Patents Issued in March 20, 2012
  • Patent number: 8136332
    Abstract: Computer assisted systems, methods and mediums for filling one or more orders. One embodiment of the present invention is a system that includes an order consolidation station configured to receive at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and/or at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the orders when the package was created and/or at least one literature pack optionally including patient specific information. The order consolidation station is further configured to combine automatically the received bottle and/or package and/or literature pack into a container to be sent to a recipient including, for example, mail order pharmacies, wholesalers and/or central fill dealers for subsequent distribution or sale including retailer distribution or sale. The bottle is specifically designated for the order, and the order generally includes at least one prescription for the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Medco Health Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Wayne Rice, James G. McErlean, E. Christian Hess, P. Thomas Shupert, Chih-Jen Leu, Robert G. Howell, Michael J. Szesko, Andrew P. Booler, Peter Monkhouse, Douglas W. Walton, Michael W. G. Bell, Christopher J. Lasher, Thomas P. Bonkenburg
  • Patent number: 8136333
    Abstract: A cutting system for a lawnmower or the like includes multiple blade assemblies driven by a motor, each motor independently operable with respect to each other motor. The blade assemblies are arranged into a cutting system with a length less than that of the combined length of the blades of the blade assemblies. Blade assemblies include components that align so as to balance the blade upon rotation. These components allow for a single user to attach and disengage the blade from the motor, or portion rotated thereby, with hands alone, absent tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: F Robotics Acquisitions Ltd.
    Inventors: Shalom Levin, Shai Abramson
  • Patent number: 8136334
    Abstract: A reel mower cutting unit having a cutting reel with a horizontal axis is supported by a front roller and a rear roller in a mowing position. A lift arm may raise and lower the cutting reel between a mowing position and a transport position. A pair of gauge wheels are mounted forwardly of the front roller at a front left corner and a right front corner of the unit. If the unit is lowered to a sloped surface, the gauge wheel contacts the surface and prevents the unit from marking or damaging the turf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Brent G. Rinholm, Tracy T. Lanier
  • Patent number: 8136335
    Abstract: A harvester for brassicas, the harvester being movable along a plant row and comprising an endless conveyor orientated in the direction of the plant row, the conveyor being of generally tubular form defined by opposed rows of arcuate conveyor fingers movable from an open condition in which free ends of the opposed fingers are spaced so as to define a generally tubular configuration which is open at one side to a closed condition in which the free ends of the opposed fingers are adjacent to define a generally closed tubular configuration, the conveyor having an upper run and a lower run, the conveyor being configured at its forward end portion so that the fingers are in their open condition during transition from the upper run to the lower run and move downwardly onto a plant to be harvested so as to move foliage away from the plant head and to allow the plant head to enter the interior of the conveyor through the open side, with the fingers then moving to a closed condition to thereby capture the plant head w
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Dobson's Vegetable Machinery PTY Ltd.
    Inventor: Philip Ross Dobson
  • Patent number: 8136336
    Abstract: Harvesters selectively harvest agricultural objects, such as asparagus spears. One harvester includes at least one set of independently controllable cutter arm assemblies that rotate about a common axis to harvest individual asparagus spears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventor: Spencer Kim Haws
  • Patent number: 8136337
    Abstract: A wire twisting device and a method for use is provided. One embodiment includes a plate having a wire engaging face, a tool engaging face, and a plurality or wire ports extending therethrough. The wires to be twisted are inserted through individual, appropriately sized wire ports which hold the wires in place relative to one another. A shaft operably connected to the tool engaging face is then rotated thereby rotating the plate and twisting the wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventor: Albert Jackson
  • Patent number: 8136338
    Abstract: A device for assembling and disassembling a bicycle chain comprises a main body, an actuating member, a rod member, a pulling member, and an elastic plate. The rod member, the pulling member and the elastic plate are connected to one another to guide a positioning member to be assembled into the assembling holes in a balance manner, so that the device for assembling and disassembling a bicycle chain makes the assembly of the chain more convenient and simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Super B Precision Tools Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hung-Chen Huang
  • Patent number: 8136339
