Patents Examined by Corey Hall
  • Patent number: 7975402
    Abstract: The present invention includes a nozzle insert for use in a drying machine of the type used in paper web drying. The nozzle insert of the present invention includes at least one intake having a central portion, wherein a pair of center vanes is disposed for directing airflow. The central portion is bounded by at least one turning vane adapted for directing airflow in a lateral direction. For each turning vane, there is at least one straightening vane adapted for curtailing swirling of the airflow. The vanes are oriented at optimal angles for directing the flow of the nozzle in a lateral direction, while permitting some air to penetrate the central portion through a series of ports. The intakes are bounded by a series of insulated bulkheads, which serve to direct airflow and contain heat-loss through thermal emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Metso Paper USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Roland Parent, David Simpson Morrison, Craig Ernest Yerxa, Rita Elizabeth Cantor, Darrell Herbert Ketch
  • Patent number: 7966742
    Abstract: A method for increasing the efficiency of an internal combustion engine utilizes three three-way valves, one that receives ambient air through an air cleaner, a second that receives hot exhaust from a catalytic converter of the internal combustion engine, and a third that receives air from a high speed blower. The three-way valves direct ambient air through the air cleaner and into a first of three dryer canisters, and direct the dried ambient air through an ozone generator to the internal combustion engine, while concurrently directing gas from the exhaust catalytic converter to the second of the three dryer canisters, and also concurrently directing air from the high speed blower to the third of the three dryer canisters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Inventors: Daniel Mac Brown, Bobby Joe Farmer
  • Patent number: 7966744
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a food waste treatment apparatus that can effectively dispose food waste containing a large amount of water, rapidly dry food waste using microwaves, and remove odors and vapors generating during the drying process, thereby discharging clean air. The food waste treatment apparatus comprises a pulverizer (10) for pulverizing food waste, an endless track (20) for transferring food waste, a plurality of containers (30) installed on the upper surface of the endless track (20) for storing pulverized food waste, and a microwave dryer installed above the endless track for drying the pulverized food waste by making microwaves pass through the endless track in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the endless track (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Inventors: Soo Dong Kim, Sung Hwa Kim
  • Patent number: 7930838
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry dryer that can prevent as well as remove wrinkles of laundry. A laundry dryer includes a drum in which laundry is held; a hot air heater that heats air to supply hot air to the drum; a steam generator that generates steam to supply the steam to the drum; and a water tank to hold water to supply to the steam generator, the water tank in flow communication with a water supply hole through which water is supplied into the water tank with the water tank kept in flow communication with the steam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hun Bae, Chul Jin Choi, Dong Hyun Kim, Young Bok Son
  • Patent number: 7849608
    Abstract: Apparatus for drying leaf products including a product supply or loading section, a product centrifugation and drying section and a dried product discharging section. The loading section comprises a conveyor belt for continuously supplying the entering product and then discharges the collected product on the drying section. The centrifugation and drying section, downward of the supply section comprises a continuous conveyor with two parallel chains on which a plurality of centrifugation baskets is mounted, each one rotating about its own axis. The discharge section, receiving the dried product from the centrifugation section, and transferring the same at the exit, comprises an elevator conveyor belt operated by a motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Turatti S.R.L.
    Inventor: Antonio Turatti
  • Patent number: 7841104
    Abstract: The present invention provides a washer for washing articles. A housing of the washer defines a chamber. A partition divides the chamber into an upper compartment and a lower compartment. An outer peripheral edge of the partition generally conforms to side walls of the housing such that a gap is formed between the edge of the partition and the side walls of the housing. A blower assembly disposed in the upper compartment has a first air inlet, a second air inlet and an air outlet. The first air inlet fluidly communicates with the lower compartment. The second air inlet fluidly communicates with an external air inlet line. The air outlet fluidly communicates with the upper compartment. An impeller is provided to circulate air from the lower compartment and from the air inlet line into the upper compartment. A heating means heats the air in the upper compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Steris Inc.
