Patents Examined by Steve Gravini
  • Patent number: 8028438
    Abstract: A moisture control system generally comprising a collector element is configured to be incorporated into a structure to control moisture condensation on the interior and exterior of the structure. The collector element encourages condensation on its surface. The control system includes a channel in fluid communication with the collector element to direct the condensed liquid away from the control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Aqualizer, LLC
    Inventor: William Scott Pedtke
  • Patent number: 8006406
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying and reducing the particle size of malleable material. Preferred embodiments of the invention include a drying apparatus for use with a malleable material, comprising a blower, an airlock feeder, a main line which contains an accelerator, a conditioning chamber, and a dehydration chamber, a polishing line which contains an accelerator, a conditioning chamber, and a dehydration chamber, and a squid line blower for providing pressurized heated air to the apparatus. An alternative preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a method of drying and size reducing malleable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Inventor: H. Clay Dingee, IV
  • Patent number: 7987616
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry machine. The laundry machine includes a drum rotatably mounted in a cabinet, a hot air heater to heat air and supply hot air into the drum, a steam generator to supply steam into the drum, a water supply source detachably mounted in the cabinet to supply water into the steam generator, and a water leakage preventing unit to prevent water leakage when the water supply source is detachably mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hun Bae, Chang Woo Son, Chul Jin Choi, Dong Hyun Kim, Young Bok Son, Heung Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 7980002
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary drum in which the hygienic status of pourable solids separated from liquid cattle manure is modified by aerobic heating in such a manner that said solids can be reused as bedding in cattle sheds. The object of the invention is to obtain a high loading factor amounting to 60-70% filling of the drum which is located horizontally for installation in an insulated container. In accordance with the invention, the loaded solid is kept in a chamber and is only transferred to the drum when there is no solid surrounding the chamber. The crucial element is a flap of the chamber which only opens and closes in this area. If there is any solid resting on the outside of the flap then opening of the flap is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Röhren-und Pumpenwerk Bauer Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Dietrich Eichler
  • Patent number: 6757661
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ad server and local device that interface for selecting advertisements to be viewed by users of an online service based upon user activity. The local device preferably stores a targeted activity list of activity identifiers and associated advertisements in memory, preferably in cache memory. The local device monitors the activity on the local device and compares the activity to the identifiers in the targeted activity list. If the activity matches one of the identifiers, the local device causes one or more advertisements to be played.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: NetZero
    Inventors: Shane Blaser, Sean Agnew, Namakal Kannan, Paul Ng
  • Patent number: 6308437
    Abstract: Disclosed is a humidor having means for controlling the humidity therein and having one or more transparent surfaces permitting viewing of the interior thereof. The humidor has means for lateral access to the contents therein and the depth of said container is substantially smaller than said width, thereby conserving space. Means are provided for displaying products, such as cigars, in a substantially vertical position for viewing through the transparent surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, the container is adapted to placement upon a shelf. In a preferred embodiment, an integrated environmental control unit that controls both temperature and humidity is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Juan C. Villar
  • Patent number: 6240653
    Abstract: A gas-blowing device used in an apparatus for carrying out a process for producing pore-free cast-on-strap joints for lead-acid batteries. The device includes a metallic pipe closed at both ends having a plurality of groups of aligned gas outlets, gas inlets and inner plugs, all of which are evenly distributed along the pipe's length, and leveling plates. The gas-blowing device is used to give a simultaneous final cleaning and drying to a plurality of negative and positive plate lug surfaces immediately after water rinsing the plate lugs under ultrasonic vibration and prior to joining the plate lugs by the cast-on-strap process. This is done by means of gas jets coming out at high pressure from the gas outlets, and which are directed towards the plate lug surfaces. A uniform distribution of gas pressure and flow rate for all gas outlets, as well as a correct direction for all gas jets, are assured along the entire pipe's length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Acumuladores Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V.