    Abstract: The oil-free chain is obtained by connecting a pair of inner link plates which are connected by oil-impregnated bushings and a pair of outer link plates, which are connected by pins inserted into adjacent oil-impregnated bushings of adjacent inner link plates alternately. The oil-impregnated bushing is obtained by impregnating a bushing made of a metal sintered body with perfluoropolyether having a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. equal to or higher than 350 mm2/s. The bushing is impregnated with perfluoropolyether having a kinematic viscosity corresponding to the operating temperature of the oil-free chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Co.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kondo, Toshihiko Takashima, Ikutaro Nakagawa, Takahisa Andoh, Masahide Komeda
  • Patent number: 8136340
    Abstract: A high voltage propellant isolator includes at least two different types of isolator rings or segments, in alternating lateral arrangement, that direct the flow of propellant, such as xenon gas, in a tortuous path through the isolator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Electron Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen L. Hart
  • Patent number: 8136341
    Abstract: Track beams for the cowling of a jet engine for aircraft are formed of a base body with at least one slide for displaceably mounting a thrust reverser of the jet engine. A connection is provided for an inner engine cowling and fittings for detachably and pivotally attaching to a supporting structure or for connecting to another track beam. To provide such a track beam which has a particularly low weight yet, nevertheless, is sufficiently stiff, the base body is formed by a hollow profile section with a substantially closed cross-section. The hollow section is produced of a carbon-fiber-reinforced synthetic material by way of a resin-infusion process. Two flanges are provided on the hollow section of the base body of the track beam for providing a connection to the inner engine cowling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: FACC AG
    Inventors: Walter Stephan, Roland Zeillinger, Andreas Maier
  • Patent number: 8136342
    Abstract: In an air mixing arrangement wherein a primary fluid is introduced through an opening in a wall to be mixed with a secondary fluid flowing along the wall surface, the opening is airfoil shaped with its leading edge being orientated at an attack angle with respect to the secondary fluid flow stream so as to thereby enhance the penetration and dispersion of the primary fluid stream into the secondary fluid stream. The airfoil shaped opening is selectively positioned such that its angle of attack provides the desired lift to optimize the mixing of the two streams for the particular application. In one embodiment, a collar is provided around the opening to prevent the secondary fluid from contacting the surface of the wall during certain conditions of operation. Multiple openings maybe used such as the combination of a larger airfoil shaped opening with a smaller airfoil shaped opened positioned downstream thereof, or a round shaped opening placed upstream of an airfoil shaped opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Fabio R. Bertolotti, David S. Liscinsky, Vincent C. Nardone, Michael K. Sahm, Bernd R. Noack, Daniel R. Sabatino
  • Patent number: 8136343
    Abstract: A system for improving operation of an engine having a particulate matter sensor is presented. The system may be used to improve engine operation during cold starts especially under conditions where water vapor or entrained water droplets are present in vehicle exhaust gases. In one embodiment, an engine controller that activates a heater of an exhaust gas sensor after an output of a particulate matter sensor exceeds a threshold value after an engine is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Garry Anthony Zawacki, Robert F. Novak, Roberto Teran, Jr., Dave Charles Weber, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Michael Hopka, William Charles Ruona
  • Patent number: 8136344
    Abstract: At the start-up of an engine, the ignition timing and the air-fuel ratio are controlled to prevent overload onto the volume of ISC air and decreased torque and torque difference. The fuel condition based on the amount of ignition timing correction to inhibit rotational fluctuation during idling is determined and the fuel quantity based on the result is corrected. Right after an engine has started and until a pilot burner is created in the heat spot of the catalyst, the ignition retard control is mainly executed, and at the time when it is determined that a pilot burner has been created in the catalyst's heat spot, the lean air-fuel ratio control is to be executed instead of the ignition retard control. Furthermore, when the ignition retard control changes to the lean air-fuel ratio control, the state transition control is executed along the equivalent ISC air volume line so as not to cause torque fluctuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Asano, Hisahiro Ooba, Masahiro Osato, Kenji Takada, Mitsuru Nagase, Hiroshi Sekine
  • Patent number: 8136345
    Abstract: A single valve (23, 50) directs engine exhaust (11, 12) toward alternative NOx traps (19, 20) which are adjacent to either diesel particulate filters (40, 41) or low temperature water gas shift catalysts (63, 64). Syngas is either provided from a source (54) or by in-line catalytic partial oxidizers (23, 24) which may have diesel oxidation catalysts ahead of them in the flow and which receive fuel from the engine fuel source (26) through nozzles (27, 28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ke Liu, John G. Buglass
  • Patent number: 8136346
