Patents Examined by Pamela Wilson
  • Patent number: 6170167
    Abstract: A structure for detachably attaching a drying agent unit to a lens barrel without increasing the size of the lens barrel. An opening for ventilation is formed in the circumference of the lens barrel. The drying agent unit comprises a container containing the drying agent. The container is provided with an opening. The drying agent unit is detachably attached to the lens barrel through a fixing mechanism such as fixing screws. The container communicates with the inside of the lens barrel through the openings in the attached state. Alternatively, the drying agent may be formed in a shape capable of fitting itself into the opening of the lens barrel, and a part of an outer surface of the drying agent that is exposed in the attached state is coated with an unbreathable coating. This eliminates the necessity of providing a container for the drying agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kato
  • Patent number: 6170172
    Abstract: A device and method cures an adhesive by means of UV radiation in an inert-gas atmosphere. The adhesive is interposed as an adhesive layer between two superposed layers of a disc-shaped optical information carrier. The device includes a UV source, a supply for an inert gas, and a holder for holding the information carrier in a centered position with respect to a centering axis. The inert-gas supply has discharge openings for inert gas, situated in a circular zone around the centering axis, at a distance from the centering axis which substantially corresponds to the radius of the peripheral edge of the information carrier, so that inert gas flows past the peripheral edge during curing. As a result locally present oxygen which would interfere with curing is expelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Petrus H. G. M. Vromans, Remberto L. T. Martis, Paulus W. J. Brugel
  • Patent number: 6170170
    Abstract: A leafed vegetable dryer includes an entrance for products, an exit for the products and one or more transporters for transporting the products between the entrance and the exit. The transporters have the form of a centrifuge. A transport driver is utilized to drive the transporters and a centrifuge driver is utilized to drive the centrifuge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Felcon Engineering B.V.
    Inventor: Jan Van Felius
  • Patent number: 6167638
    Abstract: Very dry air is made for drying grain and other particulates. The air is dried by first cooling under pressure to remove moisture, then contacted with a drying device such as a vessel containing desiccant, then heated and released into a bed of particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Clearwater, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew E. Vavro, Wayne Mueller
  • Patent number: 6167710
    Abstract: An apparatus for ice seeding during cryopreservation of biological samples such as cells, harvested tissues, and cellular biological constructs such as culture tissues equivalents wherein ice seeding is performed by discharging a liquefied or chilled gas from a nozzle to the surface container containing the biological sample in cryopreservative. Inside a freezing chamber, containers are placed on racks that are located proximal to a sprayrail containing nozzles. Ice seeding is performed by discharge of liquefied or chilled gas from the nozzles to the container surface at the solid-liquid equilibrium temperature of the cryopreservative. Localized cooling of the container surface by the discharge results in ice seed formation within the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Organogenesis Inc.
    Inventor: Maury D. Cosman
  • Patent number: 6163977
    Abstract: Room Air Gel Dryer contains a system of hinges for movement and alignment of frames. It has another system of latches and thumb screws for tightly holding or releasing different frames. Both of the above described systems keep various separate components stay and work together as one unit. Wall plates not only hold this gel dryer horizontal but also make it stand with excellent stability. Special grooves present in the lateral sides assist in separating different frames and in the collection of dry acrylamide gel-cellophane sandwich.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Shaik A. Gaffar
    Inventor: Shaik Abdul Gaffar
  • Patent number: 6163980
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for continuous dehydration of sludge wherein, prior to dehydration, water is mechanically removed from the sludge, and the thus obtained sludge of cutting consistency is mixed with heated spheres. Dehydration is carried out at reduced pressure, wherein the sludge from which water has been mechanically removed is intimately mixed with the heated spheres in order to increase the heat capacity of the sludge. The dehydrated sludge and the cooled spheres are then separated from each other, the dehydrated sludge is removed, while the cooled spheres are reheated and subsequently added to fresh sludge that is to be dehydrated. The spheres are partly heated by means of water vapor coming from the sludge and partly by means of steam. The spheres are made from steel, having a diameter of 8-16 mm. The pressure in the system ranges form approx. 2 bars to approx. 0.05 bar. An apparatus is also provided for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignees: DHV Milieu en Infrastructuur B.V., Technische Universiteit Delft Faculteit Technische Aardwetenschappen
    Inventors: Eduardus Julius Maria Van Poppel, Peter Carlo Rem
  • Patent number: 6161574
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for a fuel system, having a pressure chamber that communicates with a fuel connection and having a diaphragm that is installed at its outer peripheral region in a housing and partitions off the pressure chamber. A preassembled unit can be fastened, with the diaphragm built into the housing, on the basic body and the diaphragm can come to rest on a stop provided on the basic body. The device is intended in particular for regulating a pressure in a fuel system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Albert Gerhard, Willi Strohl, Jochen Rose, Erich Eiler
  • Patent number: 6161312
    Abstract: A drying machine includes a first chamber, a second chamber, a first control device mounted in the first chamber and including a first main condenser, a first secondary condenser, a first main evaporator, and a first secondary evaporator, a second control device mounted in the second chamber and including a second main condenser, a second secondary condenser, a second main evaporator, and a second secondary evaporator, and a common compressor supplying a refrigerant to the first control device and to the second control device. In such a manner, when the first control device performs a cycle to increase the temperature in the first chamber, the second control device performs a cycle to decrease the temperature in the second chamber, and when the first control device performs a cycle to decrease the temperature in the first chamber, the second control device performs a cycle to increase the temperature in the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Inventor: Pen-Ta Yang
  • Patent number: 6161300
    Abstract: An alcohol vapor dryer system includes a vapor generating chamber, a heater, a process chamber, a gas supplier, a drain vessel, and a suction device. The vapor generating chamber of cylindrical shape contains liquid alcohol supplied from an outer source and includes a fan installed above the surface of the liquid alcohol. The heater installed below the vapor generating chamber heats the liquid alcohol contained in the vapor generating chamber at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the liquid alcohol. The process chamber communicates with the vapor generating chamber through a plurality of fluid ducts and includes a body and a cover plate for covering the body. The gas supplier generates heated nitrogen gas and supplies the gas in order to transfer the heated nitrogen gas and the alcohol vapors to the fluid ducts which are connected to the process chamber. The drain vessel communicates with the bottom of the body of the process chamber and also with the bottom of the vapor generating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Inventor: Jae Hyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 6161302
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dryer apparatus for fiber webs (10), such as webs of natural fiber, synthetic fiber and the like. The apparatus comprises a rotating dryer cylinder (1), the interior of which is provided with elements (8) for injecting hot heat-transfer fluid against the inner cylinder surface and for discharging if from the cylinder interior. The invention relates also to a method for heating a cylinder by injecting hot heat-transfer fluid against the inner surface of the heating cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Inventor: Pekka Rantala
  • Patent number: 6161310
    Abstract: An elbow for use in connecting the exhaust vent of a clothes dryer to an exhaust duct. The elbow having a depth equal to or less than the exhaust duct diameter while maintaining a constant exhaust airflow velocity. Preferably, the elbow comprises a rectangular portion connected to the dryer exhaust vent and an adapter portion extending from the rectangular portion and connecting to the exhaust duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Builder's Best, Inc.
