Patents Examined by Jiping Lu
  • Patent number: 9165690
    Abstract: A method for preparing a cavity loaded with wet radioactive elements for dry storage, the method including: connecting a condensing module, a vacuum module, and a gas circulator module to the cavity so as to form a hermetically sealed closed-loop path that includes the cavity; filling the closed-loop path with a non-reactive gas; circulating the non-reactive gas through the closed-loop path until the condensing module is no longer removing substantial amounts of water from the circulating non-reactive gas, wherein the vacuum module is sealed off from the closed-loop path during the circulating; discontinuing the circulation of the non-reactive gas through the closed-loop path; fluidly coupling the vacuum module to the cavity and fluidly isolating the cavity and the vacuum module; and applying a vacuum pressure to the cavity via the vacuum module so as to create a sub-atmospheric pressure within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Inventors: Krishna P. Singh, John D. Griffiths
  • Patent number: 9140492
    Abstract: A paint disposal or recovery system, which efficiently places the paint in layers and evaporates the water therefrom, permits efficient disposal or efficient recovery of the solid material or the formerly dispersed material. Layers of water-based paints are especially formed on vapor permeable surfaces in trays or on the Surface of a supported, vapor permeable pocket liner. The trays with the liner thereon or the supported pocket liner is then placed in dryer housing. Air or other drying agents are then forced through the dryer housing. The water evaporates and leaves the dispersed material from the water-based paint on the respective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventor: Scott E. Gunsaullus
  • Patent number: 9139949
    Abstract: Device for drying laundry by means of a current of air comprises a drum to accommodate the laundry and a ducting system to direct said current of air. The ducting system has a section arranged downstream of the drum, in which the current of air is directed downwards and in which is arranged a filter to capture lint from the current of air. A scraper is assigned to the filter, in order to scrape off the lint. The receptacle has a handle and two interlinked shell elements which can be separated from each other, and which define a storage volume to accommodate the scraped-off lint. According to the invention, lint thus scraped off can be removed from the device and disposed of, without the user needing to come into direct contact with the lint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Roman Goldberg, Kai Nitschmann
  • Patent number: 9140494
    Abstract: An acoustic wave drying system for drying a material using an acoustic resonant chamber that imparts acoustic energy to transiting air received from an airflow source. The acoustic resonant chamber includes a primary air channel having side surfaces connecting an air inlet and an air outlet, the primary air channel having a primary air channel length between the air inlet and the air outlet. One or more secondary closed-end resonant chambers are formed into side surfaces of the primary air channel. An air impingement airstream containing acoustic energy exits the air outlet and impinges on the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Rodney Ray Bucks, Andrew Ciaschi, Michael Alan Marcus, Kam Chuen Ng
  • Patent number: 9140496
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a drying apparatus, for drying flexible objects such as bags or gloves, comprise a first suspension couplable to an external support, and a second suspension magnetically couplable to the first suspension. An object is supported between the first and second suspensions through the magnetic coupling. In a first embodiment, the second suspension comprises a magnetic hub and one or more spreaders, which may be fixed, removable, or moveably attached to the magnetic hub, and which may be repositionable between open and closed positions. The spreaders may be flexible, articulated, rigid, repositionable, collapsible, extendable, jointed, forked, hinged, slideable, continuous, or merged, and further may have substantially puncture-resistant terminations. The first suspension also comprises a magnetic member and a suspending member, such as an open hook or a clamp suspending member, for supporting the apparatus with the secured object from or by many types of external supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventor: Holly M. Smith
  • Patent number: 9134067
    Abstract: A dehumidifying apparatus for a dryer is provided that includes a case, a drum disposed inside the case that receives objects to be dried therein, and a hot air supplier that supplies hot air into the drum and dries the objects to be dried. The dehumidifying apparatus includes a heat exchanger that heat exchanges with air flowing from the drum, and an injection nozzle portion disposed between the hot air supplier and the heat exchanger so as to inject a certain jet. When gas introduced into the dehumidifying apparatus from the drum passes through the jet, foreign substances such as lint, contained in the gas may be separated, thereby preventing accumulation of the foreign substances on the dehumidifying apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seung-Phyo Ahn, Sang-Ik Lee, Byeong-Jo Ryoo, Sung-Ho Song, Jeong-Yun Kim, Yang-Hwan Kim, Jae-Hyuk Wee, Dong-Hyun Kim, Yoon-Seob Eom, Yang-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 9127883
