Patents by Inventor Kevin R. Romer

Kevin R. Romer 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: 20240041257
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for controlling a heating system in a fryer. At startup, a setpoint temperature for a cooking medium is set to a melt temperature. While in melt mode, each of a plurality of heating elements each located in a different region of a fry pot is sequentially activated to control an amount of heat provided to the cooking medium. Once the cooking medium has reached the melt temperature, the setpoint temperature is increased to a target cooking temperature. While in cooking mode, if an order to cook a food product is not received within a predetermined time period, the setpoint temperature is set to an idle temperature which is below the target setpoint temperature and above the melt temperature. The target cooking temperature is adjusted using a set of setpoint bias temperatures that is selected based on a cooking load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Melissa M. Hohler, Kevin R. Romer
  • Patent number: 11819163
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for controlling a heating system in a fryer. At startup, a setpoint temperature for a cooking medium is set to a melt temperature. While in melt mode, each of a plurality of heating elements each located in a different region of a fry pot is sequentially activated to control an amount of heat provided to the cooking medium. Once the cooking medium has reached the melt temperature, the setpoint temperature is increased to a target cooking temperature. While in cooking mode, if an order to cook a food product is not received within a predetermined time period, the setpoint temperature is set to an idle temperature which is below the target setpoint temperature and above the melt temperature. The target cooking temperature is adjusted using a set of setpoint bias temperatures that is selected based on a cooking load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Henny Penny Corporation
    Inventors: Melissa M. Hohler, Kevin R. Romer
  • Publication number: 20220279972
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for controlling a heating system in a fryer. At startup, a setpoint temperature for a cooking medium is set to a melt temperature. While in melt mode, each of a plurality of heating elements each located in a different region of a fry pot is sequentially activated to control an amount of heat provided to the cooking medium. Once the cooking medium has reached the melt temperature, the setpoint temperature is increased to a target cooking temperature. While in cooking mode, if an order to cook a food product is not received within a predetermined time period, the setpoint temperature is set to an idle temperature which is below the target setpoint temperature and above the melt temperature. The target cooking temperature is adjusted using a set of setpoint bias temperatures that is selected based on a cooking load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Melissa M. Hohler, Kevin R. Romer