Patents Examined by Daniel L. Robinson
  • Patent number: 8367959
    Abstract: A system and method for treating subcutaneous histological features without affecting adjacent tissues adversely employs microwave energy of selected power, frequency and duration to penetrate subcutaneous tissue and heat target areas with optimum doses to permanently affect the undesirable features. The frequency chosen preferentially interacts with the target as opposed to adjacent tissue, and the microwave energy is delivered as a short pulse causing minimal discomfort and side effects. By distributing microwave energy at the skin over an area and adjusting power and frequency, different conditions, such as hirsuitism and telangiectasia, can be effectively treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Miramar Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Bruce Spertell
  • Patent number: 8326134
    Abstract: An integrated wiring assembly electrically connects components of a multi-zone boiler heating system. The integrated wiring assembly includes a plurality of connection terminals which are commonly connected to facilitate connecting thermostats and zone valves for each zone, end switches of each zone valve to a start switch of the boiler, and a transformer to supply electrical power to the components, in such a way that the complexity of the electrical connections is simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventor: James T. Harper
  • Patent number: 8319153
    Abstract: A glow plug assembly (110) has a metallic heater probe (118) supported within a metal shell (112). A transition zone (144) at the base of the shell (112) includes a membrane (146) and a tube portion (148). A first open end (130) of the heater probe (118) is formed with a reduced diameter pilot section (150) that mates with the tube portion (148) to establish a joint area between the components. The membrane (146) may be made elastically deflectable so as to accommodate integration of a pressure sensor (156) in the glow plug assembly (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Italy Srl.
    Inventors: John A Burrows, Marcello Cino, Sandro Goretti
  • Patent number: 8306408
    Abstract: A radiant heating system comprises a thermally sprayed resistive heating layer bonded to an underlayment building material substrate. The substrate can comprise a sub-flooring material and the heating system can comprise a radiant floor heating system. The resistive heating layer can be thermally sprayed directly onto a sub-floor or similar underlayment material, including a cementitious backing material or a sound reduction board. A finished floor surface, such as a tile, wood or laminate surface, can be provided over the substrate and thermally sprayed heater to provide a radiant floor heater. In other embodiments, a radiant heating system includes a thermally sprayed heater bonded to a flooring overlay, such as a laminate board, to a heater insert, such as a flexible polymer film or a mica-based material, or to a concrete substrate. Methods of fabricating radiant heating systems include thermally-spraying a resistive material on a sub-floor or flooring overlay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Thermoceramix Inc.
    Inventor: Richard C. Abbott
  • Patent number: 8301019
    Abstract: The fragrance emanation system includes a container for holding preferably a fragranced liquid or gel, a housing for holding the container, and a wick. The housing contains a socket for attaching to the container, a cavity for receiving the container and a door for enclosing the container. One end of the wick protrudes from the container. An electrical circuit is included having a heater for heating the protruding end of the wick and electrical connectors coupled to the circuit to receive current from a power source to provide the current to the heater. The heater heats and evaporates the liquid within the wick, thereby accelerating the emission of vapors from the evaporated liquid. The door includes a window, a bottom and a mechanism for holding the door closed to assist in holding the container in engagement with the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Bath & Body Works Brand Management, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Smith, David Baraky, Robert Bussom, Todd Wambach, Harry Slatkin
  • Patent number: 8299403
    Abstract: A heating device includes a heat resisting vacuum insulator (4) wound around the outer periphery of an electric heater (3) disposed along the outer wall of an exhaust pipe (1), wherein the electric heater (3) has a resistance heating element and a heat resisting electric insulator covering this resistance heating element, and the heat resisting vacuum insulator (4) includes a hollow platy covering material air-tightly sealed thereinside by a metal seat (5) having a heat resisting temperature of at least 100° C., and a fibrous or granular filling material (6) filled in the hollow portion of this covering material and having a heat resisting temperature of at least 100° C., the inside of the covering material being kept in a vacuum state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: National University Corporation Tohoku University, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Yasuyuki Shirai, Sadao Kobayashi, Yoshihide Wakayama, Kazutaka Uekado
  • Patent number: 8285128
