With Observation Means Patents (Class 99/341)
  • Patent number: 11969106
    Abstract: An intelligent cooking operation method includes: providing a seat; forming, by a back of the seat, a swing connection by using a connecting rod; forming a lifting and rotating connection between a cushion of the seat and a base of the seat through a support rod; and sending, by a cook, one or more voice control commands of a kitchen appliance to a voice signal receiving module according to a cooking requirement, where a voice command recognition module recognizes the voice control commands and generates corresponding appliance voice command data, and a command transmission module sends a command signal to a command receiving module of the kitchen appliance that the voice control commands point to, to control the kitchen appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LIVEON INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zili Chen
  • Patent number: 11940159
    Abstract: A temperature probe for a cooktop appliance includes a probe body and a temperature sensor extending from the probe body. The temperature probe also includes a first arm and a second arm configured to mount on a cooking utensil. The temperature probe further comprises a controller configured to communicate with a controller of the cooktop appliance and to transmit a signal to the controller of the cooktop appliance corresponding to a size of the cooking utensil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: David William Billman, John Pottenger, Michael Blum
  • Patent number: 11931077
    Abstract: A bone fastener comprises a first member defining an implant cavity and a plurality of adjacent grooves. A first band is configured for disposal within the grooves. A second band is configured for disposal within the grooves. A second member is configured to penetrate tissue and includes a head engageable with the first band to provisionally connect the members. The second band is moveable for disposal adjacent the first band to fix connection of the members. Implants, systems, instruments and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason M. May, William Alan Rezach, Gary S. Lindemann
  • Patent number: 11926036
    Abstract: Execution restrictions on tasks based on a state of a multifunction robot or the like are satisfied, and furthermore, the execution efficiency of the entirety of an operation is also enhanced. An information processing device includes a determination unit that determines an execution order of a plurality of tasks including an operation for a target object, based on a transition of a state of an operation tool used in each of the tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Sato, Kazuo Hongo
  • Patent number: 11871500
    Abstract: A method for heating a cooking vessel on a hob with a plurality of heating devices is described. Each heating device has a heating region in which a cooking vessel can be arranged in order to be heated by the heating device under the control of a power supply. The cooking vessel has a temperature sensor together with an evaluation apparatus and a transmitting apparatus for transmitting an identification and temperature data. A controller controls the heating device in a specific manner and evaluates the received temperature data using a plurality of plausibility checks in order to determine whether said data match the operation of the heating device. If these plausibility checks are passed, the cooking vessel is assigned to the heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Marcus Frank, Marius Lehner
  • Patent number: 11633060
    Abstract: A pressure cooking appliance is provided. The pressure cooking appliance comprises a cooker body and a lid, the lid comprising an upper lid portion, and a lower lid portion lockingly covering the cooker body to form a pressurized cooking chamber therebetween. The upper lid portion covers the lower lid portion from above, and comprises a main lid body and a removable cover, the main lid body comprising an opening portion formed at a central portion of the main lid body for exposing the lower lid portion, the removable cover being removably attachable to the opening portion and operable to expose a portion of the lower lid portion for accelerated cooling of the cooking chamber and speeding up wait time for opening the lid. Further, cooling towel or cooling pack can be placed at the opening portion to help with cooling and allow food to be enjoyed sooner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Instant Brands Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Qin, Jiwei Wang, Ling Weng
  • Patent number: 11613025
    Abstract: Provided is a device, comprising: a barrier configured to impeded or prevent particles shed by a robot in a first volume of space from entering a second volume of space in which the robot manipulates a workpiece; and a robot having three or more degrees of freedom, the robot comprising: a first portion disposed on a first side of the barrier in the first volume, the first portion comprising an actuator of the robot, the actuator being configured to drive movement of the robot to manipulate the workpiece; and a second portion disposed on a second side of the barrier in the second volume, the second portion comprising an end-effector of the robot by which the robot makes contact with the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Truebird Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Hazen Knuepfel, Andrew William Lynch, Darian Montague Ahler, Jordan Ross Adelson
