Patents Examined by Frankie L. Stinson
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Patent number: 8277572Abstract: To ensure that liquid and/or vapors do not escape from a tank space during cleaning by means of cleaning equipment, a housing (2) is provided with magnetic coupling equipment according to the invention, comprising two cooperating pole elements (8,9) which extend hermetically isolated from each other with pole parts extending in the turbine housing (3) on the tank space side and the gear housing (1) itself outside the tank space, respectively. This provides a considerable degree of security against liquid and gas leakage, while making it possible to achieve a compact structure with easy access for service and maintenance.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2005Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Alfa Laval Tank Equipment A/SInventor: Henrik Falster-Hansen
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Patent number: 8276407Abstract: A drum type washing machine is provided. The drum type washing machine may include a cabinet, a tub fixed to an inner side of the cabinet, a drum rotatably arranged in the tub, and a driving motor positioned at a rear side of the drum for generating a driving force that rotates the drum. The washing machine may also include a supporting plate to rotatably support a rotational shaft extending between the motor and the drum, and a plurality of supporters connected between the supporting plate and the cabinet. Such an arrangement may increase washing capacity by increasing a diameter of the drum without increasing an external size of the cabinet.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2011Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventor: Jae-Won Chang
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Patent number: 8276601Abstract: A cleaning vessel (10) comprising a main chamber (12) into which can be inserted a part (34) for cleaning and one or more secondary chambers (14). An opening (30) is provided in the main chamber (12) associated with each secondary chamber (14) such that the main chamber (12) is in fluid communication with each secondary chamber (14). Rotation of the part (34) causes rotational flow of fluid in the main chamber (12) and each opening (30) is oriented such that material entrained in the rotating fluid passes from the main chamber (12) into the associated secondary chamber (14).Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Inventors: Jeff Andrew Hanson, Ante Perak, Edward Joseph Khoury
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Patent number: 8273184Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for optimizing a wash procedure. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system for optimizing a wash procedure. In a first embodiment, the system comprises: means for collecting a sample of fouling, the sample comprising one or more contaminates; means for identifying the one or more contaminates; and means for selecting one or more washing products for removing the one or more contaminates from a turbine. In an alternate embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method for optimizing a wash procedure. The method comprises: collecting a sample of fouling, wherein the sample comprises one or more contaminates; identifying the one or more contaminates; and selecting one or more washing products for removing the one or more contaminates from a turbine.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2010Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Line Maintenance Services, Inc.Inventor: Thomas Wagner
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Patent number: 8250885Abstract: A laundry machine includes a cabinet and a partition wall dividing an inner space of the cabinet into a first space for main laundry treatment and a second space for auxiliary laundry treatment. An air supply unit is provided outside of the second space and supplies a downward airflow into the second space.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Dong Joo Han, Young Bok Son, Jae Yoen Lim, Ki Chul Cho
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Patent number: 8252121Abstract: A warewasher for washing wares includes a chamber for receiving wares. The chamber has an associated liquid delivery system for spraying liquid onto wares within the chamber. A tank collects the sprayed liquid. A liquid recirculation system moves liquid from the tank back to the liquid delivery system. A drain system is located within the tank. The drain system includes a well, a liquid recirculation system inlet within the well and a drain opening within the well. A drain control assembly includes a drain stopper member and a strainer connected with the drain stopper member. When the drain stopper member is positioned to block flow through the drain opening, the strainer is positioned to block passage of tableware into the well. The strainer is mounted for sliding movement along a length of the drain stopper member enabling, when the drain stopper member is raised slightly to permit flow out of the drain opening, the strainer to remain in position to block passage of tableware into the well.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2007Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.Inventors: Brian A. Brunswick, David Fischer, Thomas A. Grueser, Steven H. Kramer, Michael T. Watson
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Patent number: 8251077Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus and method capable of separately collecting first and second processing liquids from each other, and preventing a formation of a defect (such as watermarks and particles) on a target substrate are disclosed. In one embodiment, the liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding device, a processing liquid supply device to supply a first processing liquid and a second processing liquid, a rotating cup, an outer discharge portion and an inner discharge portion to respectively discharge the first processing liquid and the second processing liquid received from the first receiving surface of the rotating cup, and a discharge portion switch device to open/close the outer discharge portion. The lower end of the first receiving surface of the rotating cup extends to a lower position than the position of the substrate held by the substrate holding device.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Hidemasa Aratake, Norihiro Itoh
