Patents Issued in May 20, 2003
  • Patent number: 6564557
    Abstract: Cooling air enters a cooling path 56 from a supply at 58. The path follows a serpentine path consecutively through a number of components to be cooled, including guide vanes 38, 40, blades 30, a shroud 54 and a shaft 18. A valve 68 is provided at the downstream end of the path 56. The setting of the valve 56 modulates the flow and pressure of air along the path 56, without wholly preventing it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Geoffrey M Dailey
  • Patent number: 6564558
    Abstract: A disposable container which has the ability to independently cool or heat a liquid beverage or food product by way of an endothermic or exothermic reaction. The container is disposable and has a double-walled configuration to create a chamber therebetween. Within the chamber is a chemical compound which when activated provides the desired reaction upon the contents within the container. Thus, there is no requirement that this device must be subjected to external refrigeration or heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Michael L. Seymour
  • Patent number: 6564559
    Abstract: A method for freezing a supercooled liquid, includes the steps of forming a liquid phase of a supercooled liquid and a gas phase adjacent to the liquid phase in a container, vibrating a gas-liquid interface formed by said liquid phase and the gas phase by applying vibration upon the gas-liquid interface and/or a vicinity thereof along the gas-liquid interface, forming splashed waves of the supercooled liquid, scattering liquid drops of the supercooled liquid, crashing the liquid drops upon a portion of an inner wall of the container where the gas phase is located, mixing resulting liquid drops and bubbles into the supercooled liquid through the gas-liquid interface, subjecting said bubbles mixed in the supercooled liquid to expansion, compression, disruption, clustering and disappearance, thereby vigorously oscillating the gas-liquid interface and freezing the supercooled liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Tsutomu Hozumi, Akio Saito, Seiji Ohkawa, Hiroyuki Kumano
  • Patent number: 6564560
    Abstract: A refrigeration chiller employs a centrifugal compressor the impellers of which are mounted on a shaft which is itself mounted for rotation using rolling element bearings lubricated only by the refrigerant which constitutes the working fluid of the chiller system. Apparatus is taught for providing liquid refrigerant to (1.) the bearings immediately upon chiller start-up, during chiller operation and during a coastdown period subsequent to shutdown of the chiller and (2.) the drive motor of the chiller's compressor for motor cooling purposes. By use of a variable speed-driven motor to drive the compressor, optimized part load chiller performance is achieved in a chiller which does not require or employ an oil-based lubrication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: American Standard International Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur L. Butterworth, Todd R. Vandeleest, David H. Eber
  • Patent number: 6564561
    Abstract: A system for displaying a temperature of a refrigerator compartment including at least one temperature sensor is provided that emulates the function and behavior of a thermostat to control and display refrigerator compartment temperature in a simple and intuitive manner. The system includes a controller including a processor and a memory and operatively coupled to the temperature sensor. A human machine interface board includes a display and is coupled to the controller and configured for receiving user input of a refrigerator compartment setting. The controller is configured to accept a set temperature of the at least one compartment, monitor actual temperature of the compartment; and display a damped temperature value based on operating conditions of the refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wolfgang Daum, Steven Gray, John S. Holmes
  • Patent number: 6564562
    Abstract: An absorption apparatus includes a generator with an integrated outlet box comprising a liquid sensing chamber and a solution outlet chamber. The sensing chamber has an opening into the generator, with the opening being sized according to the liquid surface area inside the sensing chamber. The outlet chamber has a larger opening into the generator to provide a more open flow path for solution to exit the generator through the outlet chamber. The more restricted opening in the sensing chamber allows a liquid level sensor therein to sense a relatively calm liquid level that tends to be at an average elevation of a boiling-disrupted liquid level in the generator. With the opening in the sensing chamber being appropriately sized, a variable speed pump, responsive to the liquid level sensor, controls the flow of solution into the generator to maintain a desired solution liquid level in the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: American Standard International Inc.
