Patents by Inventor Robert Steven Neihouse
Robert Steven Neihouse 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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Publication number: 20220381432Abstract: A fuel-fired furnace incorporates specially designed fuel/air mixing and combustion structures. The fuel/air mixing structure is of a mixing sound-attenuating design and includes a venturi having a perforated sidewall portion and being surrounded by a noise-damping housing chamber communicating with the interior of the venturi via its sidewall perforations. During use of the mixing structure, air is flowed through the venturi in a swirling pattern while fuel is transversely injected internally against the swirling air. The combustion structure includes a burner box housing into which the fuel/air mixture is flowed, combusted, and then discharged as hot combustion gas into and through the heat exchanger tubes. The fuel/air mixture entering the burner box housing initially passes through a non-uniformly perforated diffuser plate functioning to substantially alter in a predetermined manner the relative combustion gas flow rates through the heat exchanger tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
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Patent number: 11402093Abstract: A fuel-fired furnace incorporates specially designed fuel/air mixing and combustion structures. The fuel/air mixing structure is of a mixing sound-attenuating design and comprises a venturi having a perforated sidewall portion and being surrounded by a noise-damping housing chamber communicating with the interior of the venturi via its sidewall perforations. During use of the mixing structure, air is flowed through the venturi in a swirling pattern while fuel is transversely injected internally against the swirling air. The combustion structure comprises a burner box housing into which the fuel/air mixture is flowed, combusted, and then discharged as hot combustion gas into and through the heat exchanger tubes. The fuel/air mixture entering the burner box housing initially passes through a non-uniformly perforated diffuser plate functioning to substantially alter in a predetermined manner the relative combustion gas flow rates through the heat exchanger tubes.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
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Patent number: 10976048Abstract: To substantially reduce inequality in hot combustion flow rates through first and second heat exchanger tubes from a fuel-fired heating appliance burner box connected thereto and internally combusting a fuel/air mixture received therein from a source thereof to create the hot combustion gas, a perforated diffuser member having a non-uniform perforation pattern is provided. The fuel/air mixture is flowed through the perforated diffuser member into the interior of the burner box. The non-uniform perforation pattern of the diffuser member functions to alter relative combustion gas flow rates through the first and second heat exchanger tubes in a manner reducing an undesirable operating temperature differential therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2018Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks
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Publication number: 20200191388Abstract: A fuel-fired furnace incorporates specially designed fuel/air mixing and combustion structures. The fuel/air mixing structure is of a mixing sound-attenuating design and comprises a venturi having a perforated sidewall portion and being surrounded by a noise-damping housing chamber communicating with the interior of the venturi via its sidewall perforations. During use of the mixing structure, air is flowed through the venturi in a swirling pattern while fuel is transversely injected internally against the swirling air. The combustion structure comprises a burner box housing into which the fuel/air mixture is flowed, combusted, and then discharged as hot combustion gas into and through the heat exchanger tubes. The fuel/air mixture entering the burner box housing initially passes through a non-uniformly perforated diffuser plate functioning to substantially alter in a predetermined manner the relative combustion gas flow rates through the heat exchanger tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2020Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
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Patent number: 10571122Abstract: A fuel-fired furnace incorporates specially designed fuel/air mixing and combustion structures. The fuel/air mixing structure is of a mixing sound-attenuating design and comprises a venturi having a perforated sidewall portion and being surrounded by a noise-damping housing chamber communicating with the interior of the venturi via its sidewall perforations. During use of the mixing structure, air is flowed through the venturi in a swirling pattern while fuel is transversely injected internally against the swirling air. The combustion structure comprises a burner box housing into which the fuel/air mixture is flowed, combusted, and then discharged as hot combustion gas into and through the heat exchanger tubes. The fuel/air mixture entering the burner box housing initially passes through a non-uniformly perforated diffuser plate functioning to substantially alter in a predetermined manner the relative combustion gas flow rates through the heat exchanger tubes.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
