Patents by Inventor Gary D. Lang
Gary D. Lang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11076620Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for forming frozen food products, especially frozen foamed food products wherein the products contain bubbles having a reduced average size preferably in a narrow size range or contain ice crystals having reduced size.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2018Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.Inventors: Sameer H. Israni, Balazs Hunek, Theodore H. Gasteyer, III, Gary D. Lang
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Patent number: 10111453Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for forming frozen food products, especially frozen foamed food products wherein the products contain bubbles having a reduced average size preferably in a narrow size range or contain ice crystals having reduced size.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2015Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Sameer H. Israni, Balazs Hunek, Theodore H. Gasteyer, III, Gary D. Lang
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Publication number: 20140308423Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for forming frozen foam products, including edible products, using air or gases or gas mixtures having an average molecular weight larger than that of air, wherein the products contain bubbles having a reduced average size preferably in a narrow size range.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Inventors: Nari R. Nayini, Theodore H. Gasteyer, Gary D. Lang, Sameer H. Israni, Balazs Hunek
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Publication number: 20140060088Abstract: Methods and apparatus for contact freezing a food product. A conveyor belt or other support may have an active region that supports materials on an outer surface. Liquid cryogen may be provided in bulk contact with an inner surface of the active region via splashing, agitation, pumping, gravity feed, and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Inventors: Bryce M. Rampersad, Theodore H. Gasteyer, III, Gary D. Lang
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Publication number: 20120291456Abstract: Methods and apparatus for contact freezing a food product. A conveyor belt or other support may have an active region that supports materials on an outer surface. Liquid cryogen may be provided in bulk contact with an inner surface of the active region via splashing, agitation, pumping, gravity feed, and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2011Publication date: November 22, 2012Inventors: Bryce M. Rampersad, Theodore H. Gasteyer, III, Gary D. Lang
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Patent number: 6497106Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for chilling food product, employing (A) cooling means comprising (1) a rotatable drum, (2) means in said drum for urging pieces through said drum, (3) cryogen dispensing means, and (4) means for rotating said drum; (B) feeding means which includes means for automatically sensing the mass flow rate at which said pieces are being fed into said inlet and for generating electrical signals corresponding to said rate; (C) electronic control means responsive to said signals and temperature inputs for preventing premature flow of cryogen and for automatically controlling the rate at which cryogen is fed so as to lower the temperature of said pieces to the desired exit temperature.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2001Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.Inventors: Gary D. Lang, Robert J. Chamberlain
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Publication number: 20020162349Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for chilling food product, employingType: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2001Publication date: November 7, 2002Inventors: Gary D. Lang, Robert J. Chamberlain
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Patent number: 6430938Abstract: A cryogenic vessel system for containing cryogenic fluid wherein heat leak into the vessel interior is counteracted by refrigeration generated from energy provided by a pulse generator.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2001Date of Patent: August 13, 2002Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.Inventors: John Henri Royal, Christian Friedrich Gottzmann, Arun Acharya, Gary D. Lang
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Patent number: 6327866Abstract: A method for providing refrigeration, such as to an insulated enclosure for food freezing, wherein a defined hydrocarbon-containing multicomponent refrigerant fluid undergoes a phase change coupled with Joule-Thomson expansion to generate refrigeration over a wide temperature range which may comprise from ambient to low temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2000Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.Inventors: Richard A. Novak, Gary D. Lang, Arun Acharya, John Henri Royal, Kenneth Kai Wong, Bayram Arman
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Patent number: 6176102Abstract: A method for providing refrigeration such as to an insulated enclosure wherein a defined multicomponent refrigerant fluid undergoes a phase change coupled with Joule-Thomson expansion to generate refrigeration over a wide temperature range which may comprise from ambient to low temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1998Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.Inventors: Richard A. Novak, Gary D. Lang, Arun Acharya, John Henri Royal, Mohammad Abdul-Aziz Rashad
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Patent number: 5966946Abstract: The method of the invention is based on the comparison of local vapor concentrations at the inlet and outlet refrigeration ports and taking action based on that comparison. Control apparatus incorporating the invention is installed inside a refrigeration enclosure, adjacent to a port, preferably at the lowermost port. If the enclosure contains multiple ports at similar height, then each port has a form of the control apparatus attached to it. The control apparatus adjusts a flow of vapor leaving the interior of the enclosure. The control apparatus includes a duct assembly and a blower system. The bottom portion of the duct assembly is a tunnel enclosure through which a conveyor belt passes. Connected to an inside edge of the tunnel enclosure is a duct that extends upward from the conveyor belt. A blower for this duct either sucks vapor away from the conveyor belt or blows vapor from the enclosure interior toward the belt.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 1998Date of Patent: October 19, 1999Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.Inventors: John Martin Girard, William Michael Blumthal, Gary D. Lang, Mark Stephen Nowotarski
