Patents Examined by Saeed T. Chaudhry
  • Patent number: 9290686
    Abstract: Compositions and methods of removing particulate matter from a surface. An example comprises contacting a kneadable dust removal composition with the surface so that the particulate matter adheres or becomes embedded within the composition, and is removed from the surface with the dust removal composition. Preferably the dust removal composition comprises a polymerized siloxane, more preferably a substituted polymerized siloxane, even more preferably, a non-cross-linked, linear polymerized siloxane. In other embodiments the invention comprises a kneadable dust removal composition, preferably comprising a polymerized siloxane. The dust removal composition may be packaged to be attachable to a broom, sweeper, or mop so that it make used to pick up residue from sweeping, brushing or mopping. In other embodiments the dust removal composition may be packaged in a “twist-up” or other similar package permitting the composition to be extruded or advanced to expose a fresh surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventor: James Jefferies Harrison
  • Patent number: 9265400
    Abstract: A method for monitoring tank water replacement of a kitchenware washing assembly generally includes automatically determining whether a counted number of wash cycles is equal to or exceeds a preset value. The method also includes automatically controlling one or more operations of the kitchenware washer assembly where the counted number of wash cycles is equal to or exceeds the preset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: DUKE MANUFACTURING CO.
    Inventor: James W. Bigott
  • Patent number: 9261307
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement of two conduits, wherein the conduits are positioned parallel with respect to each other and wherein each conduit is provided with means suitable to remove solids from its surface and positioned along the length of one of the two sides of the conduit, wherein the means are one or more pairs of oppositely oriented nozzles, each nozzle having an outflow opening for gas directed, along the surface of the conduit, towards the outflow opening of the other nozzle of said pair, wherein the pairs of oppositely oriented nozzles of one conduit are arranged in a staggered configuration relative to the pairs of oppositely oriented nozzles of the other conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Mathew Baker, Wouter Koen Harteveld, Hans Joachim Heinen
  • Patent number: 9230836
    Abstract: A substrate treatment method that includes circulating a treatment liquid from a treatment vessel through a circulation path extending through a filter and a temperature controller, spouting the treatment liquid toward a substrate accommodated in the treatment vessel to recover the treatment liquid in the treatment vessel, and controlling the liquid surface level of the treatment liquid retained in the treatment vessel below the substrate held at a substrate treatment position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayumi Higuchi, Yoshiyuki Fujitani, Takemitsu Miura, Rei Takeaki
  • Patent number: 9226642
    Abstract: A dump and fill low temperature chemical sanitizing warewasher includes a wash and rinse tank and a temperature sensor associated with the tank and configured to sense a water temperature within the tank. A controller is connected to the temperature sensor to receive the water temperature sensor. The controller is configured to initiate a low temperature drain and refill cycle prior to starting a wash cycle, if the controller determines that the water temperature is below a set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Meiko USA
    Inventors: Dwayne A. Becknell, Mark A. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9226634
    Abstract: A floor surface maintenance vehicle, and methods of using a floor surface maintenance vehicle, the vehicle including a frame, a plurality of wheels, a cleaning component extending from an underside of the frame, a steering wheel having a central aperture and rotatable about a central axis, and a steering wheel hub located within the central aperture of the steering wheel and having a panel, wherein the panel is stationary relative to the central axis. Buttons are provided on the panel, including a first button that is C-shaped and extends around a portion of a periphery of the panel. The C-shaped button may be used to control frequently used functions such as cleaning functions or operation of a horn, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Tennant Company
    Inventors: John C. Ickes, III, Matthew R. Hetler, Daniel A. Leitschuh, Adam S. Foley, Richard S. Walters
  • Patent number: 9221082
    Abstract: A method and an installation for high-pressure liquid jet deburring are proposed, in which a machined workpiece (44) is deburred by means of a high-pressure/high-speed liquid jet from a high-pressure jet nozzle (30) that is connected to a high-pressure liquid circuit (32). According to the invention, the deburring receptacle (16) has a flooding inlet (48) connected to a liquid supply circuit for flooding the deburring receptacle (16) with cleaning liquid and is configured to contain a bath (46) of cleaning liquid during operation. Prior to deburring, the deburring receptacle (16) is flooded with cleaning liquid via a flooding inlet (48) of the deburring receptacle. Further according to the invention, the machined portion (44) is deburred after flooding and by means of a liquid jet without gas sheath such that the high-pressure/high-speed liquid jet and at least the machined portion are immersed in a bath of cleaning liquid during deburring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Elwema Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Antonio Alvarez
