Including Horizontal Support Patents (Class 34/619)
  • Patent number: 10502485
    Abstract: A foam drying apparatus is provided. The apparatus is configured to pass air, and in some cases heated and/or dried air, through a quantity of foam. This air passing through the foam absorbs or otherwise carries moisture out of the foam, drying it. The apparatus may utilize a pressure differential on opposite sides of the foam, causing air on the higher pressure side to pass through the foam. Typical applications may include the drying of foam assemblies which use water based adhesives to accelerate drying of the adhesive and/or removal of water from the foam assembly, and packaging of the foam assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Worthen Industries
    Inventors: Steven E. Adams, Andrew T. Sinclair, Robert J. Rose, Ian L. Churcher
  • Patent number: 10012440
    Abstract: A foam drying apparatus is provided. The apparatus is configured to pass air, and in some cases heated and/or dried air, through a quantity of foam. This air passing through the foam absorbs or otherwise carries moisture out of the foam, drying it. The apparatus may utilize a pressure differential on opposite sides of the foam, causing air on the higher pressure side to pass through the foam. Typical applications may include the drying of foam assemblies which use water based adhesives to accelerate drying of the adhesive and/or removal of water from the foam assembly, and packaging of the foam assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Worthen Industries
    Inventors: Steven E. Adams, Andrew T. Sinclair, Robert J. Rose, Ian L. Churcher
  • Patent number: 8789291
    Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes a housing at least partially bounding a chamber and a heat exchanger at least partially disposed within the chamber, the heat exchanger containing tubing adapted to allow a heated fluid to travel therethrough and fins outwardly projecting from the tubing, the fins being spaced apart such that air can freely flow between the fins. The heat exchanger also includes an inlet port into which an air mover can be received to provide blown air for the system and an outlet port through which the heated air exits the heat exchanger assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgewater LLC
    Inventors: Jeremiah S. Reets, Gordon K. Hanks
  • Patent number: 8567099
    Abstract: A system and process for removing an inorganic salt from a catalyst roaster belt is disclosed. The system includes an apparatus with a drying vessel having a catalyst roaster belt inlet, a catalyst roaster belt outlet, a heating medium inlet, and a heating medium outlet, wherein the catalyst roaster belt inlet and the catalyst roaster belt outlet are spaced apart along a first direction, the heating medium inlet and the heating medium outlet are spaced apart along a second direction, the heating medium inlet is spaced apart from the catalyst roaster belt inlet in the second direction, and the catalyst roaster belt inlet is between the heating medium inlet and the heating medium outlet along the second direction. The system includes an acid bath and a moveable catalyst roaster belt extending from the acid bath through the catalyst roaster belt inlet and through the catalyst roaster belt outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Dow Technology Investments LLC
    Inventors: Hua Bai, Ralph S. Kruska
  • Patent number: 8464438
    Abstract: A seasoning apparatus includes: a table on which a stack of paper sheets is loaded; a ceiling plate which is arranged above the table to cover an upper side of the paper stack on the table; a front side plate and a rear side plate which are arranged to oppose to each other at front and rear sides of the paper stack on the table, at least one of the front and rear side plates being advanceable and retractable relatively to each other; a right-hand side plate and a left-hand side plate which are arranged to oppose to each other at a right-hand side and a left-hand side of the paper stack on the table, at least one of the right-hand and left-hand side plates being advanceable and retractable relatively to each other; and an air blowing device which blows air horizontally toward the paper stack on the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Fujikura, Yuhei Chiwata, Masahiko Kondou, Hiroyuki Asakura
  • Patent number: 8196310
    Abstract: An apparatus for drying wood veneer includes an elongate drying chamber including a conveyor for conveying material to be dried from an input end to an output end; and a cooling section for cooling veneer leaving the output end of the drying chamber, the cooling section including a pressure controller for maintaining a pressure in the cooling section that is slightly higher than pressure in the drying chamber while maintaining a near-zero pressure differential between the drying chamber and the cooling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: USNR/Kockums Cancar Company
    Inventors: Irven J. McMahon, Bryan Wolowiecki
  • Publication number: 20110219641
