PRINCE CASTLE LLC Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160129463 | Surface Tension Condiment Dispenser - A condiment dispenser dispenses a portion of a condiment held within a reservoir. The condiment dispenser includes a housing that defines the reservoir and a piston assembly that is translatable within the housing between a first position and a second position. A chamber insert is connected to a dispensing end of the housing and the chamber insert includes an insert bottom wall and at least one orifice extending through the insert bottom wall. A sealing ring is engageable with the seat of the piston assembly and a bottom wall includes at least one nozzle and is disposed below the chamber insert to define a void between the bottom wall and the insert bottom wall. | 05-12-2016 |
20160088961 | Granular Dispenser - A dispenser for granular material such as sugar and salt or other granular ingredients, including a collection portion and metering chamber. A metering cartridge located in the metering chamber includes a portion recess which collects a predetermined amount of granular material to be dispensed. The metering chamber is actuated and the granular material located in the portion recess is dispensed. | 03-31-2016 |
20150327726 | Modular Food Holding Cabinet Having Individually Configurable Food Holding Units - A modular food holding cabinet has multiple food holding units or bins, which can be connected and disconnected from each other in multiple different configurations. Each bin can be set to its own temperature, independently of the others. | 11-19-2015 |
20150313412 | Food Product Cooking Basket - Generally horizontal food-supporting shelves vertically stacked in a space between wire side walls are movable from horizontal food-supporting positions to generally vertical loading positions to allow food products to be loaded onto a given shelf without interference from any shelf above the given shelf. At least one shelf is removable. The removable shelf has a spring steel wire at one side of the shelf, one end of which is attached to transverse rods forming the shelf. The opposite end of the spring steel wire is not attached but able to deflect into and out of a hook formed at one end of a rod at the back of the shelf. The same end of the spring steel wire has a projection that provides a pivot pin to the removable shelf. | 11-05-2015 |
20150297031 | Fry Basket - Fry baskets include a front end cap and a rear end cap opposed to the front end cap. First and second top rails are secured between the front and rear end caps at the tops of the front and rear end caps. First and second bottom rails are secured between the front and rear end caps at the bottoms of the front and rear end caps. A mesh panel secured between the first and second top rails. A handle assembly is configured to secure to the rear end cap. | 10-22-2015 |
20150251204 | Pressurized Viscous Condiment Dispenser - User-selectable volumes of a viscous condiment such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise are consistently dispensed from a pressurized vessel. The vessel is pressurized using a small air pump, a cylinder of compressed gas or an external gas source. Pressure in the vessel is kept constant by sensing the pressure using a MEMS pressure transducer. Condiment flows from the pressurized vessel into a flexible tube, which passes through an electrically-actuated pinch valve. For a given pressure in the vessel, the amount of condiment to be dispensed is determined by the time that the pinch valve is open. A processor monitors the pressure, actuation of a user interface and controls operation of the air pump. | 09-10-2015 |
20150201803 | POINT-OF-USE HOLDING CABINET - A point-of-use food holding cabinet keeps food products hot and cold in different compartments, which are heated and refrigerated respectively. Solid state heat pumps such as Peltier devices absorb heat on one side and emit heat on the other. By configuring the solid state heat sinks appropriately, one compartment or shelf of a holding cabinet can be refrigerated while an adjacent compartment can be kept warm. | 07-23-2015 |
20150136805 | Liquid Dispenser with Storage Tanks - A liquid dispenser has containers, sized, shaped and arranged to enclose different volumes but each of the containers has a top with a refill opening that is substantially the same as the top and openings of the other containers. The containers are provided with curving transition sections that taper the sides of the container to increase or decrease the width of the container to provide a smaller or large top sizes as needed. | 05-21-2015 |
