Patents Examined by David A. Simmons
  • Patent number: 6530976
    Abstract: An ozone storage apparatus is disclosed for storing ozone efficiently. A process for efficient water treatment is also disclosed. The ozone storage container has a generally U-shape and is filled with an absorbent. The ozone is supplied and discharged from the same opening. The temperature of the absorbent is kept between 0° C. and −30° C. The generated ozone from an ozone generating means is cooled by a cooling device and is supplied to a storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Murai
  • Patent number: 6527838
    Abstract: One or two filters in brackets are integrated with a square or circular fan. Filters and associated brackets are provided both in the front and in the rear of the fan in one embodiment. In another embodiment, a single filter in a bracket is provided at the rear of the fan. The filter(s) can be pre-pleated and pre-activated carbon filter(s). The fan housing can include a pocket for adding an odorizing and/or deodorizing agent. A plurality of stick-on right-angled brackets having the capacity of adjustable clearance to snugly hold the filters is another embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Inventors: Giovanni D. Volo, Salvatore R. Carabetta
  • Patent number: 6527837
    Abstract: A rotor and a sealing device for a rotary adsorber is disclosed. The rotor includes a rim, spokes, arc-shaped sectors, a calking material, and a thermal insulating seal. The spokes divides the rim into arc-shaped portions. The sectors are disposed in the rim and include a gas adsorptive element. The calking material is provided between each sector and one of the rim and the spoke. The thermal insulating seal covers end surfaces of the spokes and joint portions of the sectors. The sealing device includes a sealing material, a mounting plate, a connecting portion, a rod member, and a spring. The sealing material is slidably interposed between a partitioning frame of the rotary adsorber and the mounting plate. The connecting portion fixes the mounting plate to the partitioning frame. The rod member is fixed to the connecting portion. The spring is interposed between the sealing material and the connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Nichias Corporation
    Inventors: Masaji Kurosawa, Katsuhiro Yamashita, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Shusaku Asahina
  • Patent number: 6527839
    Abstract: A serviceable filtering oil removal cartridge for use in a compressed air assembly of a vehicle air brake system includes a housing having a first end and a second end. A filtering element is disposed within the housing for agglomerating and removing oil from compressed air entering the oil removal cartridge. A load plate is disposed within the housing for supporting the filtering element. The load plate includes a connecting portion dimensioned to allow the oil removal cartridge to be removed and installed as a single unit. The connecting portion is preferably a threaded annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: William P. Fornof, James P. Koenig
  • Patent number: 6524359
    Abstract: A filter bag for a pocket air filter includes two side walls. Both lateral edges of the side walls, and the edge of the base are welded to each other. The side walls are made of an air-permeable filter material which can be ultrasonically welded, and at least part of the surface of said side walls is joined by means of interconnected welded spacer elements running substantially parallel to said side walls. The spacer elements are formed by an intermediate layer made from a strip of flexible material, which is alternately welded to the side walls in zig-zag fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Inventor: Klaus Kluge
  • Patent number: 6524360
    Abstract: An electret filter media includes an additive or mixtures thereof that enhance the charge stability of the media. The filter media achieves acceptable alpha values for a range of filtration challenges without significant decay in alpha values over time. Preferred charge additives include fatty acid amides and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Hollingsworth & Vose Company
    Inventors: Stephen T. Cox, David T. Healey
  • Patent number: 6524375
    Abstract: A vehicle cabin air filter whose filter material carries microcapsules containing at least one volatile substance, the microcapsules being suitable for diffusing said volatile substance progressively into the air passing through the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Filtrauto
    Inventor: Philippe Brun
  • Patent number: 6524361
    Abstract: A micro porous gas breather/filter assembly can be coupled to a housing of an electrical enclosure. The filter assembly has a two portion housing with the filter disposed between them. An adhesive on the filter attaches the filter to one or both portions of the housing. The filter allows gas to pass from the enclosure through the filter and to the atmosphere, but prohibits liquid from passing into the enclosure device. By filtering gases and liquids in this manner, the filter vents explosive and/or flammable gases from an electrical enclosure, while preventing liquid and other contaminants from entering the enclosure and damaging the electrical device or its wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerry F. Thornton, Stephen M. Stafford, Lewis W. Kenyon
  • Patent number: 6521026
    Abstract: A rotor includes a high-temperature section and a low-temperature section on its circumference. It is possible to absorb and separate carbon dioxide gas in an effluent or exhaust gas simply by rotating the rotor. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a reliable absorbing/separating system. The system can be remarkably simplified, the regenerating cost thereof can be considerably reduced, and the maintenance thereof is easy. A fixed type of system has similar advantages. Lithium zirconate, an alkali metal oxide, and/or an alkali earth metal oxide is used as an absorbing/separating agent. Such an absorbing/separating agent is chemically and mechanically stable, and can absorb and release carbon dioxide gas stably and reversibly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Alstom K.K.