    Inventors: Fenfei Wang, Luan K. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 6564563
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for cooling a logic module includes an evaporator housing including an evaporator block in thermal communication with the logic module. The evaporator housing includes a humidity sensor for detecting a humidity within the evaporator housing. The system further comprises a controller for controlling a refrigeration unit supplying cold refrigerant to the evaporator block in response to the operating conditions of the logic module and the temperature of the evaporator block. In another aspect of the invention, two modular refrigeration units are independently operable to cool the evaporator block, and each refrigeration unit is controllable in various modes of operation including an enabled mode in which it is ready to cool the evaporator and an on mode in which it is actively cooling the evaporator. In another aspect of the invention, the evaporator block and a heater on a reverse side of the circuit board are particularly controlled during concurrent repair operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary F. Goth, Jody A. Hickey, Daniel J. Kearney, Robert Makowicki
  • Patent number: 6564564
    Abstract: A purging device for a system accumulating condensable and non-condensable gases. The purging device comprises: a purge tank; apparatus receiving the condensable and non-condensable gases from the system and directing said gases into the purge tank; apparatus condensing the non-condensable gases into a condensed form; apparatus accumulating the non-condensable gases in a header space; apparatus returning the condensed gases from the purge tank to the system; apparatus controllably removing the accumulated non-condensable gases from the header space; and apparatus generating controlled flow in the condensable and non-condensable gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: American Standard International Inc.
    Inventors: Richard M. Heiden, Robert J. Roth, Brian T. Sullivan, Steven E. Wolfgram
  • Patent number: 6564565
    Abstract: Disclosed is an air conditioning system and method employing at least two compressors so as to improve the refrigeration efficiency, in which expansion of a refrigerant in an expansion section is controlled according to a used state of the compressors depending on a refrigeration load, so that a general performance of the system can be improved. In the air conditioning system and method, measurement of the changes in the flowing quantity and the pressure of the refrigerant, which is necessary in order to control the opening state of the expansion section, can be executed by sensing and comparing the temperatures at the outlet port of the evaporation section and at the inlet port of the compression section, which show a temperature difference according to the flowing quantity and the pressure of the refrigerant. Therefore, the air conditioning system and method of the present invention achieves a simple construction, which can be easily assembled and enables the manufacturing cost to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Yoon Jei Hwang
  • Patent number: 6564566
    Abstract: A cooling air circulating device of a refrigerator is provided. According to the cooling air circulating device, it is possible to impartially cool a chilling chamber and to make the spread of temperature of the chilling chamber uniform by letting cooling air sucked up into the respective cells divided by shelves of the chilling chamber. Also, it is possible to rapidly cool the chilling chamber and to reduce time for cooling the chilling chamber by minimizing time, for which the cooling air whose temperature has risen above a predetermined temperature stays in the chilling chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Bae Kim, Young Seok Choi, Byung Gyu Kang
  • Patent number: 6564567
    Abstract: A method and a device for heating and cooling a compartment of a motor vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine are described. During a cooling operation, a medium in the circuit is guided through a compressor, an ambient heat exchanger, a throttle device, and an interior heat exchanger which are connected in series and form an integral closed circuit. On the high-pressure side of the circuit, a supercritical pressure is produced at the same time that a subcritical pressure is produced on the low-pressure side of the circuit. During a heating operation, the high-pressure side of the circuit during the cooling operation becomes the low-pressure side and the low-pressure side of the circuit during the cooling operation becomes the high-pressure side. The medium in the circuit is conducted in the interior heat exchanger at a supercritical pressure, with heat energy being transferred from the medium in the circuit to the compartment air supplied to the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Klaus Skupin, Roland Cäsar, Jürgen Wertenbach
  • Patent number: 6564568
    Abstract: A refrigerating compressor control circuit installed in a refrigerator and connected between AC power supply and the compressor motor of the refrigerator and adapted for controlling the operation of the compressor motor, the refrigerating compressor control circuit including a CPU (central processing unit), a current phase detector, a voltage phase detector, a trigger circuit having a TRIAC, a voltage level detector, a high current detector, a low current detector, an input filter, and an output filter. The CPU starts the compressor motor a length of time delay after a sudden shutdown, preventing damage to the compressor motor due to high pressure of cooling agent, and controls the output voltage value subject to the status of the load at the compressor motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Kuei-Hsien Shen