    Abstract: A seasoning apparatus includes: a table on which a stack of paper sheets is loaded; a ceiling plate which is arranged above the table to cover an upper side of the paper stack on the table; a front side plate and a rear side plate which are arranged to oppose to each other at front and rear sides of the paper stack on the table, at least one of the front and rear side plates being advanceable and retractable relatively to each other; a right-hand side plate and a left-hand side plate which are arranged to oppose to each other at a right-hand side and a left-hand side of the paper stack on the table, at least one of the right-hand and left-hand side plates being advanceable and retractable relatively to each other; and an air blowing device which blows air horizontally toward the paper stack on the table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Tatsuo FUJIKURA, Yuhei Chiwata, Masahiko Kondou, Hiroyuki Asakura
  • Patent number: 7926197
    Abstract: A process and device for drying the coating of containers made of thermoplastic material. The process involves feeding said containers through a furnace divided into two areas: in the first, most of the solvent of the coating is removed by heating the paint with infrared lamps, while the temperature of the containers is controlled through an airflow; in the second, the remaining solvent is removed using said airflow coming from the first area of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: S.I.P.A. Societa Industrializzazione Progettazione e Automazione S.p.A.
    Inventors: Matteo Zoppas, Alberto Armellin, Andrea Saran, Ottorino Vendramelli
  • Patent number: 7918040
    Abstract: A drier installation (1) for drying web (2), more particularly paper, which installation is provided for drying a maximum web width, the installation (1) comprises gas-heated radiant elements (3) for radiating the web, arranged according to at least one row (4) stretching out in the transversal (5) direction over the substantially entire maximum web width. The installation (1) comprises at least a transversal convective system (7, 36) equipped with suction and blowing devices (8) for sucking at least part of the combustion products produced by the radiant elements (3) by means of a suction duct (13) and for blowing this pa o the combustion products towards the web (2) by means of a blowing duct (14). Both suction (13) and blowing (14) ducts stretch out in the transversal (5) direction of the web (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignees: NV Bekaert SA, Bekaert Combustion Technology B.V.
    Inventor: Patrick Lenoir
  • Publication number: 20090165329
    Abstract: A method and system for drying printed ink on the face of a substrate material such as a mailpiece. The method comprising the steps of (i) providing a dryer having at least one variable output element for producing a plurality of dryer configurations, (ii) developing data correlating each of the dryer configurations with at least one print characteristic, (iii) storing the developed data in a memory storage device, (iv) obtaining the print characteristic associated with a particular print job and comparing the print characteristic with the developed data to define a desired dryer configuration, (v) adapting the dryer to assume the desired dryer configuration based upon the print characteristic, and (vi) drying the ink printed on the face of the substrate material. The system may include a taggant introduced into the ink and a means for identifying the taggant to determine the type of ink and the desired dryer configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Reichelsheimer, Richard A. Sloan, JR., George M. Macdonald
  • Publication number: 20090133285
    Abstract: Household appliance for washing and/or drying clothes comprising an outer casing (2) provided with a worktop (3) and a front panel (4) carrying operational input controls (5), an opening for loading and unloading clothes, a door (6) for closing the opening, a rotational drum supported inside the casing (2). The worktop (3) comprises heating means to dry garments disposed on the worktop (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Elisabetta Bari, Rica Pantermehl, Nicola Reid
  • Patent number: 7536806
    Abstract: An arrangement and method for improving runnability, and dryer section length, by using a vertical impingement dryer before a first dryer cylinder of a group of dryer cylinders. After a pressing section, the web is dried with a pre-impingement dryer, closely followed by a vertical impingement dryer, which is closely following by the first dryer cylinder. The pre-impingement dryer and vertical impingement dryer of the first dryer cylinder to have a drying temperature of approximately 80° C. with no undesirable sticking to the dryer cylinder. The pre-impingement dryer can be arranged to dry a first side of the web, and a vertical impingement dryer after the first dryer cylinder is arranged to dry a second side of the web. The impingement drying takes place directly against the web without an intervening fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Kari Juppi, Antti Komulainen, Markku Lummila, Michael Odell, Martti Salminen, Riikka Antikainen, Petter Honkalampi
  • Publication number: 20080172903
