Patents Examined by Gregory A. Wilson
  • Patent number: 11804388
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus, comprising a substrate support (32) provided with a support surface (34) for supporting a substrate or a substrate carrier (24) thereon and a support heater (50) constructed and arranged to heat the support surface (34). The apparatus comprises a heat shield constructed and arranged to cover and shield the substrate support (32) when no substrate or substrate carrier (24) is on the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventor: Theodorus Oosterlaken
  • Patent number: 11796252
    Abstract: A continuous heating furnace including an inlet, a heating zone, a cooling zone and an outlet in this order, for carrying out a heat treatment while conveying at least one workpiece from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the cooling zone is configured such that an ambient gas for direct cooling of the workpiece can flow into the cooling zone from the outlet; the cooling zone includes a plurality of indirect coolers arranged in parallel in the conveying direction of the workpiece, each of the indirect coolers having at least one regulator for independently adjusting a cooling power; and the cooling zone includes one or more residual heat outlets for discharging a residual heat gas in the cooling zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Taniguchi, Takeshi Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 11798821
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a heat processing unit configured to perform a heat process on a substrate having a film formed on the substrate; and a control unit configured to control the heat processing unit, wherein the heat processing unit comprises: a heater configured to support and heat the substrate; a chamber configured to cover the substrate supported on the heater; a gas ejector having a head in which ejection holes are formed, and configured to eject a gas from the ejection holes toward a surface of the substrate; an outer peripheral exhauster configured to evacuate a processing space inside the chamber from an outer peripheral region located further outward than a peripheral edge of the substrate supported on the heater; and a central exhauster configured to evacuate the processing space from a central region located further inward than the peripheral edge of the substrate supported on the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yukinobu Otsuka, Shinsuke Takaki, Yasuhiro Kuga, Koji Ushimaru, Ryohei Fujise
  • Patent number: 11788771
    Abstract: A water heater includes a tank configured to hold a fluid, a sacrificial anode located within the tank, and a controller coupled to the sacrificial anode. The controller is configured to selectively complete and break an electrical circuit connecting the tank and the sacrificial anode. The controller is also configured to measure a shorted anode current through the electrical circuit, to determine a modulation duty cycle based on a current setpoint and the measured shorted anode current, and to repeatedly complete and break the electrical circuit using the modulation duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew William Phillips, Christopher Glynne Townsend, Ray O. Knoeppel, Brian T. Branecky, Kedar D. Dimble
  • Patent number: 11761677
    Abstract: A water heater includes an inner water tube coil and an outer water tube coil separated by a drum baffle. The inner and outer coils extend above a top edge of the drum baffle by at least a full turn of each coil. A flue gas bypass path is defined between a top edge of the drum baffle and a top insulation layer above the inner and outer coils. Flue gases flow radially though the inner coil, up along the drum baffle, through the flue gas bypass path, and downwardly over the outer coil to heat water flowing through the inner and outer coils. The water flows into the outer coil at the bottom of the coil, winds upwardly through the outer coil in countercurrent flow with respect to the flue gases, then down through the inner coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
    Inventors: Ziwen Fu, Jun Xiao, Yonghua Cheng, Tingyu Li, Mohamed Mehdi Doura, Jianmin Yin
  • Patent number: 11754317
    Abstract: A condensate collector (40) for use in water heating apparatus (10). The apparatus (10) includes a liquid storage tank (12), a combustion chamber (20), a flue (26) disposed above the combustion chamber (20), and, a condensate collector (40). The condensate collector (40) includes a receptacle (42) positioned in an entry end (28) of the flue (26), a discharge outlet (53) for discharging condensate collected in the receptacle (42) for subsequent transfer to a drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Rheem Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Jim Jensen, Momtiaz Zraika
  • Patent number: 11745385
    Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, William Joseph Bouton, Lanrik Wayne Kester, Thomas Dale Ketcham, Andrew Peter Kittleson, Dale Charles Marshall, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller, Emmanuel Chima Okpara, Conor James Walsh
  • Patent number: 11732966
    Abstract: A melter for preparing a molten medium, in particular for preparing a molten adhesive, has a housing and a melting tank formed within the housing. The melter further has a filling opening for introducing the medium to be melted. The melter further has a wall section which encircles the filling opening. The melter further has an insulating body which encircles the filling opening and covers the wall section. The insulating body is elastically deformable for use in such a melter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ROBATECH AG
    Inventors: Marcel Wey, Urs Mösli
  • Patent number: 11730045
