller mounted intersectingly across the baking case's longitudinal axis, the first roller being frictionally engaged with the left and right conveyor belts, the first roller being annularly coffered at said ax
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Wolfe, Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 7340994
    Abstract: A grill apparatus for cooking small and delicate food is provided. The grill apparatus is a cooking grate having a plurality of apertures extending through the cooking area of the cooking grate. Because of the location and dimension of the apertures, a continuous line of the cooking area extends a length that is substantially less than the distance from one edge of the cooking grate to an opposing edge of the cooking grate to prevent warping of the cooking grate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Adrian A. Bruno, Mario Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 7337711
    Abstract: Devices for extracting and filtering juice from fruit of various sizes and shapes are shown and described. In one particular embodiment, the device has an inner juicing cup, an outer juicing head, and a collection vessel. The inner juicing cup has an inner juicing head. The outer juicing head couples with the inner juicing cup. When coupled together, the outer juicing head encloses the inner juicing head. In addition, the collection vessel couples with the inner juicing cup. In another embodiment, the inner and outer juicing heads have teeth and blades, respectively, of varying degrees of sharpness. In another embodiment, the inner juicing cup has a drainage region for allowing juice to flow into the collection vessel, a first filtering region for filtering juice flowing from the heads to an external container, and a second filtering region for filtering juice flowing from the collection vessel to the external container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Chef'n Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Holcomb, Adam A. Jossem, John R. Prins
  • Patent number: 7337706
    Abstract: The present invention is made for the purpose of providing a full automatic rice cooking apparatus that can automatically carry out all of the steps from rice measuring to rice boiling and further washing of a rice kettle after use. This purpose is achieved by an automatic rice cooking apparatus, where a rice supplier supplies a predetermined amount of rice into a rice kettle, a rice rinsing means may rinse the rice, and then a rice boiling means boils the rice while placing the rice kettle at a predetermined position. The apparatus includes a rice kettle washing means for washing an inner wall of the rice kettle 32 placed at the predetermined position after the rice boiling and a controller for controlling the rice supplier, the rice rinsing means, the rice boiling means and the rice kettle washing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Nippo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masami Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 7337709
    Abstract: A preservative gas generating device includes a carrier sheet and a layer of a matrix forming material having a preservative gas generating compound dispersed therein. The layer of matrix forming material permits the generation of a preservative gas by the preservative gas generating compound and to permit the gas to permeate out of the matrix formed by the material. The matrix forming material adheres to the carrier sheet in the form of a layer covering an area of the carrier sheet and forms at least one discrete zone, with a peripheral area of the carrier sheet surrounding the discrete zone(s) being substantially free of the matrix forming material. A cover sheet is secured to said peripheral area to enclose the layer of matrix forming material between the carrier sheet and the cover sheet. At least one of the carrier sheet and the cover sheet are permeable to said preservative gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignees: Universaity of Stellenbosch, Deciduous Fruit Producers Trust
    Inventors: Ronald Douglas Sanderson, Willem Jacobus Opperman
  • Patent number: RE40285
    Abstract: A grill device includes two independently controllable cooking sets confining two isolate cooking spaces such that two different meat pieces can be grilled therein under different cooking temperatures at the same time. Each of the cooking sets has a cooking plate provided with first and second grill ribs alternately disposed thereon. The first grill rib has a horizontal flat portion and a curved portion extending curvedly and downwardly from the flat portion. The second grill rib has a horizontal flat portion, and a curved portion extending curvedly and upwardly from the flat portion. The curved portion of the second grill rib has an elevation higher than those of the flat portions of the first and second ribs to prevent sliding out a meat piece from the cooking plate when the meat piece is disposed on the flat portions of the first and second grill ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Tsann Kuen USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsan-Kuen Wu