Patents Examined by Kenneth Rinehart
  • Dryer with air recirculation/heat exchange subassembly
    Patent number: 9695544
    Abstract: A laundry dryer is provided with a modular air recirculation subassembly fitted beneath a rotatable drum of the dryer. The subassembly has an air recirculation passage provided between an air supply passage and an air exhaust passage of the dryer. The air recirculation subassembly further has a flow directing flap at the juncture of the air inlet passage and the air recirculation passage to direct the recirculation air flow toward a heater and away from an inlet end of the air supply passage. The air recirculation subassembly may include a filter positioned across the air recirculation passage upstream of the heater, which filter is removable through the air exhaust passage. The subassembly may further include a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the warmer air exiting the exhaust passage to the cooler air entering the air supply passage, and a recirculation air flow regulating flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation, N.V.
    Inventors: Francesco Cavarretta, Massimiliano Vignocchi, Maurizio Ugel, Alberto Bison
  • Solvent scavenger for a desolventizer toaster using a vapor recovery system
    Patent number: 9683778
    Abstract: An improved desolventizer-toaster (DT) unit is used for removing traces of a hydrocarbon solvent from a mass of vegetable particles of oil. A conventional DT unit has within a housing, a set of solvent removal trays and a main ejector transporting solvent vapor and steam from below the tray set to between a pair of the trays in the set. The improved DT unit has a further scavenger tray between an inlet of the main ejector and the housing floor. A scavenger ejector transports solvent vapor from between the scavenger tray and the housing floor before it exits from the unit, to the space between the tray set and the scavenger tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Crown Iron Works Company
    Inventors: George E. Anderson, Benjamin W. Floan
  • Laundry dryer having a heat exchanger
    Patent number: 9677216
    Abstract: A laundry dryer includes a body having air discharge openings in an upper region, a clothes drum disposed in the body, and a heat exchanger to condense process air from the drum. The heat exchanger is positioned in the body below the drum and has a cooling air outlet. Further provided is an air duct having an air inlet which is connected to the cooling air outlet and an air outlet which is positioned above the heat exchanger. The air duct is arranged to discharge cooling air from the air outlet in an upward direction into the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Marcin Ertel, Marek Gasieniec, Tomasz Suwalski, Jaroslaw Tazbir
  • Electronic water level sensing apparatus and associated methods
    Patent number: 9677785
    Abstract: A fuel-fired condensing type air heating furnace is provided with an electronic condensate water level sensing system operative to sense improper outflow of condensate from a collector box portion of the furnace and responsively shut down or prevent operation of the furnace. Condensate probe portions of the system are oriented in a manner such that several air flow orientation of the furnace may be utilized without the necessity of relocating the probes or effecting an re-wiring of the water level sensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert S. Neihouse, Shawn A. Reed, Walter R. Lowrimore, Randy R. Koivisto, Scott A. Willbanks
  • Method for controlling laundry treating apparatus
    Patent number: 9677217
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus including a drum for holding laundry, a connection duct for exhausting air from an inside of the drum, an exhaust duct provided parallel to a length direction of the drum connected to the connection duct, a filter assembly with a filter unit provided to the exhaust duct for filtering the air and a brush for removing foreign matter from the filter unit, a brush drive unit for making the brush to reciprocate a section of the filter unit, and a position sensing unit for sensing a position of the brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeongyun Kim, Sangik Lee
  • Method for drying laundry and dryer
    Patent number: 9677813
    Abstract: A method for providing fresh air fed through a fan to a burner of a dryer, thereby charging the burner, when the dryer is operated with recirculating air. In commercial dryers in which the drying air is heated by a burner, it is customary to reuse the moist air leaving a drum containing the laundry to be dried as recirculating air. The recirculating air component is increased with increasing drying of the laundry. At the end of the drying operation, when the moist air no longer contains as much moisture as at the start, the moist air is used as recirculating air. The burner then no longer gets enough combustion air, which leads to an incomplete combustion. The dryer can be operated with a higher recirculating air component, an optimal combustion being guaranteed through the charging of the burner with fresh air. The invention permits more economical drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Bringewatt, Engelbert Heinz
  • Substrate freeze dry apparatus and method
    Patent number: 9673037