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Patent number: 5577392Abstract: A chiller or tunnel freezer for rapid chilling of chicken carcasses and the like wherein a cryogen such as liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide snow is sprayed directly on the carcasses or other items as they travel through a passage or tunnel, and wherein vortical flow of air and/or vaporized cryogen is effected within the chiller to continuously sweep the bottom surface of the chiller and recirculate cryogen from the bottom surface, thereby avoiding accumulation of liquid nitrogen or CO.sub.2 snow on the bottom surface. The vortical flow is preferably provided by one or more fans disposed within the tunnel. A deflector may be provided on the tunnel interior to direct recirculated cryogen onto the items being chilled. A damper may be provided to regulate fan output and thereby enable optimization of operational efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1995Date of Patent: November 26, 1996Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventors: Sidney V. Engler, Clay Palbiski, Gary D. Lang
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Patent number: 5444985Abstract: A tunnel freezer uses carbon dioxide snow to directly contact product carried on a conveyor belt passing through the freezer. Fans are provided above and below the upper conveyor belt run carrying the product, with the fans above and below having downwardly directed exhaust. Trough-shaped deflector plates are provided adjacent the lower fans to circulate a flow adjacent the underneath surface of the upper conveyor belt run. Preferably, circulation adjacent the upper conveyor belt run is generally parallel to the upper conveyor belt run, and turning vanes are provided to deflect the flow upwardly through the upper conveyor belt run. Freezers may be provided with one or more cooling zones arranged in series along the path of conveyor belt travel.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1994Date of Patent: August 29, 1995Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventors: Gary D. Lang, Walter C. Broderdorf, William M. Blumthal
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Patent number: 5343715Abstract: A food freezer for continuous freezing of food products utilizing a helical conveyor for transporting the food products through an enclosure in which the food products are cooled. Mechanical refrigeration apparatus employs a refrigerant to cool an atmosphere gas which is circulated across the food products within the enclosure. The refrigerant is also employed to subcool a cryogen which also cools the same food products.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1993Date of Patent: September 6, 1994Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventor: Gary D. Lang
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Patent number: 5205135Abstract: A food freezer for continuous freezing of food products utilizing a helical conveyor for transporting the food products through an enclosure having a first cooling zone in which the food products are cooled sufficiently to freeze the exterior surface, and a second cooling zone in which the interior of the food products are frozen. Refrigeration apparatus cools an atmosphere gas within the enclosure and baffle means directs the coldest gas through the food products in the first cooling zone and the gas from the first cooling zone is circulated to the second cooling zone where it passes across the food products in a direction opposite to the direction of travel through the second cooling zone.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1991Date of Patent: April 27, 1993Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventor: Gary D. Lang
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Patent number: 5195334Abstract: Heat exchange apparatus for food freezer refrigeration units including evaporator coils having liquid santizing spray apparatus mounted for reciprocatory movement across the upstream and downstream faces of the evaporator coils.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 1991Date of Patent: March 23, 1993Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventors: Gary D. Lang, David F. Giza
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Patent number: 5170631Abstract: Combined cryogenic and mechanical refrigeration freezer utilizing an open spiral conveyor for transporting food to be frozen through a first cryogenic zone enclosed by a secondary housing and then through a mechanically refrigerated zone subjected to circulating air cooled by mechanical refrigeration and cryogenic vapor from the first cryogenic zone.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1991Date of Patent: December 15, 1992Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventors: Gary D. Lang, Larry M. Rohr
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Patent number: 5156006Abstract: Refrigeration apparatus for cooling or freezing products such as protein materials includes a drum through which heat transfer fluid is circulated. A belt is wrapped around part of the drum surface and the product to be refrigerated is applied to the drum surface, being pressed thereagainst by the belt. Either liquid or triple point carbon dioxide is circulated through the drum to cool the product in contact therewith. Other heat transfer fluids such as D-Limonene or DOWTHERM may also be circulated through the drum. A tank and related apparatus for cooling the heat transfer fluid is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1991Date of Patent: October 20, 1992Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventors: Walter C. Broderdorf, Jose M. N. Camacho, Stephen F. Donohue, Donald S. Finan, Robert J. Ogarek, Martin M. Reynolds, Gary D. Lang
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Patent number: 5121611Abstract: Refrigeration apparatus for cooling or freezing products such as protein materials includes a drum through which heat transfer fluid is circulated. A belt is wrapped around part of the drum surface and the product to be refrigerated is applied to the drum surface, being pressed thereagainst by the belt. Either liquid or triple point carbon dioxide is circulated through the drum to cool the product in contact therewith. Other heat transfer fluids such as D-Limonene or DOWTHERM may also be circulated through the drum. A tank and related apparatus for cooling the heat transfer fluid is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 1990Date of Patent: June 16, 1992Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventors: Walter C. Broderdorf, Jose M. N. Camacho, Stephen F. Donohue, Donald S. Finan, Robert J. Ogarek, Martin M. Reynolds, Gary D. Lang
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Patent number: 5042262Abstract: A food freezer having a mechanical refrigeration system comprising first and second closed-loop fluid circuits, wherein the first fluid circuit employs carbon dioxide as its refrigerant and transfers heat to the second fluid circuit, which in turn transfers heat to the environment or to another fluid circuit. In the first fluid circuit evaporator, carbon dioxide is maintained at pressures between 60.4 psig and 120 psig. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the freezer employs at least two separate blowers or fans for circulation of air or other gas in the freezer enclosure. One blower/fan operates continuously to maintain circulation of cold air or gas in the freezer. The other blower/fan operates intermittently or at variable speeds to vary air flow across the evaporator, and thereby increase or decrease heat transfer from the freezer interior to the first fluid circuit evaporator to maintain the freezer interior at a desired temperature or within a desired temperature range.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 1990Date of Patent: August 27, 1991Assignee: Liquid Carbonic CorporationInventors: Roger F. Gyger, Gary D. Lang, Kenneth L. Burgers