    Inventors: Maxime Robert, Ghislain Parent, Louis Martineau
  • Patent number: 7814677
    Abstract: A dryer extension assembly connects with a hand-held dryer for dispensing heated air beyond an exhaust outlet of the dryer. The extension assembly is constructed from one or more interconnectable tube sections, an adapter section, and a stand section. Each tube section has a plurality of apertures defined through the outer wall and the inner wall for outletting heated air directed through the tube section. The number of interconnectable tube sections essentially enables the user to select an overall length of the extension assembly. The adapter section couples the dryer to a first or top tube section and the stand section receives the last or bottom tube section. The stand section enables the user to stand the extension assembly in a vertical position such that the hand-held dryer is held aloft by the extension assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventors: Howard W. Brewer, James P. Carlstrom
  • Patent number: 7805856
    Abstract: A device for drying laundry by means of a current of air includes a drum to accommodate the laundry and a ducting system to direct the current of air. The ducting system has a section arranged downstream of the drum in which a filter is arranged to capture lint from the current of air. A scraper is movably mounted over the filter. This filter is a channel arranged in an approximately horizontal manner and in the form of an inverted arch. The scraper has a foil resting on the filter in a sprung manner, the scraper being curved in accordance with the shape of the channel. Moving the scraper along the longitudinal axis of the filter scrapes lint off the filter and into a collection reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Gaβmann, Roman Goldberg, Kai Nitschmann
  • Patent number: 7805857
    Abstract: A dual-purpose, cooling/drying apparatus comprising a rotatable cooling/drying cylinder wherein air, steam, and water supplied from sources external of the cooling/drying cylinder are selectively introducible into and removable from a space defined inside the cylinder. The apparatus includes a first flow path through which the water is selectively introducible into the cylinder space, and a second, separate flow path through which either of the air and steam are selectively introducible into the cylinder space. The apparatus is characterized by a cooling mode, in which the water and air are selectively introducible into the cylinder space through the first and second flow paths, respectively, and a drying mode, wherein the steam is selectively introducible into the cylinder space through the second flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Kadant Johnson, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan T. Ives
  • Patent number: 7779556
    Abstract: Exemplary mobile drying containers and related methods are provided. In one embodiment, the mobile drying container includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, a second end wall having a gate, an interior bottom, an upper volume and a lower volume separated by a ventilated floor supported by support members, wheels positioned below the lower volume, and one or more support legs positioned below the lower volume to provide support between the mobile drying container and the ground. The upper volume holds the crop to be dried, and the gate of the second end wall is operable to open and provide a path to dump or remove the crop. The lower volume is operable to receive a flow of air from an opening to assist with the drying of the crop. The present invention also encompasses other embodiments and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: APT Advanced Trailer and Equipment, LP
    Inventor: Randal W. Hill
  • Patent number: 7726040
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for the uniform drying of boards, such as gypsum wallboards. The apparatus includes a dryer through which a series of boards are conveyed in a side-by-side relationship. While in the dryer, heated air is delivered over the boards via a series of separate air channels. A bypass duct delivers a portion of or a totality of unreheated air to the outermost channels where the cooler air displaces a volume of the warmer air. As a result, the air in the outermost channels is cooler than the air in the interior channels. Air from the outermost channels is then directed over the exposed longitudinal edges of the boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: CertainTeed Gypsum, Inc.
    Inventor: Felipe J. Yanes
  • Patent number: 7721462
    Abstract: A semi-drying method of a washing machine, and a ventilating structure and a control apparatus for the same. In the semi-drying method, the dehydration and disentanglement of cloth are repeated plural times, and a washing tub is rotated at a designated dehydration speed for a time longer than that of the conventional dehydrating operation so as to minimize the jamming of the cloth into water pores of the washing tub, thereby increasing the dehydration degree of the cloth compared to the conventional dehydrating operation, removing offensive odors from the cloth, preventing damage to the cloth, allowing a user to select the duration of a semi-drying operation and to see the state of the semi-drying operation, and ventilating the washing tub during the semi-drying operation to improve the dehydration degree of the cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seok Kyu Park, Ki Ho Kang, Yong Kyu Cho
  • Patent number: 7681327
    Abstract: A vacuum belt conveyor of a web forming machine for transferring a threading tail has at least two turning rolls (16, 17) and an air-permeable belt loop (20), arranged around the turning rolls (16, 17). The vacuum belt conveyor also has vacuum means (22) for creating a vacuum effect on both the section of the belt loop (20) conveying the threading tail (23) and in connection with the first turning roll (16) of the turning rolls (16, 17). Arranged in connection with the first turning roll (16) in the travel direction of the threading tail (23) there is at least one cross-directional dividing structure (24) for creating at least two axial vacuum zones (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Veli-Pekka Koljonen, Matti Lehtonen
  • Patent number: 7681326
    Abstract: In application of a green-house effect, under such a concept as to collect solar energy passively into the house and to exhaust moist air passively from the house, an all weather passive-type solar Ogako drying house which is available for all day through a year was made up improving an agricultural vinyl-house in which Ogako is dried continuously during carriage on the belt conveyors due to solar energy and auxiliary heat, and then moist air yielded when drying Ogako is exhausted through an insulated cylinder. In this case, Ogako means sawdust or tipped small particles of wood which is raw material in order to produce a woody pellet fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Marusho-Giken Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyoshi Sugawara, Kimio Kanayama, Shoshichi Sotoda, Kazuhiko Sotoda, Hiromu Baba, Hidehiko Seto, Katsuhiko Shibuya, Toshiyuki Tachi, Shinya Koga, Masahiro Nakajima, Akira Yaegashi, Zenbei Komiyama
  • Patent number: 7658016
    Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus for facilitating drying of a garment on a garment hanger are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for drying a garment on a garment hanger includes an elongated body comprised of a water resistant material. The body has a major axis extending between a first end and a second end. The body is configured to be repeatably changed between a substantially flat and a substantially tubular orientation. An elongated aperture formed in the first end of the elongated body to allow passage of the hook of the garment hanger through the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Inventor: Elaine M. Schulkin
  • Patent number: 7614162
    Abstract: A clothes dryer door assembly with a viewing window is adapted to be reversibly mounted to a clothes dryer cabinet and has an inner door assembly supporting an inner window and an outer door assembly supporting an outer window. The inner door assembly removably carries a hinge and the outer door assembly is removably secured with the inner door assembly. In order to reverse the door, the outer door assembly is removed from the inner door assembly and rotated 180 degrees. The hinge is removed from the inner door assembly and re-positioned 180 degrees on the inner door assembly. The outer door assembly is then reattached to the inner door assembly. This reversing of the door assembly of the present invention does not require complete disassembly of either of the inner or outer door assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Mabe Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Pasquale Antonio Renzo