Patents Examined by Kurt J Wolford
  • Patent number: 11971217
    Abstract: Batch furnace assembly for processing wafers, comprising a process chamber housing defining a process chamber and having a process chamber opening, a wafer boat housing defining a water boat chamber, a door assembly, a differential pressure sensor, and a controller. The door assembly has a closed position in which it closes off the process chamber opening. The door assembly defines in a closed position a door assembly chamber having a purge gas inlet for supplying purge gas to the door assembly chamber for gas sealingly separating the process chamber from the wafer boat chamber. The differential pressure sensor assembly fluidly connects to the door assembly chamber and is configured to determine a pressure difference between a pressure in the door assembly chamber and a reference pressure in a reference pressure chamber. The controller is configured to establish whether the pressure difference is in a desired pressure range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Theodorus G. M. Oosterlaken, Lucian Jdira, Herbert Terhorst
  • Patent number: 11946695
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of firing a unit cell for a solid oxide fuel cell performs pre-sintering and main sintering using a single apparatus by adjusting a height of a setter to apply pressure. The pressure prevents warping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Curie Park, Eun Yong Park, Dong Oh Shin, Kwangwook Choi
  • Patent number: 11933521
    Abstract: A hot water supply device includes a combustion part, a combustion fan, a heat exchange part, a water supply part, a hot water discharge part, and a control part. In the hot water supply device, in a pre-purge step of a heating operation, the presence or absence of a disturbance factor is determined based on rotational responsiveness and deviation of the combustion fan with respect to a scavenging rotation speed. When there is no disturbance factor, in an ignition step, detection of a failure sign is performed based on responsiveness and deviation of the combustion fan with respect to an ignition rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: NORITZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Hamagami, Hideyuki Okada, Kenta Yamanishi, Hisataka Hayase, Kazuhiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11923212
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a substrate includes a process chamber having a process space inside, a support unit that supports the substrate in the process space, a heating unit that is provided inside the support unit and that heats the substrate, an exhaust unit that evacuates the process space, and a gas supply unit that supplies a gas into the process space, and the gas supply unit supplies the gas at a temperature selected from a first temperature and a second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyungsik Shin, Junho Kim, Jinki Shin
  • Patent number: 11920830
    Abstract: A tool and method clean and drain a water heater tank, removing water and sediment from the tank. An insert tube fits through the hot water outlet port to reach the bottom of the tank interior. A fitting connects the insert tube to a hose extending down the outside of the tank to the floor/ground to a drain or container that is lower than the bottom of the tank interior. After priming the tool by using the cold water inlet flow to fill the tool with water and sediment, the cold water inlet is disconnected from the water heater, venting the tank so that water and sediment are siphoned out of the tank through the tool to empty the tank. The tool and method work without unplugging or disconnecting a clogged water heater drain line, without using a compressor or pump, and without creating a wet, messy environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventor: Russell Dwayne Mcnally
  • Patent number: 11906246
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an organic film forming apparatus includes a chamber configured to maintain an atmosphere more reduced than an atmospheric pressure, at least one processing room provided inside the chamber and being surrounded by a cover, and an exhaust part configured to exhaust the inside the chamber. The processing room includes an upper heating part including first heaters, a lower heating part including second heaters, and facing the upper heating part, an upper heat equalizing plate provided on the lower heating part side of the upper heating part, a lower heat equalizing plate provided on the upper heating part side of the lower heating part, and workpiece supporters configured to support a workpiece through a gap between the upper and lower heat equalizing plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukinobu Nishibe, Akinori Iso, Keigo Oomori, Takashi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11885531
    Abstract: A fluid heating system including a burner unit is operated based on feedback control loops. The fluid heating system comprises a burner unit configured to heat a fluid, a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the appliance, and a controller coupled to the burner unit and the sensor. The controller includes an electronic processor and a memory. The controller is configured to receive a first signal corresponding to the characteristic from the sensor, determine, based on the first signal, a first feedback loop control, control combustion of the burner unit based on the first feedback loop control, determine, based on the first feedback loop control, a second feedback loop control, and control combustion of the burner unit based on the second feedback loop control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis George Gagne, Yonggon Lee, Brian Thomas Branecky, Barry Anthony Collins, Daniel Mitchell, Mohamed Mehdi Doura
