Patents by Inventor Stephen B. Hegge

Stephen B. Hegge 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: 10314315
    Abstract: A convection oven includes a cooking chamber for cooking a food product, an air circulator that circulates process air in a first direction through the cooking chamber and along a circulation path in a circulation passage. A heat exchanger includes one or more heat transfer ducts longitudinally arranged along the circulation path. One or more heating elements heat a fluid that is circulated in a second direction through the one or more heat transfer ducts which is opposite to the first direction. The process air absorbs heat from the heated fluid as the process air travels along the circulation path back to the cooking chamber. A partition wall may separate first and second parallel portions of the one or more heat transfer ducts. A heat exchanger may preheat fluid entering the one or more heat transfer ducts using heated fluid leaving the heat transfer ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: LBC BAKERY EQUIPMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen B. Hegge, Daniel Lee Gilbert, Thomas E. Depner
  • Publication number: 20180352818
    Abstract: A convection oven includes a cooking chamber for cooking a food product, an air circulator that circulates process air in a first direction through the cooking chamber and along a circulation path in a circulation passage. A heat exchanger includes one or more heat transfer ducts longitudinally arranged along the circulation path. One or more heating elements heat a fluid that is circulated in a second direction through the one or more heat transfer ducts which is opposite to the first direction. The process air absorbs heat from the heated fluid as the process air travels along the circulation path back to the cooking chamber. A partition wall may separate first and second parallel portions of the one or more heat transfer ducts. A heat exchanger may preheat fluid entering the one or more heat transfer ducts using heated fluid leaving the heat transfer ducts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Stephen B. Hegge, Daniel Lee Gilbert, Thomas E. Depner
  • Publication number: 20160219888
    Abstract: A convection oven includes a cooking chamber for cooking a food product, an air circulator that circulates process air in a first direction through the cooking chamber and along a circulation path in a circulation passage. A heat exchanger includes one or more heat transfer ducts longitudinally arranged along the circulation path. One or more heating elements heat a fluid that is circulated in a second direction through the one or more heat transfer ducts which is opposite to the first direction. The process air absorbs heat from the heated fluid as the process air travels along the circulation path back to the cooking chamber. A partition wall may separate first and second parallel portions of the one or more heat transfer ducts. A heat exchanger may preheat fluid entering the one or more heat transfer ducts using heated fluid leaving the heat transfer ducts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen B. Hegge, Daniel Lee Gilbert, Thomas E. Depner
  • Patent number: 6880544
    Abstract: A rack oven having an oven interior, an access door, a baking chamber, a passive steam generator, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a chamber containing burners, an undivided exhaust collection plenum positioned above the burner chamber, and a plurality of straight heat exchange tubes extending upwardly between and communicating with the burner chamber and the collection plenum. A blower circulates air within the oven interior among the heat exchange tubes, the steam generator and the baking chamber, and the steam generator produces steam using the circulating air heated by the heat exchange tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Lang Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stephen B. Hegge, Bradley J. Miner, Michael R. Anderson, Michael K. Roff, Christopher D. Steely
  • Publication number: 20040107953
    Abstract: A rack oven having an oven interior, an access door, a baking chamber, a passive steam generator, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a chamber containing burners, an undivided exhaust collection plenum positioned above the burner chamber, and a plurality of straight heat exchange tubes extending upwardly between and communicating with the burner chamber and the collection plenum. A blower circulates air within the oven interior among the heat exchange tubes, the steam generator and the baking chamber, and the steam generator produces steam using the circulating air heated by the heat exchange tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen B. Hegge, Bradley J. Miner, Michael R. Anderson, Michael K. Roff, Christopher D. Steely