    Abstract: A steam generator for a household appliance. The steam generator includes an evaporation chamber having a substantially planar evaporation surface with first and second sections. A water supply line is in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber and a steam discharge line is also in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber. The steam generator includes a heat accumulator configured to heat the evaporation surface. At least one of a valve and a pump is associated with the water supply line and operable to control an introduction of water into the evaporation chamber. An electric controller controls the heating of the heat accumulator by the heater and the introduction of water into the evaporation chamber using the at least one of valve and pump. The first section of the evaporation surface is a starter section that is thermally conductively coupled to the heat accumulator such that heat flow from the heat accumulator to the starter section is limited compared to the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Miele & Cie. KG
    Inventors: Uwe Berger, Hartmut Dittrich, Thomas Metz, Joerg Vollgraf
  • Patent number: 8273812
    Abstract: Nano-silver infused container arrangements are presented including: a nano-silver infused container body defining at least one opening; and a nano-silver infused container lid configured to close off the at least one opening. In some embodiments, the arrangement is a composition of a polymeric compound and a concentration of nano-silver particles. In some embodiments, the polymeric compound includes polyvinyl-pyrrolidione, polypropylene and polycarbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Zinus, Inc.
    Inventors: Gil Sun Ok, Youn Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 8275248
    Abstract: This invention discloses a kind of garment steamer technology, which overcomes the defects of obvious condensation and return flow inside the steam duct and the low purity and temperature of steam. It comprises a main body, a steam duct and a brush head, being equipped with a water tank and a heating and vaporizing device inside, said heating and vaporizing device inside said main body comprising the first vaporizing device and the second vaporizing device, said brush head being equipped with the third vaporizing device; said first vaporizing device comprising a spiral vaporizing tube, an electric heating tube and a metal die cast; is provided with a water outlet pipe on the bottom, said water outlet pipe is connected with the water inlet of said spiral vaporizing tube via the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Inventors: Wanqun Xu, Qilin Li
  • Patent number: 8270822
    Abstract: To provide an aircraft use water heater that operates by an aircraft power source of an AC variable frequency mounted in an aircraft, that is small, light-weight, safe, and low power consumption, and that can supply warm water stably. In an aircraft use water heater composed of a tank section for heating liquid stored therein and a controlling section for controlling the heating of the liquid by an aircraft power source, a bottom face of the tank section has a baffle plate and, liquid flowing in the tank section collides against the baffle plate to flow in a different direction parallel to the bottom face and is upwardly moved, while being heated, in the vicinity of a helical coil-type heater and is taken out through a liquid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Jamco Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Sasaki, Seiichi Tomiyama
  • Patent number: 8261657
    Abstract: There is provided a toaster grill having a lower housing that supports a lower cooking surface and an upper housing that supports an upper cooking surface. The upper housing pivots with respect to a “U” shaped frame that is hinged with respect to the lower cooking surface. A locking hinge allows the pivoting motion of the frame to be automatically arrested in an intermediate orientation between the fully closed and fully open grill orientations. The locking hinge automatically resets when the upper housing is rotated from the fully open grill orientation to the fully closed orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Breville Pty Limited
    Inventors: Daniel Serra, Richard Hoare
  • Patent number: 8265465
    Abstract: A pebble stone-shaped aroma diffuser includes a top cover shell, an upper panel, a gasket ring, a lower panel, a bottom cover shell, a heater and a base member. The gasket ring is tightly set between the top cover shell and the upper panel, thereby forming with the top cover shell and the upper panel a fluid container. The lower panel is supported on the bottom cover shell and closely attached to the upper panel of the fluid container. The heater is kept in contact with the bottom side of the lower panel. The base member is arranged at the bottom side of the bottom cover shell to provide power supply to the heater for producing heat that is transferred through the lower panel and the upper panel to heat the aromatic fluid in the fluid container. The fluid container is rapidly detachable from the lower panel for cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ming Jen Hsiao
    Inventor: Carsten Jörgensen
  • Patent number: 8258442
