Patents Examined by Denise L. Esquivel
  • Patent number: 6631626
    Abstract: Natural gas liquefaction system employing a zeolite adsorbent for removing nitrogen from pretreated natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Paul R. Hahn
  • Patent number: 6631615
    Abstract: A system for transferring and conditioning a cryogenic liquid includes a replenishing tank containing a supply of cryogenic liquid, a bulk tank and a pump positioned there between. The pump causes a stream of the cryogenic liquid to flow from the replenishing tank to the bulk storage tank. A heat exchanger and parallel by-pass line are positioned between the pump and bulk storage tank. A flow control valve diverts a portion of the stream to the heat exchanger so that it is warmed and rejoined with the remaining cryogenic liquid flowing through the flow control valve. The warmed stream then flows to the bulk storage tank. The flow control valve is adjusted based upon pressures within the bulk storage tank via a pressure line in communication with the head space of the bulk storage tank and a pneumatic controller or a pressure sensor in the bulk tank head space and a programmable logic controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Chart Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas K. Drube, Claus Emmer
  • Patent number: 6629428
    Abstract: An aircraft environmental control system (ECS) provides fresh air for the cabin of an aircraft by using electric motor driven compressors in place of traditional engine bleed air. Conventional aircraft ECS use an engine bleed to provide the pressurized fresh air flow for an aircraft cabin. However, such a system suffers from the disadvantage of requiring additional fuel consumption in order to provide an adequate engine bleed source. The present invention, using a zero bleed, electric powered architecture, does not suffer from this drawback of the conventional ECS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Roger P. Murry
  • Patent number: 6629429
    Abstract: There are provided, in the order from top, a refrigerating compartment (90), a vegetable compartment (91) and a freezing compartment (92), and a compressor (104) and a cooler (106) are disposed in side-by-side relation in a left and right direction at a location rearwardly of the freezing compartment (92). Also, a damper device (115) and a forced draft fan (114) are provided above the compressor (104) and the cooler (106), and an electronic control board (128) is provided rearwardly of the cooler (106). In addition, a chilly air discharge duct (116) and a chilly air suction duct (121) are provided at opposite ends of a deep region within the refrigerating compartment (90).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration Company
    Inventors: Takao Kawamura, Yoshiki Ohashi, Akihiko Manabe
  • Patent number: 6625901
    Abstract: A dryer for drying a substrate includes: a bath containing a fluid; a chamber; and an isopropyl alcohol delivery system supplying isopropyl alcohol vapor to the interface between the substrate and the fluid when the substrate is removed from the fluid of the bath into the chamber. The isopropyl alcohol vapor is supplied perpendicularly to a vertical axis of the substrate. The dryer further includes a chamber environment control system that supplies a gas into the chamber to dry the substrate and controls temperature and humidity in the chamber and a chamber heater attached to the chamber to transfer thermal energy into the chamber. A drying method includes: immersing a substrate into a fluid contained in a bath; removing the substrate from the fluid into a chamber; and supplying isopropyl alcohol vapor into an interface between the substrate and the fluid perpendicularly to a vertical axis of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Oliver Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Yassin Mehmandoust, Donald E. Stephens
  • Patent number: 6626007
    Abstract: In order to ensure that a braising material applied onto the surface of a header pipe does not enter communicating passages for coolant intake/outlet at a connecting block during the furnace braising process implemented to weld the connecting block utilized to connect a liquid tank to the header pipe, pipe-like projections are formed at the pair of communicating passages for coolant intake/outlet formed at the connecting block for liquid tank connection on the side where the header pipe is connected and the pipe-like projections inserted at holes of the header pipe clad with a braising material are welded to a condenser to constitute an integrated part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Zexel Valeo Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Matsuzaki, Yoshihisa Eto, Isao Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6623422
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for assisted embryo implantation using a specialized microcatheter to prepare an implantation site within the subject's endometrial lining and to transport and place an embryo into the implantation site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Napoli, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Kamrava
  • Patent number: 6622509
    Abstract: A chilled water supply system for a refrigerator is provided. The system includes a water storage tank comprising an outlet leg, and a filter media disposed within said outlet leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard Anthony Stich, Jimmy Nelson Knight
