Patents Examined by Tu Ba Hoang
  • Patent number: 6476358
    Abstract: A heatable rear view mirror assembly providing a visible indication to a driver of heating function is disclosed. The assembly includes a mirror housing, at least one mirror pane disposed within the mirror housing, at least one heating element disposed within the mirror housing for heating the mirror pane, a thermostat disposed within the mirror housing for automatically activating the heating element, and a display element secured to the mirror housing and visible to the driver, the display element being activated by the thermostat upon activation of the heating element. A related mirror assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America, LLC
    Inventors: Heinrich Lang, Wolfgang Seiboth
  • Patent number: 6477195
    Abstract: In a process for melting down sponge metal (11) in an electric-arc furnace (1) having at least one electrode (6), the sponge metal (11) is introduced into the electric-arc furnace (1) under formation of at least one sponge metal jet (15) which in the immediate vicinity of an electrode (6) hits the bath level (16) present in the electric-arc furnace (1), and for decarburization and/or intermixing the bath and/or charging energy oxygen is blown into the melt (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Peter Mittag, Harald Berger
  • Patent number: 6473446
    Abstract: An electric furnace includes a stationary lower shell having a sloping floor extending downwardly to a tap hole to always maintain a sufficient ferrostatic head three times the tap hole for slag free tapping. The configuration of the refractory for containing a heat, is sufficient to maintain a liquid metal heel of at least 70% of the heat before tapping for maintaining flat bath operation during refining a steel melt. An upper furnace shell is supported on the lower furnace shell and a furnace roof is supported by the upper furnace shell. The entire furnace is mounted on a furnace transfer car that is anchored for stationary operation but moved to a furnace exchange position for servicing any of the components making up the furnace. The furnace roof and/or upper furnace shell may be supported at a furnace operate position while the lower furnace shell is transported to the furnace exchange position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6470041
    Abstract: The invention comprises an electric heating assembly having improved heat transfer, the heater comprised of a receptacle for containing amalgam heat transfer media. An amalgam heat transfer media is provided in the receptacle for purposes of heat transfer. An electric heating element is located in the amalgam. When the amalgam reaches a solidified condition, a receptacle or mold is not required for the electric heating assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Inventor: C. Edward Eckert
  • Patent number: 6470040
    Abstract: The invention relates to an energy supply device of a melting tank. According to the invention, between an electrode plane of the melting tank and a converter for the current supply of the electrode plane, a separatable plug connection is provided in the supply line, between the electrode plane and the converter. Thereby in case of a defect of the converter, the supply line can be cut off simply and rapidly, and the converter either tended to or replaced. In an especially advantageous form of execution the energy supply device has a reserve converter so that, on failing of the converter, by unplugging the plug connection and replugging it so as to set up a plug connection to the reserve converter, the energy feed to the electrode plane can be restored within the shortest possible time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Schott Glas
    Inventors: Hans-Jürgen Leidecker, Ralf Reiter
  • Patent number: 6470205
    Abstract: In a medical instrument for insertion into an examination subject, as well as a medical examination device or treatment device employing such an instrument, the instrument has an elongated instrument body formed by a number of successively arranged rigid sections, with respective, successive sections being connected to one another via articulated joints which can be angled relative to one another. At least one optical fiber supplied with light is conducted along the instrument body, and at least one fiber Bragg grating is fashioned in the optical fiber in a region adjacent to a joint which is deformed to a degree corresponding to angling of the adjacent sections to the joint, thereby modulating the light in the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Oliver Schuetz
  • Patent number: 6466605
    Abstract: An electrode assembly comprising concentric tubular electrodes is provided for high temperature processing of materials. The electrode assembly is connected with a power supply that includes switching means for alternatively operating the electrode assembly in a transferred mode of operation, in a non-transferred mode of operation, or according to a controlled sequence of non-transferred and transferred modes of operation. The power supply system includes variable inductors, such as leakage-coupled reactors, for controlling the electrical power supplied to the electrodes for producing a DC arc. The electrode assembly can be incorporated into an arc furnace for processing waste material in the furnace. The electrode assembly is also suitable for use in the practice of in-situ vitrification and remediation of contaminated soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Electro-Pyrolysis, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Kenneth Wittle, Richard A. Hamilton, Charles S. Titus
  • Patent number: 6455809