    Abstract: A post-treatment system comprised of an SOx trapping catalyst (11), a particulate filter (13) carrying an NOx storing and reducing catalyst, and an NOx storing and reducing catalyst (15) and a fuel feed valve (17) for feeding fuel for post processing to the post-treatment system are arranged in an engine exhaust passage. Each time an operating period of the engine passes a certain period, values of operating parameters of the engine and the method of feeding the post-treatment use fuel are reset so that the total amount of consumption of the combustion use fuel and post-treatment use fuel becomes smallest while maintaining the amounts of the harmful components discharged into the atmosphere at below the regulatory values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Yoshida, Shinya Hirota, Takamitsu Asanuma
  • Patent number: 8136347
    Abstract: A control module and method for an exhaust system of an engine can include a secondary air intake (SAI) pressure module that monitors SAI pressure. An accumulation module can accumulate an SAI string length based on the monitored SAI pressure. A calculation module can determine an average SAI string length based on the accumulated SAI string length. A determination module can determine an operating characteristic of the vehicle exhaust based on the average SAI string length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventors: Ian J. Mac Ewen, Martin L. Hall, Lawrence O Murray, Julia C. Grow, Richard A. Van Camp, David Edward Prout, Igor Anilovich
  • Patent number: 8136348
    Abstract: An exhaust purification apparatus comprises an ammonia selective reduction-type NOx catalyst that selectively reduces NOx within exhaust gas by using ammonia as a reducing agent, a urea-water supply device that supplies urea-water into the exhaust gas existing upstream of the ammonia selective reduction-type NOx catalyst, and a control unit. The control unit controls the urea-water supply device so that the urea-water is intermittently supplied according to predetermined supply duration time and predetermined supply suspension time when the urea-water is supplied from the urea-water supply device for the purpose of providing ammonia to the ammonia selective reduction-type NOx catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Hiranuma, Minehiro Murata, Yoshinaka Takeda, Hiroaki Fujita, Satoshi Yamazaki, Shinichi Saito, Yasuko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8136349
    Abstract: The present invention describes an exhaust-gas purification system for an internal combustion engine made of an oxidation catalyst arranged close to the engine, a subsequent hydrocarbon adsorber and a particulate filter arranged downstream thereof and provided with another oxidation catalyst. The oxidation catalyst ensures that emission limits with respect to carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are satisfied in normal driving mode. During operating states with exhaust-gas temperatures below about 200° C., the oxidation catalyst can no longer oxidize carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Instead, the hydrocarbons are adsorbed by the hydrocarbon adsorber during these operating phases. In order to initiate the periodical regeneration of the particulate filter, the exhaustgas temperature of the internal combustion engine is raised by engine modifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Umicore Galvanotechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Gieshoff, Martin Votsmeier, Frank-Walter Schütze, Marcus Pfeifer, Egbert Lox, Thomas Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 8136350
    Abstract: A catalytic muffler that treats the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. The catalytic muffler includes a catalyst chamber, a catalyst disposed in the catalyst chamber, an upstream chamber disposed upstream of the catalyst, an exhaust inlet configured to receive exhaust gases, an exhaust outlet configured to discharge converted gases converted by the catalyst to the atmosphere, and further configured to receive secondary air, and a passageway communicating between the exhaust outlet and the upstream chamber, and configured to provide the secondary air received by the exhaust outlet to the upstream chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: David Duch, Gary Gracyalny, John Thiermann
  • Patent number: 8136351
    Abstract: A diesel particulate filtering system that includes a filter configured to capture exhaust particulates from a diesel engine, a regeneration device configured to heat exhaust gases from the diesel engine prior to the exhaust gases reaching the filter, and a controller configured to control operation of the regeneration device, wherein the controller is further configured to turn the regeneration device on when a weighted average of a plurality of normalized parameter values exceeds a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventor: Clark Paterson
  • Patent number: 8136352
    Abstract: A vehicle that sufficiently insulates heat between plural exhaust pipes connected to an engine. A cover member bridges over and covers the periphery of the exhaust pipes. A thermal insulation member fills in a space on a line connecting centers of the exhaust pipes, and a space in the vicinity of the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Arai
  • Patent number: 8136353
    Abstract: A method of detecting a fluid leak in a hydraulic fluid circuit includes preventing fluid from entering the circuit when an actual outlet flow rate from a pump is positive while a requested outlet flow rate to a hydraulic machine is zero. An outlet port of a variable displacement port can be selectively blocked, while in a fixed displacement pump (FDP) fluid can be diverted from the outlet port to a secondary fluid circuit. The actual outlet flow rate can be measured using a flow sensor or a swash plate angle depending on the pump design. A hydraulic fluid circuit includes a hydraulic machine, a pump, a valve at an outlet port of the pump, and a controller. The controller determines the requested flow rate, and actuates the valve to prevent fluid from entering the circuit whenever the actual outlet flow rate is positive during zero requested flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Philip James Dybing