  • Patent number: 6619214
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating waste material that comprises four major cooperating subsystems, namely a pyrolytic converter, a two-stage thermal oxidizer, a steam generator and a steam turbine driven by steam generated by the steam generator. In operation, the pyrolytic converter is uniquely heated without any flame impinging on the reactor component and the waste material to be pyrolyzed is transported through the reaction chamber of the pyrolytic converter by a pair of longitudinally extending, side-by-side material transfer mechanisms. Each of the transfer mechanisms includes a first screw conveyor section made up of a plurality of helical flights for conveying the heavier waste and a second paddle conveyor section interconnected with the first section for conveying the partially pyrolyzed waste, the second section comprising a plurality of paddle flights. Once operating, the apparatus is substantially self-sustaining and requires a minimum use of outside energy sources for pyrolyzing the waste materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventor: William C. Walker
  • Patent number: 6618958
    Abstract: A laundry dryer has a drum rotatively installed inside a case, a heater heating air flowing inside the drum, a rear plate coupled so as to cover a rear portion of the drum and having a vertically elongated inlet hole traversing upper and lower areas of the drum body, a central portion of the vertically elongated inlet hole crossing a horizontal line of the rear plate, and an inlet duct covering the inlet hole and simultaneously having a plurality of duct holes formed at a portion covering the inlet hole so as to guide air heated by the heater to flow inside the drum. The present invention enables the common use of the rear plate for both electrical and gas laundry dryers, and thus allows the use of a common line for assembly. Therefore, the present invention reduces product costs and increases productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hwan-Joo Myung, Sang-Heon Yoon, Sung-Bae Song, Sang-Wook Hong
  • Patent number: 6619218
    Abstract: A method for making harmless a material to be treated containing a pollutant, including the steps of arranging a pair of ejecting nozzles such that nozzle openings thereof are opposed to each other inside a pressure-proof furnace, thermally treating that material, ejecting the thermally treated material through each of the nozzle openings of the nozzles, respectively, and colliding the material ejected through one of the nozzles with that ejected through the other in a space inside the pressure-proof furnace and between a pair of the nozzle openings such that a portion of the pollutant of the material remaining non-decomposed by the thermal treatment may be decomposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignees: San Iku Co., Ltd., International Preserve Environment Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisao Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 6619217
    Abstract: A decomposition processing apparatus for PCBs prolongs the staying time of the PCBs in a vertical furnace. The apparatus heats and decomposes the PCBs and includes porous staying plates through which the falling PCBs pass, to delay the progress of the PCBs through the apparatus and thus subject the PCBs to sufficient thermolysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventors: Kanji Kokubu, Yutaka Hayano, Masamitsu Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 6619048
    Abstract: An effects generation system structured to produce a controlled special effects cloud and comprising a cryogenic fluid source including a container wherein a quantity of a cryogenic fluid is stored. The container includes a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet, the fluid inlet being disposed in fluid flow communication with a pressurization assembly that is structured to maintain an outflow of the cryogenic fluid, under pressure, through the fluid outlet and into a delivery assembly operatively connected with the fluid outlet and structured to deliver the cryogenic fluid into a predetermined area through a plurality of delivery ports and into reactive proximity with a quantity of a reactive fluid so as to bring about a phase change in the reactive fluid sufficient to result in the formation of the special effects cloud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventor: Alejandro J. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 6615608
    Abstract: A multi-function receiver attenuates pressure fluctuations of refrigerant flowing from an evaporator to a compressor in an air conditioning system. The receiver includes a body housing having an inlet for receiving the refrigerant from a condenser and an outlet for sending the refrigerant to the compressor. A cap housing covers the body housing. The receiver also includes first and second ports defined within the cap housing. The first port communicates with the evaporator for sending the refrigerant to the evaporator, and the second port communicates with the evaporator for receiving the refrigerant from the evaporator. An internal wall defines an outer and an inner cavity. The outer cavity communicates with the inlet for receiving the refrigerant from the condenser and with the first port for sending the refrigerant to the evaporator. The inner cavity communicates with the second port to receive the refrigerant from the evaporator and to attenuate the pressure fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Paul Telesz, Edward Douglas Pettitt, Jing Zheng
