Patents by Inventor Gerhard H. Wenzel

Gerhard H. Wenzel 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).

  • Publication number: 20210204754
    Abstract: A food pan well includes a base defining an internal cavity and a temperature regulating system disposed within the internal cavity. The base is configured to support a food pan such that the food pan is selectively suspendable within the internal cavity. The temperature regulating system includes a cooling assembly configured to facilitate cooling at least a sidewall of the food pan and a warming assembly configured to facilitate warming at least a bottom surface of the food pan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Nick BASSILL, Ishan SHAH, Brad STOECKEL, Gerhard H. WENZEL, Mark GILPATRIC, Jefferson LEACH, Fei SHANG, Edward NUNN
  • Patent number: 11000157
    Abstract: A food pan well includes a base defining an internal cavity and a temperature regulating system disposed within the internal cavity. The temperature regulating system includes an internal enclosure and at least one of a cooling assembly and a warming assembly. The internal enclosure is positioned within the internal cavity. The internal enclosure includes a bottom wall and a sidewall that extends around a periphery of the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the sidewall cooperatively define a temperature regulated cavity. The base is configured to support one or more food pans such that the one or more food pans are selectively suspendable within the temperature regulated cavity. The cooling assembly is positioned to facilitate cooling at least one of the one or more food pans and the warming assembly is positioned to facilitate warming at least one of the one or more food pans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Hatco Corporation
    Inventors: Nick Bassill, Ishan Shah, Brad Stoeckel, Gerhard H. Wenzel, Mark Gilpatric, Jefferson Leach, Fei Shang, Edward Nunn
  • Patent number: 6384381
    Abstract: An oven device for final finishing of a food item includes an oven housing defining a heating cavity configured to receive at least one food item to be heated, and an upper heating unit within the oven housing above the heating cavity. The upper heating unit includes a heating element that generates radiant heat directed onto the food item in the heating cavity. The oven housing includes at least one reflective panel for distributing radiant heat within the heating cavity. The upper heating element includes a rapidly-heating, high-intensity heating element capable of being cycled on for final finishing of the food item when the food item is received in the heating cavity, and capable of being cycled off when final finishing is not being performed. The final finishing typically includes browning a top surface of the food item, or melting a topping onto the top surface of the food item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Hatco Corporation
    Inventors: Allan E. Witt, Gerhard H. Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20010025842
    Abstract: An oven device for final finishing of a food item includes an oven housing defining a heating cavity configured to receive at least one food item to be heated, and an upper heating unit within the oven housing above the heating cavity. The upper heating unit includes a heating element that generates radiant heat directed onto the food item in the heating cavity. The oven housing includes at least one reflective panel for distributing radiant heat within the heating cavity. The upper heating element includes a rapidly-heating, high-intensity heating element capable of being cycled on for final finishing of the food item when the food item is received in the heating cavity, and capable of being cycled off when final finishing is not being performed. The final finishing typically includes browning a top surface of the food item, or melting a topping onto the top surface of the food item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: Hatco Corporation
    Inventors: Allan E. Witt, Gerhard H. Wenzel
  • Patent number: 6262396
    Abstract: An oven device for final finishing of a food item includes an oven housing defining a heating cavity, and an upper heating unit disposed within the oven housing above the heating cavity. The heating cavity is configured to receive at least one food item to be heated by the oven device. The upper heating unit includes an upper heating element. The upper heating unit generates radiant heat which is directed onto the at least one food item when the at least one food item is received in the heating cavity. The upper heating element includes a rapidly-heating, high-intensity heating element capable of being cycled on for final finishing of the at least one food item when the at least one food item is received in the heating cavity, and capable of being cycled off when such final finishing is not being performed. The final finishing typically includes browning a top surface of the food item, or melting a topping onto the top surface of the food item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Hatco Corporation
    Inventors: Allan E. Witt, Gerhard H. Wenzel