Patents Examined by Tu Ba Hoang
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Patent number: 6693949Abstract: The aim of the invention is to provide a means of also cooling the lower part of electric arc furnaces and/or resistance furnaces. To this end, said lower part—the actual melting vessel (4)—is surrounded with a jacket (9) at a certain distance, forming a shell, and the resulting intermediate space is configured as a cooling device (10) and subjected to the action of a cooling medium (14).Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2002Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: SMS Demag AGInventors: Manfred Schubert, Peter Starke
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Patent number: 6693950Abstract: An induction furnace is provided with a bottom induction coil to melt, heat and/or stir an electrically conductive material placed in the furnace. The furnace is particularly useful for electrically conductive materials having a relatively low value of thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2002Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.Inventors: Oleg S. Fishman, Vitaly A. Peysakhovich
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Patent number: 6693948Abstract: The present invention provides an arc-melting apparatus which attains extremely high efficiency by preheating scraps using exhaust gas from the melting chamber. The arc-melting apparatus needs for no device to carry and supply an iron source to a melting chamber, which makes it possible to preheat the next charge. The arc-melting apparatus has a melting furnace which melts scraps, a preheating shaft connected directly to an upper part of one side of the melting furnace, an arc electrode for melting scraps in the melting furnace, a bucket for supplying scraps to the preheat shaft so as to continuously maintain scraps in the melting furnace and in the preheating shaft, a tapping portion having a tapping hole, being projected outward from the melting furnace and a tilting device for tilting the melting furnace on a side of the tapping portion. The tapping portion is arranged at an orthogonal direction to the direction of the supplied cold iron source.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2003Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: JP Steel Plantech Co.Inventors: Hideaki Mizukami, Ryuji Yamaguchi, Takashi Nakayama, Teruo Tatefuku, Norio Ao, Toshimichi Maki, Yasuhiro Sato, Hirotsugu Kubo
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Patent number: 6694192Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling uterine contractions in a female comprises providing sensors for sensing uterine contractions; providing an electric signal generator for generating signals to be applied on the uterus; providing a control unit for receiving signal corresponding to uterus contractions from the sensors and actuate said signal generator to generate a non-excitatory electric signal in a predetermined timing and duration with respect to a sensed uterine contraction; providing signal delivery leads for delivering the electric signal from the electric signal generator to predetermined locations on the uterus; sensing a uterine contraction using the sensors; and applying non-excitatory electric field at the predetermined locations on the uterus in predetermined timing and duration with respect to the sensed uterine contraction.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2001Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Impulse Dynamics N.V.Inventors: Shai Policker, Ricardo Aviv, Daniel Kamil
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Patent number: 6693947Abstract: A batch process for an electric arc furnace (1) to manufacture steel (10) includes the steps of providing an empty furnace having a bottom (14) and sides (16) and electrodes (2, 3); adding molten metal to the empty furnace; adding other necessary ingredients through charge openings (26); applying current to provide an arc (4) and supplying oxygen through an oxygen lance (6) to react and melt the contents of the furnace and form a top slag (9) and bottom molten metal/steel (10); and stopping the reaction and pouring out all the slag through a slag tap (5) and molten metal tap (32) to provide an empty furnace for the next batch run.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2002Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: D. L. Schroeder & AssociatesInventor: David L. Schroeder
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Patent number: 6690710Abstract: An induction heating and melting system uses a crucible formed from a material that has a high electrical resistivity or high magnetic permeability, and one or more inductor coils formed from a wound cable consisting of multiple individually insulated copper conductors to form an induction furnace that, along with its associated power supply, provides a compact design. The system components are air-cooled; no water-cooling is required. The crucible may alternatively be shaped as a tunnel or enclosed furnace.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.Inventors: Oleg S. Fishman, John H. Mortimer, Joseph T. Belsh, Aurelian Mavrodin, Richard A. Ranlof
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Patent number: 6687284Abstract: To re-ignite efficiently an arc-furnace arc extending between an electrode and a material to be melt, a second energy supply is provided to maintain a plasma link between the electrode and the melting material when the arc-furnace arc is interrupted The electrode is supplied by a large current power supply including a large current conductor having a self inductance and being connected to the electrode. The second energy supply is an electrical power supply wherein a high frequency bypass impedance is provided in a supply path to the large current conductor at a distance from a capacitive circuit to allow a high frequency resonant circuit to be formed by the conductor section between the capacitive circuit and the bypass impedance without adversely affecting the large current power supply of the arc furnace.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Centre d'Innovation sur le Transport d'Energie du QuébecInventors: François Beauregard, Bruno Francoeur
