Patents Examined by Chuka C Ndubizu
  • Patent number: 8171927
    Abstract: A gas burner cap for a cooking appliance includes a top side and a bottom side. The bottom side of the cap is configured to face a corresponding burner body. One or more flame-stabilization chambers are located on the bottom side of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: William M. Pryor, Uwe Harneit, Hector J. Donastorg, Michael Padgett, John Pottenger
  • Patent number: 8142186
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for preparation of a fuel for combustion including a burner, a combustion chamber associated with the burner and in which combustion of a fuel is to take place in use of the arrangement as well as means for supplying liquid fuel to the arrangement through an internal passage in the burner for said combustion, solid portions of the burner body being heated by said combustion in use of the arrangement, wherein said internal passage is located inside said solid portions of the burner body for receiving heat energy evaporating said fuel from these body portions, and that it comprises means for conveying vaporized fuel to the combustion chamber to take part in the combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulf Nilsson, Peter Senior
  • Patent number: 8118020
    Abstract: Five burners are arranged in the form of an “x.” The units are covered by a grate including two side sections, each covering two burners, and a central section covering the center burner. The side sections have concave inner side edges that mate with a circular segment of the center grate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Dynamic Cooking Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy L. Rummel, Dan Nichols, Eric H. Y. Deng
  • Patent number: 8096804
    Abstract: This invention describes a new device for controlling the radial profile of the temperature of a confined gas stream that is designed to be used as a coolant in an exchanger that is located downstream from said device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Christophe Boyer, André Nicolle, Willi Nastoll, Robert Sanger
  • Patent number: 8087408
    Abstract: A system for improving the safety of a stove by preventing unwanted movement of cooking vessels in use on the stove. The system includes independently extendable posts that are adjacent to the cooking areas of the stove. The extendable posts may be retracted to a position wherein the top surface of the post is at or below the surface of the stove so as to enable easy cleaning and provide an attractive appearance. The posts are easily moved between their extended and retracted positions and are biased upwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Kenyon International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Reischmann, Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 8074639
    Abstract: A panel, for creating a wall/roof of a structure, may consist of a core and an outside lining, and flow-pipes located under corrugations in the lining. Each of a plurality of pipes run from one end of the core to the opposite end, and protrudes outward from those ends. The core may comprise a first side having a female-shaped indentation, and a second side having a corresponding male shaped protrusion, to permit joining together of two or more panels. The ends of alternating flow pipes of one or more panels may be coupled with an adjacent pipe using an elbow, to form a pipe coil in a-heat transfer system. With the help of headers, heat exchangers, and a liquid medium directed to flow through the pipes of a system of rooms, heat management can be accomplished using solar energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Inventor: Dariusz Dzegan
  • Patent number: 8074635
    Abstract: The inventions disclosed herein generally relate to isolating heat sensitive components from the heat source of a barbecue grill. In the preferred embodiment, ceramic bushings are used to isolate a glass-reinforced nylon grill stand from the cooking chamber of a barbecue grill. The bushing incorporates a beveled upper edge for engaging with lobes which downwardly depend from the cooking chamber. The bushing also incorporates a circular lower portion for engagement with an aperture in the grill stand. The bushing is locked into engagement with the cooking chamber using a threaded bolt and is locked into loose engagement with the grill stand using a spring clip. The combination of the beveled upper edge and the loose engagement with the grill stand allows the bushing to float with respect to both the grill stand and cooking chamber. As a result, manufacturing tolerance requirements can be relaxed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Adrian A. Bruno, Leonard Zelek
  • Patent number: 8074634
    Abstract: An emitter may be positioned for absorbing energy from a burner, and the emitter may include a substantially concave surface for emitting infrared radiant energy so that a substantially uniform distribution of infrared radiant energy is provided at a predetermined plane. The predetermined plane can be referred to as a plane of absorption because, for example, an article for absorbing at least some of the infrared radiant energy may be positioned at the plane of absorption. For example, food can be cooked at the plane of absorption. A support member for supporting the food to be cooked may be proximate the plane of absorption. The support member for supporting the food may be a cooking grid, rotisserie, or other suitable device for supporting the food. In one particular example, the support member is a cooking grid that may be proximate the plane of absorption, or more specifically the cooking grid may be substantially coplanar with the plane of absorption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Char-Broil, LLC
    Inventor: Willie H. Best
  • Patent number: 8057220
    Abstract: Disclosed is an air-assisted simplex spray nozzle assembly for a fuel burner that includes, inter alia, a nozzle body that has opposed upstream and downstream ends, wherein the downstream end of the nozzle body defines a fuel outlet, an adapter member that is engaged with the upstream end of the nozzle body and defines concentrically positioned air and fuel inlets for the nozzle assembly and an air cap that is positioned over the downstream end of the nozzle body. The nozzle assembly further includes a fuel circuit and a first air circuit. The fuel circuit directs fuel from a fuel pump toward the fuel outlet of the nozzle body. The fuel circuit extends from the fuel inlet of the adapter member through the nozzle body to the fuel outlet. The first air circuit directs assist air towards the fuel exiting from the fuel outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Delavan Inc
    Inventor: David H. Bretz
  • Patent number: 8047199
    Abstract: An oven rack assembly including full extension slides. Full extension slides are mounted to an oven rack and oven rack frames or wire racks providing full extension of an oven rack from an oven enclosure. The rack frame is mounted to oven walls or the slides are coupled to wire racks along oven slide walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Accuride International Inc
    Inventors: Baoloc Le, Quinn Chi, Klaus Dobberstein, Markus Geberzahn
  • Patent number: 8047837
