Patents Examined by Sara Clarke
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Patent number: 6428307Abstract: In the apparatus of the invention, a first excitation laser or other excitation light source is used in tandem with an ignitor laser to provide a compact, durable, engine deployable fuel ignition laser system. The beam from the excitation light source is split with a portion of it going to the ignitor laser and a second portion of it being recombined with the first portion after a delay before injection into the ignitor laser. Reliable fuel ignition is provided over a wide range of fuel conditions by using a single remote excitation light source for one or more small lasers located proximate to one or more fuel combustion zones.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: James W. Early, Charles S. Lester
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Patent number: 6425389Abstract: A gas burner configuration has two cooking areas disposed symmetrically in a cooker hob. The gas burner configuration has gas fittings that influence a gas flow to each of the cooking areas and whose actuating members extend out from the front of an operating panel. The cooking areas have similarly constructed burner units with gas/air mixture feed ducts which are aligned in a V-shaped fashion with gas outlet nozzles of gas nozzles of, in each case, one gas injector nozzle configuration of the gas fittings disposed in a front area of the cooker hob.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1998Date of Patent: July 30, 2002Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbHInventor: Bernd Mühle
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Patent number: 6422232Abstract: A heater provides both radiant heat and light. The heater provides radiant heat via a heater assembly which includes a gas burner heating a screen; the screen in turn provides radiant heat. The heater includes a light assembly which may provide light by, for example, burning gas fuel, or by other means such as electricity. The heater may include a heat reflector which can be removed and compacted or disassembled for storage.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2000Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: The Coleman Company, Inc.Inventors: Jerald Ashton, Clyde Schulte, Randall L. May
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Patent number: 6419477Abstract: A method of improving fuel efficiency in combustion chambers, for simultaneously enhancing combustion of hydrocarbon fuels while inhibiting nitrogen oxidation. A mixture of vaporous metallic compounds is introduced into the flame zone of a combustion chamber, such that this mixture is held by gases in the flame zone prior to and during the combustion of the fuel, and the mixture is thereby ionized prior to or during the combustion. The ionized mixture of compounds contains platinum, rhodium, rhenium, molybdenum, aluminum and ruthenium.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2000Date of Patent: July 16, 2002Inventor: Barnett Joel Robinson
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Patent number: 6412480Abstract: Detachable legs and side handles for a portable barbecue grill that interlock with each side of a barbecue grill wherein the grill has a flexible base to provide self-leveling of the legs. The leg members, among other things, provide stability against rearward tipping of the grill, provide both a stop to restrict opening of the grill's side panels and rotation of the grill lid or dome, and provide an elongated handle spanning the approximate range of the grill's front-to-ear center of gravity. Also, an alternative handle or side shelf may be held in position by friction clamping or complementary interlocking pins/receptacles after clamping the legs to the sides of the grill. The detachable legs may take on a variety of other shapes, including an inverted U-shape, trapezoidal, partial parallelogram, or a combination thereof. The leg assembly is also segmented so that they fit inside the grill for portability, storage, or shipment.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2000Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Inventor: Lawrence Harbin
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Patent number: 6413080Abstract: A tubular burner has a body comprising a diffuser portion provided with openings for discharging a mixture of air and fuel fed to the body through a Venturi tube arranged inside the body. The body has a cross section shaped in such a way that a distance between an outer wall of the Venturi tube and an inner wall of the body, when measured in a radial direction of the Venturi tube, has a first value substantially constant over a first portion of a perimeter of the Venturi tube and a second value greater than the first value over a second portion of the perimeter. A chamber is defined in the second portion between the outer wall of the Venturi tube and the inner wall of the body. The mixture passes through the chamber before being discharged through the openings. The chamber is delimited at a bottom thereof by laminar flow generating means for generating a substantially laminar flow of the mixture.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2000Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: Worgas Bruciatori SRLInventors: Giuseppe Fogliani, Giorgio Buccilli
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Patent number: 6413077Abstract: In the apparatus of the invention, a first excitation laser or other excitation light source capable of producing alternating beams of light having different wavelengths is used in tandem with one or more ignitor lasers to provide a compact, durable, engine deployable fuel ignition laser system. Reliable fuel ignition is provided over a wide range of fuel conditions by using the single remote excitation light source for pumping one or more small lasers located proximate to one or more fuel combustion zones with alternating wavelengths of light.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2000Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: James W. Early, Charles S. Lester