    Abstract: A control for an electric water heater detects a condition of a heating element when the heating element is not being energized. A switching module is operable to interrupt power to the heating element, which de-energizes the heating element. A detector module detects the condition of the heating element when the heating element is de-energized. The detector module senses current flowing through the heating element and generates a detection signal that is indicative of the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: William E. Miller, Lawrence J. Brazis
  • Patent number: 8260126
    Abstract: A dual wall axial flow electric heater for leak sensitive applications provides an improved corrosion and leak resistant assembly and includes protective tubes over electrical heater rods, double tubesheets spaced apart by a plenum and leak detectors positioned to sensor leaks through the walls of the protective tubes. The design includes the option of two or more tube bundles with each inserted into opposite ends of a shell surrounding the tube sheets and heaters. The design provides ease of maintenance since each heater rod can be replaced independently while the unit is in service. Variable heat flux is provided from standard single flux heater rods by providing protective tubes of varying diameters. A built-in thermowell is provided to allow the rod temperatures to be monitored directly. Hot spots are avoided by the use of turning baffles and vibration is avoided by use of spider baffles to support the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Lord Ltd., LP
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Lord, Kurt Lund
  • Patent number: 8251953
    Abstract: A disposable cassette for mixing a drug in a vial includes a liquid inlet for connection to a liquid supply, a first vial spike, a second vial spike, a chamber and a valve mechanism. The chamber, the first and second vial spikes, and the liquid inlet are in fluid communication with each other. The valve mechanism may be actuated to control flow between the chamber, the vial receptacles and the liquid inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dean Kamen, Marc A. Mandro, Jason A. Demers
  • Patent number: 8253083
    Abstract: Various microwave energy interactive display packages, blanks for forming such packages, and methods of displaying and heating a food item are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan Keefe
  • Patent number: 8249435
    Abstract: A device may include a housing defining a generally nonlinear path between an intake port for taking in fluid and an outlet port for outputting heated fluid. The device may also include a fan assembly disposed of the intake port for supplying the intake port with the fluid. Additionally, the device may also include a heat source disposed along the generally nonlinear path for heating the fluid supplied by the fan assembly. Further, the device may also include a compression assembly for at least partially defining the generally nonlinear path. The compression assembly may be configured for creating a first pressure region proximal to the intake port and a second pressure region distal to the intake port. The first pressure region may be a higher fluid pressure than the second pressure region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Inventor: James Rookstool
  • Patent number: 8244115
    Abstract: A combination flashlight and insect repellent dispensing apparatus. Light is produced by light bulbs or LEDs whereas insect repellent is dispensed by heating a volatilizable insecticide. The insecticide and portable light may be used either concurrently or independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: The Schawbel Corporation
    Inventors: Wender Wang, Stephen Shapiro
  • Patent number: 8244116
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for storing and distributing a high-purity pressurized liquefied gas at a rate which is higher than or equal to 1 kg/h, said device having: a container comprising a liquefied phase of said gas in its lower part, and a gaseous phase of said gas in its upper part, a system for bleeding the gaseous phase of said gas, and a heating system used to maintain a constant pressure of the gas at the moment of use. The invention is characterized in that the heating system involves the circulation of a hot fluid in a circuit built into the surface of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude Et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Jean-Paul Barbier
  • Patent number: 8238733
    Abstract: A device having a tube for heating or heat retaining of fluid includes a first path in which a connection section of a cord heater led out of the tube and a lead wire connected to a power supply is provided, a second path provided between the tube and the first path, and a drainage path for removing leaked fluid of the second path. In this device, the connection section is sandwiched by a pair of first sealing members to retain a sealed state and the cord heater passes through the second path in a sealed state by a second sealing member. This device can effectively prevent gas or liquid from leaking into the space where the connection section of a lead wire and a cord heater is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Nitta Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunori Sawada, Haruki Shimada, Yuji Nakabayashi, Satoru Hosotani, Nobuyuki Asari