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Patent number: 6681135Abstract: A medical implantable device that includes a temperature sensor circuit and a control circuit coupled to the temperature sensor circuit to control non-therapy operation of the medical implantable device in response to temperature measurements obtained by the temperature sensor circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2000Date of Patent: January 20, 2004Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Davis, James D. Reinke, David W. Graden, John D. Wahlstrand
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Patent number: 6680465Abstract: A mineral insulated heating cable comprising two electrical conductors extending along the lengths of the cable and an array of heating elements distributed along the length of the cable and connected in parallel between the conductors. The heating cable is encased in a metal jacket which waterproofs the overall assembly, the jacket being electrically insulated from both the conductors and the heating elements by for example mica or glass fiber tape sheaths. The metal jacket is extruded directly onto the heating cable, or is extruded around and then drawn down onto the heating cable. Thus the structure can withstand high temperatures and yet is waterproof given the provision of the metal jacket.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2001Date of Patent: January 20, 2004Assignee: Heat Trace LTDInventor: Jason O'Connor
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Patent number: 6677558Abstract: Disclosed are a key input apparatus in an electronic oven and a control method thereof enabling to reduce a size of a circuit as well as provide a simple design of the key input control part. A key input apparatus in an electronic oven includes a signal level producing part receiving input signals having a uniform level and producing signals having various levels, and a control part receiving the signals having the various levels through one input port and carrying out operations corresponding the signals having the various levels.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2001Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventor: Dae Byung Kang
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Patent number: 6670587Abstract: The present invention is a self heating thermal protector located in close proximity to an incandescent light fixture for controlling the flow of current to the associated lighting fixture by measuring the rate of heat flow from a dedicated heat source. Current is permitted to flow to the lighting fixture when the temperature of the self heating thermal detector is sufficient to avoid deterioration of electrical components such as plastic parts and wire insulation in the associated fixture. The thermal detector interrupts the flow of current to the associated fixture when the temperature of the self heating thermal protector increases to a temperature that is not safe.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2002Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.Inventor: Nicholas L. DiSalvo
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Patent number: 6664516Abstract: There is disclosed an electric appliance (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800) with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater (102, 202, 302, 506, 702) and a number of batteries (106, 206, 308, 406, 508, 606, 708, 806), in which the PTC heater (102, 202, 302, 506, 702) is adapted to be powered by the batteries (106, 206, 308, 406, 508, 606, 708, 806) and an outside electric power source, and the PTC heater (102, 202, 302, 506, 702) is adapted to be powered by the outside electric power source when the electric appliance (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800) is started, and to be subsequently powered by the batteries (106, 206, 308, 406, 508, 606, 708, 806).Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Halo Company, Ltd.Inventors: Daniel Kee Hung Chang, Rhoda Chor Man Yue
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Patent number: 6664517Abstract: A steering-heater device 1 capable of temperature control without causing an excess current to flow into a steering wheel Sw is provided. The steering-heater device 1 includes a heater 2 disposed in the steering wheel, a calorific switching element 4 disposed in a steering column Sc to carry out switching of a drive current for driving the heater 2 and also generate heat, a thermo-sensitive element 5 for sensing the temperature of the element 4 to change its own characteristics, a control part 8 that outputs a control signal and a drive part 9 that outputs a drive signal for driving the element 4 on the ground of the control signal. Based on voltages between both ends of the element 5, the control part 8 detects an initial temperature of the steering wheel, further calculates a consumption power required to rise the temperature of the steering wheel up to a set temperature and generate the control signal during a heating period determined on the ground of the consumption power.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventor: Hideharu Nagatomo