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Patent number: 6413078Abstract: Improved lockout control in oil primary controllers for oil heating systems which allows a reasonable number of user resets and ignition retries in the event of lockout, while minimizing the unwanted accumulation of oil in the combustion chamber of the heating system. When the oil primary goes into lockout mode due to failure of combustion to take place, the oil primary is placed in a restricted mode of operation in which a limited number of reset activations and combustion retries may be attempted. If they are unsuccessful, a waiting time interval is then imposed between further successive attempts. The lockout or trial for ignition time may also be reduced for subsequent attempts, to minimize flooding. Normal operation is returned once a successful combustion cycle has been achieved.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2000Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Amy L. Melcher, Richard W. Simons, Henry E. Troost, IV
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Patent number: 6408842Abstract: An oven includes single or multiple decks of longitudinal burners extending from an infeed end to an outfeed end of a body. The burners are slanted relative to a direction of a movable carrier such that a product traveling on the carrier will be heated continuously from one side to the other by a burner whose orientation is diagonal to the product's path of travel. The proportion of air and gas may be separately controlled for each deck. Furthermore, each burner may be individually controlled and monitored to maintain a desired temperature within the body. Latitudinal pilot runners extend across the width of the oven to ignite and maintain the longitudinal burners. Infrared burners above the top deck initially heat a product to either seal in or eliminate moisture. The invention further comprises a method for heating a product.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2000Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Inventor: Alfred Herrera
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Patent number: 6406290Abstract: A candle decorated with a paper bearing design and a process for decorating the candle with the paper bearing a design are provided. The paper bearing a design wraps around the candle having a wick and a wax layer surrounding the wick. Heat and pressure are applied to the paper and the wax layer and the heat is transferred to the wax layer through the paper to melt or soften the wax layer. The melted or softened wax of the wax layer soaks into the paper and congeals, and then the congealed wax bonds with the paper and the wax layer. The design on the outer side of the paper remains elaborate and not damaged.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 1999Date of Patent: June 18, 2002Inventor: Chang-Wook Chon
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Patent number: 6402506Abstract: A pocket lighter of the present invention comprises a gas container having an outlet valve through which ignitable gas is released. An igniter device having a reciprocative plunger is also provided. The igniter device is operative to produce a spark when the plunger is axially moved. A thumb actuator is operative to cause opening of the outlet valve and axial movement of the reciprocative plunger, thereby producing a controlled flame. The pocket lighter is constructed and arranged such that at least ten pounds of force is required to operate the thumb actuator.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2001Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Inventor: Guang Lin
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Patent number: 6401708Abstract: Pressure sensing device in a gas furnace including a first tube in communication with a position of an air supply pipe on an inlet side of an air supply fan having a pressure identical to an inlet of the air supply fan, a second tube in communication with a position of an air supply pipe on an outlet side of the air supply fan having a pressure identical to an outlet of the air supply fan, and a pressure difference sensing means respectively connected to the first and second tubes for providing an electric signal according to a pressure difference caused by pressure on the first and the second tubes, thereby detecting clogging states both of the air supply pipe and the exhaust gas pipe, and method for controlling operation of a gas furnace, including the steps of (1) a pressure difference sensing device providing an electric signal according to a pressure difference between inlet/outlet of an air supply fan during operation or a pre-purge step for starting operation, (2) comparing the electric signal to a preType: GrantFiled: February 25, 2000Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Kyeong Soo Kim, Yeong Soo Kim, In Kyu Kim, Yang Ho Kim
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Patent number: 6402059Abstract: In a fuel lance for spraying liquid and/or gaseous fuels into a combustion chamber, which fuel lance is part of a secondary or tertiary burner, around which a hot-gas jet flows in a main flow direction, and comprises a liquid-fuel passage for supplying liquid fuel and first means for spraying the liquid fuel from the liquid-fuel passage into the combustion chamber, operation characterized by reduced addition of water is made possible owing to the fact that the first means comprise a liquid-fuel nozzle, which sprays the liquid fuel essentially parallel to the main flow direction as a plain jet into the combustion chamber.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2000Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) LtdInventors: Urs Benz, Franz Joos
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Patent number: 6398544Abstract: This invention is directed to a candle can of the type normally filled with an ignitable fuel. The candle can includes an upstanding continuous sidewall that is integrally coupled to a stamp formed candle can bottom structure at an outer periphery of the candle can bottom structure. The integral coupling of the sidewall to the bottom structure establishes a can support ring to engage a support surface. The stamp formed can bottom structure is so formed as to provide within the can an internally upwardly directed dome upon which a candlewick carrying element may be securely located within a dish shaped indentation in an apex region of the dome. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the intersection of the sidewall and the upwardly directed dome of the can bottom structure establishes an annular internal volume of fuel separated by the dome from a candlewick flame near the end of both the candlewick life and the supply of fuel.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2000Date of Patent: June 4, 2002Assignee: J. L. Clark, Inc.Inventors: Chet Wright, Walter P. Pietruch, Richard L. Peterson