    Abstract: According to the drying method and apparatus of the present invention, at first, the coated film on one end side of the support is more quickly dried than that on the other end side, because drying air is supplied from one end side of the support. Subsequently, the coated film on the other end side of the support is more quickly dried than that on one end side, because drying air is supplied from the other end side of the support. Accordingly, the method and the apparatus can diminish a difference between drying rates in on one end side and in the other end side of the long support, in the whole drying zone. Thus, the method and the apparatus can uniformly dry the support and inhibit the production of a dry spot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro SHIMODA, Kyohei YOSHIMURA, Nobuo HAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 7080465
    Abstract: The present invention dries an ink absorption layer using a drying apparatus after applying an ink absorption layer application liquid containing inorganic particles and water-soluble resin to a continuously running web and thereby reduces a drying speed distribution in the width direction of the ink absorption layer to 20% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Fujinami, Yutaka Kashiwabara, Katsuhiko Takada
  • Patent number: 7073274
    Abstract: In a dry air blowing plate, rows of dry air outlets are arranged at given intervals in a transport direction of a photosensitive material. The interval between the dry air outlets within the row is narrower in a front zone of the dry air blowing plate that is close to a dry air inlet, whereas the interval is wider in a rear zone of the dry air blowing plate that is away from the dry air inlet. In the front zone, the velocity of dry air is lower but the aperture rate per unit area is larger. On the other hand, in the rear zone, the velocity of dry air is higher but the aperture rate is smaller. As a result, the volume of blown dry air is almost the same throughout an external surface of the dry air blowing plate, so the dry air is evenly blown to a surface of a photosensitive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Futoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6848198
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for preventing quality defects of an object to be heat-treated even when sublimating components produced in heat treatment become solids and drop down in the heat treatment apparatus, wherein a gas generated when heating an object to be heat-treated, coated with a coating solution and placed on a stage is passed through a trap made of a permeable porous film and is exhausted from an exhaust port of a cover and wherein solids produced and dropping down when gas passed through the trap of the permeable porous film solidifies at a top plate of the cover are trapped by the trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yuko Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6813846
    Abstract: A photosensitive material is dried by radiating heat from a guide plate, having high emissivity, which is disposed along a conveying path and is heated by a ceramic heater. Further, the photosensitive material is dried by a warm air, which is heated by a heater, blown onto the photosensitive material from nozzles. In the drying, because the warm air is also heated by the heated guide plate, the warm air can be risen to a predetermined temperature efficiently. Accordingly, because transferring the radiating heat and the blowing the warm air are performed at a same position (a same member), the drying can be performed efficiently without enlarging the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Futoshi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20040187344
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for preventing quality defects of an object to be heat-treated even when sublimating components produced in heat treatment become solids and drop down in the heat treatment apparatus, wherein a gas generated when heating an object to be heat-treated, coated with a coating solution and placed on a stage is passed through a trap made of a permeable porous film and is exhausted from an exhaust port of a cover and wherein solids produced and dropping down when gas passed through the trap of the permeable porous film solidifies at a top plate of the cover are trapped by the trap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Yuko Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6739070
    Abstract: A dryer for drying textiles is disclosed. The dryer includes a blower for blowing air under the carpet, which includes a blower housing including a sleeve that forms an air outlet opening and a powered fan within the blower housing for blowing air out of the outlet opening. A tow handle is located on the blower housing above the fan and an indentation is included in the underside surface of the blower housing. The indentation has a shape corresponding to the shape of the tow handle such that the indentation can receive a tow handle from a second dryer to allow stacking of dryers. A maneuvering handle is rotatably connected at a first end to the tow handle. The maneuvering handle extends over the blower housing such that a foot located at the second end of the maneuvering handle rests on the upper surface of the blower housing sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: EDIC
    Inventors: Mark Jacobs, Jess Peña
  • Patent number: 6715217
