Diverse Heater Types And/or Gas Or Vapor Contact Types Only Patents (Class 34/68)
  • Patent number: 11959708
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes an inlet for receiving bulk solids, a plurality of heat transfer plate assemblies, a plurality of spacers disposed between adjacent heat transfer plate assemblies, and supports for supporting the heat transfer plate assemblies. The heat transfer plate assemblies include a first plate having a first pair of holes extending therethrough, the first plate having channels extending along a surface thereof, for the flow of fluid through the channels, and a second plate bonded to the first plate to enclose the channels, the second plate including a second pair of holes generally aligned with the first pair of holes to form through holes to facilitate flow of the fluid through the through holes and the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: Solex Thermal Science Inc., National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, Vacuum Process Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashley D. Byman, Robert McGillivray, Brandon Emmanuel St Germain, Layne Charles, Kevin James Albrecht, Dereje Shiferaw Amogne, Matthew David Carlson, Clifford Kuofei Ho, Carl P. Schalansky, Aaron Edward Wildberger
  • Patent number: 11920863
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a slit-shaped discharge port at tip ends of a pair of nozzle walls arranged to face each other at a predetermined interval and a plurality of protrusions protruding toward the facing nozzle walls at tip end sides of the nozzle walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL CAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Uchida, Masamichi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11828021
    Abstract: A method for producing and/or processing a nonwoven glass fabric web includes thermally drying the nonwoven glass fabric web via infrared radiation from an infrared radiation dryer. A specific power density of at least 153 kW/m2 is applied by the infrared radiation dryer to the surface of the nonwoven glass fabric web facing toward the infrared radiation dryer. After the irradiation by the infrared radiation dryer, the nonwoven glass fabric web has a temperature of at least 40° C. and at most 105° C. on its surface facing toward the infrared radiation dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Kueckmann, Franziska Ferrer
  • Patent number: 11717772
    Abstract: This invention was designed to condense, separate and collect volatile compounds from the vapor steam as they exit the dehydrator. Bulk condensate is allowed to accumulate and separate in a separator vessel under vacuum. The undesirable water phase condensate is periodically drained into a water vessel, which is also held under vacuum instead of atmospheric pressure to avoid agitation and mixing of the contents of the separator vessel arising from purging the separator vessel to atmosphere. The separated and desirable oily condensates can then be easily recovered from the separator vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: 1140522 B.C. Ltd.
    Inventors: Gary Sandberg, Timothy Durance
  • Patent number: 11591746
    Abstract: A clothes care apparatus includes a chamber, an upper fan provided above the chamber and configured to move air to a lower side of the chamber, and a lower fan provided under the chamber and configured to move air to an upper side of the chamber. A first motor is configured to rotate the lower fan and a steam generating device is configured to generate steam by heating water. A controller is configured to control on-off states of the steam generating device and the first motor, configured to turn on the steam generating device in a first period for supplying the generated steam to the chamber, and configured to turn on the first motor in a second period for allowing the steam to be dispersed by air moving to the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ji Hyun Woo, Sang Yeon Pyo
  • Patent number: 11478953
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a honeycomb structure, including a vertical extrusion process, wherein the vertical extrusion process includes: an extrusion step of extruding the molding compound in the vertically downward direction from an extrusion die attached to an extruder; a honeycomb formed body receiving step in which a transfer pallet is placed at a position near the extrusion die, and a honeycomb formed body formed by continuously extruding the molding compound in the extrusion step is received and supported from below by the transfer pallet; and a pallet lowering step of lowering the transfer pallet while receiving and supporting the honeycomb formed body in synchronization with an extrusion speed of the molding compound from the extrusion die, and the transfer pallet is constituted of a laminate structure including: a pallet substrate; and a tabular mesh plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kensuke Okumura