    Abstract: A device for drying and preheating particulate feedstock for glass melting apparatuses including a vertical shaft in which a plurality of gas guides are arranged level by level. The shaft has at least one gas channel for exhaust gases from the melting apparatus. a) feedstock guide elements are arranged one above another within the shaft with lateral spacings on all sides, with a portion of the gas guides extending through the guide elements, b) at least one of the guide elements is mounted in a transversely movable fashion with respect to the shaft independently of other guide elements, c) the guide elements are provided with converging oblique surfaces for introducing the feedstock at upper ends of the guide elements and with converging oblique surfaces for the emergence of the feedstock at lower ends of the guide elements, and d) at least one guide element is connected to a vibrating drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Beteiligungen Sorg GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Lindig, Alexander Sorg
  • Patent number: 9109324
    Abstract: A tumble dryer with a fire-extinguishing facility includes a fire sensor for detecting a fire in a laundry drum of the tumble dryer, and an extinguishing medium supply device for introduction of an extinguishing medium into the laundry drum of the tumble dryer on actuation of a fire-extinguishing device. The extinguishing medium supply device includes a laundry freshening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Brian Chatot, Mike Peebles
  • Patent number: 9109325
    Abstract: A process for dry cleaning fabrics comprising the steps of: (i) placing one or more fabrics to be cleaned in a device which provides heat and agitation; (ii) placing one or more carrier sheets in the device wherein the carrier sheets have about 200 grams of a liquid cleaning/refreshment composition releasably absorbed therein; (iii) heating the air within the device to at least about 130° F. (55° C.); and (iv) agitating the fabrics and the carrier sheets until at least about 40% by weight of the liquid cleaning/refreshment composition from the carrier sheets has been evaporated and vented from the device. There is further provided a kit for dry cleaning fabrics comprising: one or more carrier sheets; and from about 200 grams to about 1,000 grams of a liquid cleaning/refreshment composition, wherein the one or more carrier sheets can absorb at least about 200 grams of the liquid cleaning/refreshment composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Bruce Albert Yeazell
  • Patent number: 9102876
    Abstract: A device for drying and torrefaction of at least one carbon-containing material flow in a multiple-hearth furnace includes a drying zone, a torrefaction zone, a heat exchanger for heating the drying gas flow, the discharge point of the drying zone being connected via the heat exchanger to the infeed point of the drying zone; and a combustion assembly, wherein the discharge point of the torrefaction zone is connected via the combustion assembly and the heat exchanger to the infeed point of the torrefaction zone, wherein a torrefaction gas flow discharged via the discharge point of the torrefaction zone is combusted in the combustion assembly and the resulting exhaust gas is used in the heat exchanger to heat the drying gas flow and is fed to the torrefaction zone, wherein the drying zone and the torrefaction zone comprise two separate gas circulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions AG
    Inventors: Karl Lampe, Jürgen Denker, Christoph Beyer, Richard Erpelding
  • Patent number: 9103590
    Abstract: A tray, for example, a drying tray, a method for drying, and a structural member engagement system are provided. The drying tray includes at least one perforated panel; and a frame adapted to support the perforated panel. The frame may include a plurality of interconnecting plastic support members adapted to receive the perforated panel. The tray may be used to dry fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. A method of using the tray and a structural member engagement system are also disclosed The member engagement system includes a first elongated member, a second elongated member, and a plug and pin adapted to engage the first member with the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Inventors: Warren R. Hartwell, Paul E. Bartley
  • Patent number: 9096970
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating clothes includes an accommodating space, an air supply unit, a duct unit, a filter unit, a substance removal unit and a collection unit that is separate from the filter unit and the substance removal unit. The accommodating space is configured to receive one or more clothing articles. The air supply unit is configured to supply air to the accommodating space. The duct unit is configured to guide discharge of air from the accommodating space. The filter unit is positioned to filter substances from air discharged from the accommodating space through the duct unit. The substance removal unit is configured to move substances remaining on a portion of the filter unit. The collection unit is configured to collect substances moved from the filter unit by the substance removal unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyojin Ko, Sangik Lee, Donghyun Kim, Seungphyo Ahn, Jeongyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9091014
    Abstract: A clothing dryer and a control method thereof that adjusts a heater capacity based on a humidity change amount (a drying rate) in a second half of a drying period to reduce power consumption without increase of drying time. The clothing dryer includes a drum to receive clothing, first and second hot air heaters, having different capacities, to supply hot air into the drum, a humidity sensor to sense internal humidity of the drum, and a controller to calculate a humidity change amount in the drum, to compare the calculated humidity change amount with a predetermined change amount, and to control only one having the relatively small capacity selected from the first and second hot air heaters to be operated when the humidity change amount is greater than the predetermined change amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hee Beom Park, Hyung Woo Lee, Ja Young Kim