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Patent number: 8245718Abstract: A pump, particularly for dishwashers, is provided and includes a housing made of a housing bottom, a housing cover, and a heating device disposed in between the bottom and cover for heating a washing fluid. The heating device forms a ring-shaped side wall of the housing. An impeller is arranged in the housing, an intake connection is arranged axially in the housing cover relative to the axis of rotation of the impeller, and a pressure connection is arranged in the housing cover.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2008Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbHInventors: Johannes Büsing, Anton Oblinger, Bruno Reiter, David Semerad, Christian Wirth
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Patent number: 8240321Abstract: A motorized system drives rotation of a rotatable sprayer of a dishwasher. The drive system includes a magnetic coupler. The magnetic coupler includes a first portion that resides inside the wash chamber of the dishwasher, and a second portion that resides outside the wash chamber, such that the motor and the output shaft of the drive system are located entirely outside of the wash chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Jordan R. Fountain, Sathish A. Sundaram
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Patent number: 8240061Abstract: The surface treatment apparatus includes: a supply device for supplying an introduced workpiece to the inside of a treatment cell of a subsequent surface treatment device; a surface treatment device for supplying a surface treatment liquid to the inside of the treatment cell while rotating the treatment cell, thereby performing a surface treatment on the workpiece; a workpiece collection device for inverting the treatment cell, and squirting the inside of the treatment cell with water from below to flow out the workpiece, thereby collecting the workpiece into a collection vessel; a drying device for receiving the collection vessel from the workpiece collection device, and exposing the workpiece within the collection vessel to air, thereby drying the workpiece; and a carrying device for carrying the treatment cell between the surface treatment devices, and between the surface treatment device and the workpiece device, wherein the surface treatment apparatus includes the one or more surface treatment devices.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2011Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: C. Uyemura & Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Nakada, Kouhei Kohama, Tetsuro Uemura, Takashi Sato, Ryosuke Hamada
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Patent number: 8225803Abstract: A substrate processing method and apparatus can securely carry out a pre-plating treatment that enables uniform plating in the necessary area of the surface of a substrate. The substrate processing method carries out a cleaning treatment and a catalyst-imparting treatment of a surface of a substrate as pre-plating treatments and then electroless plates a metal film on the catalyst-imparted surface of the substrate. The cleaning treatment is carried out in a wider area of the surface of the substrate than that area to which a catalyst is imparted by the catalyst-imparting treatment.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2011Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Seiji Katsuoka, Masahiko Sekimoto, Toshio Yokoyama, Teruyuki Watanabe, Takahiro Ogawa, Kenichi Kobayashi, Mitsuru Miyazaki, Yasuyuki Motojima
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Patent number: 8226777Abstract: A heat recovery device is provided for recovering thermal energy from a fluid medium, in particular for use in a waste-water system of a dishwasher. The heat recovery device comprises at least one heat exchanger with at least one heat exchanger surface. The heat recovery device further comprises at least one heating device, which is thermally coupled to the heat exchanger surface, and also at least one controller. The controller is designed to carry out a self-cleaning process for the heat exchanger, with the heat exchanger surface being briefly heated by means of the heating device during the self-cleaning process.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2009Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Meiko Maschinenbau GmbH & Co KGInventors: Bruno Gaus, Joachim Kupetz, Denis Lehmann, Thomas Naeger, Thomas Peukert, Vera Schneider
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Patent number: 8221554Abstract: A method of operating a dishwasher containing a volume of liquid for prewashing includes the steps of spraying items in the dishwasher by operating a circulation pump assembly to achieve prewashing with only the volume of liquid; filtering the volume of liquid with a filter assembly to remove particles from the items by operating the circulation pump assembly; and flushing the particles out of the filter assembly using at least some of the volume liquid by operating a drain pump assembly. Related filter assemblies and dishwasher designs are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2011Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Ramasamy Thiyagarajan
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Patent number: 8220093Abstract: The present invention relates to a washing machine and a method of controlling the washing machine. According to a washing machine and a method of controlling the washing machine in accordance with the present invention, a drum operates at a first speed so that part of the laundry tumbles within the drum and another part of the laundry adheres to the drum. The laundry amount within the drum is sensed during the first speed operation. Operation commands for driving the drum after the first speed operation are changed based on the sensed laundry amount. Accordingly, at the time of the dehydration cycle, stability of the washing machine and laundry balancing can be ensured.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2009Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Sun Cheol Bae, Kyung Hoon Kim, Han Su Jung, Jae Hyeok Choi, Ja In Koo