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Patent number: 6397833Abstract: A natural draft, gravity feed pellet stove. The body of the stove is formed by a vertical section of large diameter pipe, with an air intake pipe extending from the back of the stove to below combustion grate. Pellet fuel is discharged onto the grate through a slot at the bottom of a hopper, and the grate is sloped so that the pellets roll away from the slot and over the grate as they are combusted. The combustion gasses flow into two exhaust pipes, each having a diameter similar to that of the intake pipe so as to establish a 2:1 exhaust/intake flow ratio. Cross-drilled reburner tubes are installed across the intake ends of the exhaust pipes to provide additional air for complete combustion. The bottom plates of the storage hopper are free from attachment along their lower edges, so that these expand and contract on a continuous basis with changes in the temperature of the stove; this causes cyclical distortion of the plates which shifts the fuel downwardly towards the discharge opening.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2000Date of Patent: June 4, 2002Inventor: Michael A Jarvi
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Patent number: 6397834Abstract: The Brown gas heating furnace made of mineral stone maintains a desired temperature with a small amount of fuel. The brown gas heating furnace includes a hollow base, having burner mounting holes formed in a top wall of the base, and a door mounted at a front side of the base. The burners are centrally mounted in the burner mounting holes of the base, with branch ducts connecting each of the burners to a Brown gas supply duct. A heating section consisting of firebricks stacked together in a staggered fashion on the top wall of the base encloses the burner mounting holes, with a furnace section seated on the base and having a combustion chamber surrounding the heating section. The furnace section also has venting holes adapted to vent the combustion chamber to the atmosphere. The furnace section may include stacked blocks made of mineral stone, biotite, germanium, or jade, or may use hollow mineral stones.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2000Date of Patent: June 4, 2002Inventor: Sang Nam Kim
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Patent number: 6394788Abstract: In the apparatus of the invention, a first excitation laser or other excitation light source is used in tandem with an ignitor laser to provide a compact, durable, engine deployable fuel ignition laser system. Reliable fuel ignition is provided over a wide range of fuel conditions by using a single remote excitation light source for one or more small lasers located proximate to one or more fuel combustion zones. In two embodiments the beam from the excitation light source is split with a portion of it going to the ignitor laser and a second portion of it being combined with either the first portion after a delay before injection into the ignitor laser or combined with the output of the ignitor laser. In another embodiment alternating short and long pulses of light from the excitation light source are directed into the ignitor laser.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 1999Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: James W. Early, Charles S. Lester
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Patent number: 6394792Abstract: An improved burner for combustion of fuel gas with air in a manner to result in low NOx, the burner is generally circular and has a refractory tile and gas tips. The gas tips are spaced around the outer circumference of a generally circular passageway in the burner tile, each gas tip is positioned to cause the fuel gas to entrain furnace flue gas. Each gas tip has one or more ports, an ignition port and at least one firing port. The ignition port injects fuel through a passageway to the burner tile. The firing port injects fuel gas in the direction that is generally upward with respect to the pathway of the ignition port. This causes fuel gas to entrain combustion products from the flue gas, the resulting mixture of fuel gas and flue gas is directed out of the burner tile to mix with combustion air that is discharged through the burner tile.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2000Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: Zeeco, Inc.Inventors: John McDonald, Tim Kirk, David J. Surbey, Darton J. Zink
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Patent number: 6394081Abstract: The present invention is referred to a safety knob for domestic gas apparatuses of the type that includes a gas valve with a stem, and wherein the stem is pushed against the body of the gas valve to open and regulate the gas flow. The improvements comprising a knob having a body with a back flat section and one or more cavities or projections formed on the back flat section of the knob and a longitudinal orifice also in its back part, which is connected in coincidence with a free end of the stem of the gas valve. The knob includes safety elements for avoiding the axial movement of the knob, the safety elements having a series of projections, wherein the cavities of the knob and the projections of the safety elements are joined or separated one from another, for placing the stem of said valve in a unblocked or blocked position.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2000Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: Comercial Acros Whirlpool, S.A. DE C.V.Inventors: Guillermo-José Aguirre-Esponda, José-Angel Avalos-Barcenas
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Patent number: 6390808Abstract: A gas burner log set for a fireplace has a pair of spaced apart ceramic fiber logs with a gas burner therebetween. The rear face of the front log has a substantially flat planar surface angled upwardly toward the front surface of the rear log to form therewith an elongated triangular flame channel having an apex at the top. The burner is spaced from the rear surface of the front log by a small selected distance and the burner has ports which emit gas and create a flame in the flame channel. The front surface of the rear log has an upper portion which overlays the ports of the burner. The log set provides a flame which closely simulates visually the burning of logs and provides a clean burning flame with a minimum amount of carbon monoxide.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2000Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: Temco Fireplace Products, Inc.Inventor: Kenneth D. Cakebread