Patents Examined by Saeed T. Chaudhry
  • Patent number: 8864914
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a ceramic component includes generating a computer solid model of a component, converting the computer solid model to a stereo-lithographic instruction file, and preparing the component in a stereo-lithography machine in response to the stereo-lithographic instruction file. The method further includes providing an amount of solvent, where a residue left from preparing the component is at least partially soluble in the solvent. The method includes immersing at least part of the component in the solvent, heating the solvent in a liquid state, and reducing a pressure of the solvent sufficiently to boil the solvent. The method further includes heat-curing the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Max Eric Schlienger
  • Patent number: 8844544
    Abstract: A device for filtering a processing liquid in a processing tank includes an opening for recovering a surface-layer processing liquid on a work-discharging side of the tank, a separating part for recovering an intermediate-layer processing liquid on a work-receiving side of the tank, a hopper for recovering a bottom-layer processing liquid on a bottom surface on the work-receiving side, a first processing liquid discharge nozzle on a bottom surface of the tank and which is oriented in an opposite direction to a work-conveying direction and toward the bottom surface, second processing liquid discharge nozzles on both side surfaces of the processing tank and which are oriented in an opposite direction to the work-conveying direction and toward a work, cyclone devices which filter the processing liquids recovered by the opening, the separating part, and the hopper, and which individually separate foreign material, a separating tank, and a screw conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignees: Industria Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Takahashi, Takeshi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8845814
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods for operating a washer, and in preferred embodiments to a washer having a water tank that is integrally, preferably detachably, formed with the washer, wherein the washer comprises a washing chamber for accommodating goods to be cleaned, said washing chamber having in its lower portion a sump for collecting water during operation of the washer, a water inlet, a circulating pump for circulating water through the washing chamber, and a control unit for controlling a washing cycle carried out by the washer. In accordance with the invention, in this method water is fed via the water inlet into the sump; the pressure within an inlet or outlet conduit of the circulating pump is measured; and based on the pressure measurement the washing cycle is controlled and/or indicator signals are issued to a user of the washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Per-Erik Pers, Sarah Forster, Niklas Olson
  • Patent number: 8840729
    Abstract: An air conditioning drain cleaning system with an automated blow-out cycle to clean out an evaporator pan drain pipe. The system has a pneumatic valve assembly, a controller, a float level switch assembly and a plurality of air lines in a manifold for actuating the pneumatic valve assembly and blowing out the drain pipe. The controller directs the system to initiate or repeat a blow-out cycle until the drain pipe is clear. The pneumatic valve assembly bisects the drain pipe to selectively close the pipe for cleaning with a pair of high pressure air shots, one shot toward each pipe end to dislodge a clog. The float level switch assembly signals the controller if the condensate level in the drain pan drops. If the condensate level does not drop, the controller initiates a further blow-out cycle at increased pressures until the line is clear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Herren, Douglas Comeaux
  • Patent number: 8834640
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for treating containers relating especially to cleaning plastic bottles (1) preferably in the inverted position. Each container is thereby subjected to a treatment medium (16) applied and/or introduced thereto. Electrically charged ions introduced into the treatment medium (16) serve to balance the charge of each container. According to the invention, the treatment medium (16) is tested for the presence of ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Kappel, Thomas Ludwig
  • Patent number: 8828147
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for loosening a polymer layer from a surface of a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: EV Group GmbH
    Inventors: Matt Crowder, Ronald Holzleitner, Thomas Glinsner, Friedrich Paul Lindner, Erich Thallner
  • Patent number: 8828146
    Abstract: The technology of washing and treatment MWU (modular washing unit) is conceived to wash and treat fruits and vegetables in a confined environment, with progressively more and more clean water (counter-current) and with an optimal ratio between the quantities of water used and processed products. The system allows important savings of water, chemicals and energy. The technology of washing and treatment MWU (modular washing unit) is conceived to allow the transport and the treatment of the product in confined environment, with clean water (counter-current) In the MWU the product is submitted to sequence of filling and emptying with appropriated solutions, progressively cleaner, prior to subsequent discretionary treatments. A treatment plant can be equipped with a variable number of MWUs, with additional remote MWUs to meet the desired production capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Turatti S.r.l.