  • Patent number: 11441256
    Abstract: A dryer is disclosed. The dryer comprises: a body having a first opening disposed at one side thereof; a first drum rotatably disposed in the body and including a first drying chamber connected to the first opening; a first hot-air unit for supplying hot air to the inside of the first drum; a first door coupled to the body to open or close the first opening; a second drum disposed at the first door; and a second hot-air unit for supplying hot air to the inside of the second drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-woo Lee, Dong-wook Kim, Seong-ho Kil, Dong-il Back
  • Patent number: 10441508
    Abstract: The disclosure encompasses systems and methods for performing high temperature and high humidity curing of tablets using air flow delivered from a recirculating air handler to a pan coater of a tablet coating device. The recirculating air handler may be integrated into a preexisting tablet coating device so that the air flow may be delivered by the preexisting air handler or by the recirculating air handler as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: SPECGX LLC
    Inventor: Greg Bengard
  • Patent number: 8806773
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for folding an airbag (1) for placement in an airbag module for a motor vehicle. The method involves folding the airbag (1), exposing the airbag (1) to moisture, compressing the airbag (1), and simultaneously extracting the moisture. Moisture in liquid or vapor form can be introduced before or after folding the airbag. Further disclosed is a device for folding the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Raimund Nebel, Oliver Adolph, Jürgen Mackensen
  • Publication number: 20140223763
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for storing a raw material inside a mold or a crucible, comprising the steps of: closing an opening of the mold filled with the raw material of a sintered metal or an opening of the crucible filled with the raw material for encouraging growth of a crystal for a semiconductor of a gallium arsenide crystal and a silicon single crystal or a polycrystalline silicon by a cap provided with a supply pipe and a vacuum evacuation pipe; vacuuming the inside the mold or crucible to a high vacuum state of 10?4 torr or less via the vacuum evacuation pipe; drying by heating the raw material in the mold or crucible filled with a heated inert gas in the range of 50 C to 200 C via the supply pipe; and storing the raw material in the mold or the crucible covered with the cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS TECHNO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukichi Horioka, Jiro Kajiwara, Hirotsugu Sanada
  • Patent number: 8769842
    Abstract: A substrate drying apparatus includes a drying gas nozzle configured so that, assuming that a surface WA of the substrate W is a projection plane, regarding the drying gas flow Gf in the nozzle moving direction Dr, a collision position Gfw with the substrate W is located downstream of a projected discharge position Gfv?, the projected discharge position Gfv? being a discharge position from the drying gas nozzle projected on the projection plane. In a three-dimensional space, the drying gas flow Gf is inclined, such that an angle ? formed by an axis Ga of the drying gas flow Gf and a vertical line Wp of the substrate W is in a range from a half contact angle ?/2 to an angle determined by deducting the half contact angle ?/2 from 90°, the half contact angle ?/2 being a half of the contact angle ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoatsu Ishibashi, Takahiro Ogawa, Kenichi Sugita, Shinji Kajita, Koichi Fukaya, Akira Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8689458
    Abstract: A method of painting a five-sided container, which includes applying a water-based paint to the interior surfaces and the exterior surfaces of the container, and forcing heated air into the open side of the container to at least partially dry the paint on the interior surfaces and the exterior surfaces of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Valspar Sourcing, Inc
    Inventor: William C. Nowack
  • Publication number: 20130174442