  • Patent number: 9085858
    Abstract: A road dryer delivers heated air to a surface through an adjustable-width nozzle assembly having nozzle boxes designed to provide turbulent flow of drying air. The road dryer includes a combustion system having a high-pressure atomized fuel burner supplied with diesel fuel by a variable frequency drive fuel pump and a closed-loop air temperature control to limit the temperature of the drying air. The combustion system includes a combustion chamber having a cylindrical inner shell housing the burner and a cylindrical outer shell defining an annular space around the inner shell for the flow of process air. The inner shell has an axially elongated exhaust port aligned with an axially elongated outlet opening of the outer shell to achieve mixing of high temperature exhaust gas with process air. The nozzle assembly is vertically adjustable relative to a chassis of the road dryer between a stowed position and an operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: ROAD DRYER LLC
    Inventors: Kevin S. Muse, Brian M. O'Connor
  • Patent number: 9072358
    Abstract: A rotating air directing apparatus for a barrel of a hair dryer is provided. The apparatus includes a tubular adapter member having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The inlet opening is adapted to be removably coupled to the barrel of the hair dryer. The apparatus also includes a propeller member rotatably coupled to the tubular adapter member. The propeller member includes a plurality of curved vanes extending from a central cylinder. The apparatus further includes a nozzle member disposed adjacent to the outlet opening of the tubular adapter member and adapted to rotate with the propeller member. The nozzle member includes an angled tubular member having a nozzle opening disposed at an acute angle relative to the outlet opening of the tubular adapter member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Kiss Nail Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyusang Han, Kyoung Hak Lee, Won Seok Oh
  • Patent number: 9067162
    Abstract: An agricultural product treatment system. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a truncated conical section which has a small diameter at one end in fluid communication with a conduit array conveying particulate matter from the DT. An open large diameter end of the structure is axially coextensive and coaxial with an expanded diameter conduit portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Crown Iron Works Company
    Inventor: George E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9027258
    Abstract: A method of operating a clothes dryer having a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load, an air system for supplying and exhausting air from the treating chamber, a heating element for heating the air supplied to the treating chamber, and a controller implementing a cycle of operation, wherein the controller estimates a cycle time of a drying cycle of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan R. Bellinger, David J. Kmet, Scott D. Parde, Michele A. Paustian, Joseph M. Shaw, David M. Williams
  • Patent number: 9003676
    Abstract: A process for lyophilizing a solution of an active agent in a container is provided. Solution of active agent is deposited into a container, the container is covered with a covering plate and placed inside a lyophilizing apparatus. Lyophilization can be conducted to dryness by radiation, convection or both. Also provided is a device made by this process, an active agent-plastic administration device (e.g., a syringe), containing an active agent in the form of lyophilized cake, and an array of such administration devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Tolmar Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Cody L. Yarborough, Dominic G. Madril, Rajan Bawa
  • Patent number: 9003674
    Abstract: Disclosed are an evaporator, an evaporation method, and a substrate processing apparatus, which can increase the concentration of generated vapor of an organic solvent and efficiently heat the organic solvent. The evaporator includes a fluid tube, a liquid organic solvent supply device for supplying the organic solvent liquid to one end of the fluid tube, and heating units for heating the fluid tube. The fluid tube has a cross section that increases from the one end to the other end. When the organic solvent liquid supplied to one end of the fluid tube is heated, the organic solvent vapor is discharged from the other end of the fluid tube. The substrate processing apparatus includes the above-described evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mikio Nakashima, Yuji Kamikawa
  • Patent number: 8997370
    Abstract: A centrifugal pellet dryer with a self-cleaning rotor seal, replaceable wear plates, and a fluid powered dewatering tower is presented. The self-cleaning rotor seal includes a plurality of grooves that are structured to eject pellet debris that migrates into between the seal and the housing for the rotor. The replaceable wear plates are secured to the rotor at locations such that they contact pellets that are entering the rotor housing. The dewatering tower includes a helical augur that dewaters a pellet slurry and delivers partially dried pellets to the rotor housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventors: George A. Holmes, Tadeuz Rybka