Patents Assigned to Thermodynamics
  • Patent number: 6008452
    Abstract: A closure for use on a hollow, upright, open top and open bottom pedestal for receiving underground wiring having a circumferential collar portion surrounding the open top that receives a nut member, the closure being hollow with a closed top and an open bottom and a circumferential collar portion surrounding the open bottom, the open bottom being dimensioned to telescopically receive the pedestal open top and having a radially oriented opening in the cover collar portion that is in alignment with the nut member when the cover is in closed position on the pedestal, including a radially extending tubular barrel welded to the cover collar portion in alignment with the opening therein and extending radially and exteriorly of said cover collar portion and a bolt received within the tubular barrel and threadably engageable with the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Armin Thermodynamics
    Inventor: Robert J. Lux, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5579728
    Abstract: There is described a method and apparatus for supplying power to ancillary equipment comprising a prime mover cooled by a liquid pump to pressurize the liquid, first conduit means for the flow of fluid pressurized by the pump means to the ancillary equipment for actuation thereof and second conduit means for the return flow of liquid to one or both of the prime mover and the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Advanced Thermodynamics Corporation
    Inventor: Christer T. Gotmalm
  • Patent number: 5337574
    Abstract: A reversible vapour compression refrigeration plant serves as an air conditioner for cooling or as a heat pump for heating. A main stream of inlet air is divided into separate main and bypass streams of air and proportion of flow between the two streams is varied in an inverse ratio so that as flow through the bypass duct increases, flow through the main duct decreases and vice versa. When the plant is used for heating, the main stream is heated by a supply heat exchanger acting as a condenser and when the plant is used as an air conditioner, the supply heat exchanger acts as an evaporator. Also, as an additional alternative, as a desired air space temperature is approached, preferably heat rejected by a condenser in the heating mode, or heat gathered by the evaporator in the cooling mode, is gradually reduced by reducing refrigerant flow therethrough by modulating compressor suction. Full fresh air or full re-circulating air modes, or a combination of mixed and re-circulating air can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Alberni Thermodynamics Ltd.
    Inventor: Brian G. Dick
  • Patent number: 5250033
    Abstract: A peel-away introducer sheath includes a tube sheath having a splittable handle at its proximal end. A gas or liquid sealing valve or other fitting is secured to a proximal face of the handle and includes an axial passage typically having a diameter approximately equal to the lumen diameter of the sheath. The valve includes a threaded connector which is received in a counter bore formed in the handle. In this way, the sheath may be split apart leaving only the valve or other fitting in place on a catheter passing therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Interventional Thermodynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Evans, Raymond S. Figueroa, Jr., Colin J. Nichols
  • Patent number: 5222938
    Abstract: Hollow body organs, such as the gallbladder, may be ablated by introducing a substantially unheated thermally conductive medium to the interior of the organ. The thermally conductive medium is then heated to a temperature sufficient to necrose the endothelial lining or mucous membrane of the organ. After the lining or membrane has necrosed, the interior of the organ will fibrose over time and the organ will eventually be resorbed by the body. A catheter useful in performing the ablation method comprises an elongate member having a heating element at its distal tip. The catheter will include at least one lumen for delivering the thermally conductive medium to the interior of the hollow body organ, and the heating means is used to raise the temperature of the thermally conductive medium after it has been delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Interventional Thermodynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Behl
  • Patent number: 5188602
    Abstract: A catheter for thermally treating a hollow body organ includes a first flexible elongate member having a heater element at or near its distal end. A second flexible elongate member may be slidably disposed within a central lumen of the first flexible elongate member and may include an occluding means, such as an inflatable balloon, at its distal end. By first inserting the distal end of the second flexible elongate member within a hollow body organ or connecting region, the heater element on the first flexible elongate member may then be positioned and repositioned by axially translating the first flexible elongate member over the exterior of the second flexible elongate member. A collapsible shield may also be provided about the exposed heater element on the first flexible elongate member. The shield typically comprises a cylinder having a plurality of axial slots near its distal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Interventional Thermodynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Colin J. Nichols
  • Patent number: 5183464
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming and enlarging percutaneous penetrations comprises an elongate dilation tube which receives an elongate expansion member in an axial lumen thereof. The dilation tube is radially expandable from a small diameter configuration to a larger diameter configuration. The dilation tube is percutaneously introduced to a desired target site within a patient's body and thereafter radially expanded by axial insertion of the expansion member through the axial lumen of the tube. The tube prevents the application of axial forces on the surrounding tissue as the expansion member is introduced. The expansion member may include a separate outer sleeve member which remains in place to maintain the enlarged access channel. Optionally, an inflatable balloon at the distal end of the dilation tube may be provided to enhance retention of the device and sealing of the penetration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Interventional Thermodynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Dubrul, Cecily M. Hillsman
  • Patent number: 5100388
    Abstract: Hollow body organs, such as the gallbladder, may be ablated by introducing a substantially unheated thermally conductive medium to the interior of the organ. The thermally conductive medium is then heated to a temperature sufficient to necrose the endothelial lining or mucous membrane of the organ. After the lining or membrane has necrosed, the interior of the organ will fibrose over time and the organ will eventually be resorbed by the body. A catheter useful in performing the ablation method comprises an elongate member having a heating element at its distal tip. The catheter will include at least one lumen for delivering the thermally conductive medium to the interior of the hollow body organ, and the heating means is used to raise the temperature of the thermally conductive medium after it has been delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: Interventional Thermodynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Behl, Colin J. Nichols
