Patents Examined by Jay H. Woo
  • Patent number: 5928510
    Abstract: A filter system including a cylindrical filter formed around a cylindrical spindle so as to form a passage therebetween, the spindle forming a channel along its length, a channel outlet at a lower end and a plurality of inlet apertures which lead from the passage to the channel, the apertures unevenly distributed along the length of the spindle such that there is a greater combined aperture area in an upper portion of the spindle than there is in a lower portion of the spindle whereby essentially even fluid flow occurs through the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Miller Brewing Company
    Inventor: Jack O. Meredith
  • Patent number: 5928412
    Abstract: A method is disclosed by which vapour is cleaned of gaseous impurities during evaporation of polluted liquids. Vapour is conducted via a boiler, a compressor to a heat exchanger (12) in which condensation takes place. In order to clean the vapour, a scrubber (14) is arranged between the boiler (3) and the heat exchanger (12), in which the vapour is scrubbed in several steps (17, 18) at different pH values. Thus, the step (17) is an acid step, whereas the step (18) is an alkaline step. In this manner, the vapour for condensation may be conducted into the heat exchanger and be condensed in order to remove a clean condensate without pollution of acid or alkaline substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Agro Milj.o slashed. A/S
    Inventors: Jeppe Christian Bastholm, Asger Gramkow
  • Patent number: 5928683
    Abstract: The apparatus is for molding an article of elastomeric material which has circular symmetry and is open at both ends, particularly for the production of protective bellows for vehicles. The apparatus comprises a die comprising an outer portion and an inner portion between which a molding cavity and an injection region are defined. The article of elastomeric material which is formed in the molding cavity remains anchored to the die portion after the outer die portion has been opened. Before the article is removed automatically from the inner die portion, a waste cap formed by the material which solidifies in the injection region is removed by means of a member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Insit Industria S.p.A.
    Inventor: Guglielmo Debenedetti
  • Patent number: 5928521
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for oxidizing an aqueous medium, which contains organic and/or oxidizable inorganic substances, at an increased temperature and an increased pressure for reducing the chemical oxygen demand of the aqueous medium to a predetermined desired level. The aqueous medium is introduced into a tubular reactor with an oxygen-containing medium. The tubular reactor contains a mechanism for dispersing bubbles of gaseous oxygen. The reactor contains sections through which the mixture of aqueous medium and oxygen containing medium serially flows. A degree of back-mixing in any one of the sections is equal to or less than the degree of back-mixing of an upstream section and the farthest downstream section has a smaller degree of back-mixing than the farthest upstream section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignees: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft, K.T.I. Group B.V.
    Inventor: Janez Levec
  • Patent number: 5928413
    Abstract: This invention provides a flue gas treating system and process which include a counterflow absorption tower and which can reduce the ammonia concentration in the treated flue gas to a low level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Ochi, Kiyoshi Okazoe, Toru Takashina
  • Patent number: 5925155
    Abstract: A rotary drum air filter has a drive tire where a rubber tire runs against a drive rim attached to the drum co-axial therewith. A seal on the forward part of the drum rides upon a conic section on the scroll. Differential air pressure across the drum holds the seal against the conic section on the scroll. A unitary rigid manifold with a plurality of pipes is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. Therefore, by rotation of the manifold, nozzles in the pipes can be exposed for adjustment and inspection. Nozzle tips in each the pipes extending from the manifold are adjustable so as to regulate the distance from the lip of the nozzle tip to the surface of the drum. For use with an atmosphere heavily laden with lint, a two-part nozzle is used so that the leading edge of the nozzle can be spaced away from the filter medium on the drum surface to accommodate a thick layer of lint which accumulated on the drum surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Inventor: Donald H. Rodgers
  • Patent number: 5925293
