Patents Examined by Justin Jonaitis
  • Patent number: 9713817
    Abstract: Control method and apparatus for a manual spray gun may include a second manually actuated trigger disposed on the spray gun handle, with the second trigger being operational to select one or more coating operation parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Mather, Jeffrey A. Perkins
  • Patent number: 9707575
    Abstract: A dispensing device includes a housing, a substrate having a surface and disposed within the housing, a reservoir disposed within the housing and having a volatile active, and an activator operatively connected to the reservoir. When the activator is activated, the volatile active is released from the reservoir onto the surface to create a first quantity of volatile active having a first emanation rate and a second quantity of volatile active having a second emanation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Furner, William G. Parsons
  • Patent number: 9709303
    Abstract: A magneto-caloric cooling system includes an energy absorption area configured to be thermally coupled to a thermal energy absorbing device. At least one energy dissipation area is configured to be thermally coupled to a thermal energy dissipation device. A thermal energy transfer device is configured to be cycled between the energy absorption area and the energy dissipation area. A magnetic field generation device is configured to produce a magnetic field proximate the energy dissipation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventors: Nader G. Dariavach, Jin Liang, F. William French, Boris I. Shusterman
  • Patent number: 9709340
    Abstract: In a small-sized fluid heat exchanging apparatus that heats or cools a huge amount of gas or liquid, a structure makes fluid having a high flow speed impinge perpendicularly against a wall. A flow passage is divided into a high-speed flow passage and a low-speed flow passage, and the high-speed flow passage and the low-speed flow passage are arranged so as to intersect perpendicularly with each other, according to guidelines for the shape of the flow passage. A flow passage designed according to the guidelines provides highly-efficient heat exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: PHILTECH Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Furumura, Naomi Mura, Shinji Nishihara, Noriyoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9709347
    Abstract: A heat storage system (400) comprising a system gas inlet (460), a system gas outlet (470), and at least two thermal stores (401, 402) connected together in series therebetween, wherein each store comprises a chamber having a gas inlet (461,462), a gas outlet (471,472), and a gas-permeable thermal storage media 431 disposed therebetween, the system further comprising flow controllers (451, 452, 453, 454, 457) operatively connected to bypass passageways and so configured that, during operation, the flow path of a gas flowing through the system (400) for transfer of thermal energy to or from the storage media (431) can be selectively altered in respect of which stores (401, 402) in the series are used in response to the progress of the thermal transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Energy Technologies Institute LLP
    Inventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten, Rowland Geoffrey Hunt
  • Patent number: 9709341
    Abstract: Provided are a heat exchanger that does not impede downsizing and removes water in the heat absorbing pipe adequately with a simple configuration even when the reduction in diameter of the heat absorbing pipe is made. A heat exchanger 5 in which heat absorbing pipes 51 are disposed in a multi-tier arrangement within a casing 50 which is the passage of combustion exhaust gas, both pipe ends 511,512 of each of the heat absorbing pipes 51 are connected respectively to two headers 54, 55 provided on a side plate 52 of the casing 50, and water introduced from an external pipe 63 to each of the heat absorbing pipes 51 through the header 54 is heat-exchanged and heated by combustion exhaust gas. The pipe ends 511, 512 of the heat absorbing pipes 51 are arranged at a predetermined vertical interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: RINNAI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidekatsu Naruse, Yoichi Kojima, Shinya Otsubo, Masaru Shimazaki, Takeshi Kawashima, Hiroaki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9709309
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units installed in the same indoor space, an outdoor unit and a control device. The indoor units include respective usage-side heat exchangers capable of setting set temperatures individually. The outdoor unit includes a heat-source-side heat exchanger. The control device performs temperature control using a thermo-ON condition set in advance in accordance with the set temperatures, and relaxes the thermo-ON condition of thermo-OFF indoor units when the indoor units include both those that are thermo-ON and those that are thermo-OFF and a predetermined condition is satisfied. The predetermined condition is that at least one of the plurality of indoor units continues to be thermo-ON for a first elapsed time or longer, and at least one of the plurality of indoor units continues to be thermo-OFF for a second elapsed time or longer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kousuke Kibo, Tadafumi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9709308