    Inventors: W. Gregory Tuggle, Robert Kenrick
  • Patent number: 6158396
    Abstract: This invention relates to a natural gas fired water boiler having a spirally wrapped finned heat exchanger surrounding a burner. The center of the heat exchanger being plugged by a metal core having a constantly reducing diameter truncated cone top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Glowcore Acquisition Company, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lackstrom, John Horrocks
  • Patent number: 6158145
    Abstract: A method is provided in which particulate matter is dried in a high velocity cyclonic dryer having inner and/or outer ring deflectors. Contemplated initial air stream velocities are at least about 100 feet per second, with more preferred velocities at least 300 feet per second, and still more preferred embodiments at least 500 feet per second. In one aspect of preferred embodiments the combination of high velocity air flow and ring deflectors advantageously provides significant drying of the particulate matter using both relatively low temperatures and relatively short transit times. Contemplated temperatures of the air stream entering the dryer are between about 50.degree. F. and about 300.degree. F., with more preferred temperatures between about 60.degree. F. and about 150.degree. F., and still more preferred temperatures between about 70.degree. F. and about 120.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Inventors: Frank D. Landon, H. Tom. Sawyer
  • Patent number: 6158147
    Abstract: Very dry air is made for drying grain and other particulates. The air is dried by first cooling under pressure to remove moisture, then contacted with a drying device such as a vessel containing desiccant, then heated and released into a bed of particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Clearwater, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin W. Smith, Wayne Mueller
  • Patent number: 6158148
    Abstract: The method detects impermissible operating states in a hot-air clothes dryer with a laundry drum. The temperature in the incoming air flow is detected periodically downstream of an incoming air heater and upstream of the drum. A differential value (difference value or gradient) is formed from two successively detected values. The differential value is compared with a predetermined differential value, and if the newly formed differential value is absolutely greater than the predetermined differential value, then a counting value is incremented by one step. The counting value is compared with a predetermined counting value and, if the current counting value is greater than the predetermined counting value, then the heating of the dryer is turned off and/or an operating state display is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe-Jens Krausch
  • Patent number: 6154980
    Abstract: A low pressure dryer for granular or powdery material includes a plurality of hoppers rotatable about a common vertical axis serially among material filling and heating, vacuum drying and material discharge positions; pneumatic piston-cylinder means for rotating the hoppers about said axis among said filling and heating, vacuum drying and discharge positions; means for heating contents of a hopper at said filling and heating positions; means for sealing a hopper at said vacuum and drying positions; means for drawing vacuum within a hopper at said vacuum drying position and means for selectably permitting downward flow of dried granular or powdery material out of a hopper at said discharge position where said hoppers move collectively and unitarily one with another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Stephen B. Maguire
  • Patent number: 6155210
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of firing black liquor in recovery boilers where the intention is to get fumes having a low content of nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x). The invention is characterized in that a part of the combustion air is added as a last portion at a level on a very high level so that a reducing atmosphere will exist in a very great part of the boiler and during a long period of time of at least 3-5 seconds. The invention also includes a recovery boiler for carrying out the above said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Kvaerner Pulping AB
    Inventor: Nils Gustav Lindman
  • Patent number: 6152423
    Abstract: A system for sealing a head end of a cylinder to prevent a material flow through the cylinder. An o-ring inside the cylinder surrounds a piston when the piston is in a closed position inside the cylinder to prevent material from leaking into the cylinder around the piston. The o-ring is held in position by a groove inside the cylinder wall proximate a head end of the cylinder. A retainer ring has a first end held in place by a step protruding from the cylinder wall and a second end extending into a second end of the o-ring. The retainer ring applies a force to the retainer-ring which holds the o-ring inside the groove. The o-ring also applies a force to the retainer ring holding the o-ring in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Jimmy Brooks Nichols
  • Patent number: 6151799
    Abstract: A system and method is described for processing waste citrus peel to remove oil from the peel in a highly efficient manner for subsequent processing, where the temperature of the peel is elevated, the peel is then finely fragmented to create a slurry, the solid particles are removed from the slurry and dried, and the oil is separated from the water in the slurry. The temperature of the peel is elevated by exposing the peel to steam so that minimal water is added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Inventor: Robert Allen Jones