Patents Issued in July 1, 2004
  • Publication number: 20040126216
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle, a swivel device for use in a pick-up vehicle for loading and unloading. The pick-up vehicle includes a swivel device including at least one swivel arm having a curved and/or bent section along its length. A swivel axis of the swivel device is located between the rear wall and wheel wells and includes swivel arms located on both sides of the cargo bed. The at least one connecting bridge is positioned to couple swivel arms to form a swivel yoke. Swivel device includes two swivel axes located one behind the other at a same height relative to the cargo bed, such that a swivel arm is swivelably coupled around one of the two swivel axes, and the swivel arms are coupled together through the at least one movable connection piece, thereby forming a parallelogram-like swivel arm structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Grover Trading Corporation AG
    Inventor: Frank Markus Rinderknecht
  • Publication number: 20040126217
    Abstract: A bale lift device is provided by the invention. The bale lift device includes a back frame, a spear member, and rotation axis. The back frame includes a first end, a second end, and at least one extension separating the first end from the second end. The back frame includes a first area for attaching to the loader hydraulic cylinder of a front end loader. The back frame includes a second area for attaching to the loader arm of a front end loader. The spear member includes at least one spear having a first end for penetrating a bale and a second end attached to the back frame. The rotation axis allows the spear member to rotate relative to the back frame. A front end loader having a bale lift device and a method for transporting a bale are provided. A method of assisting the removal of a bale lifting device from a bale without additional levers or hydraulic controls or hydraulic cylinders is provided. The method can utilize the controls already existing in the operational functions of the loader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Westendorf Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Neal W. Westendorf, Joseph W. Langenfeld
  • Publication number: 20040126218
    Abstract: Process and plant for handling and stacking a plurality of thermoformed containers or lids, which comprises the following sequence of phases:
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: ISAP OMV GROUP SPA
    Inventor: Pietro Padovani
  • Publication number: 20040126219
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for transporting and centrally aligning stacks of sheet-shaped materials. According various aspects of the invention, methods and devices are provided for transporting stacks of sheet-shaped print materials in a transport from a location misaligned with a reference axis to another location while aligning a center of a stack thickness with the reference axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Harald Mauz, Michael Freund, Alexander Hirsch, Albert Rieger, Hans-Peter Wurschum
  • Publication number: 20040126220
    Abstract: An apparatus including a thermoformed or blow-molded tote suitable for containing a plurality of wafers in an arrangement that permits machine interaction with one or more of the plurality of the wafers within the tote. A method including loading a plurality of wafers in a thermoformed or blow-molded tote onto a tool load port of a machine; and selecting at least one of the plurality of wafers from the tote.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ryan Lee Howell, James E. Stoutenburg
  • Publication number: 20040126221
    Abstract: A pallet formed of a honeycomb material. The honeycomb material includes an upper surface on which goods may be placed, a lower surface, a first pair of opposed perimeter walls, and a second pair of opposed perimeter walls. A first pair of slots is integrally formed in the lower surface of the honeycomb material. The first pair of slots extend between the first pair of opposed perimeter walls. A second pair of slots is also integrally formed in the lower surface of the honeycomb material. The second pair of slots extend between the second pair of opposed perimeter walls. Both the first and second pair of slots are engageable by forks of a material handling device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: B. Andrew Wolf
  • Publication number: 20040126222
    Abstract: A turbine engine has a rotor shaft rotatably carried within a non-rotating support structure. A seal is carried by the support structure circumscribing the shaft and having a flexible sealing element for sealing with the shaft. A chamber is located between the seal and support structure. A fluid is carried within the chamber and damps radial excursion of a seal axis from a support structure axis. The seal may be a full annulus or may be segmented. The fluid may be contained within one or more elastomeric bladders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Mark E. Addis
  • Publication number: 20040126223
