Patents Examined by Alissa Tompkins
  • Patent number: 9851102
    Abstract: A plurality of independently flow rate-controlled flows of oxidant may be preheated at a heat exchanger (or both oxidant and fuel at separate heat exchangers) by heat exchange with a hot shell-side (heat transfer) fluid. The separate flows of hot oxidant are directed to associated separate burners where they combust with flows of fuel to produce hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases are used to preheat the hot shell-side fluid at a recuperator or regenerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme Pour L'Étude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Taekyu Kang, James J. F. McAndrew, Youssef Joumani, Remi Pierre Tsiava
  • Patent number: 9845805
    Abstract: Dual operation centrifugal fan apparatus and methods of operating same that may be used, for example, to cool the internal heat-generating components of an information handling system or other device. The dual operation centrifugal fan apparatus may be implemented in one embodiment as a self-cleaning blower apparatus that is operated in a first normal cooling direction to dissipate heat from internal components of an information handling system, and operated in second cleaning direction to reverse airflow and expel accumulated dust from the interior of the information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Gurmeet Bhutani, Cheng-Kuo Wang, Hung-Pin Chien, Li-Chung Liu, Tien Hsiang Wu
  • Patent number: 9841197
    Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus has: a thermo-sensitive valve which is connected in parallel to a cold water delivery pipe and a hot water delivery pipe and which is closed when the hot water temperature to flow inside the valve is above a predetermined temperature to thereby shut off communication between the cold water delivery pipe and the hot water delivery pipe; and a circulation pump. By operation of the circulation pump, water circulation takes place from a heat exchanger through the hot water delivery pipe, a return pipe, the circulation pump, and a cold water supply pipe back to the heat exchanger. When the thermo-sensitive valve is open, water circulation takes place also through the thermo-sensitive valve. Instantaneous hot water supply operation is finished when an amount detected by a flow sensor falls below a predetermined amount during the instantaneous hot water supply operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: RINNAI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eri Sato, Ai Yuge
  • Patent number: 9841235
    Abstract: In a substrate treatment process, substrates are moved by a transporting device in a transporting direction through a substrate treatment installation having a number of chambers. The substrates are moved by transporting sections of the transporting device driven independently of one another. The transporting sections are driven such that, if substrates dwell temporarily in the transporting section, they are moved back and forth. Stresses in a substrate brought about by differing inputs of heat as a result of both process-induced and malfunction-induced dwell times of the substrate in a chamber are reduced by compensating within the chamber for a structurally brought about input of heat into the substrate, varying periodically over the length of the chamber, during temporary dwelling of the substrate in the chamber by moving the substrate back and forth over at least one period of the heat input by a change of the transporting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: VON ARDENNE GMBH
    Inventors: Steffen Mosshammer, Thomas Meyer, Michael Brandt
  • Patent number: 9833762
    Abstract: An ethylene cracking furnace is provided. The ethylene cracking furnace includes at least one radiant section. The at least one radiant section includes bottom burners and/or sidewall burners, and at least one radiant coil arranged in the radiant section. The radiant coil includes at least an upstream pass tube and a downstream pass tube, the upstream pass tube being configured as an inner tube, and the downstream pass tube being configured as an outer tube surrounding the inner tube and having a closed end. The inner tube defines an inner space forming an upstream flow path. A gap defined between the inner tube and the outer tube forms an downstream flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, SINOPEC Engineering Incorporation
    Inventors: Xiou He, Jingkun Liu, Changli Li, Hainü Shen, Yuping Guo, Chen Shao
  • Patent number: 9829212
    Abstract: A diffuser which reduces noise generated due to a flow of cool air when the cool air is discharged from a supply duct configured to supply cool air generated from a body provided at outdoors to the indoors, and an air conditioner having the same are provided. The diffuser includes a coupling part coupled to the supply duct, an extension part extending from the coupling part while having a taper shape such that cool air supplied through the supply duct is guided to the indoors, a mesh provided to surround an outer side of the extension part, and a housing accommodating the coupling part and the extension part, and having an opening configured to discharge the cool air supplied to the extension part to the indoors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang Hoon Im, Yong Hyun Kil, Jung Ho Kim, Eun Ji Na, Jin Ho Mok, Kil Hong Song, Gwang-jun Yu, Joon-Ho Yoon, Seong-Young Jeong
  • Patent number: 9829003
    Abstract: An air mixing system includes a building superstructure having an open space therein and an attic. An air mixing unit mounted to the ceiling draws air from the open space and the attic, mixes the air and discharges the mixed air outwards from the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: VALCO COMPANIES, INC.