  • Patent number: 5078736
    Abstract: An intraluminal stent for maintaining patency in body passages subject to invasive tissue growth includes a cylindrical wall having radial passages therethrough. A mechanism is provided for disrupting cellular growth which penetrates through the passages. The mechanism may provide for mechanical disruption, thermal disruption, or preferably for excision using radio frequency energy. In a specific embodiment, the cylindrical wall is defined by a tubular mesh, and the mechanism for disrupting cellular growth comprises parallel wires within the mesh. The wires are connected to an external radio frequency source and act as electrodes in effecting excision using the radio frequency energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: Interventional Thermodynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Behl
  • Patent number: 5000255
    Abstract: An improved heat exchanger for the transfer of heat between a first and second fluid includes a shell enclosure, tube means, fluidized bed of particles, and a distributor plate. The first fluid is passed through the shell. Tubes positioned in the shell contain the bed particles through which the second fluid passes so as to fluidize the bed of particles. Heat is transferred between the fluids. The fluidized particles enhance heat transfer and mitigate the deposition of material on the tube walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Applied Thermodynamic Systems
    Inventor: David Pflum
  • Patent number: 4974127
    Abstract: A fluidized bed lamp which provides a pleasing visual and audible display. A bed of particles is contained within an outside tube and supported by a distribution plate. A liquid is pumped through the bed of particles, causing the bed to be in a state of fluidization. Fluidization is characterized by the bed behaving as a suspension with the particles moving about in a chaotic manner. The liquid is returned to the pump with a downcomer tube. The fluidized bed of particles is illuminated with a light fixture contained within the downcomer tube or by lights on the top or bottom of the lamp assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Applied Thermodynamic Systems
    Inventor: James E. Foley
  • Patent number: 4663938
    Abstract: Adiabatic positive displacement gas cycle machinery is designed with explicit control of the heat flow between the gas and the walls. The control is achieved by maintaining near-laminar flow and a small wall area to volume ratio. The most stable near-laminar flow in a cylinder is an axial vortex because of symmetry, and hence the induction port design should establish an axial vortex and a low velocity. Induction and exhaust port designs to achieve this flow are applied to a vane pump, an adiabatic air compressor, a diesel engine, and two and four stroke Otto cycle engines. The gain in thermal efficiency for these designs can be significant, up to a factor of 2, since the largest inefficiency in nearly all positive displacement machinery is imperfect control of heat flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: Colgate Thermodynamics Co.
    Inventor: Stirling A. Colgate
  • Patent number: 4619112
    Abstract: The design of a cryogenic regenerator for an isothermal Stirling cycle is based upon separately minimizing the losses due to the static heat mass regenerator material and the thermodynamic losses of the gas transferred through the regenerator. This leads to a sequence of regenerator sections each designed for a given temperature region (temperature difference/temperature=1/2) where the gas flows in a constant width channel in contact with a smooth channel wall. Two alternate designs are given, one with the channel walls of a thin stainless steel backed up by bands of lead and the second using a special alloy of pure lead and roughly 1% of a heavy soft metal such as bismuth or cesium. The composite banded regenerator leads to an overall efficiency relative to Carnot of 50% at 4.degree. K. and 15 Hz and the special lead alloy regenerator leads to 25% efficiency at 4.degree. K. and 30 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1986
    Assignee: Colgate Thermodynamics Co.
    Inventor: Stirling A. Colgate
  • Patent number: 4498304
    Abstract: The invention is related to a tank designed to contain a cryogenic liquefied gas and formed in addition to the main tank by two other tight walls.In the upper part of this tank an aperture duct connects the ceiling of the tank to the exterior of the tank, a holder supporting a device sensing in various areas wall temperatures of the tank, can be fitted into this aperture duct, a remote temperature sensor is actually hold by this support and is introduced into the tank.The invention finds an application as a means to easily localize leaking failures of the intermediate wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignees: Gaz de France, Applied Thermodynamics & LNG Service
    Inventor: Jean R. Guilhem
  • Patent number: 4490974
    Abstract: Positive displacement isothermal gas cycle machinery is designed with explicit control of the heat flow between the gas, the walls of the chamber and a thermal reservoir externally of the chamber. The control is achieved by providing a large chamber wall area to chamber volume ratio through the use of bellows-like walls having a configuration that ensures during each stroke numerous heat exchanges between the working gas and the bellows-like walls. The machinery includes Stirling cycle heat pumps and motors and isothermal compressors. Significant gains in thermal efficiency, up to a factor of 2, are attainable because the largest inefficiency in all isothermal machinery is imperfect control of heat flow. A regenerator for the isothermal machinery minimizes cycle losses due to gas transfer friction, gas thermal conduction, dead volume, regenerator heat mass, regenerator heat mass thermal skin depth, and regenerator mass thermal conductivity in the gas flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1985
    Assignee: Colgate Thermodynamics Co.
    Inventor: Stirling A. Colgate
  • Patent number: RE31134
    Abstract: A transformer unit comprising a transformer, a ground level base pad having a vertical cable opening therethrough, and an open top, open bottom vertical cable vault situated in the earth, the upper end thereof being received in the pad opening to provide easy access to and training room for underground electrical cables connected to the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Assignee: Thermodynamics Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Lux, Jr.
  • Patent number: D333028
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Armin Thermodynamics Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Lux, Jr.
  • Patent number: D340250
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: Armin Thermodynamics Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Lux, Jr.
  • Patent number: D422264
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Armin Thermodynamics
    Inventor: Robert J. Lux, Jr.
  • Patent number: D423460
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Armin Thermodynamics
    Inventor: Robert J. Lux, Jr.