Patents by Inventor Tod A. Papai

Tod A. Papai 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).

  • Patent number: 7249947
    Abstract: The venting chassis is designed to function optimally with jar candles that have small diameter mouths, and jar candles that have oddly shaped, non-cylindrical or smaller sized jars. The venting chassis includes an annular skirt that is dimensioned to extend below the jar shoulder that is formed between the sidewalls and jar brim. The skirt physically separates the inlet air flow from the exhaust air flow to facilitate laminar air flow within the jar candle. The skirt has three longitudinal depressions or channels, which form three inlet vents that open just below the shoulder. The skirt is shaped and configured to acts as a nozzle to constrain thereby increasing the velocity and inertia of the airflow and to vent the inlet airflow under the shoulder directly onto jar sidewalls thereby cooling the jar sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Publication number: 20050277078
    Abstract: The venting chassis is designed to function optimally with jar candles that have small diameter mouths, and jar candles that have oddly shaped, non-cylindrical or smaller sized jars. The venting chassis includes an annular skirt that is dimensioned to extend below the jar shoulder that is formed between the sidewalls and jar brim. The skirt physically separates the inlet air flow from the exhaust air flow to facilitate laminar air flow within the jar candle. The skirt has three longitudinal depressions or channels, which form three inlet vents that open just below the shoulder. The skirt is shaped and configured to acts as a nozzle to constrain thereby increasing the velocity and inertia of the airflow and to vent the inlet airflow under the shoulder directly onto jar sidewalls thereby cooling the jar sidewalls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Inventor: Tod Papai
  • Publication number: 20050277076
    Abstract: The venting chassis includes a radial turbine and a ceramic base and elevated ornamentation platform. The ornamentation platform has a flat top, upon which the ornamentation is mounted and a plurality of legs, which support the platform above the base. The base has a central opening through which exhaust airflow is vented from the candle interior. The base includes a plurality of feet, which support the base above the brim of the jar candle, and an annular skirt, which extends into the mouth of the jar candle. The feet create an air gap between the base and the brim through which inlet air flow can enter the jar candle. The annular skirt acts as a baffle to channel and direct inlet air flow along the sides of the jar candle. The turbine is sandwiched between the base and ornamentation platform and rotates on an axle post mounted to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Inventor: Tod Papai
  • Publication number: 20040241603
    Abstract: A candle accessory is discosed that combines the functions of a venting device for containerized candles to improve the combustion efficiency and a candle holder for tapered, pillar, tea light and votive candles. The candle accessory consists of a ceramic venting chassis that includes an integral flat plate, an annular skirt, and a chimney. The chimney design of the venting chassis acts as an exhaust vent for containerized candles and as a candle holder for tapered, pillar, votive and tea light candles. The chimney extends around a central exhaust opening or vent in the chassis. The chimney has six vertical ribs that are used to support the base of conventional tapered candles. The chimney also includes an annular rim that forms a seat for supporting a tea light, votive and/or pillar candle. The venting chassis also includes three mounting feet that space the plate vertically above the brim of the candle vessel to allow inlet air flow into the candle vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC.
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: 6663384
    Abstract: A venting plate for an apothecary jar candle is disclosed, which includes a ceramic venting chassis and decorative three dimensional ornamentation bonded to the chassis. The venting plate with its decorative three dimensional ornamentation can remain atop an apothecary jar candle while burning. The ornamentation is composed of molded poly resin reliefs of various genre and styles. The unique venting chassis provides sufficient thermal insulation to protect the reliefs and provides sufficient laminar air flow within an apothecary jar candle to improve the combustion efficiency and reduce candle smoke. In one embodiment of the venting plate, the ceramic chassis has a flat plate , a cylindrical skirt which extends from the bottom of the flat top and a plurality of mounting feet, which support the chassis atop a jar candle. The mounting feet space the plate above the candle brim to permit the flow of inlet air underneath the venting plate between the plate top and the brim of the candle vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Publication number: 20030129558
    Abstract: A venting plate for an apothecary jar candle is disclosed, which includes a ceramic venting chassis and decorative three dimensional ornamentation bonded to the chassis. The venting plate with its decorative three dimensional ornamentation can remain atop an apothecary jar candle while burning. The ornamentation is composed of molded poly resin reliefs of various genre and styles. The unique venting chassis provides sufficient thermal insulation to protect the reliefs and provides sufficient laminar air flow within an apothecary jar candle to improve the combustion efficiency and reduce candle smoke. In one embodiment of the venting plate, the ceramic chassis has a flat plate, a cylindrical skirt which extends from the bottom of the flat top and a plurality of mounting feet, which support the chassis atop a jar candle. The mounting feet space the plate above the candle brim to permit the flow of inlet air underneath the venting plate between the plate top and the brim of the candle vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: 6589047
    Abstract: A venting plate for a containerized candle, which improves scent distribution while still providing a clean soot free combustion is disclosed. The venting plate includes a flat disc shaped top and a channeled annular baffle. The venting plate sits atop the mouth of the containerized candle and is supported above the rim of the vessel mouth by a number of mounting bosses or feet. The mounting feet space the top above the candle brim to permit the flow of inlet air underneath the venting plate between the plate top and the brim of the candle vessel. The baffle extends downward into the mouth of the vessel around the exhaust vent and has six recessed longitudinal furrows, which allow inlet air into the vessel interior. The baffle redirects the inlet air flow, which enters the candle horizontally from underneath the venting plate, downward along the vessel sidewall. The inlet air flow passes through the six inlet channels, which columnate the inlet air flow into distinct columns of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC.