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a heat treatment apparatus, which can improve a thermal processing speed by increasing a transfer rate of heat energy applied to a heat treatment target using hot air and can reduce a temperature deviation in the heat treatment target. The heat treatment apparatus includes a hot air generator that generates hot air; a heat treatment furnace for performing a thermal process on a heat treatment target disposed therein using the hot air generated from the hot air generator; and a temperature radiator disposed in the heat treatment furnace to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from the heat treatment target, wherein the temperature radiator absorbs some of the hot air supplied from the hot air generator and supplies the same to the heat treatment target as radiant energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seonhyeok An, Kwanseop Song, Kyoungheon Heo, Jihyang Park
  • Publication number: 20130036624
    Abstract: The present invention provides grain-drying facilities which can effectively use the heat energy of a biomass combustion hot-air that has been generated in a biomass combustion furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: SATAKE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirota Fujitomo
  • Publication number: 20120102774
    Abstract: A dew prevention apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a dewing prevention structure for a substrate accommodated in a housing. The housing has an opening allowing an inflow of outer air and the dewing prevention structure is configured to suppress dew condensation on the substrate. The dew prevention structure includes a heat conductive member provided inside the housing wherein the heat conductive member contacts each of a predetermined heat source inside the housing and an area of the substrate near the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshifumi MICHIDA
  • Patent number: 8108074
    Abstract: A method includes determining how to adjust one or more manipulated variables using at least one model. The one or more manipulated variables are associated with a sugar dryer. The method also includes generating one or more control signals to control one or more controlled variables associated with the sugar dryer. The one or more controlled variables include an outfall temperature associated with the sugar dryer, and the one or more manipulated variables include a rate at which wet material is provided to the sugar dryer. The sugar dryer could include multiple sugar dryers. At least two of the sugar dryers could operate using different fuels. The one or more control signals could be generated to control the rates at which the wet material is provided to the multiple sugar dryers based on costs associated with the different fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Howard M. Boder
  • Publication number: 20110239480
    Abstract: A laundry machine, more particularly, a dryer is disclosed. A dryer includes a cabinet, a drum in which a drying object is held, a steam generation device to supply steam to the drum, a water supply device to supply water to the steam generation device in order to generate steam, an additive holding part in which an additive is held, and an additive supply device to supply the additive held in the additive holding part to the drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Chul Jin CHOI, Sang Hun BAE, Yang Hwan KIM, Tae Hee LEE, Min Ji KIM, Ku Young SON
  • Patent number: 7987616
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry machine. The laundry machine includes a drum rotatably mounted in a cabinet, a hot air heater to heat air and supply hot air into the drum, a steam generator to supply steam into the drum, a water supply source detachably mounted in the cabinet to supply water into the steam generator, and a water leakage preventing unit to prevent water leakage when the water supply source is detachably mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hun Bae, Chang Woo Son, Chul Jin Choi, Dong Hyun Kim, Young Bok Son, Heung Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 7926200
    Abstract: Infrared drier installation (1) for a passing web (2), which installation ( ) has gas-heated infrared radiant elements (5), arranged one next to the other so as to form a unit (4). Each unit comprises at least two adjacent rows (8) of gas-heated infrared radiant elements (5) stretching out in he transversal?(9) direction of the web (2) substantially over the entire with of the web (2). The infrared drier installation comprises means to recycle, at least partially, the said combustion gases. The drier installation as subject of the present invention is characterized in that the infrared drier comprises means (16) to avoid the suction of cold air between two adjacent rows of radiant elements (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: NV Bekaert SA, Bekaert Combustion Technology B.V.