    Inventor: Kazushige Goto
  • Patent number: 6521006
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner capable of efficiently separating and eliminating dust and dirt is provided. The vacuum cleaner including a body having open and closed spaces divided by a partition, a suction brush connecting port formed on the upper side of the body and interconnected with the open space, an interconnecting hole formed on the partition for interconnecting the open and closed spaces, a motor mounted in the closed space of the body for generating a suction force, and a dirt collecting unit detachably mounted in the open space of the body for centrifugally separating dirt and dust contained in the air sucked in through the suction brush connecting port by the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Kwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyu-Chang Park, Jang-Keun Oh, Jeong-Gon Song
  • Patent number: 6521008
    Abstract: In an air filter for filtering the intake air for internal combustion engines of motor vehicles, with a filter housing, which has an air inlet, an air outlet, and at least one water outlet disposed in the housing bottom, and with a replaceable filter matte disposed in the filter housing between the air intake and air outlet, in order to separate water particles from the intake air and in order to optimally discharge the separated water from the filter housing, a water separator is disposed upstream of the filter matte in the filter housing and means are provided in the at least one water outlet, which produce a water level in the water outlet of such a height that the vacuum in the filter housing acting on the water outlet is compensated for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Lenzing, Uwe Konzelmann, Waldemar Guenther
  • Patent number: 6521021
    Abstract: A system and method for removing mercury from the flue gas of a coal-fired power plant is described. Mercury removal is by adsorption onto a thermally activated sorbent produced in-situ at the power plant. To obtain the thermally activated sorbent, a lance (thief) is inserted into a location within the combustion zone of the combustion chamber and extracts a mixture of semi-combusted coal and gas. The semi-combusted coal has adsorptive properties suitable for the removal of elemental and oxidized mercury. The mixture of semi-combusted coal and gas is separated into a stream of gas and semi-combusted coal that has been converted to a stream of thermally activated sorbent. The separated stream of gas is recycled to the combustion chamber. The thermally activated sorbent is injected into the duct work of the power plant at a location downstream from the exit port of the combustion chamber. Mercury within the flue gas contacts and adsorbs onto the thermally activated sorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Henry W. Pennline, Evan J. Granite, Mark C. Freeman, Richard A. Hargis, William J. O'Dowd
  • Patent number: 6517593
    Abstract: A cassette suitable for the sampling of ambient air to determine if it contains particulate matter made up of an in-port cap that has a detachable tubing extending therefore; an intake cap longitudinally attached to the in-port cap; a cassette insert longitudinally attached to the intake cap on a side thereof opposite to the side of the intake cap attached to the in-port cap; a filter assembly longitudinally proximate to an end of the cassette passageway opposite to the end attached to the intake cap, and in operative relationship with the cassette passageway such that air passing through the cassette passageway must pass through said filter; and air exit means longitudinally attached to the cassette insert and housing the filter assembly, wherein said cassette passageway comprises a substantially circular entry end proximate to said intake cap and an elongated end proximate to said filter assembly; wherein the intake cap has at least one internal passageway communicating with the detachable tubing and commun
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Inventors: Larry Don Robertson, Robert Allen Garrison
  • Patent number: 6517595
    Abstract: An intake duct for introducing outside air into an air cleaner of an internal combustion engine is provided which includes a hollow duct body with an opening, and a piece of non-woven fabric, formed in a flat shape, is joined to the duct body to close the opening. The duct body includes a circumferential wall formed of a resin, and the opening is formed along a plane extending through a portion of the circumferential wall. The piece of non-woven fabric is fixed to the duct body so that some of the resin of the duct body penetrates into the non-woven fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignees: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kino, Hidetoshi Ishihara, Takahiro Komori, Yoshikazu Hirose, Katsumi Yokohashi, Yoshikazu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6517613
