Patents Examined by S. Gravini
  • Patent number: 7020986
    Abstract: A drum type washing and drying machine includes a cylindrical rotary drum provided with multiple drum perforations on the cylindrical surface thereof and having a rotating shaft in a horizontal or a slanted direction, a water tub, supported in a main body of the machine, for accommodating the rotary drum therein; an air circulation channel for re-circulating air exhausted from the rotary drum back into the rotary drum via a dehumidification unit and a heating unit; and a lint trap device, installed in the air circulation channel, for filtering lint generated from laundry. The lint trap device at least includes a first and a second filter member capable of being detachably attached to each other, and the assembly of the first and the second filter member is freely attachably and detachably installed on a front upper portion of the main body in an approximately horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Nakai, Takahiro Inoue, Yoshitomo Kato
  • Patent number: 7020981
    Abstract: A reactor defines a reaction chamber for processing a substrate. The reactor comprises a first inlet for providing a first reactant and to the reaction chamber and a second inlet for a second reactant to the reaction chamber. A first exhaust outlet removes gases from the reaction chamber. A second exhaust outlet removes gases from the reaction chamber. A flow control system is configured to alternately constrict flow through the first and second exhaust outlets. The reactor chamber is configured to for a diffusion barrier within the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: ASM America, INC
    Inventors: Eric J. Shero, Mohith E. Verghese
  • Patent number: 7017278
    Abstract: A method for drying a plurality of objects in a same space using a microwave, a method of uniformly drying all the objects to be dried while retaining the high productivity (mass productivity) as much as possible is provided. The method comprises laying a plurality of objects to be dried apart from each other by keeping, as a shortest distance between at least one pair of adjacent objects among them a distance equivalent to ¾ or more of the wavelength of the microwave to be used and irradiating them with the microwave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeki Kato
  • Patent number: 7017282
    Abstract: A washing machine including a drying apparatus. The washing machine including the drying apparatus quickly dries wet laundry by efficiently condensing and adsorbing vapor from humid air of high temperature flowing from a water tub during a drying-mode operation. The drying apparatus includes a condensing duct and a blower duct respectively mounted on a rear surface and an upper surface of the water tub. The condensing duct has an ultrasonic atomizing unit, a condensing unit and a water adsorption unit therein, while the blower duct has a blower fan and a heater therein. An inner space of the condensing duct is partitioned into a first condensing path, a second condensing path and a third condensing path by a first air guide and a second air guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Yeon Pyo, Hyung-Gyoon Kim, Byoung Yull Yang, Dong Hyun Lee, Kyu Sun Lee
  • Patent number: 7010866
    Abstract: A voltage step-down structure for a heat-emitting element of a drier is disclosed. The structure is for a heat-emitting element of a drier having a hollow body containing a motor and a ceramic heat-emitting element and a voltage step-down device characterized in that the interior of the hollow body is mounted with the heat-emitting element and the ceramic or glass voltage step-down element coated with conductive film such that one end of the power source is connected to one end of the step-down element, and the other end is connected to the diode end of the motor such that the impedance of the conductive film provides voltage step-down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Inventor: Hsin-Yun Lin
  • Patent number: 7007406
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing heat-sensitive pharmaceutical powder is disclosed. The original pharmaceutical substances are dissolved in a solution or suspended in a suspension, which is sprayed through an atomizing nozzle and frozen in a cold gas phase or liquid nitrogen atomized directly in the spray-freeze chamber or gas jacket at the same time (for cooling purposes). The particles are freeze-dried at roughly atmospheric pressure in a down-stream fluid flow with exit filter thereby to remove moisture entrapped on or inside the frozen particles. The system has applicability for forming other powders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Inventors: Zhaolin Wang, Warren H. Finlay
  • Patent number: 7007405
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying book and similar paper-based materials in wet or frozen state, in which the material dried is exposed to microwave irradiation with frequency from 500 MHz to 10 GHz and in which the book or similar paper-based materials is lined with ceramic slabs before the drying. In this arrangement the materials are subsequently exposed to microwaves under atmospheric or reduced pressure. An apparatus for carrying out the method includes microwave drying oven modified for a batch or continuous operation, which includes adjustable ceramic slabs capable to absorb both moisture and microwaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ustav Chemick{grave over (y)}ch Proces{dot over (u)} Akademie V{hacek over (e)}d Ceskė Republiky
    Inventors: Milan Hajek, Jiri Drahos
  • Patent number: 7007409
    Abstract: A drying rack for the stationary drying of articles to be dried, which can be installed in the drum of a clothes dryer. The articles can be knitwear or shoes that must not be moved when dried even when the drum turns. For articles, especially, wool articles, to dry faster, the drying rack has at least two spaced-apart surfaces disposed one on top of the other on which the articles to be dried can be spread, thereby substantially enlarging the surface of the articles to be dried. As such, the drying air current can better remove the moisture and larger individual wool articles can be dried in the clothes dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemeus Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Moschütz, Hans-Werner Stahn, Günter Steffens
  • Patent number: 7007403
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying floors and carpets using a fan for generating a pressurized air stream within a vertical cylindrical shroud that is spaced two to five inches away from the floor on a set of legs such that an opening is formed between the shroud and the floor. The air stream is directed along the cylindrical shroud vertically toward the floor. At least a peripheral portion of the air stream is exhausted from the shroud in a substantially laminar flow at an angle that is inclined from the vertical and is exhausted radially into ambient air as a substantially laminar air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Inventor: Roy Studebaker
  • Patent number: 7003899
    Abstract: A method of forming a dynamic liquid meniscus includes forming a meniscus at a first size, the meniscus being formed between a proximity head and a first surface and changing the meniscus to a second size by modulating a flow through at least one of a set of ports on the proximity head. A system for modulating flow through the ports in a proximity head is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: James P. Garcia, Fred C. Redeker, John de Larios
  • Patent number: 6991453
    Abstract: An oil lamp for providing a unique flame formation usable in a variety of decorative applications. The lamp includes a body that has an open upper end and that defines a chamber for carrying a combustible liquid. The lamp further includes a planar wick having a lower end located in the chamber of the body, for contacting the combustible liquid, and an upper end projecting upwardly from the open upper end. The wick may be positioned between first and second plates arranged in a spaced, confronting relationship to enhance capillary action or may be wrapped about a rigid plate. When lit, the lamp provides a unique flame formation. Optionally, the lamp may include scented oil and a conductive element to promote the release of fragrance upon heating, and the wick can be configured free of material having a high heat conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Inventors: DayNa Decker, Steven Dodson
  • Patent number: 6983550
    Abstract: A gas hot air gun includes a main body, an ignition device, a switch set and a safety switch. The main body includes a blower, a nozzle, a barrel and a handle. A heating chamber and a mixing chamber are on the inner front of the barrel. A gas can is inside the handle. One end of the nozzle is connected to the gas can. The switch set includes a power switch, with the safety switch closing power of the battery set or gas flow of the gas can under some pre-set conditions. Users press the power switch and have gas spray out from the nozzle into the heating chamber to generate heat. The blower sends hot air in the heating chamber out of the main body. A metal slice regulating the direction of air and a catalyst for avoiding flame extending out of the nozzle area are inside the heating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Inventor: Arlo Lin