    Abstract: An outdoor unit includes a bypass circuit that makes a part of refrigerant that is discharged from a compressor be bypassed to a connecting part at the time of defrosting operation. A control device of the outdoor unit performs control of opening an electromagnetic valve in the bypass circuit based on an water temperature TW (in) in an water inlet and an water temperature TW (out) in an water outlet of an water heat exchanger at the time of the defrosting operation. Further, a control device controls a valve travel of the valve of the third expansion valve in the bypass circuit based on a refrigerant temperature TR (in) in a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant temperature TR (out) in a refrigerant outlet of the water heat exchanger in a case of the electromagnetic valve being in an open state at the time of the defrosting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiro Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 9702476
    Abstract: An injector having a tube attached to an armature. The injector includes a solenoid portion and a valve portion controlled by the solenoid portion. The armature includes a small diameter portion. Also included is a tube having a cavity, a first end of the tube is connected to the small diameter portion, and a ball is connected to a second end of the tube, such that the ball is selectively in contact with a valve seat. A hermetic weld connects the ball to the second end, and at least one heat affected zone is located in proximity to the hermetic weld. A coating substantially surrounds the heat affected zone and at least a portion of the ball, such that the coating prevents the heat affected zone from being exposed to diesel exhaust fluid and thus subsequent corrosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne McFarland
  • Patent number: 9700746
    Abstract: A gas purging valve is operative to be connected to piping in a Fire Protection System (FPS) and to bleed gas at a predetermined rate. The valve includes an inlet in gas flow relationship with the FPS piping and a central passage in gas flow relationship with the inlet. The valve also includes a calibrated orifice removeably disposed in the central passage, in gas flow relationship with the passage and operative to allow a maximum predetermined gas flow rate therethrough. The valve further includes an outlet in gas flow relationship with the calibrated orifice. A ball is disposed upstream of the central passage. The ball is operative to allow gas flow through the gas purging valve but operative to impede the flow of water through the gas purging valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: South-Tek Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy S. Bodemann
  • Patent number: 9700909
    Abstract: A shower arm attachment assembly including an arm coupling member, a shower pipe coupling member, and a locking member. The arm coupling member may fluidly connect to a shower arm for a showerhead and the shower pipe coupling member may fluidly connect to a shower pipe. The arm coupling member connects to the shower pipe coupling member and is selectively rotatably relative thereto. The locking member selectively controls rotation of the arm coupling member relative to the shower pipe coupling member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: WATER PIK, INC.
    Inventors: Leland C. Leber, Gary D. Golichowski, Michael J. Quinn
  • Patent number: 9702574
    Abstract: A method of cooling air includes a liquid coolant subsystem including a cool water source configured to hold water, an air cooling subsystem including an air chamber that contains air therein, an air conditioning apparatus including a heat exchanger of a liquid-to-air type having a heat sink in thermal communication, a fan assembly configured to move air along the heat sink of the heat exchanger, a thermostat, a temperature sensor, and a control circuit in electronic communication with the temperature sensor and the thermostat, a plumbing subsystem including an inlet piping component in fluid communication with heat exchanger, an outlet piping component in fluid communication with the exchanger, and a solenoid valve. The control circuit may be configured to activate the fan assembly and to open the solenoid valve, allowing for the transfer heat to water from the air moved by the fan assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Inventor: Steven B. Haupt
  • Patent number: 9701173
    Abstract: A climate control system including an air controller switchable between fresh air, recirculated air, and partial recirculated air modes is disclosed. The system further includes a control module connected to the controller and a link operatively connecting the washer fluid system and the module. When the washer fluid system is activated, the module switches the controller from the fresh air mode to the recirculated air mode, preventing washer fluid odors from entering the vehicle cabin while the washer fluid system is activated. The module can also selectively switch the air controller between fresh, recirculated, and partial recirculated air modes based on condition inputs. Non-limiting examples of condition inputs include a fog look-up table, wet bulb level, humidity level, air quality level, and temperature level. The module directs the air controller to switch to the fresh air mode based on information generated by one or more of the condition inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Jackson, Dale Scott Crombez, Mary-Margaret Wenz Crombez
  • Patent number: 9695984
