Patents by Inventor Richard W. Naess

Richard W. Naess 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: 7220944
    Abstract: An improved, modular convection/impingement oven assembly for continuously cooking food. In certain embodiments, the assembly comprises at least one non-recirculating impingement oven unit and at least one additional oven unit, arranged as a series, in any sequence. A first oven has an elongated chamber, a conveyer system, hot-air impingement units, and an exhaust vent at the discharge end. Preferably, it has surface-treatment burners for browning, a brander for grill marks, and/or steam nozzles for introducing heat and moisture. Cooking vapors pass the entire length of the unit. Each subsequent oven may be similar to the first oven (often omitting the surface-treatment burners and brander) with its own vent. Each subsequent oven may cook by flame, air, or steam, in any combination. Each oven unit is independently controllable for cooking parameters and cooking methods. An air gap may be provided between each pair of oven units to decouple airflow between units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Inventors: R. Craig Miller, Richard W. Naess
  • Patent number: 5786566
    Abstract: An improved convection/impingement oven for continuously cooking food. The oven has a wire link type belt which moves through an elongated cooking chamber. Hot air is blown on the upper surface of the food to be cooked. A separately controlled hot air source is blown on the lower surface of the food. Hot air impingement units are placed along the length of the oven and the cooking vapors are not recirculated but instead pass along the elongated cooking chamber and are exhausted at the end. Preferably a color development and sealing section has upper and lower burners which heat the food and the heat from these burners also pass the entire length of the cooking chamber before being exhausted. Also preferably steam or a water spray is used to regulate the humidity and this may be regulated in several different sections of the cooking chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Inventors: R. Craig Miller, Richard W. Naess
  • Patent number: 5560952
    Abstract: An improved convection/impingement oven for continuously cooking food. The oven has a wire link type belt which moves through an elongated cooking chamber. Hot air is blown on the upper surface of the food to be cooked. A separately controlled hot air source is blown on the lower surface of the food. Hot air impingement units are placed along the length of the oven and the cooking vapors are not recirculated but instead pass along the elongated cooking chamber and are exhausted at the end. Preferably a color development and sealing section has upper and lower burners which heat the food and the heat from these burners also pass the entire length of the cooking chamber before being exhausted. Also preferably steam or a water spray is used to regulate the humidity and this may be regulated in several different sections of the cooking chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Inventors: R. Craig Miller, Richard W. Naess
  • Patent number: RE39828
    Abstract: An improved convection/impingement oven for continuously cooking food. The oven has a wire link type belt which moves through an elongated cooking chamber. Hot air is blown on the upper surface of the food to be cooked. A separately controlled hot air source is blown on the lower surface of the food. Hot air impingement units are placed along the length of the oven and the cooking vapors are not recirculated but instead pass along the elongated cooking chamber and are exhausted at the end. Preferably a color development and sealing section has upper and lower burners which heat the food and the heat from these burners also pass the entire length of the cooking chamber before being exhausted. Also preferably steam or a water spray is used to regulate the humidity and this may be regulated in several different sections of the cooking chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Inventors: R. Craig Miller, Richard W. Naess