    Inventor: Italo Boschetti
  • Patent number: 8828143
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus comprising a chamber, and a thermal transfer device. The chamber is capable of holding a semiconductor structure therein. The thermal transfer device is connected to the chamber. The thermal transfer device has a surface disposed inside the chamber for contacting the semiconducting structure and controlling a temperature of the semiconductor structure in contact with the surface. The thermal transfer device has a thermal control module connected to the surface for heating and cooling the surface to thermally cycle the surface. The thermal control module effects a substantially immediate thermal response of the surface when thermally recycling the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Simons, Kenneth J. McCullough, Wayne M. Moreau, John M. Cotte, Keith R. Pope, Charles J. Taft, Dario L. Goldfarb
  • Patent number: 8808467
    Abstract: A dishwasher having a tub defining a wash chamber and at least one dish rack located within the wash chamber. The dishwasher also has at least one spray arm located in the wash chamber and at least one nozzle located in the wash chamber and configured to provide a spray of liquid into the dish rack. A diverter valve controls the supply of liquid from a liquid supply to the at least one nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Chad T. VanderRoest, Jay C. Landsiedel, Christopher J. Carlson, Vincent P. Gurubatham, Edward L. Thies
  • Patent number: 8801868
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a wash chamber and at least one dish rack located within the wash chamber. The dishwasher also has at least one sprayer located in the wash chamber and at least one nozzle located in the wash chamber and configured to provide a spray of liquid into the dish rack. A diverter valve controls the supply of liquid from a liquid supply to the at least one nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Carlson, Vincent P. Gurubatham, Jay C. Landsiedel, Edward L. Thies, Chad T. VanderRoest
  • Patent number: 8801862
    Abstract: A dishwasher is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current cost of supplied energy. The controller operates the dishwasher in one of a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode based on the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by adjusting one or more of an operation schedule, an operation delay, an operation adjustment, and a selective deactivation of at least one of the one or more power consuming functions to reduce power consumption of the dishwasher in the energy savings mode. The controller may modify or disable the hot start feature either prior to a wash cycle, or at an early stage of the first prewash cycle, including if a consumer elects to override the prompted energy savings mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Erick Paul Graven
  • Patent number: 8790467
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning an article may include a cleaning head. The cleaning head may have a lower edge and may include an annular steam chamber and a steam nozzle. The annular steam chamber may define a vacuum chamber that may be configured to receive the article therewithin. The annular steam chamber may have a plurality of discrete apertures positioned in vertically spaced relation to the lower edge. The steam nozzle may be configured to provide steam to the annular steam chamber for discharge through the apertures into the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Sergey G. Ponomarev
  • Patent number: 8784567
    Abstract: A rapid and effective means for decontaminating fouled oil-control booms is provided. The process involves washing the boom with pressured washing fluid, reorienting the boom to facilitate full inspection, and drying the boom. This can be performed in an assembly-line manner, using one or more conveyors to transport the boom sequentially to a washing area, an inspection area, and a drying area. Consequently, contaminated oil-control booms can be cleaned and redeployed rapidly and inexpensively during an oil release accident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Inventor: William G. Yates, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8778088
    Abstract: A foreign matter removal device 10 preliminary cleans the work 50 in a bucket 12 housed in an input tank 15, then further cleans the work 50 in buckets 13, 14 housed in cleaning tanks 16, 17 by agitating cleaning liquid while inverting the buckets to transfer the work to a subsequent bucket. Particularly, the bottom of the cleaning tank is formed such that the nearer to a center of the bottom, the deeper the bottom becomes. The cleaning liquid overflowing from the cleaning tanks are stored in auxiliary tanks 22, 23. First and second ejection units 29a, 29b are arranged at different heights in the cleaning tank to generate a circulating flow in the cleaning liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Itoham Foods Inc., Mayekawa Mfg, Co., Ltd, Hosoda Kogyo Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishimoto, Masaya Ichihara, Yo Komatsu, Satoshi Mashiba, Suguru Sakuramoto, Shinji Shimamura, Ryuzo Urakami