    Abstract: A resin window 1 with a conductor in which a conductor print 3 is interposed between a resin panel 2 and a resin film 4 joined to one side of the resin panel, includes a metal film 6 provided on one side of the resin film 4 that is joined to the resin panel 2. The metal film 6 is connected to a conductor print 3 at a portion thereof and is exposed through an opening 5 formed in the resin film 4. The resin panel 2 has integrally formed fixing pins 7 that protrude to the outer surface side of the resin film 4 through the metal film 6. A terminal 8 is secured to a resin window 1 by heat treating the fixing pins 7 with a mounting base 8a of the terminal 8 made of electrically conductive material being overlaid on the metal film 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kuno, Akiteru Nishio, Kotaro Oami, Yasushi Iimori
  • Patent number: 6452137
    Abstract: In a ceramic heater comprising a heating body formed on a surface of a ceramic substrate, the heating body is made of a non-sintering type metal foil or an electrically conductive ceramic thin film, and the metal foil or electrically conductive ceramic thin film is adhered to the surface of the substrate through a heat-resistant resin layer or the like. The ceramic heater is less in the scattering of resistance resulted from the quality of the heating body and is possible to accurately and rapidly conduct temperature control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Kariya
  • Patent number: 6452956
    Abstract: An electrode for a smelting furnace comprises an elongate casing including a plurality of spaced, inwardly projecting ribs extending radially from an inner surface of the casing towards the center of the casing. A central core of a pre-baked electrode, typically a solid or hollow pre-baked graphite electrode, is disposed within the casing free of the projecting ribs and defines a space between the core and the inner surface of the casing. A heating zone is located intermediate the ends of the casing so that a carbonaceous electrode paste received or receivable within the space between the core and the inner surface of the casing is calcined into a baked, hard form upon entering the heating zone. The projecting ribs assist in baking the electrode paste and in anchoring or supporting the electrode to reduce the risk of nipple or joint fracture of adjacent pre-baked electrodes. The electrodes are particularly useful in the smelting of ferrochromium and in the reduction of ores such as ilmenite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Inventor: Marcel Sciarone
  • Patent number: 6452955
    Abstract: A method for feeding fines or granules into a light-arc furnace. A hollow electrode provided with a feeding channel is utilized, and is preferably a hollow Söderberg electrode. A conveyor introduces the fines or granules into the feeding channel so as to maintain in the feeding channel a hollow material in which a lower end is smelted in a molten metal bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Roth, Serge Devillet, Emile Lonardi
  • Patent number: 6452138
    Abstract: A soft heating element utilizing individually insulated electrically conductive carbon or metal containing threads/fibers or metal wires that are woven together with nonconductive threads, into sheets, sleeves or strips. The individually insulated conductive threads/fibers or metal wires can be laminated between layers of nonconductive insulation. Nonconductive polymer insulation can be extruded around the non-insulated electrically conductive threads/fibers or metal wires to form strips, sheets or sleeves/pipes. The heating element core is shaped in a desired pattern and connected in parallel or in series to the energizing bus conductors. The thermostats are located in areas of folds in order to control their cycling. When dictated by the heating element design, the electrically conductive threads/fibers have a polymer base, which acts as a Thermal-Cut-Off (TCO) material at predetermined temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Thermosoft International Corporation
    Inventors: Arkady Kochman, Arthur Gurevich
  • Patent number: 6452140
    Abstract: A substance 6 is located in a gradient magnetic field and held in a levitating state by a magnetic force produced by the gradient magnetic field. The substance 6 as such in the levitating state is heated and melted by ray or heat irradiation or by a resistance heater. Thereafter, the heating is stopped, and the substance 6 is cooled as such in the levitating state. Since the magnetic force realizes the microgravity field where the substance 6 is melted and cooled in the levitating state, the substance 6 is formed to an ideally spherical shape with an extremely smooth surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignees: Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Japan as Represented by Director-General of National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Motokawa, Kazuo Watanabe, Satoshi Awaji, Iwao Mogi, Naoyuki Kitamura, Masaki Makihara
  • Patent number: 6452957
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sintered shaped body comprising a matrix material that contains an aluminum oxide/chromium oxide mixed crystal and an additional mixed crystal selected from at least one mixed crystal according to one of the general formulas La0.9Al11.76−xCrxO19, Me1Al11−xCrxO17, Me2Al12−xCrxO19, Me2′Al12−xCrxO19 and/or Me3Al11−xCrxO18, wherein Me1 stands for an alkali metal, Me2 represents an alkaline earth metal, Me2′ stands for cadmium, lead or mercury and Me3 represents a rare earth metal and x has a value ranging from 0.0007 to 0.045.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Ceramtec AG Innovative Ceramic Engineering
    Inventors: Wolfgang Burger, Gundula Kiefer, Eduardo Bellido, Hans Andersch
  • Patent number: 6438973