  • Patent number: 11503954
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cabinet (10) for the temporary storage of a heated food item. The cabinet (10) has a in base (12), a top (14) and opposing sides (16,18). The base (12), top (14) and opposing sides (16,18) define an interior space (20) of the cabinet (10) which is accessible through opposing apertures (22, 24) at each end of the cabinet (10). The cabinet (10) is provided with air movement means and air heating means operable to draw air from the interior space (20) of the cabinet (10), heat said air and utilise a portion of said heated air to produce air curtains across the opposing apertures (22, 24) of the cabinet (10). The remainder of said air is circulated within the interior space (20) of the cabinet (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: THE ALAN NUTTALL PARTNERSHIP LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Steele, Alan Nuttall
  • Patent number: 11440209
    Abstract: A conical self-positioning limit feeding device and method. The conical self-positioning limit feeding device has bearing pot, empty circle in the center of bearing pot, U-shaped slide way formed between outer circle and inner circle, rotating evacuation cone and limit feeding rod arranged in the bearing pot and rotate in the same direction, and the speed of the rotating evacuation cone is greater than that of the limit feeding rod; materials are placed in the bearing pot, the evacuation cone rotates, and the materials rotate in the U-shaped slide way of the bearing pot by the torque generated by the friction between rotating evacuation cone and materials, till the long axes of the materials are tangent to the radius of the rotating evacuation cone; the limit feeding rod rotates and pushes materials to exit at equal intervals, thereby achieving the arrangement of the materials in the direction of long axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignees: QINGDAO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, INNER MONGOLIA UNIVERSITY FOR NATIONALITIES
    Inventors: Yali Hou, Changhe Li, Dongzhou Jia, Huayang Zhao, Wenyue Liu, Dan Liu, Yuhui Zhao, Zhongqi Lu, Yucheng Wang, Yanbin Zhang, Min Yang
  • Patent number: 10441106
    Abstract: An improved bacon cooking system and method of use is presented which includes a container that houses a rack having a pair of sidewalls with a curved member that extends between the sidewalls. The curved member includes a plurality of vanes and a plurality of perforations. A plurality of inserts are sized and shaped to be placed over the curved member in overlapping stacked relation to one another. Bacon slices are placed over the curved member and in-between the inserts. When the system is placed in an oven or a microwave oven, the bacon is generally held in place by the curved member and the inserts thereby producing crispy, generally flat and straight bacon without the mess or inconvenience of cooking bacon conventionally in a pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Inventors: Heath Paulsen, Blair Paulsen, Mark Paulsen
  • Patent number: 9980321
    Abstract: A wirelessly operable cooking appliance for cooking food products includes a wireless communication device. A computing device, such as a smartphone, can wirelessly communicate with the cooking appliance to control and monitor the cooking appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicole Ann Sorenson, Byron Seth Sawyer, Timothy Nott, Dominic DiMarco, David Everett, Jacob Daniel Smith, Karl W. Marschke
  • Patent number: 9903596
    Abstract: A broiler reflector is provided between an upper wall of a cooking cavity of a residential oven and a broiler heating element. The broiler reflector helps to direct radiant heat energy emitted upward from the broiler heating element downward towards food items located beneath the broiler heating element. The shape of the broiler reflector helps to ensure that a sufficient amount of the radiant energy is directed to the front and rear portions of an underlying rack to ensure even cooking and even browning. The broiler reflector can include a front reflecting portion and a rear reflecting portion, each of which include first and second reflectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventors: Judith Barber, George May, Michael Penuel, Kevin W. Sherbert
  • Publication number: 20150053093
    Abstract: A toasting appliance is provided having a housing with a small footprint and having a toasting cavity for toasting bread and a horizontally disposed cooking cavity for cooking food. One or more doors in a side of the housing provide access to the cooking cavity and viewing windows to view both cooking food in the cooking cavity or toasting bread in the toasting cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Peter Chung-Yuan Chang
  • Publication number: 20150027431
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally related to a cooking device, such as an outdoor barbecue grill, having a lid that is partially transparent. The lid having a two-part construction, the first part comprising a substantially transparent material, such as a tempered glass material, and the second part comprising a substantially non-transparent material, such as a steel composition. The lid can be used as a cover for covering the contents placed on a cooking surface of the cooking device, such that when the lid covers the cooking surface of the cooking device the contents on the cooking surface are still visible through the first part of the lid. As such, a person using the lid as a cover for a barbecue grill or the like can see the foods placed on the barbecue grill even when covered by the lid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Modern Day Grilling Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Derrick Miles