  • Patent number: 8778094
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a shiftable rack provided with multiple, distinct washing fluid spray arms connected to a common, rack supported manifold. When the rack is shifted to a retracted position within a tub of the dishwasher, the manifold mates with a coupling of a fluid distribution system including a multi-tube feed arrangement configured to selectively distribute washing fluid from a pump assembly to the multiple spray arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Walter T. Blanchard, David H. Chen
  • Patent number: 8769766
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for self-cleaning dust removal. The apparatus may be provided with a brush housing 202 having an opening 204, one or more axles 206 disposed around the opening 204, and a plurality of brush fibers 208 emanating from the one or more axles 206 that rotate inward into the opening 204. In addition, the system may include a scraping edge 106, disposed around the opening 204, farther into the brush housing 202 than the one or more axles 206, that scrapes 1408 dust off of the brush fibers 208 as they rotate inward against the scraping edge 106, and a vacuum cleaner intake port 110 inside the brush housing 202 that draws 1410 dust from off and about the brush fibers 208 as they rotate inward 1406. The system may further include a handle 112 connected to the brush housing 202 and a switch 114.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Inventor: Ronald N. Hilton
  • Patent number: 8764908
    Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of a dishwasher having a tub defining a wash chamber and at least one dish rack located within the wash chamber. The dishwasher also has at least one spray arm located in the wash chamber and at least one nozzle located in the wash chamber and configured to provide a spray of liquid toward the dish rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Chad T. VanderRoest, Jay C. Landsiedel, Christopher J. Carlson, Vincent P. Gurubatham, Edward L. Thies
  • Patent number: 8758523
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a photolithographic mask or semiconductor wafer involves mixing a gas and water in a jetspray nozzle and discharging the gas and water jetspray stream from a nozzle onto the photolithographic mask or wafer. The water jetspray stream is made up of a cluster of micro water droplets entrained in the gas having a predetermined size sufficient to dislodge contaminant particles adhered to the surface of the mask. The step of mixing the gas and water includes radially injecting the gas from a first plurality of circumferentially spaced apart gas nozzles into a stream of the water and radially injecting the gas from a second plurality of circumferentially spaced apart gas nozzles into the stream of the water, wherein the second plurality of gas nozzles are spaced above or below the first plurality of gas nozzles and radially offset from the first plurality of gas nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kun-Long Hsieh, Chien-Hsing Lu
  • Patent number: 8758518
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a counter top sized outer case; first and second electric motors disposed inside of the case. A positive displacement liquid pump with a pulsating output is operatively connected to said first electric motor and has an input and output port. A positive displacement gas pump with a pulsating output is operatively connected to the second electric motor and has an input and output port. A liquid source is fluidly connected to the input port of the liquid pump. The method further includes connecting a medical line or instrument to be cleaned to the output port of the liquid pump and operating the pump until the line or instrument has been cleaned. The line or instrument is then disconnected and connected to the output line of the gas pump. The gas pump is operated until the line or instrument has been cleared of liquid and then disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Inventor: Leon C. LaHaye
  • Patent number: 8753454
    Abstract: A dishwasher having a tub defining a wash chamber and at least one dish rack located within the wash chamber. The dishwasher also has at least one spray arm located in the wash chamber and at least one nozzle located in the wash chamber and configured to provide a spray of liquid into the dish rack. A diverter valve controls the supply of liquid from a liquid supply to the at least one nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Chad T. VanderRoest, Jay C. Landsiedel, Christopher J. Carlson, Vincent P. Gurubatham, Edward L. Thies