    Inventor: Patrick Lenoir
  • Patent number: 7875833
    Abstract: Contemplated fully automated coffee roaster have significantly reduced energy demands, use electrical heat as a heat source in a temperature-only driven program mode, and eliminate smoke and smell within the roaster. Most preferably, contemplated fully automated roasters will consume only about 10 percent of the energy as compared to known devices on a per kilogram basis of beans and require no operator experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Inventor: Eugene Song
  • Publication number: 20100199510
    Abstract: A drying apparatus and method including heated airflow and ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasonic transducers are arranged and operated for effectively breaking down the boundary layer to increase the heat transfer rate. The ultrasonic transducers are spaced from the material to be dried a distance of about (?)(n/4), where ? is the wavelength of the ultrasonic oscillations and n is an odd integer (i.e., 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.). In this way, the amplitude of the ultrasonic oscillations is maximized to more-effectively agitate the boundary layer. In addition, the ultrasonic transducers are operated to produce about 120-190 dB (preferably, about 160-185 dB) at the interface surface of the material to be dried. In one embodiment, the ultrasonic transducers are of a pneumatic type. In another embodiment, the ultrasonic transducers are of an electric type. And in other embodiments, infrared and/or UV light devices are included for further boundary layer disruption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventor: Zinovy Plavnik
  • Publication number: 20100170105
    Abstract: A grain drying system utilizing a geothermal loop to remove heat from the ground, and a heat pump to transfer the ground heat to air which is provided over grain to assist in the drying. The system is provided with a telescoping duct to allow more or less ambient air into the system to assist in the drying process, depending upon ambient temperature and humidity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventor: David W. Burns
  • Publication number: 20100167912
    Abstract: A process to upgrade heavy oil and convert the heavy oil into lower boiling hydrocarbon products is provided. The process employs a catalyst slurry comprising catalyst particles with an average particle size ranging from 1 to 20 microns. In the upgrade process, spent slurry catalyst in heavy oil is generated as an effluent stream, which is subsequently recovered/separated from the heavy oil via membrane filtration. Residual hydrocarbons, i.e., heavy oil and solvent employed in the filtration for the heavy oil extraction are removed from the catalyst particles in a drying zone which employs at least two drying apparatuses to volatize residual hydrocarbons in the catalyst. Valuable metals can be recovered from catalyst particles for subsequent re-use in a catalyst synthesis unit, generating a fresh slurry catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventor: Seyi A. Odueyungbo
  • Patent number: 7717104
    Abstract: A device comprising an improved electrical hot-air gun for fast ignition of the charcoal-bed of a barbeque charcoal grill for home use having a very short distance between the front of the hot-air gun and the electrical heating wire of the heating assembly and a very high outlet temperature. The hot-air gun also has a scraper mounted on the igniter/heater front to be able to aid in cleaning the grating of a BBQ grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Looft Industries AB
    Inventor: Richard Looft
  • Publication number: 20100088920
    Abstract: A multi-stage harvest dryer (10) is provided for drying an agricultural harvest product (12), such as, for example, corn, sunflowers, beans, seeds, etc. The dryer (10) includes multiple drying stages (14a-14d) connected in sequence to dry a volume of harvest product (12) passed from one drying stage (14) to the next. Heat exchangers (16a, 16b, 18a, 18b, 18c) are located in the stages (14a-14c) to transfer heat to the harvest product (12) in each of the corresponding stages (14a-14d). The heat exchangers (16a and 16b) are radiant heat exchangers that efficiently heat the harvest product (12) via radiant heat transfer, with heaters (19a, 19b) being provided to maintain the heat exchangers (16a, 16b) within a desired temperature range. The heat exchangers (18a-18c) are condensers that efficiently recycle the heat within the dryer (10) by transferring heat back to the harvest product (12) by condensing water that has been evaporated from the harvest product (12) elsewhere in the dryer (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventor: Albert M. LaRou
  • Patent number: 7568297
    Abstract: An improved vertical aeration system is provided for a grain bin having a sloped hopper bottom with a discharge opening. A pyramid frame includes legs with lower ends attachable to the hopper bottom. Concave perforated walls are attached to the legs. Braces extending between the legs provide structural support for the walls. An air duct extends upwardly and centrally into the interior of the frame, to supply air into the aeration system for flow outwardly through the perforated walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Woodhaven Capital Corp.