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Publication number: 20180216817Abstract: To substantially reduce inequality in hot combustion flow rates through first and second heat exchanger tubes from a fuel-fired heating appliance burner box connected thereto and internally combusting a fuel/air mixture received therein from a source thereof to create the hot combustion gas, a perforated diffuser member having a non-uniform perforation pattern is provided. The fuel/air mixture is flowed through the perforated diffuser member into the interior of the burner box. The non-uniform perforation pattern of the diffuser member functions to alter relative combustion gas flow rates through the first and second heat exchanger tubes in a manner reducing an undesirable operating temperature differential therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks
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Patent number: 9951945Abstract: To substantially reduce inequality in hot combustion flow rates through first and second heat exchanger tubes from a fuel-fired heating appliance burner box connected thereto and internally combusting a fuel/air mixture received therein from a source thereof to create the hot combustion gas, a perforated diffuser member having a non-uniform perforation pattern is provided. The fuel/air mixture is flowed through the perforated diffuser member into the interior of the burner box. The non-uniform perforation pattern of the diffuser member functions to alter relative combustion gas flow rates through the first and second heat exchanger tubes in a manner reducing an undesirable operating temperature differential therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANYInventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks
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Publication number: 20170328561Abstract: A fuel-fired furnace incorporates specially designed fuel/air mixing and combustion structures. The fuel/air mixing structure is of a mixing sound-attenuating design and comprises a venturi having a perforated sidewall portion and being surrounded by a noise-damping housing chamber communicating with the interior of the venturi via its sidewall perforations. During use of the mixing structure, air is flowed through the venturi in a swirling pattern while fuel is transversely injected internally against the swirling air. The combustion structure comprises a burner box housing into which the fuel/air mixture is flowed, combusted, and then discharged as hot combustion gas into and through the heat exchanger tubes. The fuel/air mixture entering the burner box housing initially passes through a non-uniformly perforated diffuser plate functioning to substantially alter in a predetermined manner the relative combustion gas flow rates through the heat exchanger tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2017Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
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Patent number: 9739483Abstract: A fuel-fired furnace incorporates specially designed fuel/air mixing and combustion structures. The fuel/air mixing structure is of a mixing sound-attenuating design and comprises a venturi having a perforated sidewall portion and being surrounded by a noise-damping housing chamber communicating with the interior of the venturi via its sidewall perforations. During use of the mixing structure, air is flowed through the venturi in a swirling pattern while fuel is transversely injected internally against the swirling air. The combustion structure comprises a burner box housing into which the fuel/air mixture is flowed, combusted, and then discharged as hot combustion gas into and through the heat exchanger tubes. The fuel/air mixture entering the burner box housing initially passes through a non-uniformly perforated diffuser plate functioning to substantially alter in a predetermined manner the relative combustion gas flow rates through the heat exchanger tubes.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANYInventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
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Publication number: 20150086934Abstract: A fuel-fired furnace incorporates specially designed fuel/air mixing and combustion structures. The fuel/air mixing structure is of a mixing sound-attenuating design and comprises a venturi having a perforated sidewall portion and being surrounded by a noise-damping housing chamber communicating with the interior of the venturi via its sidewall perforations. During use of the mixing structure, air is flowed through the venturi in a swirling pattern while fuel is transversely injected internally against the swirling air. The combustion structure comprises a burner box housing into which the fuel/air mixture is flowed, combusted, and then discharged as hot combustion gas into and through the heat exchanger tubes. The fuel/air mixture entering the burner box housing initially passes through a non-uniformly perforated diffuser plate functioning to substantially alter in a predetermined manner the relative combustion gas flow rates through the heat exchanger tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2013Publication date: March 26, 2015Applicant: Rheem Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
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Publication number: 20150083105Abstract: To substantially reduce inequality in hot combustion flow rates through first and second heat exchanger tubes from a fuel-fired heating appliance burner box connected thereto and internally combusting a fuel/air mixture received therein from a source thereof to create the hot combustion gas, a perforated diffuser member having a non-uniform perforation pattern is provided. The fuel/air mixture is flowed through the perforated diffuser member into the interior of the burner box. The non-uniform perforation pattern of the diffuser member functions to alter relative combustion gas flow rates through the first and second heat exchanger tubes in a manner reducing an undesirable operating temperature differential therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks