Patents by Inventor Kui-Chiu Kwok

Kui-Chiu Kwok has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8870099
    Abstract: A system, in certain embodiments, includes a nozzle. The nozzle includes a liquid passage, a first pneumatic passage, and an exit surface. The exit surface includes at least one recirculation inducing feature configured to reduce deposits adjacent to the first pneumatic passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Kui-Chiu Kwok
  • Publication number: 20140260990
    Abstract: Fiber structures and methods are described that incorporate a body of a micron fiber modified by the attachment of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers. Numerous of these modified fiber structures can be assembled into air filter media. Further augmentations of the modified fibers and media can be implemented to improve filtration characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: LMS Technologies, Inc., Products Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventors: Kui-Chiu Kwok, Al Vatine, Scott B. Beier, Gary Pospisal
  • Publication number: 20130340618
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclose filtration apparatuses and processes for filtering particles from a particle-laden air stream. In one embodiment, a filter is provided with a front face layer, in which at least one impaction nozzle is formed, is to accelerate an air stream onto an interior substrate to capture large particle sizes with a calculated fractional efficiency. The interior substrate is formed within the filter. The filter further includes a rear face layer in which at least one opening is formed to exhaust the air stream. A filter media material may be placed between the front face layer and rear face layer. Other apparatuses and processes are disclosed as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: LMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kui-Chiu Kwok, Ali Reza Vatine
  • Publication number: 20130291855
    Abstract: An exhaust system includes a hood structure having one or more of (i) an exhaust flow infeed surface extending downward from a lower end of the filter unit that helps to feed the thermal plume toward the filter unit, (ii) a bypass flow transition surface extending upward from the upper end of the filter unit and then forward to aid bypass flow in circulating back toward the filter aperture and (iii) a front wall structure that includes a downwardly extending wall portion with a chamfered and/or curved transition portion at its lower end and a rearwardly extending wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Russell Robison, Kui-Chiu Kwok, Bruce Lukens
  • Patent number: 8505530
    Abstract: An exhaust system includes a hood structure having one or more of (i) an exhaust flow infeed surface extending downward from a lower end of the filter unit that helps to feed the thermal plume toward the filter unit, (ii) a bypass flow transition surface extending upward from the upper end of the filter unit and then forward to aid bypass flow in circulating back toward the filter aperture and (iii) a front wall structure that includes a downwardly extending wall portion with a chamfered and/or curved transition portion at its lower end and a rearwardly extending wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: ITW Food Equipment Group LLC
    Inventors: Russell Robison, Kui-Chiu Kwok, Bruce Lukens
  • Publication number: 20130177702
    Abstract: A material deposition system includes a frame, a support coupled to the frame to support an electronic substrate during a deposit operation, a gantry coupled to the frame, and a deposition head coupled to the gantry. The deposition head is movable over the support by movement of the gantry. The deposition head includes a chamber to hold material, an actuator to push a volume of material out of the chamber, a needle extending from the chamber and terminating in a needle orifice, and at least two air jets located on opposite sides of the needle orifice. A desired volume of material is formed at the needle orifice in response to the actuator, and each of the at least two air jets produce a timed pulse of air to create a micro-droplet from the desired volume and to accelerate the micro-droplet to high velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Crouch, Kui-Chiu Kwok, Robert W. Tracy, Rita Mohanty, Thomas J. Karlinski, Scott A. Reid
  • Patent number: 8371517
    Abstract: A system for dispensing pulverulent coating material comprises a source of pulverulent coating material, a source of compressed gas, a device for movably supporting a nozzle, the nozzle coupled to the source of pulverulent material and providing an opening through which the pulverulent material is dispensed, a deflector supported by the device and spaced from the opening to aid in shaping a cloud of dispensed coating material, and a source of high-magnitude electrostatic potential coupled to impart electrostatic potential to the dispensed pulverulent material. The deflector includes at least one first passageway extending with a radial component of the deflector and communicating with the source of compressed gas to direct gas with a radial component into the cloud of dispensed coating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Kui-Chiu Kwok, John F. Schaupp
  • Publication number: 20120255375
    Abstract: Various embodiments comprise apparatuses and methods for capturing particles from a particle-laden airstream. An embodiment of a device includes an inlet air passage to direct a particle-laden airstream, an outlet air passage, an impaction nozzle in fluid communication with and downstream of the inlet air passage, and a channel in fluid communication with and downstream of the impaction nozzle and upstream of the outlet air passage. An open portion of the channel is oriented substantially toward the inlet air passage and has a cavity at least partially covered with a substrate material. A base of the substrate material is substantially normal to an incoming direction of the particle-laden airstream. Other embodiments of the device and a method of using the device are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: LMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kui-Chiu Kwok, Al Vatine
  • Patent number: 8157894
    Abstract: An impact filter suitable for a kitchen exhaust hood is provided with a grease trap to capture grease particles and channel the particles away. The trap can be of different configurations. The filter can be used in various processes to clean air streams, such as filtering processes for removing grease and other cooking exhaust particles and other processes for removing grease particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Kui-Chiu Kwok, Russell Robison
