The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 21, 1976
Filed:
Apr. 30, 1975
Gene J Seider, Bloomington, MN (US);
Michael C Freund, Mendota Heights, MN (US);
Gould Inc., Rolling Meadows, IL (US);
Abstract
A programmable electronic control system for an array of electrical stations exemplified by food tray stations each of which is adapted to receive a food tray having two or more electrical heaters embedded in the tray. Each tray is detachable from its station. A separate power circuit is associated with each heater element at each tray station for supplying separately controllable power to each individual heater. A manually controlled programming channel is connected to each power circuit and includes means for generating control signals to enable or disable each separate power circuit to permit the programming of the entire array of tray stations. A manually controlled station reset device is connected to the programming channels for each tray station to remove any enabling control signals generated by the respective programming channels for that station to permit the re-programming of individual tray stations. A manually controlled master reset device is connected to all the programming channels for all the stations to remove any enabling control signals generating by any of the programming channels to permit the re-programming of the entire array of tray stations. A tray sensing device disables the power circuits associated with the respective tray stations whenever trays are absent from the respective stations, and enable the programming channels associated with the respective tray stations whenever trays are present at the respective stations. A locking device is provided for locking in all the control signals to prevent the re-programming or clearing of any of the tray stations after a complete program has been selected.