Patents by Inventor Stephen Houghton

Stephen Houghton 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: 9717390
    Abstract: A steam cleaning apparatus comprising: a main body having a boiler and a pump; a main power switch; a cleaning head coupled to a main body through a joint; a yoke in the main body or the cleaning head, the yoke having an arm contacting a position sensitive switch so that when the main body is in a non-use position, the position sensitive switch prevents the main switch from supplying power, and when the main body is in an in-use position, the position sensitive switch allows the main switch to provide power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Barry Pears, David Rowntree, Martyn Riley, Stephen Houghton, Andrew Walker
  • Patent number: 9649004
    Abstract: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a steam cleaning device, the device comprising a supply of water for generating steam, and a steam cleaning head for ejecting steam generated from said supply of water in proximity to a surface to be cleaned, wherein the steam cleaning head comprises a portion for receiving a composition adapted to be used in conjunction with such a steam cleaning device, the portion being perfused by steam during ejection by said steam cleaning head of steam generated from said supply of water. This has the advantage that the composition may be changed by a user dependent only on the user's requirements and the rate of consumption of the composition, and independently of both the rate of consumption of water by the steam cleaning device and any need to remove, clean or replace a cleaning cloth mounted on the steam cleaning head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Houghton, Kevin Appleby, Christopher Hussey
  • Publication number: 20160083123
    Abstract: The present application provides an automated beverage dispenser for dispensing a beverage and ice into a cup. The automated beverage dispenser may include an ice dispensing station with an ice auger and a weight sensor, a beverage dispensing station, and a control device. The control device instructs the ice auger to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of ice and instructs the beverage dispensing station to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of the beverage in response to a weight of the cup as determined by the weight sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Andrew Mark Angus, Kenneth Andrew Nicoll, Mark David Rob, Sean Pickett, Mark Brian Dockrill, Ravisha Sellahewa, Stephen Houghton, Scott Alexander Anderson
  • Patent number: 9227830
    Abstract: The present application provides an automated beverage dispenser for dispensing a beverage and ice into a cup. The automated beverage dispenser may include an ice dispensing station with an ice auger and a weight sensor, a beverage dispensing station, and a control device. The control device instructs the ice auger to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of ice and instructs the beverage dispensing station to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of the beverage in response to a weight of the cup as determined by the weight sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew Mark Angus, Kenneth Andrew Nicoll, Mark David Rob, Sean Pickett, Mark Brian Dockrill, Ravisha Sellahewa, Stephen Houghton, Scott Alexander Anderson
  • Patent number: 9141562
    Abstract: The present application provides an automated beverage dispenser using a number of cups and a number of lids. The automated beverage dispenser may include a lid stack with the number of lids, a lidding mechanism, and a positioning device for maneuvering the lidding mechanism so as to remove one of the number of lids from the lid stack and to attach the lid to one of the number of cups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Sean Pickett, Kenneth Andrew Nicoll, Mark David Rob, Andrew Mark Angus, Mark Brian Dockrill, Ravisha Sellahewa, Stephen Houghton, Scott Alexander Anderson
  • Publication number: 20150230683
    Abstract: The present invention provides a steam cleaning apparatus (100) comprising a water tank (10), a first valve (20) in fluid communication with a water tank (10) to allow air to flow into the water tank and prevent air and/or water from flowing out therefrom, an electrically powered air pump (30) in fluid communication with the first valve (20). A second valve (50) is in fluid communication with the outlet (16) of the water tank (10) and an inlet (42) of an electrically powered boiler (40). The second valve (50) is arranged to allow water above a first predetermined pressure to flow into the inlet (42) of the boiler and to prevent steam from flowing out therefrom, a steam cleaning head (60) in fluid communication with the outlet (44) of the boiler, and an on-off switch (70) having an “on” state for supplying electrical power to the air pump (30) and to the boiler (40) and an “off” state for preventing supply of electrical power to the air pump and to the boiler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Barry PEARS, David ROWNTREE, Martyn RILEY, Stephen HOUGHTON, Andrew WALKER
  • Patent number: 9039844
    Abstract: A steam cleaning apparatus including a main body having a main switch, a steam cleaning head coupled to the main body, and a position sensitive switch having a first state when the steam apparatus is in a substantially vertical storage position and a second state when the steam cleaning apparatus is in a tilted, cleaning position, the position sensitive switch being connected in electrical series with the main switch such that when the position-sensitive switch is in the first state the position-sensitive switch interrupts the flow of electrical current from the main switch and when the position-sensitive switch is in the second state, electrical power is supplied by the main switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Barry Pears, David Rowntree, Martyn Riley, Stephen Houghton, Andrew Walker
  • Publication number: 20140331443
    Abstract: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a steam cleaning device, the device comprising a supply of water for generating steam, and a steam cleaning head for ejecting steam generated from said supply of water in proximity to a surface to be cleaned, wherein the steam cleaning head comprises a portion for receiving a composition adapted to be used in conjunction with such a steam cleaning device, the portion being perfused by steam during ejection by said steam cleaning head of steam generated from said supply of water. This has the advantage that the composition may be changed by a user dependent only on the user's requirements and the rate of consumption of the composition, and independently of both the rate of consumption of water by the steam cleaning device and any need to remove, clean or replace a cleaning cloth mounted on the steam cleaning head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Stephen HOUGHTON, Kevin APPLEBY, Christopher HUSSEY
  • Publication number: 20130226338
    Abstract: The present application provides an automated beverage dispenser using a number of cups and a number of lids. The automated beverage dispenser may include a lid stack with the number of lids, a lidding mechanism, and a positioning device for maneuvering the lidding mechanism so as to remove one of the number of lids from the lid stack and to attach the lid to one of the number of cups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
    Inventors: Sean Pickett, Kenneth Andrew Nicoll, Mark David Rob, Andrew Mark Angus, Mark Brian Dockrill, Ravisha Sellahewa, Stephen Houghton, Scott Alexander Anderson
  • Publication number: 20130220480
    Abstract: The present application provides an automated beverage dispenser for dispensing a beverage and ice into a cup. The automated beverage dispenser may include an ice dispensing station with an ice auger and a weight sensor, a beverage dispensing station, and a control device. The control device instructs the ice auger to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of ice and instructs the beverage dispensing station to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of the beverage in response to a weight of the cup as determined by the weight sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew Mark Angus, Kenneth Andrew Nicoll, Mark David Rob, Sean Pickett, Mark Brian Dockrill, Ravisha Sellahewa, Stephen Houghton, Scott Alexander Anderson
  • Patent number: D685966
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Houghton
  • Patent number: D685967
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Houghton
  • Patent number: D696825
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Sweeney, Stephen Houghton
  • Patent number: D704399
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Graeme Crawley, Stephen Houghton
  • Patent number: D711058
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Graeme Crawley, Stephen Houghton
  • Patent number: D725327
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Houghton
  • Patent number: D725852
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Houghton
  • Patent number: D767222
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventor: Stephen Houghton
  • Patent number: D806333
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Houghton, Graeme Crawley
  • Patent number: D807598
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventor: Stephen Houghton