Patents Examined by William E. Tapoloai
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Patent number: 6758424Abstract: An electrostatic method for increasing the transfer efficiency of spray finishing using lower voltages than are normally required and used with electrostatic spraying. The positioning and construction of ground electrodes (16) behind the air cap (18) helps ensure a clean operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2003Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Lind, Scott A. Olson, Charles E. Kasten
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Patent number: 6747432Abstract: A cooling fan motor drive apparatus for use in vehicle is equipped with first to fourth semiconductor switches for driving first and second cooling fan motors upon receipt of a power supply voltage through power supply lines. A control unit implements control on openings and closures of the first to fourth switches to establish first and second power supply systems between first and second power supply lines for performing serial and parallel operations of the first and second cooling fan motors. The control unit closes the second and fourth semiconductor switches when the first and second cooling fan motors are driven in series and closes the first, second and third semiconductor switches when the first and second cooling fan motors are drive in parallel.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2003Date of Patent: June 8, 2004Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Satoshi Yoshimura
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Patent number: 6742343Abstract: A removable self-contained refrigeration unit is mounted within a vehicle, and is removable from a vehicle as a unit. The casing mounts both the evaporator and the condenser, and in one embodiment also mounts the compressor. With the embodiment that mounts the compressor, no refrigerant lines need be found anywhere except on the casing. The casing is removable from the vehicle as a one piece unit merely by connecting or disconnecting electrical connections. In a second embodiment the compressor is mounted remotely from the casing but the evaporator and condenser are still changeable as a one piece unit. In this embodiment a refrigerant connection need also be connected or disconnected to change the unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2001Date of Patent: June 1, 2004Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Philippe Matonog, Xavier Petit
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Patent number: 6736326Abstract: A thermally powered VAV diffuser assembly (21, 221) having a housing (42, 242) formed for coupling to a supply air duct or conduit (22, 222), a damper (24, 224) mounted across a supply air opening (27, 227) for movement relative thereto to vary the volume of supply air discharge from the diffuser and a thermally powered damper position controlled device or assembly (28, 228). The control assembly (28, 228) includes not more than two sensor-actuators (31, 32, 231, 232) and a movable linkage assembly. The linkage assembly transmits movement of the sensor-actuators (31, 32, 231, 232) to the damper (24, 224) for displacement of the damper (24, 224) to vary the volume discharged and to produce change-overs between heating and cooling modes. The heating mode and cooling mode set point temperatures are each independently adjustable, and the movable linkage assembly includes a lever (33, 233) pivoted about two pivot points by axles (82, 83, 282, 283) which slide in slots (87, 88, 287, 288).Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2002Date of Patent: May 18, 2004Assignee: Acutherm L.P.Inventor: Robert S. Hunka
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Patent number: 6725685Abstract: An ice maker for a refrigerator comprises an ice making vessel installed on a front portion of a main body of the refrigerator to perform an ice making operation; a water supplying pipe for ice making installed on an upper part of the ice making vessel as apart a predetermined distance from the ice making vessel to supply water into the ice making vessel; a buffer member installed on the water supplying pipe for ice making to buff a shock by contacting to the ice making vessel when the ice making vessel is rotated for an ice separating process; and a guide member mounted on one side of the buffer member for guiding the water discharged from the water supplying pipe for ice making into the ice making vessel, in order to prevent respective components from being damaged by interference between the ice making vessel and the pipes supplying the water into the vessel and to prevent the water in the ice making vessel from being induced into a storing vessel so that ices in the storing vessel are not stuck to each otType: GrantFiled: April 28, 2003Date of Patent: April 27, 2004Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventor: Deok-Eun Kang
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Patent number: 6715702Abstract: A spreader truck having a vessel for storage of a volume of powdered material is disclosed. A dust collector is mounted on the spreader truck such that airborne particles are collected as particulate material is spread over a subgrade or roadway.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2002Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Inventors: Mike McPherson, Deryl Beakley
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Patent number: 6715689Abstract: An intelligent air-condition system that detects the signals of the temperature distribution among the environment by using the infrared radiation, especially detects the location of the human-body temperature signals. Hence, according to the detected signals, the gas(es) for air-conditions can be firstly transmitted into the location where the human-body temperature signals exist, or be firstly transmitted into where the local temperature is urgent to be adjusted. Besides, the transitions of the gas(es) can be paused or stopped while there is no human-body temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2003Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventors: Tzong-Sheng Lee, Kuo-Hua Tseng, Long-Der Chen, Jimmy Yu
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Patent number: 6598418Abstract: A beverage container including a body and a lower cap having a cooling element mounted thereon that extends into an interior portion of the body. The lower cap is removable for convenient charging (e.g., freezing) of the cooling element. The lower cap is then attached to the body and liquid is inserted into the body through an upper opening. A mixing fixture is integrally formed on the free end of the cooling element, and is used to mix the cooled liquid stored in the body with a powdered substance entered through the upper opening. In one embodiment, the beverage container is a multi-chambered container that includes a rotatable hollow member for storing the powdered substance, and a housing for securing the hollow member to the body such that a curved wall of the hollow member separates the powdered substance from the cooled liquid stored in the body.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2001Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Assignee: Insta-mix, Inc.Inventor: James W. Holley, Jr.
