Patents Examined by John A. Jeffery
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Patent number: 6907192Abstract: If both the electric heaters and combustion heaters constitute a hybrid type hot-air heater wherein both heaters are equipped with inlets adjacent to each other and are also housed within a frame and separated such that the air blowing systems of each heater are independent of each other, air leakage will occur in only the combustion heater during the heating operation in a direction opposite to the air blowing passage of the electric heater thereby resulting in dust adhering to the electric heater. If the electric heater is operated in this state, the dust will be heated and then burn causing a foul odor to occur when the heating operation first starts. Therefore, the air blowing fan 43 runs to remove any dust that entered into the air blowing passage before the electric heater 4 runs when the electric heater unit 4, equipped with an electric heater 44, is performing a heating operation.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2003Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Rinnai CorporationInventors: Keiichi Ito, Toshiyuki Nomura, Yoshinori Fujisawa, Yukihiko Shimonoma, Yoshimune Yamada
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Patent number: 6900417Abstract: An apparatus for aiding an individual using a plastic hose or pipe in an assembly or installation. The apparatus heats an end of the hose or pipe to soften the plastic, or other heat softenable material, thus making the end pliable, thereby allowing the hose or pipe to be more easily mated with a corresponding component. The apparatus is adapted for preventing the interior and/or exterior of the hose or pipe from deforming during the heating process.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2002Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: SeaLand Technology, Inc.Inventor: Thomas Randall
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Patent number: 6901214Abstract: A portable dryer includes a housing, a motor installed with a fan inside the housing, a power unit for supplying electric power to the portable dryer, a switch electrically connected to the power unit, and a plurality heating filaments electrically connected to the power unit for generating heat. Power of the motor is related to power of the heating filaments.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2004Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: Tek Maker CorporationInventor: Teh-Liang Lo
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Patent number: 6898372Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus for curing resin in glass. The lamp system includes a light bulb, where the light bulb has a substantially annular shape configured to accommodate a resin injection system. The apparatus also includes a bulb housing having a substantially annular shape that substantially corresponds to the shape of the light bulb to facilitate accommodation of the light bulb within the bulb housing. The bulb housing has a hole, proximately at a center of the substantially annular shape of the bulb housing, configured to accommodate the resin injection system. As a result, the light bulb and the bulb housing surrounding the resin injection system in a relatively tight diameter, thereby facilitating uniform curing of the resin.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2003Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: Glas-Weld Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael P. Boyle, Randy L. Mackey
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Patent number: 6897416Abstract: A heating system with PTC heating elements heats a medium that flows. In order to avoid unnecessary heating up of the PTC elements when the streaming fails, the required heat output that is to be generated by the PTC elements is compared to the electrical power actually consumed and, if a specified threshold value is under-run, the required heat output that was set is reduced accordingly.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2003Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: Catem GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Franz Bohlender, Michael Zeyen
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Patent number: 6891130Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable adhesive dispensing appliance with adjustable duty cycle. Rather than applying power continuously to the heating element, the element power is intermittently switched over to a variable duty cycle. Savings are gained in three areas: extended life of the element; less heat lost to thermal radiation; and less adhesive waste due to dripping and overheating. The duty cycle may be adjusted manually or automatically based on the temperature of the adhesive in the melt chamber. Additionally, the voltage and/or current to the heating element may be adjusted, either manually or automatically, for more rapid recovery during high usage periods. Higher throughput is achieved by sensing the temperature, comparing the temperature to a desired temperature, and then increasing the duty cycle by either or both one of increasing the frequency of duty pulses and/or lengthening the duration of the duty pulses.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2003Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Inventor: Walter Evanyk
