Michael A Near

US Patent:

7183518, Feb 27, 2007

Filed:

Sep 26, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/234390

Inventors:

Michael Near - Burbank CA, US
Nancy Rae Funk - Burbank CA, US

International Classification:

H05B 3/00
H05B 1/00
H05B 11/00

US Classification:

219214, 219501, 219506, 219486, 705 7

Abstract:

A system configured to provide food storage, preparation, and delivery in a finished cooked state includes a computer control interface, a freezer/refrigeration module, a food transport mechanism, a heating/cooking module, and a delivery area. The meal system is configured to provide food storage, preparation, and delivery in a finished cooked state. The system may be configured in the form of an independent unit or in the form of a combination of separate modules. The computer control interface, freezer/refrigeration module, food transport mechanism, heating/cooking module, and delivery area may be communicatively interconnected wirelessly or non-wirelessly.

US Patent:

51232260, Jun 23, 1992

Filed:

Apr 9, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/682365

Inventors:

Michael A. Near - Oxford NC

International Classification:

B65B 5708
B65B 5114

US Classification:

53 75

Abstract:

A system is disclosed for sealing thermoplastic transparent overwraps on packages, in particular cigarette packages, using axially shiftable cylindrical cams enabling variable contact times dependent upon variable rotational speeds of the driving shaft of the overwrap machine as transferred to the cam support shafts. An encoder reads the rotational speed of each cylindrical cam and sends a signal representing that speed to a programmable controller which in turn sends a signal representative of an axial position of the cylindrical cam corresponding to the rotational speed to a reversible servo motor which functions to axially shift the cam support shaft to shift the cam relative to a cam follower. This in turn changes the dwell time of the cam follower and accordingly the contact time between the cam-controlled heater and the seam to be sealed over a variable range, while enabling the contact pressure and the temperature of the heater to remain constant. The servo motor rotates a threaded screw which translates a nut operatively connected to the cam support shaft to in turn shift the cam support shaft and the cam.