    Inventors: Ken Pierson, Brian Macdonald, John Penner
  • Publication number: 20090188125
    Abstract: An attachment 1 is attached to a nozzle of a hand held hair dryer. The attachment 1 has a hollow, generally tubular body 2 to direct the heated air flowing out of the dryer through the attachment 1. The distal end 4 includes a grill 5 that is attached to a collar section 6 part of the body 2. A central container 7 is concentrically suspended within the collar section 6 via struts 8 that allow air from the dryer to flow past the container 7 within the collar 6. As air flows past the container 7, it engages a fan 11 in the form of a blade that is rotatably mounted to a hub assembly formed by a bracket 12 and a cap 13 that covers the container 7. As heated air flows out of the hairdryer, the air flow drives the fan 11 rotationally and causes centrifugal forces to be applied to the liquid conditioner that is present in the cap 13 section of the enclosure formed by the cap 13 and container 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventor: KAM FAI FUNG
  • Publication number: 20090172967
    Abstract: A laundry machine, particularly, a dryer using steam is disclosed. The laundry machine such as a washing machine, a dryer, a drying and washing machine is an apparatus which washes or dries articles such as clothes. The dryer includes a drum adapted to accommodate articles to be dried, a control panel adapted to provide an interface with a user, and a controller, wherein the control panel includes a course selection part which allows a user to select a specific course as an operation course during a steam course, which includes a steam process for supplying steam into a drum, such that the dried articles have a moisture content equal to or larger than 6%, and the controller controls an operation of the dryer to perform the selected operation course.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Chang Woo Son, Sang Hun Bae, Seon Il Heo, Yeon Sik Choi, Sang Jin Kim, Ju Han Yoon
  • Publication number: 20090126217
    Abstract: A particulate material processing apparatus has a vessel, a processing tank, and a dispersing member. The vessel has a charging port for charging a particulate material into the vessel. The processing tank receives the particulate material charged from the charging port. The processing tank is shaped so as to narrow towards the bottom. At least the lower part of the processing tank is made of a gas-permeable material that allows the process gas for processing the particulate material to pass through. The dispersing member is disposed below the charging port. The dispersing member disperses and flattens the particulate material on the processing tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Taku Hirakawa, Tomohiro Isogai, Katsuya Nakai, Tatsuo Suzuki, Hiroyuki Shimada
  • Publication number: 20090094853
    Abstract: This process embodies forcing air through grain and granular biological products using a high volume horizontal airflow from a central vertical pervious tube to one or more plenum chambers near the structure sidewall to dry or cool products. Cross-flow air movement can be supplied by either suction or pressure. This conditioning and drying method has advantages over conventional storage structures, especially where product depth is much greater than diameter. In this process, horizontal air typically moves only ? to ? of vertical distances. Horizontal airflow resistance through elongated seeds is 50-60 percent of vertical airflow. Power for horizontal airflow is typically 8-15% that of vertical airflow. Grain and seed drying costs will be 15-30% of high temperature drying. To enhance germination, storage and grain and seed quality, and to kill or exclude insect pests, ozone is applied to drying or aeration airstreams for treating stored products and storages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Ronald T. Noyes, Vitaly G. Danchenko
  • Publication number: 20080210769
    Abstract: A heating system and a method of controlling the heating system are provided. When a heating unit and a switch are turned on and off repeatedly by the predetermined number of times or more, only some of heaters of the heating unit are turned on, thereby increasing service life of the heating unit and the switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hea Kyung Yoo, Seog Ho Go
  • Publication number: 20080209759
    Abstract: A drier apparatus for removing water from various materials includes a drying chamber, a regenerator system, a drying fluid system, and a heating fluid recirculation system and a method for use of the apparatus. The material to be dried flows concurrently through the drier with a heating fluid that is segregated from the material but in heat transfer relationship with the material. A drying fluid flows countercurrent through the chamber so as to become heated and at least partially saturated from moisture released by the material. The drying fluid is then used to preheat recycled heating fluid which is further heated by a makeup heater. In some embodiments, the drying fluid is also recycled to the chamber after passing through a chiller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventor: Steve D. Shivvers
  • Publication number: 20080141550
