Patents Examined by Sang Paik
  • Patent number: 8141478
    Abstract: A grill member of a grill device includes a housing, a grill plate, a heating unit, and a handle unit. The housing is formed with a latch hole. The grill plate is made of a heat-conductive material and is disposed removably on the housing. The heating unit is mounted on the housing and is operable so as to generate heat that is conducted to the grill plate. The handle unit is movably retained on the grill plate and is operable so as to engage releasably the latch hole in the housing, thereby locking releasably the grill plate on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Tsann Kuen Enterprises Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Chun Kuo, Yeh-Ping Lin
  • Patent number: 8143549
    Abstract: Welding devices and methods of using the same are provided. The welding device includes a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly includes a first semi-collar associated with a second semi-collar to form a collar. The collar is adapted to be disposed about a tube to be welded, and associated with an automatic voltage control assembly. The automatic voltage control assembly is mechanically associated with an electrode, and the automatic voltage control maintains the desired angular disposition of the electrode relative to the tube to be welded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Aquilex WSI LLC
    Inventors: William Bryan King, III, Pedro Ernesto Amador
  • Patent number: 8138448
    Abstract: Methods for the fabrication of negative coefficient thermal expansion engineered elements, and particularly, wherein such elements provide for fillers possessing a low or even potentially zero coefficient thermal expansion and which are employable as fillers for polymers possessing high coefficients of thermal expansion. Further, disclosed are novel structures, which are obtained by the inventive methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth G. Hougham, Vijayeshwar D. Khanna, Xiao Hu Liu, Gerard McVicker
  • Patent number: 8134096
    Abstract: A power-supply control device includes a high-frequency component detecting unit, a machining voltage level detecting device, and a pulse control device. The high-frequency component detecting unit detects a high-frequency component of discharge voltage at a machining gap. The machining voltage level detecting device detects a discharge voltage level at the machining gap. The high-frequency component is compared with a reference high-frequency component to obtain a first comparison result. The discharge voltage level is compared with a reference voltage level to obtain a second comparison result. The pulse control device controls pulse off time based on the first comparison result, and cuts off a discharge pulse based on the second comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ukai, Kazunari Morita, Shiro Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8129659
    Abstract: A DC arc start function for a welder. The arc start function is realized using a universal input DC regulator coupled to a DC to DC converter that produces a regulated DC voltage that is sufficient to strike an arc at an electrode of the welder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Swagelok Company
    Inventors: Kevin C. Silk, Richard A. Ales
  • Patent number: 8131138
    Abstract: A novel flexible infrared device is provided for heating surfaces in a uniform manner not available previously. The heater is designed in a manner so as to allow “hugging” of the surface by attaching the heater module to at least two swivel points located above the heating plane. In this manner the common problems encountered with heating dies by IR heaters is overcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Micropyretics Heaters International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramgopal Vissa, Venkata Burada, John Carson
  • Patent number: 8124908
    Abstract: A side construction 302 has an outside sheathing 306 and outside sheathing reinforcement members 307A and 307B joined to the outside sheathing 306 interiorly of the outside sheathing 306. The reinforcement member 307A (307B) is shaped like a hat in section. The reinforcement members 307A provided in the vicinity of a window opening portion have a laser welding spacing L1 of 80 mm and each have a hat width of 50 mm, while the reinforcement members 307B provided on other part have a laser welding spacing L1 of 100 mm and each have a hat width of 70 mm. The reinforcement members 307A and 307B each have a height of 25 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Komaki, Toshiyuki Hirashima, Takayuki Murata, Takeo Marutani
  • Patent number: 8121464