20150083636 | Multi-Level Compartmentalized Insert for a Food Holding Cabinet Having At Least One Independent Sliding Compartmentalized Tray and Cover for Same - An insert for a food holding cabinet provides multiple, individual food holding compartments, which can be operated as encapsulated environments. The insert is made from an elongated tray formed to have at least one food product holding compartment, which is formed at one end of the elongated tray. A slid-able is configured to be able slide back and forth and formed to have at least one additional food product holding compartment. A slid-able cover is configured to be able to slide in the elongated tray, over the slide-able cover. Multiple individual food holding compartments can be uncovered, one-at-a-time as need for food product arises. | 03-26-2015 |
20150053724 | Rodless Dispenser - A dispenser for viscous, extrudable materials uses a sprocket-driven push chain that is drawn from a chain magazine responsive to actuation of a user trigger. The sprocket for the chain is driven by a toothed wheel, which is driven by a first, ratcheting drive pawl, which is actuated by the trigger. A second ratcheting locking pawl prevents the toothed wheel and hence the chain sprocket from rotating backward when the trigger is released. A single “button” or actuator can be actuated by one hand of a user while the user's other hand grasps a chain retractor to pull an extended chain back to a starting position whereat the dispenser can be reloaded. | 02-26-2015 |
20150040778 | BREAD PRODUCT EDGE TOASTING SHIELD - Edges of English muffins and certain other types of bread products known to burn during toasting are protected from burning by a bread product edge toasting shield. One embodiment of the bread product edge shield is a baffle formed of orthogonal or substantially orthogonal metal strips. A second embodiment is a cylindrical tube. The edge toasting shield blocks infrared energy waves that would otherwise be incident upon the bread product edges at angles of incidence less than about eighty degrees relative to horizontal. | 02-12-2015 |
20150021360 | Dispenser for Liquids - Fixed-volumes of liquid are measured and dispensed from a container by empirically determining the liquid surface height and opening a dispensing valve for a time period that is calculated using a volume of liquid specified to be dispensed and the empirically-determined liquid surface height. The liquid surface height in the container is determined empirically for initial and subsequent volumes of liquid that are dispensed. Dispensing accuracy is maintained whether the container is full or nearly empty. | 01-22-2015 |
20150014358 | Liquid Dispenser with Storage Tanks - A liquid dispenser has containers, sized, shaped and arranged to enclose different volumes but each of the containers has a top with a refill opening that is substantially the same as the top and openings of the other containers. The containers are provided with curving transition sections that taper the sides of the container to increase or decrease the width of the container to provide a smaller or large top sizes as needed. | 01-15-2015 |
20140263269 | Modular Heating Unit - A modular heating unit comprising modular heating bins is disclosed. The modular heating bins may be arranged into different configurations to accommodate different kitchen food preparation layouts. | 09-18-2014 |
20140216979 | Insert for a Food Holding Tray - A removable insert for a food holding tray provides one or more compartments such that the compartments can become encapsulated environments, extending the time that a pre-cooked food item remains palatable to most people. | 08-07-2014 |
20140197177 | Apparatus for Preserving Cooked Food Palatability - An encapsulated environment is an air-circulation-restricted volume, preferably just large enough to hold a single serving of a cooked, protein containing food product. Restricting the air circulation reduces the evaporation of gases and liquids that are normally lost over time. The palatability of a cooked, protein-containing food product is thus maintained by holding the cooked product at a ready-to-eat temperature inside of an encapsulated environment. The encapsulated environment is a compartment configured to hold a single serving of a cooked, protein-containing food product, the compartment being able to be covered or at least partially closed by its use in combination with a sleeve configured to receive a tray into which the compartment is formed. | 07-17-2014 |
20140197067 | Multi-level Compartmentalized Insert For a Food Holding Cabinet Having At Least One Independent Sliding Compartmentalized Tray and Cover For Same - An insert for a food holding cabinet provides multiple, individual food holding compartments, which can be operated as encapsulated environments. The insert is made from an elongated tray formed to have at least one food product holding compartment, which is formed at one end of the elongated tray. A slid-able is configured to be able slide back and forth and formed to have at least one additional food product holding compartment. A slid-able cover is configured to be able to slide in the elongated tray, over the slide-able cover. Multiple individual food holding compartments can be uncovered, one-at-a-time as need for food product arises. | 07-17-2014 |