  • Patent number: 9220393
    Abstract: A dishwasher for treating dishes according to at least one cycle of operation and methods for operating a dishwasher. The dishwasher may have a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber, a rotatable sprayer, a drive system operably coupled to the rotatable sprayer to effect movement of the rotatable sprayer, and a liquid recirculation system for recirculating sprayed liquid. The dishwasher may have a sump including a sensor enclosure, a first sensor element located within the sensor enclosure and configured to sense at least a portion of the rotatable sprayer, and a controller configured to receive output from the first sensor element and control the drive system and the liquid recirculation system to rotate the rotatable sprayer while selectively supplying liquid to the rotatable sprayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Becker, Nelson J. Ferragut, Jordan R. Fountain, Jonathan D. Gephart
  • Patent number: 9214331
    Abstract: DIW in an excessively cooled state is supplied as a solidification liquid to a substrate W, and a solidified material of the DIW is formed by a landing impact on the substrate W. This makes the use of a gaseous refrigerant necessary to form a solidified material unnecessary, eliminates the need for a facility to generate the gaseous refrigerant, shortens a processing time and further enables running cost and the like to be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Miya, Naozumi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9211570
    Abstract: In an ion bombardment treatment apparatus (1A) and a cleaning method, base materials (W) to be treated are held by a work table (11) so as to be placed between a filament (3) and an anode (4) in a vacuum chamber (2), and a discharge power supply (5) which can generate a glow discharge upon the application of a potential difference between the filament (3) and the anode (4) is insulated from the vacuum chamber (2). In the ion bombardment treatment apparatus (1A) and the cleaning method, the efficiency of the cleaning of a base material can be improved and a power supply can be controlled stably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Goto, Homare Nomura, Shigeto Adachi, Koumei Fujioka
  • Patent number: 9205464
    Abstract: An arrangement and method for mechanical cleaning of an active surface (4,17-20) of an instrument (5) in touch with liquid. The active surface of the instrument is exposed to cleaning media (11), which consists of separate, moving particles, enclosed into an instrument container. The motion of the cleaning media is rotational and achieved and maintained by directing an influx (9) parallel to the direction of motion (8) of the cleaning media. The influx may contain gas, liquid or mixture of gas and liquid. The cleaning media wipes clean the at least one active instrument surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: OY, CLEWER
    Inventors: Juho Roine, Gennadi Zaitsev
  • Patent number: 9200743
    Abstract: A tracking system for use with a pipeline includes a scraper having signal generation capability for generating acoustic signals, a plurality of acoustic pressure sensors positioned at intervals along the path traveled by the scraper, and a plurality of local processors positioned at intervals along the path traveled by the scraper. Each of the local processors is in communication with a respective acoustic pressure sensor. A central processor is in communication with the local processors and determines the location of the scraper using time-stamped acoustic signals received by the pressure sensors and a speed of sound, in a fluid within the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignees: ACOUSTIC SYSTEMS, INC. (TX), ACOUSTIC SYSTEMS, INC. (NY)
    Inventors: Bao-Wen Yang, Eric Yang, Marion Recane, Stephanie H. Yang
  • Patent number: 9200744
    Abstract: A tracking system for use with a pipeline includes a scraper having signal generation capability for generating acoustic signals, a plurality of acoustic pressure sensors positioned at intervals along the path traveled by the scraper, and a plurality of local processors positioned at intervals along the path traveled by the scraper. Each of the local processors is in communication with a respective acoustic pressure sensor. A central processor is in communication with the local processors and determines the location of the scraper using time-stamped acoustic signals received by the pressure sensors and a speed of sound in a fluid within the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignees: ACOUSTIC SYSTEMS, INC. (TX), ACOUSTIC SYSTEMS, INC. (NY)
    Inventors: Bao-Wen Yang, Eric Yang, Marion Recane, Stephanie H. Yang
  • Patent number: 9192280
