Patents Examined by Steven B McCallister
  • Patent number: 11060718
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible lance for machining or inspecting a tubesheet of a boiler, having a first strip made of a flexible, metallic material and a second strip made of a flexible, metallic material, wherein the second strip is arranged on the first strip in the longitudinal direction, and wherein at least the second strip has a shaped portion extending in the longitudinal direction for receiving a supply line for a machining or inspection head arranged at the free end of the flexible lance, and wherein the first strip is connected to the second strip such that an open side of the shaped portion is covered by the first strip so as to form a guide channel, and wherein at least one edge region of the flexible lance, extending in the longitudinal direction, is formed only by the first strip or the second strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: FRAMATOME GMBH
    Inventor: Zafer Alaz
  • Patent number: 11047589
    Abstract: An air blowing device and an air blowing system reduces a region where a person cannot be recognized in a space provided with the air blower, and achieves control of the air blower in view of a person in a larger range in the space. The air blower includes: a first sensor configured to detect a position of a human in a first human detection range; a receiver configured to receive a detection result of a second sensor transmitted from a transmitter of a sensor-mounted device, the sensor-mounted device including the second sensor configured to detect a position of a human in a second human detection range; and a controller configured to perform air blowing control when the first sensor does not detect a human in the first human detection range and the second sensor detects a human in the second human detection range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Home Appliance Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sota Komae, Ayumi Saiki, Akira Shiga, Yosuke Kuge, Yoshitaka Akari, Kazuo Nyui, Takuya Furuhashi, Atsushi Shinno, Kiyoshi Watanabe, Masami Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 10967705
    Abstract: An air purge method in a vehicle is provided. The air purge method comprises starting a vehicle ventilation device in response to ventilation instruction; determining a current air purge status based on an operation time of the ventilation device; and indicating the current air purge status via an air purge indication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Shen, Wei Xu, Xuezhi Jin, Hogan Jiang
  • Patent number: 10945351
    Abstract: A modular arrangement is provided for housing electronic equipment and associated cooling structure in a data center environment. The modular units provide cooling air on an as-needed basis to individual pieces of equipment by way of individual plenums and associated valves. The units can be interconnected by vertical stacking, in side-to-side arrangements, and back-to-back arrangements. A number of units can be interconnected to form a cell. The cells can be interconnected to form larger units. In this manner, data centers can be configured in any desired arrangement without requiring complicated cooling design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Zonit Structured Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Chapel, William Pachoud
  • Patent number: 10913327
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a cooling water circuit and a heater. The cooling water circuit allows a cooling water to circulate between an engine and a heater core in a heating operation. The engine is a power source of the vehicle. The heater core is configured to heat air using a heat of the cooling water. The heater is located downstream of the engine and upstream of the heater core in the cooling water circuit and is configured to heat the cooling water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Okamoto, Takayuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10845134
    Abstract: Hinged baffle assemblies for heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) are disclosed. The baffle assemblies may include a baffle plate for directing exhaust fluid through a casing of the HRSG. The baffle plate may include first and second ends, a first surface exposed to the exhaust fluid flowing through the casing, and a second surface opposite the first surface. The baffle assemblies may also include a hinge component coupled to the first end of the baffle plate and positioned within/fixed relative to the casing. Additionally, the baffle assemblies may include a first diverter plate positioned adjacent to the second end of the baffle plate. The first diverter plate may directly contact the first surface of the baffle plate and may aid in directing the exhaust fluid through the casing of the HRSG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Frederick Magee, Van Dang, Alessandro Matarrese, Remo Richard Noonan
  • Patent number: 10323860
    Abstract: An automatically flushing water heater maintenance system may be provided, the system including a water heater and a water heater controller. The water heater may include an inlet, an outlet, and a flush outlet having a first control valve in flow communication therewith. The first control valve may be configured to control a flow of water and sediment through the flush outlet out of the water heater. The water heater controller may be configured to communicate with the first control valve by transmitting a first control signal to the first control valve, the first control signal configured to cause the first control valve to open or close as part of an automatic flushing process. As a result of the flushing, the useful life of the water heater may be extended, and/or water heater leakage alleviated. Insurance discounts may be provided based upon using the automatic water heater flushing functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Riblet, Melinda T. Magerkurth
