The Vollrath Company, LLC

Kohler Company

Richard R Koehl

Ken Wetenkamp

Aamer Mohammed

Dave Wattenford

Tony J Kopidlansky

Gary E Bruckner

Douglas J Shymanski

Jill E Hundley

Herbert V Kohler, Jr

Terrence M Rotter

Robert J Hensel

Jeffrey S Sayler

Brian Zwieg

A method of using a frozen food product dispensing machine includes producing, by the frozen food product dispensing machine, a frozen food product, and dispensing, by the frozen food product dispensing machine, the frozen food product through a nozzle passage of a nozzle coupled to the frozen food product dispensing machine. The nozzle defines a food product inlet fluidly coupled to the frozen food product dispensing machine and a food product outlet. The nozzle passage extends between the food product inlet and the food product outlet. The method includes introducing, by a cleaning fluid source, a cleaning fluid into the nozzle passage through a cleaning fluid inlet in the nozzle. The cleaning fluid inlet is fluidly coupled to the nozzle passage between the food product inlet and the food product outlet.

Methods of rinsing nozzle for frozen food product dispensing machine

An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a freezer barrel configured to produce a frozen food product, a spigot fluidly connected to the freezer barrel, the spigot for dispensing the frozen food product, a movable platform for supporting a container to receive frozen food product, the movable container movable among a home position and a fill position below the spigot, and a processing circuit configured to open the spigot and fill the container with an amount of frozen food product.

Automatic frozen food product vending machine

An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a frozen food product dispensing station for dispensing at least one frozen food product, a container dispenser for storing multiple frozen food product containers and configured to automatically dispense one frozen food product container at a time, a first movable platform for supporting a dispensed frozen food product container, a topping dispensing station for dispensing at least one topping, a second movable platform for supporting the dispensed frozen food product container, a user input device configured to receive a user selection of a desired frozen food product and a user selection of a desired topping, and processing electronics configured to automate operation of the vending machine after the user selections are made.

A frozen beverage dispenser includes a housing, a hopper configured to store a beverage product, a freezing chamber, a front cover removably coupled to the housing, a refrigeration system, an auger positioned within the freezing chamber, a drive configured to rotate the auger, an air inlet formed near the bottom of the housing, a single air outlet formed near the rear and the top of the housing, a fan for drawing air through the air inlet into the interior of the housing and exhausting air from the interior of the housing through the single air outlet, a spigot fluidly coupled to the freezing chamber, the spigot including a valve and an outlet wherein with the valve in a closed position, frozen beverage does not pass through the valve and with the valve in an open position, frozen beverage passes through the valve and exits through the outlet of the spigot.

Frozen beverage dispenser

A hopper cover for a dispensing machine includes an exterior side having an exterior surface and an interior side having an interior surface that defines a plurality of recesses. The plurality of recesses are configured to receive a plurality of components of the dispensing machine. Each recess of the plurality of recesses corresponds with a specific component of the plurality of components. The hopper cover is configured to cover a hopper cavity of the dispensing machine when in a first orientation and facilitate organized disassembly and reassembly of the dispensing machine when in a second orientation.

Hopper cover

Frozen food product vending machine

Hopper cover for food dispenser

An automatic frozen food product vending machine includes a frozen food product dispensing station for dispensing at least one frozen food product, a container dispenser for storing multiple frozen food product containers and configured to automatically dispense one frozen food product container at a time, a first movable platform for supporting a dispensed frozen food product container, a topping dispensing station for dispensing at least one topping, a second movable platform for supporting the dispensed frozen food product container, a user input device configured to receive a user selection of a desired frozen food product, a user selection of a desired amount of frozen food product, and a user selection of a desired topping, and processing electronics configured to automate operation of the vending machine after the user selections are made.

A modular portal system and method for harvesting energy from distributed power sources. The distributed power sources include renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, which are coupled to a backplane. The backplane receives modular preconditioner modules and inverter modules, which are inserted into module slots. The preconditioner modules receive power from the distributed power sources via backplane connections and output conditioned DC power to a DC bus on the backplane. The inverters are coupled to the DC bus, receive the DC power, and convert the DC power to AC power. The backplane also includes a controller for selectively coupling the energy harvesting system to a power grid. The AC power generated by the inverter is selectively applied to the power grid and to local loads.

Portal for harvesting energy from distributed electrical power sources

Cyclonic air cleaner housing

A generator set (genset) for use in a marine environment is disclosed. The genset includes an alternator, an engine dedicated to driving the alternator, and an exhaust port connected to the engine to receive exhaust generated during operation of the engine to drive the alternator. An inner tubular structure is provided that is configured to receive exhaust gases from the exhaust port and communicate the exhaust gases therethrough. The exhaust processing device also includes an exhaust processing element mounted within the inner tubular structure to process the exhaust gases and an outer tubular structure mounted around the inner tubular structure to form an intermediate space therebetween. The exhaust processing device further includes at least one orifice through which to deliver a flow of water to the intermediate space to maintain the outer tubular structure at a temperature below a temperature of the exhaust processing element.

Growing community of inventors

Sheboygan, WI, United States of America

Richard R Koehl