  • Publication number: 20140352552
    Abstract: The invention relates to a baking device for Baumkuchen for domestic use, comprising a housing that encloses a baking chamber, a heating apparatus in the baking chamber, a dough roller that can be pivoted relative to the heating apparatus in the baking chamber, which dough roller is supported in a replaceable manner between the free ends of two pivot arms and can be pivoted about a pivot axis supported in the housing for the pivot arms, wherein the dough roller can be rotationally driven. In the baking device according to the invention, the pivot axis is designed as a first drive shaft for pivoting the dough roller and the pivot arms are arranged inside the baking chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventor: Arnold Pier
  • Patent number: 8893704
    Abstract: A grill having a bottom section and a middle section for expanding the diameter of the bottom section and at least one insert for separating the opening formed by the bottom section to allow smoking or an open fire. Different cooking surfaces are thereby a grill, a flat frying surface, an open area for receiving and holding a reservoir of water, such as a pot, and an open area for receiving a wok. There is also a hearth section for enclosing at least a portion of the exterior of the bottom section. It also envisions a smoker or ash guard expandable to fit either diameter to protect the cook and provide a surface for placing items attached to the stand apart from the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventor: Robert Foster
  • Publication number: 20140251159
    Abstract: Provided is a steam cooking appliance. The steam cooking appliance includes a main body having a cavity that provides a cooking space in which a food is accommodated, a backguard extending upward from an upper portion of the main body, a water tank separately mounted on the backguard, a steam supply unit disposed outside the cavity to generate steam, thereby supplying the steam into the cooking space, and a water supply tube to supply water within the water tank into the steam supply unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jaekyung YANG, Yangkyeong KIM, Eunkyoung YOON, Hyeunsik NAM, Sungho CHOI
  • Publication number: 20140251158
    Abstract: Provided is a steam cooking appliance. The steam cooking appliance includes a main body having a cavity that provides a cooking space in which a food is accommodated, a water tank separably coupled to the main body outside the cavity, and a steam supply unit disposed outside the cavity to heat water supplied from the water tank to generate steam, the steam supply unit supplying the generated steam into the cooking space within the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaekyung YANG, Yangkyeong KIM, Eunkyoung YOON, Hyeunsik NAM, Sungho CHOI
  • Publication number: 20140251160
    Abstract: An accessory is provided for adapting cooking grills, especially grills including a hinged lid, for improved cooking of pizzas and other foods. The accessory includes a body adapted to be disposed between the base and lid portions of the cooking grill, the body being configured to mate with an inner surface of the lid and to cooperate with the base and lid portions to define therebetween a substantially-enclosed cooking chamber when the lid is positioned in a partially-closed position between the open and closed positions. A hinged-lid grill including the accessory is provided also.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventor: Alfred F. Contarino, JR.
  • Publication number: 20140245898
    Abstract: This utility model belongs to the technological sector of housewares and refers specifically to a coupling system of a visor for a pressure cooker that can be removed for cleaning and safely reassembled by the user without safety risks for the user. In summary, the developed solution consists basically of an elastomer material sleeve and a flat glass part. The arrangement of the parts of the visor coupling system still has the differential of avoiding the user to reverse the visor at the time of reassembly. It also features as a differential the use of grips of the elastomer to dismiss the use of screws, nuts, vulcanization, etc. to couple and seal the visor when performing the tightness of the pressure cooker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventor: Antonio Froza
  • Publication number: 20140102318
    Abstract: The present invention is provided with a toaster, which comprising a housing, a longitudinal groove, a transparent movable baffle and a positioning mechanism. It can be observed from the exterior with the heating status of the toast, making it convenient to use. The movable baffle is sliding and connected to the longitudinal groove and positioned by the positioning mechanism, making it able to be drawn out of the housing to clean, so that the present invention is used with health, clean and it makes the food more delicious finally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: TSANN KUEN (ZHANGZHOU) ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhenwei CHEN, Wangji TONG, Shangqian GAO, Yen Tung LEE, Yu-Chuan LIN
  • Patent number: 8674269
