Patents Issued in December 2, 2003
  • Patent number: 6655150
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for removing and recovering CO2 from exhaust gas from a power and/or heat generating plant (a main power plant) by chemical absorption and desorption respectively, where the exhaust gas is fed to an absorber using a chemical absorbent where the CO2 is absorbed in said absorbent and a CO2-depleted exhaust gas stream is formed. The CO2 rich absorbent is further fed to a desorber where CO2 is removed from the absorbent, and the absorbent essentially free of CO2 is recirculated to the absorber and desorbed CO2 gas is discharged off. The exhaust gas is cooled and recompressed to an elevated pressure, in a compressor in a secondary power plant integrated with the main power plant, said absorber, and said desorber, before entering the absorber. The CO2-depleted exhaust gas emerging from the absorber is reheated and further expanded in an expander in said secondary power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Norsk Hydro Asa
    Inventors: Knut Ingvar Åsen, Dag Arne Eimer
  • Patent number: 6655151
    Abstract: A system for controlling the flow of fuel to a gas turbine engine is operable in at least two modes. In a first mode, the flow rate of fuel supplied from a fuel source to the combustors of the turbine engine is controlled by modulating the position of a metering valve. A controller determines the controllability of the metering valve and, if it is determined to be non-controllable, then the system is operated in the second mode. In the second mode, the flow rate of fuel supplied to the combustors is controlled by modulating the position of a bypass valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Mahoney, David D. Jones
  • Patent number: 6655152
    Abstract: A control system is provided for use in controlling fuel supply to at least two sets of burners of an engine. The control system comprises two or more fuel pumps, each of the pumps being driven, in use, by a respective variable-speed motor. A control arrangement is provided for controlling the speed of the motors so as to regulate the rate of flow of fuel to each of the sets of burners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Limited
    Inventors: Michael Griffiths, Trevor Stanley Smith
  • Patent number: 6655153
    Abstract: A gas turbine having a rotor driver by a shaft with a cooling medium passageway therein has a heat shield pipe portion mounted inside the passageway which forms an air layer with a wall of the passageway to protect a bearing member metal supporting the shaft from the heat of a cooling medium and a seal shaft portion for forming a labyrinth seal to prevent leakage of the cooling medium are formed as one piece and constitute a heat shied seal pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Akiyama, Shinya Marushima, Manabu Matsumoto, Masami Noda
  • Patent number: 6655154
    Abstract: An operation method and an operation apparatus for multi-system refrigerators, and a refrigerating apparatus. When gas compressed by a single compressor is supplied to a plurality of refrigerators through valves provided for the individual refrigerators, the opening/closing frequencies of the individual valves are slightly shifted to one another. As a result, with a simple constitution, the performances of the individual refrigerators are balanced without observing valve timings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignees: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, LTD, Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Funayama, Hidekazu Tanaka, Hisashi Yamamoto, Kazutoshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 6655155
    Abstract: The methods and apparatus for transporting compressed gas includes a gas storage system having a plurality of pipes connected by a manifold whereby the gas storage system is designed to operate in the pressure range of the minimum compressibility factor for a given composition of gas. A displacement fluid may be used to load or offload the gas from the gas storage system. A vessel including a preferred gas storage system may also include pumping equipment for handling the displacement fluid and provide storage for some or all of the fluid needed to load or unload the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Enersea Transport, LLC
    Inventor: William M. Bishop
  • Patent number: 6655156
    Abstract: A vessel for retaining cryogens in the form of a flexible liner for compliably retaining a cryogen and designed for controlled release of vapors generated by the cryogen. The improved flexible liner is biodegradable, with the incorporation of the biodegradable component within the resin being accomplished without adversely affecting the properties of the film at cryogenic temperatures. A preferred biodegradable film consists of a polyester comprising butane 1,4-diol and adipic acid to which a controlled quantity of terephthalic acid has been added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Cortec Corporation
    Inventors: Boris A. Miksic, Robert A. Boyle
  • Patent number: 6655157
    Abstract: A wet package precooler is operated inside a flower cooler room and includes a closed cabinet with a slotted opening in the top into which the flower packages slide. A conveyor on which the packages ride is provided inside the cabinet, a motor/blower assembly provides cooling air flow. By incorporating vertical cooling air flow, the machine cools the packaged flowers as they slide through the slot. The machine directs the cooling air into the top of the package, down through the flowers, and exhausts the air through hand holes and vents in the water container part of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: The Rainbow Cooler Box Company