    Abstract: In order to efficiently mass transfer from gas, particularly air, into liquid or liquid suspensions with enhanced efficiency in terms of the mass of the gas transferred to the liquid, the gas is released or sparged through a plurality of open pipes which are disposed in a space between the bottom of the tank containing the liquid or liquid suspension and an axial flow impeller which creates a flow path downwardly past the outlet ends of the pipes. Turbulence is enhanced even though the air leaves the pipes at low velocity rather than in a jet through the use of a Bernoulli air trapping ring and plates. The ring and plates encounter the flow produced by the axial flow impeller successively. The ring distributes the air and assists in defining a low pressure region below the ring. A low pressure region also is defined by the plates on the underside thereof. The underside of the plates is in the vicinity of the outlets of the pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventor: Richard A. Howk
  • Patent number: 5925172
    Abstract: An air treatment system having a relatively large capacity yet a relatively small footprint and low sound level. The air treatment system includes a housing defining adjacent vertically extending inlet and outlet chambers. A blower is mounted within the inlet chamber to move air through the system. A generally planar filter is contained within the outlet chamber and is spaced apart from the rear wall of the housing to define a plenum. The rear wall of the housing is curved so that the plenum is tapered to provide uniform pressure over the face of the filter. The system is adapted to rest upon the floor or mount either vertically or horizontal to a wall. Additionally, the system includes a control mechanism that allows the system to run at full speed for a predetermined period of time and then automatically return to its previous speed level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Amway Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley G. Rick, Thomas Niezgoda
  • Patent number: 5925257
    Abstract: A method for removing biofilm from the interior surface of a conduit and for preventing biofilm from forming on the interior surface as a result of flow of an aqueous liquid through the conduit. This method includes the step of contacting the aqueous liquid with an oxygen solution in an amount sufficient to remove biofilm from and prevent the formation of biofilm on the interior surface of the conduit. A preferred oxygen solution comprises about 0.2% by weight of stabilized electrolytes of oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Inventors: David Albelda, Kafri Moshe
  • Patent number: 5925290
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for mixing gas and liquid. An impeller is rotatably mounted inside a draft tube having a constricted section. Rotation of the impeller draws liquid down through the constricted portion of the draft tube. A gas delivery system introduces gas under the surface of the liquid downstream from the constricted portion of the draft tube to entrain the gas in the liquid by a venturi effect. The impeller creates a turbulent gas-liquid mixing zone and also projects liquid radially into the gas as it enters the draft tube. The gas-liquid venturi mixer is particularly suitable for treating industrial and municipal waste water, as well as various other liquids. Gases such as air, oxygen, hydrogen, and the like are efficiently dissolved in such liquids during operation of the gas-liquid venturi mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Rhone-Poulenc Inc.
    Inventor: Blair Howard Hills
  • Patent number: 5922275
    Abstract: An aluminum-chromium alloy having an atomic ratio of aluminum to chromium of from 0.2 to 10.9 and a resistivity at room temperature of at most 1 .OMEGA..multidot.cm after heat treatment in air at a temperature of 900.degree. C. for 200 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kageyama, Yasuo Imamura, Kei Isozaki
  • Patent number: 5922366
    Abstract: The present invention relates to spinnerets for the melt extrusion of synthetic polymer to produce industrial filaments. The spinnerets comprise a plate having an assembly of capillaries through which the polymer is melt extruded to form the filaments. Each of the capillaries have an elongated diamond cross section normal to a longitudinal axis of the capillary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Mark Ashley Short
  • Patent number: 5922208
    Abstract: A method for filtering out of a liquid at least one solid substance includes supplying the liquid containing the substance via axial supply to a filter; filtering the liquid wherein the substance remains in the filter as residue; draining away the liquid; compressing a predetermined amount of residue to the shape of a solid bar under the pressure of the liquid during filtering; opening closeable discharge axially opposite the supply end during filtering; and removing the bar out of the filter under the pressure exerted by the liquid on the bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Defil N.V. Holland Intertrust (Antilles) N.V.