    Abstract: A safe product transfer apparatus that heats refrigerated food products and then hold those heated food products in a hold drawer until they can be transferred to a heater merchandizer, preferably a roller grill as needed. The apparatus features a control assembly. A pre-heat indicator indicates when the preheat temperature has been reached so that the food products can be loaded into an operable drawer. The apparatus can heat a refrigerated product from 34° F. to greater than or equal to 140° F. in 35 minutes or less. The apparatus has a safe product transfer apparatus that has a heating cavity ranging from 250° F. to 425° F. The apparatus provides a safe product transfer apparatus that can hold the products stored therein at a safe holding temperature (ranging from greater or equal to 140° F. to not more than 205° F.), that is, not hot enough to continue heating or degrading the food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Standex International Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Humphrey, Anthony Kukla, Diosdado Pangan
  • Publication number: 20140030414
    Abstract: An appliance for making herb-seasoned butter is disclosed in the present invention. Said appliance is comprised of electric control means, herb-butter processing means and herb-butter collecting means. Said appliance does the melting, simmering, straining, pressing and collecting all in one machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Terrianne Wehrli
  • Patent number: 8621987
    Abstract: A cooking skillet that provides a unique automatic stirring system for continuously stirring foods during cooking. The cooking skillet comprises a base, a receptacle, a heating element, and an automatic stirring system. The automatic stirring system comprises a stirring wand located in the receptacle and a bracket located in the base. The stirring wand and the bracket are attracted to each other through magnetic forces that provide sufficient magnetism to attract one to the other. A motor is attached to the bracket by a connecting rod and provides the means to rotate the bracket in a clockwise direction. The magnetism between the magnets in the bracket and the magnets in the stirring wand forces the stirring wand to rotate in connection with the bracket. During rotation, the stirring wand is designed to mix the food contained within the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Inventor: Walter B. Herbst
  • Publication number: 20130319256
    Abstract: An oven for grilling food, is provided with: an outer shell (2), consisting of walls defining an internal volume, including a transparent portion (3); at least one door (4). The volume is subdivided into a zone (5) for heat production by heating elements and a cooking zone (6) including at least one grill (7) on which the food is placed. The at least one door (4) is associated with the at least one grill (7), which is slidingly supported inside the outer shell (2) and includes a bulkhead (8), opposite the door (4) with respect to the grill (7), arranged for closing the cooking zone (6) when the grill is fully extracted from the oven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: X-OVEN INVESTMENTS SA
    Inventor: Enrico Piazzi
  • Publication number: 20130255508
    Abstract: A convective cooking apparatus is provided. In some embodiments, the convective cooking apparatus includes a lid that provides for a more effective cooking environment through improved heat capture and/or by creating a convective cooker. Waste heat that normally escapes up the side of a pan is captured by an overhang of the lid and redirected back into the pan and onto the food. In some embodiments, the convective cooking lid includes topographical changes on the surface of the lid adjacent to the pan, the topographical changes inducing a turbulent air flow between the pan and the conductive lid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Convectop, LLC
    Inventors: Dean Finnegan, Zeb Stewart, Michael T. Northen, Dallas A. Swindle, IV
  • Publication number: 20130233182
    Abstract: Rotisserie ovens comprise upper and lower enclosure members forming a cooking chamber therebetween and having a heating assembly therein. The upper member is movable and removably attached to the lower member. The cooking chamber is configured to accommodate a spit assembly that is rotated by an electric motor in the lower member. The lower member includes one or more support members operable to orient the oven in a cooking or a storage position, wherein the height profile of the oven in the storage position is about 50 percent or less then in a cooking position. The upper member is configured for storage placement within the lower member cooking chamber when removed therefrom and inverted, and the spit assembly when disassembled resides within a space between the inverted upper member and lower member to provide a compact low-profile self-contained package for placement and storage within a kitchen drawer or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: CD3 HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Eugene Hunt, Donnie Lee Miller, Verlon Eugene Whitehead
  • Publication number: 20130101714
    Abstract: An automated food preparation system is described. It allows precise, automated control of the food preparation process, and has the ability to perform an automated cleanup. It comprises at least one manipulator to process and move ingredients, a control system, an autonomously accessible ingredient storage system, and at least one cooking receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventor: David Benjamin Buehler
