Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090045185 | FOOD HOLDING OVEN WITH MATTE FINISH FOOD HOLDING TRAY - A food holding oven, which is used to keep previously-prepared foods hot until they are served, is provided with a food holding tray having a roughened or matte finish. The matte finish keeps the tray's service temperature lower and easier to handle than prior art trays with highly reflective, shiny surfaces. When the matte-finish tray is held under a principally pure infrared heat source for long periods of time, the tray's surface temperature prevents food from being burned and reduces the likelihood of a user being burned. | 02-19-2009 |
20090057293 | FOOD HOLDING OVEN AND TRAY WITH INFRARED HEAT WEIGHTED AROUND THE TRAY PERIPHERY - A food holding oven holds pre-cooked food at a selected temperature by heating the food in a food-holding tray using infrared energy obtained from a multi-layer planar infrared energy source above the food. The infrared emitted from the planar IR source is produced by electrically heated windings in either a boustrophedonic or crenellated pattern, the loops and crenellations of which are more closely spaced near the edge of the heater than they are away from edges of the heater. The IR from the heater is directed toward the tray such that there is more IR directed at the tray edges than is directed toward the tray interior regions. | 03-05-2009 |
20090114636 | CONTROLLER FOR A FOOD HOLDING OVEN - A controller for a food holding oven determines one or more time periods during each of which heat is directed at a pre-cooked food item. By controlling the heat intensity and the time over which different amounts of heat are provided to different types of pre-cooked food items, the time during which a particular type of pre-cooked food item can be kept palatable is maximized. | 05-07-2009 |
20100072229 | FIXED-VOLUME LIQUID DISPENSER - A dispenser for viscous liquids effectuates sequential operations by hydrostatic pressure on an assembly of two pistons separated from each other in a cylinder by a separation spring. When the piston assembly is embedded in material to be dispensed, the space between the pistons fills with material to be dispensed. Pressuring the reservoir by squeezing it or by the addition of pressurized gas, forces the piston assembly down the cylinder at the end of which is an opening from which material in the piston assembly can escape. One of the pistons moves toward the other end by pressure from the reservoir, causing material in the piston assembly to be dispensed. The volume inside the piston assembly defines and limits the volume of material that can be dispensed. | 03-25-2010 |
20100089251 | FOOD PRODUCT STEAMER - A steamer for sandwich buns, bagels, croissants, cakes, vegetables, pastas, and other foods delivers fixed amounts of water onto a hot, dry platen through a vertically-oriented water conduit which is also thermally insulated from the hot platen and made from thermally insulating materials. The vertically-oriented water conduit retains water after a water supply is shut off at the beginning or end of a steam generating cycle. Orienting the conduit vertically reduces the surface area of liquid water exposed to air. Insulating the water conduit from the hot platen reduces the rate at which water standing in the conduit evaporates. Tubes used in the water conduit are insulating and easily removed from the water conduit assembly and flexible. Minerals that precipitate out of solution and become deposited onto the flexible tube are easily removed by flexing the flexible tube. | 04-15-2010 |
20100098825 | FOOD PRODUCT HANDLING DEVICE - A spatula ( | 04-22-2010 |
20100116147 | BIFURCATED HEATED TOASTER PLATEN - A food heating device usable as a toaster, fryer or warmer uses a metal plate having separately heated regions separated by a thermal break. The separately heated regions use separately energized and controlled heating elements embedded to the material from which the metal plate is made. One region can be kept hot while the other region is shut off or kept at a lower temperature until demand requires both sides to be heated. Separating the regions by a thermal break reduces heat transfer from the hot side to the cool side. | 05-13-2010 |
20100139497 | FOOD HEATING DEVICE - A food heating device ( | 06-10-2010 |
20100139906 | DROP-IN PASSIVE THERMAL INSERT FOR FOOD SERVICE COUNTERS - Passive temperature control is provided to vessels too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by a vertically oriented thermally-conductive tube. In one embodiment, an insulative collar covers the tray and insulates portions of the tube that extend above the top of the tray. Optional heat sinking fins and air convection holes increase heat transfer between the tube and the tray. | 06-10-2010 |
20100139907 | PASSIVE THERMAL INSERT FOR TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED TRAYS AND FOOD SERVICE COUNTERS - Temperature control is provided to food dispensing vessels like condiment dispensers that are too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by using inclined or tilted, thermally-conductive tubes placed inside a temperature-controlled tray. Thermal insulating covers improve the thermal efficiency of the tubes. | 06-10-2010 |
20100143556 | FOOD HEATING DEVICE - In one embodiment, a food heating device includes a first platen and a first conveyor arranged and spaced to transport a food product between the first platen ( | 06-10-2010 |
20100143557 | FOOD HEATING DEVICE - A food heating device includes a platen ( | 06-10-2010 |
20100143559 | FOOD HEATING DEVICE - One embodiment of a food heating device includes a platen ( | 06-10-2010 |
20100186423 | HOT OR COLD FOOD RECEPTACLE UTILIZING A PELTIER DEVICE WITH AIR FLOW TEMPERATURE CONTROL - A temperature controlled food storage unit is provided with a Peltier device ( | 07-29-2010 |
20100239724 | TOASTER WITH COOLING AIR STREAM - A method of toasting a food product like an English muffin irradiates the food product with infrared (IR) energy from an infrared energy source while simultaneously directing an unheated air stream toward the food product. | 09-23-2010 |
20100307168 | THERMO-ELECTRIC COOLER - One or more piezoelectric devices cool or heat a thermally-conductive basin. The basin is sized, shaped and arranged to receive two or more food serving trays. In a preferred embodiment, the food serving trays are sized, shaped and arranged to provide an air gap between the tray and the thermally-conductive basin so that the tray is cooled by convection and radiation but not conduction. | 12-09-2010 |