    Inventor: Philip E. Risser
  • Patent number: 9829207
    Abstract: A device for realizing a cooling effect in a space comprises: a housing with a heat-conducting wall, which housing bounds a chamber through which air can flow; an air inlet which connects to the chamber and to said place, —an air outlet connecting to the chamber; air transport means for transporting air from the air inlet via the chamber to the air outlet; and moistening means for moistening the inner surface of the wall; this such that air supplied by the air transport means is introduced into the chamber via the air inlet, passes along the moistened inner surface of the wall in the chamber and is discharged from the chamber via the air outlet, whereby the water present on the inner surface of the heat-conducting wall evaporates and is entrained by the air flowing by, and the wall is cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Lux et Libertas B.V.
    Inventor: Matthijs Dirk Meulenbelt
  • Patent number: 9821631
    Abstract: An air vent dial for an automobile includes an air vent housing having an air path and a damper for opening or closing the air path; a dial housing provided in the air vent housing and having an opening and holding projections; and a dial assembly having a dial knob to be fitted into the opening and a rear fixing plate connected to the damper through a link member to control the opening and closing degrees of the damper. The dial housing has the holding projections at positions corresponding to opening and closing positions of the damper. The dial assembly has a dial elongated hole and fixing projection projecting inwards and contacting the holding projections while being guided and moving along the rear outer peripheral surface of the dial housing at outside of the rear fixing plate having the dial elongated hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: NIFCO KOREA INC.
    Inventor: Jeong Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 9810449
    Abstract: A method controls an air handler that generates heated air from hot water generated by a water heater. The method includes generating a signal in the presence or absence of an indicia of water flow associated with the water heater; initiating operation of a pump associated with the air handler when the signal indicates that water flow associated with the water heater is at least at a selected level to supply hot water to the air handler sufficient to generate heated air; and/or terminating operation of the pump and/or a blower/fan associated with the air handler when the presence or absence signal indicates that the water flow associated with the water heater is less than the selected level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Rinnai America Corporation
    Inventors: James York, Hugh L. Allen-Magande
  • Patent number: 9803853
    Abstract: This invention provides a heat recovery and utilization system for efficiently utilizing heat recovered from boiler exhaust gas with a heat recovery unit without any complicated equipment or high operation costs. The heat recovery and utilization system includes: a boiler for electricity generation; a heat recovery unit for recovering heat from exhaust gas of the boiler; a heat exchanger for using heat recovered with the heat recovery unit as heat source for equipment other than for electricity generation; a heat accumulator for accumulating heat source for the equipment other than for electricity generation; and a heat medium circulation line in which heat medium circulates between the heat recovery unit and the heat exchanger to exchange the heat recovered with the heat recovery unit with the heat exchanger. Upon startup of the system, the heat exchanger preheats the heat recovery unit with heat source accumulated in the heat accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWERS SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakashoji, Tatsuto Nagayasu
  • Patent number: 9803417
    Abstract: Hollow core door apparatus for preventing the build up of pressure in a room includes an inside door skin and an outside door skin, and the door skins include openings through which air flows. A center panel is disposed between and spaced apart from the skins. The center panel has an outer perimeter defined by notches through which air flows. Tabs between the notches are used to secure the center panel to the inside and outside door skins. Air flow from the room is through the opening in the inside skin, around the outer perimeter of the panel, and outwardly from the door and room through the outside skin in a non-linear manner. The door alone with normal undercuts and margins, and with its notches and associated structural elements, achieves a Rater-measured pressure differential of equal to or less than 3 pascals with respect to the main body of the building when bedroom room doors are closed. For larger rooms with air flow greater than one hundred fifty cfm, the pressure is equal to or less than 5 pascals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Inventor: Jerry G. Crittenden
  • Patent number: 9791166
    Abstract: An air handler that provides for noise reduction without reducing the pressure of air supplied to a space below minimum levels. The air handler includes a plenum, which forms a passageway for air through the air handler; the plenum having a return side and a supply side, a fan positioned in the plenum to move air through the plenum, the fan having a suction side and a pressure side, and a conditioning apparatus in the plenum for conditioning air passing through the plenum. The air handler further includes a sound-attenuating panel, which has a first side and an opposed second side and is positioned in the plenum so that the panel extends at least partially across the plenum. The panel is configured and positioned to interact with the flow of air in the plenum to attenuate sound. The fan provides a pressure boost to air flowing through the plenum to counteract a pressure drop resulting from interaction between the air and the panel in the plenum and the conditioning apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Melanie H. Rainey, David L. Lawson, Carl J. Shell, Chris C. Hord
  • Patent number: 9791145