    Abstract: An improved vapor generator and control system includes a vaporization chamber for generating superheated vapor from liquid therein and at least one input connectable to liquid supply and adjustable control for controlling input of liquid into the vaporization chamber whereby output of superheated vapor is controllable while the system is in operation. A method for fabricating vapor generators includes the steps of providing at least two separate parts of a vapor generator, fastening the parts together to form a vapor generator defining a vaporization chamber and providing a capability to connect input control for control of input of liquid to the vaporization chamber. A method for cleaning selected objects comprises the steps of generating superheated vapor and controlling output of superheated vapor terms of volume and/or pressure and/or direction by adjustably controlling in an ongoing manner volume, pressure, and velocity of the liquid being subjected to vaporization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventor: Max Friedheim
  • Patent number: 8119954
    Abstract: A coil-in-coil electric heating assembly for industrial applications heats any gas through an annular space between the coils to very high temperatures. Gas is introduced into the annular space through one open end of a tubular enclosure and leaves through an opposite end after being significantly heated. Coils may be made from several heating element materials and may be wound in the same direction or opposite direction. The opposite winding direction often gives a higher temperature of the exit gas. Temperatures even as high as 1500° C. in the exit gas have been recorded. The heating system may be utilized to generate superheated steam for industrial applications even in a recirculating manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Micropyretics Heaters International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramgopal Vissa, Ganta S. Reddy, Jainagesh A. Sekhar
  • Patent number: 8121465
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to improve a mobile flue gas generator and to simplify a method for testing a flue gas indicator. The invention is characterised in that a mobile flue gas generator for simulating a real flue gas is proposed, whereby the mobile flue gas generator comprises an electric heating device for generating the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: No Climb Products Limited
    Inventor: Hubert Koch
  • Patent number: 8106335
    Abstract: A processing apparatus has a placement stage that prevents generation of a crack due to heating of an embedded heater. The placement stage (32A) on which a wafer (W) is placed has a plurality of areas (32Aa, 32Ab) so that one of the plurality of heaters is embedded independently in each of the plurality of areas. The heater (35Aa) embedded in one area (32Aa) of adjacent areas has a part (35Aa2) extending in the other area (32Ab) of the adjacent areas, and the heater (35Ab) embedded in the other area (32Ab) of the adjacent areas has a part (35Ab2) extending in the one area (32Aa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Seishi Murakami, Kunihiro Tada
  • Patent number: 8106336
    Abstract: A non-curling flexible food warmer with evenly heated surface for use in table-top banquet style settings with an integrated temperature control and with transversely oriented heating elements such that it may be readily rolled up for storage without damage to the heating elements. In one embodiment the body of the food warmer also has transversely oriented channels that permit the warmer to be folded accordion style without damage to the heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventors: Sara Ann Lawrence, Christopher Eric Lawrence
  • Patent number: 8101884
    Abstract: A pressure sensitive adhesive sheet 1 includes a base material 11 and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 12. A plurality of through holes 2 pass through one face of the pressure sensitive adhesive sheet 1 to the other face. The hole diameter of the through holes 2 is 0.1 to 300 ?m and the hole density is 30 to 50,000/100 cm2. It is preferable to form the through holes 2 using a laser beam machining. In the pressure sensitive adhesive sheet 1, an air trapping or a blister can be prevented or removed without disfiguring the pressure sensitive adhesive sheet and while maintaining sufficient adhesive strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Lintec Corporation
    Inventors: Kiichiro Kato, Kazuya Kato, Takashi Takemoto
  • Patent number: 8097837
    Abstract: In the method of manufacturing a cooking stove its stove top can be equipped with different glass ceramic tops, which each have at least one cooking area, which is heated by a radiant heating body cooperating with a temperature-limiting adjusting device, which limits a surface temperature of the glass ceramic top. To economically and individually adjust the IR transmission of a glass ceramic top with a higher IR transmittance to that of a lower IR transmittance corresponding to that of another glass ceramic top so that they are interchangeable, the glass ceramic top with the higher IR transmittance is provided with an absorbing and/or reflecting coating. When the glass ceramic tops are interchangeable, either can be used in a given cooking stove without changing the expensive temperature-limiting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Martin Taplan, Ioannis Kosmas, Wolfgang Schmidbauer, Torsten Gabelmann, Sascha Backes
  • Patent number: 8093534