  • Patent number: 6564569
    Abstract: A refrigerated food preparation apparatus is made up of a cabinet having storage compartments therein and an upper sloped food handling table with a recessed portion for food container inserts having upwardly open ends to facilitate convenient access to food placed in the inserts, a supply air duct and return air duct extending along opposite sides of the food container inserts, and a refrigeration system for directing air from an evaporator section for discharge simultaneously and in separate layers across the food container inserts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Brian D. Havens
  • Patent number: 6564570
    Abstract: The cooling efficiency of a refrigerating chamber and a storage chamber is improved, and the cooling capability is prevented from degrading. A horizontal refrigerator 10 is comprised of an underlying refrigerator body 11 and an overlying show-case 12. The show-case 12 disposed on the top surface of a thermally insulated box 16 of the refrigerator body 11 is comprised of an outer box 37, an inner box 38 disposed within the outer box 37 spaced by a necessary space therefrom, and a heat insulating material 39 filled between both boxes 37, 38, and an opening 12a is formed only in a top portion. The opening 12a is opened and closed by a plurality of slidable doors 45. A cooling pipe 47 connected to a refrigerating mechanism is disposed in a meander form in contact with the outer surface on the insulating material side in the bottom and rear portions of the inner box 38, such that the entire inner box 38 is cooled by circulation of a coolant supplied from the refrigerating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhide Koike, Toshinobu Ishihara, Tomio Suyama, Kouichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6564571
    Abstract: A rack system for mounting electronic devices such as computers or telecommunication devices is disclosed. The rack includes an integrated liquid heat exchange cooling system for dissipating the heat generated by the electronic devices. The rack also includes integrated alternating current and direct current power supplies for supplying power to the electronic devices. The entire system is of modular construction, providing both scalability and redundancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventor: Edward K. Feeney
  • Patent number: 6564572
    Abstract: There is provided an absorption refrigerator comprising a liquid-film type plate heat exchanger structure,. which is improved in terms of installation while maintaining the height of the refrigerator at a practical level. In an absorption refrigerator utilizing a liquid-film type plate heat exchanger for an absorber (A), an evaporator (E), a regenerator (G) and a condenser (C), all the absorber, the evaporator, the regenerator and the condenser, each comprising the liquid-film type plate heat exchanger, are arranged in a horizontal direction. The evaporator, the absorber, the regenerator and the condenser are accommodated in a single can body (1), and the evaporator and the absorber, and the regenerator and the condenser are, respectively, accommodated in different chambers arranged in a lateral direction, which are divided by a partition wall (16) provided in the can body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Uchimura, Toshio Matsubara, Akiyoshi Suzuki, Tomoyoshi Irie
  • Patent number: 6564573
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a concentrated ammonia aqueous solution tank used in an absorption diffusion type refrigerating equipment. The present invention is characterized in that a capillary tissue is placed in the concentrated ammonia aqueous solution tank. The capillary tissue is formed by bending knitted metal nets or is integrally formed by means of sintering. Thereby, additional surface area of absorption reaction can be increased, and the volume and weight of the original absorber can be reduced, hence increasing refrigerating speed and reducing refrigerating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Heat Energy Advanced Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Hao Pai, Ru He Jan, Chin Hung Kuo
  • Patent number: 6564574
    Abstract: A sealed unit of refrigerant fluid for a refrigeration appliance, comprising a hermetic compressor (1), a condenser (3), an evaporator (2), an expanding device, and conducting tube (4) of refrigerant fluid, at least one of the parts consisting of the condenser (3) and the evaporator (2) being defined as a prismatic body which is at least partially tubular, the component parts of the sealed unit being relatively displaced from an inoperative position of transportation, in which the hermetic compressor (1) and the conducting tubes (4) remain contained within a contour defined by the contour of at least one of the parts consisting of the condenser (3) and the evaporator (2), to a mounting operative position in a refrigeration appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Empresa Brasileira de Compressores S.A. -EMBRACO
    Inventors: Roberto Horn Pereira, Ingwald Vollrath
  • Patent number: 6564575
    Abstract: An accumulator with an inlet port comprising a deflector for use in an air conditioning or refrigeration system, and a method for use thereof are disclosed. In operation, the accumulator is provided between the evaporator and compressor of an air conditioning or refrigeration system. Vaporized refrigerant is conveyed from the evaporator into the accumulator through an inlet port having a deflector. The deflector deflects the refrigerant from the inlet port in a spray pattern to reduce the velocity of the refrigerant thereby avoiding turbulence in the accumulator. In another embodiment, a vapor conduit inside the accumulator for conveying refrigerant to an outlet port has an open vapor inlet end with chamfered cut edges pointing away from the inlet port to avoid liquid from splashing into the vapor conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred G. Schroeder, Zhongping Zeng