    Abstract: A valve for reducing fluid pressure in a fluid distribution network uses the energy released from the fluid to generate power. The valve includes a housing, a turbine disposed within the housing, a fluid reservoir, and a flow control device operable to generate a turbine inlet flow having a flow velocity from an inlet flow having a fluid pressure. The turbine receives the turbine inlet flow, which rotates the turbine to generate power. The fluid reservoir collects the flow of fluid discharged from the turbine and generates a valve discharge flow having a desired fluid pressure that is less than the fluid pressure of the inlet fluid. Thus, the energy from the inlet flow is used to generate power. Furthermore, the power generated by the turbine can be independent of the fluid pressure of the valve discharge flow. Consequently, the valve can provide a consistent reduction in fluid pressure and/or flow rate in a distribution network while the turbine generates power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Michael A. Maloney
  • Publication number: 20040126224
    Abstract: Steam turbine speed-control systems often incorporate pilot valves for controlling the position of hydraulic actuators for steam valves. Operational efficiency of these pilot valves can suffer from imperfections due to manufacturing defects, wear, contaminated oil, and the like, thereby impairing the control system's overall performance. This disclosure relates to a method for improving performance accuracy by incorporating a control system (including additional controllers) dedicated to overcoming the deficiencies of pilot valves or other control system components. With such a system, the lack of adequate control response can be detected by calculating the first time-derivative of a variety of main controlled-parameters. Such parameters can be directly related to steam flow control, such as steam valve position, steam flow rate, and pressure within the steam turbine; or they may be related to the driven equipment: generator power output, flow rate through a compressor, and compressor discharge pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Naum Staroselsky, Mykhailo Volynskyi, Dimitry Drob
  • Publication number: 20040126225
    Abstract: A sealing assembly for disposition in a rotary machine is disposed between a rotary component and a stationary component of the rotary machine. The sealing assembly includes at least one sealing strip affixed to one of the rotary and stationary components. An abradable portion is disposed on another of the rotary and stationary components and is positioned radially opposite to the at least one sealing strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC GRC
    Inventors: Farshad Ghasripoor, Norman Arnold Turnquist, Bernard Arthur Courture, Ronald Wayne Korzun
  • Publication number: 20040126226
    Abstract: A seal apparatus provides the seal between inner and outer elements. The seal apparatus has a flexible sealing element for forming a seal with a first of the inner and outer elements. At least one support element is secured to the sealing element. The seal further includes means for magnetically interacting with the first element to bias the seal relative to the first element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Mark E. Addis
  • Publication number: 20040126227
    Abstract: A turbine engine has a rotor shaft rotatably carried within a support structure. A seal is carried by the support structure circumscribing the shaft and having a brushpack for sealing with the shaft. A first plate on a first side of the brushpack has a first radial clearance from the rotor shaft. A rubplate has a radial clearance from the rotor shaft that is less than the first radial clearance when the seal and rotor are coaxial.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Mark E. Addis
  • Publication number: 20040126228
    Abstract: A selectively configured volute for incorporation into a centrifugal pump of the volute type is disclosed for use in processing heavy duty slurries that are characterized by containing particularly large and/or abrasive particulates that are known to degrade the pump casing or pump casing liner. The configured volute of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in connection with the use of an impeller having expelling vanes that aggressively pump out slurry from the seal face of the pump. The configured volute of the present invention provides resistance to wear when processing heavy duty slurries and provides stable flow performance and improved pump performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Aleksander S. Roudnev, Ronald J. Bourgeois, Ricardo Augusto Abarca Melo
  • Publication number: 20040126229
    Abstract: A high temperature gas turbine component for use in the gas flow path that also is a specular optical reflector. A thin layer of a high temperature reflector is applied to the gas flow path of the component, that is, the surface of the component that forms a boundary for hot combustion gases. The component typically includes a thermal barrier coating overlying the high temperature metallic component that permits the component to operate at elevated temperatures. The thermal barrier coating must be polished in order to provide a surface that can suitably reflect the radiation into the gas flow path. A thin layer of the high temperature reflector the is applied over the polished thermal barrier coating by a process that can adequately adhere the reflector to the polished surface without increasing the roughness of the surface. The high temperature reflector can be applied to any surface aft of the compressor, such as on a turbine nozzle. The surface reflects radiation back into the hot gas flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John F. Ackermann, Paul V. Arszman, Bangalore A. Nagaraj
  • Publication number: 20040126230
    Abstract: An improved diffuser (10) for a centrifugal compressor which comprises blading with blades (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: NUOVO PIGNONE HOLDING S.p.A.