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry machine. The laundry machine includes a drum rotatably mounted in a cabinet, a hot air heater to heat air and supply hot air into the drum, a steam generator to supply steam into the drum, a water supply source to supply water to the steam generator, a pump to supply water in the water supply source to the steam generator, and a flow passage blocking prevention unit to prevent blocking of a flow passage connecting the pump and the steam generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hun Bae, Chang Woo Son, Chul Jin Choi, Dong Hyun Kim, Young Bok Son, Heung Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 7213347
    Abstract: Apparatus for vaporization of powdered or granular material, includes a container for holding powdered or granular material having at least one component; a vaporization structure; and a positive displacement mechanism spaced from the vaporization structure defining a chamber for receiving powdered or granular material from the container, and delivering such powdered or granular material to the vaporization structure, the positive displacement mechanism defining an orifice for delivering powdered or granular material from the chamber to the vaporization structure, an actuable member movable in first and section directions into the orifice and back from the orifice to be spaced therefrom for driving powdered or granular material from the chamber through the orifice for delivery to the vaporization structure and a vibratory diaphragm for fluidized material in the chamber between the actuable member and the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Michael Long
  • Patent number: 7165340
    Abstract: Apparatus for vaporization of powdered material, includes one or more containers each containing possibly distinct powdered materials each having at least one component; a structure for fluidizing the powdered material in each container; a vaporization zone that is thermally isolated from at least one of the containers; a transporting structure for receiving fluidized powdered material from each container and delivering such fluidized powdered materials to the vaporization zone; and vaporizing the delivered powdered materials at the vaporization zone by applying heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael Long, Bruce E. Koppe, Thomas W. Palone
  • Patent number: 7065900
    Abstract: A substrate transferring/treating system includes a substrate stacking base, a substrate transferring member for receiving/transferring the substrate from/to the base, a substrate cleaning/drying device for cleaning and drying the substrate transferred from the substrate transferring member, and a substrate treating device for treating the substrate that is cleaned and dried by the substrate cleaning/drying device and transferred by the substrate transferring member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: DMS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Seok Park, Kyung-Chul Kim, Sok-Joo Lee
  • Patent number: 6922908
    Abstract: A dryer is constructed and arranged to dry vegetable product, such as coffee beans. The dryer includes a thermal collector that is constructed and arranged to convert solar energy to heat energy, a heat transfer system, and a housing that defines a drying chamber. The thermal collector is positioned toward a light source and is thermally connected to the heat transfer system. The heat transfer system is also in thermal communication with the drying chamber. Therefore heat is able to move from the thermal collector to the drying chamber. Convective forces, or flow, can be used to move air inside the drying chamber, but photovoltaic energy could also be used to enhance this effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Inventor: Raul Raudales
  • Patent number: 6920703
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a microstructure drying treatment method by which a substrate having a microstructure has a fine pattern of less than 30 nm and a large-caliber substrate of 100 mm or more can be dried uniformly and in a short time without generating pattern collapse, and its apparatus and its high pressure vessel. The present invention is a microstructure drying treatment method of introducing a fluid that is gas at normal temperature and pressure and is liquid under high pressure inside a high pressure vessel in which a substrate having a microstructure in a state immersed in or wet with a rinsing liquid in a liquid or supercritical state. The method forms a specific gravity difference between the rinsing liquid and fluid inside the high pressure vessel and collects the rinsing liquid to the upper side or lower side of the high pressure vessel by changing at least one side of the temperature and pressure of the fluid and changing the specific gravity of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi Science Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisayuki Taktsu, Toru Iwaya, Koichi Miyazawa, Sakae Koubori
  • Patent number: 6908512