  • Patent number: 6564576
    Abstract: A motor-driven compressor according to the present invention is formed with a housing that contains a compression portion and a motor for compressing refrigerant. The compressor housing further is provided with a suction housing for introducing the refrigerant. A capacitor is provided for smoothing a current that is supplied from a power source to the motor. The capacitor is in contact with the suction housing. In such motor-driven compressors, because the capacitor is in contact with the suction housing, heat transfer from the capacitor to the housing may effectively be facilitated. In further embodiments of the present invention, the capacitors may be disposed on various portions of the suction housing and in various orientations relative to an axial direction of the motor-driven compressor. These selected orientations reduce the dimensions of the motor-driven compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Shibuya
  • Patent number: 6564577
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solenoid valve supporter of Kim-chi refrigerator that guarantees the original functions of the solenoid valve with very simplified structure for mounting a plurality of solenoid valves by positioning every solenoid valve corresponding to the evaporators on one supporter body with the same intervals and flowing and emitting the refrigerants into the plurality of solenoid valves through the supporter. The Kim-chi refrigerator comprise a solenoid valve supporter S for supporting the plurality of solenoid valves S1, S2, and S3 every corresponding to the plurality of evaporator 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Mando Climate Control Corporation
    Inventor: Young-gil Lee
  • Patent number: 6564578
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for producing LNG by directing a feed stream comprising natural gas to a cooling stage that (a) cools the feed stream in at least one cooling step producing a cooled feed stream, (b) expands the cooled feed stream in at least one expansion step by reducing the pressure of the cooled feed stream producing a refrigerated vapor component and a liquid component, and (c) separates at least a portion of the refrigerated vapor component from the liquid component wherein at least a portion of the cooling for the process is derived from at least a portion of the refrigerated vapor component; and repeating steps (a) through (c) one or more times until at least substantial portion of the feed stream in the first cooling stage is processed into LNG wherein the feed stream in step (a) comprises at least a portion of the liquid component produced from a previous cooling stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventor: Ernesto Fischer-Calderon
  • Patent number: 6564579
    Abstract: A system and process for vaporizing liquefied natural gas (LNG) and separating natural gas liquids from the LNG. The process vaporizes the LNG to produce natural gas meeting pipeline or other commercial specifications. The process in some embodiments uses a closed loop power generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Black & Veatch Pritchard Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel G. McCartney
  • Patent number: 6564580
    Abstract: The invention is an absorption process for recovering C2+ components from a pressurized liquid mixture comprising C1 and C2+. The pressurized liquid mixture is at least partially vaporized by heating the liquid mixture in a heat transfer means. The heat transfer means provides refrigeration to an absorption medium that is used in treating the vaporized mixture in an absorption zone. The vaporized mixture is passed to an absorption zone that produces a first stream enriched in C1 and a second stream enriched in C2+ components. The pressurized liquid mixture is preferably pressurized liquid natural gas (PLNG) having an initial pressure above about 1,724 kPa (250 psia) and an initial temperature above −112° C. (−170° F.). Before being vaporized, the pressurized liquid mixture is preferably boosted in pressure to approximately the desired operating pressure of the absorption zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Ronald R. Bowen, Moses Minta, E. Lawrence Kimble
  • Patent number: 6564581
    Abstract: The process and the apparatus are used to obtain argon using a three-column system for the fractionation of air, which has a high-pressure column (11), a low-pressure column (13) and a medium-pressure column (12). A first charge air stream (10, 64) is introduced into the high-pressure column (11), where it is separated into a first oxygen-enriched liquid and a first nitrogen top gas. A first oxygen-enriched fraction (23, 24, 26) from the high-pressure column (11) is introduced into the medium-pressure column (12), where it is separated into a second oxygen-enriched liquid and a second nitrogen top gas. A second oxygen-enriched fraction (33, 35), from the high-pressure column and/or from the medium-pressure column (12), is introduced into the low-pressure column (13), where it is separated into a third oxygen-enriched liquid and a third nitrogen top gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Gerhard Pompl
  • Patent number: 6564582