    Inventor: Michael H. McKiernan
  • Patent number: 6655158
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a refrigerator that includes an icemaker that is operable to .form ice at a first rate during normal operation, and at a second, faster, rate upon demand for additional ice. More specifically, and in an exemplary embodiment, the refrigerator includes a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment. The refrigerator also includes a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator connected in series. A condenser fan is positioned to blow air over the condenser and an evaporator fan is positioned to blow air over the evaporator. The icemaker is located in the freezer compartment and positioned so that the evaporator blows air over an ice mold of the icemaker. The refrigerator also includes a control coupled to a user interface and to the evaporator fan. The control includes a processor, and the processor is programmed to control energization of the evaporator fan upon selection of an ice rate booster mode at the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joshua Stepen Wiseman, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Jeffery Wayne Borden, Jeffrey Lynn Jessie
  • Patent number: 6655159
    Abstract: An accumulator dehydrator assembly for use in a refrigeration cycle of an air conditioning system having an inner housing for separating the liquid component from the vapor component of the refrigerant and an integral outer shell being cup shaped and having a bottom and side walls extending upwardly from the bottom to an upper edge defining an opening is disclosed. The inner housing is disposed within and spaced from the outer shell and defines a chamber therebetween. At least one spacer is positioned between the inner housing and the outer shell and positioned annularly around the side walls and is compressed for holding the outer shell onto the inner housing. The spacers define a predetermined distance between the inner housing and the outer shell to establish the chamber while securing the outer shell onto the inner housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene C. Boyer, Mohinder Singh Bhatti, John Paul Telesz
  • Patent number: 6655160
    Abstract: Refrigerant compositions are disclosed which comprise: (a) pentafluoroethane, octafluoropropane, trifluoromethoxydifluoromethane or hexafluoro-cyclopropane, or a mixture of two or more thereof, in an amount of at least 35% based on the weight of the composition, (b) 1,1,1,2- or 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane, trifluoromethoxypentafluoroethane, 1,1,2,3,3-heptafluoropropane or a mixture of two or more thereof, in an amount of at least 30% by weight based on the weight of the composition and (c) n-butane or isobutane, in an amount from 1% to less than 2.3% by weight based on the weight of the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Rhodia Limited
    Inventor: Neil Andre Roberts
  • Patent number: 6655161
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes an outdoor unit, at least one indoor unit and a compressor. The outdoor unit is connected to the indoor unit by a refrigerant pipe to form a closed circuit. The refrigerant pipe is divided into high and low pressure pipes. The air conditioner further includes a refrigerant leakage detecting unit provided on the indoor unit to detect refrigerant leakage, a high pressure pipe shutoff valve provided on the high pressure pipe of the refrigerant pipe, and a low pressure pipe shutoff valve provided on the low pressure pipe of the refrigerant pipe. Refrigerant is restored into the outdoor unit by closing the high pressure pipe shutoff valve and opening the low pressure pipe shutoff valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyoung-Mo Koo
  • Patent number: 6655162
    Abstract: An auxiliary watering system and methods for lowering the temperature of an ambient air supply to an air-conditioning unit that is controlled solely by an acoustic signal from the air-conditioning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Michael C. McKee
  • Patent number: 6655163
    Abstract: A dual evaporator air conditioning system and method for use therewith to cool air in front and rear portions of a cabin. The dual evaporator air conditioning system includes primary and auxiliary HVAC units to cool the air in the front and rear portions of the cabin, respectively. The dual evaporator air conditioning system also includes a control system having cooling and non-cooling modes for each of the HVAC units. The control system automatically diverts cooled air produced by the auxiliary HVAC unit into an air dumping chamber in response to the auxiliary HVAC unit being in the non-cooling mode while the primary HVAC unit is in the cooling mode. The air dumping chamber is partitioned from the cabin to prevent the cooled air generated by the auxiliary HVAC unit from entering the cabin. Maintaining airflow through an auxiliary evaporator prevents refrigerant and lubricant buildup in the auxiliary evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Scherer, Prasad Shripad Kadle, Jing Zheng
  • Patent number: 6655164