    Abstract: A substrate holder has a disk-like body with a central recess having diameter smaller than the diameter of the substrate placed onto the upper surface of the holder. The substrate can be clamped in place by the clamps of the edge-grip mechanism or placed into a seat without the use of clamps. In both cases, the substrate forms a partial wall that confines the heating/cooling recess or chamber. The aforementioned recess is filled with a cooling or heating liquid (depending on the mode of metal deposition) selectively supplied from a liquid heating or cooling system. In order to ensure in the working chamber above the substrate a pressure slightly higher than the pressure in the cooling/heating recess, the working chamber is first filled with the working solution under the atmospheric pressure, and then the recess is filled with a heating or cooling liquid with simultaneous increase of pressure in the working chamber to a level slightly exceeding the pressure in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Blue29, LLC
    Inventors: Igor C. Ivanov, Jonathan Weiguo Zhang, Artur Kolics
  • Patent number: 6766593
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for drying solvent-based ink is described, in which the ink is applied onto plastic cassettes for histological preparations and/or on glass specimen slides (17) for microscopic thin sections. The apparatus (1) comprises a hot-air blower (2) and/or a flash device (3) for drying the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Laudat, Holger Metzner, Roland Walter
  • Patent number: 6691430
    Abstract: Liquid for prevention of substrate drying is supplied into a processing chamber so that a pool of the liquid is created as an anti-drying atmosphere in advance inside a processing chamber, and substrates, as they are dipped in the pool, are kept on stand-by in a substrate board. In this manner, air drying of the substrates which are kept on stand-by is prevented. When the number of the substrates in the substrate board reaches a certain number, the anti-drying atmosphere is removed from the processing chamber, which is followed by introduction of an SCF into the processing chamber and supercritical drying (high pressure drying) of all of the plurality of substrates inside the processing chamber, namely, batch supercritical drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimitsugu Saito, Yusuke Muraoka, Ryuji Kitakado, Takashi Miyake, Tomomi Iwata, Ikuo Mizobata
  • Publication number: 20040025366
    Abstract: The invention is a convective airflow dryer system for granular, crushed, and sliced fruit and other crops and materials of greater than one quarter inch in average diameter that includes a distributed airflow container. The container may be removable and stackable and has multiple interior airflow plates extending from one surface of said container to an opposing surface, connecting an inlet plenum to an outlet plenum. The airflow plates are parallel and uniformly spaced so as to form material holding bays and are configured to freely admit, and transfer air through the bays and out of the container. The dryer system and the containers are configured for directing the full airflow of the dryer system through the container or set of interconnected containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Paul B. Soucy
  • Patent number: 6688018
    Abstract: A heated airflow dryer system for drying granular, crushed, and in particular, sliced fruit and other crops and materials where granules are of at least about one quarter inch diameter or slices are about one quarter inch or more thickness. An integral or removable materials holding container has multiple removable airflow plates configured with airflow channels extending through the container interior connecting an inlet high pressure plenum to a lower pressure outlet plenum of a primary heated airflow circuit. The airflow plates are parallel and uniformly spaced to form vertical or horizontal bays of sufficient width to hold the granules or slices. The primary airflow is directed through the container. An air dryer removes excess moisture in the primary airflow or a secondary airflow circuit, which may incorporate a heat exchanger, exhausts moist air and provides make up air to the primary airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Inventor: Paul B. Soucy
  • Patent number: 6665950
    Abstract: Known gas-heated infrared radiators for infrared drying units have a radiator housing (1) that is subdivided by a gas-permeable burner plate (5) in a distribution chamber (6) for the gas-air mixture and a combustion chamber (7), the front side of which emits the radiation. The radiator is held by mixing tube (9) that is affixed to the rear side. A gas-air mixture is supplied to the distribution chamber (6) via said mixing tube (9). The mixing tube (9) has a gas nozzle (11) with a gas inlet (12) and an air inlet (17) on the end opposite the radiator housing (1). The mixing tube is affixed to a holding frame of the drying unit. In order to disassemble the infrared radiator from the infrared drying unit and to mount said radiator on said unit as rapidly as possible, the rear side of the radiator housing (1) is connected to the holding frame by releasable fixing means (20, 33-36) that can be released manually from the front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Krieger GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Uwe Riepe, Richard Aust, Peter Arlinghaus, Juan Paniagua, Frank Schicht
  • Patent number: 6618956