  • Patent number: 8136354
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present disclosure, an energy storage device is presented. The energy storage device includes a porous material that adsorbs air and a compressor. The compressor converts mechanical energy into pressurized air and heat, and the pressurized air is cooled and adsorbed by the porous material. The energy storage device also includes a tank used to store the pressurized and adsorbed air and a motor. The motor is driven to recover the energy stored as compressed and adsorbed air by allowing the air to desorb and expand while driving the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Energy Compression Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy F. Havel
  • Patent number: 8136355
    Abstract: A pump control apparatus for a hydraulic work machine includes: a rotation speed setting device that sets a target rotation speed for an engine; a rotation speed control device that controls an engine rotation speed so as to adjust the engine rotation speed to the target rotation speed; a first variable hydraulic pump used to drive a work hydraulic actuator, driven by the engine; a second variable hydraulic pump used to drive a cooling fan, driven by the engine; and a pump control device that controls an output flow rate of the first variable hydraulic pump and an output flow rate of the second variable hydraulic pump so as to ensure that a sum of an intake torque of the first variable hydraulic pump and an intake torque of the second variable hydraulic pump does not exceed an engine output torque determined in advance based upon the target rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gen Yasuda, Akihide Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8136356
    Abstract: A resistance feedback circuit has a storage section which stores a feedback gain calculated in advance, a resistance value obtained from a detection section, and a time at which the resistance value is obtained. A computing section has a gain setting section which calculates an amount of change in a resistance value in a predetermined time from the resistance value and the time stored in the storage section, and calculates the feedback gain based on the change in the resistance value calculated, and replaces the feedback gain which is calculated in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Masaya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8136357
    Abstract: A system to cool exhaust gas entering a catalytic converter in a turbocharged engine is disclosed. An air bypass valve is controlled to vent pressurized air to the atmosphere to overrev a turbocharger when exhaust gas exceeds a predetermined temperature. The rotation of the turbocharger increases to maintain a desired boost pressure. When this occurs, the turbocharger absorbs more energy from the exhaust gas to maintain the desired boost pressure. Thus, the exhaust gas entering the catalytic converter is cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Todd R. Luken, James S. Robinson
  • Patent number: 8136358
    Abstract: A heat reservoir for use in a power plant that burns a dirty fuel such as coal to absorb the heat from the resulting dirty hot gas flow. The heat reservoir includes a number of heat absorbing walls that form dirty hot gas flow passages and clean hot gas flow passages. Cross-over holes are formed in the walls to equalize pressure. The dirty hot gas flow is passed though the dirty passages to heat up the walls. When the heat absorbing walls have absorbed enough heat, the dirty hot gas flow is stopped and compressed air is passed through the clean passages to absorb heat from the walls and is then passed through a turbine to drive an electric generator. The heat reservoir is then recharged again by passing the dirty hot gas flow through the dirty passages to recharge the walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Brostmeyer
  • Patent number: 8136359
    Abstract: Embodiments for minimizing relative thermal growth within a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine combustor are disclosed. Fuel nozzle configurations are provided in which a heating fluid is provided to one or more passages in a fuel nozzle from feed holes in the fuel nozzle base. The heating fluid passes through the fuel nozzle, thereby raising the operating temperature of portions of the fuel nozzle to reduce differences in thermal gradients within the fuel nozzle. Various fuel nozzle configurations and passageway geometries are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Power Systems Mfg., LLC
    Inventors: Peter Stuttaford, Paul Economo, Khalid Oumejjoud, Max Dufflocq, Hany Rizkalla
  • Patent number: 8136360
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine combustor is disclosed which includes a feed arm having a flange for mounting the injector within the combustor and a fuel nozzle depending from the feed arm for injecting fuel into the combustor for combustion. An optical sensor array is operatively associated with the fuel nozzle for observing combustor flame characteristics. The optical sensor array includes a plurality of sapphire rods positioned to be close enough to the combustor flame to oxidize soot deposits thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas C. Myhre
  • Patent number: 8136361