20140175127 | Liquid Dispenser Having Holding Tanks With Internally Reinforced Sidewalls - A liquid dispenser has one or more liquid storage tanks, the sidewalls that are subject to outward deflection. The deflection of sidewalls of a holding tank for liquids is reduced or eliminated by sidewall reinforcing stringers that extend between the sides and which are located inside the tank. The stringers, maintain the separation distance between the sidewalls to keep the sidewalls substantially parallel to each other. | 06-26-2014 |
20140174101 | Refrigerated Point-of-Use Holding Cabinet Using Peltier Devices - A refrigerated point-of-use food holding cabinet keeps food products cold in compartments having cross sections that are substantially U-shaped. Food products are kept refrigerated using heat-absorbing, Peltier devices thermally coupled to the U-shaped compartment. An optional cover helps prevent food flavor transfers between compartments. Semiconductor temperature sensors and a computer effectuate temperature control. | 06-26-2014 |
20140165644 | Refrigerated Point-of-Use Holding Cabinet Using Chilled Liquid - A refrigerated point-of-use food holding cabinet keeps food products cold in compartments having cross sections that are substantially U-shaped. Food products are kept refrigerated using heat-absorbing, heat-exchangers thermally coupled to the U-shaped compartment. Refrigeration is provided by a chilled, re-circulating liquid that does not change phase as it circulates but which is chilled by another refrigeration system, such as a conventional refrigeration system. An optional cover helps prevent food flavor transfers between compartments. Semiconductor temperature sensors and a computer effectuate temperature control. | 06-19-2014 |
20140158707 | Dispenser for Liquids - Fixed-volumes of liquid are measured and dispensed from a container by empirically determining the liquid surface height and opening a dispensing valve for a time period that is calculated using a volume of liquid specified to be dispensed and the empirically-determined liquid surface height. The liquid surface height in the container is determined empirically for initial and subsequent volumes of liquid that are dispensed. Dispensing accuracy is maintained whether the container is full or nearly empty. | 06-12-2014 |
20140110426 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING USER-SPECIFIED FIXED VOLUMES OF LIQUIDS - Fixed-volumes of liquid are measured and dispensed from a container by empirically determining the liquid surface height and opening a dispensing valve for a time period that is calculated using a volume of liquid specified to be dispensed and the empirically-determined liquid surface height. The liquid surface height in the container is determined empirically for initial and subsequent volumes of liquid that are dispensed. Dispensing accuracy is maintained whether the container is full or nearly empty. | 04-24-2014 |
20140054327 | Rodless Dispenser - A dispenser for viscous, extrudable materials uses a sprocket-driven push chain that is drawn from a chain magazine responsive to actuation of a user trigger. The sprocket for the chain is driven by a toothed wheel, which is driven by a first, ratcheting drive pawl, which is actuated by the trigger. A second ratcheting locking pawl prevents the toothed wheel and hence the chain sprocket from rotating backward when the trigger is released. A single “button” or actuator can be actuated by one hand of a user while the user's other hand grasps a chain retractor to pull an extended chain back to a starting position whereat the dispenser can be reloaded. | 02-27-2014 |
20130292408 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS USING A TABLE TO DETERMINE DISPENSE TIME - Fixed-volumes of liquid are measured and dispensed from a container by empirically determining the liquid surface height and opening a dispensing valve for a time period that is calculated using a volume of liquid specified to be dispensed and the empirically-determined liquid surface height. The liquid surface height in the container is determined empirically for initial and subsequent volumes of liquid that are dispensed. Dispensing accuracy is maintained whether the container is full or nearly empty. | 11-07-2013 |
20130248538 | Holding Tank With Internally Reinforced Sidewalls and Liquid Dispenser Using Same - The inward and outward deflection of sidewalls of a holding tank for liquids is reduced or eliminated by sidewall reinforcing stringers that extend between the sides and which are located inside the tank. The stringers, maintain the separation distance between the sidewalls to keep the sidewalls substantially parallel to each other. | 09-26-2013 |
