Patents by Inventor Norbert Litterst

Norbert Litterst 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: 12593952
    Abstract: A conveyor for transporting dishes, in particular drinking containers, through at least one treatment zone of a dishwasher and/or for feeding dishes to the dishwasher. The conveyor includes a circulating conveyor system, a plurality of retaining elements connected to the circulating conveyor system and configured in order to releasably receive and/or releasably retain drinking containers, in particular in a positively locking manner and preferably at least in a sectionally or partially positively locking manner, and a support system for at least partially and/or sectionally supporting the drinking containers, received by the retaining elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Harald Disch, Martin Schrempp, Benjamin Franz, Björn Brodowski, Adrian Boldt, Norbert Litterst, Harry Braun, Frank Zoller
  • Publication number: 20250241507
    Abstract: A loading system for loading a conveyor warewasher, wherein a piece of washware placed in a first region of a conveyor belt can be moved to or in the direction of a second region of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt includes a clock-in lane subdivided into an upper first section and a lower second section and, in a region between the sections, a turning apparatus is arranged and configured to turn a piece of washware picked up from the clock-in lane and moved in the region between the first and second sections by 180° and subsequently transfer the piece of washware to the second section of the clock-in lane. Below the region between the first and second sections of the clock-in lane, a dirt collection region is provided, in which dirt can be received, having fallen from the piece of washware by way of gravity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2025
    Publication date: July 31, 2025
    Inventors: Harald DISCH, Martin SCHREMPP, Adrian BOLDT, Jürgen SCHEMEL, Norbert LITTERST
  • Publication number: 20240188786
    Abstract: A dishwasher (1) for cleaning washware items (2) in the form of drinking vessels, in particular drinking cups, mugs, glasses or bottles, wherein the dishwasher is in particular configured as a counter module of a counter system and includes at least one and preferably exactly one treatment zone (3) with an associated placement area (4) and an associated removal area (5). The washware item to be cleaned can preferably manually be placed into the treatment zone via the placement area and the cleaned washware item can preferably manually be removed from the treatment zone via the removal area. The placement area and the removal area are disposed opposite one another with the interposition of the treatment zone. At least one bracket (15) is provided in the treatment zone for in particular releasably securing and/or positioning the washware item placed onto a placement surface (20) in the treatment zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Harald DISCH, Martin SCHREMPP, Adrian BOLDT, Axel BECK, Jeffrey NEWCOMER, Norbert LITTERST, Jürgen SCHEMEL
  • Publication number: 20230371777
    Abstract: A conveyor for transporting dishes, in particular drinking containers, through at least one treatment zone of a dishwasher and/or for feeding dishes to the dishwasher. The conveyor includes a circulating conveyor system, a plurality of retaining elements connected to the circulating conveyor system and configured in order to releasably receive and/or releasably retain drinking containers, in particular in a positively locking manner and preferably at least in a sectionally or partially positively locking manner, and a support system for at least partially and/or sectionally supporting the drinking containers, received by the retaining elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Harald DISCH, Martin SCHREMPP, Benjamin FRANZ, Björn BRODOWSKI, Adrian BOLDT, Norbert LITTERST, Harry BRAUN, Frank ZOLLER
  • Publication number: 20210259507
    Abstract: A hood type dishwasher (1) having a treatment chamber closeable by a hood (2), which can be moved in the vertical direction relative to a machine frame of the dishwasher (1), wherein, in the closed state of the treatment chamber, the treatment chamber is delimited by inner surfaces of the hood (2) and by at least one rear side wall region (4) of the machine, which is fixed to the machine frame of the dishwasher (1). The hood (2) includes a guide system for guiding the hood (2) as it moves relative to the machine frame. The guide system is of concealed design such that, at least in the open state of the treatment chamber, it is present in its entirety outside the region which, in the closed state of the treatment chamber, is defined by the inner surfaces of the hood (2) and the rear side wall region (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Adrian BOLDT, Norbert LITTERST, Martin SCHREMPP
  • Patent number: 10610081
    Abstract: A dishwasher, in particular a commercial single-tank dishwasher or commercial multi-tank dishwasher, for washing washware includes a liquid transportation line (100) with at least one supply line for supplying liquid at a first temperature and comprising at least one discharge line for discharging liquid at a second temperature. The supply line and the discharge line run coaxially in relation to one another, so that either the supply line or the discharge line forms an internal line (10) which runs in the direction of extent of the liquid transportation line (100) within the respectively other supply line or discharge line which for its part forms an external line (20), and thereby form a countercurrent heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Harald Disch, Philipp Klumpp, Markus Heidt, Norbert Litterst
  • Publication number: 20170209020
    Abstract: A dishwasher, in particular a commercial single-tank dishwasher or commercial multi-tank dishwasher, for washing washware includes a liquid transportation line (100) with at least one supply line for supplying liquid at a first temperature and comprising at least one discharge line for discharging liquid at a second temperature, wherein the supply line and the discharge line run coaxially in relation to one another, so that either the supply line or the discharge line forms an internal line (10) which runs in the direction of extent of the liquid transportation line (100) within the respectively other supply line or discharge line which for its part forms an external line (20), and thereby form a countercurrent heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Harald Disch, Philipp Klumpp, Markus Heidt, Norbert Litterst
  • Patent number: 8435358
    Abstract: A conveyor dishwasher (2) has a control apparatus (50) for automatically setting the quantity of final rinse liquid sprayed in the final rinse zone (18) per unit time as a function of the conveying speed and/or as a function of the type of washware conveyed through the final rinse zone (18). A rinse aid metering apparatus (57) is also provided which is designed to add in a metered fashion a constant quantity of rinse aid per unit time to the fresh water provided for final rinsing purposes independently of the quantity of final rinse liquid sprayed in the final rinse zone (18) per unit time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Harald Disch, Martin Schrempp, Norbert Litterst
  • Publication number: 20110132408
    Abstract: A conveyor dishwasher (2) has a control apparatus (50) for automatically setting the quantity of final rinse liquid sprayed in the final rinse zone (18) per unit time as a function of the conveying speed and/or as a function of the type of washware conveyed through the final rinse zone (18). A rinse aid metering apparatus (57) is also provided which is designed to add in a metered fashion a constant quantity of rinse aid per unit time to the fresh water provided for final rinsing purposes independently of the quantity of final rinse liquid sprayed in the final rinse zone (18) per unit time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: PREMARK FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Harald Disch, Martin Schrempp, Norbert Litterst