Patents Examined by Stephen Gravini
  • Patent number: 6912800
    Abstract: A container which is to be autoclaved has a shiftable plunger that defines a compartment filled with a fluid. The container is confined in a pressurizable chamber and heated so as to change a pressure in the compartment of the container. The pressure in the compartment of the container is monitored and an output corresponding thereto is generated. Pressure in the chamber around the container is continuously varied so as to be generally equal to the instantaneous monitored pressure in the compartment of the container. In this manner the plunger is not moved by thermal expansion or contraction of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Arzneimittel GmbH Apotheker Vetter & Co. Ravensburg
    Inventors: Udo J. Vetter, Friedrich Treuer, Klaus Steigenberger
  • Patent number: 6913457
    Abstract: An improved process for burning a fuel to produce a flue gas is disclosed. The fuel is burned in a main combustion zone in the presence of a main combustion oxidant to produce combustion products. The combustion products are mixed in a post-combustion zone positioned downstream from the main combustion zone. The post-combustion zone is provided with a recirculation zone positioned proximate to the main combustion zone and an injection zone positioned downstream from the recirculation zone. An post-combustion oxidant is injected into the combustion products in the injection zone. At least one of (a) the residence time of the combustion products in the post-combustion zone, (b) the temperature range of the combustion products contained within the injection zone and (c) the oxygen content of the oxidant is controlled to optimize the level of CO and NOx in the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Erwin Penfornis, Ovidiu Marin, Rajani Varagani, M. Usman Ghani
  • Patent number: 6910283
    Abstract: A throughdrying process and system for the manufacture of a tissue web conveys a fibrous web of cellulose fibers through a throughair drying station that includes one or more throughair dryers. The throughair drying station is supplied with a heated drying medium from a source. After drying the web, the drying medium is conducted away from the throughair drying station as moisture laden exhaust air that is collected, dried, and at least partially recirculated back to the throughair drying station as a supplement to the source of heated drying medium, thereby reducing the load on the heated drying medium source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Kiran K. Reddy
  • Patent number: 6910477
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas fired vented heater preferably having a relatively thin profile adapted for mounting on or in a wall structure and having a heat radiant display surface with visible decorative refractory defining a rear wall of the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Off The Wall Fires, Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas Andrew Barber
  • Patent number: 6910879
    Abstract: A method of combustion and a burner assembly wherein at least one fuel and at least one oxidizer are injected separately. The oxidizer comprises a primary oxidizer stream and a secondary oxidizer stream. The primary oxidizer stream is divided into at least two portions. One portion is injected close to the fuel whereby generating a first incomplete combustion. The second portion is injected downstream of the first injection point with the fuel source consisting of the remaining uncombusted fuel of the first incomplete combustion in addition to the fuel. The secondary oxidizer stream is injected downstream from the primary oxidizer stream, whereby resulting in combustion with the unreactive fuel gases remaining from the first combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme à Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Jacques Dugue, Thierry Legiret, Rémi Pierre Tsiava, Olivier Louedin
  • Patent number: 6907680
    Abstract: Method for drying laundry and a machine able to implement such a method, which provides for the use of only one electric resistance for heating the air utilized for drying purposes. According to the invention, during the starting phase of the drying process, i.e. the initial stage of the air heating, said resistance is applied continuously for exploiting its maximum power and quickly reach a predetermined temperature of the drying air. Following the attainment of said predetermined temperature, a special control circuit causes said resistance to be applied in a shuttered or modulated way, i.e. by alternating application phases to non-application phases within repetitive reference periods, in order to manage the power of the resistance in its steady-state condition for obtaining a substantial constancy of the air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Merloni Elettrodomestici S.p.A.