    Abstract: Electronic circuitry provides protection for refrigeration machines by continuously monitoring supply voltage conditions and various other conditions. Information regarding abnormalities detected in the refrigeration machines or supply voltage is stored in a memory. The stored information may then be downloaded from the memory by a service technician. The electronic circuitry is universal and can therefore be used with various refrigeration machines. Further, the efficiency of a low temperature storage cabinet is enhanced by cycling the evaporator motor in comparison to a compressor percentage run time. Other factors are also considered in the running of the reach-in cabinet evaporator fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Hoshizaki America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yoshida, Donald Dunn, Robert McDonald, William P. Kirsch, Robert B. Allen
  • Patent number: 6438154
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing liquid slag and baghouse dust from a steelmaking furnace such as an EAF to recover valuable metals from the slag and dust includes a treatment vessel having a movable lower shell portion for receiving liquid slag and an upper shell portion that couples with the movable lower shell portion during heat activation of the treatment vessel. The slag is combined with silicon dioxide, a reducing agent, baghouse dust, and an inert gas before being heated to between approximately 1400° C. and 3000° C. The heat treatment results in a molten reduced iron and manganese metallic material, a treated slag layer, and an off-gas containing lead, zinc, and carbon monoxide. The off-gas is combusted, cooled, and solidified, resulting in lead oxide and zinc oxide. The slag layer is tapped, cooled, and solidified. The metallic layer is tapped for recycle in the steel making process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: John A. Vallomy
  • Patent number: 6433322
    Abstract: An abuse-tolerant microwave food packaging material includes repeated sets of metallic foil or high optical density evaporated material segments disposed on a substrate. Each set of metallic segments is arranged to define a perimeter having a length equal to a predetermined fraction of the operating or effective wavelength of an operating microwave oven. The repeated sets of segments act both as a shield to microwave energy and as focusing elements for microwave energy when used in conjunction with food products, while remaining electrically safe in the absence of the food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging Corporation
    Inventors: Neilson Zeng, Laurence Lai, Anthony Russell
  • Patent number: 6434182
    Abstract: A clamp assembly for securing a plurality of windings of an induction coil in a fixed position includes a T-shaped latch bar formed of high strength insulating material. The T-shaped latch bar has a stem and a cross member. The stem is secured to a second winding of three end windings, which preferably is located between the terminal or endmost winding of the coil, and the third winding, by a pair of stud bolts which are welded on the second winding. The cross member extends in an axial direction between the three windings. A pair of lugs are welded onto the terminal winding and the third winding. The ends of the cross member are formed with a pair of notches into which the lugs are seated for stabilizing the terminal winding and the adjacent two windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Lecrotherm, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark L. Kohler
  • Patent number: 6426969
    Abstract: Discharge screw (6) for a moving hearth, and in particular for an annular rotary hearth (2) of a reheat furnace for the heat treatment of loose materials, comprising a cylinder (61) arranged above and substantially radially with respect to this annular hearth (2) and turned by suitable actuators (15) so as to discharge the materials from the edges of this annular hearth (2); this cylinder (61) comprises on its lateral surface a first series of helicoids (62) beginning in an area close to its outermost end with respect to the furnace and a second series of helicoids (63) beginning at its innermost end with respect to the furnace; the inclination of the helicoids (62) of this first series is essentially symmetrical to the inclination of the helicoids (63) of this second series; and in this screw (6) each helicoid (62, 63) of one series comprises an inward end that meets the inward end of a corresponding helicoid (63, 62) of the other series in such a way that at at least one of the abovementioned ends a free fi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag S.p.A.
    Inventor: Piergiorgio Fontana
  • Patent number: 6424671
    Abstract: A process for making steel in an electric arc furnace includes providing a molten charge which is a melt composed of a high carbon ferrous metal in the electric arc furnace by one of preparing the melt in the furnace or introducing the melt into the furnace, the high carbon ferrous metal being composed of less than 3% carbon, less than 0.2% silicon, and less than 0.2% manganese, and the melt having a temperature of at least 1375° C.; adding to the molten charge provided in the furnace a solid metallic charge composed of least one material selected from the group consisting of scrap steel, hot briquetted iron, direct reduced iron, and iron ore to provide a charge mixture; refining the charge mixture by melting in the absence of gaseous oxygen to provide a molten steel; and superheating, finishing and tapping the molten steel into a ladle for subsequent casting thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: National Research Development Corporation
    Inventor: Shilowbhadra Banerjee