  • Patent number: 10316693
    Abstract: An aircraft tail region including a cooling system installed in the aircraft tail region. The cooling system comprises a cooler, which forms a section of an outer skin of the aircraft tail region, and includes coolant channels allowing a flow of ambient air therethrough, and extending from a first surface of the cooler to a second surface of the cooler. The cooling system also includes a fan system, which is adapted to convey ambient air through the coolant channels of the cooler at least in specified operating phases of the cooling system, and a first opening, which is formed in the outer skin of the aircraft tail region, and which allows, in conveying operation of the fan system, ambient air which is supplied through the coolant channels of the cooler into an interior of the aircraft tail region to be discharged back into the aircraft environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Ralf-Henning Stolte, Udo Krause, Bruno Stefes, Christian Mueller, Florian Elken, Uwe Wollrab
  • Patent number: 10189334
    Abstract: In the register 1 of the embodiment, in case that all of the front side fins 41 are rotated to the upward direction, air flowing toward the air outlet 21 (air flow direction X) of the bezel 2 in the air flow path 3A of the retainer 3 is blown out from the air outlet 21 of the bezel 2 and the blowout direction is changed to Y1. At that time, air flow separating from the concave surface existing on the lower surface of the front side fin 41 approaches to air flow along the concave surface existing on the upper surface of the front side fin 41 positioned at a lower position than that of the above front side fin 41, and separates from the fixed fin 22. Thereby, air with superior directivity to the upper direction can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Imaizumi, Kentaro Kaneda, Nobuya Sakimoto
  • Patent number: 10130213
    Abstract: A cooking splatter guard is provided that includes a surface extending up from a top edge of a cooking implement at an angle. The angle formed between a plane defined by a top edge of the cooking implement and the surface is greater than 90 degrees. The surface forms a friction fit with the top edge of the cooking implement. A lip of the cooking implement formed by the top edge the cooking implement is a same size or slightly smaller than a bottom edge of the cooking splatter guard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: GOWANUS KITCHEN LAB, LLC
    Inventor: Yair Reiner
  • Patent number: 9976684
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of an auxiliary power unit supplying an aircraft air conditioning system with compressed process air includes determining a heating or cooling requirement of an aircraft region to be air-conditioned, determining a desired value of at least one process air flow parameter in dependence on the determined heating or cooling requirement of the aircraft region to be air-conditioned, controlling the operation of the auxiliary power unit in dependence on the determined process air flow parameter desired value, acquiring an actual value of the at least one process air flow parameter, comparing the process air flow parameter actual value with the process air flow parameter desired value and controlling the operation of the auxiliary power unit in dependence on the result of the comparison of the process air flow parameter actual value with the process air flow parameter desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Jurgen Kelnhofer, Dariusz Krakowski
  • Patent number: 9951970
    Abstract: An immediate hot-water supplying system 1 includes a P hot water supply device 10 configured to heat water flowing through a first supply pipe 2, an N hot water supply device 30 configured to heat water flowing through a second supply pipe 3, a check valve 6, and a coupled controller 60 configured to, when the flow amount detected by a second flow amount sensor 34 is equal to or more than a hot-water-supply detection flow amount, perform a hot-water supply operation in which a first burner 12 or a second burner 32 is burned with a circulation pump 16 stopped, and when the flow amount detected by the second flow amount sensor 34 is less than the hot-water-supply detection flow amount, perform a circulation heat keeping operation in which the first burner 12 is burned with the circulation pump 16 activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: RINNAI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Shimada, Ai Yuge
  • Patent number: 9155416
    Abstract: A multi-purpose grill which easily can be converted for use as a conventional grill and as an open fire pit by selectively opening and closing a movable covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Inventor: Ronald W. Kuhl
  • Patent number: 9151496