    Abstract: A microfilm drying device and method are presented for salvaging and drying microfilm which has become wet due to excessive moisture resulting from high water, floods and the like. The device includes a needle assembly which is slidably affixed within a frame to direct air into the internal compartments of a flexible jacket containing microfilm strips. In another embodiment, a hand held drying device allows air to pass through a series of needles to dry the interior of the flexible jackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Eastern Microfilm Sales and Service, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Wright, Dwayne D. Wright
  • Patent number: 6701638
    Abstract: A machine for the conditioning of laminar flexible products such as industrial hides and skins, including at least one conditioning unit crossed by the products to be processed, blowers for blowing and extracting air directed toward products, and a series of air jets blowing simultaneously on both sides of the products under treatment in a transverse direction with respect to the advancement direction of the products. The products are caused to advance along a substantially horizontal plane by means of pairs of annular threads uniformly distributed across the useful width of the conditioning paths. The threads of each pair are placed on opposite sides and in contact with the products to support and transfer them along the path leaving their side surfaces substantially free. As an alternative, the advancement means are formed by pairs of endless belts in mutually facing relationship to firmly hold the products while permitting passage of blown air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Officine di Cartigliano SpA
    Inventor: Antonio Polato
  • Patent number: 6637128
    Abstract: A transversely stretched nonwoven fabric is manufactured by transversely stretching a nonwoven fabric. First, an original web comprising a plurality of un-oriented filaments is heated to a temperature higher than its stretch suitable temperature by 5° C. or more. Next, the heated original web is stretched at a rate of 1.2 to 3 in its transverse direction to stretch the filaments of the original web with almost no molecular orientation involved. Then, the original web stretched transversely at a rate of 1.2 to 3 is heated to the stretch suitable temperature and the original web is further stretched transversely at the stretch suitable temperature. With these steps, a transversely stretched nonwoven fabric in which the original web is stretched transversely at a rate of 7 times or more in total as compared with the state of the stretch thereof is manufactured with a high tensile strength of 132.5 mN/tex (1.5 g/d) in the transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignees: Nippon Petrochemicals Co., Ltd., Polymer Processing Research Institute Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Kuroiwa, Yoshiro Morino, Kazuhiko Kurihara, Shuichi Murakami
  • Patent number: 6581300
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying veneer wherein the feeder upstream of the drying station displaces the veneer at different speeds on the right and left sides of the transport path of the veneer as seen in the direction of transport so as automatically to impart an inclined orientation of the veneer of 20° to 60° to a line perpendicular to the transport direction before the veneer reaches the drying station. In the drying station and the cooling station the veneer retains this inclined orientation and in these stations the veneer is subjected to multiple rerouting or the application of pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Babcock-BSH GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Grebe, Helmut Wünsche
  • Patent number: 6442865
    Abstract: Drying section of a machine for producing a material web. The drying section includes a support roll with an associated impingement dryer, and at least one straight or curved section forming at least a part of a closed path between a last nip of a press section adjacent the drying section and the support roll. The support roll and the impingement dryer are arranged to guide the material web over the support roll, and, thereby, to subject the material web to at least one of hot air and hot steam impingement. The at least one straight or slightly curved section is structured and arranged to form at least one of an impingement drying section and a transfer foil section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiertechnik Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Wolf, Markus Oechsle, Wolfgang Mayer, Tri Chau-Huu, Thomas Mack, Roland Mayer
  • Publication number: 20020095818
    Abstract: A vapor collection method and apparatus capable of capturing vapor compositions without substantial dilution. The method and apparatus utilize a material that has a surface with an adjacent gas phase. A chamber is positioned in close proximity to a surface of the material. The position of the chamber creates a relatively small gap between the surface of the material and the chamber. The adjacent gas phase between the chamber and the surface define a region possessing an amount of mass. At least a portion of the mass is drawn through the region by induced flow. The utilization of a small gap limits the flow of mass that is external to the chamber from being swept through the chamber by induced flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Nirmal K. Jain, Peter T. Benson, James L. Capps, William Blake Kolb, Eldon E. Lightner, Norman L. Rogers, Robert A. Yapel