20130192799 | Refrigerator Having a Disbursed Cooling Air Stream Directed Upwardly From a Pressurized Plenum - In a refrigerator, warm air is collected or drawn into a warm air return duct opening located at or near the top of the refrigerated space instead of the bottom. The warm air is passed through an evaporator where it cools. The cooled air is driven into a pressurized plenum located at the bottom of the refrigerated space. The plenum is defined by a screen extending across the bottom of the refrigerated space. Air in the plenum passes through holes in the screen and driven upward. The air flow inside the refrigerator is thus upwardly, i.e., from the bottom to the top. | 08-01-2013 |
20130156921 | Apparatus for Preserving Cooked Food Palatabiliyt - The rate of degradation of a cooked food product that is maintained at an elevated temperature can be reduced by the use of an encapsulated environment food holder. The encapsulated environment is a small, airtight or semi-airtight containment vessel that retains compositions that escape from a cooked food product over time. The volume of an encapsulated environment is greater than one hundred percent but less than one-thousand percent of the cooked food product volume. By holding single servings or portions of a cooked food product in a small, encapsulated environment palatability or taste of a cooked food product can be extended. | 06-20-2013 |
20130156911 | Method of Extending the Time During Which Pre-Cooked Foods Are Kept Palatable - The rate of degradation of a cooked food product that is maintained at an elevated temperature can be reduced by the use of an encapsulated environment food holder. The encapsulated environment is a small, airtight or semi-airtight containment vessel that retains compositions that escape from a cooked food product over time. By holding single servings or portions of a cooked food product in a small, encapsulated environment palatability or taste of a cooked food product can be extended. | 06-20-2013 |
20130113354 | Drawer Closer with Storage Unit - A cabinet with sliding drawers has a mechanism for applying motive force in a first direction. The motive force is obtained from motion of the mechanism in an opposite second direction. The mechanism includes a cam and a cam follower. The cam includes a first part, a second part and an inflection point between the first part and the second part. The cam follower engages with the cam. The cam follower is configured to store mechanical energy responsive to translation of the follower and cam relative to each other in the second direction along the first part. The cam follower is also configured to apply motive force in the first direction to urge the follower to continue translation in the second direction along the second part. The motive force is applied after the follower passes the inflection point. | 05-09-2013 |
20120326585 | Drawer Closer - A cabinet with sliding drawers has a mechanism for applying motive force in a first direction. The motive force is obtained from motion of the mechanism in an opposite second direction. The mechanism includes a cam and a cam follower. The cam includes a first part, a second part and an inflection point between the first part and the second part. The cam follower engages with the cam. The cam follower is configured to store mechanical energy responsive to translation of the follower and cam relative to each other in the second direction along the first part. The cam follower is also configured to apply motive force in the first direction to urge the follower to continue translation in the second direction along the second part. The motive force is applied after the follower passes the inflection point. | 12-27-2012 |
20120326061 | Pinch Bar - A pinch bar for a pinch valve is comprised of a coil spring coupled to one end of an actuating rod. An opposite end of the rod is formed with, or is coupled to a device or surface, which applies a pinch force. The actuating rod slides through a fixed-in-place rod actuator. The rod actuator, spring and actuating rod thus provide a mechanism that applies a closing force inwardly, into or directed toward a cabinet attached to which is a valve body for the pinch bar and against which the pinch bar could exert a tube-closing force. | 12-27-2012 |
20120325860 | Pinch Valve - A pinch valve for use with a liquid dispensing cabinet is comprised of a tube pinching device configured to translate between an open position and a closed position and an electrically powered linear actuator configured to provide a valve opening force to the tube pinching device, The pinching device is coupled to a spring device configured to apply a valve closing force to the tube pinching device. The pinch valve is additionally comprised of an operator handle facilitating manual opening of the tube pinching device. The pinching device is rotatable in the valve body. The valve body has a front surface heat sink against which a tube pinching force is applied by a tube pinching device and a rear surface with a concavity configured to receive a tube carrying a heat transferring fluid. The tube pinching device can be operated electrically or manually. | 12-27-2012 |