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Patent number: 6664496Abstract: A plasma processing system is comprised of a reaction vessel in which are provided a parallel high frequency electrode and ground electrode. The ground electrode is fixed at a ground potential portion, that is, a flange, by a conductive support column. A connection portion from the ground electrode to the ground potential portion, for example, the portions other than the surface of the ground electrode and the surface of the support column etc. are covered by an insulator serving as a high frequency power propagator while the surface of the insulator is covered completely by a conductive member except at the portion for introducing the high frequency power. In this plasma processing system, it is possible to reliably prevent undesirable discharge from occurring at the rear surface of the ground electrode when processing a substrate mounted on the ground electrode to deposit a film using a high frequency power in the VHF band.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Anelva CorporationInventors: Yoshimi Watabe, Shinya Hasegawa, Yoichiro Numasawa, Yukito Nakagawa
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Patent number: 6665562Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and methods of modifying the neuronal activity of a neural system comprising neurons, comprising, one or more of the following steps, measuring the neuronal activity of a neural system; and applying an oriented electric field to the neural system effective to modify the neuronal activity of the neural system, wherein the magnitude and polarity of the applied electric field is changed in response to the measured neuronal activity. The present invention also relates to devices and methods for treating brain disorders, such as epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, comprising, one or more of the following steps, applying a sub-threshold and oriented electric field in situ to the brain of a patient having such a disorder in an amount effective to reduce the abnormal activity of the brain, wherein the electric field is applied through field electrodes in contact with the brain.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2000Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: George Mason UniversityInventors: Bruce J. Gluckman, Steven J. Schiff
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Patent number: 6660976Abstract: A control unit (3) for controlling an electric household appliance, e.g. a refrigerator, is connected in series with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistive unit (4) which, when supplied with electric current, generates sufficient heat to activate a thermally activated actuating element (6) for selectively turning on/off respective auxiliary switches (9) of the electric household appliance. The thermally activated actuating element (6) includes a temperature-deformable element (7), e.g. a bimetallic plate, the deformation of which is transmitted by kinematic links (10) to a camshaft (8), the cams (12) of which cooperate with the auxiliary switches (9) of the electric household appliance to selectively turn on/off the auxiliary switches (9).Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2001Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: ITW Industrial Components S.r.l.Inventor: Raoul Bianchi
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Patent number: 6658281Abstract: Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy catheter probe comprising a permanent magnet arrangement (1,2,3,4) for generating a static magnetic field of suitable intensity and homogeneity for analysing a sample of fluid flowing into a catheter (6) traversing the permanent magnet arrangement. The probe further comprises an arrangement of electronic circuits (8,9) responsible for the excitation and detection of the nuclear magnetic resonance signal and at least one coil (7) to expose the fluid sample to the excitation signal and to collect the returned nuclear magnetic resonance signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2001Date of Patent: December 2, 2003Assignee: Medos S.A.Inventor: Alec Ginggen
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Patent number: 6653598Abstract: A coating (626) comprising a ferroelectric, lossy dielectric, ferromagnetic or semiconductor material is disposed near an object (620). AC current flows through an electrical conductor (624), creating an electromagnetic field. The coating (626) absorbs energy from the electromagnetic field, thereby generating heat, which melts snow and ice on the object (620).Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmouth CollegeInventors: Victor Petrenko, Charles Sullivan
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Patent number: 6653608Abstract: A single or multilayer smart susceptor for temperature control of part fabrication in an induction processing system generally consists of single layer or laminated layers of ferromagnetic material susceptible to heating by induction. The use of the susceptors in fabrication at elevated temperatures causes oxidation damage to the surface. The susceptor may be coated with a nickel aluminide surface coating to minimize oxidation of the susceptor outer surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2001Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Marc R. Matsen, Brad L. Kirkwood, Ronald W. Brown
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Patent number: 6649873Abstract: A temperature-controlled heated garment for providing heat to the torso of the user when needed. The temperature-controlled heated garment includes a garment member having multiple layers of material and also having at least one heating element connection outlet and being adapted to be worn about a torso of a user; and also includes heating elements being disposed between the multiple layers of material and throughout the garment member and being connected to the at least one heating element connection outlet; and further includes a heat-producing assembly including a housing member being connected to the at least one heating element connection outlet and being fastenable with fasteners to the garment.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Inventors: Jose Cintron, Jr., Carmen M. Cintron