    Abstract: A combined refrigerant heating and cooling system comprises a compressor, an outside heat exchanger, an inside heat exchanger, a refrigerant-to-engine coolant heat exchanger, at least one refrigerant expansion device and at least one redirection device, wherein the arrangement is such that said compressor is switchable between a heat pump loop and a cooling loop by means of said redirection device, said heat pump loop comprising said inside heat exchanger, said refrigerant expansion device and said refrigerant-to-engine coolant heat exchanger, and said cooling loop comprising said outside heat exchanger and said inside heat exchanger. According to the invention, the outside heat exchanger is arranged in such a way that an outlet of said outside heat exchanger is connected to a connection point of said heat pump loop which in heat pump mode lies downstream of said refrigerant expansion device, e.g. between said refrigerant expansion device and said refrigerant-to-engine coolant heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Delph Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jorgen H. Rogstam
  • Patent number: 6655165
    Abstract: An air conditioner has an evaporator, a main compressor, a condenser, and an energy recovery device. The condenser receives a compressed refrigerant from the compressor and condenses the refrigerant to either a liquid phase or a saturated liquid-vapor phase. The condensed refrigerant is passed through the energy recovery device to expand the refrigerant. The refrigerant passing through the energy recovery device is regulated to maintain the refrigerant in a high cavitation region within a motor, while maintaining within a predetermined refrigerant pressure range in the motor. During refrigerant regulation, sounds and vibrations are created that may be unpleasant to humans. A sound suppression device is included in the air conditioner to reduce or eliminate these sounds, and is positioned between the condenser and the energy recovery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald S. Eisenhour
  • Patent number: 6655166
    Abstract: An ice bucket assembly includes an ice bucket container and a housing assembly. The housing assembly includes a housing and a cover. The housing includes a plurality of tabs configured to engage a plurality of openings disposed within the ice bucket container. The cover includes a plurality of tabs which permit a user to grasp the cover during removal or installation of the cover. When installed, the housing assembly is positioned above a dispensary opening at a front of the ice bucket container. As a result, crushed ice is immediately dispensed from the ice bucket container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Alston E. Williams
  • Patent number: 6655167
    Abstract: Rubber chips are immersed in a coolant to cool the chips to a the temperature in the range of −90 degrees to −110 degrees Celsius. The coolant contains alcohol such as n-butyl alcohol, methanol, pentane and is cooled by nitrogen. The cooled chips are then comminuted to a powder in the range of 10 mesh to 100 mesh ASTM in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: First American Scientific Corp.
    Inventors: Calvin Leslie Kantonen, John Brian Nichols, Philip Coulter
  • Patent number: 6655168
    Abstract: An aircraft air conditioner uses a cooling device to cool air extracted from an engine before feeding it into a cabin. This extracted air is mixed with recirculation air that is returned to the cabin after flowing out from the cabin. The mixture of the recirculation air and the extracted air is fed into an air separating section. This air separating section has a selectively permeable membrane that separates the air flowing through an air flow path of the air conditioner into nitrogen-enriched gas and oxygen-concentrated air. The nitrogen-enriched gas is capable of being fed into a fuel peripheral region of the aircraft, and the oxygen-concentrated air is capable of being fed into the cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Mitani, Hidefumi Saito
  • Patent number: 6655169
    Abstract: A refrigerator airflow distribution assembly includes an airflow diverter in flow communication with freezer compartment air. The diverter includes a primary flow path and at least one diverter opening therethrough, and together with a cover forms a secondary flow path in flow communication with the first flow path through the diverter opening. Freezer compartment air is directed to the primary flow path, and a portion of the air in the primary flow path flows through the diverter openings and into the secondary flow path, and is introduced to the fresh food compartment through one or more vents in the cover. Metered airflow through the diverter reduces temperature gradients in the refrigerator, as well as provides a regulated temperature source for a storage drawer in the fresh food storage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffery Allen Tupis, Martin Christopher Severance, Arthur Wilson Scrivener, Gerald Eugene Sturgeon, Richard DeVos, Steven Gray
  • Patent number: 6655170
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a heat-insulating housing having compartments separated from one another and each having a different temperature, evaporators each cooling one of the compartments with a refrigerant, each compartment having a different refrigerating capacity, throttles each connected upstream of an evaporator, a refrigerant compressor having a suction side connected to a refrigerant collector, and at least one activator connected to the evaporators, the activator positively and separately controlling circulation of the refrigerant through the evaporators. The compressor is connected to the throttles and evaporators for circulating the refrigerant. One evaporator has a higher capacity and a refrigerant routing portion with a refrigerant reception volume. The collector collects an amount of refrigerant when the compressor is in the standstill phase. More than a majority of the reception volume of the refrigerant routing portion is filled with the refrigerant in the standstill phase of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Holz, Roland Maier, Wolfgang Nuiding