    Abstract: An adjustable length bracelet or necklace in which a chain link is formed in a continuous loop and passes through a pair of oval-shaped barrels. The chain loops around and is attached to each oval-shaped barrel by an aperture in the side of the barrel forming an elegantly simple construction. A super slick deformable resistant resilient material inside the oval-shaped barrels resiliently holds the barrels in an adjusted position. Sliding the oval-shaped barrels on the links of the chain adjusts the diameter of the necklace from a maximum to a minimum or anywhere in between. Preferably the oval-shaped barrels are constructed of a memory metal that is super elastic and is highly resistant to distortion. A nickel-titanium shaped memory alloy would be suitable. Also disclosed is an ankle or wrist bracelet linked to a ring to be worn on a finger or a toe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Susan H. Brachfeld
  • Patent number: 6564583
    Abstract: Jewelry includes a stone which defines a crown, a pavilion and a girdle therebetween, the girdle having a 360° peripheral groove crown thereinto. A flexible wire has a first portion at least partially disposed within the groove and extending at least 90° (preferably at least 180°) about the stone, the mounting and the wire being secured together, thereby to secure together the stone and the mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Martin Gruber Gruber
  • Patent number: 6564584
    Abstract: Processes for manufacturing glass optical elements by press molding a heated and softened glass material in preheated molds. In the process, the glass material is heated while it is floated by a gas blow and the heated and softened glass material is transferred to the preheated molds and then subjected to press molding. Alternatively, the process comprises: heating a glass material at a temperature at which the glass material has a viscosity of lower than 109 poises, preheating molds at a temperature at which the glass material has a viscosity of from 109 to 1012 poises, subjecting the heated and softened glass material to initial press in the preheated molds for 3 to 60 seconds, starting to cool the vicinity of molding surfaces of the molds at a rate of 20° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-ichiro Hirota, Ken Uno, Hiroaki Takahara, Tadayuki Fujimoto, Hiroshi Enomoto
  • Patent number: 6564585
    Abstract: There is disclosed second-order nonlinear glass material wherein a part having second-order nonlinearity contains Ge, H and OH and has second-order nonlinear optical constant d of 1 pm/V or more, and a method for producing second-order nonlinear glass material comprising treating a porous glass material containing Ge with hydrogen, sintering it and subjecting it to a ultraviolet poling treatment. There can be provided second-order nonlinear glass material having second-order nonlinearity which is a sufficiently high and has a sufficiently long lifetime for a practical purpose, in use of the glass material for optical functional elements or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignees: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Toyota Technological Institute
    Inventors: Jun Abe, Seiki Ejima, Akira J. Ikushima, Takumi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 6564586
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a face plate for a flat panel display such as a field emission cathode type display is disclosed, the face plate having integral spacer support structures. Also disclosed is a product made by the aforesaid process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason B. Elledge
  • Patent number: 6564587
    Abstract: A starting material for producing optical fibers contains metal halides. The refractive index of the optical fiber formed from the starting marterial is predeterminable by adjusting a composite of the molten bath. The starting material is produced by mixing halogenated gases into a gas mixture with the desired partial pressure ratio, causing a chemical reaction at a first temperature of the gas mixture with at least metal to form a reaction product, the first temperature being higher than the melting temperature of the reaction product and cooling the reaction product to a second temperature that is below the melting temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Viatcheslav Artiouchenko
  • Patent number: 6564588
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing tubular knitted articles for ready-to-wear clothes pieces, on a flat knitting machine with at least two oppositely located needle beds and a carriage with at least three knitting systems. In a first carriage passage narrowing of a knitted piece suspended on a front needle bed in one edge region, stitch formation for a knitted piece suspended on a rear needle bed, and reduction of a rear knitted piece in an opposite edge region of the knitted piece are performed. In a second carriage passage narrowing of the rear knitted piece in one edge region, stitch formation for the front knitted piece, and narrowing of the front knitted piece in an opposite region of the knitted piece are performed. The two proceeding steps are repeated until a desired narrowing of a knitted product is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: H. Stoll GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Nonnenmacher, Henning Schmidt, Achim Ulmer
  • Patent number: 6564589
    Abstract: The latch needle according to the invention is provided with a latch slot with profiled inside areas of the cheeks. A latch is positioned inside this latch slot, for example with the aid of a rivet. The inside areas of the cheeks that immediately surround the rivet guide the latch on the side and together with the latch define a small play, thus resulting in a precise positioning. The remaining latch slot area can be wider to reduce the latch friction at the latch slot as much as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventor: Eckhard Fehrenbacher
  • Patent number: 6564590
