Patents by Inventor Donald Van Erden
Donald Van Erden has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20150040778Abstract: Edges of English muffins and certain other types of bread products known to burn during toasting are protected from burning by a bread product edge toasting shield. One embodiment of the bread product edge shield is a baffle formed of orthogonal or substantially orthogonal metal strips. A second embodiment is a cylindrical tube. The edge toasting shield blocks infrared energy waves that would otherwise be incident upon the bread product edges at angles of incidence less than about eighty degrees relative to horizontal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE LLCInventors: Loren Veltrop, Donald Van Erden
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Patent number: 8789459Abstract: In one embodiment, a food heating device includes a first platen and a first conveyor arranged and spaced to transport a food product between the first platen (501) and the first conveyor (503). A second platen (501) and a second conveyor (503) arranged and spaced to transport the food product (203) between the second platen (501) and the second conveyor (503). A first end of the first platen (501) is disposed near a first end of the second conveyor (503) and a first end of the first conveyor (503) is disposed near a first end of the second platen (501) such that the food product (203) is automatically transferred from the first platen (501) to the second platen (501).Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Inventors: Terry Tae-Il Chung, Loren Veltrop, Brian Hee-Eun Lee, Donald Van Erden, Christopher B. Lyons
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Publication number: 20130251871Abstract: A food product steamer and method of producing a steamed food product are provided. The food product steamer includes rotatable platforms that can be covered and uncovered by one or more rotatable, concave hoods. In a first position for the platform(s), the plafform(s) supports a food product over a steam-emitting opening above a steam generator. In a first position for the hood, the hood covers the food product such that steam from the steam generator is trapped within the hood to steam the food product. In a second, open position, the hood is rotated where it can receive the food product when the food product slides or falls off the platform as the platform is rotated from its first position to a second, elevated position. At least one embodiment enables food products to be removed from either side of the steam generating base by using a double-acting hinge.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: Restaurant Technology, Inc.Inventors: Terry Tae-II Chung, Loren Veltrop, Wieslaw Tomczyk, Donald Van Erden, Jack Guasta
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Patent number: 8522673Abstract: A food heating device includes a platen (101) and a pair of conveyor segments (103). A first conveyor segment is arranged and spaced to transport a food product (201, 203, 205) between a first side of the platen (101) and the first conveyor segment (103). A second conveyor segment (103/703/903) is arranged and spaced to transport the food product between a second side of the platen (101) and the second conveyor segment (103/703/903). A transfer device (505/705) may be disposed at one end of the platen (101) such that the transfer device transfers the food product (203) from the first side of the platen (101) to the second side of the platen (101).Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Prince Castle, LLCInventors: Terry Tae-Il Chung, Loren Veltrop, Brian Hee-Eun Lee, Donald Van Erden, Christopher B. Lyons
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Patent number: 8443721Abstract: A food product steamer includes rotatable platforms that can be covered and uncovered by one or more rotatable, concave hoods. In a first position for the platform(s), the platform(s) supports a food product over a steam-emitting opening above a steam generator. In a first position for the hood, the hood covers the food product such that steam from the steam generator is trapped within the hood to steam the food product. In a second, open position, the hood is rotated where it can receive the food product when the food product slides or falls off the platform as the platform is rotated from its first position to a second, elevated position. At least one embodiment enables food products to be removed from either side of the steam generating base by using a double-acting hinge.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Restaurant Technology, Inc.Inventors: Terry Tae-Il Chung, Loren Veltrop, Wieslaw Tomczyk, Donald Van Erden, Jack Guasta
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Patent number: 8381641Abstract: Passive temperature control is provided to vessels too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by a vertically oriented thermally-conductive tube. In one embodiment, an insulative collar covers the tray and insulates portions of the tube that extend above the top of the tray. Optional heat sinking fins and air convection holes increase heat transfer between the tube and the tray.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2008Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Prince Castle, LLCInventors: Korey V. Kohl, Robert A. Iverson, Loren Veltrop, Christopher B. Lyons, Donald Van Erden
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Patent number: 8376193Abstract: A push chain is used to drive a piston into a canister of extrudable material. The push chain is stored in an elongated chain magazine, withdrawn from the magazine and into the canister by actuation of a trigger connected to a sprocket for the chain. The push chain obviates the need for an elongated piston rod used in conventional extrudable material dispensers.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2010Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Prince Castle, LLCInventors: Loren Veltrop, Eric Schmidt, Scott Rote, Daniel Somen, Donald Van Erden
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Patent number: 8336286Abstract: A motion transmitting drive chain (drive chain) is prevented from buckling by applying a relatively small compressive bias force to one side of the pins around which the chain links rotate. The bias force is applied on the locking projection side of the pins axes of rotation such that the links are urged to rotate in the direction required to lock them against each other.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2010Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Prince Castle LLCInventors: Loren Veltrop, Donald Van Erden, Paulette Van Erden, legal representative
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Publication number: 20120251696Abstract: Passive temperature control is provided to vessels too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by a vertically oriented thermally-conductive tube. In one embodiment, an insulative collar covers the tray and insulates portions of the tube that extend above the top of the tray. Optional heat sinking fins and air convection holes increase heat transfer between the tube and the tray.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE INC.Inventors: KOREY V. KOHL, ROBERT A. IVERSON, LOREN VELTROP, CHRISTOPHER B. LYONS, DONALD VAN ERDEN
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Publication number: 20120118171Abstract: Edges of English muffins and certain other types of bread products known to burn during toasting are protected from burning by a bread product edge toasting shield. One embodiment of the bread product edge shield is a baffle formed of orthogonal or substantially orthogonal metal strips. A second embodiment is a cylindrical tube. The edge toasting shield blocks infrared energy waves that would otherwise be incident upon the bread product edges at angles of incidence less than about eighty degrees relative to horizontal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE LLCInventors: LOREN VELTROP, DONALD VAN ERDEN
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Publication number: 20120114818Abstract: Edges of English muffins and certain other types of bread products known to burn during toasting are protected from burning by a bread product edge toasting shield. One embodiment of the bread product edge shield is a baffle formed of orthogonal or substantially orthogonal metal strips. A second embodiment is a cylindrical tube. The edge toasting shield blocks infrared energy waves that would otherwise be incident upon the bread product edges at angles of incidence less than about eighty degrees relative to horizontal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2011Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE LLCInventors: LOREN VELTROP, DONALD VAN ERDEN
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Patent number: 8087351Abstract: Temperature control is provided to food dispensing vessels like condiment dispensers that are too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by using inclined or tilted, thermally-conductive tubes placed inside a temperature-controlled tray. Thermal insulating covers improve the thermal efficiency of the tubes.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2009Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Prince Castle, LLC.Inventors: Korey V. Kohl, Robert A. Iverson, Loren Veltrop, Christopher B. Lyons, Jr., Donald Van Erden
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Publication number: 20110192133Abstract: A motion transmitting drive chain (drive chain) is prevented from buckling by applying a relatively small compressive bias force to one side of the pins around which the chain links rotate. The bias force is applied on the locking projection side of the pins axes of rotation such that the links are urged to rotate in the direction required to lock them against each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2010Publication date: August 11, 2011Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE, INC.Inventors: Loren Veltrop, Donald Van Erden, Paulette Van Erden
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Publication number: 20110168741Abstract: A push chain is used to drive a piston into a canister of extrudable material. The push chain is stored in an elongated chain magazine, withdrawn from the magazine and into the canister by actuation of a trigger connected to a sprocket for the chain. The push chain obviates the need for an elongated piston rod used in conventional extrudable material dispensers.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2010Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE, INC.Inventors: LOREN VELTROP, ERIC SCHMIDT, SCOTT ROTE, DANIEL SOMEN, DONALD VAN ERDEN
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Publication number: 20110168737Abstract: A push chain is used to drive a piston into a canister of extrudable material. The push chain is stored in an elongated chain magazine, withdrawn from the magazine and into the canister by actuation of a trigger connected to a sprocket for the chain. The push chain exerts a compressive force on a piston rod connected to a piston at a point offset from the center line of the piston, causing the piston to rotate to lock the push chain. The amount of material remaining in a tube of extrudable material is enunciated by way of a contents indicator driven by the push chain.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2010Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE INC.Inventors: Loren Veltrop, Donald Van Erden, Eric Schmidt, Scott Rote, Daniel Somen, Mark Kurth, Aaron Eiger, Timothy Payne, Paulette Van Erden
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Publication number: 20110168742Abstract: A piston and piston rod for a rodless dispenser for extrudable material are configured such that compressive force exerted on the piston from a push chain causes a reactive torque to be created that locks the links of the chain together. The push rod is located away from the piston's geometric center.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2010Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE, INC.Inventors: LOREN VELTROP, DONALD VAN ERDEN, Paulette Van Erden, ERIC SCHMIDT, SCOTT ROTE, DANIEL SOMEN, MARK KURTH, AARON EIGER, TIMOTHY PAYNE
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Publication number: 20110162537Abstract: A food product steamer includes rotatable platforms that can be covered and uncovered by one or more rotatable, concave hoods. In a first position for the platform(s), the platform(s) supports a food product over a steam-emitting opening above a steam generator. In a first position for the hood, the hood covers the food product such that steam from the steam generator is trapped within the hood to steam the food product. In a second, open position, the hood is rotated where it can receive the food product when the food product slides or falls off the platform as the platform is rotated from its first position to a second, elevated position. At least one embodiment enables food products to be removed from either side of the steam generating base by using a double-acting hinge.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2010Publication date: July 7, 2011Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE, INC.Inventors: TERRY TAE-IL CHUNG, LOREN VELTROP, WIESLAW W. TOMCZYK, DONALD VAN ERDEN, JACK GUASTA
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Patent number: 7958817Abstract: One embodiment of a food heating device includes a platen (101) and an opening (103) disposed in the platen (101). The opening (103) is arranged and sized to receive a food product (203) from a first side of the platen (101) and to output the food product (203) to a second side of the platen (101). Alternative embodiments involve diagonally guiding a food product (203) along a different arrangements of platens (801, 901, 1001, 1101, 1401).Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: Prince Castle LLCInventors: Terry Tae-Il Chung, Loren Veltrop, Brian Hee-Eun Lee, Donald Van Erden, Christopher B. Lyons
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Publication number: 20110059210Abstract: Edges of English muffins and certain other types of bread products known to burn during toasting are protected from burning by a bread product edge toasting shield. One embodiment of the bread product edge shield is a baffle formed of orthogonal or substantially orthogonal metal strips. A second embodiment is a cylindrical tube. The edge toasting shield blocks infrared energy waves that would otherwise be incident upon the bread product edges at angles of incidence less than about eighty degrees relative to horizontal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2009Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE INC.Inventors: LOREN VELTROP, DONALD VAN ERDEN
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Publication number: 20100307168Abstract: One or more piezoelectric devices cool or heat a thermally-conductive basin. The basin is sized, shaped and arranged to receive two or more food serving trays. In a preferred embodiment, the food serving trays are sized, shaped and arranged to provide an air gap between the tray and the thermally-conductive basin so that the tray is cooled by convection and radiation but not conduction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2009Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: PRINCE CASTLE, INC.Inventors: KOREY V. KOHL, ROBERT A. IVERSON, LOREN VELTROP, CHRISTOPHER B. LYONS, JR., DONALD VAN ERDEN