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Patent number: 6891129Abstract: A main heater controller is adapted to control operation of the LCD heater. A temperature controlled override switch is adapted to disable the LCD heater, independent of the main heater controller, upon a temperature reaching a shut-off temperature above a normal operating temperature of the LCD. The temperature controlled switch has a current flow path made of a material whose conductivity is a function of temperature. A cavity in which the temperature controlled switch is located is also provided. The cavity is adapted to transfer heat in air emanating from the LCD heater to the temperature controlled switch. The housing which forms the cavity also includes a vent system for the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2004Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Assignee: Denso International America, Inc.Inventors: Silviu Pala, Scott Heflin, Christopher Arms
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Patent number: 6891135Abstract: A main heater controller is adapted to control operation of the LCD heater. A temperature controlled override switch is adapted to disable the LCD heater, independent of the main heater controller, upon a temperature reaching a shut-off temperature above a normal operating temperature of the LCD. The temperature controlled switch has a current flow path made of a material whose conductivity is a function of temperature. A cavity in which the temperature controlled switch is located is also provided. The cavity is adapted to transfer heat in air emanating from the LCD heater to the temperature controlled switch.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2002Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Silviu Pala, Scott Heflin, Christopher Arms
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Patent number: 6887233Abstract: A method for delivering electromagnetic radiation onto tissue to be treated with the radiation includes delivering the radiation onto the tissue in a treatment-spot having a polygonal shape such as a rectangle or a hexagon. The polygonal shape is selected such that a region of the tissue to be treated can be completely covered by a plurality of such shapes essentially without overlapping the shapes. The radiation to be delivered is passed through a lightguide having a cross-section of the polygonal shape. Radiation exiting the lightguide is projected onto the tissue via a plurality of optical elements to provide the treatment-spot.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2001Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Lumenis, Inc.Inventors: David G. Angeley, Dan E. Anderson, Philip S. James
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Patent number: 6888101Abstract: A heater for a window of an optical gas sensor is provided. The heater may be positioned over a portion of the window or may form at least a portion of the window. Alternatively, the heater may be separate from the optical gas sensor and positionable (e.g., by a transducer) over the window either in contact therewith or in close proximity thereto. The heater may be substantially transparent to the relevant wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation that are used in optical (e.g., infrared or luminescence quenching) monitoring of respiratory gases, anesthetic agents, or the like. Alternatively, the heater may be configured so as to provide a substantially unobstructed optical pathway through the window. Optical gas sensors and complementary transducers that include the healer are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2002Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Respironics, Inc.Inventor: Raymond G Davis
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Patent number: 6885814Abstract: A carbon wire heating element sealing heater is provided. Therein, a carbon wire heating element using carbon fibers is sealed in a quartz glass member, wherein absorption water quantity of the carbon wire heating element is 2×10?3 g/cm3 or less.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2003Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignees: Toshiba Ceramics Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Takanori Saito, Hiroshi Mori, Akira Otsu, Norihiko Saito, Hiroyuki Honma, Eiichi Toya, Tomio Konn, Tomohiro Nagata, Ken Nakao, Kazutoshi Miura, Harunari Hasegawa, George Hoshi, Katsutoshi Ishi, Sunao Seko
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Patent number: 6885810Abstract: The handheld hair dryer for generating a heated air stream has a blower for generating an air stream, an electric heater for heating the air stream, a catalytic odor filter for deodorizing the air stream and a thermal radiator for heating the catalytic odor filter. The electric heater and the catalytic odor filter are separate from each other so that the active surface area of the catalytic odor filter can be maximized to deodorize the air stream. The thermal radiator is also separate from the electric heater.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2002Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Wella AktiengesellschaftInventors: Juergen Allwohn, Detlef Mattinger, Stefan Uhl
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Patent number: 6882796Abstract: In a configuration of a hybrid hot air heater in which a gas heater unit 2 and an electric heater unit 3 are incorporated into one chassis at the upper part and lower part, respectively, in such a manner that their respective air-blowing systems may be independent of each other, the heater itself is made more compact even with increases in the cross-sectional area of inlets 13a and 13b equipped with anti-dust filters 6a and 6b, respectively. The second inlet 13b of the electric heater unit 3 provided on the chassis 11 is arranged below a gas burner 20 in such a manner as to conserver space and serves as an air inlet passage on the rear side of a housing 211 of a first air-blowing fan 21 that separates the gas heater unit 2 and the electric heater unit 3 from each other.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2003Date of Patent: April 19, 2005Assignee: Rinnai CorporationInventors: Keiichi Ito, Yoshinori Fujisawa, Yukihiko Shimonoma, Yoshimune Yamada