    Abstract: A knitted-in slide fastener comprising a continuous fastener element row which is knitted in at the same time as knitting of a fastener tape, wherein a fastener element mounting portion is knitted with a fixing knitting yarn for sandwiching and fixing upper and lower leg portions of each fastener element in a direction of front and rear of the fastener tape and other knitting yarns. Part of these composition yarns is composed of composite fiber yarns formed of heat shrinkage fiber material and heat fusion fiber material, and the heat shrinkage fiber material is shrunk by heat treatment and at the same time, the heat fusion fiber material is fused with other the composition yarns in the vicinity thereof. Consequently, no fraying occurs in yarns even if the composition yarn is cut out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshio Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6564591
    Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and processes for removing particulate soil from fabric articles, especially articles of clothing, linen and drapery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Anna Vadimovna Noyes, Arseni V. Radomyselski, John Cort Severns, Paul Amaat France
  • Patent number: 6564592
    Abstract: A control system for measuring load imbalance in a laundry washing machine having a non-vertical axis of drum rotation, and then using the value obtained for the load imbalance to calculate a maximum permissible angular velocity for the drum during the water extraction cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: ISPO-USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Mats Gunnar Bruce, Christopher Andrew Oswald, Albert Ford Adcock
  • Patent number: 6564593
    Abstract: A process and system for eliminating oxygen in the internal atmosphere of dry cleaning machines by catalytically burning it with the solvent vapors including the process and the relative circuit, which makes the atmosphere within the dry cleaning machine inert, controlling the process by measuring the oxygen in the gaseous mass, obtained using one or a number of Lambda probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Lindus S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gian Vieri Nardini
  • Patent number: 6564594
    Abstract: A drum type washing machine includes an outer cabinet having a rear wall, a water tub elastically mounted in the cabinet and having a rear wall, a drum type rotating tub provided in the water tub so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, and an electric motor provided on the rear wall of the water tub to directly drive the rotating tub. A distance between a portion of the rear wall of the water tub on which the motor is provided and the rear wall of the cabinet is larger than a distance between a distance between another portion of the rear wall of the water tub and the rear wall of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masumi Ito, Fumitaka Yamazaki, Shinichiro Kawabata, Kiyomi Sasano, Shuji Hashiba
  • Patent number: 6564595
    Abstract: An improved pump for washing machines provides resistance to roping of filamentary materials through the use of a single vane impeller. A combination of high clearance and elastomeric vane and asymmetry of the impeller serve to prevent or reduce clogging caused by filamentary materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Ark-Les U.S. Controls Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Junk, David M. Howie
  • Patent number: 6564596
    Abstract: A lock assembly has an outer cap, an inner cap, three latch devices and a transmitting device. The latch devices are mounted between the outer cap and the inner cap, and each has a cylinder and a bolt. An actuating shaft is connected to the first cylinder, and an inner handle is connected to the actuating shaft at one end of the actuating shaft corresponding to the inner cap. The transmitting device is connected to the cylinders of the latch devices to actuate the cylinders to an unlocked condition simultaneously. Accordingly, when the inner handle is rotated, the cylinders of the latch devices will be simultaneously unlocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chao-Ming Huang
  • Patent number: 6564597
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a vandal resistant T-handle assembly for a T-handle locking assembly commonly used in vending machines. The T-handle assembly comprises a hardened, tamper resistant back plate coupled to a face element of the T-handle assembly. The back plate is formed from a tamper resistant, high strength material so as to resist attempts by thieves and vandals to gain access to interior compartments of a vending machine by drilling through, battering or otherwise destroying the face element of the T-handle assembly and thereafter breaking the locking assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Star Lock Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Woodrow C. Stillwagon
  • Patent number: 6564598
    Abstract: Although a door locking handle assembly is small as a whole in thickness in construction, it permits, through its computerized personal management system, a large number of persons or users to have easily and quickly access to their instruments contained in a box provided with the door locking handle assembly. In this assembly, a combination lock (19), which is opened by turning each of a set of its specially marked dial discs (22) a given number of times to establish a unique combination of marks of the dial discs (22), is incorporated in a door handle (13) or in a base body (1). In operation, a locking member (24) of the assembly prevents the door handle (13) from being pulled out of the base body (1), and is driven to reach its unlocked position when the combination lock (19) is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Takigen Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Shirou Segawa