    Abstract: Candles are provided for dispensing air treatment chemicals in response to heat. There is a lid bearing the air treatment chemical. The candle includes a housing with a combustible fuel. An upper lid includes a cover plate bearing the air treatment chemical and an opening centrally disposed in the plate to allow heated air to pass through when the fuel is being combusted. The plate is suspended across an upper end of a side wall of the housing creating an air gap adjacent the radial periphery of the lid. When the fuel is combusted the air treatment chemical can be heated thereby and carried away by heated air that has passed through the central opening, and the air gap can permit cooler air to enter the cavity while the fuel is being combusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Furner, William G. Madala
  • Patent number: 7967600
    Abstract: A flare apparatus for burning combustible gases. A flare tip unit comprises an inner member and an outer member defining an annulus therebetween. The annulus defines an annular gas passage through which combustible gas passes. Air moved by a motive force, preferably steam, passes through the inner member and a steam/air mixture exits an outlet of the inner member. The combustible gas and an air/steam mixture mixes in a premix zone between the inner member outlet and the exit opening of the outer member. The combustible gas/air/steam mixture is ignited for burning in the atmosphere above the exit opening. The flare apparatus may include a plurality of flare tip units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: John Zink Company, LLC
    Inventors: Jianhui Hong, James Wilkins, Jeff William White, Roger L. Poe
  • Patent number: 7958886
    Abstract: A torque arm assembly, used with a solar collector mounted to a drive shaft, comprises a torque arm with first and second ends and a torque arm coupling assembly including a drive shaft enclosure defining an open-ended channel sized to house the drive shaft. The channel has a circumferentially extending substantially continuous drive surface between the ends that lies adjacent to the drive shaft so the drive shaft and the drive shaft enclosure rotate together. In some examples contiguous abutment structure, such as weld lines, shims and/or adhesive, connects each side of the drive shaft to the drive shaft enclosure. The invention may also be carried out as a connection improvement method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Stephan K. Barsun, Brian Wares, Charles Almy, Reuben Sandler, Nathaniel Schiesher, Jason Maxey
  • Patent number: 7913683
    Abstract: A radiant tube heater has a tubular arrangement with an air duct portion forming a combustion air passage and a radiant tube portion which is heated by and surrounds a laminar flame. An inlet end of the air duct portion receives combustion air from a blower. A burner assembly mounted in the air duct portion includes a burner nozzle and a burner head for mixing gas and combustion air, this head having an inlet portion and an outlet portion wider than the inlet portion. A perforated restricting plate is mounted in the air duct portion and extends around the burner head. Air holes in this plate are sized and distributed so that the plate increases flow of combustion air through openings formed in the side of the inlet portion and allows combustion air to flow in the annular passage between the outlet portion and the air duct portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Schwank Ltd.
    Inventors: Bernd Schwank, Samer Hassan, Yuri Kyrychynskyi, Tibor Virag
  • Patent number: 7905722
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling a burner's adjustable secondary air controller. Specifically, the system relates to a control logic for the control of an air supply to a burner such as a natural gas burner used in the production and/or processing of liquid and gaseous petroleum products and in natural gas dehydration systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Inventors: Rodney T. Heath, Forrest D. Heath, Gary Heath
  • Patent number: 7891973
    Abstract: An appliance for providing air and gas to a gas burner includes a gas tube and an air tube. The gas tube comprises an aperture for providing gas inwards to the air tube. The air tube comprises a first aperture for receiving a back tube of the gas burner. The gas tube is provided with a first part of a detachable connection device, for receiving a second part of the detachable connection device provided on the back tube for allowing gas from the gas tube to enter the back tube. The back tube has an orifice for allowing air from the air tube to enter inside the back tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignees: NV Bekaert SA, Bekaert Combustion Technology B.V.
    Inventor: Patrick Lenoir
  • Patent number: 7887322
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mixing hole arrangement for improving homogeneity of an air and fuel mixture in a combustor, the mixing hole arrangement comprising a plurality of mixing holes defined by a liner, wherein at least one of the plurality of mixing holes is a mixing hole that is at least one of sized and positioned to impede penetration of a fluid flow into a primary mixing zone located in a head end of the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Predrag Popovic, Derrick Walter Simons, Krishna Kumar Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 7878187
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to heat cells that are suitable for incorporation into disposable heating wraps. The heat cells comprise an exothermic composition comprising an absorbent gelling material, wherein the absorbent gelling material provides for improved heat application in the relief of temporary or chronic body aches and pains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Wyeth LLC
    Inventor: Vincent York-Leung Wong
  • Patent number: 7878186
    Abstract: An outdoor cooking cooker having a lid biased towards an open position by a torsional spring and able to remain partially open at a plurality of partially open positions by increased friction against the lid along a pivot. The outdoor cooking cooker may also include a vertical lifting device for lifting a single rack or multiple racks out from the outdoor cooking cooker and a device for coupling the racks together. The outdoor cooking device can include a firebox that is double-walled and may be mounted upon a trailer for easier transportation between locations. A flexible peripheral seal damps sound and seals against leakage when the lid is moved to a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventor: William E. Cusack
  • Patent number: 7874288
    Abstract: An outer case 10 accommodating a gas combustion apparatus main body comprises a case main body 2 opening forward, and a front cover 3 closing a front end opening of the case main body 2. A waterproof packing material 17 is sandwiched between inner peripheral flanges 20 and 39 formed on inner peripheral edges of the front end opening of the case main body 2 and a rear end of the front cover 3. To deteriorate outward appearance and cleaning easiness of a connected portion between the front cover 3 and the case main body 2, and to stably secure waterproof of the connected portion for a long term, a protection plate covering a range extending along an upper edge of a front end opening of the case main body 2 of the packing material 17 is possessed to the front cover 3 or the case main body 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Rinnai Corporation
    Inventors: Shuji Ito, Masakazu Ando