Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Berger

Thomas R. Berger 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: 6481652
    Abstract: The present invention provides a food waste disposer having an upper food conveying section, a motor section, a central grinding section and a controller. The upper food conveying section includes a housing forming an inlet to receive food waste. The motor section includes a switched reluctance machine having a rotor and a stator. The rotor imparts rotational movement to a rotatable shaft. The central grinding section is disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section. The food conveying section conveys food waste to the grinding section. The grinding section includes a grinding mechanism where a portion of the grinding mechanism is mounted to the rotatable shaft. The controller is electrically connected to the stator to control the switched reluctance machine. The controller is capable of directing rotational movement to the rotatable shaft and the portion of the grinding mechanism mounted to the rotatable shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: William A. Strutz, Thomas R. Berger, Scott W. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20020104907
    Abstract: The present invention provides a food waste disposer having an upper food conveying section, a motor section, a central grinding section and a controller. The upper food conveying section includes a housing forming an inlet to receive food waste. The motor section includes a switched reluctance machine having a rotor and a stator. The rotor imparts rotational movement to a rotatable shaft. The central grinding section is disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section. The food conveying section conveys food waste to the grinding section. The grinding section includes a grinding mechanism where a portion of the grinding mechanism is mounted to the rotatable shaft. The controller is electrically connected to the stator to control the switched reluctance machine. The controller is capable of directing rotational movement to the rotatable shaft and the portion of the grinding mechanism mounted to the rotatable shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Inventors: William A. Strutz, Thomas R. Berger, Scott W. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20020104908
    Abstract: A baffle for a food waste disposer to reduce noise is disclosed. The baffle has a diaphragm that allows solid and liquid waste to pass through the diaphragm, and accordingly does not substantially affect the normal operation of the disposer. However, because the baffle covers the central opening in the conventional mounting gasket of the prior art, a direct path from the grinding mechanism in the disposer to the sink is blocked, thus muffling the noise coming from the grinding mechanism. Additionally, the disclosed baffles are preferably, but not necessarily, designed so as to create a water dam on their surface by impeding the flow of water from the sink faucet in a way to create a pool of water. The disclosed baffles may be installed in the drain opening of a sink above the conventional mounting gasket, although other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas R. Berger, Cynthia Jara-Almonte
  • Publication number: 20020063178
    Abstract: The present invention provides a food waste disposer having an upper food conveying section, a motor section, a central grinding section and a controller. The upper food conveying section includes a housing forming an inlet to receive food waste. The motor section includes a switched reluctance machine having a rotor and a stator. The rotor imparts rotational movement to a rotatable shaft. The central grinding section is disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section. The food conveying section conveys food waste to the grinding section. The grinding section includes a grinding mechanism where a portion of the grinding mechanism is mounted to the rotatable shaft. The controller is electrically connected to the stator to control the switched reluctance machine. The controller is capable of directing rotational movement to the rotatable shaft and the portion of the grinding mechanism mounted to the rotatable shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: William A. Strutz, Thomas R. Berger, Scott W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5046130
    Abstract: A location reporting device for use with both voice and data RF transceivers. The location determining device selects which of the transceivers will be utilized to transmit location information to a central site in response to a number of predetermined criteria, including reception of a polling request on one of the transceivers, initiation of transmission activity on one of the transceivers, and elapsed time since a last transmission of location information by the location unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Hall, Thomas R. Berger
  • Patent number: 4876710
    Abstract: A vehicle mounted mobile transceiver (11) communicates via a secondary mobile unit (51) with a short range portable unit (10). The portable unit (10) can be either a cordless microphone or a transceiver. The portable unit (10) allows a remotely positioned operator to transmit messages to a base station (13). To ensure security and reliable operation, the portable and vehicle mounted units use strobe initiated digitized codes for ID and instruction purposes. These codes are newly generated from time to time by the vehicle mounted unit and are imparted to the portable unit via a battery charging interface. An improved remote squelch detect is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Reed, Teddy P. Roberts, Thomas R. Berger