  • Patent number: 6564599
    Abstract: A tailgate limiter for restricting a pickup truck tailgate from being opened. A vertical post is removably mounted in a base which is mounted to the truck. The post impedes the tailgate from opening, thereby preventing theft of objects in the truck bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventors: Mark T. Eagleson, Curt M. Luburgh
  • Patent number: 6564600
    Abstract: An electronic access control device has a movable locking member. A locking mechanism is operable to control the locking member. A movement detector generates a first condition in response to movement of the locking member. A key detector generates a second condition in response to detecting a key. The locking mechanism increases resistance to movement of the locking member in response to the first condition, and decreases resistance to movement of the locking mechanism in response to the second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Videx, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul R. Davis
  • Patent number: 6564601
    Abstract: An electromechanical locking mechanism provides a plug with a rekeyable primary lock mechanism such as a tumbler stack, an electromechanical operator such as a solenoid or a motor, and an electronic circuit having a memory, or an electronic memory and an electronic logic stage, controlling activitiation and operation of the electromechanical operator, contained entirely within the plug. Insertion of a blade of a key that is properly profiled and bitted to correctly displace the primary lock assembly relative to a cylinder encasing the plug, and application by the key of electrical power, or of electrical power and a correct data signal, to the electronic circuit, will cause activation of the electrical operator and repositioning of a distal member of the operator relative to the cylinder, and thereby enable torque manually applied to the blade of the key to rotate the plug within the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Richard G. Hyatt Jr.
  • Patent number: 6564602
    Abstract: A shielded pushbutton lock that includes housing that supports a lock cylinder connected to a key operated pushbutton. The pushbutton is shielded by way of a rotatable collar that extends over the pushbutton and shields the pushbutton, so that a thief may not defeat the pushbutton lock mechanism by attempting to rotate the pushbutton in order to allow operation of the latch mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Tuffy Security Products
    Inventor: Shawn Gregory
  • Patent number: 6564603
    Abstract: A security replacement cam to prevent the unauthorized removal of a lock cylinder from the lock case. The lock cylinder has an activation cam rotatable by a keyed cylinder plug having a cam surface extension that engages a locking means in the locked case. Security cam replaces the original cam and has a locking mechanism cam surface and a secondary oppositely disposed security cam extension surface that extends beyond the lock cylinder when in locked position. This prevents the lock cylinder from being removed from the case thus blocking access to the lock mechanism by unauthorized users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Louis O'Neill
  • Patent number: 6564604
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a part with very high mechanical properties, formed by stamping of a strip of rolled steel sheet and more particularly hot rolled and coated with a metal or metal alloy ensuring protection of the surface and the steel, whereby: the steel sheet is cut to obtain a steel sheet blank, the steel sheet blank is stamped to obtain the part, an alloyed intermetallic compound is applied to the surface, before or after the stamping, ensuring protection against corrosion, against steel decarburization, which intermetallic compound may provide a lubrication function, the excess material from the steel sheet required for the stamping operation is trimmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Unisor
    Inventors: Ronald Kefferstein, Xavier Jartoux
  • Patent number: 6564605
    Abstract: An electromagnetic forming apparatus for forming an essentially planar metal plate into a dish having a three-dimensional pattern, is provided. The apparatus comprises a mould having a forming surface with a contour corresponding to said three-dimensional pattern; a forming coil device; and an electric discharge circuitry for discharging a short and intense electric current pulse through the forming coil device to yield a pulsed magnetic forming (PMF) force for deforming said plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Pulsar Welding Ltd.
    Inventors: Oren Gafri, Yuri Livshiz
  • Patent number: 6564606
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for manufacturing a bellows having pleat walls with S-shaped profiles comprises a primary forming process for forming a formed bellows, a pressing process for compressing the formed bellows in the axial direction, and a stretching process for pulling the compressed bellows in the axial direction, thereby obtaining desired pitches and free length. After the stretching process is carried out, the bellows is subjected to an annealing and ageing heat-treatment process. An apparatus for manufacturing the bellows comprises a pair of molds that have their respective forming surfaces in shapes corresponding individually to the pleat walls. The die is slightly retreated away from the pleat walls just before the dies open in the diametrical direction after the pleat walls are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Okada, Tsutomu Furuyama