  • Patent number: 8405003
    Abstract: An oven has a plurality of walls defining an oven cavity, a light source disposed outside of a wall of the oven cavity, and an optical light pipe in optical communication with the light source. The light pipe has a central body portion disposed within the oven cavity, and an end portion extending from the central body portion, the end portion extending outside of the oven cavity and being in optical communication with the light source. The central body distributes light from the light source within the oven cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Timothy Scott Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8381637
    Abstract: A lid for a household electric cooking appliance, the lid having: a lower face; an upper face; a flue extending between the upper face and the lower face for evacuating cooking fumes and having an entry and an exit; a seal carried by the lower face and surrounding the entry of the flue, the seal having a periphery; and a removable filtration subassembly extending across the flue, wherein the filtration subassembly is mounted in an opening of the lower face outside the periphery of the seal. A household electric appliance composed of: the lid described above, and a tank having an upper edge, wherein the seal of the lid is provided to cooperate with the upper edge of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Claude Bizard
  • Publication number: 20130008318
    Abstract: Reductions in door temperature can be achieved through use of tinted glass, insulation paint, and/or reflective or conductive surfaces on the glass. The oven glass can be doped or tinted so that the degree of tint alters the radiation or heat transfer. Aluminum can be used as a heat sink and a reflective layer in order to serve as a gradient and direct heat to a low temperature region while eliminating assembly costs. Insulating paint can likewise be screened or located at specific, desired regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventor: Jaime Alexander McPherson
  • Publication number: 20120222562
    Abstract: A steam cooker includes a base platter adapted to hold food items to be cooked and to be fit onto a pot for boiling water to generate steam confined in the pot by a lid. A steam funnel has a plug portion received through a central hole in the base platter to enter the pot interior and holds a condensed water collection vessel disposed below the base platter. A central tubular portion of the collector vessel allows steam to pass up and through a passage in the steam funnel to a steam chamber defined in a head portion and is directed out radially through steam outlets towards food to be cooked on the base platter. Condensed steam drains through to holes near the center of the base platter and into the collection chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventor: Gaffar Mohammed
  • Publication number: 20120174797
    Abstract: The present invention is about an innovative configuration applied in a pressure cooker, consisting of the application of visors coupled in the cover or in the body of the pan through the fencing, the installation of the lamp feed by batteries packed in the compartment in the interior's handle, the lamp connected by a button or key, or interrupter, installed in the same way in the handle's cover. The pan still can provide a chronometer or timer coupled in the same handle, and a crank made of shovels being bound on the cover for the movement during the cooking food. The equipment, described with its characteristics operation and checking, transforms what is already fast (cooking process with high pressure) into an economic process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventor: Antonio Froza
  • Publication number: 20120160108
    Abstract: A smokeless stovetop grilling device includes a grilling surface, a catch tray a manifold and a pressurized fluid source. The grilling surface has a plurality of upward pointing V-shaped first members attached at first and second ends to a first supporting frame. The catch tray has a plurality of hollow core downward pointing V-shaped second members attached at first and second ends to a second supporting frame. Adjacent pairs of the side edges of the first and second members are spaced from one another by a first distance. The first supporting frame is located over the second supporting frame such that drippings from the grilling surface fall into the catch tray. The pressurized fluid source forces cooling fluid through the second members, preventing the catch tray from smoking. A heat conducting element has upward pointing third members extending upwardly between the second members to heat undersides of the first members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventor: Stephen Coutts
  • Publication number: 20120152127
    Abstract: Cooking apparatus having plurality of skewer holders (31) holding a plurality of skewers (45) in a vertical planar arrangement by hinged mount (60) in a hinged manner relative to the planar arrangement of the array of cooking elements (25). The hinged mounting of the plurality of skewer holders (31) allows for the plurality of skewers (45) to be moved from a position extending in a narrowly spaced planar arrangement to the planar arrangement of the array of cooking elements (25) or be moved to a non cooking further spaced position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: VICTORIA SNACK FOOD CORPORATION PTY. LTD.