    Abstract: A tank for containing granular adsorbers for cleaning gases, wherein the tank has a gas inlet, a gas distributing chamber, at least one adsorption chamber defined by vertical, gas-permeable walls and containing a charge of adsorbers in bulk, an outflow chamber and a gas outlet. Each gas-permeable wall consists of horizontal rails of plastic arranged at a distance above one another, through which pass vertical centering rods of plastic. At least half of the rails have the cross-sectional profile of an inverted U. In the tank at least one vertical supporting wall is arranged, which divides the adsorption chamber. At least the surface of the supporting wall consists of plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft AG
    Inventors: Bruno Schumm, Bernd Reichert
  • Patent number: 6517598
    Abstract: A filter element is provided including a media construction including a corrugated sheet secured to a flat sheet rolled into a coiled construction. The filter element includes a mounting flange secured to the coiled construction. The mounting flange projects radially from the outer, annular surface of the coiled construction. The mounting flange defines at least one fastener socket to allow for axial mounting of the filter element into a housing. An air cleaner includes a housing with filter elements, as described herein, operably installed within. Preferably, the filter element is sealed within suitable housings with a seal, such as a radially directed seal. Preferably, the filter element is secured to the housing by axial mounting of the mounting flange to the housing using fasteners. Methods for installing, assembling, using, and servicing are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Ross Norman Anderson, Wayne R. W. Bishop, Steven Scott Gieseke
  • Patent number: 6517610
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gas concentrator is fabricated for extracting a gaseous component from a gas mixture. The gas concentrator consists of an adsorbent member that alternatively moves between two regions on a single substrate. When the adsorbent member is in the first region, it is allowed to adsorb the gaseous component. When the adsorbent member moves to the second region, it is exposed to radiant energy, causing it to desorb the gaseous component. As the adsorbent member moves alternatively between regions, the gaseous component is adsorbed by the adsorbent member in the first region and desorbed in the second region, resulting in a pumping action that concentrates the gaseous component from one region to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Paul R. de la Houssaye
  • Patent number: 6517592
    Abstract: A temperature-controlled exhaust assembly with cold trap capability. One embodiment of the exhaust assembly comprises a multi-heater design which allows for independent multi-zone closed-loop temperature control. Another embodiment comprises a compact multi-valve uni-body design incorporating a single heater for simplified closed-loop temperature control. The cold trap incorporates a heater for temperature control at the inlet of the trap to minimize undesirable deposits. One embodiment also comprises a multi-stage cold trap and a particle trap. As a removable unit, this cold trap provides additional safety in the handling and disposal of the adsorbed condensables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Salvador P. Umotoy, Lawrence Chung-Lai Lei, Russell C. Ellwanger, Ronald L. Rose, Joel Huston, James Jin-Long Chen
  • Patent number: 6517594
    Abstract: An air manager and/or chemical containment apparatus, for environmental control of fumes from wet bench units of semiconductor manufacturing facilities. The air manager system is suitable for installation in an open architecture wet bench or an enclosed mini-environment wet bench, and includes an air source and an air exhaust arranged for flowing air across an open chemical tank, to entrain fumes from chemical in the tank that otherwise may migrate from the immediate vicinity of the tank, and transport such fumes to the exhaust with the air flowed from the air source to the exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: W. Karl Olander, Bruce G. Walker
  • Patent number: 6517615
    Abstract: A filter arrangement for use with a vessel containing pressurized fluid includes a body engageable with the vessel. The arrangement further includes a coalescing filter assembly supported by the body such that the filter assembly is disposable inside the vessel when the body is engaged with the vessel. In one embodiment of the filter arrangement, the coalescing filter assembly includes a housing having a cavity, a coalescing filter disposed in the cavity for removing entrained liquid from the fluid, and a drain device in fluid communication with the cavity for draining the liquid removed by the coalescing filter from the cavity into the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Dynetek Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Gary Wayne Miller, Thomas Dean Barker, Garth James Schultz, Stephen Alan Carter