    Inventor: Constantino Mariotti
  • Patent number: 6907678
    Abstract: A portable electric hair dryer has a power switch which is automatically switched off as the hair dryer is mounted on a wall mount. The wall mount comprises a one-piece molded plastic body having integrally-molded clamping jaws for gripping the hair dryer handle. To deter theft, provision is made for storing and retaining intermediate lengths for the hair dryer's power cord behind the wall mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony V. Cruz
  • Patent number: 6908303
    Abstract: A premixed air-fuel mixture supply device is joined to a combustor liner included in a combustor for a gas turbine or an aircraft engine. The premixed air-fuel mixture supply device has a pilot fuel injection unit having an inner wall, and a prevaporizing, premixing main fuel injection unit having an outer wall surrounding the inner wall. A combustion air passage is defined by the inner and the outer wall. An intermediate wall is disposed in the combustion air passage so as to divide an upstream part of the combustion air passage into a secondary combustion air passage surrounding the inner wall, and an outer combustion air passage surrounding the intermediate wall. Fuel inject holes are formed in the intermediate wall to inject fuel radially outward into the outer combustion air passage. A swirling device is disposed in the secondary combustion air passage to swirl combustion air flowing through the secondary combustion air passage. An atomization lip is formed in a tail part of the intermediate wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Oda, Hiroyuki Ninomiya, Masayoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6904703
    Abstract: In the dry clearing machine, a common refrigerator is used for both the solvent cooler and the drying cooler, and the coolant compressed and liquefied in the refrigerator is supplied either one of the heat exchanger of the solvent cooler or that of the drying cooler, depending on the state of a switch. In the heat exchanger selected by the switch, the coolant is supplied and the solvent or the air is cooled when the coolant evaporates. That is, only the cooler selected by the switch works, but the other cooler not selected by the switch does not work. While the laundry is washed, normally, it is not necessary to supply air to the outer tub through the air path, and the drying cooler need not be operated. Thus, in the process of washing, the solvent is adequately cooled because an enough amount of coolant is supplied to the solvent cooler, and the temperature rise of the solvent is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Techno Clean Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Naganawa, Masafumi Nishino, Keiji Kitamura
  • Patent number: 6905328
    Abstract: A low NOx burner nozzle assembly for a radiant wall burner includes an elongated hollow burner tube and a discharge nozzle. The burner tube defines a conduit for supplying a mixture of fuel and air to a radiant combustion area of a combustion zone that surrounds the nozzle assembly. The discharge nozzle is mounted on the tube at the downstream end of the conduit adjacent the radiant combustion area and the same is adapted for directing the mixture of fuel and air into the radiant combustion area in an essentially radial direction. The discharge nozzle includes a plurality of flow directing members arranged in an array which extends circumferentially around the discharge nozzle, and the same are arranged to define therebetween a plurality of passageways which extend in a generally radial direction. The passageways are arranged so as to have different respective flow areas. The discharge nozzle also has an end cap to prevent axial flow of the primary air/fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: John Zink Company, LLC
    Inventor: Roger L. Poe
  • Patent number: 6902392
    Abstract: A lighter comprising an outer case having a first sidewall disposed in spaced apart relation to a second sidewall, a first end wall disposed in spaced apart relation to a second end wall, and a base connected to the side walls and end walls. A lid having lid end walls and lid side walls connected to a cover. A curved hinge connecting the outer case and lid. An inside unit is provided and is receivable in the outer case. The inside unit has a plate and front and rear lugs. A cam is mounted to the rear lugs and slides over the curved hinge. The cam has a cam contact surface that has curved portions used for sliding over the curved hinge to thus reduce interference when the lid is opened and closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Zippo Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Michael Wayne Johnson
  • Patent number: 6901684
    Abstract: This invention is a method for producing a cerium-based abrasive which includes: a step of grinding raw material for the cerium-based abrasive; a step of roasting the ground raw material; and a step of subjecting the roasted raw material to wet processing, the method being characterized in that it further includes a lower-temperature re-roasting step of heating the wet-processed raw material at 200 to 700° C. In the invention disclosed in this application, an abrasive with particularly preferable properties can be produced by fully drying the wet-processed raw material in a drying step, and subsequently subjecting the dried raw material to the lower-temperature re-roasting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Terunori Ito, Yoshitsugu Uchino, Kazuya Ushiyama, Yuki Nakashima
  • Patent number: 6899096
    Abstract: An autonomous heliostat (1) having an independent autonomous control function and eliminating the need for a complicated control by a computer or the like is provided. The heliostat includes a target sensor (19) for controlling reflected light (R) from a mirror component (5) to direct it to the target sensor 19, and a search sensor (12) for catching sunlight (S) to guide reflected light from the mirror component to the target sensor, thereby to autonomously start control by the target sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Mitaka Kohki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsushige Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6899095
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling flow in filtering systems and for balancing the flow through fluid systems employs flow control devices that minimize suspended matter precipitation. Several embodiments are included. In a first embodiment, a smooth-walled flow control device (410) with no abrupt transitions is provided in a flow conduit section. In a second embodiment, a filter (305) acts as a flow control device. A variation of the latter locates a flow control device (300) immediately adjacent to the filter (305) and upstream of it. In other embodiments, a control system (950) detects the real time status of the load to provide on the fly critical balancing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Halton Company Inc.