  • Patent number: 6615509
    Abstract: An apparatus for drying a fibre web of paper or paperboard is provided. The apparatus includes an adjustable heated press nip including at least one pressure device. The pressure device includes a roll, supporting one side of the web and at least two pressure shoes opposite the device and acting on the other side of the web. Each of the pressure shoes include means for providing an individual pressure respectively on the web. At least one intermediate conduit is arranged in-between the pressure shoes. The intermediate conduit includes means forming an additional individual pressure zone on the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: STFI
    Inventor: Hannes Vomhoff
  • Patent number: 6615506
    Abstract: A pneumatic hair-conditioner system has a vacuum pump (1, 4, 6, 30) attached predeterminedly to a hair processor (2, 25, 28, 29, 31) which employs airflow to the vacuum pump for predetermined hair processing by the hair processor. The vacuum pump and the hair processor can be either a dedicated-process conditioner with permanently integral attachment and pneumatic communication of a single select processor for predeterminedly limited hair-processing use or a multi-process conditioner with detachable attachment and integral communication of a plurality of select processors for predeterminedly multiple hair-processing uses. Optionally, the vacuum pump can be reversible for blowing instead of sucking air in pneumatic communication with the hair processor. For blowing, application of heat also is optional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Inventor: Elizabeth A. Miller
  • Patent number: 6616452
    Abstract: A firearm laser training system of the present invention includes a target having a plurality of zones, a laser transmitter assembly for projecting a laser beam, a sensing device and a processor. The sensing device scans the target to produce target images to detect laser beam or simulated projectile impact locations. The processor receives impact location information from the sensing device and processes the received information to evaluate user performance and to display evaluation information and an image of the target including indicia corresponding to the detected impact locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Beamhit, LLC
    Inventors: John Clark, Tansel Kendir, Motti Shechter
  • Patent number: 6615510
    Abstract: Liquid is removed from wafers for drying a wafer that has been wet in a liquid bath. The wafer and the bath are separated at a controlled rate as the wafer is positioned in a gas-filled volume. The controlled rate is generally not less than the maximum rate at which a meniscus will form between the liquid bath and the surface of the wafer when the liquid bath and the wafer are separated. The gas-filled volume is defined by a hot chamber that continuously transfers thermal energy to the wafer in the gas-filled volume. Hot gas directed into the volume and across the wafer and out of the volume continuously transfers thermal energy to the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignees: Lam Research Corporation, Oliver Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver David Jones, Kenneth C. McMahon, Jonathan E. Borkowski, Scott Petersen, Donald E. Stephens, Yassin Mehmandoust, James M. Olivas
  • Patent number: 6612121
    Abstract: An air conditioner control system comprises an outdoor unit having a compressor controlled by pulse-width modulation, and a plurality of indoor units. Each of the plurality indoor units has an indoor control unit to calculate a respective required individual cooling capacity, and an indoor communication circuit unit through which the required individual cooling capacity calculated is transmitted. The outdoor unit has an outdoor control unit producing a duty cycle control signal in response to the required individual cooling capacity transmitted from the indoor units to control the capacity of the compressor, and an outdoor communication circuit unit to communicate the indoor communication circuit unit of respective ones of the plurality of indoor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joong-Ki Moon, Young-Man Kim, Jae-Myoung Moon, Jung-Min Lee, Jong-Youb Kim, Il-Yong Cho
  • Patent number: 6609383
    Abstract: The cryogenic refrigeration system of the present invention includes: a shield plate for preventing a radiant heat from entering a superconducting magnet; a helium refrigerator for generating a liquid helium, the helium refrigerator including a pre-cooling refrigerator for pre-cooling a helium gas; and a nitrogen refrigerator for cooling nitrogen in a nitrogen tank; and a controller, whereby when a vehicle is running, a low pressure side compressor and a high pressure side compressor are operated, and the helium refrigerator and the nitrogen refrigerator are operated, whereas when the vehicle is not running, the operation of the pre-cooling refrigerator of the helium refrigerator is stopped while the operation of the nitrogen refrigerator is continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignees: Central Japan Railway Company, Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigehisa Kusada, Tomoyuki Motoyoshi, Yoshinao Sanada, Keiji Tomioka