    Abstract: A method of assembling an ejector is provided, wherein the method includes providing a motive nozzle tip having a centerline axis and including a nozzle tip edge having at least one protrusion extending through a plane substantially normal to the centerline axis. The method also includes coupling the motive nozzle tip to the ejector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carl Gerard Schott, Kevin W. Kinzie, John Joseph Lynch, David W. Ball, Gunnar Leif Siden, Kenneth Neil Whaling
  • Patent number: 8136362
    Abstract: A turbomachine fan duct is disclosed. The fan duct includes two coaxial cylindrical walls, these being an internal wall and an external wall, respectively. The internal wall includes a framework to which panels are removably attached, and the external wall includes a single support structure with openings closed by removable panels. The openings in the external wall have dimensions that allow the panels of the internal wall to pass and allow these panels to be fitted onto and removed from the framework of the internal wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Bruno Albert Beutin, Jacky Raphael Michel Derenes
  • Patent number: 8136363
    Abstract: A method of conditioning air in a vehicle load space. The method includes providing a refrigeration circuit including an evaporator, directing refrigerant through the refrigeration circuit, directing load space air across the evaporator, sensing a first condition based on one of a temperature and a pressure of the refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit upstream from the evaporator, determining a second condition based on one of a temperature and a pressure of the refrigerant in the evaporator, determining a difference between the first condition and the second condition, and initiating a defrost process of the evaporator when the difference is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventor: Brad Ludwig
  • Patent number: 8136364
    Abstract: A refrigerant system is provided with an expansion device that may be a thermostatic expansion device or an electronic expansion device. A bypass line selectively allows a portion of refrigerant to bypass the expansion device and to flow through a fixed restriction expansion device such as an orifice positioned in parallel configuration with the main expansion device. A valve selectively enables or blocks refrigerant flow through this bypass line depending on the volume of refrigerant required to circulate through the refrigerant system as defined by environmental conditions and a mode of operation. The valve can be a simple shutoff valve or a three-way valve selectively allowing or blocking refrigerant flow through a particular refrigerant line or lines. In one embodiment, the expansion device is the main expansion device for the refrigerant system. In the other embodiment, the expansion device is a vapor injection expansion device for expanding refrigerant for performing an economizer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Lifson, Michael F. Taras
  • Patent number: 8136365
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus such as a refrigerator includes a refrigeration cycle including a compressor driven by an electric motor, a condenser, a throttle valve and an evaporator, a first physical amount detector capable of detecting a physical quantity representing a temperature of an object to be cooled by the cooling operation of the evaporator, a temperature control device capable of controlling a rotating speed of the motor based on the physical quantity detected by the first physical quantity detector so that the object is cooled approximately to a target temperature, a second physical quantity detector capable of detecting a physical quantity corresponding to a performance margin of the refrigeration cycle, and a rotating speed limiter capable of limiting the rotating speed of the motor to or below a predetermined speed based on a physical quantity detected by the second physical quantity detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kaga, Takeshi Ueda, Yoshiyasu Suzuki, Akihiko Hirano
  • Patent number: 8136366
    Abstract: The invention provides a temperature control method, system and hardware device, wherein, the method comprising: after the system logs in operation system, a temperature control function module obtains a temperature-control control right, and controls the system temperature based on predefined first temperature control strategy; if it is determined that the temperature control function module is at fault and stops working, a temperature control hardware device obtains the temperature-control control right, and controls the system temperature based on predefined second temperature control strategy. The system comprises a temperature control hardware device and a temperature control function module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignees: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd., Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
    Inventors: Gaoqiang Li, Chizhou Ma, Xiaosong Liu
  • Patent number: 8136367
    Abstract: A hinge assembly and a refrigerator using the assembly are disclosed. The assembly rotatably mounts an access door for a compartment of the refrigerator to part of refrigerator that defines the compartment. The hinge assembly has a body coupled to the part and a hinge manifold supported by the body and slidably received in the access door. The manifold has a first supply conduit for supplying a working medium to an icemaker disposed in the access door and a first return conduit for returning the working medium from the icemaker. The hinge assembly can be manufactured as a separate module to be assembled with the refrigerator or retrofit into an existing refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steve B. Froelicher, Matthew William Davis, Jeffrey Lynn Jessie, Amit Kurhekar, Joseph Murphy Miller, John Joseph Roetker, Ronald Scott Tarr, Derek Lee Watkins
