Patents Examined by Sam Paik
  • Patent number: 5981914
    Abstract: An encapsulated, standardized, ready-to-use, transportable, modular grilling and/or cooking unit with a grilling or cooking surface of glass, glass ceramic or ceramic is provided, with at least one electrically heated grilling and/or cooking zone. A housing designed as a tub-shaped trough is joined in a fixed and liquid-tight manner to the grilling and/or cooking plate and holds the necessary operating components, such as heating elements, regulating and control devices, heat insulation, vibration absorbers to protect against shocks during transport, indicator and safety devices and a separate electrical supply line which is removable from its point of attachment in the housing in a liquid-tight manner. The unit is suitable for both permanent installation or temporary placement in an appropriate stationary or mobile receiving frame, especially a frame system, such as a cutout in a work surface of a kitchen or in a grill cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Schott Glaswerke
    Inventor: Bernd Schultheis
  • Patent number: 5978548
    Abstract: Device for gasifying liquid anaesthetic, for example, and for metering the gas thereby obtained to a stream of fresh gas. The device includes a pressurized source of the liquid which is to be gasified, a gasification chamber, heating members, and a fluid-conducting member. The gasification chamber is accommodated in an elongate gasification housing whose lower part has an inlet for liquid from the source. The member for supplying the gas in a metered manner to the stream of fresh gas comprises a metering housing connected to an upper part of the gasification housing and having a metering valve. The heating members are arranged on the outside of an intermediate part of the gasification housing, in order to form a warm housing section. This housing section communicates at the bottom with the inlet, and does so via a lower heat-insulating housing section, and it is connected at the top to the upper part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Datex Engstrom AB
    Inventors: Niklas Holmstrand, Rune Nyman
  • Patent number: 5973298
    Abstract: A range cook top is provided with circular heating zones having a layer of resistive thin film thereon. Slots in the cook top separate the heating zones from the surrounding areas of the cook top. Tongues of cook top material interrupt the slots and support the heating zones. The slots have beveled or stepped edges and beveled or stepped plastic inserts fill the slots to provide a smooth cook top. Sealer also fills the slots. The resistive layer in the heating zone is divided into arcuate segments by insulating partitions. Power supply bus bars are disposed around the outside edge of the resistive layer. A common bus bar interconnects the segments at the inner edges. A dual heater has separately controlled inner and outer resistive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Johan Kallgren
  • Patent number: 5970210
    Abstract: An apparatus for compensating heat and humidity loss in a device that administers or restitutes air to a patient, amongst others in a device that comprises an air supply duct which extends between a respirator or an anaesthesia apparatus and the patient. The apparatus includes a housing with a coupling to be connected on this air supply duct, in which coupling a heating resistance is mounted, in which housing water is admitted. Further included in the housing is a membrane with water impermeable but water vapor permeable characteristics and an element that assures the desired heat level, in the coupling and air supply duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Ponnet, Gilman & Anthony VOF
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Anthony
  • Patent number: 5968391
    Abstract: A modular radiant heater unit (10) is for use in a stove top (RT) designed for installation of a tubular coil type heating unit (C). The heater can either use a coil (12), or a ribbon heating element (14). The element rests upon a cake (20) of an insulation material fitted within a pan (16) sized to be installed in an opening (6) in the stove type in which a coil type heating unit is normally installed. The heating unit has an electrical connector (24) adapted to readily connect with the electrical connector installed in the stove top. A radiant glass cover (30), sized to fit over the heater unit, is fitted over the pan and held in place by an annular ring (34) which fits about the circumference of the pan and a shield (38) which covers a gap (6) between the heater unit and stove top. Utensils for cooking food are placed upon the glass top. The heater control (K) normally used to control the temperature of a tubular, coil heater, is now used to control the temperature of the radiant heater unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
    Inventors: Subhash R. Deo, Simon P. Griffiths
  • Patent number: 5970211
    Abstract: A portable vaporizer including a base, a steam stack which includes a baffle and a cup for retaining a liquid, a vented collar, a steam cap and a boiling chamber. The boiling chamber includes a heating element adapted to vaporize a liquid received therein. The vapor exiting the boiling chamber rises through a plurality of openings in the vented collar and mixes with ambient air drawn in through a second set of openings, resulting in a temperature drop in the vapor. The mixture hits the baffle, thus breaking the fluid stream into smaller streams, resulting in a further reduction in the vapor temperature. Consequently, the vapor leaving the vaporizer is at a lower temperature than that discharged from the boiling chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Ritsher, Walter G. Birdsell, John E. Longan
  • Patent number: 5966500