  • Patent number: 6655171
    Abstract: An absorption cooling device includes an expeller (7) for expelling a working agent from an enriched solvent, a first connecting line (11) for transferring said expelled working agent from said expeller (7) to a condenser (9), a second connecting line (15) for transferring said condensated working agent from said condenser (9) to an evaporator (13), a third connecting line (16) for transferring said evaporated working agent from said evaporator (13) to an absorber unit (17), a fourth connecting line (21) for transferring said solvent depleted of working agent from said expeller (7) to said absorber unit (17), a fifth connecting line (19) for transferring said solvent enriched with working agent from said absorber (17) to said expeller (7), wherein in one end of said fifth connecting line a first liquid level (25) of said solvent is formed and on the other end a second liquid level (29) is formed, and the total surface of said second liquid level (29) is smaller than ten times a medium cross-section of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Dometic GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Korinth
  • Patent number: 6655172
    Abstract: A refrigeration system has a compressor which incorporates fluid injection into one or more of the fluid pockets. A source of fluid for injection into the pockets is attached directly to the shell of the compressor to eliminate the need for having fluid piping between the source of fluid and the compressor. The source of fluid can be a flash tank which increases the capacity and efficiency of the system or the source of fluid can be a heat exchanger which also increases the capability and efficiency of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Copeland Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Perevozchikov, Roy Doepker
  • Patent number: 6655173
    Abstract: An evaporator for a refrigerating system which prevents droplets of refrigerant from blowing upwards, and a refrigeration apparatus using thereof are provided. The evaporator for a refrigerating system includes a container into which the refrigerant is introduced, and heat exchanger tubes disposed in the container through which a cooled object flows. The evaporator further includes a prevention plate disposed above the heat exchanger tubes so that droplets of the refrigerant, which are blown upwards due to a boiling of the refrigerant, hit the prevention plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Iritani, Akihiro Kawada, Yoshinori Shirakata, Wataru Seki, Koji Hirokawa
  • Patent number: 6655174
    Abstract: An article for holding freezable substances includes an individual disposable package for holding the frozen substance and a container therefore. The package is comprised of a bottom portion and a top portion. The frozen substance is placed in the bottom portion and the top portion is placed over the bottom portion to seal the package and prevent spillage of the freezable substance prior to its freezing. The package has a maximum inner width Wm, with Wm being less than or equal to 0.875 inches (22.23 mm). The width Wm is chosen so that a long, cylindrical ice cube is formed by the package. The ice cube so formed fits easily into original containers of beverages, such as soda cans and bottles, so that the beverages are cooled in their original containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Pamela R. Moore
  • Patent number: 6655175
    Abstract: When a first knitted fabric, a second knitted fabric and a third knitted fabric are knitted, with the first knitted fabric sandwiched between the second and third knitted fabrics, and the first knitted fabric is joined to the second and third knitted fabrics by loops in final courses of the second and third knitted fabrics being sequentially overlapped with loops at ends of the first knitted fabric from a side thereof closer to the first knitted fabric, processing from one end thereof toward the other end thereof, the knitting wherein with the second knitted fabric and the third knitted fabric separately retained on front and back needle beds, the first knitted fabric and the third knitted fabric are shifted toward the second knitted fabric by racking; the first knitted fabric is changed over between the front and back needle beds and a loop of the first knitted fabric at an end thereof on the second knitted fabric side and a loop of the second knitted fabric at a side end thereof are overlapped with each oth
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6655176
    Abstract: A striping apparatus for a circular knitting machine includes a control mechanism, an operation mechanism driven by the control mechanism, an adjusting mechanism mounted onto the control mechanism and a release mechanism located in the operation mechanism. The striping apparatus is installed on the circular knitting machine and is controlled by the yarn releasing and receiving cam and the color selection device, and may feed different colored yarns to the knitting needles to produce striped jacquard knitting fabrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Pai Lung Machinery Mill Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Shih Wang
  • Patent number: 6655177
    Abstract: A drive apparatus for a washing machine having a laundry drum and a suds container includes a stiff supporting star having a bearing sleeve for mounting the laundry drum of the washing machine in the bearing sleeve, a substantially horizontal shaft for connecting the supporting star to the rear wall of the suds container, a flat motor for directly driving the laundry drum, and a bearing. The motor is to be mounted on the rear wall of the suds container. The motor is connected to the supporting star and has a stator support, field windings connected to the stator support, a rotor connected to the shaft through a bearing of the shaft, and magnetic poles connected to the rotor. The bearing connects the stator support to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Bierbach, Reinhard Heyder, Jörg Skrippek