    Inventor: Chris Tsioukis
  • Publication number: 20120111205
    Abstract: An improved stovetop grilling device includes a grilling surface, a catch tray and a heat conducting element. The grilling surface has a plurality of upward pointing V-shaped first members. The first members are attached at first and second ends to a first supporting frame. Adjacent pairs of their side edges are spaced apart by a first distance. The catch tray has a plurality of downward pointing V-shaped second members. The second members are attached at their first and second ends to a second supporting frame. Adjacent pairs of their side edges are spaced from one another by the first distance. The first supporting frame is located over the second supporting frame such that drippings from the grilling surface fall into the catch tray. The heat conducting element has a plurality of upward pointing planar third members that extend upwardly between the second members and contact undersides of the first members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventor: Stephen Coutts
  • Publication number: 20120076900
    Abstract: Provided are a cooker and a method of controlling the cooker. An image of food scanned by an image sensor is corrected, and thus, can be free from distortion due to vapor generated while cooking the food in a cooking chamber. Accordingly, a user can more accurately recognize a cooking state of the food.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: Yoo-Sool Yoon, Jeong-Hyun Lim, Koon-Seok Lee
  • Publication number: 20120060699
    Abstract: A cooking grill includes a food cooking chamber that is at least partially defined by a lid assembly having stationary side walls and a closure panel moveable by rotation around a vertical axis disposed inwardly of the stationary side walls (i.e., toward the center of the cooking chamber). Alternative means may be provided for allowing movement of the closure panel along a path concentric with stationary side walls of the lid assembly between a closed position and an open position. Movement of the closure panel with respect to the lid member defines a variably sized opening between a vertical edge of the closure panel and a vertical edge of the lid member while leaving a roof section of the lid member positioned over the food on the food cooking surface to better retain heat when the closure panel is in an open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: David C. Shidler, Mark L. Graham
  • Patent number: 8091543
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a cooking oven, which is provided with a cooking cavity and a door adapted to close the cooking cavity. The door is provided with an outer frame and one or more glass panes supported by such frame along the periphery thereof. On the surface of at least one of the glass panes there are applied heating means, which include a layer of substantially clear, e.g. transparent resistive material, and means adapted to connect two sides of such layer of resistive material to appropriate terminals energizable by an electric voltage supplied from a source available inside the oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Electrolux Professionals S.p.A.
    Inventors: Udo Baumann, Dragan Raus
  • Patent number: 8061556
    Abstract: An automated freezer stores food items stacked in a removable cartridge. The food items are dispensed from the automated freezer in response to a request for the food items. The food items are loaded into the cartridge outside of the automated freezer. When the cartridge is inserted into the automated freezer, the upper end of the cartridge is inserted into a buffer, pushing a plurality of arms in the buffer upwardly to allow food items to pass through the buffer. When the cartridge is removed from the freezer for reloading of food items, a resilient member biases the arms downwardly to retain any food items in the buffer and to prevent any food items in the buffer from falling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Restaurant Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Sands, Ronald J. Glavan, Andrew Paul Franklin, Randy L. Ginner, Henry Thomas Ewald
  • Publication number: 20110256285
    Abstract: The flyer (1) for cooking a food product, comprises a main body (2) for housing a tilted container (3) adapted to receive the cooking oil, a tilted basket for containing the food product, positioned in an extractable manner in the container, first (30, 31) and second heating means (49), a selector for selecting a first cooking mode in a first volume of oil with the first heating means or a second cooking mode in a second volume of oil greater than the first volume of oil with the second heating means, and rotation means (17) adapted to operate in rotation the basket (11) or at least a mixing paddle (13) present or positionable inside the basket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: DE' LONGHI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe De' Longhi
  • Patent number: 8035065
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus is provided. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity, an upper space formed above the cooking cavity, lateral side spaces formed to at opposite lateral sides of the cooking cavity, a rear space formed behind the cooking cavity, and a lower space formed below the cooking cavity. A fan provided in the rear space generates a cooling flow that cools components housed in the rear space. A cooling flow path extends from the rear space and into the upper space and lateral side spaces. Flow from the upper space enters the door to cool the door and is exhausted through a lower portion of the door. Flow from the lateral side spaces, which includes an exhaust flow from the cooking cavity, is guided to the lower space and exhausted. In this manner, the cooking apparatus can be completely cooled and cooking odors and heat appropriately exhausted by the cooling fan positioned in the rear space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Gi-young Kim, Wan-soo Kim