    Abstract: A plant for regasification of LNG includes a pump boosting LNG pressure, an LNG/coolant heat exchanger producing NG from LNG from the boosting pumps, and a closed coolant loop extending through the LNG/coolant heat exchanger and including a heat exchanger. The coolant from the heat exchanger is passed through the LNG heat exchanger as a gas and leaving in a condensed state to produce NG by thermal exchange. A heating medium is used within the heat exchanger to provide coolant in a gaseous state. An NG/coolant heat exchanger is arranged in connection with the LNG/coolant heat exchanger and is connected to the closed coolant loop. LNG is preheated within the LNG/coolant heat exchanger and NG is trim heated within the NG/coolant heat exchanger using liquid coolant from at least one heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hamworthy Gas Systems AS
    Inventor: Per Helge S. Madsen
  • Patent number: 9696069
    Abstract: An ejector has a primary inlet, a secondary inlet, and an outlet. A primary flowpath extends from the primary inlet to the outlet and a secondary flowpath extends from the secondary inlet to the outlet, merging with the primary flowpath. A motive nozzle surrounds the primary flowpath upstream of a junction with the secondary flowpath. The motive nozzle has a throat and an exit. In one group of embodiments, an effective area of the exit is variable. In others, the needle may extend downstream from a flow control portion or may have an upstream convergent surface of a flow control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Hongsheng Liu, Jiang Zou, Frederick J. Cogswell, Jinliang Wang, Parmesh Verma
  • Patent number: 9681654
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a breakaway hinge for an expandable boom on an agricultural vehicle. The boom includes of a first and a second section combined in a manner to allow the second section to move with respect to the first section when the second section encounters an obstruction. A breakaway hinge is provided between the first and the second section, and includes a first pivot member attached to the first section at an angle ? with respect to a vertical line and a second pivot member attached to the second section at an angle ? with respect to the vertical line. A connecting member holds the first pivot member with respect to the second pivot member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: 4-L Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan Light
  • Patent number: 9683789
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing multiple channels for use in a device for exchange of solutes between at least two fluid flows. The invention further relates to such a device. At least a first and a second sheet are comprised. The method comprises the steps of providing at least one of the first and second sheets with at least one profiled surface and joining the first and second sheets together with the profiled surfaces facing against each other. Channels are formed by the shape of the profiled surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Air to Air Sweden AB
    Inventor: Johan Siverklev
  • Patent number: 9677781
    Abstract: A cooling unit for an agricultural vehicle has a grid for allowing air to enter the unit while limiting debris and a heat exchanger for transferring heat from a coolant to air passing across the heat exchanger. The cooling unit further has a duct with motor driven fan, and a controller to monitor fan current and operate the fan in alternating directions. The controller generates a heat exchanger blockage warning when desirable fan current thresholds are not achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Breu, Stefan Hammerle
  • Patent number: 9677800
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes an ice bank installed on a refrigerating compartment door, a dispenser provided below the ice bank, and an ice maker provided in a freezing compartment. The refrigerator also includes a transfer element connected to a side of the ice maker and configured to transfer ice made by the ice maker to the ice bank. The refrigerator further includes a first duct connecting an outlet of the transfer element and the ice bank and a second duct connecting the ice bank and the freezing compartment. One of the first duct and the second duct is a cold air supplying duct that supplies cold air to the ice bank and another of the first duct and the second duct is a cold air return duct that returns cold air of the ice bank to the freezing compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dongjeong Kim, Donghoon Lee, Wookyong Lee, Juhyun Son, Donghoon Lee
  • Patent number: 9673071
    Abstract: A buffer station for thermal control of semiconductor substrates in a semiconductor substrate processing system is configured to interface with first and second vacuum transfer modules of the system so as to allow substrates to be transferred therebetween. The buffer station comprises a first vacuum transfer module interface configured to allow substrates to be transferred between the first vacuum transfer module and the buffer station, and a second transfer module interface configured to allow substrates to be transferred between the second vacuum transfer module and the buffer station. At least one buffer chamber between the first and second vacuum transfer module interfaces includes a lower pedestal configured to receive a substrate on a support surface thereof. One or more semiconductor substrate storage shelves are above the lower pedestal. Each shelf is configured to receive a substrate from the first or second vacuum transfer module and store the respective substrate thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keith Freeman Wood, Matthew Jonathon Rodnick