  • Patent number: 6655178
    Abstract: A door lock and latch assembly for securely locking a door to prevent a person from using a tool to spread the door away from the door frame. The door lock and latch assembly includes a lock and latch support assembly being adapted to mount to a door and including a rotatable shaft; and also includes a deadbolt lock assembly being mounted to the rotatable shaft and being adapted to be disposed in the door; and further includes a latch assembly including a lever being mounted to the rotatable shaft and also including a catch being adapted to mount to a structure adjacent to the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: David A. Lingbeck
  • Patent number: 6655179
    Abstract: A so-called super-lock condition of a door lock is achieved with a simple and compact construction. The door lock includes first and second lock/unlock mechanisms which establish the super-lock condition when assuming lock conditions respectively. The first and second lock/unlock mechanisms are actuated by an electric actuator mounted to the door lock. In a housing of the electric actuator, there are installed first and second electric motors and first and second operation levers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Ohi Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Kobayashi, Ryoji Shimura
  • Patent number: 6655180
    Abstract: An electronic lock device includes provision for setting different bolt or latch extension lengths, to accommodate different door lock situations. In addition, the bolt or latch itself preferably is interchangeable for bolts or latches of different sizes or configurations, including switching a latch for a bolt or vice versa. The bolt or latch extension can be settable via a keypad or ibutton. In the preferred embodiments the lock units include a D.C. geared micromotor, which is also included in other electronic lock units disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Security People, Inc.
    Inventors: Asil T. Gokcebay, Yucel K. Keskin, Robert Kearns
  • Patent number: 6655181
    Abstract: A coating for superplastic forming (SPF) and quick plastic forming (QPF) tooling and an SPF/QPF process made possible with the coating. The coating defines the forming surface of an SPF/QPF tool, and consists essentially of either a tungsten carbide cermet or a chromium carbide cermet. The coating preferably comprises a metal matrix containing tungsten carbide or chromium carbide particles having a particle size of not more than 0.1 micrometer, and is preferably prepared to have a surface finish of not rougher than 0.3 micrometer Ra. An SPF/QPF process that makes use of a tool whose forming surface is provided with the coating can be performed without depositing any lubricant on the forming surface or workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Arianna T. Morales
  • Patent number: 6655182
    Abstract: In a method of reshaping a tube, an apparatus is used which has a roller nip for rotating the tube, and a shaping roller assembly for altering the cross-section of the tube, for instance from round to oval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Lindab AB
    Inventor: Lars-Åke Mattsson
  • Patent number: 6655183
    Abstract: A lifting mechanism for a head member of a pipe bender includes a connecting block and an oil cylinder. The connecting block is fixedly connected to the head member. The oil cylinder is horizontally fitted to the main body of the pipe bender. The connecting block is equipped with a propped block on the bottom. The propped block has several spaced horizontal propped surfaces on the bottom thereof which are formed at different heights with slopes formed in between. Wheels are fitted to an outer end of the piston rod of the cylinder to prop up the propped block. Therefore, when die cylinder operates for the wheels to move relative to the propped block, the head member can be adjusted in height together with the connecting block. The piston rod stops moving when the wheels are positioned under a selected one of the horizontal propped surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Chiao Sheng Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Tzung Fan
  • Patent number: 6655184
    Abstract: A machine and method for corrugating a metal foil strip utilizes an enclosure defining a chamber and a controllable heat source for heating the chamber. The chamber may optionally include at least one gas that is also heated by the heat source. At least one tool set received in the chamber forms corrugations in the metal foil strip. Foil entry feeder elements supply and guide the metal foil strip from outside the chamber into the chamber and to the tool set. A drive for the tool set is mounted outside the chamber and coupled to the tool set to actuate the tool set. Foil exit delivery elements guide the strip from the tool set and out of the chamber. Where required to prevent oxidation of the foil strip, a source supplying an inert gas to the chamber at a controlled rate is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Meaney, Thomas J. Liebig, Raymond R. Listak, Robert B. Leholm, Jeffrey K. Switzer, Peter H. Ellis, Jack D. Beyer
  • Patent number: 6655185