  • Publication number: 20110214565
    Abstract: An impact filter suitable for a kitchen exhaust hood is provided with a grease trap to capture grease particles and channel the particles away. The trap can be of different configurations. The filter can be used in various processes to clean air streams, such as filtering processes for removing grease and other cooking exhaust particles and other processes for removing grease particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventors: Kui-Chiu Kwok, Russell Robison
  • Patent number: 7947123
    Abstract: An impact filter suitable for a kitchen exhaust hood is provided with a grease trap to capture grease particles and channel the particles away. The trap can be of different configurations. The filter can be used in various system layouts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Kui-Chiu Kwok, Russell Robison
  • Publication number: 20110114076
    Abstract: An exhaust system includes a hood structure having one or more of (i) an exhaust flow infeed surface extending downward from a lower end of the filter unit that helps to feed the thermal plume toward the filter unit, (ii) a bypass flow transition surface extending upward from the upper end of the filter unit and then forward to aid bypass flow in circulating back toward the filter aperture and (iii) a front wall structure that includes a downwardly extending wall portion with a chamfered and/or curved transition portion at its lower end and a rearwardly extending wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Russell Robison, Kui-Chiu Kwok, Bruce Lukens
  • Patent number: 7824087
    Abstract: A headlamp adjuster includes an output shaft driven by a co-rotatable gear. Threads on the shaft engage splines in a thin wall boss, the splines having limited circumferential engagement with the screw. The thin wall boss deflects outwardly in response to forces that build in the engagement of the shaft and splines, to release driving engagement between the splines and the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Asyst Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael T. Gattone, Stanley Piotrowski, Kui-Chiu Kwok
  • Publication number: 20100224665
    Abstract: A system, in certain embodiments, includes a manifold including an air tube disposed about a water tube. The system also includes multiple nozzles coupled to the manifold, where each nozzle is coupled to the air tube and the water tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Vinnay, Jens Froehlich, Kui-Chiu Kwok
  • Publication number: 20100224702
    Abstract: A system, in certain embodiments, includes a nozzle. The nozzle includes a liquid passage, a first pneumatic passage, and an exit surface. The exit surface includes at least one recirculation inducing feature configured to reduce deposits adjacent to the first pneumatic passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Kui-Chiu Kwok
  • Publication number: 20100224703
    Abstract: A system, in certain embodiments, includes a pneumatic web moistening nozzle. The pneumatic web moistening nozzle includes a liquid orifice, and a first pneumatic orifice and a second pneumatic orifice disposed on opposite sides of the liquid orifice. The first and second pneumatic orifices are sized longer than the liquid orifice to overlap the liquid orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Kui-Chiu Kwok, Kenneth H. Dorman
  • Publication number: 20100224123
    Abstract: A system, in certain embodiments, includes a sheet roller configured to feed a sheet along a path, a water supply, and an air supply. The system also includes a modular nozzle unit selectively combinable with one or more additional modular nozzle units side by side in a row facing the path. The modular nozzle unit includes a water inlet coupled to the water supply, an air inlet coupled to the air supply, and a plurality of nozzles coupled to the water inlet and the air inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Vinnay, Kui-Chiu Kwok
  • Publication number: 20100224122
    Abstract: A system, in certain embodiments, includes a sheet roller configured to feed a sheet along a path, a liquid supply, and a pneumatic supply. The system also includes multiple nozzles coupled to the liquid supply and the pneumatic supply, where each nozzle is configured to pneumatically atomize liquid in a spray zone along the path of the sheet. Furthermore, the system includes a flow controller configured to continuously regulate liquid flow from the liquid supply to the nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Vinnay, Kui-Chiu Kwok
  • Publication number: 20090210989
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling ventilation in a welding helmet is provided. The invention may be adapted to a wide variety of system types, and may reduce or eliminate the need for a shroud or barrier around the head and neck of the welder, of the type used in PAPR systems. The airflow system includes forward and rearward air streams, directed onto the face of the welder, onto the top of the head of the welder, and toward the back of the head of the welder. The air streams help to cool the welder, provide a fresh source of air for breathing, and create a positive pressure system that reduces or excludes entrainment of contaminated external air into the forwardly directed air flow. Certain embodiments may include streams that are filtered, split or redirected via deflectors and conduits to achieve the aforementioned goals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Kenneth S. Dobson, Kui-Chiu Kwok
  • Publication number: 20090055987
    Abstract: An airflow system is provided for a welding helmet. The airflow system includes an air intake with a filter, a blower, and a battery mounted to the rear of headgear for a welding helmet. A manifold wraps around the side and front of the headgear and directs air from the blower to the front of the headgear. The manifold includes a lower vent for directing air onto a user's face and an upper vent for directing air over a user's head toward the rear of the headgear. The vents are intended to create positive pressure to impede the entry of unfiltered air into the user's breathing zone. The manifold further includes a portion of flexible tubing for adjusting the size of the airflow system in conjunction with adjustment of the headgear diameter. The airflow system generally conforms to the structure and shape of the headgear to maintain a location close to the user's head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William Becker, Kenneth S. Dobson, Kui-Chiu Kwok, Eric Sommers