Bizarre Patents
Pet Toilet-Like Water Disk and Food Storage
One pet-friendly inventor patented "a device for watering pets, e.g., a dog or cat." The device, he helpfully noted, "has the general shape of a toilet."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7348522 | Apparatus for thawing frozen food items An apparatus is disclosed for thawing a frozen food item, including a chamber dimensioned to receive the frozen food item, a heat exchanger operable to either heat air in the chamber or to cool the air in the chamber, a fan for creating a flow of the air within the ... | 03/25/2008 |
| RE39551 | Food dispensing cycle and means A method of dispensing food whereby food prepared at a first location is transported to a second location for dispensing in a working cycle characterized by the steps of apportioning the food onto a plurality of trays (20A, 20B) at the first location, ... | 04/10/2007 |
| 6968888 | Thermal receptacle with phase change material A liquid receptacle for rapidly lowering the temperature of a liquid contained therein to a warm range suitable for human contact and maintaining the liquid in the warm range for an extended period of time includes an inner vessel with an open upper end and a closed... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6904969 | Time-bake cycle for a refrigerated oven A method of operating a refrigerated oven to cook a food item therein comprises the steps of A) determining the temperature of the cooking chamber in the refrigerated oven, B) producing cooled air in the refrigeration unit of the refrigerator oven for a first period... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6802367 | Rethermalization system and method for use with food trays having a hot food side and a cold food side A rethermalization system for food trays having a hot food side and a cold food side, the system includes a first thermal system having a heating source, a refrigeration coil and a blower; a second thermal system having first and second refrigeration coils and a blo... | 10/12/2004 |
| 6745675 | Device for preservation and rethermalization of meal trays The invention concerns a device comprising, in an insulating chamber, an internal space for receiving a tray divided into a rear compartment for rethermalization and a front compartment for preserving cold, which communicate with each other through an intermediate p... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6684657 | Rethermalization / refrigeration food delivery system A novel thermal treatment apparatus is provided that includes at least one thermal treatment section (212) having a plurality of individual thermal treatment sections. The apparatus further includes: (a) an air supply duct (356) with at least one supply p... | 02/03/2004 |
| 6658995 | Proofer A proofer includes an enclosure defining a chamber. An air circulation system includes a passageway having an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the chamber. A first fan pulls air into the air inlet from the chamber, and expels air from the outlet i... | 12/09/2003 |
| 6557363 | Cool wrap food service refrigeration system A collar assembly including cooling coils is provided to increase the top surface cooling of food being served from food pans which are mounted to extend down into a food service cabinet or counter. The collar is preferably lower in the front toward the s... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6536223 | Cool wrap food service refrigeration system A collar assembly including cooling coils is provided to increase the top surface cooling of food being served from food pans which are mounted to extend down into a food service cabinet or counter. The collar is preferably lower in the front toward the s... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6279470 | Portable and self-contained system for maintaining prepared meals in a cool state and reheating them A food heating and cooling device including a tray, at least one main dish plate in the tray, at least one secondary dish plate in the tray, a cover associated with the tray for maintaining the food hot or cold, an inducer for heating, reheating or mainta... | 08/28/2001 |
| 6105818 | Food dispensing cycle and means A method of dispensing food whereby food prepared at a first location is transported to a second location for dispensing in a working cycle characterized by the steps of: apportioning the food onto a plurality of trays (20A, 20B) at the first location, lo... | 08/22/2000 |
| 6059196 | Storage system with ambience conditioning facilities A storage system with ambience conditioning facilities includes a desiccator for removing moisture from air and promoting convection, thereby maintaining articles stored therein in an optimum state for a long period of time. The environment maintained has... | 05/09/2000 |
| 5992411 | Process for restoring the temperature of precooked dishes, transportation and temperature restoration cart, and tray for precooked dishes Precooked dishes loaded in a refrigerated enclosure (4) of a transport cart (1) for their transport toward a place of consumption, are selectively restored in temperature. The refrigerated cooked dishes which must be restored in temperature are, before be... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5896915 | Rethermalization system A rethermalization system for heating refrigerated food on trays, maintaining the food in a refrigerated condition until heated, and heating some of the food to a desired temperature at a serving time while maintaining the rest of the food in a refrigerat... | 04/27/1999 |
| 5852967 | Food treatment system A food treatment system having a frame, a receptacle having a peripheral wall defining a space for storage of a food item and an opening through which a food item can be introduced to the storage space, and a conditioning source for changing the state of ... | 12/29/1998 |
| 5797445 | Refrigerated rethermalization cart An integrated refrigeration and rethermalization system for storage of prepared meals in a refrigerated state, rethermalization of the meals in accordance with a rethermalization program, and maintenance of the rethermalized meals at a desired serving tem... | 08/25/1998 |
| 5771959 | Rethermalization system A rethermalization system for heating refrigerated food on trays, maintaining the food in a refrigerated condition until heated, and heating some of the food to a desired temperature at a serving time while maintaining the rest of the food in a refrigerat... | 06/30/1998 |
| 5655595 | Convection rethermalization system An integrated refrigeration and rethermalization system includes a wall unit having a refrigeration system for producing refrigerated air and a convection heating system for producing heated air. A cart having hot and cold compartments for storing food it... | 08/12/1997 |
| 5630468 | Salad bar unit with refrigerated overhead storage cabinet A salad bar unit with an overhead refrigerated storage cabinet wherein the salad bar at waist height contains a variety of containers, some of which are cooled and some of which are hot, and which are used to hold various food items to be selected by cons... | 05/20/1997 |