    Abstract: The operation of dewatering and drying devices which consist of a dewatering centrifuge and a concentrically arranged spray drier may be disturbed by leaks between the drier housing and the centrifuge or by deposits and encrustation of solid particles inside the drier. In order to avoid these disturbances, the rotating outer surface of the centrifuge (1) is sealed with respect to the fixed front walls (13, 14) of the drier housing (11) by a sealing system in two or more stages which consists of rotary seals (160) and elastic or sliding sealing elements (180, 260, 300, 340). The rotating outer surface of the centrifuge (1) is provided, with turbulence-generating means (32, 33, 40, 42, 46), preferably torus-shaped turbulence-generating rollers, arranged inside the drier housing (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventors: Lucia Baumann Schilp, Uwe Zacher
  • Patent number: 6607608
    Abstract: A system for stripping an optical fiber includes a source of air and means for generating very short bursts of air. A heater heats the bursts of air to a temperature sufficient to remove the outer coating from an optical fiber, while maintaining the air isolated from the heat source. A single burst of heated air removes the outer coating of an optical fiber, within less than about one second. A series of closely spaced bursts or a prolonged burst of heated air may be used to remove an expanded length of fiber coating. Stripping may include translation of the fiber or the heater or portions thereof. The stripper may be configured to strip several loaded fibers or a single fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: 3SAE Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carmine J. Vetrano, Robert G. Wiley, Matthew W. Reed
  • Publication number: 20030150127
    Abstract: Methods and systems for extending the shelf life of produce are disclosed which provide an accelerated drying process for washed produce in order to further clean and fully crystallize a layer of solute-laden slurry that has been applied on the external surface of an item of produce (20). The drying process typical comprises three basic steps. The first step (10) is to mechanically remove excess moisture from the solute-laden slurry to form a moisture-reduced slurry layer (22) on the external surface of the item of produce (20). The second step (12) is to employ heat and/or light energy to accelerate the in-situ moisture removal process to create a protective stratum (24) on the external surface of the item of produce (20). The third step (14) is to further remove remaining moisture to permit the formation of crystalline structures (26) on the external surface of the item of produce (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventor: Charles R. Meldrum
  • Publication number: 20030079363
    Abstract: A heated airflow dryer system for drying granular, crushed, and in particular, sliced fruit and other crops and materials where granules are of at least about one quarter inch diameter or slices are about one quarter inch or more thickness. An integral or removable materials holding container has multiple removable airflow plates configured with airflow channels extending through the container interior connecting an inlet high pressure plenum to a lower pressure outlet plenum of a primary heated airflow circuit. The airflow plates are parallel and uniformly spaced to form vertical or horizontal bays of sufficient width to hold the granules or slices. The primary airflow is directed through the container. An air dryer removes excess moisture in the primary airflow or a secondary airflow circuit, which may incorporate a heat exchanger, exhausts moist air and provides make up air to the primary airflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventor: Paul B. Soucy
  • Patent number: 6553686
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a grain roasting apparatus in which a blower is installed at one side of a body having a support at a lower portion of the same, a heated air flow path is installed in the blower, a heater is provided, a peel collecting port and a discharge port are installed at the other side of the body, rotation portions are installed in an upper portion of the heated air flow path and an upper portion of the discharging port, respectively, a rotary drum is installed in the rotation portions, rotation members are rotated together with the rotary drum, the rotary drum is inserted into the rotation members, the rotary is installed eccentrically about a rotation center, support portions are installed opposite each other at both ends of the same, a heated air flow port having a net and connected with the heated air flow path is protruded from one side of the support, the heated air inlet is inserted into an insertion portion of the rotary port, respectively, and is supported therein, a ring gea
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Innotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Ji, Sang-Joon Yoon
  • Patent number: RE40123
    Abstract: A water-driven jet or venturi extraction means is used to remove, capture and cool the hot, highly humid air created within commercial dishwashers during a wash rinse or sanitization cycle. A cold water spray is used to create a pressure reduction zone which serves to draw in hot, highly humid air from the dishwasher. Water vapor cools and condenses on contact with the cold water spray within the venturi. The invention also serves to help vent the dishwasher. Cool, fresh air is drawn into the dishwasher while the hot air is drawn into the venturi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Ecolab Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Johansen, Kent R. Brittain, Lee J. Monsrud, Glen W. Davidson