  • Patent number: 11872629
    Abstract: A pressing arrangement includes a pressure vessel comprising a furnace chamber. The furnace chamber comprises a load compartment arranged within the furnace chamber. The furnace chamber comprises at least one pressure medium guiding passage in fluid communication with the load compartment to form an inner convection loop, wherein pressure medium in the inner convection loop is guided through the load compartment and through the at least one pressure medium guiding passage and back to the load compartment, or vice versa. The pressure vessel comprises at least one adjustable throttle configured to selectively impede or obstruct pressure medium flow in at least a portion of the at least one pressure medium guiding passage, thereby selectively selectively impeding or obstructing a flow of pressure medium in the inner convection loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Quintus Technologies AB
    Inventors: Per Burstrom, Magnus Byggnevi, Stefan Gustafsson
  • Patent number: 11867428
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a heat exchange pipe, a heat exchanger and a water heating apparatus. The heat exchange pipe comprises: a pipe body and a plurality of fins fixedly disposed to sleeve the pipe body; a flow guiding structure is provided at a partial outer edge of the fin; and a flow guiding flue is formed between the flow guiding structure and an outer wall of the pipe body. The heat exchange pipe, the heat exchanger and the water heating apparatus provided by the present disclosure can improve the flue gas flow path and the heat exchange efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: A.O. Smith Corporation
    Inventors: Xiang Gao, Dian Fang, Xiaowei Zhou
  • Patent number: 11859867
    Abstract: A premixed low-nitrogen gas boiler is provided, which includes a reversed flow-swirl mixer being opposite mixing of natural gas and air. A flow deflector is arranged at a gas mixture outlet of the reversed flow-swirl mixer. An upper flow equalizing plate and a lower flow equalizing plate are arranged below the flow deflector, the upper flow equalizing plate is positioned above the lower flow equalizing plate, and a channel for enhancing mixing of gas mixture is formed between the upper flow equalizing plate and the lower flow equalizing plate. A comb-shaped water-cooled burner is arranged at the rear end of the lower flow equalizing plate, a combustion chamber is arranged at the rear end of the comb-shaped water-cooled burner, hearth tube bundles are arranged in a ladder-shaped convergent hearth, and the hearth tube bundles form an inner loop with a working medium water-steam mixture in a hearth water tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Xi'an Jiaotong University, Henan Yuanda Boiler Corporation Ltd
    Inventors: Yanqing Niu, Mao Tian, Jun Zhao, Hongzhong Liu
  • Patent number: 11859905
    Abstract: A device for producing expanded granulated material from mineral material in the form of grains of sand with an expanding agent includes a furnace with a furnace shaft, having an upper end and a lower end. A conveying section extends between the two ends and passes through a number of heating zones arranged separately from one another in a conveying direction. The device also includes at least one feeder in order to charge at least the unexpanded material into the furnace shaft at one of the two ends in the direction of the other of the two ends. At least one directing element is at least partly arranged in the furnace shaft and forms a gap with an inner wall of the furnace shaft, at least in the region of one of the two ends. The at least one feeder is designed for charging the material into the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Omya International AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Kremer, Julian Neubacher, Harald Tschernko
  • Patent number: 11852380
    Abstract: A multi-functional retrofit cover plate assembly and method for an electric water heater to provide interconnection with an alternative energy system to heat water in a water holding tank of the electric water heater. The cover plate is adapted for replacement connection over a bottom access opening formed in an outer casing of the electric water heater which permits access to a bottom resistive heating element and electrical connections. The retrofit cover plate is shaped to define an internal dedicated compartment. A dual resistive heating element is provided for replacement of the bottom resistive heating element. An electronic switch unit is further provided and it has a power cut-off switch for connection to an alternative supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: GIANT FACTORIES INC.
    Inventors: Claude Lesage, Guy Jean Houle
  • Patent number: 11854842
    Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate heat treatment apparatus for heat treating a substrate, including a bake plate, support components, a baffle plate, and a driving device. The bake plate defines at least one gas passage. The support components support the substrate. The baffle plate is fixed on a top surface of the bake plate. The baffle plate surrounds the substrate and a gap is formed between an inner circumferential wall of the baffle plate and the substrate. A driving device drives the plurality of support components to move up or down. When heat treating the substrate, a hot gas is supplied to the space between the substrate and the top surface of the bake plate through the gas passage of the bake plate, and the hot gas flows out through the gap formed between the inner circumferential wall of the baffle plate and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ACM RESEARCH (SHANGHAI), INC.