    Abstract: An apparatus for freeze drying a substrate is provided. A chamber for receiving a substrate is provided. An electrostatic chuck (ESC) for supporting and electrostatically clamping the substrate is within the chamber. A temperature controller controls the temperature of the electrostatic chuck. A condenser is connected to the chamber. A vacuum pump is in fluid connection with the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Law Research Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Sirard, Diane Hymes, Alan M. Schoepp
  • Combustion burner, solid-fuel-combustion burner, solid-fuel-combustion boiler, boiler, and method for operating boiler
    Patent number: 9671108
    Abstract: Provided is a combustion burner including: a fuel nozzle (51) that is able to blow a fuel gas obtained by mixing pulverized coal with primary air; a secondary air nozzle (52) that is able to blow secondary air from the outside of the fuel nozzle (51); a flame stabilizer (54) that is provided at a front end portion of the fuel nozzle (51) so as to be near the axis center; and a rectification member (55) that is provided between the inner wall surface of the fuel nozzle (51) and the flame stabilizer (54), wherein an appropriate flow of a fuel gas obtained by mixing solid fuel with air may be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Keigo Matsumoto, Kazuhiro Domoto, Naofumi Abe, Jun Kasai
  • Steam generator and laundry dryer having the same and controlling method thereof
    Patent number: 9663894
    Abstract: A water supply device for a drying machine and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The water supply device includes a common hose having one end connected to at least one water supply source, a drying machine water supply hose having one end connected to the common hose and the other end connected to a steam generator of the drying machine, and a washing machine water supply hose having one end connected to the common hose and the other end connected to a washing machine. With the provision of the water supply device, the drying machine has the effects of preventing wrinkles, creases, or the like from being generated in an object to be dried, such as clothes, and the like, or eliminating wrinkles, creases, or the like in clothes, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Young Soo Kim, Dae Bong Yang, Chul Jin Choi, Jung Yoo, Jae Hyuk Wi
  • Heat treating apparatus for powder particles and method of producing toner
    Patent number: 9665021
    Abstract: A heat treating apparatus for powder particles including a cylindrical treating chamber; a powder particle-supplying unit; a hot air-supplying unit that supplies hot air for heat-treating powder particles; a cold air-supplying unit that supplies cold air for cooling the heat-treated powder particles; a regulating unit for regulating a flow of the supplied powder particles; and a recovering unit that recovers the heat-treated powder particles. The regulating unit is a substantially circular columnar member, the hot air-supplying unit has an outlet opposite to the upper end portion of the columnar member, and the regulating unit is equipped with a substantially conic distributing member for distributing the supplied hot air in a circumferential direction and a rotating member for rotating the distributed hot air in a spiral manner, on the center of the upper end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Ohtsu, Yuichi Mizo, Hironori Minagawa, Takakuni Kobori, Kohji Takenaka, Junichi Hagiwara, Daisuke Ito, Kunihiko Kawakita
  • Method of collapse-free drying of high aspect ratio structures
    Patent number: 9666427
    Abstract: A method, for drying an etched layer with a plurality of structures with etched spaces between the plurality of structures is provided. A liquid is provided within the spaces on the etched layer. The liquid is displaced with a drying solution with a solvent. Some of the solvent is removed from the drying solution to form a solid from the solution, wherein the solid at least fill half the height of the etched high aspect ratio spaces. The solid is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen M. Sirard, Diane Hymes, Olivier B. Postel
  • Assembly for fossil fuel distribution
    Patent number: 9657944
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of fossil fuel combustion arrangement. It relates in particular to a fuel distribution assembly for equal and homogenous pulverized fuel distribution in pulverized fuel conduits throughout. It also relates to a system for providing an equal and homogenous pulverized fuel distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Dey Debashis, Sauren Banerjee, Aditya Krishnendu
  • Optionally fueled portable cooking device
    Patent number: 9655472
    Abstract: An optionally fueled portable cooking device having a hollow cylindrical body having an open top end and a perforated bottom end, a pair of opposed doors selectively disposed and movably meeting immediately adjacent the hollow cylindrical body, a disk-shaped base, an above-base ring having a plurality of spaced apart legs supporting the above-base ring, the above-base ring removably receiving the perforated bottom end, an ash pan removably disposed between the legs and upon the disc-shaped base, a grease pan for the grease tube, an electric plate removably disposed upon than L-shaped lip vertically disposed from the open top end, the electric plate having a power control and a plate grease drain, a gas fueled insert removably disposed within the hollow cylindrical body, and a perforated vent plate rotationally disposed below the perforated bottom end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Inventor: Jose G. Alvarenga
  • Portable burner
