Patents by Inventor Ronald D. Wolfe

Ronald D. Wolfe 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: 11497217
    Abstract: An air impingement conveyor oven incorporating a case having orthogonal walls, the case being opened by opposite end food passage ports; an air plenum mounted within the case; vertical pairs of forwardly extending finger ducts mounted to the plenum; a food conveyor extending between the finger ducts pairs and through the food passage ports; register plates having air jet matrixes, the register plates covering the finger ducts; and the matrixes air jets upon the register plates, the air jets being configured for air flow direction biasing both toward the rearward ends of the food passage ports and away from the forward ends of the food passage ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 11439153
    Abstract: A conveyor tunnel oven incorporating a baking case opened by longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal food passage ports; a first conveyor extending through the at least baking case, the first conveyor being adapted for carrying the food item therethrough, a second conveyor supported at the oppositely longitudinal end of the baking case, the second conveyor being adapted for carrying the food item longitudinally toward or away from the food passage port; a third conveyor carried by the second conveyor, the third conveyor being adapted for carrying the food item laterally toward or away from the food passage port; a fourth conveyor carried by the third conveyor, the fourth conveyor being adapted for orbiting the food item; and a fifth conveyor carried by the fourth conveyor, the fifth conveyor having food item engaging arms and being adapted for moving the food item upwardly or downwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: WOLFE ELECTRIC, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Wolfe, Jayson S. Rohrback, Morgan M. Breth, James L. Vasher
  • Patent number: 11433549
    Abstract: A pizza transfer tool incorporating a vertical shaft; an upper member mounted to the vertical shaft for upward and downward motions; a lower member mounted to the vertical shaft for upward and downward motions; a circumferential array of upper pivot arms having proximal ends pivotally mounted to the upper member; a circumferential array of lower pivot arms having proximal ends pivotally mounted to the lower member; a circumferential array of linking members having inner ends and outer ends, wherein each outer end is pivotally mounted to a distal end of one of the upper pivot arms, and wherein each inner end is pivotally mounted to a distal end of one of the lower pivot arms; and a circumferential array of spatulas attached to the linking member's inner ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: WOLFE ELECTRIC, INC.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Publication number: 20210086369
    Abstract: A pizza transfer tool incorporating a vertical shaft; an upper member mounted to the vertical shaft for upward and downward motions; a lower member mounted to the vertical shaft for upward and downward motions; a circumferential array of upper pivot arms having proximal ends pivotally mounted to the upper member; a circumferential array of lower pivot arms having proximal ends pivotally mounted to the lower member; a circumferential array of linking members having inner ends and outer ends, wherein each outer end is pivotally mounted to a distal end of one of the upper pivot arms, and wherein each inner end is pivotally mounted to a distal end of one of the lower pivot arms; and a circumferential array of spatulas attached to the linking member's inner ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Publication number: 20200187510
    Abstract: A conveyor tunnel oven incorporating a baking case opened by longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal food passage ports; a first conveyor extending through the at least baking case, the first conveyor being adapted for carrying the food item therethrough, a second conveyor supported at the oppositely longitudinal end of the baking case, the second conveyor being adapted for carrying the food item longitudinally toward or away from the food passage port; a third conveyor carried by the second conveyor, the third conveyor being adapted for carrying the food item laterally toward or away from the food passage port; a fourth conveyor carried by the third conveyor, the fourth conveyor being adapted for orbiting the food item; and a fifth conveyor carried by the fourth conveyor, the fifth conveyor having food item engaging arms and being adapted for moving the food item upwardly or downwardly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D Wolfe, Jayson S. Rohrback, Morgan M. Breth, James L. Vasher
  • Publication number: 20190387751
    Abstract: An air impingement conveyor oven incorporating a case having orthogonal walls, the case being opened by opposite end food passage ports; an air plenum mounted within the case; vertical pairs of forwardly extending finger ducts mounted to the plenum; a food conveyor extending between the finger ducts pairs and through the food passage ports; register plates having air jet matrixes, the register plates covering the finger ducts; and the matrixes air jets upon the register plates, the air jets being configured for air flow direction biasing both toward the rearward ends of the food passage ports and away from the forward ends of the food passage ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 8776773
