Patents by Inventor Jeffrey T. Zank
Jeffrey T. Zank 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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Patent number: 11937735Abstract: A food station includes a base configured to support a food product, a frame coupled to the base and including a longitudinal member having a length extending in a longitudinal direction, and a heat strip module coupled to the longitudinal member. The heat strip module includes a housing, a heating element coupled to the housing, and a reflector coupled to the housing. The heat strip module is at least one of (a) selectively rotatable relative to the longitudinal member between a first orientation and a second orientation and configured to emit the energy in both the first orientation and the second orientation or (b) selectively repositionable along the length of the longitudinal member between a first position and a second position and configured to emit the energy in both the first position and the second position.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2020Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jill Hundley, Thomas David VanDerPuy, Jeffrey T. Zank, Kirk Michael Komendat, Kristin Blada, Ian Robert Ecclestone
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Publication number: 20210038018Abstract: A food station includes a base configured to support a food product, a frame coupled to the base and including a longitudinal member having a length extending in a longitudinal direction, and a heat strip module coupled to the longitudinal member. The heat strip module includes a housing, a heating element coupled to the housing, and a reflector coupled to the housing. The heat strip module is at least one of (a) selectively rotatable relative to the longitudinal member between a first orientation and a second orientation and configured to emit the energy in both the first orientation and the second orientation or (b) selectively repositionable along the length of the longitudinal member between a first position and a second position and configured to emit the energy in both the first position and the second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jill Hundley, Thomas David VanDerPuy, Jeffrey T. Zank, Kirk Michael Komendat, Kristin Blada, Ian Robert Ecclestone
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Patent number: 9395091Abstract: A food service unit for use with a cooking unit includes a food shield including an upper wall, a customer-side wall, and two lateral sidewalls, a ventilation volume defined at least in part by the food shield, a recirculating ventilation system including a filter, a fan downstream of the filter, and an exhaust vent, wherein the fan is configured to draw air from the ventilation volume through the filter and exhaust the air through the exhaust vent, a pressure sensor configured to detect a differential pressure between atmosphere and a location between the filter and the fan, a control system configured to prevent a cooking unit from operating when the detected differential pressure is outside a specified range of pressures, a fire suppression system including a nozzle and a source of fire extinguishing agent and a fire detection sensor configured to detect a fire and activate the fire suppression system.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zank, John Wojcik
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Publication number: 20140020673Abstract: A food service unit for use with a cooking unit includes a food shield including an upper wall, a customer-side wall, and two lateral sidewalls, a ventilation volume defined at least in part by the food shield, a recirculating ventilation system including a filter, a fan downstream of the filter, and an exhaust vent, wherein the fan is configured to draw air from the ventilation volume through the filter and exhaust the air through the exhaust vent, a pressure sensor configured to detect a differential pressure between atmosphere and a location between the filter and the fan, a control system configured to prevent a cooking unit from operating when the detected differential pressure is outside a specified range of pressures, a fire suppression system including a nozzle and a source of fire extinguishing agent and a fire detection sensor configured to detect a fire and activate the fire suppression system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2013Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zank, John Wojcik
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Patent number: 7489858Abstract: A heater is disclosed. The comprises a housing; a reflector; and a pair of opposite connectors supported by the reflector and configured to support opposite ends of a heating element. The reflector is movable between a plurality of positions relative to the housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2006Date of Patent: February 10, 2009Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zank, Michael J. Martin, Michael A. Ward
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Publication number: 20080083727Abstract: A heater is disclosed. The comprises a housing; a reflector; and a pair of opposite connectors supported by the reflector and configured to support opposite ends of a heating element. The reflector is movable between a plurality of positions relative to the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2006Publication date: April 10, 2008Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zank, Michael J. Martin, Michael A. Ward
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Publication number: 20040231837Abstract: A food serving station includes a support structure, one or more wells supported by the support structure, a drain manifold fluidly coupled to each of the one or more wells and not fluidly coupled to any other wells and a fill valve coupled to the drain manifold and external to the one or more wells and is adapted to be coupled to a fluid source. The valve is movable between an open position in which fluid from the fluid source is permitted to flow into the manifold in a closed position. The at least one sensor is configured to identify a volume of fluid within the interior.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2004Publication date: November 25, 2004Applicant: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zank, Ronald E. Bratton