    Patent number: 9657940
    Abstract: A portable burner includes: a burner body having a burner head; and a fuel storage unit disposed below the burner body, and configured to supply fuel to the burner head, wherein the fuel storage unit includes an inner case configured to store fuel, and an outer case configured to accommodate the inner case therein, wherein at least part of the inner case and the outer case is formed to be transparent or semi-transparent, and wherein a shock absorber is formed between the inner case and the outer case. Under such configuration, a user can check the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel storage unit with the naked eye, and damage and transformation of the portable burner can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: KOVEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sang Hyun Kim
  • Laundry treating apparatus having cleaning device
    Patent number: 9657431
    Abstract: A laundry treating apparatus may include a cabinet, a drum rotatably installed in the cabinet, a heat exchanger disposed in the cabinet and receiving air from the drum, and a cleaning device disposed in the cabinet and moved by an external force in a first direction to remove lint accumulated on the heat exchanger. The lint may be simply removed from the heat exchanger and air may smoothly flow through the heat exchanger, thus improving performance of the laundry treating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seonghwan Kim, Bio Park, Yongju Lee
  • Brick assembly with magnetic attachment, and methods of making and use thereof
    Patent number: 9651264
    Abstract: A brick assembly may include a molded brick having a planar surface and at least one magnetic attachment for magnetically securing the brick assembly to a ferromagnetic surface. A mold assembly for manufacturing a brick assembly may include a mold chamber and at least one magnetic attachment seat or a hinged metal door. A method for manufacturing a brick assembly may include using a mold assembly, a mold material, and at least one magnetic attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Innovative Hearth Products, LLC
    Inventors: Martin D. Husted, Mark Klein
  • Method for drying seal materials for ignition devices
    Patent number: 9651306
    Abstract: A method for drying a seal material for use in manufacturing an ignition device, e.g., a spark plug. A free-flowing or loose seal material having a moisture content is provided and brought together with a desiccant for a time sufficient to produce a dry seal material by reducing the moisture content of the loose seal material to a desired level. Thereafter, the dry seal material and the desiccant may be separated from one another so that the dry seal material can be used to form a seal within an internal bore of a spark plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION COMPANY
    Inventor: Keith Firstenberg
  • Oven appliance with dual opening and closing doors
    Patent number: 9651265
    Abstract: The present subject matter provides an oven appliance. The oven appliance includes a cabinet that defines a chamber. A pair of doors is rotatably mounted to provide selective access to the chamber of the cabinet. A linkage assembly connects the doors of the pair of doors such that the doors rotate open and closed simultaneously. The linkage assembly includes a pair of gears that transfer rotational motion of one door to another door of the pair of doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: John Adam Yantis, John Mark Chilton, Scott Thomas Kershner, Eric Sugalski, David Schoon, David Perry
  • Touch-screen hairdryer
    Patent number: 9642434
    Abstract: A touch-screen hairdryer includes a touch screen and a control circuit, the touch screen is connected with the control circuit and arranged for receiving a touch signal from a user and then transmitting it to the control circuit, and the control circuit includes a wind speed adjusting circuit and a power adjusting circuit which are silicon controlled circuits arranged for adjusting wind speed and power according to the touch signal respectively. In comparison with the prior art, since the wind speed or power is adjusted by the silicon controlled rectifiers according to the touch signals inputted, thus a higher safety is obtained, and moreover the service life of the silicon controlled rectifiers is longer than the mechanical switch significantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: DONGGUAN FURUIKANG ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Haowen Hu
  • Rotatable-drum laundry drier and method of controlling a rotatable-drum laundry drier to dry delicate laundry
    Patent number: 9637859
    Abstract: A laundry dryer (1) has a laundry drum (3) which is designed to rotate about an longitudinal axis (6). An air recirculating conduit (10) is connected to the laundry drum (3). A heater device (10) is located along air recirculating conduit (10) to heat the airflow. A rotatable fan (11) is located along air recirculating conduit (10) to produce an airflow flowing through drum (3). The fan (11) is designed to be rotated in a main and secondary direction of rotation for providing different air flow rates. An electric motor (14) is mechanically connected with the fan (11) and the drum (3) for rotating the fan (11) and drum (3), simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Electronics Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Fabio Altinier, Michele Bisaro, Roberto Ragogna, Gennaro Napolitano