    Inventors: Luis Francisco Vazquez del Mercado, Gregorio Vargas Gutierrez, Jorge Lopez-Cuevas
  • Patent number: 6182374
    Abstract: A drying machine includes a rectangular housing, a plurality of tubular heater spacedly disposed on lower portion of the housing, a plurality of seasoning containers releasibly disposed above the tubular heaters, a plurality of electrical fans rotatably disposed above the seasoning containers and uniformly operated by a motor on the top of the housing and a heat exchanger on the top of the housing to form a hot air circulation to dry meat inside the housing. The housing farther includes a plurality of controllable air vents, a plurality of visual windows and a control panel which controls the operation of the elements to be worked in high quality control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Inventor: Chin-Pei Yen
  • Patent number: 6170166
    Abstract: A water-driven jet or venturi extraction means is used to remove, capture and cool the hot, highly humid air created within commercial dishwashers during a wash rinse or sanitization cycle. A cold water spray is used to create a pressure reduction zone which serves to draw in hot, highly humid air from the dishwasher. Water vapor cools and condenses on contact with the cold water spray within the venturi. The invention also serves to help vent the dishwasher. Cool, fresh air is drawn into the dishwasher while the hot air is drawn into the venturi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Ecolab Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Johansen, Kent R. Britain, Lee J. Monsrud, Glen W. Davidson
  • Patent number: 6088926
    Abstract: Dryer section of a machine for manufacturing a material sheet. The dryer section may include at least one dryer cylinder, a plurality of sheet guide rolls, a transport belt for guiding the material sheet in a meandering manner around the at least one dryer cylinder and the plurality of sheet guide rolls, and threads surrounding at least one of the at least one dryer cylinder and the plurality of sheet guide rolls. The threads may be positioned between the material sheet and a surface of the at least one of the at least one dryer cylinder and the plurality of sheet guide rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Steiner, Karlheinz Straub, Robert Wolf, Albrecht Meinecke, Tri Chau-Huu, Markus Oechsle
  • Patent number: 6076280
    Abstract: A web drying apparatus, e.g., for a paper web, includes several heatable drying cylinders arranged in at least one row with at least one respective endless loop drying wire and preferably arranged in two rows of cylinders with two respective wires. A wire guide roll is between and offset from two of the adjacent cylinders in the one row. The one endless loop dryer wire carries the web thereon on a first part of the web loop path from the first cylinder to the wire guide roll. There the web separates from the wire and travels to a second cylinder in the second row. The wire wraps around the wire guide roll and returns on a second part of the web loop path to the next cylinder in the first row, without supporting a web. On the path between the first and third cylinders and around the wire guide roll, the wire defines a loop. An air guide box and a blower are arranged within the loop. The air guide box produces a vacuum at the first part of the wire loop path for drawing the web against the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Oechsle, Kurt Dieter, Peter Kahl
  • Patent number: 6076277
    Abstract: In order to enlarge the surface of particles which absorb liquids at least o a limited extent, the particles are exposed to a liquid or to a humid atmosphere containing this liquid at least until said liquid has penetrated into the area of the particles close to their surface, and the liquid-containing particles are then irradiated with micro-waves until the penetrated liquid evaporates. The surface of the particles is torn down to the depth of penetration of the liquid and thus enlarged, or the particles break up, creating small broken pieces with an irregular and enlarged surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandtan Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Peter Eyerer, Peter Elsner, Rudolf Emmerich
  • Patent number: 6067727
    Abstract: A cover is provided to an opening of a chamber in such a manner to open and close the opening and when the cover closes the opening, the chamber and the cover form a sealed drying process space. In this drying process space, nitrogen gas is supplied to purge the gas in the drying process space to turn into an inert gas filled space. Thereafter, substrates to be treated are brought into the drying process space. nitrogen gas is further supplied to the drying process space and then the substrates are being rotated to dry the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yusuke Muraoka
  • Patent number: 6058623