| 5598886 | Food display and preservation case A food display and preservation case comprising at least one support member provided with wheels and brakes. The support member houses heating and refrigeration equipment and control elements. The support member supports a center body or table which inclu... | 02/04/1997 |
| 5542262 | Apparatus for controlling kimchi storage temperature in refrigerator An apparatus for controlling a kimchi storage temperature in a refrigerator such that it is equal to the atmospheric temperature in the winter season. The control apparatus includes a chaos signal pattern storing unit for storing a chaos signal pattern co... | 08/06/1996 |
| 5477915 | Refrigerator capable of changing functions for compartments and a control method therefor, in particular for fermentation of Kimchi A refrigerator includes a first and second compartments which are cooled by first and second heat exchangers, respectively, of a cooling system. The first heat exchanger includes upstream and downstream heat exchanger sections. A first valve is arranged f... | 12/26/1995 |
| 5454427 | Rethermalization system having microcontroller computed start times and microcontrollers controlling heaters A rethermalization system for rethermalizing refrigerated foods in an institutional food service setting is disclosed. A rethermalization cart is provided with a plurality of trays for supporting food items to be served. The trays are supported on heater ... | 10/03/1995 |
| 5421246 | Enclosure having a rack for heating or cooling food products An enclosure is disclosed for heating or cooling food products on a pan. The enclosure preferably has transparent side walls, a closure member and a rack comprising a plurality of vertically spaced-apart pan supports each comprised of a plurality of inter... | 06/06/1995 |
| 5404935 | Cabinet-style apparatus for transferring heat to food and cooling food The present invention is directed to a vertical cabinet having the dual function of heating or cooling food articles within the cabinet. The cabinet comprises a plurality of removable, vertically spaced-apart support shelves of a conductive material for s... | 04/11/1995 |
| 5393960 | Device for the transport and distribution of meal trays, including integral microwave oven for re-heating the latter Device for the transport and distribution of meal trays including built-in microwave oven for reheating the latter. The device consists of an isothermic unequipped trolley for transporting food trays between kitchens and hospital wards, a central equipped... | 02/28/1995 |
| 5363672 | Refrigeration compartment for use with preparation table A refrigerated compartment is disclosed for food preparation tables. The compartment is generally rectangular and extends laterally across the table and has an access opening at the top allowing exposure to ambient room air. A lower section of the compart... | 11/15/1994 |
| 5351745 | Refrigerator system having a function capable of fermenting food A refrigerating system includes a first compartment used solely for cold storage, and a second compartment used either for cold storage or fermentation. First and second heat exchangers are disposed for cooling the first and second compartments, respectiv... | 10/04/1994 |
| 5297616 | Heat-insulated packing for the refrigerated or hot transport of receptacles containing food products The present invention relates to a heat-insulated packing for transporting at least one receptacle containing food products. The packing comprises a box constituted by a series of removable heat-insulated trays mounted in superposed manner, between the li... | 03/29/1994 |
| 5274216 | Food rethermalizing and satelliting tray A food service rethermalization process including a tray having first and second receiving hot dish receiving areas, at least one cold dish receiving area and an end wing area for holding eating utensils, napkins and the like. First and second selector or... | 12/28/1993 |
| 5273360 | Food service tray assembly A food service tray assembly including a tray, a hot food dish, and an insulated dome. Hot food is served onto the dish, the dome is preheated, the food carrying dish is set on the tray, the preheated dome set over the dish, and the tray system delivered ... | 12/28/1993 |
| 5247807 | Salad bar with replaceable modular refrigerated condiments container A modular (unitary) refrigerated condiments container is provided for use in a conventional restaurant-type salad bar. The modular refrigerated condiments container comprises a housing having a recessed cold pan in the top thereof and a removable condimen... | 09/28/1993 |
| 5243171 | Food service system utilizing reflected infrared signals to identify type of dish In a food service system, prepared meals including chilled foods are assembled in individual meal trays (10) and held in the trays for a period prior to regeneration to prepare the food for heating. A control system of a rethermalizing trolley (12), which... | 09/07/1993 |
| 5203255 | Hot countertop self-service food station A new and improved hot oven countertop display station is provided in a hot oven countertop display unit having a reclosable front door panel opening and an integral upper sign and menu board structure. A dispenser display rack is provided in the oven com... | 04/20/1993 |
| 5201364 | Apparatus for heating and cooling food articles having removable plates with fluid sealed therein An apparatus is disclosed for heating or cooling food articles including a chamber containing a plurality of tubular, vertically, spaced-apart support means having a fluid inlet and outlet. A plurality of removably mounted hollow plates each having a plur... | 04/13/1993 |
| 5159973 | Dual temperature maintenance food serving compartment with pre-cooled cooling modules and heat storage pellets An improved food serving cart of the type having a compartment for holding multiple trays of prepared foods having both hot and cold food and/or beverage portions thereon, the improvement including a vertically disposed cold reservoir for holding replacea... | 11/03/1992 |
| 4915162 | Method and apparatus for heater current control for automatic vending machine In an automatic vending machine having a heater for boiling water, and a motor-driven compressor for refrigeration, a flow of current to the heater is stopped when the compressor is started. On the other hand, while the compressor is being operated stably... | 04/10/1990 |
| 4913223 | Apparatus for defreezing frozen foods A defrosting apparatus comprises a housing defining therein a frozen food storage space. Within the housing, air is heated and supplied to the storage space through a hot-air entrance passage formed between a side wall of the housing and one of paired she... | 04/03/1990 |
| 4884626 | Combination refrigerator oven A self-contained refrigerator-oven for refrigerating and cooking food in the same enclosed chamber, has both heating elements and cooling elements located in the same appliance. The heating elements may be conventional heating elements and/or a convection... | 12/05/1989 |