    Abstract: There is provided a cooking device capable of preventing heating operations from being unintentionally turned on and off and the setting of heating operations from being changed even when water droplets are scattered around touch switches or the vicinity of the touch switches is wiped with a damp cloth or the like. Left and right cancel electrodes (5a, 5b) are provided near the key electrodes between the positions of left and right heating coils (3a, 3b) and the positions of the key electrodes (4a1, 4a2, 4a3, 4b1, 4b2, 4b3). A control unit (6) changes over between validity and invalidity of inputting through the key electrodes based on whether or not a change of capacitances of the left and right cancel electrodes (5a, 5b) is equal to or more than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masamichi Komada, Hiroshi Tominaga, Keiko Isoda
  • Patent number: 8084722
    Abstract: A controllable thermal warming device for delivering heat to an object by radio frequency signal. The controllable thermal warming device may include a thermal ink heating element comprising a substrate and a conductive ink fixedly disposed on the substrate, a power source operatively coupled to the conductive ink, the power source adapted to deliver a voltage to the conductive ink to cause the conductive ink to radiate heat, a controller operatively coupled to the power source and the conductive ink, the controller adapted to control the voltage delivered to the conductive ink and to detect an operating characteristic of the conductive ink and adjust the voltage in response to the operating characteristic, and means for controlling the controller by radio frequency. The controllable thermal warming device may also include a sensor to provide the operating characteristic to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Inventors: William S. Haas, William J. Haas
  • Patent number: 8084719
    Abstract: An electric cooking device with a cooking surface. The cooking surface includes a first heating element positioned under the cooking surface arranged to heat substantially the entire cooking surface to a first power density and a second heating element positioned under a portion the cooking surface arranged to heat approximately half of the cooking surface to a second power density. The second power density can be greater that the first power density. The electric cooking device can include a temperature regulator and a selector connected to the first heating element and the second heating element arranged to selectively connect the first heating element or the second heating element through the temperature regulator to a power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Rosario Ciancimino, Julio C. Moreira
  • Patent number: 8080768
    Abstract: An arrangement with a worktop and a cooktop with a cooking surface, a mounting frame and a decorative frame, which is arranged in a recess in the worktop, with the distance elements, embodied for relative positioning of the cooktop in relation to the recess and on which the cooktop rests, being arranged between the cooktop and the worktop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Adam, Bernd Martin, Markus Schlegel, Thomas Stein
  • Patent number: 8076619
    Abstract: A heated stair mat includes a plurality of coextensively shaped mats configured in a staggered arrangement along a plurality of vertical and horizontal walls of the existing steps such that odd ones of the mats cover top surfaces of the existing steps while even ones of the mats cover front surfaces of the existing steps. Each of such mats is provided with a plurality of laterally spanning grooves juxtaposed between the heating elements and formed on top surfaces of the mats respectively. Such grooves have axially opposed open end portions for directing fluids and debris away from the top surface of the mats. The device further includes a plurality of heating elements, a mechanism for rotatably connecting the odd and even mats to each other, and a plurality of ring-shaped couplings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Inventor: Mason Wingale
  • Patent number: 8071920
    Abstract: A planar heater 1 in which a power supply terminal unit 108 which supplies an electric power is arranged on a central portion on a lower surface of a silica glass plate-like member 102. The power supply terminal unit includes small-diameter silica glass tubes 105a and 106a, which contain a connection line which supplies an electric power to a carbon heat generator and a large-diameter silica glass tube 2 which contains the small-diameter silica glass tubes 105a and 106a. A flange portion 2a is formed on a lower end of the large-diameter silica glass tube 2, and a bent portion 2b having different diameters is formed between an upper end of the large-diameter silica glass and the flange portion 2a, and the first heat shielding plates 19, 20 and 21 configured by metal plates or opaque silica glass plates are contained in the large-diameter silica glass tube below the bent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignees: Covalent Materials Corporation, Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Shimanuki, Daisuke Hayashi