  • Patent number: 8136368
    Abstract: A modular evaporator which can be assembled from a number of standard modules is provided. Depending on the requirements, the modular evaporator can be assembled to meet a wide range of design cooling loads. Additionally, the modular evaporator is capable of generating and holding ice for thermal storage purposes, eliminating the need for external ice storage tanks. Furthermore, the heat transfer and thermal storage fluid for the evaporator can simply be water which considerably simplifies the system, lowers the cost, and increases the efficiency of the heat transfer loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventors: Daniel Reich, Michael Paul Burdett, Vladimir D. Reich
  • Patent number: 8136369
    Abstract: A hybrid system which utilizes high purity oxygen from a local pipeline, which is blended with low purity oxygen from an on-site or local cryogenic distillation system, thus resulting in a blend of intermediate quality which satisfies the needs of the customer. In order to offset the operating and energy costs associated with this fairly low profit margin intermediate purity oxygen, high purity nitrogen at high pressure is simultaneously exported to the local pipeline, thereby acting as a credit to the overall system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme pour L'Etude, et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, Air Liquide Process and Construction, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Renaud Brugerolle, Bao Ha
  • Patent number: 8136370
    Abstract: A silver-palladium alloy formulated to provide an alloy with a whiter color and superior casting and fabrication properties as compared to nickel-based white gold and also to impart to an article of jewelry or the like favorable properties afforded by white gold. The alloy generally includes silver and palladium, with silver being the predominant component. In some embodiments, the alloy contains about 75%-85% silver and about 5%-15% palladium by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: American Bullion Investment Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Bennett
  • Patent number: 8136371
    Abstract: Provided are a process for producing a glass substrate usable for low-temperature p-SiTFT substrates directly in accordance with a down draw method, and the glass substrate obtained by the process. The process for producing a glass substrate includes a forming step of forming a molten glass into a ribbon shape in accordance with a down draw method, an annealing step of annealing the glass ribbon, and a cutting step of cutting the glass ribbon to give a glass substrate, in which, in the annealing step, an average cooling rate from the annealing point to the (annealing point ?50° C.) is lower than an average cooling rate from the (annealing point +100° C.) to the annealing point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinari Kato, Eiji Matsuki
  • Patent number: 8136372
    Abstract: A method of making a fused silica article having a combined concentration of protium and deuterium in a range from about 1×1016 molecules/cm3 up to about 6×1019 molecules/cm3. In some embodiments, deuterium is present in an amount greater than its natural isotopic abundance. The method includes the steps of providing a fused silica boule, diffusing at least one of protium and deuterium into the boule, and annealing the boule to form the fused silica article. A method of diffusing hydrogen into fused silica and a fused silica article loaded with hydrogen formed by the method are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael A Mueller, Michael Thomas Murtagh
  • Patent number: 8136373
    Abstract: A conduit structure for molten glass, a conduit system for molten glass, a vacuum degassing apparatus and a method for vacuum-degassing molten glass by use of the vacuum degassing apparatus, which are capable of effectively removing components eluted from a refractory brick forming a conduit for molten glass, foreign substances generated in the interface between molten glass and a platinum wall surface forming a conduit for molten glass, a bubble remaining in a surface layer of molten glass, a glass material denatured by volatilization, and the like, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Michito Sasaki, Motoichi Iga, Hajime Itoh, Kazuhiko Yamada, Masahiro Saitou
  • Patent number: 8136374
    Abstract: Disclosed is a float bath system for manufacturing a float glass, comprising a block assembly having a plurality of blocks connected to each other and configured to store a molten metal therein; a steel casing surrounding the block assembly; an air blower capable of supplying air to the steel casing; and a cooling water spray member capable of spraying a cooling water onto the steel casing. And, a cooling method of said float bath system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-Jae Moon, Sang-Oeb Na, Yang-Han Kim, Hyung-Young Oh, Young-Sik Kim, Kil-Ho Kim, Heui-Joon Park, Chang-Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 8136375