20120325859 | Liquid Dispenser Pinch Valve - A two-piece pinch valve is disclosed. A first piece or part of the valve is fixedly installed into a dispensing cabinet. A second piece or part having a movable pinch bar that pinches and un-pinches a tube is installable into and removable from the first piece by hand. Removal of the second piece from the first pieces allows a tube to be directly installed into the pinch valve. Installation of the second piece into the first piece configures the valve for operation. The second piece is installed into slots in the first piece. The slots and engaging protuberances on the second piece enable the second piece to be locked in place. | 12-27-2012 |
20120325852 | Liquid Dispenser with Storage Tanks - A liquid dispenser has containers, sized, shaped and arranged to enclose different volumes but each of the containers has a top with a refill opening that is substantially the same as the top and openings of the other containers. The containers are provided with curving transition sections that taper the sides of the container to increase or decrease the width of the container to provide a smaller or large top sizes as needed. | 12-27-2012 |
20120295210 | Conveyor Oven with Removable Burner Screens - A conveyor oven has several heating zones. Each heating zone is comprised of one or more infrared emitters that are configured to emit a spectrum of infrared wavelengths that varies in intensity and spectrum over time. The spectra of emitted infrared wavelengths in each zone can have the same or different profile. Zones are regions wherein infrared emitters are configured and operated to emit the same or substantially the same infrared energy wavelengths and intensity levels across an IR spectrum. Access to the infrared emitters and the conveyor is provided by one or more access or maintenance ports formed into a side of the conveyor oven. Temperature control inside the oven is effectuated by venting hot air through air vents formed into the oven sides and/or top. | 11-22-2012 |
20120294596 | Conveyor Oven with Adjustable Air Vents - A conveyor oven has several heating zones. Each heating zone is comprised of one or more infrared emitters that are configured to emit a spectrum of infrared wavelengths that varies in intensity and spectrum over time. The spectra of emitted infrared wavelengths in each zone can have the same or different profile. Zones are regions wherein infrared emitters are configured and operated to emit the same or substantially the same infrared energy wavelengths and intensity levels across an IR spectrum. Access to the infrared emitters and the conveyor is provided by one or more access or maintenance ports formed into a side of the conveyor oven. Temperature control inside the oven is effectuated by venting hot air through air vents formed into the oven sides and/or top. | 11-22-2012 |
20120294595 | Conveyor Oven with Varying Emitted Infrared Profiles - A conveyor oven has several heating zones. Each heating zone is comprised of one or more infrared emitters that are configured to emit a spectrum of infrared wavelengths that varies in intensity and spectrum over time. The spectra of emitted infrared wavelengths in each zone can have the same or different profile. Zones are regions wherein infrared emitters are configured and operated to emit the same or substantially the same infrared energy wavelengths and intensity levels across an IR spectrum. Access to the infrared emitters and the conveyor is provided by one or more access or maintenance ports formed into a side of the conveyor oven. Temperature control inside the oven is effectuated by venting hot air through air vents formed into the oven sides and/or top. | 11-22-2012 |
20120279401 | Egg Scrambler for Preparing Scrambled Eggs - An egg scrambler formed as a tube of a relatively soft, elastomeric material such as silicon rubber can be scraped over a thin Teflon® sheet to scramble liquid egg, without leaking uncooked egg and without tearing or abrading the sheet. A silicone rubber having a Shore type-A hardness between 40 and 85 is usable but is preferably between about 75 and 85 and with an optimal hardness of about 80. | 11-08-2012 |
20120261426 | Universal Food Holding Cabinet with Buttoned-in Escutcheons - Escutcheons for a temperature-controlled food holding cabinet are removable and field replaceable by the use of interlocking keys and keyholes that hold the escutcheon in place and align the escutcheon to electrical connectors. The escutcheons are provided with illuminated user interfaces. A key formed on either the escutcheon or chassis of the cabinet, engages a corresponding keyhole formed on either the cabinet chassis or the escutcheon. | 10-18-2012 |