    Inventors: Leonardo Baldassarre, Massimo Camatti
  • Publication number: 20040126231
    Abstract: A compressor wheel assembly comprises a compressor wheel (7) mounted to a rotating shaft (8), extending through a bore (21) provided along the rotational axis of wheel (7). The bore (21) has an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the shaft (8) and a cylindrical sleeve (122) is located concentrically around the shaft (8) to thereby support the shaft (8) co-axially within the bore (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Anthony Billington
  • Publication number: 20040126232
    Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a housing and a hub. The housing has an open end and an opposed closed end, and is formed with a raised portion in the central location of the closed end. The hub is mounted on the closed end of the housing and covers the housing except for the raised portion to construct a thin motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Kuo-cheng Lin, Wen-shi Huang, Hsiou-chen Chang
  • Publication number: 20040126233
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a structural reinforcement of the fan wheel of a mixed flow fan. The structure of the fan wheel comprises a hub and several blades attached to the outer rim of this hub. One side of the hub consists of a hollow space, the other side consists of a flat surface. The blades are attached to the outer rim of the hub in equal distances. The outer rim of the hub is beveled. The flat surface acts as the air inlet side, the hollow side acts as the air outlet side. The surfaces of the blades are to bend. The part connecting the blades to the hub is also to bend. Therefore cambered channels form in the gaps between the blades, which are arranged in equal distances. Through use of this structure the operational area for the characteristic curve of the mixed flow fan is increased and the possibility of a loss of speed is reduced. Thus the overall performance of the fan is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Datech Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fu-Yin Wang
  • Publication number: 20040126234
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improvement in the fan frame structure of an electrical fan, with the structure of the fan at least comprising a fan frame with a central part forming a socket for the fan, one fan wheel with a central axis and one motor mounted on the before mentioned socket, with the central hole taking in the axis of the fan wheel. Between the fan frame and its socket there is a supporting part. This supporting part is used to fix the position of the socket on the central part of the fan frame. The fan motor consists of a stator attached to the socked and a rotor connected the axis of the fan wheel. On one side of the supporting part of the fan frame there is a desired area with collective-wire channel. The power cables of the motor can run through collective-wire channel. This allows the power cables of the motor to be easily inserted, fitted and secured onto the fan frame structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Datech Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fu-Yin Wang
  • Publication number: 20040126235
    Abstract: A method of modifying a rotor blade, and a rotor blade are provided. The rotor blade is for a steam turbine and it is modified to facilitate altering a natural vibratory frequency of the rotor blade, the rotor blade includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, wherein the first and second sidewalls are connected axially at the leading and trailing edges, and the sidewalls extending radially between a rotor blade root to a rotor blade tip. The method includes determining a vibratory resonance condition of the rotor blade and forming a blade extension between the rotor blade root and the rotor blade tip that alters the determined resonance condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Kevin Joseph Barb, Amir Mujezinovic, Nicholas Francis Martin, Douglas Carl Hofer
  • Publication number: 20040126236
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade includes pressure and suction sidewalls extending between leading and trailing edges and from root to tip. The pressure sidewall includes an inclined tip rib offset therein by a ramp defining a tip notch having compound inclinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, David Glenn Cherry, Chander Prakash, Aspi Rustom Wadia
  • Publication number: 20040126237
    Abstract: One exemplary embodiment of a turbine component (which may be a blade) comprises a substrate comprising a silicide-based material, a plurality of through holes disposed in the substrate, the holes being configured to receive an airflow, a silicide coating disposed at the surfaces of the substrate and the through holes, and a thermal barrier coating disposed at the silicide coating. In another exemplary embodiment the silicide coating may be replaced by a Laves phase-containing layer. In still another exemplary embodiment the silicide coating may be replaced by a diffusion barrier layer disposed at a surface of the substrate and a platinum group metal layer disposed at the diffusion barrier layer. One exemplary embodiment of a blade may comprise an airfoil comprising a silicide-based material and through holes disposed therein, a cooling plenum disposed in the airfoil, and a base configured to receive the airfoil in a dovetail fit, the base comprising a superalloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Melvin Jackson, Pazhayannur Subramanian, Ji-Cheng Zhao, Bernard Bewlay, Ramgopal Darolia, Robert Schafrik
  • Publication number: 20040126238
    Abstract: The device (10′), with rotating (10′) and non-rotating (14′) cyclic stars is designed in such a way that at least one of the two stars includes a modular link fitting assembly (46, 42) ensuring the links with said star (12′, 14′) and the pitch connecting rods (6) and/or at least one driving device or with the pilot control devices (17) and/or at least one retaining device, said interconnecting fittings being attached rigidly and separately to an annular device, such as one of the rings (31′, 30′) of the bearing (21′) on the corresponding star (14′, 12′).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Vincent Scala
  • Publication number: 20040126239
    Abstract: A blade of an axial compressor comprising: an airfoil is disclosed that has a leading edge and a root; a platform attached to the root of the airfoil; a dovetail attached to a side of the platform opposite to the airfoil; a neck of the dovetail adjacent the platform, and a slot in the neck and generally parallel to the platform, and the slot extends from a front of the neck to position in the neck beyond a line formed by the leading edge of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: James Charles Gautreau, Nicholas Francis Martin
  • Publication number: 20040126240
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fan rotor comprising a disk having a rim with a plurality of substantially axial grooves that are regularly spaced apart angularly, a plurality of removable blades extending radially outwards from the periphery of said disk, each blade having a blade root received in a respective groove, a downstream flange plate secured to said disk with the downstream faces of the blade roots being in abutment thereagainst, and a removable upstream flange plate secured to said disk for the purpose of retaining the blade roots in the grooves. In the rotor, the upstream flange plate is fitted on its downstream face with resilient means for exerting sufficient force on the upstream faces of the blade roots, after assembly, to prevent any axial displacement of the blades during normal operation of the engine (apart from exceptional events of the type in which foreign bodies are ingested or blades are lost).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: SNECMA MOTEURS
    Inventors: Alain Bassot, Jean-Claude Bonny, Philippe Even, Pierre Lamothe, Alain Madec, Patrick Reghezza
  • Publication number: 20040126241
    Abstract: A high efficiency forward swept airplane propeller includes a constant leading edge forward swept angle from the root to the tip. The forward sweep is created by leaning the blade leading edge tangentially toward the rotating direction on the rotating plane. The leading edge projection on the axial-radial plane is a straight line with constant axial position from the blade root to the tip. Alternate embodiments of the projection of the leading edge on the tangential rotating plane include: a propeller blade with a leading edge shape that has a smaller forward sweep angle (including 0 degree) in the inner portion of the blade and a larger forward sweep angle in the outer portion; a propeller blade that has a negative leading edge aft ward sweep angle in the inner portion of the blade and a positive forward sweep angle in the outer portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Gecheng Zha, Craig Paxton, Peter Gryn, Ulises Perez, Erisa Hines
  • Publication number: 20040126242
    Abstract: A boat propeller and guard device for protecting marine wildlife from being hurt by coming into contact with boat propellers. The boat propeller and guard device includes a propeller having a hub and fins extending radially from the hub; and also includes flexible guard members each being securely and removably attached along an outer edge of a respective fin; and further includes strips of fastening members being attached to the flexible guard members for fastening the flexible guard members to the fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Larry Howard, Lenda Howard
  • Publication number: 20040126243
    Abstract: A method and a system for detecting the speed of a pump motor of a hydraulic pump system are provided, in which pump system a pump is driven by a pump motor to deliver hydraulic fluid into a pump reservoir. In accordance with the present invention, a pressure signal representing the fluid-delivery activity of the pump is detected, and the pressure peaks within this pressure signal identified. The speed of the pump motor is determined on the basis of the frequency or the time intervals of these pressure peaks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Holger Sievert, Juergen Hachtel, Guenther Hertlein
  • Publication number: 20040126244
    Abstract: A vacuum pump system (10; 36; 46) for pumping gas from an enclosure (12) comprises: a vacuum pump unit (14) having a pump inlet (16) connectable with an outlet (18) of such an enclosure and a pump outlet (20) for exhausting gas; and a chamber (22; 50) selectively connectable with the pump inlet and the pump outlet, such that, in use, in a first state gas can be pumped from the chamber to the pump inlet by the vacuum pump unit and in a second state gas can be evacuated from the pump outlet to the chamber to reduce pressure at the pump outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: The BOC Group plc
    Inventors: Derek Graeme Madgewick Savidge, Neil Turner, Graeme Huntley
  • Publication number: 20040126245
    Abstract: A hydraulic unit has a drive shaft (52) mounted in a manifold block (54) and coupled to a torque plate (80) on a central axis. A bent axis motive unit (60) has a yoke connected to the manifold block supported for rotation on the yoke. Hollow pistons (100) in cylinders in the cylinder block allow fluid to flow through a torque plate into and form the manifold without the necessity for passing fluid through an articulating member that pivots the cylinder block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Lawrence R Folsom, Clive Tucker
  • Publication number: 20040126246