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Patent number: 6873792Abstract: A portable dryer includes a housing, a motor installed with a fan inside the housing, a power unit for supplying electric power to the portable dryer, a switch electrically connected to the power unit, and four heating filaments electrically connected to the power unit for generating heat. Power of the motor is related to power of the heating filaments.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2003Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: Tek Maker CorporationInventor: Teh-Liang Lo
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Patent number: 6873790Abstract: An elongate heating element that includes an insulative substrate and a resistive coating that heats to a predetermined temperature when an electrical current is passed through the coating. The insulative material forming the substrate is preferably a ceramic such as cordierite, but the invention is not limited to any particular insulative material. An air moving device directs an air stream over the resistive coating in order to heat the air stream.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2003Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Inventors: Richard Cooper, Thomas Fich-Pedersen
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Patent number: 6872916Abstract: Biometric object image capturing systems and methods prevent undesirable interruptions of total internal reflection of a prism that result in improper biometric images. A thermal assembly comprising a plurality of thermal elements is placed adjacent to the image capturing device. The thermal elements upon supply of a current are capable of either heating or cooling the image capturing device or a platen of the image capturing device. If cooling of the biometric object receiving surface is required, the thermal elements can be controlled to decrease temperature of an area where a biometric object is placed, or an area adjacent to where the biometric object is placed. If heating of the biometric object receiving surface is required, the thermal elements can be controlled to increase temperature of an area where a biometric object is placed, or an area adjacent to where the biometric object is placed, to remove and prevent accumulation of moisture.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2002Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: Cross Match Technologies, Inc.Inventors: John F. Carver, George W. McClurg, Joseph F. Arnold
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Patent number: 6870140Abstract: A plurality of universal fuser heating apparatus embodiments are provided, each of which is capable of receiving any one of a number of input AC line voltages falling within at least two AC line voltage ranges. In each embodiment, the fuser heating apparatus has a first, low effective resistance corresponding to AC line voltages falling within low AC line voltage ranges and a second, high effective resistance corresponding to AC line voltages falling within high AC line voltage ranges.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2003Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: William P. Cook, Mark K. DeMoor, Steven J. Harris, John W. Kietzman, Gregory H. McClure, Jerry W. Smith
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Patent number: 6849829Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug for starting a thermal combustion process, in particular for starting a self-igniting combustion engine, having a housing, which may be sealingly mounted in a wall of a combustion chamber and accommodates a ceramic heating element that extends into the combustion chamber. The heating element includes a heating conductor, which is connectible to a voltage source and has an electrical resistance, and the electrically conductive cross-section of the heating conductor is smaller in the region of a heating-element tip than an electrically conductive cross-section in the region of a heating-element body. It is proposed that the heating-element tip include at least one frustoconical segment.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2000Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Otterbach
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Patent number: 6847016Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for managing power in an imaging device. In one embodiment, a system and a method pertain to operating multiple heating elements in a temporally-shifted manner to create an effective drive frequency that exceeds an actual drive frequency at which the heating elements are actually driven.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2003Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: B. Mark Hirst
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Patent number: 6844524Abstract: An electrically powered resistance heating handgrip includes a control circuit located within a hollow core that fits coaxially within the open end of a handlebar of a motorcycle or snowmobile. The control circuit is mounted on a thin, narrow, elongated printed circuit board and includes a microprocessor that is programmed to contain a lookup table of temperatures. A thermistor provides feedback signals to the microprocessor which compares temperature sensor feedback signals to a target temperature. The target temperature is established by a dial. The dial operates the wiper of a variable potentiometer to establish the target temperature. Heat is uniformly distributed by wrapping the heating element wire thereof about a thermally conductive sheet of aluminum, and encasing the wire within a temperature resistant dielectric sheathing.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2002Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Inventors: Philip L. Downey, John R. Downey, Jonathan B. Downey