Premark Feg L.l.c.

Hobart Corporation

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Mark Edward Eberhardt, Jr

Nigel G Mills

Richard Hugh Van Camp

Robert J Weisz

Robert J Schuller

David Miller

Carla A Monnier

Douglas Joseph Noll

James Carl Meyer

George Wesley Archiable, Iii

Mary Carol Meyer

Randall L Redman

Kinred Bowling

Dick P McCord

Francis J Caldwell

A scale and associated method automatically identify when a food product pricing scale is in an offline condition and changes a color condition on the scale display to alert scale operators of the offline condition.

Scale with automatic offline indication and related method

A random weight item transaction system include a scale with label RFID tag functionality, service person RFID tag functionality and customer RFID tag functionality. A slicer in proximity to the scale may include service person and bulk food product RFID functionalities. The scale may make weigh transaction data available to a computerized checkout system via a communications link or via writing the information to the label RFID tag.

Food product scale and related in-store random weight item transaction system with RFID

A label printer for handling labels with RFID tags includes one or more advantageous features such as locating an RF encoder unit antenna in position to read and/or write to label antennas after the label antennas have exited a label output slot of the printer, providing light elements to indicate status of a read and/or write operation to a label RFID tag or a voiding step to void labels when a read and/or write operation is unsuccessful.

Printer and scale for handling RFID labels

A scale and associated methods automatically identify when a food product pricing scale is in an offline condition and changes a color condition on the scale display to alert scale operators of the offline condition.

A random weight item transaction system include a scale with label RIFD tag functionality, service person RFID tag functionality and customer RFID tag functionality. A slicer in proximity to the scale may include service person and bulk food product RFID functionalities. The scale may make weigh transaction data available to a computerized checkout system via a communications link or via writing the information to the label RFID tag.

Food product scale and related in-store random weight item transaction system with RFID capabilities

An electronic tag having a customer attracting annunciator such as a light emitting element or sound element is provided. In one aspect, a tag constructed for sideward direction of lighting is provided. In another aspect, a battery free tag including a customer attracting annunciator which is energized with power derived from induced signals developed in the tag. In a further aspect, an annunciator of an electronic tag is controlled based upon signals output from an LCD display driver.

Electronic tags incorporating a customer attracting annunciator for use in electronic product information display systems

A seal pickup station for supplying a plurality of seals to a position where the seals may be picked up by a gas exchange head. The station comprises a supply roll of seals adhesively attached to a carrier sheet, and a pickup block having a channel through which the seals can be transported on the carrier sheet. The station further includes a sensor to detect the presence of a seal, a take-up reel to collect the carrier sheet, and a pressure roller mounted in the pickup block to maintain tension on the carrier sheet as seals are removed therefrom.

Seal pickup station

A method for controlling an apparatus for exchanging a first gas contained in a sealed container for a second gas while the container is in a chamber. The method comprises the steps of withdrawing the first gas from the container for a predetermined period of time and approximating the head space volume of the container based directly or indirectly upon a change in headspace pressure in the container. The method further includes the step of withdrawing the first gas from the container and air from the chamber under conditions which are dependent upon the approximation of the headspace volume and which reduce the damage to the container due to pressure forces.

Method for modifying the environment in a sealed container

A gas exchange head for contacting and piercing a container to allow gas communication and exchange between the gas exchange head and the container. The gas exchange head comprises a flow probe for piercing the container, the probe being hollow so as to allow the gas communication and exchange therethrough. The gas exchange head further includes an intermediate sleeve and an outer cylinder coaxially received on the intermediate sleeve. The outer cylinder includes a lower cup portion at its distal end and is reciprocatingly mounted on the intermediate sleeve. The gas exchange head further includes a spring mounted on the outer cylinder for applying a biasing to the outer cylinder, and an inner cylinder adapted at its distal end to receive and retain the flow probe. The inner cylinder is coaxially received within the intermediate sleeve, and is axially movable relative the intermediate sleeve, whereby the flow probe may be reciprocated from a retracted position within the intermediate sleeve to an exposed position in which the probe extends from the intermediate sleeve. The inner cylinder has a passageway therethrough for conducting a gas to and from the flow probe.

Gas exchange apparatus

An apparatus for exchanging a first gas contained in a sealed container for a second gas. The apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber for receiving the container and for maintaining a controlled pressure about the container, a gas exchange head for exchanging gas in the container while maintaining a seal between the container and the chamber, and a vacuum source coupled to the gas exchange head and to the vacuum chamber for evacuating the first gas from the container and air from the chamber. The apparatus further has a gas source for supplying the second gas, the gas source being coupled to the gas exchange head for supplying the second gas to the container, and a sensor for monitoring the pressure in the container during gas exchange. The present invention further provides for a controller for adjusting the rate with which the first gas is removed from the container and the rate at which the chamber is evacuated such that the container is not damaged, and the controller can adjust the rate at which gas is supplied to the container and the rate with which the chamber is pressurized so as not to damage said container.

A dishwashing machine and a method for washing ware therewith are disclosed. The machine includes a wash chamber, a tank for holding a cleansing liquid, a spray system including a selectively operable pump for spraying ware to be cleaned with liquid from the tank, and a heater for heating the liquid within the tank. The heater is regulated to maintain the liquid substantially at a first predetermined temperature whenever the pump is operating, and to maintain the liquid substantially at a second predetermined temperature greater than the first temperature whenever the pump is not operating.

Heat control for a dishwashing machine

A control system and method of controlling a conveyor-type dishwasher is disclosed, with the dishwasher including a plurality of sequentially arranged work stations, each of the stations performing an operation on ware located therein such as washing, rinsing, drying and the like. A conveyor carries the ware into the dishwasher, past each of the stations, and out of the dishwasher. A sensor mounted at a reference point adjacent the conveyor near the entrance for ware to the dishwasher senses the presence of ware items on the conveyor as the items are carried past the reference point. Positional advance of the conveyor is monitored to define a current conveyor position and track movement of the items through the dishwasher. Controls responsive to the sensor start operations within each of the stations in response to movement of the conveyor sufficient to carry items from the reference point to the station, and stop operations in response to movement of the conveyor sufficient to carry the items from the station.

Control system and method of controlling a dishwashing machine

A magnetic coupling between the sample support shaft and the internal weighing mechanism of a weighing balance assembly is provided which permits transverse movement of the shaft when it or a sample supported by it are bumped or jarred. Generally, the internal weighing mechanism of a weighing balance is quite sensitive to the unavoidable bumping and jarring which occurs during the loading and unloading of a sample. Because the magnetic coupling permits movement of the shaft, no damaging forces or torques are transmitted to the weighing mechanism. The magnetic attraction between the shaft and coupling is sufficient to insure that the shaft remains in an upright position during normal operation.

Magnetic coupling for a weighing balance assembly

A control for a microwave oven is disclosed in which cooking time is set by touching one of a number of touch plates on the oven control panel. An oscillator provides an asymmetric signal to a plurality of level detectors by way of the touch plates and associated circuitry. When a touch plate is touched by an operator, the resulting capacitance to ground acts to integrate the oscillator signal and prevent this signal from dipping below a predetermined minimum threshold level. This condition is sensed by the associated level detector and the timer is set accordingly. The oscillator is then disabled to prevent an accidental touching of one of the touch plates from affecting oven operation. Also disclosed is a power control circuit which switches on power to several magnetrons in a staggered manner to limit surge current.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, OH, United States of America

Mark Edward Eberhardt, Jr