Patents Examined by Steve Gravini
  • Patent number: 5749161
    Abstract: The dryer for a motor vehicle washing and drying system includes three downwardly-facing nozzles. The nozzles oscillate in a synchronized manner, with two side nozzles oscillating over a limited range only. A center nozzle, disposed between the two side nozzles, oscillates over a wider range to drive water on the upper surface of the vehicle towards the side nozzles. The side nozzles then drive the water along the contours of the vehicle surface down the sides of the vehicle using the Coanda effect. One of the side nozzles as well as the center nozzle is moved in an inward or outward direction depending upon the sensed width of the vehicle. The center nozzle is rotated in a forward or rearward direction as the vehicle moves underneath the dryer. Each nozzle contains a unique ovoid-shaped member disposed in the nozzle to accelerate and concentrate the output of the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: PDQ Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Allen Jones
  • Patent number: 5749155
    Abstract: A device for washing and removing liquid on a gauze conveyor for conveying products, the gauze conveyor having an upper side for carrying products and being provided with link portions and having a gauze pattern. The device having means for removing liquid on the upper side of the gauze conveyor and being formed by a hollow, rotatable roll which is provided with rows of separate projecting teeth, said rows extending axially on the roll, the teeth fitting into the gauze pattern and the link portions being enclosable by the teeth. The roll has holes between the teeth which holes extend into the cavity of the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignees: American National Can Company, VMI-EPE-Holland B.V.
    Inventors: Donald Lazarz, Jurjen Jan De Jong
  • Patent number: 5749159
    Abstract: This invention pertains to a substrate cleaner and dryer or a dryer alone, and in particular, to an improved method of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor drying having "closed loop" processing and capability to process extremely large substrates. The invention uses an inert gas, typically nitrogen (N.sub.2) or argon (Ar), as a process gas for carrying the vapor of a drying fluid in a "closed loop" cycle through a process vessel. The carrier gas and is pumped through a vapor generator and the process vessel in a rapid "closed loop" manner with extremely pure IPA vapor. Various embodiments employ the invention including two different vapor drying methods, a water rinse and vapor dry method and a solvent clean and vapor dry method. In either the water rinse and vapor dry method and a solvent clean and vapor dry method rinse water or cleaning fluid is rapidly drained in an unimpeded manner from the vessel while the process vessel is vented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Inventor: Robert S. Schwenkler
  • Patent number: 5749157
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a dryer section for an apparatus to produce webs of material, such as paper, carton or cardboard which shall consist of a number drying cylinders and carrier rollers, at least one dryer group which shall include at least one conveyer bend to direct the continuous material web along a meandering path around these drying cylinders and carrier rollers, and with at least one pressure cylinder to compress or smoothen the web of material. The pressure cylinder is located within the dryer group 3, 30 or 130, respectively, such that it is located within a region that is contained within the second and the second-to-last dryer cylinder of the dryer group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Leitenberger, Helmut Heinzmann
  • Patent number: 5749162
    Abstract: The dryer for a motor vehicle washing and drying system includes three downwardly-facing nozzles. The nozzles oscillate in a synchronized manner, with two side nozzles oscillating over a limited range only. A center nozzle, disposed between the two side nozzles, oscillates over a wider range to drive water on the upper surface of the vehicle towards the side nozzles. The side nozzles then drive the water along the contours of the vehicle surface down the sides of the vehicle using the Coanda effect. One of the side nozzles as well as the center nozzle is moved in an inward or outward direction depending upon the sensed width of the vehicle. The center nozzle is rotated in a forward or rearward direction as the vehicle moves underneath the dryer. Each nozzle contains a unique ovoid-shaped member disposed in the nozzle to accelerate and concentrate the output of the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: PDQ Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Allen Jones
  • Patent number: 5746008
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic substrate processing system comprising a processing equipment for processing electronic substrates including semiconductor wafers and liquid crystal substrates; a cleaning equipment for cleaning said electronic substrate in a predetermined processing step; a portable closed container for accommodating a cassette containing said electronic substrate; a purging station for gas-purging said portable closed containers; and a storage member for storing said portable closed containers, wherein said cassette accommodates said electronic substrates which have been cleaned by said cleaning equipment being set in said portable closed container and purged with an inert gas in said purging station, and said portable closed container or containers is stored in said storing section when necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teppei Yamashita, Masanao Murata, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Teruya Morita, Hitoshi Kawano, Mitsuhiro Hayashi, Atsushi Okuno, Akio Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5746006