  • Patent number: 7905225
    Abstract: A cooking grill comprising a housing defining a cooking chamber and having a side opening therein, a heating element in the chamber, a drawer slidably disposed in the side opening, the drawer having a bottom tray and a front wall that substantially fills the side opening when the drawer is inserted in the housing, a grilling module adapted to sit in the drawer having a support portion for supporting a grilling surface, and a removable grilling surface, wherein the drawer can be inserted into the side opening in either a first orientation in which the bottom tray is below the heating element and the support portion is above the heating element or a second orientation rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation in which the bottom tray is above the heating element and the support portion is below the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Inventor: Alfred F. Contarino
  • Patent number: 7784398
    Abstract: The food protector apparatus of the invention attaches directly to the food pan such that the food protector shield is at the proper location with respect to the food pan. Because the food protector apparatus is attached to the food pan, proper installation of the food pan ensures that all of the corresponding standards and health code requirements are met. Thus, it is virtually impossible for the food protector to be installed in a countertop in a way that fails to meet those standards and requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Elemental Ideas, LLC
    Inventor: Jose Orlando Matus, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7696454
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus is provided having an apparatus body including a burner which heats an object. There may be a first image acquirer provided at one side of the apparatus body, the first image acquirer may be configured to acquire image information corresponding to a heat source generated by the burner. Additionally, a display may be provided at one side of the apparatus body to display the image information acquired by the first image acquirer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyeun Sik Nam, Young Sok Nam, Seong Ho Cho, Kyung Ah Choi
  • Publication number: 20100018411
    Abstract: A lid for a household electric cooking appliance, the lid having: a lower face; an upper face; a flue extending between the upper face and the lower face for evacuating cooking fumes and having an entry and an exit; a seal carried by the lower face and surrounding the entry of the flue, the seal having a periphery; and a removable filtration subassembly extending across the flue, wherein the filtration subassembly is mounted in an opening of the lower face outside the periphery of the seal. A household electric appliance composed of: the lid described above, and a tank having an upper edge, wherein the seal of the lid is provided to cooperate with the upper edge of the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: SEB S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Claude BIZARD
  • Publication number: 20100000418
    Abstract: A cooking appliance, particularly an electric fryer, having a vat and a lid enclosing a cooking chamber, the lid having a viewing window disposed at least partly above the vat. The cooking chamber has an air inlet and an air and a cooking vapor outlet connected to a suction device. Air introduced through the air inlet is directed toward the air and cooking vapor outlet, while passing under the viewing window. According to the invention, the air and cooking vapor outlet has a plurality of perforations forming conduits extending away from the viewing window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Payen, Olivier Pellerin, Frédéric Seurat
  • Publication number: 20090193980
    Abstract: A popcorn cooking and dispensing appliance includes a housing, a cooking vessel located within the housing, a scoop located within the housing, an inclined surface adjacent to the cooking vessel and adapted to deliver popcorn ejected from the cooking vessel upon cooking/popping to the scoop when the scoop is at a first position, and a dispensing mechanism for moving the scoop from the first position to a second position whereat popcorn is dispensed from the scoop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventor: Man-Yan Chan
  • Patent number: 7520211
    Abstract: A grill assembly for cooking human food is disclosed that comprises a housing having a support frame, a plurality of tubular cooking members rotatably mounted with said support frame, a drive assembly for driving the tubular cooking members to rotate relative to the frame comprising an electric motor having a drive shaft, a drive chain, a drive sprocket drivingly connected with the motor shaft, the tubular members having sprockets with teeth for engaging the drive chain, and a drive chain tensioned assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Staf Manufacturing International Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Hunot, Michael Lee Huegerich, James J. Seko
  • Publication number: 20090071347
    Abstract: The present device is intended to provide a toaster comprising an opening and closing door installed on the toaster side walls or front wall, one of the support bars holding the bread formed to make a bigger gradient so that, whenever the door is open, the placement of bread may be done easily, and, when the door is closed, the holder may recover the original space, a heating control timer which automatically opens the door when the baking is finished, and the toaster housing a part of which is transparent so that the baking conditions of bread may be recognized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventor: Ji Seo Lee