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manipulating a tool within the secondary side of a steam generator having a tube sheet with a tube bundle having a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending from the tube sheet in rows with an annulus extending around the heat exchange tubes on a periphery of the tube bundle, between the tubes and a wrapper which surrounds the tube bundle. A robot is introduced into the annulus and extends a probe with a tool across selected lanes between the rows of tubes. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for cleaning sludge from the top of a tube sheet that includes introducing a moveable suction apparatus having attached vacuum inlets into either the no tube lane or the circumferential annulus and sludge vacuuming the top of the tube sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: David W. Selfridge, Jr., Martin Le Goff
  • Patent number: 9791161
    Abstract: Provided is a local clean zone forming apparatus which has an excellent operability and can provide an excellent clean air space without restricting the installation location or the purpose of an operation. In the local clean zone forming apparatus, a pair of push hoods having air blowing surfaces between which an airflow alignment mechanism is formed to form uniform airflows, are disposed so that the uniform airflows discharged from the push hoods are opposite to and collide with each other in a positional relationship wherein the air blowing surfaces are parallel to each other, and the centers of the air blowing surfaces are not directly opposite to each other; and the uniform airflows are obliquely discharged at an angle with respect to the air blowing surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Koken Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Fujishiro, Kozo Nitta, Yuji Kubota
  • Patent number: 9784503
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement for treatment of articles by hot pressing and in particular by hot isostatic pressing. The pressing arrangement includes a pressure vessel and a furnace chamber adapted to hold articles, which furnace chamber is provided inside the pressure vessel. At least one guiding passage communicating with the furnace chamber forms an outer cooling loop, wherein the pressure medium in a part of the outer cooling loop is guided in proximity to pressure vessel walls and the top end closure before it re-enters into the furnace chamber. Further, a guiding channel element is located in the at least one guiding passage forming the outer cooling loop is arranged with at least one pressure medium channel for guiding the pressure medium from a central opening of the heat insulated casing radially and circumferentially towards a lateral wall of the pressure cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Quintus Technologies AB
    Inventor: Mats Gärdin
  • Patent number: 9784472
    Abstract: A method, system or computer usable program product for controlling an on-demand hot water heater including providing a plurality of nodes for receiving hot water from an on-demand hot water heater in a hot water delivery system, receiving a demand with a node identifier for hot water at a node, determining a hot water temperature for the node from a centralized database, the database including a set of node identifiers with a corresponding set of preset hot water temperatures, and controlling a temperature of hot water flowing from the water heater based on the determined hot water temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9779970
    Abstract: A heater supporting device for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided so as to improve the uniformity of a temperature property and the expected lifespan by preventing support pieces from being damaged and separated from piece holders, and preventing deterioration in adiabatic efficiency in the vicinity of a ceiling of a vertical type furnace. A heating element of a coil shape is disposed around an object. The support pieces are vertically connected in multiple. Hollows of an elliptical shape are formed between the respective support pieces. Concave insertions are formed on one of upper and lower surfaces of the respective support pieces, and convex insertions are formed on the other one of the upper and lower surfaces of the respective support pieces. The convex insertions are insert-fitted with the concave insertions. The support pieces are vertically connected in multiple by insert-fitting the concave insertions to the convex insertions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kosugi, Hitoshi Murata, Shinobu Sugiura, Masaaki Ueno
  • Patent number: 9765962
    Abstract: A combustion device includes a device main body having a combustion chamber installed above a cyclone melting furnace configured to combust a pyrolysis gas generated from a waste material after incineration while turning the pyrolysis gas, and configured to combust an unburnt gas discharged from the cyclone melting furnace. Further, the combustion device includes a plurality of sidewall boiler water pipes configured to cover a sidewall of the device main body from a periphery thereof and extending along the sidewall throughout upward and downward directions of the device main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENVIRONMENTAL & CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Sato, Toshimasa Shirai, Yoshihisa Saito, Norio Yoshimitsu, Yasunori Terabe
  • Patent number: 9765980
    Abstract: Biosafety units, methods of making, and sealing the same are disclosed herein. The units comprise at least one controlled air, sealable, sterilizable cleanroom; and a mechanical system room adjacent to the cleanroom comprising: at least two air handling units in a support room adjacent the cleanroom that provide redundant air to the cleanroom with at least Class 100,000 air purity, the air handling units connected to a one or more supply ducts to the cleanroom, and an exhaust duct in communication with the cleanroom and the air handling unit exhaust, wherein a pressure gradient is formed between the cleanroom and the exterior of the structure; and at least two power supplies that provide redundant power to electrical outlets in the cleanroom, wherein the at least two power supplies are connectable to one or more external power sources and the structure is pre-validatable or validated for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: G-CON MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: R. Barry Holtz, Troy Arledge, Philip B. Maples, David M. Shanahan