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for detecting and removing a clogging condition of a filter in a dishwasher. According to one embodiment, the method includes determining a normal water level or a normal rate of water level change for a wash cycle of the dishwasher and monitoring a water level or a rate of water level change during execution of the wash cycle. The method further includes detecting the clogging condition of the filter by detecting a deviation thereof. A current position of the wash cycle being executed may then be determined. The method further includes executing a remedial operation to facilitate removal of the clogging condition and determining if the clogging condition has been removed. Finally, the method includes resuming operation of the dishwasher at a wash cycle position based on the current position if the clogging condition has been removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Montgomery, Dennis A. Poyner, Virgil J. Francisco, James L. Burrows
  • Patent number: 9186034
    Abstract: Methods of operating a dishwasher having a treating chamber, a sump fluidly coupled to the treating chamber, a sprayer for spraying liquid in the treating chamber, a recirculation pump fluidly coupled to the sump and the sprayer to recirculate the sprayed liquid from the sump to the sprayer, and a reuse tank for storing liquid. The methods remove and store liquid that do not include sedimented soil particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Scott D. Slabbekoorn, Elliott V. Stowe, Barry E. Tuller, Chad T. Vanderroest
  • Patent number: 9180499
    Abstract: To minimize harmful effects on operation due to scale adhesion while accommodating increase in the amount of generated chlorine bypass dust and suppress facility cost and running cost including medical agent cost low when incineration ash and dust contained in extracted cement kiln combustion gas are subject to water treatment. [Means for Solving Problems] A water treatment system 1 comprising: a dissolution tank 32 for dissolving a fly ash A in a water W; a dissolution tank 22 for dissolving a dust D contained in combustion gas extracted from a kiln exhaust gas passage running from an inlet end of a cement kiln to a bottom cyclone in a water W; and a vertical filter press 11 for separately filtering a slurry S2 fed from the dissolution tank 32 and a slurry S1 fed from the dissolution tank 22 from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Taiheiyo Cement Corporation
    Inventors: Noritoshi Tamura, Shinichiro Saito, Kenzaburou Kondou
  • Patent number: 9177601
    Abstract: Methods of cleaning workpieces are described. One method includes performing both a sonication cleaning operation and a rinse cleaning operation within a single cleaning tank. Another cleaning method described includes the use of cross flow of cleaning liquid within a cleaning tank while performing a rinse clean. The cleaning method includes the oscillation of one or more workpieces in the cleaning tank to perform the rinse clean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: WD Media, LLC
    Inventors: Chaoyuan C. Chen, Shaun H. Chen, Michael S. Rosano
  • Patent number: 9170496
    Abstract: A method for pre-treating a wafer surface before applying a material thereon. The method includes positioning the wafer on a rotating apparatus. The wafer is rotated at a first rotational speed between about 50 revolutions per minute (rpm) and about 300 rpm and for a period of about 1 second to about 10 seconds while dispensing a cleaning solvent on the wafer surface. The wafer is rotated at a second rotational speed between about 500 rpm and about 1,500 rpm for a period of about 1 second to about 10 seconds. The wafer is then rotated at a third rotational speed between about 50 rpm and about 300 rpm for a period of about 1 second to about 5 seconds. With the wafer rotating at the third rotational speed, a solvent-containing material is thereafter deposited on the surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Hua Fu, Chung-Cheng Wang
  • Patent number: 9170051
    Abstract: A reflow oven used to join electronic components to a substrate includes a chamber housing having surfaces that are in contact with heated air mixed with contaminants, including flux, and an intermediate layer selectively applied to the surfaces of the chamber housing. The reflow oven may include fabricating the intermediate layer with a foam material, including foaming polymers, e.g., epoxy, polyurethane, polyester, and silicone, or a non-foam material, including non-foaming polymers, e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene and polyimide. A method of treating surfaces of a reflow oven exposed to contaminants, including flux, is further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Douglas Ngai, Joo Yong Tay, Wen-Feng Liu, Roberto P. Loera, Steven Dwade Cook
  • Patent number: 9155430
    Abstract: According to the present invention there are provided an ultrasound system and method for glass deicing and defrosting, particularly of car's windshields. The system includes cube-shaped ultrasound transducers which generate high-intensity ultrasound waves which propagate in the windshields and heat it uniformly. Selection of the working parameters of the system is performed for specific windshields by a method including simulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Inventor: Yoni Hertzberg