    Inventors: Andrey Livchak, Derek Schrock
  • Patent number: 6898869
    Abstract: A device for treating particulate material has a process chamber. A bottom of the process chamber is composed of baffle plates which overlap one another and between which slots are formed. It is proposed to design the baffle plates as annular plates, so that circular slots are formed, and to place the annular plates in such a way that a radially outer, first flow, directed from outside to inside, of process air passing through, and a radially inner, second flow, directed from inside to outside, of process air passing through are formed, the two opposed flows meeting one another along a circular breaking-up zone and being deflected into a flow directed vertically upwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Inventor: Herbert Hüttlin
  • Patent number: 6898868
    Abstract: A hood-shaped foil covering an object is heat-shrunk around the object by displacing the object covered by the foil along a generally straight path in a transport direction past a stationary heater which is directed at an acute angle to the direction. The position of the object relative to the heater as it passes the heater in the direction is detected and heat is projected from the heater at the acute angle to the direction at the object as it passes at a rate varied in accordance with the detected position of the object relative to the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: MSK-Verpackungs-Systeme Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventor: Norbert Vermeulen
  • Patent number: 6899097
    Abstract: A solar blackbody waveguide that captures and uses sunlight to heat a thermal working or heat transfer fluid. Solar cell arrays capture the sunlight. The arrays are movably mounted on solar towers to track the daily movement of the sun and to maintain the proper angle with the horizon throughout the year. The arrays direct the light into a series of light pipes to deliver the light into a solar coil located within an underground insulated pipeline. Energy from the light rays is absorbed by the solar coil and transferred to the thermal working fluid or heat transfer fluid flowing between the solar coil and the insulated pipeline. The energy laden thermal working or heat transfer fluid is removed from the downstream end of the insulated pipeline so that it can be used with existing technologies, such as with a combined cycle gas turbine, boiler, or steam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Inventor: Travis W. Mecham
  • Patent number: 6895692
    Abstract: A device for heat treating metallic webs in-line, in particular for operation with a low-density protective gas, comprises stabilising nozzle systems which stabilise the course of the web and effect heat transfer, primarily by forced convection, in the heating portion and at least in the first portion of cooling. The web is guided in a non-contact process in the treatment portion localized by rollers. The course of the web exhibits a concave curvature (as viewed from above), at least in a partial area in the treatment portion. The area of said concave curvature can be in a fluid which is different from the fluid with which the web is blown in the heating portion and at least in the first portion of the cooling area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventor: Carl Kramer
  • Patent number: 6895687
    Abstract: A drier for continuous flow drying of food products, especially pasta, inside the drier with adjustable and/or conditioning zones along the continuous flow path of the product. The inside of the drier can be accessed by a maintenance technician and the respective horizontal segments of the side walls are sub-divided perpendicular to the direction of the continuous flow from top to bottom into respectively at least two vertical segments which are respectively curved in an outer direction and which can also be moved away from the housing in an independent manner, enabling the maintenance technician to have access to the inside from the respective point of a vertical segment moved away from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Heinz Resch, Hermann Zwyssig
  • Patent number: 6895689
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drying apparatus for drying paints which includes a casing having an opening at one end, an infrared lamp provided in the casing and adapted to radiate infrared rays toward a painted surface, an electric fan for blowing air in the casing toward the painted surface, a circulation path for causing at least a part of the air blown toward the painted surface to flow into the casing again, an atmospheric air inlet for introducing atmospheric air into the casing, and a flow rate adjusting mechanism for adjusting the flow rate of the air flowing into the casing again. The drying apparatus makes it possible to shorten the requisite time for drying the painted surface and to obtain a high-quality painted surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventor: Makoto Ueno