    Inventor: Petrus Adrianus Cornelis Maria Demmers
  • Patent number: 5922194
    Abstract: In a filter changing device with a flow path for the plastic in which one two or more filters can be inserted into the flow path as desired, the invention proposes to fit the filter support in such a way that it can assume a working back rinse and filter change position, in which, in the back rinse position, the plastic is caused to reverse its direction of flow through two interconnected flow channels without permitting air to penetrate into the filter changing device and in which there is free access to one of the filters in the filter changing positions. As the back rinse position can succeed a filter changing position, it is possible to clear the whole filter changing device of occluded air before a plastic processing plant starts production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Firma Kreyenborg Verwaltungen und Beteilgungen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Theodor Bruckmann, Ralf Simon
  • Patent number: 5919373
    Abstract: This invention presents a system and a method for the removal of unwanted contaminates such as hydrogen sulfate, nitrites, manganese and iron from potable water by the process of oxidization. The invention employs a common water softening system utilizing a specialized piston within the piston valve assembly to direct the flow of water throughout the system during normal use and during an air regeneration cycle and check on the water intake line and air intake line to prevent the escape of pressurized air trapped within the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Inventor: C. Lee Naaktgeboren
  • Patent number: 5919278
    Abstract: This invention is drawn to a filter assembly for use in conventional floor registers in HVAC systems. The assembly includes a diamond shaped center rod which splits the air flowing through the filter assembly and supports a pair of hinged doors which open during active periods of the HVAC cycle and close during the dormant period of the HVAC cycle. A sponge-like, tacky adhesive filter is positioned on the top surface of each door to filter dust or dirt particles that drift into the register during the dormant period of the HVAC cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Inventor: Randy A. Walker
  • Patent number: 5919358
    Abstract: A continuous-belt drilling mud separation unit is removably mounted in a box-like housing disposed in the flow path of drilling mud or drilling fluids and is operated by a motor on the housing. The separation unit includes a generally rectangular frame, a tensioning system, and a wide continuous belt in the form of a mesh screen, chain, self-cleaning chain link belt, or combination chain link belt and wire mesh screen which extends around rollers or sprockets and is driven in a continuous loop moving along the longitudinal axis of the frame. As drilling mud or drilling fluids are conducted onto the moving belt, liquids and particles smaller than the openings in the belt pass through the openings and liquids and particles larger than the openings are transported on the moving belt and are discharged off of one end as the belt completes its path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Inventor: J. Terrell Williams
  • Patent number: 5919279
    Abstract: A replaceable air filter for filtering inlet air to an engine has a heavy-duty housing which protects the filter element from heat and damage due to improper handling. The durable housing further provides additional surfaces for mounting the air filter to a combustion engine. The filter element inside the housing is permanently sealed to the housing, thereby reducing the risk of unfiltered air from bypassing the filter element to enter the air intake tube. Because the filter element is permanently attached to the housing, the entire air filter must be replaced during routine maintenance, thereby reducing the risk of loose dirt from spent filters being drawn into the engine. A snout member is injection molded to have an air outlet which may be sized for connection with either a flexible or rigid air intake tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Baldwin Filters, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Merritt, Allen J. Liibbe
  • Patent number: 5919374
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing bacteria-free iodine-species-containing drinking water for farm animals under continuous dynamic water flow, comprising dissolving solid iodine into a first water flow to produce a saturated iodine species-containing aqueous solution at a pre-selected temperature; blending the saturated solution with a second water flow to produce a diluted iodine species bacterium-free aqueous solution; and providing the diluted solution as drinking water to the animals. Preferably, the iodine is dissolved in the first water flow to provide a saturated iodine species at a pre-selected temperature at a known concentration, which saturated solution is then blended into a mean water flow. The continuous flow of iodine species-containing water is fed to a farm animal drinking water distribution network with reduced risk of back-contamination by bacteria-containing water through the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Iosolutions Incorporated
    Inventors: Wayne A. Harvey, Terence F. Mullins, Daniel J. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 5919360
    Abstract: An additive dispensing apparatus for a fluid system is disclosed which includes a head having a body portion adapted and configured for fluid communication with the fluid system and having a flow path extending therethrough. A fluid inlet portion of the flow path defines a relatively high pressure region and a fluid outlet portion of the flow path defines a relatively low pressure region. A canister is operatively associated with the body portion and structure is provided for facilitating fluid communication between the fluid inlet portion and the interior of the canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Cuno, Inc.
    Inventors: William Contaxis, III, Robert A. Slovak