    Abstract: An air impingement tunnel oven including a baking case having a plurality of walls, the case's interior having high and low pressure zones; a food conveyor spanning between food passage ports; a plenum and air impingement registers combination having pluralities of finger ducts overlying and underlying the food conveyor, each finger duct being attached to and extending from the plenum, and the plenum dividing the baking case's high and low pressure zones; a gas burner supported upon one of the baking case's walls and including a shell and a gas tube within the shell, the shell defining an annulus which opens the baking case's low pressure zone; and an optical flame sensor operatively mounted for detecting burner flame light passing outwardly through the annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Wolfe, Steven M. Wolfe, Brent Staver
  • Patent number: 8536493
    Abstract: A vertically stacked air impingement tunnel oven including a plurality of baking cases having vertically aligned food ports; an electronically controlled heater system connected to the baking cases, the heater system being adapted for heating selected groups of baking cases, the heater system including a plurality of on/off switches which are correspondingly electrically connected for actuating the heating of the selected baking cases; an exhaust hood and exhaust fan having an inlet over the food ports; and a first electronic motor drive system connected operatively to the exhaust fan, and being adapted for rotating the exhaust fan a rotation speed among a plurality of preset rotation speeds, the drive system including the plurality of on/off switches which are further electrically connected for simultaneously actuating the exhaust fan at rotation speeds corresponding with the selected baking case group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 8286400
    Abstract: A self cooling panel having a longitudinally inner wall; a longitudinally outer wall having a first plurality of “J” plates, each plate among the first plurality of “J” plates having a stem section, an upper end, a lateral end, and an oppositely lateral end, and a vertically ported tail section; first screw and eye combinations interconnecting each plate among the first plurality of “J” plates so that the upper end of each plate's stem section is positioned at the distal end of the tail section of one of the other plates among the first plurality of “J” plates, or so that the distal end of each plate's tail section is positioned at the upper end of the stem section of one of the other plates among the first plurality of “J” plate; and second screw and eye combinations interconnecting the longitudinally inner and outer walls, the second screw and eye combinations positioning the upper end of the stem section of each plate among the first plurality of “J” plates longitudinally outwardly from the panel's longitu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Wolfe, Brent W. Staver, Kelly W. Berreth
  • Patent number: 8210844
    Abstract: An air impingement conveyor oven incorporating a baking case having an interior space bordered by opposing longitudinal walls, opposing lateral walls, a ceiling, and a floor; an air plenum partitioning the baking case's interior space into an air impingement space and an air return space, the air plenum having at least a first intake port opening at the air return space, the air plenum further having a plurality of air impingement ducts extending into and opening at the air impingement space; a passive flow conduit opening the baking case, the passive flow conduit having an output end positioned at the return air space; a combustible fuel injector and igniter connected operatively to the passive flow conduit; and an air impelling fan mounted operatively within the baking case's interior space for recirculating impingement air from the air impingement space into the air return space, for drawing outside combustion air through the passive flow conduit, and for driving the air through the at least first intake p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Wolfe, Frederick Hausler, Brent Staver
  • Patent number: 7895809
    Abstract: A support beam and attachment clevis assembly having a pair of “J” beams, each “J” beam having a stem and a tail, each “J” beam's tail having a distal end and a longitudinal extension, each “J” beam's stem having an upper end and a longitudinal extension, the longitudinal extension of each “J” beam's stem being greater than that of said each “J” beam's tail; and incorporating a plurality of blind rivets interconnecting the pair of “J” beams so that the distal end of each “J” beam's tail contacts the upper end of the other “J” beam's stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Publication number: 20100104997
    Abstract: An air impingement conveyor oven incorporating a baking case having an interior space bordered by opposing longitudinal walls, opposing lateral walls, a ceiling, and a floor; an air plenum partitioning the baking case's interior space into an air impingement space and an air return space, the air plenum having at least a first intake port opening at the air return space, the air plenum further having a plurality of air impingement ducts extending into and opening at the air impingement space; a passive flow conduit opening the baking case, the passive flow conduit having an output end positioned at the return air space; a combustible fuel injector and igniter connected operatively to the passive flow conduit; and an air impelling fan mounted operatively within the baking case's interior space for recirculating impingement air from the air impingement space into the air return space, for drawing outside combustion air through the passive flow conduit, and for driving the air through the at least first intake p
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: WOLFE ELECTRIC, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Wolfe, Frederick Hausler, Brent Staver
  • Patent number: 7604000