  • Patent number: 6397488
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for drying printing composition on a print medium are disclosed. A method embodiment for use in a printing device includes depositing printing composition onto a print medium and enclosing the print medium in a sealed environment. The method additionally includes reducing a pressure in the sealed environment below an ambient pressure and heating the print medium in the sealed environment to dry the printing composition on the print medium. An apparatus embodiment for use in a printing device having a print engine for depositing printing composition onto a print medium includes an enclosure configured to provide a sealed environment around the print medium. The apparatus additionally includes a vacuum source fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to reduce a pressure in the sealed environment below an ambient pressure and a heater configured to apply heat energy to the print medium in the sealed environment to dry the printing composition on the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Richard Brinkly
  • Patent number: 6240656
    Abstract: A method of using a conveyor dryer having a drying chamber and a conveyor disposed within the chamber for conveying a selected material through the chamber. A stationary conveyor support is disposed on each side of the conveyor for supporting the conveyor. A material guide is disposed adjacent each side of the conveyor for generally retaining material on the conveyor and wherein the conveyor support and material guide are disposed adjacent to each other such that they cooperate to form a generally air tight seal that minimizes the flow of air between the conveyor support and the material guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Aeroglide Corporation
    Inventor: Roy J. Gillespy
  • Patent number: 6108941
    Abstract: A conveyor dryer having a drying chamber and a conveyor disposed within the chamber for conveying a selected material through the chamber is detected. A stationary conveyor support is disposed on each side of the conveyor for supporting the conveyor. A material guide is disposed adjacent each side of the conveyor for generally retaining material on the conveyor and wherein the conveyor support and material guide are disposed adjacent to each other such that they cooperate to form a generally air tight seal that minimizes the flow of air between the conveyor support and the material guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Aeroglide Corporation
    Inventor: Roy J. Gillespy
  • Patent number: 5992045
    Abstract: A collapsible drying apparatus and method for forming and collapsing such apparatus, said apparatus comprising a frame having an expanded state and a collapsed state, a web substantially stretched over the frame, at least one support member coupled to the frame, and a strap having its ends coupled to the web, including a releasable fastener located a predetermined distance from one of the ends of the strap, and having adjustable length to apply a corresponding tension to the frame and the web, biasing the apparatus into a convexly arcuate condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Bajer Design & Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Kellogg, Dean B. Krotts
  • Patent number: 5704135
    Abstract: An instant photographic print drying device. The device has a stand which carries a fan and a heating coil. Downstream of the fan the photograph is held in place by clips. A timer is provided which can be set to a prescribed time to dry the photographs. An on/off switch is provided and a momentary switch is optionally present to provide a little more drying time, without resetting the timer. A thermostat might be included to prevent overheating of the coils, and possible overheating and burning of the photograph. Optionally, the clips holding the photograph in place can be connected to a micro-switch, which activates the timer controlling the fan and heating coil when a photograph is placed on the stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Inventor: Sohrab Riahi
  • Patent number: 5659975
    Abstract: In order to dry boards, the boards are guided on racks through a drier and brought into contact with drying air in two stages. In a stage A with a higher drying power, the drying air is supplied at a higher temperature and with an at least average humidity, and in the other stage B, it is supplied at an average temperature and with a low humidity. The waste heat of the outgoing air from stage A is used for preheating the drying air. This process should reduce the consumption of primary energy. For that purpose, a process is known that consists of also using the outgoing air condensation heat. This has the inconvenience, however, of requiring substantially more secondary energy, as important air mass flows are required to transfer heat because of the low condensation temperature. Primary energy should be reduced by using condensation heat without substantially increasing secondary energy requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Babcock BSH AG