    Abstract: A smoke generating system is provided for making a household appear inhabited. The household is equipped with an outlet. Next provided is a smoke generator for generating smoke and expelling the same from the outlet of the household.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Inventor: Ryan M. Wollam
  • Patent number: 5966499
    Abstract: A vapor delivery system for delivering a vapor-phase reactant to a chemical process reactor at a substantially constant flow rate. The vapor delivery system includes a source of a reactant material, means for converting the reactant material to a vapor and for maintaining a predetermined volume of vapor in a vapor phase, a flow controller for providing a controlled flow of the vapor-phase reactant to the process reactor, means for detecting a parameter related to the availability of the vapor-phase reactant material to the process reactor from the flow controller, and means responsive to the detection signal for controlling the supply of reactant material to the vapor converter. In one embodiment the parameter is the pressure of the vapor within the predetermined volume. In another embodiment the parameter is the fluid conductance of a control valve within the flow controller. The vapor delivery system of the present invention can operate in either a substantially continuous or a noncontinuous delivery mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke D. Hinkle, D. Jeffrey Lischer
  • Patent number: 5963708
    Abstract: A heating system for baseboard location has a chamber partly filled with liquid and sealed for holding a vacuum. A heater in the chamber heats the liquid into vapor to heat the chamber. First and second heat exchange plates extend annularly and substantially horizontally about the chamber with inner peripheries in heat-conducting contact with the chamber. The first heat exchange plate has at least one airflow hole therethrough on one side of the chamber and the second heat exchange plate has at least one air-flow hole therethrough on another side of the chamber. A space between the first and the second heat exchange plates is enclosed at the outer peripheries of the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Well Men Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Man Kwan Wong
  • Patent number: 5961867
    Abstract: An electric heater (1) arranged beneath a glass-ceramic cook top (2) is controlled with the aid of a temperature sensor (7) for monitoring temperature at or adjacent to the glass-ceramic cook top. The sensor provides an electrical output as a function of temperature and permits monitoring, in time controlled manner, temperature at or adjacent to the glass-ceramic cook top. In a first stage the temperature of the glass-ceramic cook top (2) is permitted to exceed a predetermined continuous safe level (Y) for up to a predetermined maximum time period (X, W.sub.2, W) and such that a predetermined temporary safe level (Z) of temperature, in excess of the predetermined continuous safe level (Y), is not exceeded. In a second stage the heater (1) is regulated in accordance with the monitored temperature to achieve a selected temperature of the glass-ceramic cook top in a range up to the predetermined continuous safe level (Y) of temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Ceramaspeed Limited
    Inventor: Kevin Ronald McWilliams
  • Patent number: 5958272
    Abstract: Cooktops with a glass or glass ceramic cooking surface include the usual multiple cooking zones and functional elements, like operating elements, display, etc. The cooking surface exhibits recesses, in which the operational zones, assigned to the elements, are mounted flush with the cooking surface. The operational zones are formed preferably by a glass or glass ceramic part, which is embedded in the cooking surface by means of a temperature stable, sealing connection. The cooking surface exhibits operational zones in the form of weighing, display and operating element zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Schott Glaswerke
    Inventors: Martin Taplan, Bernd Schultheis, Patrik Schober
  • Patent number: 5954981
    Abstract: A bracket (12) for installing a replacement heating unit (R) in place on a cooktop (C). One leg (14) of each of a pair of L-shaped brackets (12a, 12b) is attached to the bottom (B) of a pan portion (P) of the heating unit. The pan portion is smaller in diameter than the diameter of the opening in the cooktop where the replacement unit fits. The other leg (16) of each bracket extends upwardly along the side of the pan and is spaced outwardly of the pan. This other end of the bracket fits behind a downturned lip (L) defining an opening (O) in the cooktop in which the replacement unit is fitted. This allows the heating unit, with the brackets attached, to be set in place in the cooktop opening with the upwardly extending legs of the brackets bearing against an inner portion of the opening sidewall so to fit the replacement heating unit in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Emerson Electrict Company
    Inventors: Subhash R. Deo, Herbert G. Ray
  • Patent number: 5951897
    Abstract: Proposed is a temperature measuring device for a regulating circuit (10) in particular of an electrical radiant heating appliance with a heating conductor (2) arranged beneath a glass ceramic cooking surface (1), in which the heating conductor (2) itself suffices for temperature detection. There is provided a change-over switch (6) which cyclically connects the heating conductor (2) to a resistance measuring circuit (7). It detects the respective temperature-dependent ohmic resistance value of the heating conductor (2) and produces a temperature-proportional control signal for the regulating circuit (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: AKO-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Roman-Hartmut Wauer, Berndt Gierer, Pia Krause
  • Patent number: 5951898