    Abstract: Apparatus and processes for removing volatile components from a composition utilize a dryer having an inlet chamber and a plurality of channels. A flow restriction is disposed immediately upstream of the inlet of each channel with respect to a direction of flow of the composition through the dryer. The process includes the step of heating the composition at a location upstream of the flow restriction to a temperature above the flashing temperature of at least one of the components at a pressure of the channel inlet and applying a pressure to the heated composition to avoid such flashing. The process further includes the step of passing the pressurized, heated composition through the dryer inlet chamber, the flow restriction, and through the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: The Chemithon Corporation
    Inventors: Burton Brooks, Walter A. Jessup, Brian W. MacArthur
  • Patent number: 6055740
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: 6049999
    Abstract: A papermaking machine including a forming section for forming a paper web, a press section for pressing water from the paper web, and a dryer for drying the paper web is disclosed. The dryer includes a wet end for drying the paper web to at least about 60 percent solids and a dry end for further drying the paper web. The dry end includes at least one series of alternating dryer cylinders and vacuum rolls. A dryer felt transports the paper web as the dryer felt travels about each dryer cylinder and each vacuum roll of the series. In one disclosed embodiment, at least one of the vacuum rolls receives a vacuum of at least about one inch water column (1.5 kilo-pascals, "kPa") to restrain the web as it dries. A method for manufacturing a paper web while restraining it by using the dryer apparatus described above is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Beloit Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Borgeir Skaugen, Gregory L. Wedel
  • Patent number: 6047482
    Abstract: A new portable clothes dryer for quickly drying clothes and other items, especially in a limited space. The inventive device includes an elongate main housing and a control housing adapted for attachment to a structure. A shaft extends between the top of the main housing and the lower end of the control housing. A hub is rotatably mounted on the shaft to permit rotation of the hub about longitudinal axis of the shaft. A motor is provided for rotating the hub about the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A plurality of elongate arms are radially extended outwards from the hub. The side wall of the main housing has a plurality of openings into the interior of the main housing to permit the passage of air. A heater and fan are provided in the interior of the housing for heating and blowing air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Inventor: Michael A. Roper
  • Patent number: 6041517
    Abstract: A method and related blowing model for drying and synchronously ironing out the clothing by using a blowing model, the main steps include: The porous cloth is sewn to a model of an upper half of human body. The model is comprising of an upper half portion of body, a neck portion and an upper limbs portion, and is formed in a sealed type. An air-blowing pipe is installed on the top end face of neck portion. A manifold is mounted in the neck portion and is able to be vertically stretched down to the lower end of body, and a branch manifold is mounted in the neck-manifold to surround the neck portion. The porous cloth is sewn to a model of a lower half of human body. The model comprises of a lower half portion of body and lower limbs portion, and is formed in sealed type. An air-blowing pipe is installed on the top end face of body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Inventor: Jyh-Sheng Wang
  • Patent number: RE36728
    Abstract: A system for drying a large quantity of wood efficiently, which includes: a wood drying room capable of being sealed; a combustion-gas generator provided with an air-inlet conduit for introducing fresh air for combustion use into a combustion chamber provided in a lower area of the combustion-gas generator; a combustion-gas supplying passage extending from an upper area of the combustion-gas generator to an upper area of the wood drying room; an exhaust-gas discharging conduit extending from a bottom area of the wood drying room to a chimney; a combustion-gas recovery conduit extending from the bottom area of the wood drying room to the combustion-gas generator, and a gas flow-rate control unit provided in at least one of the exhaust-gas discharging conduit and the combustion-gas recovery conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Inventor: Sachio Ishii
  • Patent number: RE36796
    Abstract: In order to provide a vacuum degreasing-drying method by which extremely small, precision metal products can be degreased and dried quickly and completely without using organic solvents, according to the present invention, an object 112 to be rinsed is put in a vacuum drier 110 after being rinsed with a hydrocarbon cleaning agent and then the air in the vacuum drier 110 is evacuated so as to degrease and dry the object thus rinsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Chuichi Sato, Akira Kikuchi, Hiroshi Saito, Shinichi Takaira