    Abstract: A single pass rotary dryer in which heated gas and a moist material is blown through a rotating drum. The drum has inwardly extending flights or vanes which deflect particles of the material back into the gas flow. A flight is oriented at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the drum in order to present an ascending ramp to incoming material. There is a core oriented longitudinally in the drum. The core may be hollow and perforated with holes through which particles of material may pass. The core may have flights and a narrowing closed end facing the incoming material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Duske Engineering Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Wilfried P. Duske, Robert T. Hogue, Kenneth J. Koeslin
  • Patent number: 5746009
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for controlling the surface temperature of a drying cylinder of a paper machine, in which air may be admixed with the steam introduced into the drying cylinder to adjust the partial steam pressure. The mixture ratio of air and steam is controlled as a function of the measured temperature of the mixture discharging from the drying cylinder. Also, pressure measurements are made of the pressure in the infeed and discharge lines of the cylinder, and valves control this dependent on the measurements. The valves are controlled to provide all steam to the cylinder above a predetermined minimum pressure in the cylinder below 1 bar and to provide a mix of air and steam below the predetermined minimum pressure. Arrangements for controlling one cylinder at a time, several cylinders together for supply of both steam and air, or several cylinders for controlling respective separate supplies of air and with one supply of steam are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Hubert Brugger
  • Patent number: 5746010
    Abstract: A double backer for curing the web bonding adhesive and drying the corrugated paperboard web utilizes a web holddown apparatus for maintaining the web in intimate drying contact with the lower heating units which does not require the use of a driven holddown belt. The holddown is provided instead by a series of parallel, flexible, closely spaced strips suspended above the web in the heating section and extending in the direction of web travel. Supplemental holddown force may be provided by banks of spring fingers supported above and in contact with the holddown strips on a transverse support rod which may be rotated to vary the amount of supplemental holddown force. Alternately, the holddown strips may comprise continuous cables in which one run of the cables rests upon the moving web to provide the web holddown and a second run includes high friction cable portions which are movable into driving contact with the upper surface of the web to pull it through the heating section, as for initial web thread up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Marquip, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl R. Marschke, Harold D. Welch, James A. Cummings
  • Patent number: 5743023
    Abstract: Control of temperature of the shelves in a freeze dryer compartment is achieved by circulating a cooled heat transfer fluid from a heat exchanger through a vacuum condenser independently of circulating the cooled heat transfer fluid either directly through the passageway chambers in the freeze dryer shelves, for cooling the shelves, or through a heater for heating the shelves. These circulations are effected by the selective control of electrically operated valves in fluid conduits automatically by a programmed computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Inventors: John M. Fay, Donald S. Finan
  • Patent number: 5743025
    Abstract: A dryer basket for sneakers including a plurality of baskets. A plurality of mounting brackets are secured within a dryer drum of a dryer adjacent to tumblers of the dryer. The mounting brackets each are removably secured to the baskets whereby the baskets are removably secured within the dryer drum adjacent to the tumblers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Inventor: Richard W. Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5743026
    Abstract: A device (10) for drying rotary cut wood veneer comprises at least two conveyor loops (11) facing each other along an outbound path to define between them a conveyance passage for the rotary cut veneer. Along the outbound path are present drying means (18) acting on the conveyance passage. The two conveyance loops comprise conveyance chains (13) supporting transversely to the direction of conveyance a sequential jointed plurality of rigid elements (12) providing facing and essentially unbroken conveyance surfaces along said outbound path to delimit the conveyance passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignees: Angelo Cremona, Figlio S.p.A.
    Inventor: Lorenzo Cremona
  • Patent number: 5743024
    Abstract: A paper making machine comprises a press followed by an adjoining drying section having a plurality of dryer groups. Each dryer group comprises only one row of dryer cylinders and one row of suction rolls then therebetween. The press section in each of the dryer groups has a respective variable web speed drive. A speed control device controls the drive such that a positive difference in speed is always present between the first dryer group and the press and also between the second dryer group and the first dryer group. Open draws may be defined between at least some of the dryer groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Oechsle
  • Patent number: 5737846
    Abstract: A lead frame dryer comprises a pair of water absorbing rollers positioned downstream of a lead frame water jet deflasher. The water absorbing rollers remove water from surfaces of the lead frame. A solid roller is positioned adjacent each of the water absorbing rolls to squeegee to compress the water absorbing roller and remove water stored in the water absorbing rollers for collection. A venturi device is provided which creates a vacuum for absorbing water removed from the water absorbing rolls. The collected water can be recycled back to the water jet deflasher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Semiconductor America, Inc.