    Inventors: Friedrich Bahner, Manfred Braun, Karl-Friedrich Lang, Gerhard Lehn, Karl Maurer, Manfred Schmidt, Josef Steinkuhl
  • Patent number: 5457283
    Abstract: A space-saving apparatus and method for coating paper sheets with lacquer and drying the sheets with streams of air are provided. The sheets are coated with lacquer and are moved by parallel and spaced apart conveyer belts in a first direction as the sheets are dried and supported by streams of air that are directed against the paper sheets and against and through the undersides of the conveyer belts. The movement of the paper sheets is then reversed to a second direction and the dried sheets are collected above the conveyer belts as they move in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Tom Y. Yu
    Inventors: Tom Y. Yu, Randy L. Hendrickson
  • Patent number: 5438763
    Abstract: A multipurpose electric dryer including a housing covered with a front cover, a blast fan installed in the housing and having an air output port coupled with a fully clad electric positive-temperature-coefficient heater and connected to a first air hole and a second air hole on the front cover, a sliding hanger moved in a vertical sliding way on the front cover, a hot air hose having one end fixedly connected to the second air hole and an opposite end coupled with an airflow nozzle, a shutter linked to the sliding hanger and moved to alternatively open the air holes, a spring fastened to the front cover to pull the shutter away from the second air hole, wherein when the air-flow nozzle is hung on the sliding hanger, the sliding hanger is downward to pull the shutter rightward, causing the shutter to open the first air hole and close said second air hole, permitting hot air be driven out of a front opening on the front cover for drying the hands; when the air-flow nozzle it removed from the sliding hanger, the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Inventor: Chiung-hsiang Yang
  • Patent number: 5390428
    Abstract: The emulsion surface of a film may be damaged as it is pushed into or pulled through a dryer unit. Described herein is a transport arrangement for transporting a film through a dryer which comprises a conveyor belt for transporting the film, and air jets arranged above the surface of the belt. The film is placed on the conveyor belt with its emulsion surface uppermost. The air jets operate to hold the film against the belt as it is transported through the dryer as well as assisting in the removal of moisture from the emulsion surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Leslie J. Pummell
  • Patent number: 5377424
    Abstract: A body drying system is disclosed for drying the entire body of a user, or alternatively, the towel or robe of a user. The body drying system of this invention includes a rectangular housing with apertures formed within its forward face. The apertures are designed to allow for the passage of warmed air. The housing is specifically dimensioned to fit between a towel rack and the wall onto which the rack is mounted. Thus, the operator may stand in front of the apertures of the housing in order to dry himself or herself. Alternatively, the operator may hang a towel or robe on the rack in front of the apertures. Controls are provided for selecting the degree of heating, the starting time, and the stopping time of the drying system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Inventor: Leandro R. Albanes
  • Patent number: RE37557
    Abstract: In order to dry boards, the boards are guided on racks through a drier and brought into contact with drying air in two stages. In a stage A with a higher drying power, the drying air is supplied at a higher temperature and with an at least average humidity, and in the other stage B, it is supplied at an average temperature and with a low humidity. The waste heat of the outgoing air from stage A is used for preheating the drying air. This process should reduce the consumption of primary energy. For that purpose, a process is known that consists of also using the outgoing air condensation heat. This has the inconvenience, however, of requiring substantially more secondary energy, as important air mass flows are required to transfer heat because of the low condensation temperature. Primary energy should be reduced by using condensation heat without substantially increasing secondary energy requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Babcock BSH AG
    Inventors: Freidrich Bahner, Manfred Braun, Gerhard Lehn, Karl Maurer, Manfred Schmidt, Josef Steinkuhl, Karl-Friedrich Lang
  • Patent number: RE38591
    Abstract: A collapsible drying apparatus and method for forming and collapsing such apparatus, said apparatus comprising a frame having an expanded state and a collapsed state, a web substantially stretched over the frame, at least one support member coupled to the frame, and a strap having its ends coupled to the web, including a releasable fastener located a predetermined distance from one of the ends of the strap, and having adjustable length to apply a corresponding tension to the frame and the web, biasing the apparatus into a convexly accurate condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Bajer Design & Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Kellogg, Dean B. Krotts