    Abstract: The application provides a sintering apparatus, a packaging system for an organic light emitting diode device and a sintering method, belongs to the technical field of organic light emitting diode device and can solve problems of long process time and high cost existed in the existing high temperature sintering process of organic light emitting diode device. The sintering apparatus comprises two sintering chambers capable of being communicated with each other, during operation, the substrate coated with glass cement is first placed into a sealed first sintering chamber to complete a first sintering process; then the substrate is placed into the second sintering chamber to complete a second sintering process. Thus, a time interval between the first sintering process and the second sintering process can be reduced, and no more nitrogen is wasted in transition from the first sintering process to the second sintering process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., ORDOS YUANSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bing Li, Ang Xiao, Fuyi Cui, Jingjing Chen, Xueyong Zhang, Dan Jia, Lina Wang
  • Patent number: 11719444
    Abstract: A water heater system includes a controller configured to integrate control of both recovery and recirculation operations of a recovery pump and a recirculation pump. As such, a separate device, installation location, and power source (e.g., available outlet) is not needed with the controller. Because a single controller is configured to control both recovery and recirculation operations, additional control functions are available. The controller may be in communication with an internal controller of the water heater and configured to receive an error notification upon abnormal operation of the water heater. The controller can stop recovery and recirculation operations in response to an error notification, unlike with traditional water heating systems which may otherwise continue to function. The recovery and recirculation operations are based on a setpoint temperature of the water heater such that changes made to the setpoint temperature will automatically adjust in the recovery and recirculation operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: RINNAI AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott Gilman Humphrey, Michael Scott Knoblett, Jason William Siler
  • Patent number: 11705347
    Abstract: A thermal regulator for controlling temperature of a substantially circular stage comprising a plurality of first segments and a plurality of second segments in a radial direction and in a circumferential direction, each of the first segments and at least two adjacent second segments defining a set of segments, the thermal regulator includes heaters disposed in the first and second segments, respectively, thermal sensors disposed in the first segments, respectively, a controller configured to control the heaters in response to temperatures determined by the thermal sensors, and a segment switch to switch the second segments to be controlled in conjunction with the first segment in each set of segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Koizumi
  • Patent number: 11692739
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure provides a flow channel cap plate that constitutes a combustion chamber assembly including a combustion chamber and a plurality of insulating pipelines disposed on left/right side surfaces of the combustion chamber, the flow channel cap plate forming an insulating flow channel by covering the front surface of the combustion chamber, the flow channel cap plate including an inlet part including an inlet, and an inlet flow channel cap covering the front surface of the combustion chamber, an inlet space part is formed by covering the front surface of the combustion chamber with the inlet flow channel cap, the inlet is an entrance of the insulating flow channel, the plurality of insulating pipelines include a plurality of inlet insulating pipelines, and the inlet space part is a space that communicates the inlet with the plurality of inlet insulating pipelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Kyungdong Navien Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Gil Park, Jung Yul Bae, Seong Sik Moon, In Chul Jeong
  • Patent number: 11669113
    Abstract: A temperature control device includes a smoother including a smoothing channel through which fluid from a first inlet flows, and a first outlet from which the fluid flowed through the smoothing channel flows out, the smoother making a temperature fluctuation amount of the fluid in the first outlet smaller than that in the first inlet, a thermoregulator including a second inlet into which the fluid from the first outlet flows, a thermoregulating channel through which the fluid from the second inlet flows, a thermoregulating unit regulating a temperature of the fluid flowing through the thermoregulating channel, and a second outlet from which the fluid flowed through the thermoregulating channel flows out, calculating a temperature regulation amount of the thermoregulating unit, based on temperature of the fluid in the smoothing channel, and calculating the temperature regulation amount, based on temperature of the fluid at a position downstream of the second outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: KELK Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Mimura, Atsushi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11664266
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a stage for performing at least one of heating and cooling on a substrate placed thereon and having a through-hole vertically penetrating the stage; a substrate support pin having an insertion portion inserted into the through-hole and configured so that the insertion portion protrudes from an upper surface of the stage through the through-hole; and a pin support member for supporting the substrate support pin. The substrate support pin has a flange portion located below a lower surface of the stage. The support member supports the substrate support pin by engagement with the flange portion. The through-hole is smaller than the flange portion. The substrate support pin includes a first member including the flange portion and a second member having the insertion portion. The first member has a sliding surface which slidably supports the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuichiro Wagatsuma, Kentaro Asakura, Tetsuya Saitou, Masahisa Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11649985