    Inventors: Waite R. Warren, Jr., Lou W. Nicholls
  • Patent number: 5737852
    Abstract: A dryness control circuit for a household clothes dryer including a power supply circuit and a moisture sensing circuit. The power supply circuit converts high voltage AC power into low voltage, DC power. The low voltage, DC power is supplied to the moisture sensing circuit. The moisture sensing circuit includes a moisture sensor having a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, a time delay circuit, an electrostatic discharge attenuation circuit, and a motor controller circuit. The motor controller circuit includes a control hysteresis or dead-band in which operation of a timer motor is unaffected. The time delay circuit includes an RC network which slowly charges and discharges to prevent erroneous dryness or moisture readings, which are sensed by the moisture sensor, from causing the motor controller circuit to improperly actuate or deactuate the timer motor. The electrostatic discharge attenuation circuit negates the deleterious effects of static build up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay P. Shukla, Sean F. Myers, William B. Hughett
  • Patent number: 5737850
    Abstract: A chicken manure drying system is placed in a hen house. A platform of the system is disposed underneath a plurality of chicken cages. As chicken manure drops from the chicken cages, it collects on the platform. Drying fans of the system are disposed adjacent to the platform. The drying fans provide a constant flow of air over the chicken manure so as to dry the chicken manure. The plowing apparatus of the system includes a plowing device disposed over the platform. The plowing device is periodically moved across the platform in order to plow the chicken manure. The plowing of the chicken manure exposes more of the chicken manure to air. This exposure facilitates the comprehensive and expeditious drying of the chicken manure. After the chicken manure has been sufficiently dried to serve as fertilizer, the chicken manure is conveyed to a collection site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Rose Acre Farms, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Hendrix
  • Patent number: 5732476
    Abstract: The generation of volatiles from liquid or solid materials is enhanced and accelerated by exposure to microwave radiation. Normally the energy transfer is effected preferentially toward the liquid or solid materials over the generated gaseous volatiles. Sufficient energy is provided at a selected rate that enhances the generation of volatiles to effect removal as vapor or to produce a pressurized vapor phase. Flow-through separations from a matrix having a microwave-absorbing liquid component are conducted by exposing to microwave radiation to vaporize this component and processing the vapor either by flowing through a selective permeable membrane, or by enclosing the vapor and matrix in a confined space and flowing matrix through a selected separation medium, and recovering residual matrix. These separations are particularly useful in analysis contexts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Inventor: J.R. Jocelyn Pare
  • Patent number: 5729907
    Abstract: An attachment for a hair dryer includes an upper body for supporting a heat transmissive plate with a comb extending from one side of the heat transmissive plate and a lower body for attachment to an outlet of the hair dryer. The heat transmissive plate is heated by the hot air exiting the hair dryer's outlet. The upper body of the attachment includes vents positioned about the heat transmissive plate for directing heated air generally in front of and behind the heat transmissive plate, and a pair of side vents for directing heated air to the sides of the heat transmissive plate. The lower body of the attachment may include a plurality of inner ribs positioned at its internal surface or a plurality of flexible inner segments situated within the internal surface, either of which serve to attach the lower body to the hair dryer outlet. The hair dryer attachment thus provides a simple means for using a hair dryer to dry and straighten one's hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Conair Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Santhouse, R. Niel Tobin, Joseph J. Beuschel
  • Patent number: 5729914
    Abstract: Containers and a method for forming such containers having larger brims with reduced brim curl defects is disclosed including providing a plurality of container blanks for forming containers, forming a plurality of container shells from the plurality of blanks, accumulating the plurality of container shells at an accumulation station, subjecting at least an upper periphery of the shells to a humid atmosphere to precondition the shells with the atmosphere preferably including steam, successively removing the shells from the accumulator and subsequently forming a brim curl about an upper periphery of the shell with the shells being subject to the humid atmosphere for a predetermined time period sufficient to form defect-free brim curls by extending the forming strain limits of the paperboard material. This method being carried out by using an accumulator for accumulating the container shells for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: James River Corporation of Virginia
    Inventors: Robert J. Aloisi, Arthur Livingston, Brian S. Huss
  • Patent number: 5729913
    Abstract: An improved two-tier, single-felted dryer section has an upper tier of spaced apart dryer drums and a lower tier of spaced apart dryer drums. The section includes at least one dryer drum group consisting of a first and second adjacent drum in one tier, a third drum in the other tier located between the adjacent first and second drums, and two reversing rolls positioned one on each of the opposite sides of the third drum. A felt-supported paper web follows a serpentine path about the dryer drums and reversing rolls. As a result, the felt-supported web passes through the dryer drum group with the web in direct contact with each of the three dryer drums in the dryer drum group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Boise Cascade Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin Scott Rucker