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: 6585510
    Abstract: A venting plate that can be used with any containerized candle regardless of shape, wick configuration or dimension is disclosed. The venting cover stabilizes the combustion flame and improves the efficiency of the combustion of containerized candles, thereby reducing candle smoke. The venting plate is shaped to conform to the shape of the mouth of the particular containerized candle. The venting plate has a central exhaust vent and includes a peripheral outer flange, an inner baffle and a plurality of mounting bosses or feet. The venting plate is supported atop the mouth of the containerized candle by the mounting feet, which space the venting plate above the brim of the candle to form an annular inlet vent. The baffle follows the contour and shape of the outer flange and extends downward into the mouth of the candle when seated atop a candle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC.
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Publication number: 20020133949
    Abstract: Recuperators include a core which is commonly constructed of a plurality of relatively thin flat sheets having an angled or corrugated spacer fixedly attached therebetween. The sheets are joined into cells, sealed and form passages between the sheets. These cells are stacked or rolled and form alternate air (recipient) cells and hot exhaust (donor) cells. Compressed discharged air from a compressor of the engine passes through the air cell while hot exhaust gas flows through alternate cells. The exhaust gas heats the sheets and the spacers, and the compressor discharged air is heated by conduction from the sheets and spacers. The need for repeatability of construction of each cell assures that the final recuperator is economically and easily assembled. Examples, of such repeatability required includes length, height, thickness, weld size, weld position, weld splatter and others.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Doug R. Ervin, Bruce D. Harkins, Michael Nowak, Tod Papai
  • Publication number: 20020058223
    Abstract: A venting plate that can be used with any containerized candle regardless of shape, wick configuration or dimension is disclosed. The venting cover stabilizes the combustion flame and improves the efficiency of the combustion of containerized candles, thereby reducing candle smoke. The venting plate is shaped to conform to the shape of the mouth of the particular containerized candle. The venting plate has a central exhaust vent and includes a peripheral outer flange, an inner baffle and a plurality of mounting bosses or feet. The venting plate is supported atop the mouth of the containerized candle by the mounting feet, which space the venting plate above the brim of the candle to form an annular inlet vent. The baffle follows the contour and shape of the outer flange and extends downward into the mouth of the candle when seated atop a candle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: 6382962
    Abstract: A venting cover for a containerized candle that stabilizes the combustion flame and improves the efficiency of the combustion of containerized candles is disclosed. The venting cover of this invention is a flat disc, which is seated over the mouth of the container or jar. The venting cover has an annular flange around its periphery, a central exhaust vent and six oblong inlet vents spaced radially from the exhaust vent around the periphery of the venting cover. The venting cover creates a concentric laminar air flow within the interior of the jar, which stabilizes the flame and improves the efficiency of the combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Publication number: 20020031739
    Abstract: A venting cover for a containerized candle that stabilizes the combustion flame and improves the efficiency of the combustion of containerized candles is disclosed. The venting cover of this invention is a flat disc, which is seated over the mouth of the container or jar. The venting cover has an annular flange around its periphery, a central exhaust vent and six oblong inlet vents spaced radially from the exhaust vent around the periphery of the venting cover. The venting cover creates a concentric laminar air flow within the interior of the jar, which stabilizes the flame and improves the efficiency of the combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: 6308409
    Abstract: Recuperators include a core which is commonly constructed of a plurality of relatively thin flat sheets having an angled or corrugated spacer fixedly attached therebetween. The sheets are joined into cells, sealed and form passages between the sheets. These cells are stacked or rolled and form alternate air (recipient) cells and hot exhaust (donor) cells. Compressed discharged air from a compressor of the engine passes through the air cell while hot exhaust gas flows through alternate cells. The exhaust gas heats the sheets and the spacers, and the compressor discharged air is heated by conduction from the sheets and spacers. The need for repeatability of construction of each cell assures that the final recuperator is economically and easily assembled. Examples, of such repeatability required includes length, height, thickness, weld size, weld position, weld splatter and others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Doug R. Ervin, Bruce D. Harkins, Michael Nowak, Tod Papai
  • Patent number: D456636
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: D462132
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC.
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: D465587
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC.
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: D466236
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC.
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: D471299
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC.
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai
  • Patent number: D473330
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Smith Mountain Properties, LLC.
    Inventor: Tod A. Papai