Patents by Inventor William A. Strutz

William A. Strutz 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).

  • Publication number: 20080067270
    Abstract: A touch pad control information system for a food waste disposer is disclosed. The touch pad is mountable to a wall or countertop near the food waste disposer. The touch pad preferably includes switches which allow the user to select from a plurality of disposer functions, and light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other graphic display to indicate one of a plurality of statuses for the disposer. The touch pad is coupled to the disposer by a wire bus or by wireless means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: William Strutz
  • Publication number: 20060196979
    Abstract: A food waste disposer system includes a food waste disposer and an audio indicator operably connected to the food waste disposer. The audio indicator outputs a predetermined sound, such as a voice message or music, in response to activating the disposer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Applicant: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.
    Inventors: Steven Hanson, William Strutz, Thomas Berger
  • Patent number: 7048213
    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: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: William A. Strutz, Thomas R. Berger, Scott W. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20060032951
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically applying a de-jamming action in response to a jammed rotating member includes applying a pulsed torque in response to a detected jam, and additionally a reversal in the direction of rotation may be applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.
    Inventors: Thomas Berger, William Strutz, Nick Hirsch, Ralph Furmanek, Arthur Woodward
  • 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: 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