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Patent number: 6502416Abstract: An automatic ice maker of the open-cell type including a box-type housing, a plurality of spaced ice making cell casings arranged on a horizontal plane in an upper portion of the housing and opened downward, a cooling pipe mounted on the cell casings to be supplied with refrigerant from a freezing circuit, and a sprinkler mounted within a bottom portion of the housing and placed under the cell casings to spout ice making water into the respective cell casings, wherein a base plate is mounted within the upper portion of the housing to form an ice making chamber, and wherein the ice making cell casings are secured to a bottom surface of the base plate, while the cooling pipe is mounted on the base plate at positions located above the cell casings and welded to an upper surface of the base plate.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2001Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masaaki Kawasumi, Masahiro Kodani, Shinichi Nagasawa, Chiyoshi Toya, Shinsaku Hayakawa, Masaru Wada, Kiyoharu Nishimura
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Patent number: 5960859Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle passenger compartment comprises a first duct unit including at least one inlet opening and a blower device, and a second duct unit fluidly connected to the first duct unit. The second duct unit includes an evaporator and a heater core, and further includes a damper mechanism and a plurality of outlet openings. An evaporator is disposed forward of the heater core in the second duct unit and forms a part of an air-conditioning circuit. The heater core is disposed rearward of the evaporator and partially covers the second duct unit. The damper mechanism is disposed rearward of the evaporator and controls the amount of air passing through the evaporator and the heater core and introduced to the outlet openings.The resulting air conditioning system is compact in size and lightweight while simultaneously providing superior air conditioning performance.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 1997Date of Patent: October 5, 1999Assignee: Sanden CorporationInventor: Hirotaka Sakurai
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Patent number: 5193357Abstract: An improved evaporator/ice forming assembly for an ice machine is disclosed. The assembly comprises evaporator tubing sections having one or more integrally formed fin elements; evaporator system connectors adapted for connecting the tubing sections together to form a sealed evaporator section of a refrigeration system; and divider elements adapted to fit together with the one or more fin elements to form a plurality of ice formation pockets. Processes for forming the assembly, as well as an ice machine incorporating the assembly, are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1991Date of Patent: March 16, 1993Assignee: The Manitowoc Company, Inc.Inventors: Vance L. Kohl, Mark E. Federspiel
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Patent number: 5157939Abstract: Apparatus for continuous production of flake ice comprises one or more refrigerated discs mounted on a hollow shaft. Each disc rotates in the vertical plane and includes a plurality of narrow internal channels which extend substantially over all of the operative portion of the disc and are of substantially equal length. The discs form the evaporator of a refrigeration circuit, and an evaporative refrigerant is circulated to the channels in each disc via the hollow shaft. During each cycle, water is applied to both external flat surfaces of each disc at a first angular location and the film of water which adheres thereto freezes as the disc rotates. The ice sheet so formed is removed from both sides of the disc at a second angular location by scraper blades.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 1990Date of Patent: October 27, 1992Assignee: Heat and Control Pty. Ltd.Inventors: Douglas J. Lyon, Stefan S. Jensen, Jeffrey B. Cage, Robert R. Niblock
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Patent number: 4791789Abstract: A discrete internal self-cooling device (106) installed in a standard beverage can (100) during assembly that operates, preferably, on the principle of heat loss through vaporization. A refrigerant vessel (112) is provided for holding a cryogenic refrigerant (114). The vessel includes a refrigerant vessel body (116) made up of cylindrical side walls with a cylinder vent hole (118) formed through it near the upper regrigerant vessel rim (120). The vessel sidewalls terminate in upper (122) and lower (128) plugs which seal the vessel. The upper plug (122) includes a regulated refrigerant escape rate means comprising a metering orifice (124) that extends through the plug axially. Intersecting this metering orifice, an automatic pressure actuated release means comprises a transverse plug cylinder (126) containing a pressure actuated piston (130) having a piston groove (134) that opens or closes the orifice, depending on its alignment with the orifice.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1987Date of Patent: December 20, 1988Inventor: John J. Wilson
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Patent number: 4571786Abstract: A change-speed maneuvering apparatus in a vehicle provided with a steering-wheel apparatus including a generally upright steering-wheel post, has a main change-speed maneuvering shaft assembly on one lateral side of the steering-wheel post, in parallel to it. On the other lateral side of the steering-wheel post, there is, also in parallel to it, a forward-and-rearward running-travel shiftover actuation shaft, and there also are interlocking levers which are pivotally supported on the forward-and-rearward running-travel shiftover shaft and which function to operatively connect the main change-speed maneuvering shaft to the drive power transmission mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 1983Date of Patent: February 25, 1986Assignee: Kubota, Ltd.Inventor: Masahide Osujo
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Patent number: 4561588Abstract: A steam trap with a closure element or valve disposed on the low pressure side cooperating with a valve seat, the valve being actuated by a control unit disposed in the high pressure chamber of the steam trap. The control unit includes a plurality of bimetallic spring elements each having a support portion and an operative portion and different actuation temperatures which act on the valve stem to close the valve on the valve seat. The support portions of the bimetallic spring elements engage a stationary support of said steam trap and the operative portions thereof engage the valve stem. The engagement of the bimetallic spring elements with the valve stem is such that when the valve is closed by the action of the bimetallic spring elements having the higher actuation temperatures, the bimetallic spring elements having the lower actuation temperatures are unaffected thereby and thus not stressed by the spring forces of the bimetallic spring elements of the higher actuation temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 1984Date of Patent: December 31, 1985Assignee: GESTRA Kondensatableiter GmbH & Co.Inventor: Werner Foller
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Patent number: 4375872Abstract: A draft control unit for stoves and furnaces comprising housings of variable design, wherein may be incorporated a bi-metal element or means for remote control. An eccentric control rod supplies adjustment means for said bi-metal and a draft door with means of self adjustment to stove.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1980Date of Patent: March 8, 1983Inventor: Andrew J. Schrock