20120227424 | Converging/Diverging Front Intake - An air supply system for a refrigerator cabinet, which reduces temperature differences through-out the cabinet generates air currents in the cabinet by a panel that extends across the inside of the cabinet. The panel is set an angle that directs air downwardly and terminates with an upwardly-inclined air-diverting surface or baffle. The panel and baffle define a converging/diverging air intake for the air supply system, the input of which is located at the front of the refrigerated cabinet. | 09-13-2012 |
20120141688 | Release Agent Applicator and Method of Using Same - Water, oils and other liquid release agents are thinly and uniformly applied to hot cooking surfaces using an open-cell silicone foam structure. The foam is selected to have characteristics. It does not degrade chemically or physically when exposed to the liquid release agents or high-temperatures commonly encountered when frying foods. | 06-07-2012 |
20120121782 | Conveyor Toaster with Self-Aligning Belts - A hybrid food heating device ( | 05-17-2012 |
20120118171 | BREAD PRODUCT EDGE TOASTING SHIELD FOR CONVEYOR TOASTER - Edges of English muffins and certain other types of bread products known to burn during toasting are protected from burning by a bread product edge toasting shield. One embodiment of the bread product edge shield is a baffle formed of orthogonal or substantially orthogonal metal strips. A second embodiment is a cylindrical tube. The edge toasting shield blocks infrared energy waves that would otherwise be incident upon the bread product edges at angles of incidence less than about eighty degrees relative to horizontal. | 05-17-2012 |
20120114818 | METHOD OF TOASTING A BREAD PRODUCT USING AN EDGE TOASTING SHIELD - Edges of English muffins and certain other types of bread products known to burn during toasting are protected from burning by a bread product edge toasting shield. One embodiment of the bread product edge shield is a baffle formed of orthogonal or substantially orthogonal metal strips. A second embodiment is a cylindrical tube. The edge toasting shield blocks infrared energy waves that would otherwise be incident upon the bread product edges at angles of incidence less than about eighty degrees relative to horizontal. | 05-10-2012 |
20120068093 | Pinch Valve - A pinch valve has a pinch bar constructed and arranged to translate between two different positions when the pinch bar lies in any orientation. The pinch bar is comprised of two orthogonal legs, one of which extends through and rotates inside a hole formed into a body for the valve. Having the pinch bar rotatable enables the pinch bar to be rotated away from where it would open and close a flexible tube. | 03-22-2012 |
20120067920 | Dispenser for Liquids - Relatively small, fixed-volumes of liquid are measured and dispensed from a bulk container by empirically determining the liquid surface height and opening a dispensing valve for a time period that is calculated using a volume of liquid specified to be dispensed and the empirically-determined liquid surface height. The liquid surface height in the container is determined empirically for subsequent volumes of liquid that are dispensed. Dispensing accuracy is maintained whether the container is full or nearly empty. | 03-22-2012 |
20120024887 | Liquid Butter Dispenser - Consistent volumes of viscous fluids are dispensed from a container configured to have a fixed volume, positive displacement pump assembly that receives and dispenses fixed volumes of the viscous liquids. Gravity causes viscous liquid in a container to fall through openings in a check valve. Pressure on the check valve by a user causes the valve to close. Additional pressure from the user drives the pump assembly downwardly to dispense captured liquid. The dispensed volume is controllable by controlling the displacement of an actuating lever Dispensing covers over the discharge holes prevent liquids from leaking out of the container. | 02-02-2012 |
20110303100 | Conveyor Toaster with Air-Cooled Panels - A conveyorized toaster oven for cooking flat breads, pita and the like uses infrared energy, which raises interior temperatures of the oven. A metallic shell is formed around the oven, which defines an air duct. A blower is configured to force air through the duct to remove heat energy from the exterior surface of the oven cabinet. | 12-15-2011 |
20110283895 | Holding Cabinet for Separately Heating Food Trays - A food holding cabinet having one or more food-holding compartments has two or more zones in a compartment, wherein holding temperatures can be different from each other. A shelf made of glass-ceramic passes infrared energy from two or more heating elements attached to the glass-ceramic shelf. Energy emitted from the different heating elements effectuate different temperatures of localized regions of the glass-ceramic and impart different amounts of heat energy into a food item or food holding trays above the heating elements. | 11-24-2011 |