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Patent number: 8211242Abstract: A substrate processing method includes covering, in advance, the surface of a substrate with water, holding the substrate generally horizontally with the surface facing upward and rotating it in a horizontal plane, and blowing to the substrate top surface drying gas flow that is thin in area in comparison with the substrate surface, in which the water is removed from the substrate top surface by the rotation in the horizontal plane while blowing the drying gas flow, a substrate processing apparatus for implementing the above method, and a control program for use with the above method and apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2006Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Yuki Inoue, Akira Fukunaga, Takahiro Ogawa
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Patent number: 8209990Abstract: An electrostatically atomizing unit for use in a temperature regulating appliance to add a function of generating a mist of charged minute water particles for deodorization and/or sterilization of a temperature-regulated space. The appliance has a cold space of which air is cooled by cooling means and is fed to cool the temperature-regulated space divided from the cold space by a partition. The atomizing unit has an emitter electrode which is configured to condense water from within a surrounding air. A high voltage source applies a high voltage to the emitter electrode to atomize the condensed water into the charged minute water particles which are discharged from the emitter electrode into the temperature-regulated space. The emitter electrode is provided with a cooling coupler which establishes a heat transfer relation through the partition to the cold space to cool the emitter electrode by making the use of the cooling means inherent to the appliance.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2007Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Takayuki Nakada, Hiroshi Suda, Masaharu Machi, Tomohiro Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 8205287Abstract: An insulation element is provided for installation in a gap of thickness G provided between two objects. The insulation element includes a body made from a thermoplastic polymer material. The body has a first face, a second face and a thickness defined between the first and second faces. The body is characterized by a semi permanently pre-installation thickness T1 where T1 is less than G. The body swells upon heating to a thickness T2 where T2 is greater than or equal to G so that the insulation element bridges the gap, engages the two objects and provides a spring rate of between 4.0 and 275.0 grams per square inch.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2009Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLCInventors: Anthony L. Rockwell, Phil Johnson
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Patent number: 8202404Abstract: The surface treatment apparatus includes: a supply device for supplying an introduced workpiece to the inside of a treatment cell of a subsequent surface treatment device; a surface treatment device for supplying a surface treatment liquid to the inside of the treatment cell while rotating the treatment cell, thereby performing a surface treatment on the workpiece; a workpiece collection device for inverting the treatment cell, and squirting the inside of the treatment cell with water from below to flow out the workpiece, thereby collecting the workpiece into a collection vessel; a drying device for receiving the collection vessel from the workpiece collection device, and exposing the workpiece within the collection vessel to air, thereby drying the workpiece; and a carrying device for carrying the treatment cell between the surface treatment devices, and between the surface treatment device and the workpiece device, wherein the surface treatment apparatus includes the one or more surface treatment devices.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2011Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: C. Uyemura & Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Nakada, Kouhei Kohama, Tetsuro Uemura, Takashi Sato, Ryosuke Hamada
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Patent number: 8201570Abstract: A cover assembly for sealing a dishwasher drawer includes a rigid, movable cover casing that frames a flexible sealing cover which is capable of receiving and covering tall dishes extending beyond a height of the drawer. Rocker arms are placed on each perimeter edge of the cover casing, and pivot to raise and lower the casing onto the drawer so that the sealing cover seals a wash chamber therein. A seal adhered to a bottom of the cover casing presses against a lip of the drawer to prevent leakage of wash fluid circulated therein.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2009Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Steve B. Froelicher
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Patent number: RE43625Abstract: A drum type washing machine is provided, in which vibration is efficiently attenuated, by a maximum capacity within a size-fixed cabinet is provided, and by which a user does not bend over or sit down to load laundry into the washing machine. The drum type washing machine includes a cabinet forming an exterior of the drum type washing machine, a tub fixed within the cabinet, the tub having a laundry loading entrance at an outer circumference of the tub, a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the drum having an opening on a lateral side of the drum to communicate with the laundry loading entrance of the tub, a motor assembly provided next to one side of the drum to rotate the drum, and a suspension assembly provided to support a weight of the drum and attenuate vibration of the drum.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2011Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Na Eun Kim, Jin Woong Kim, Young Hwan Park, Jae Won Chang