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).

  • Publication number: 20220381432
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
  • Patent number: 11402093
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
  • Patent number: 10976048
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks
  • Publication number: 20200191388
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
  • Patent number: 10571122
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
  • Publication number: 20180216817
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks
  • Patent number: 9951945
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks
  • Publication number: 20170328561
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
  • Patent number: 9739483
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
  • Publication number: 20150086934
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
  • Publication number: 20150083105
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks