Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.

Hamilton Beach/proctor-silex, Inc.

Patrick T Mulvaney

Adam Hanes

Michael Ellis Smith

Anthony V Cruz

Martin Patrick Brady

Michael S Garman

William D Starr

Larry R Olson

Mark C Steiner

Guoyao Ye

Ernest B Pryor, Jr

John D Barnes

Michael G Sandford

George Stamper

Stephen C Williamson

Yvonne Olson

Arthur W Hudgins

Alexander D Raring

Brian C Bock

Kevin L Leppert

Matthew T Carley

Mike Garman

Willilam D Starr

Dane Starr

David Keegan

Veronika McKenney

An automated self-cleaning frothing appliance includes: a housing having a base, a tower extending upwardly from the base, and a canopy extending from an upper portion of the tower above the base; a vessel mounted beneath the canopy, the vessel having an outlet at a lower end; a frothing tool extending from the canopy into the vessel; a first fluid pathway in the housing to receive water from a water source and deliver water into the vessel; a valve positioned to selectively open and close the outlet to the vessel; a valve-opening mechanism attached to the housing to selectively open and close the valve; a drain positioned beneath the outlet to receive water draining from the outlet; a second fluid pathway routed from the drain to deliver water to an external receptacle; and a controller operatively connected with the drive unit, the first fluid pathway and the valve-opening mechanism.

Self-cleaning frothing appliance

Automated replenishment of consumables is a growing area of interest for customers and businesses alike, in that it has the potential to both improve customer satisfaction and create a steady stream of orders for a consumable service or product. As recognized herein, kitchen appliances, including those for dispensing beverages, present specific challenges to integration with a replenishment service, especially where multiple packages or formats of consumables may be utilized by a single kitchen appliance. Aspects provided herein include methods, systems, and devices for tracking consumption of foodstuffs prepared by a kitchen appliance, including either counting discrete quantities of foodstuffs or estimating non-discrete quantities. A signal requesting replenishment of at least one foodstuff may be transmitted to a replenishment server based on the counting and/or estimating.

Systems for measuring usage of consumables in kitchen appliances

Methods for measuring usage of consumables in kitchen appliances

A beverage maker includes a body and a cover movably attached to the body. The body includes therein (among other components), a hot liquid generator (HLG) having a tank, an inlet for receiving liquid into the tank and an outlet, at least one heater in thermal communication with the liquid in the HLG tank, and a discharge port in fluid communication with the outlet of the HLG for discharge of the liquid. The cover is movably attached to the body between a closed position and an open position. At least one valve permits the discharge of the liquid via the discharge port in a closed position of the cover. The at least one valve is mechanically actuated by the cover in the open position of the cover to substantially prevent the discharge of the liquid via the discharge port.

Beverage maker

An electric can opener comprises a motor, a controller, and a signal-detecting element monitoring at least one of (i) an audio signal and (ii) a motion-type signal during operation of the can opener. The controller determines a baseline signal value, calculates a threshold signal value and compares the monitored signal value to the calculated threshold value. The controller stops operation of the can opener if the detected signal is outside the threshold from the baseline.

Can opener with auto-shutoff and method of operating a can opener

A kitchen appliance includes a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage. A hot water generator ('HWG') has an inlet end, an outlet end and a passageway extending therebetween. The inlet end of the HWG is connected to the first reservoir. Liquid from the first reservoir flows into the HWG through the inlet end. A selector valve is connected to the outlet end of the HWG. At least a portion of the selector valve is movable by a user between a first valve position and a second valve position.

Kitchen appliance for preparing a beverage and method of operating same

A beverage carafe comprises a beverage reservoir and a channel for directing a flow of liquid from the reservoir when the carafe is tilted for dispensing the liquid. The channel has a floor and an elongated protrusion projecting upward from the floor. The protrusion is transverse to the flow of the liquid through the channel and has a curved distal face and curved sides.

Beverage carafe with improved liquid flow

A kitchen appliance includes a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage. A hot water generator ('HWG') has an inlet end, an outlet end and a passageway extending therebetween. The inlet end of the HWG is connected to the first reservoir. Liquid from the first reservoir flows into the HWG through the inlet end. A second reservoir is connected to the outlet end of the HWG. The second reservoir includes a discharge port, a gas vent and a skirt extending from a wall of the second reservoir further than the gas vent. The skirt at least partially surrounds the gas vent. At least a portion of the skirt is spaced laterally inwardly from an outer sidewall of the second reservoir.

A kitchen appliance includes a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage and a hot water generator ('HWG') which has an inlet end, an outlet end and a passageway therebetween. The inlet end of the HWG is connected to the first reservoir. Liquid from the first reservoir flows into the HWG through the inlet end. A second reservoir is connected to the outlet end of the HWG. The second reservoir includes a discharge port. A fluid path connects the first and second reservoirs and bypasses the HWG. The kitchen appliance is operable for both pressurized brew/heat cycles and un-pressurized brew/heat cycles.

A beverage maker includes a body and a cover movably attached to the body. The body includes therein (among other components), a tank, a pump, a controller, a switch electrically coupled with the pump, and a pressure release valve in fluid communication with at least the pump and tank for releasing the pressure therein. The cover mechanically actuates the switch into an 'on' position, to maintain the pump in an inoperable condition, and mechanically actuate or release the pressure release valve into one of an open or closed position, upon movement of the cover to the closed position thereof The cover releases the switch for return into the 'off' position, placing the pump in an operational condition, and mechanically actuating or releasing the pressure release valve into the other of the open or closed positions, upon movement of the cover from the closed position toward the open position.

Pump operated beverage maker

A kitchen appliance includes a housing that defines a cavity. The housing has a housing rim defining an opening to the cavity. A heating or cooling element is disposed within the housing to heat or cool the cavity. A container has a generally hollow interior and a container rim. A lid is sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container. The lid has an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface. At least one latching mechanism or handle is operable to seal the contents of the appliance within the appliance.

Growing community of inventors

Richmond, VA, United States of America

Patrick T Mulvaney