    Abstract: A load-regulating device for scroll type compressors comprising a compressor housing, a bracket body, a partition block, a gliding block, a pair of scrolls and a plurality of air chambers, wherein the gliding block being coupled with the pair of scrolls for defining a plurality of air chambers on the scrolls, the pressure variation in the air chambers is then utilized for causing the motion of the gliding block, enabling the compressor to cause the gliding block by means of the pressure variation to motion upwardly as the compressor is actuated, and preventing the fluid in the high-pressure chamber from leaking towards the low-pressure chamber, thus allowing the compressors to quickly build up the pressure; the gliding block is caused by the pressure variation to motion downwardly at times when the compression ratio is excessively high, so as to relieve part of the load, thus improving the performance and reliability of the compressors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kun-I Liang, Yu-Choung Chang, Ching-Feng Lai, Ann-Huang
  • Publication number: 20040126247
    Abstract: For the combined intake section of a compressed-air generating system comprising an air compressor and an air dryer, the use of an additional muffler is proposed for an air-spring system that is employed mainly in passenger vehicles. This muffler is installed directly in a rubber hose leading to the atmosphere. Both air for the air compressor is sucked in and air for regeneration of the air dryer is discharged to the atmosphere through this muffler. The muffler has a simple construction, because of the fact that a damping insert, composed of a roll of noise-reducing knitted fabric, is pushed into the rubber hose, and throttling of the air stream is additionally provided at the point of the port to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Dietmar Broser, Fritz Woltmann
  • Publication number: 20040126248
    Abstract: A cooling fan structure comprises a base and a ring stator mounted in the center of the base such that a plurality of polar claws are bent to form in the inner side of the ring stator in conjunction with a plastic material. A coil is wound in the outer side of the ring stator. A blade rotor seat is mounted in the base such that the blade rotor seat circumvents the ring stator. A magnetic ring rotor is mounted on an axis in the receiving space of the ring stator such that the magnetic ring rotor is induced by the coil of the ring stator to drive the blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Cheng-Fang Hsiao
  • Publication number: 20040126249
    Abstract: Contact noise occurring continuously in a hermetic electrically driven compressor is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Takeshi Ono, Kazuhiro Yokota, Masahiko Osaka
  • Publication number: 20040126250
    Abstract: A reciprocating compressor includes a compressing unit placed over a motor unit. A crankshaft, which converts rotating action of the motor unit into reciprocating action of a piston of the compressing unit, has (a) a centrifugal pump prepared at a lower section of the crankshaft, and (b) a pair of spiral pumps that communicate with the centrifugal pump and have leading grooves running in an opposite direction to each other. The crankshaft also includes a pair of eccentric paths at its upper section. The eccentric paths open into an enclosed container and communicate with the spiral pumps respectively. This structure allows producing greater force for transferring lubricant oil regardless of rotating directions of the crankshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Koichi Tsuchiya, Kazuhiro Yokota, Atsushi Naruse
  • Publication number: 20040126251
    Abstract: A compressor wheel assembly comprises a compressor wheel (7) mounted to a rotating shaft (8) which extends through a bore provided along the rotational axis of the wheel. The bore has a first axial portion (21) corresponding in diameter to the diameter of the shaft, and a second axial portion (22) of enlarged diameter, such that the inner surface of the second portion of the bore (22) is radially spaced from the shaft (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Anthony Billington
  • Publication number: 20040126252
    Abstract: A refrigerant go-around passage is provided in a housing of a compressor. The passage takes in refrigerant discharged from a compression mechanism into the housing, makes the refrigerant go around an axial line of the compressor and finally returns the refrigerant to the discharge-port side of the housing while separating liquid contained in the refrigerant from the refrigerant by centrifugation or by centrifugation and collision. In the mid portion of the refrigerant go-around passage, a liquid returning port is provided for returning the separated liquid to the housing in such a manner that the liquid returning port has an orientation that has a component in a direction of gravity and that is deviated from a traveling direction of the refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Abe, Tatsuhisa Taguchi, Minoru Kajitani, Yukihiro Fujiwara, Yasuhiro Asaida
  • Publication number: 20040126253
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium a coil capable of being electrically activated to provide an electromagnetic field. The coil surrounds a piston channel extending in an axial direction. An armature is located adjacent the coil, on one side of the axial channel. The armature is moveable toward a forward position, in response to the electromagnetic field produced by activation of the coil. A piston is located within the piston channel and is moveable axially within the channel to a forward position, in response to movement of the armature to its forward position. The armature and piston are moved toward a retracted position, when the coil is not energized. The armature may be configured with a reduced diameter by including a coil cup for supporting the coil including a shelf portion defining at least a portion of a pole surface of the coil cup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: John Gray, Robert W. Bosley, Eric Lorenzen