    Abstract: An electric cooking apparatus comprises a base (1) in the form of a frame defining a hollow internal region (6), a vessel (2) adapted to rest on the base in that internal region, an electric heating resistance (3) disposed above the vessel, a cooking grill (4) disposed above the resistance (3) and adapted to receive food to be grilled, and a thermal regulator (10) mounted in series with the electric heating resistance (3) and operating in a predetermined switching temperature range. A thermostatic safety switch (11) is disposed in the base and mounted in series with the heating resistance (3) and operates at a fixed switching temperature below the minimum temperature of that range and permits detecting, by thermal conduction, abnormal increases of the temperature of the vessel (2) and cuts off as needed the electrical supply of the electric heating resistance (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Moulinex S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Louis Robert Bailleul, Jacques Jean
  • Patent number: 5951899
    Abstract: A cooktop has a burner box. A porcelain wall is arranged to be removably fitted to the burner box so as form a burner box housing. The wall has a plurality of holes. Each porcelain bowl receives a corresponding heating element and has a basin which protrudes through a corresponding hole. A bowl shield is provided for each of the porcelains bowls such that each of the bowl shields is formed substantially around a corresponding basin. A plurality of controls control the heating elements. A temperature limit control deactivates at least one of the controls in the event of an over temperature condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Amana Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Roger Eichler, George May
  • Patent number: 5948298
    Abstract: A battery heating system for the batteries of an electrical vehicle includes a plurality of electrical heaters. The electrical heaters are apportioned into a plurality of groups, the groups coupled to independently-switchable voltage sources. One or more of the electrical heaters may have a parallel/series design for their resistive heater elements, to improve the reliability of those heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mujeeb Ismael Ijaz
  • Patent number: 5945017
    Abstract: Most residential fires originated in the kitchen areas and were the results of negligence during cooking. As the least regulated cooking appliance in a kitchen, stove-top burners were often the culprits. Burners were left on without user presence and caused utensil melt down, igniting fire. It is the objective of this invention to minimize such risks. An electric or gas burner can be improved by the installation of an automated fire safety device that first determines whether the burner is being attended to and if not, senses the temperature of the cooking utensil on it and automatically shuts off the flow of electricity or gas to the burner when the temperature of the cooking utensil begins to exceed a predetermined temperature range.A motion detector is integrated into the safety device and serves as the front-end to a temperature sensor switch. The switch is designed to trigger a power shut-off mechanism when high utensil temperature is encountered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Inventors: Yu-tarng Cheng, Lily I Cheng
  • Patent number: 5943471
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for effectively and controllably vaporizing solid material, in general, and specifically, solid precursor material for chemical phase deposition processes. The apparatus includes a hollow container member, capable of retaining solid material and having a longitudinal axis passing through a substantially open first end, that is reciprocally injected at a controlled rate through a heater capable of vaporizing the solid material so that vaporized material passes through the first end along the longitudinal axis of the container member and into the reaction chamber. Preferably, the apparatus includes a hollow body capable of pressure containment that is in fluid communication with the reaction chamber and an rod-shaped injector slidably disposed through the hollow body suitable for injecting the container member through the body and the injector is driven external to the body using a stepper motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Atwell
  • Patent number: 5943473
    Abstract: An improved heated cartridge humidifier for delivering humidified respiratory gases to patients. A humidifier housing includes a gas and water supply and a gas outlet. A humidifier base plate engages a heating element. The base plate includes a central heat conductive portion retained in an outer insulating portion which prevents the lateral dissipation of heat received from the heating element. The baseplate enhances the heat transfer to the water, and therefore, enhances the humidity of the gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Inventor: Walter Levine
  • Patent number: 5940578
    Abstract: A water evaporation apparatus 10 for evaporating water 12 contained in a drum 14 includes a thermally insulated float assembly 16 for floating in the water 12. The float assembly defines a space 18 which is in fluid communication with the water 12 via a hole 22 formed though a bottom wall 24 of the float assembly 16. The float assembly 16 also includes an exhaust stack 26 which extends from the space 18 and has a discharge end 28 located outside the drum 14. A volume of water 20 flows into space 18 through the hole 22. A heater 30 is located within the space 18 and below the level of the water 20 for causing evaporation thereof. This generates steam and other vapours which rise through the stack 26 and are vented through discharge end 28. As the water 20 is evaporated it is replenished by water 12 from the drum 14 flowing through the hole 22 into the space 18. In this way, the water 12 within the drum 14 is progressively evaporated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Yen Enterprises Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Earl Fenton Goddard