    Abstract: A door lock includes an engaging member having a lock core hole. The lock core hole includes a large section and a small section. The large section is formed in an end of the engaging member that is detachably received in a shank of an outer handle. An interchangeable lock core is removably received in the large section. An end of an outer spindle is extended out of a lock body of the door lock and is detachably received in the small section of the lock core hole of the engaging member. The lock core has an outline corresponding to the large section of the engaging member. The lock core can be removed and replaced with a new one. The engaging member can be detached from the outer spindle and the outer handle and replaced with a new engaging member corresponding to the outline of the new lock core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: I-Tek Metal Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mu-Lin Shen
  • Patent number: 8136376
    Abstract: An electric lock device including a movable member, a cam plate (5) rotated in an unlocking direction and a locking direction by the driving of a drive source, and a lock member (8) including a cam contact surface (10) in contact with a sliding surface (6) of the cam plate (5). The lock member (8) follows the sliding surface (6) to be displaced between a locking position for inhibiting the movement of the movable member and an unlocking position for allowing the movement of the movable member. The cam profile of the sliding surface (6) is set so that the rotary torque of the cam plate (5) necessary for moving the lock member (8) from the locking position to the unlocking position can be maintained at approximately a constant value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuyuki Tsukano, Takahiro Okada
  • Patent number: 8136377
    Abstract: A card lock structure for selectively locking or releasing a lock barrel includes a card lock casing and a card barrel limiting mechanism. The card lock casing has a card-inserting groove. The card barrel limiting mechanism has a lock barrel limiting push rod pivotally disposed in the card lock casing, an elastic element disposed between the card lock casing and the lock barrel limiting push rod, and a movable pressing unit for pressing the lock barrel limiting push rod. One end of the lock barrel limiting push rod projects outside the card lock casing in order to selectively lock or release the lock barrel. When a card passes through the card-inserting groove to push the movable pressing unit to release the lock barrel limiting push rod, the lock barrel limited push is moved by the elasticity of the elastic element in order to release the lock barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Cheng-Bao Engineering Enterprise Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping Jan Yang
  • Patent number: 8136378
    Abstract: An electro-hydraulic forming tool for forming a sheet metal blank in a one-sided die has first and second rigid rings that engage opposite sides of a sheet metal blank. The rigid rings are contained within slots on a die portion and a hydraulic force applicator portion of the forming tool. The seals are either resiliently biased by an elastomeric member or inherently resiliently biased into contact with the blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sergey Fedorovich Golovashchenko, John Joseph Francis Bonnen
  • Patent number: 8136379
    Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing a helical part by feeding a wire W toward a pointing tool 21 and pushing the wire W against the pointing tool 21 to forcibly wind the wire. The apparatus comprises: a feed roller 12 for feeding the wire W toward the pointing tool 21; a wire feeding motor 111 for rotatably driving the feed roller; a grindstone tool unit 30, which holds a discoid grindstone 31 rotatable and movable, for cutting the wire W by the rotating discoid-grindstone 31; and a CPU 100 for controlling the wire feeding motor 111 and grindstone tool unit 30 to move the discoid grindstone 31 on a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a coil growing direction of the helical part and to cut the wire W in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the coil growing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Itaya Seisaku Sho
    Inventor: Ichiro Itaya
  • Patent number: 8136380
    Abstract: A spline member manufacturing apparatus includes a shaving punch, a shaving die, a spline punch, and a stripper. The stripper supports a first surface of a base plate portion and an outer circumferential surface of a boss portion. The shaving punch is advanced relatively, while a material and the stripper are being pressed so that cutout portions are formed in an outer circumference portion of the base plate portion by the shaving punch and the shaving die. The shaving punch is further advanced relatively while the outer circumferential surface of the base plate portion is held by the shaving die, so that a spline portion is formed by inserting the spline punch along the inner circumferential surface of the boss portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Nakajima, Hideyuki Nagai, Kazushi Nagashima, Ariyoshi Terao
  • Patent number: 8136381
    Abstract: A hog ring fastening device is disclosed. The hog ring fastening device includes a body, a magazine attached to the body, jaws pivotally supported on the body, a main pneumatic cylinder for turning the jaws, a teed pneumatic cylinder fixed to the body and adapted to be retracted when the jaws are turned away from each other, a moving plate attached to a piston rod of the feed pneumatic cylinder, a push spring for pushing the moving plate in a feed direction with respect to a body of the feed pneumatic cylinder, a feed member provided at the moving plate, and a stopper attached to the body of the hog ring fastening device for preventing a hog ring assembly loaded on the magazine from moving in a direction opposite to the feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Meihotech Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Murayama