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a vehicle repairing device capable of pulling out a damaged portion to a predetermined position safely and easily. A device for pulling out a damaged portion of a panel surface to a normal position includes a first puller having a first fixing portion to be fixed to the damaged portion and adapted to pull up the first fixing portion in a state in which it is fixed to a predetermined range of the damaged portion, and a second puller having a second fixing portion to be fixed to the damaged portion and adapted to pull up the second fixing portion in a state in which it is further locally fixed to the damaged portion of the panel surface to be pulled up by the first puller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Tateo Uegaki
  • Patent number: 6655186
    Abstract: A machine tool for manual actuation is proposed, in which an intermediate rotary bearing, which has a retaining handle, is disposed on the housing that receives the tool and an abutment, and a cantilevered beam which leads to a rotatable retaining device is secured to the intermediate rotary bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Pfleghar
  • Patent number: 6655187
    Abstract: Method for correcting an angle error of an absolute-angle detector that detects the angular position of a first shaft whose rotary movement is linked to a second shaft. The angular position of second shaft is first detected during at least one complete revolution of first shaft; the corresponding angular position of first shaft is derived from this value; the corresponding output value of absolute-angle detector is compared to the corresponding angular position of first shaft, and the difference formed by this comparison is stored. The corresponding output value of absolute-angle detector is then corrected by the stored value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Lehner, Andreas Pfender
  • Patent number: 6655188
    Abstract: Method and system for obtaining scale factor calibration of a fiber optic sensor head (3, 6) comprising a conversion unit (3) with a conversion element (14) made from a material being subject to changes in its shape or physical dimensions under the influence of magnetic or electric fields, e.g. a magnetostrictive, electrostrictive, or piezoelectric material, and an optical fiber (4) being attached to the conversion element (14), the conversion element (14) thus straining the optical fiber causing a phase and/or intensity modulation of the optical signal in the fiber when subject to the fields. The method is characterized in that a chosen electrical energy is applied to the sensor head (3, 6) resulting in a change in the optical signal being received by the optical interrogation device, and calculating a calibration signal, e.g. a calibration scale factor, based on the applied electrical energy and the measured change in the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Optoplan AS
    Inventors: Sverre Knudsen, Dag Thingbø, Arne Berg
  • Patent number: 6655189
    Abstract: An explosive excitation device and method of use thereof for exciting a structure during dynamic measurements. The device includes an accelerometer and an explosive charge. The device is attached at one end to the structure to be excited. The explosive charge is mounted between the accelerometer and the target structure. When the explosive charge is ignited, the accelerometer is blown away from the device. Knowing the acceleration, measured by thee accelerometer, and knowing the mass of the accelerometer, the force applied to the target structure can be calculated. The information on the force of input and the resulting motion of the target structure allows calculation of the structure's dynamic characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
    Inventor: Kevin Scott Smith
  • Patent number: 6655190
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in testing devices under high-g environments is disclosed in which an elastic beam, rigidly fastened at least at one end, carries the device under test; the beam being pre-loaded to a bent position by a force producing member which may be suddenly removed to allow the stored energy of the beam to be released, and to apply a high-g force to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Owen D. Grossman, Mark W. Weber, Jeffrey E. Fridberg
  • Patent number: 6655191
    Abstract: In a method for detecting knocking combustion during the operation of an internal combustion engine with a device for measuring the ionic current, the raw ionic current signal or the evaluated value of the knocking intensity are normalized. This enables the value of the knocking intensity to be reliably compared with a threshold value. The normalization avoids the falsifying influence of large intensity fluctuations of the raw ionic current signal from one combustion cycle to the next without any relation to the true knocking intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignees: DaimlerChrysler AG, Temic Telefunken microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Hohner, Klaus Knolmayer, Joerg Miroll, Linhard Niemetz
  • Patent number: 6655192
    Abstract: A permeameter provides normal and lateral permeability measurements on porous materials. The permeability measurements can be made on compressed or uncompressed samples and can be made at room temperature or at elevated temperatures. A wide variety of fluids, gas or liquid, can be used as the penetrating test fluid depending on the application and the porosity of porous sample. The penetrating test fluid is forced through the sample under pressure. The load, the fluid displacement, and the time are recorded and used in the calculations of permeability, porosity, pore size distribution, average pore size and the number of pores per unit area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Bulent Chavdar