    Abstract: A thermal power boiler includes a furnace enclosed by two short side walls and two long side walls, flue gas channels arranged above the furnace, a back pass and a supporting structure. The supporting structure includes a stationary bearing structure supported from below. The bearing structure includes multiple vertical pillars and a parallel main supporting beams supported by the vertical pillars, and a suspension structure, so that the furnace hangs from the bearing structure. The main supporting beams and the flue gas channels arranged above the furnace are parallel with each other and parallel with the short side walls. The main supporting beams are preferably arranged at least partially between the flue gas channels extending over the roof of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: AMEC FOSTER WHEELER ENERGIA OY
    Inventor: Pentti Lankinen
  • Patent number: 9073408
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning register for use in an automotive vehicle has a hollow housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an inner housing wall. A plurality of pivotable vanes are disposed proximate the outlet, including an outermost vane disposed proximate the inner housing wall that is pivotable to an extreme position. A deflector is disposed between the inner housing wall and the outermost vane, such that the deflector substantially blocks airflow between the inner housing wall when the outermost vane is in the extreme position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Bryan Hoke, John Bratcher, Ronald Dickson
  • Patent number: 8997730
    Abstract: A grease removal system for a combination oven, requiring venting and condensation of steam, conducts excess grease through the same drainpipe as the steam to a water-filled condenser, then segregates the grease within a reservoir wall. In this way, a single opening may serve to remove both excess steam pressure and grease and temperature-moderated grease may be readily pumped to a convenient location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Alto-Shaam, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Kulakowski, Jan Bartelick
  • Patent number: 8939821
    Abstract: A sliding door device which a sliding door is inserted into the guide portion in one direction of the sliding direction as an insertion direction upon assembling. A rack gear includes a plurality of standard teeth arranged along the sliding door, and a thick tooth having a larger width, along the sliding door, than those of the standard teeth and being disposed in a left/right symmetrical position with respect to a center in the sliding door. A pinion gear includes a single large tooth groove engaged with the thick tooth, and a short tooth having a length shorter than those of the other teeth while abutting onto a tooth tip of the thick tooth positioned at a rear side of the insertion direction, from among the respective thick teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Monoi
  • Patent number: 8894478
    Abstract: An environmental improvement system for placement within a room bounded by a floor and a ceiling is provided herein. In one embodiment, the system comprises a duct system that extends through the open volume of the room from the floor to the ceiling. The duct system comprises a base unit at a first end terminating proximate the floor, a support unit at a second end terminating proximate the ceiling, and a duct connecting the base and support units. The base unit defines a first opening, and the support unit defines a second opening. At least one fan is disposed between the first and second openings and draws air from the room into and through the system and discharges the air from the system. The first and second openings are each adapted to selectively act as an intake opening or as a discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventor: Woodrow Stillwagon
  • Patent number: 8746233
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solar tracker with parabolic concentrator, comprising a parabolic concentrator (1) formed by a composition of mirrors (4) focused towards a Stirling engine (3), the mirrors (4) being located on a bearing structure (5), with securing by means of anchors (6) which allow a regulation in a vertical direction, in a lateral direction and in a depth direction, whereas the Stirling engine (3) is secured on the same bearing structure (5) by means of ties (10) which are attached to said Stirling engine (3) by means of two securing elements which can be adjusted in length, the bearing structure (5) being formed by parallel vertical lattices (14) comprising in their formation sheet metal boxes attached to one another by means of other intermediate sheet metal boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Mecanizados Solares, S.L.
    Inventor: José Abel González Moreno
  • Patent number: 8282391
    Abstract: The object is to provide a burner capable of taking in sufficient primary air even though the size thereof is compact, and capable of being used as an all-primary air burner. A burner includes a mixing pipe to which a fuel gas and combustion air are supplied, a burner main body having a mixing chamber at a top end on a downstream side of the mixing pipe, and a burner head which is provided at an upper part of the burner main body while communicating with the mixing chamber and has first and second burner ports for ejecting mixed gas of the fuel gas and air for combustion mixed in the mixing chamber. The burner further includes an extension pipe in the burner main body protruding inside the mixing chamber being formed by extending the mixing pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Paloma Industries, Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Oda