    Abstract: A tunnel oven including a case enclosing a baking chamber, the baking chamber having a lateral side, an oppositely lateral side, a longitudinal end, and an oppositely longitudinal end, the case having longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal end walls respectively bounding the baking chamber's longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal ends; the tunnel oven further including first and second food passage ports respectively extending through the case's longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal end walls, the first food passage port having lateral and oppositely lateral sides; the tunnel oven further including a heater connected operatively to the case; the tunnel oven further including a food conveyor extending longitudinally through the baking chamber; the tunnel oven further including a plenum mounted within the baking chamber's lateral side, the plenum being opened by a blower port and by at least a first duct port; the tunnel oven further including an air blower mounted in communication with the plenum's blow
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Wolfe, Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Publication number: 20080072528
    Abstract: A support beam and attachment clevis assembly having a pair of “J” beams, each “J” beam having a stem and a tail, each “J” beam's tail having a distal end and a longitudinal extension, each “J” beam's stem having an upper end and a longitudinal extension, the longitudinal extension of each “J” beam's stem being greater than that of said each “J” beam's tail; and incorporating a plurality of blind rivets interconnecting the pair of “J” beams so that the distal end of each “J” beam's tail contacts the upper end of the other “J” beam's stem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: WOLFE ELECTRIC, INC.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 7340992
    Abstract: An air impingement conveyor oven including a baking case having an interior space, a food input port, a food output port, and having a longitudinal axis extending from the food input ports to the food output port; an air heating gas burner connected operatively to the baking case for heating air within the interior space; a plurality of air registers mounted within the baking case's interior space, the air registers being positioned longitudinally along the baking case's longitudinal axis; an air blower mounted within the baking case's interior space; a network of air ducts interconnecting the air registers and the air blower; left and right conveyor belts extending along the baking case's longitudinal axis and being respectively positioned leftwardly and rightwardly from the longitudinal axis; a first roller mounted intersectingly across the baking case's longitudinal axis, the first roller being frictionally engaged with the left and right conveyor belts, the first roller being annularly coffered at said ax
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Wolfe, Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 6833533
    Abstract: A pizza oven having a baking chamber, having a loading port, and having a dispensing port; a conveyor extending longitudinally through the baking chamber from the loading port to the dispensing port; an air plenum having an air intake port and a plurality of air output ports; an air blower connected to the air plenum for moving heated air from the air intake port to the air output ports; and having upper and lower pluralities of ducts respectively overlying and underlying the conveyor, each duct having a proximal end attached to the plenum and a distal end, each duct further having proximal and distal air discharge ports respectively positioned proximally and distally from a vertical plane extending longitudinally along and substantially centrally through the conveyor, each duct's proximal air discharge port being larger than the duct's distal air discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Wolfe, Ronald D. Wolfe, Dwane D. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 4830199
    Abstract: A hanging display having a circuitous metal hoop which supports a doubled layer of nylon mesh netting. The netting is initially formed as a tube which is threaded through the hoop and folded back upon itself and knotted to form a basket. The basket is easily deformable to contain a large quantity and variety of products, and returns to its initial shape as products are removed. The hook and netting may be supported from above by cables, on pegboard hooks, or by a freestanding frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Liberty Diversified Industries
    Inventors: Ronald D. Wolfe, Dale D. Shepard
  • Patent number: D618330
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Wolfe
  • Patent number: RE36941
    Abstract: The oven of the present invention is a low profile, dual .[.conveyer.]. .Iadd.conveyor .Iaddend.oven including an oven cabinet, two closely spaced .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.and an air heating and circulation system. The .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.and the oven cabinet are adapted so that the .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.can be easily removed .[.from the.]. from the front or side of the oven cabinet. The oven cabinet houses the .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors.Iaddend., ducts and manifolds which all can be easily removed for cleaning or other maintenance. Each of the .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.include separately controlled drive motors capable of driving .[.the.]. each of .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.at different speeds and in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventors: Ronald D. Wolfe, Dwane D. Wolfe