    Abstract: A hybrid tank and tankless hot water system with an inlet bypass and an outlet bypass are configurable between a hybrid heater configuration and an on-demand configuration. In the hybrid heater configuration, the inlet bypass supplies cold water to a cold water inlet of a storage tank and the outlet bypass supplies hot water from an outlet manifold to a recirculation inlet of the storage tank. In an on-demand configuration, the inlet bypass supplies cold water to a cold water manifold for directly providing cold water to hot water heaters and the outlet bypass supplies hot water from the outlet manifold directly to a system hot water outlet. In the bypass configuration, a storage tank and/or recirculation pump are fluidically isolated from one or more hot water heaters to facilitate their maintenance, repair, replacement while still supplying hot water on demand from the hot water heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Rinnai America Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Ryan Dettmering
  • Patent number: 11647822
    Abstract: A diffuser for a hair dryer includes a diffusing case having a rear side removably coupled to a main body of the hair dryer. Air or fluid discharged from the main body is introduced into the diffusing case through an inlet hole defined at the rear side. A n open surface is defined at a front side of the diffusing case such that the air introduced into the diffusing case is discharged to an outside through the open surface. The diffusing case includes a front circumferential portion surrounding the open surface. The front circumferential portion includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is at least partially located further forward of the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kyoungtae Kim, Daekee Shin, Sunjung Park, Yunhee Ku, Dongwon Kim
  • Patent number: 11644218
    Abstract: One illustrative energy recovery system disclosed herein includes a facility and a closed chilled water loop including a chilled water stream delivered to the facility and a returning water stream that is received from the facility. In this example, the system also includes a primary heat exchanger having a first fluid side and a second fluid side, the first fluid side is adapted to receive supply water and the second fluid side is adapted to receive at least a portion of the returning return water stream. The primary heat exchanger is adapted to effectuate heat transfer between the supply water flowing in the first fluid side and the returning water stream flowing in the second fluid side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES U.S. INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Huang
  • Patent number: 11644241
    Abstract: Technologies are described for devices to hold a cup, mug, glassware, bottle, can, thermos, or other beverage container for a fire pit. The device may comprise a beverage holder assembly. The beverage holder assembly may comprise a beverage holder. The beverage holder assembly may comprise a bracket. The bracket may have a first side and a second side. The first side of the bracket may be attached to an underside of a mantel of a fire pit. The second side of the bracket may be attached to the beverage holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: MR. BAR-B-Q PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: Marc Zemel, Joanne Rudis
  • Patent number: 11644255
    Abstract: A cleaning system and method includes suspending and exploding, adjacent a bank of HRSG finned-tubing, a plurality of generally uniformly spaced detonation cords. Each detonation cord has an explosive grain loading of 18-50 grains per foot. A detonation delay assembly attached to each of the plurality of detonation cords creates a predetermined delay between each detonation cord explosion. After the detonation cords are exploded, a suspended elongated beam, having a transport assembly and a pressurized air blower assembly directs pressurized air towards an adjacent the bank of HRSG finned-tubing as the pressurized air blower assembly is moved along a portion of the beam. A suspension assembly moves the beam, the transport assembly, and the pressurized air blower assembly up or down so that a next portion of the bank of HRSG finned-tubing may be cleaned by the pressurized air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Dos Viejos Amigos, LLC
    Inventors: Bradley A. McGinnis, Rodrick E. Hall
  • Patent number: 11629888
    Abstract: A connected-type hot-water supply system includes hot-water supply apparatuses connected in parallel and a control means. The control means sets one main hot-water supply apparatus and sub-hot-water supply apparatuses, and performs leveling control of cumulative loads of the hot-water supply apparatuses by setting the main hot-water supply apparatus based on sequential rotation among the hot-water supply apparatuses. The control means includes a failure sign response mode in which it is determined whether there is a failure sign respectively for components of the hot-water supply apparatuses, and when a component of a part of hot-water supply apparatuses is a failure sign component determined to have a failure sign, a main use time of a hot-water supply apparatus having the failure sign component is increased, and the main use time is a main use time of serving as the main hot-water supply apparatus in the leveling control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: NORITZ CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuaki Okumura