20110006652 | FOOD STORAGE UNIT WITH DRAWER HAVING IMPACT-ABSORBING SEAL - A drawer seal includes a magnetic coupler, a bellows filled or substantially filled with a vibration dampening material and which is affixed to either a drawer or cabinet by a base member. The base member can be embodied as a dart that extends into a hole formed into the drawer or cabinet. A refrigerated food storage cabinet includes a self-closing drawer provided with the drawer seal whereby the drawer is less likely to rebound open. | 01-13-2011 |
20110059210 | 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. | 03-10-2011 |
20110162537 | FOOD PRODUCT STEAMER - A food product steamer includes rotatable platforms that can be covered and uncovered by one or more rotatable, concave hoods. In a first position for the platform(s), the platform(s) supports a food product over a steam-emitting opening above a steam generator. In a first position for the hood, the hood covers the food product such that steam from the steam generator is trapped within the hood to steam the food product. In a second, open position, the hood is rotated where it can receive the food product when the food product slides or falls off the platform as the platform is rotated from its first position to a second, elevated position. At least one embodiment enables food products to be removed from either side of the steam generating base by using a double-acting hinge. | 07-07-2011 |
20110168737 | RODLESS DISPENSER FOR EXTRUDABLE MATERIALS AND HAVING A CONTENTS INDICATOR - A push chain is used to drive a piston into a canister of extrudable material. The push chain is stored in an elongated chain magazine, withdrawn from the magazine and into the canister by actuation of a trigger connected to a sprocket for the chain. The push chain exerts a compressive force on a piston rod connected to a piston at a point offset from the center line of the piston, causing the piston to rotate to lock the push chain. The amount of material remaining in a tube of extrudable material is enunciated by way of a contents indicator driven by the push chain. | 07-14-2011 |
20110168741 | RODLESS DISPENSER - A push chain is used to drive a piston into a canister of extrudable material. The push chain is stored in an elongated chain magazine, withdrawn from the magazine and into the canister by actuation of a trigger connected to a sprocket for the chain. The push chain obviates the need for an elongated piston rod used in conventional extrudable material dispensers. | 07-14-2011 |
20110168742 | PISTON AND PISTON ROD FOR A RODLESS DISPENSER - A piston and piston rod for a rodless dispenser for extrudable material are configured such that compressive force exerted on the piston from a push chain causes a reactive torque to be created that locks the links of the chain together. The push rod is located away from the piston's geometric center. | 07-14-2011 |
20110192133 | PUSH CHAIN WITH A BIAS SPRING TO PREVENT BUCKLING - A motion transmitting drive chain (drive chain) is prevented from buckling by applying a relatively small compressive bias force to one side of the pins around which the chain links rotate. The bias force is applied on the locking projection side of the pins axes of rotation such that the links are urged to rotate in the direction required to lock them against each other. | 08-11-2011 |
20110252813 | Point-of-Use Holding Cabinet - A point-of-use food holding cabinet keeps food products cold using a conventional refrigeration device or a semiconductor solid state heat sink. In one embodiment, one compartment can be kept cold or refrigerated while an adjacent compartment can be kept warm or hot. 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. | 10-20-2011 |
20110283714 | Refrigerated Point-of-Use Holding Cabinet - 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 either a conventional reversed-Brayton cycle, one or more Peltier devices or 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. | 11-24-2011 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
20120121782 | Conveyor Toaster with Self-Aligning Belts - A hybrid food heating device ( | 05-17-2012 |
20120251696 | METHOD OF USING A DROP-IN PASSIVE THERMAL INSERT FOR FOOD SERVICE COUNTERS - Passive temperature control is provided to vessels too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by a vertically oriented thermally-conductive tube. In one embodiment, an insulative collar covers the tray and insulates portions of the tube that extend above the top of the tray. Optional heat sinking fins and air convection holes increase heat transfer between the tube and the tray. | 10-04-2012 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
20120297795 | Refrigerated Point-of-Use Holding Cabinet - 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 either a conventional reversed-Brayton cycle, one or more Peltier devices or 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. | 11-29-2012 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
20130233886 | Dispenser for Viscous Food Products - A dispenser for viscous foods like condiments, batter and syrups employs a flexible plastic bag made of a flexible plastic material, one side of which or one end of which is formed to have a self-sealing, orifice formed in the wall of the bag by two slices or cuts in the plastic material. The cuts or slices form flexible vanes which deflect outwardly responsive to pressure from a viscous material and which return to their original shape when pressure on the food product is reduced or eliminated. | 09-12-2013 |
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 |
20130251871 | Food Product Steamer and Method - A food product steamer and method of producing a steamed food product are provided. The food product steamer includes rotatable platforms that can be covered and uncovered by one or more rotatable, concave hoods. In a first position for the platform(s), the plafform(s) supports a food product over a steam-emitting opening above a steam generator. In a first position for the hood, the hood covers the food product such that steam from the steam generator is trapped within the hood to steam the food product. In a second, open position, the hood is rotated where it can receive the food product when the food product slides or falls off the platform as the platform is rotated from its first position to a second, elevated position. At least one embodiment enables food products to be removed from either side of the steam generating base by using a double-acting hinge. | 09-26-2013 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
20140150461 | Refrigerated Point-of-Use Holding Cabinet with Downloadable Software - 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 either a conventional reversed-Brayton cycle, one or more Peltier devices or 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. | 06-05-2014 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |