Patents by Inventor Michael Steffl

Michael Steffl 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).

  • Patent number: 9167934
    Abstract: A brewing head of a hot beverage machine includes a fixed brewing chamber part, and a movable brewing chamber part which is movable in relation to the fixed brewing chamber part to define a brewing chamber for receiving a substrate capsule. The fixed and movable brewing chamber parts are closed by a locking system to thereby form the brewing chamber, and a seal is provided for pressure-tight sealing of one of the two brewing chamber parts and the substrate capsule during beverage preparation. The brewing chambers has three operating positions involving an opening position for loading the brewing chamber, a partially closed position in which the brewing chamber is closed and the seal is detensioned, and a closed position in which the brewing chamber is likewise closed and the seal is tensioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: BSH Bosch Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Höglauer, Aleksander Sedovsek, Michael Steffl
  • Patent number: 9044117
    Abstract: An automatic coffee maker comprises a tube valve which has a passage tube for liquids and/or gases and a control device for controlling a throughput through the passage tube. The tube valve is improved by a direction changing device which changes an orientation of the passage tube during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: KRAFT FOODS R&D, INC.
    Inventors: Josef Daburger, Ulrike Dommann, Michael Steffl
  • Publication number: 20140345472
    Abstract: A cartridge receptacle for a brewing chamber of a hot beverage machine operating on the basis of dimensionally stable beverage cartridges, includes a cartridge carrier, a cartridge holder and a locking device for mounting the beverage cartridge on the cartridge carrier. The cartridge receptacle has at least one damping device that is suitable for compensating for an internal pressure generated in the beverage cartridge by a brewing and/or steam pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGEREAETE GMBH
    Inventors: Juergen Fritz, Michael Hoeglauer, Michael Steffl
  • Patent number: 8418602
    Abstract: A coffee machine brewing chamber for a coffee pad. Said brewing chamber comprises a top part that is provided with openings for the water which is delivered to the brewing chamber as well as a bottom part. The top part of the brewing chamber is embodied in a monolithic manner. The invention further relates to a coffee machine that is equipped with such a brewing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Magg, Andreas Mayr, Michael Steffl
  • Publication number: 20130008316
    Abstract: A brewing head of a hot beverage machine includes a fixed brewing chamber part, and a movable brewing chamber part which is movable in relation to the fixed brewing chamber part to define a brewing chamber for receiving a substrate capsule. The fixed and movable brewing chamber parts are closed by a locking system to thereby form the brewing chamber, and a seal is provided for pressure-tight sealing of one of the two brewing chamber parts and the substrate capsule during beverage preparation. The brewing chambers has three operating positions involving an opening position for loading the brewing chamber, a partially closed position in which the brewing chamber is closed and the seal is detensioned, and a closed position in which the brewing chamber is likewise closed and the seal is tensioned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Höglauer, Aleksander Sedovsek, Michael Steffl
  • Patent number: 8245628
    Abstract: A coffee machine comprising an instantaneous electric heater for heating water, which is transported from a storage tank and conducted under pressure after the heating process into a brewing chamber to prepare the coffee, said chamber comprising an outlet nozzle for discharging the prepared coffee. The machine also comprises at least one sensor for recording an electric measured value that correlates to the temperature of the heated water and a control system for controlling the pump output of the pump and/or the heating output of the instantaneous heater in accordance with the measured value. The device permits a blockage of the nozzle to be identified and safely removed. The control system shuts off the pump output and/or the heating output if the measured value exceeds predefined thresholds and blocks a restart of the pump output and/or heating output for a specified blocking period by activating blocking elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Magg, Andreas Mayr, Michael Steffl
  • Publication number: 20120199012
    Abstract: An automatic coffee maker comprises a tube valve which has a passage tube for liquids and/or gases and a control device for controlling a throughput through the passage tube. The tube valve is improved by a direction changing device which changes an orientation of the passage tube during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Josef Daburger, Ulrike Dommann, Michael Steffl
  • Patent number: 7445171
    Abstract: A motorized kitchen appliance provides a resilient fixation of a drive unit, surrounded by an outer wall, within a housing of the kitchen appliance. The drive unit is resiliently mounted in the housing through the use of projections and is fixed therein in the manner of a bayonet fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Marko Areh, Siegmund Kramer, Henrik Pavlovic, Michael Steffl, Igor Zibret
  • Publication number: 20080223218
    Abstract: A coffee machine comprising an instantaneous electric heater for heating water, which is transported from a storage tank and conducted under pressure after the heating process into a brewing chamber to prepare the coffee, said chamber comprising an outlet nozzle for discharging the prepared coffee. The machine also comprises at least one sensor for recording an electric measured value that correlates to the temperature of the heated water and a control system for controlling the pump output of the pump and/or the heating output of the instantaneous heater in accordance with the measured value. The device permits a blockage of the nozzle to be identified and safely removed. The control system shuts off the pump output and/or the heating output if the measured value exceeds predefined thresholds and blocks a restart of the pump output and/or heating output for a specified blocking period by activating blocking elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Magg, Andreas Mayr, Michael Steffl
  • Publication number: 20080210099