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Patent number: 6568534Abstract: A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan is disclosed herein. The pan includes a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a ramp. The plurality of walls extend upwardly from the bottom panel and define a cavity. The plurality of walls also have an upper end which defines a top opening. The upper end has an extension away from the cavity which defines a rim. The ramp is proximate the rim and exterior to the cavity, whereby the pan rides up on the ramp when the pan is drawn up against the well.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2001Date of Patent: May 27, 2003Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventor: Jeffrey T. Zank
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Patent number: 6557720Abstract: A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan is disclosed herein. The pan includes a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a ramp. The plurality of walls extend upwardly from the bottom panel and define a cavity. The plurality of walls also have an upper end which defines a top opening. The upper end has an extension away from the cavity which defines a rim. The ramp is proximate the rim and exterior to the cavity, whereby the pan rides up on the ramp when the pan is drawn up against the well.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: David R. Tosdale, Mark L. Baumann, Victor M. Frauenfeld, William C. Heimerl, Ronald J. McGettrick, Richard E. Velten, Jeffrey T. Zank, Cory R. Boudreau, William C. Lindeman, Sheldon D. Roberts
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Patent number: 6415945Abstract: A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan is disclosed herein. The pan includes a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a ramp. The plurality of walls extend upwardly from the bottom panel and define a cavity. The plurality of walls also have an upper end which defines a top opening. The upper end has an extension away from the cavity which defines a rim. The ramp is proximate the rim and exterior to the cavity, whereby the pan rides up on the ramp when the pan is drawn up against the well.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2000Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zank, Jeffrey C. Mittmann, Rebecca J. Schreiber-Pethan, Cory R. Boudreau, William C. Lindeman
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Publication number: 20010035418Abstract: A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan is disclosed herein. The pan includes a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a ramp. The plurality of walls extend upwardly from the bottom panel and define a cavity. The plurality of walls also have an upper end which defines a top opening. The upper end has an extension away from the cavity which defines a rim. The ramp is proximate the rim and exterior to the cavity, whereby the pan rides up on the ramp when the pan is drawn up against the well.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2001Publication date: November 1, 2001Inventors: David R. Tosdale, Mark L. Baumann, Victor M. Frauenfeld, William C. Heimerl, Ronald J. McGettrick, Richard E. Velten, Jeffrey T. Zank, Cory R. Boudreau, William C. Lindeman, Sheldon D. Roberts
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Publication number: 20010019060Abstract: A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan is disclosed herein. The pan includes a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a ramp. The plurality of walls extend upwardly from the bottom panel and define a cavity. The plurality of walls also have an upper end which defines a top opening. The upper end has an extension away from the cavity which defines a rim. The ramp is proximate the rim and exterior to the cavity, whereby the pan rides up on the ramp when the pan is drawn up against the well.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2001Publication date: September 6, 2001Inventor: Jeffrey T. Zank
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Patent number: 4595247Abstract: An improved support for effecting the sliding movement of a drawer utilized in an electric hot food cooking or holding cabinet. The support includes a drawer slide assembly removably mounted within the cabinet and a drawer frame assembly on the drawer. The drawer slide assembly has a channel-shaped drawer slide removably mounted to the side wall of the cabinet, and a drawer slide roller mounted on the slide for centering and guiding the drawer during its sliding movement. The drawer frame assembly includes a slide bearing track integrally formed in the side wall of the drawer to serve as the runner and guide for the slide roller, and a pair of rollers which roll above and below the slide. The drawer rollers and drawer slide are positioned in substantially vertical alignment as are the slide roller and drawer runner, but at a location inwardly of the drawer rollers, to lend added strength to the drawer assembly when the drawer is in its fully open position.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 1983Date of Patent: June 17, 1986Assignee: Alto-Shaam, Inc.Inventor: Jeffrey T. Zank
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Patent number: D446993Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2000Date of Patent: August 28, 2001Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventor: Jeffrey T. Zank
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Patent number: D446994Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2000Date of Patent: August 28, 2001Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventor: Jeffrey T. Zank
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Patent number: D449205Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2000Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventor: Jeffrey T. Zank
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Patent number: D454751Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2000Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.Inventor: Jeffrey T. Zank