    Inventors: Hui Wang, Hongchao Yang, Jun Wu, Wenjun Wang, Fuping Chen, Zhiyou Fang
  • Patent number: 11852413
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tempering furnace for a glass sheet, which has a conveyor for the glass sheet, first convection blow means over the conveyor to heat the glass sheet by hot air jets blown on its top and/or bottom surface, and second convection blow means to help lead pressurized air from outside the tempering furnace to second blow nozzles from which air is discharged as jets towards the top and/or bottom surface of the glass sheet. The heating effect of the air jets on the glass sheet is adjustable by adjusting the feeding of electric current to electric elements inside blowing channels. Blow nozzles of the second convection blow means form blow zones. The heating effect on the glass sheet of the jets discharged from the second blow nozzles inside the blow zones is adjustable by adjusting the blowing pressure of feed pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: GLASTON FINLAND OY
    Inventors: Jukka Vehmas, Kyösti Keto
  • Patent number: 11835294
    Abstract: The disclosure is a heat treatment furnace which heats an element wire for a wire electrode to perform a heat diffusion treatment and includes: first, second and third rotary electrodes to which a voltage is applied; a motor that rotationally drives the rotary electrodes; and a control device. The first, second and third rotary electrodes are arranged in a manner that the element wire is laid in a V-shape or an I-shape in an order of the second rotary electrode, the first rotary electrode and the third rotary electrode from the upstream side in a travel direction of the element wire. The element wire is caused to travel, a voltage is applied to the first, second and third rotary electrodes, and a current flows through and heats the element wire which travels in a first heating section and a second heating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Sodick Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kawahara, Tomoaki Asaoka, Masaru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11828459
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a black liquor recovery boiler, where a furnace floor of the boiler is washed by mixing wash water in a wash water pool formed on the floor by at least one mixing device in the wash water pool, and by jetting wash water towards the floor by at least one pressure washer installed into the furnace through an opening in the furnace wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Varo Teollisuuspalvelut Oy
    Inventor: Timo Karjunen
  • Patent number: 11808453
    Abstract: A gas-mixing device includes: a shell, where the shell is provided with an air channel for conveying air, a fuel gas channel for conveying fuel gas, and a mixing-gas channel connecting downstream of the air channel and the fuel gas channel. The fuel gas channel includes a first sectional flow area and the air channel includes a second section flow area; which are located on the movable part of the shell. The movable part is provided with a flexible separation component which hermetically separates the air channel and the fuel gas channel. The movable part penetrates through the flexible separation component and enters the air channel and the fuel gas channel and performs a movement to change the first and second sectional flow area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: A.O. Smith Corporation
    Inventors: Yanli Duan, Ziwen Fu, Xin Cao
  • Patent number: 11802689
    Abstract: Improved steamblow commissioning of a steam plant with steam discharged to the condenser and increased use of permanent piping instead of temporary piping with quenching/desuperheating and providing a low back pressure environment to enable aggressive steam blow cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Boyle Energy Services & Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Judah Hiat
  • Patent number: 11768034
    Abstract: An industrial oven includes an oven chamber configured to receive a plurality of work pieces. A heater box of the oven has a heating element therein operable to heat air for delivery to the oven chamber. A circulation system of the oven is operable to force hot air from the heater box into the oven chamber. The circulation system includes a delivery manifold extending from the heater box to the oven chamber. A duct has an inlet coupled with an outlet of the delivery manifold, and the duct has a plurality of hot air outlet apertures therein for expelling hot air into the oven chamber. The duct is constructed of fabric sheet and suspended within the oven chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: SST Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chad Martin Andreae
  • Patent number: 11768012
    Abstract: A diffuser for a water heater fill tubes having a tube wall with an outside diameter. The diffuser includes an elongated flexible diffuser body for positioning at the outlet end of the fill tube. The diffuser body has a sealing end for sealing with an outside surface of the fill tube wall closest to the inlet end of the fill tube, and an open end for positioning at an end closest to the outlet end of the fill tube. The open end has a diameter larger than an outside diameter of the tube wall, thereby creating an diffuser water outlet opening between the diffuser body and the tube wall for redirecting radial water flow emanating from the fill tube water outlet opening(s) toward the diffuser outlet opening. A fill tube assembly for a water heater, a water heater, and a method for heating water are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph D. Rendall, Kyle R. Gluesenkamp, Anthony C. Gehl, Jerald A. Atchley