    Abstract: A coffee machine brewing chamber for a coffee pad. Said brewing chamber comprises a top part that is provided with openings for the water which is delivered to the brewing chamber as well as a bottom part. The top part of the brewing chamber is embodied in a monolithic manner. The invention further relates to a coffee machine that is equipped with such a brewing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Magg, Andreas Mayr, Michael Steffl
  • Patent number: 7243790
    Abstract: A carrier for storing a plurality of memory devices therein and a method of manufacture for the carrier are provided. The carrier includes a jacket having a plurality of interconnected panels. A hinge member is applied to a hinge edge of containers. One of the panels of the jacket is then secured to the hinge member to mount a stack of containers within the jacket. The stack may also be secured to a second panel of the jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Inventors: John Civitello, Thomas Michael Steffl
  • Patent number: 7228794
    Abstract: A housing in a kitchen device, in particular, a household fruit press, includes an electric motor and a circuit board, both of which can be simply mounted. The motor and board are to be simply assembled in the housing by configuring the mounting as a hollow cylinder with elastically spring-like wall segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Marko Areh, Peter Brezovnik, Henrik Pavlovic, Michael Steffl, Igor Zibret
  • Patent number: 7104188
    Abstract: A fruit press containing a centrally arranged element projecting upward from a base to a tip. The element base has an outer annular surface for the pressing of fruit. The annular surface having ridges on the outer surface that run from the base to the tip. The outer surface having trough-like recesses between the ridges with a cross-section substantially in the form of a circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Steffl, Marko Areh, Stanislav Mazej, Igor Zibret, Peter Brezovnik, Henrik Pavlovic
  • Patent number: 7089712
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for producing an assembly comprising a plurality of digital data storage media carriers attached to a carrier strip. In the production of the assemblies, carriers are positioned for movement in a longitudinal direction of the conveyor system with the carriers being in a row. Carrier strips are secured to the carriers with the longitudinal axis of the assembly and the carrier strips being generally parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor system. Carriers are deposited onto the conveyor system via a bottom feed depositor which depositor utilizes a pressure differential to help produce positive movement of carriers from a carrier magazine onto the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: The Form House, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Andrew Talbot, Thomas Michael Steffl
  • Patent number: 7089851
    Abstract: A fruit juicer includes an additional switch that determines the speed at which the fruit juicer, i.e., the element that receives the fruit to be squeezed out, revolves. A button, disposed on the outer wall of the housing, actuates a microcontroller such that more power is supplied to the electric motor to make it revolve at a higher speed. The inventive fruit juicer, therefore, allows the juice to be squeezed out from the pulp already removed from the fruit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte
    Inventors: Marko Areh, Peter Brezovnik, Siegmund Kramer, Stanislav Mazej, Henrik Pavlovic, Michael Steffl, Igor Zibret
  • Patent number: 6971306
    Abstract: A juicer has a tilting collecting dish that permits simple, loss-free pouring out of the fruit juice. It is unnecessary to remove the squeeze element with which the citrus fruit was pressed and/or the collecting container surrounding the squeeze element, from which the fruit juice drops into the collecting dish. In order to tilt the collecting dish, two opposing projections are provided on the outer side of the jacket wall thereof, which lie rotatably of pivotally in recesses on the inside of the housing wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Marko Areh, Peter Brezovnik, Siegmund Kramer, Stanislav Mazej, Henrik Pavlovic, Michael Steffl, Igor Zibret
  • Patent number: 6945162
    Abstract: A fruit juicer has a rotating, upwardly-tapering, centrally-disposed, projecting element, for the pressing of a fruit. The element is surrounded by a collector dish, into which a stationary wall of a fixed annular body extends downwards. A device for compressing the fruit pulp, and thus squeezing additional juice out of the pulp, is formed on the wall. On rotating the collector dish with a motor drive the compression device forces the pulp of the fruit downwards in a generally wedge direction. The additional compression device is one or more blades that are fixed to or formed on the inner side of the projecting wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Marko Areh, Stanislav Mazej, Michael Steffl
  • Publication number: 20050081724
    Abstract: A motorized kitchen appliance provides a resilient fixation of a drive unit, surrounded by an outer wall, within a housing of the kitchen appliance. The drive unit is resiliently mounted in the housing through the use of projections and is fixed therein in the manner of a bayonet fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Marko Areh, Siegmund Kramer, Henrik Pavlovic, Michael Steffl, Igor Zibret
  • Patent number: 6860196
    Abstract: A juicer is driven by an electric motor. The juicer is provided with a centrally-arranged, projecting, upwardly-tapering element, for the pressing of a fruit. The pressing element may be driven by a driveshaft, connected to the element. The driveshaft may be displaced in the axial direction. By pressing downwards on the element, the driveshaft is pressed against a switching means and the electric motor switched on thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Marko Areh, Peter Brezovnik, Siegmund Kramer, Stanislav Mazej, Henrik Pavlovic, Michael Steffl, Igor Zibret
  • Publication number: 20050028681
    Abstract: A housing in a kitchen device, in particular, a household fruit press, includes an electric motor and a circuit board, both of which can be simply mounted. The motor and board are to be simply assembled in the housing by configuring the mounting as a hollow cylinder with elastically spring-like wall segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Marko Areh, Peter Brezovnik, Henrik Pavlovic, Michael Steffl, Igor Zibret