  • Patent number: 6655193
    Abstract: A leakage detecting device has a cover, a first cup and a second cup. The cover is mounted on the opening of the water tank and has a through hole. The first cup is connected to the cover and communicates with the through hole in the cover. A tortuous air channel is defined in the first cup. The second cup is mounted on the first cup and has a second tortuous air channel communicating with the first tortuous air channel in the first cup. Accordingly, the leakage of cylinders of the vehicle engine can be precisely detected from the water tank of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Lai-Chen Liu
  • Patent number: 6655194
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a miniature rheometer, a parallel rheometer, and improved force sensor elements which may advantageously be used in combination with the miniature rheometer and the parallel rheometer. The miniature rheometer is adapted to determine rheological characteristics of materials which are provided in the form of small quantity samples. The miniature rheometer comprises an actuating element, a sensing element and a feedback circuit to provide rebalance of the shear force applied by the sample to the sensing element, which insures an exceptional stiffness in determining the shear strain so as to allow measurements of high accuracy. The parallel rheometer of the present invention allows simultaneous measurements of a plurality of samples so as to allow of a plurality of samples within a short time period. The force sensor element according to the present invention allows simultaneous measurement of a shear force and a normal force applied to the sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Damian Hajduk, Eric Carlson, Ravi Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 6655195
    Abstract: Process for determining disturbances of a moisture cross profile of a fibrous material web in a paper making machine, a paper making machine, and a measuring arrangement for measuring the disturbances, the process including guiding the fibrous material web by way of at least one water-permeable belt and collecting and draining off water released from the belt. The water is collected by several sections separated from one another. The process further includes measuring per time unit, the amount of water in each section, wherein the sections extend at right angles to a web running direction over only a partial section of the fibrous material web. The paper making machine includes at least one water-permeable belt, the belt being wrapped around a roll. The measuring arrangement includes a water collection device having the form of one of a trough or channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Grabscheid, Ulrich Begemann, Oswald Satzger, Wolfgang Mayer, Ralf Rziha, Wolfgang Bamberger, Georg Kleiser, Thomas Rühl
  • Patent number: 6655196
    Abstract: At the forefront of a probe is formed a carbon nanotube having an armchair type crystal structure or of which the forefront is chemically modified with modifying molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Hokkaido University
    Inventors: Koichi Mukasa, Kazuhisa Sueoka, Naoki Kamo, Hirotaka Hosoi, Makoto Sawamura
  • Patent number: 6655197
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards an apparatus for monitoring and displaying characteristic values of certain parameters of the automatic transmission fluid in the automatic transmission system or the automatic transaxle system of a land motor vehicle. The apparatus has several elements to it: a sensor, which is placed into a conduit carrying the automatic transmission fluid to read the characteristic values, microprocessor, which receives these values, and finally a readout component, which displays them. The characteristic values of the automatic transmission fluid may include the values for the flow rate, pressure, temperature, and others. The readout component may be a diagnostic tool used for maintenance and/or repair or a dashboard display component used by the driver or the operator of the motor vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sonnax Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ben Wallace
  • Patent number: 6655198
    Abstract: In order to enable a more rapid shift and to prevent tie-up from occurring when a down-shift occurs during an up-shift, an amount of overrun produced during the down-shift is detected, and a hydraulic duty for an engaging element of the down-shift is modified by performing one of adding and subtracting a correction value, the correction value being calculated based on the detected amount of overrun, such that the amount of overrun will converge to a predetermined minimal level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Byeong-Wook Jeon
  • Patent number: 6655199
    Abstract: An electronic foot pedal vehicle control system includes a foot pedal of rigid one-piece molded plastic construction having a base and a pedal arm cantilevered from the base. An electronic subassembly is insert molded into the base of the foot pedal, and includes a force sensor disposed in the base adjacent to the pedal arm for providing an electrical sensor signal as a function of force applied to the pedal arm by a vehicle operator. Electronic circuitry is responsive to the sensor signal for providing a pedal output signal to control at least one variable of vehicle operation. The electronic circuitry preferably has programmed hysteresis characteristics so as to allow limited force variation on the pedal without changing the output signal from the electronic circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Rex L. Smith