  • Publication number: 20040126254
    Abstract: A micropump formed from a monolithic body and rotatable disc contained within the body. The rotatable disc may include one or more prostrusions for drawing a fluid through an inlet and expelling it through an outlet. The protrusions may be formed in a spiral formation, extend as radial vanes from a central point, or have another configuration. The micropump may have a thickness no more than about 12 microns. In other embodiments, the rotatable disk includes one or more gears that utilize positive displacement to pump fluids. The micrompump may be used with other microelectromechanical systems and devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ching Jen Chen, Paul Charles Galambos, Yousef Haik, Mohammad Ibrahim Kilani
  • Publication number: 20040126255
    Abstract: A fluid pump includes a housing, a drive source, a rotary unit and a pumping mechanism. The drive source is accommodated in the housing and includes a rotary member for rotation. The rotary unit includes the rotary member and a rotary shaft, which is operatively connected to the rotary member for rotation. The rotary unit forming an engaging portion for engaging with a maintenance tool which is prepared outside the housing. The pumping mechanism is placed in the housing and is operated in accordance with the rotation of the rotary shaft. An allowing means is formed in the housing for allowing the maintenance tool to engage with the engaging portion so as to face the engaging portion. The rotary shaft is rotated by rotating the maintenance tool in a state that the maintenance tool is engaged with the engaged portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Satoru Kuramoto, Masahiro Kawaguchi, Shinya Yamamoto, Nobuaki Hoshino, Mamoru Kuwahara
  • Publication number: 20040126256
    Abstract: A pump liquid chamber (9) is formed inside a pump bellows (7). A suction port (18) and a discharge port (19) are formed in a wall face (4a) facing the liquid chamber (9). The suction port (18) communicates with a pump inflow passage (5), and the discharge port (19) communicates with a pump outflow passage (6). A suction check valve (20) is disposed in the suction port (18). An accumulator liquid chamber (31) is formed inside an accumulator bellows (29). An inflow port (23) and an outflow port (24) are formed in a wall face (28a) facing the liquid chamber (31). The inflow port (23) communicates with an accumulator inflow passage (33), and the outflow port (24) communicates with an accumulator outflow passage (34). The accumulator inflow passage (33) is connected to the downstream of the pump outflow passage (6). A discharge check valve (21) of the pump (P) is disposed in the accumulator inflow passage (33) in an accumulator body (25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Nishio
  • Publication number: 20040126257
    Abstract: The invention concerns a Moineau type gear pump stator (1), comprising a stator cavity with global axial extension inside an elongated body, characterised in that the stator cavity is defined by a rigid-walled metal tubular element (3) having internally the shape and dimensions of the stator cavity such that, when it is assembled with a rotor, a positive clearance with the rotor is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Lionel Lemay, Jean-Pierre Chopard
  • Publication number: 20040126258
    Abstract: A baffle plate assembly has a baffle plate comprising a back plate and a partition wall. The back plate has an inner space and is attached to the housing of the compressor. The partition wall is formed on the back plate to divide the inner space of the back plate into at least one upper guiding channel communicating with the compressing chamber in the compressor and at least one lower guiding channel communicating with the motor chamber of the compressor. Accordingly, the working fluid can be respectively led into the compressing chamber and the motor chamber of the compressor through the at least one upper guiding channel and the at least one lower guiding channel in a certain proportion. Consequently, the compressor will operate at an optimal condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Ching-Feng Lai, Yu-Choung Chang, Kun-I Liang, Ann Huang
  • Publication number: 20040126259
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vacuum preventing device of a scroll compressor comprising: a discharge cover installed at a body of a fixed scroll for dividing inside of a case into a discharge region and a suction region; a vacuum cylinder installed in the discharge cover thus to be connected to a compression chamber formed between the fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll and having a pressure space therein so that the discharge region can be connected to the suction region; a piston movably installed in the pressure space for selectively connecting the discharge region with the suction region by a pressure difference between the compression chamber and the suction region; and an elastic member installed in the pressure space for providing an elastic force to the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Song Choi, Sog-Kie Hong, Dong-Won Yoo, In-Hwe Koo
  • Publication number: 20040126260
    Abstract: Scroll compressors include a tap for communicating a compressed refrigerant to a back pressure chamber to resist a separating force. A restriction is placed within this tap to slow build-up of the back pressure chamber at start-up. Further, the restriction smoothes out any fluctuations in the back pressure force as the pressure in the compression chamber from which the refrigerant is tapped may fluctuate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Robert Carl Witham, Gregory William Hahn, Gene Michael Fields, Thomas Robert Barito
  • Publication number: 20040126261
    Abstract: In order to improve a compressor for refrigerant, comprising an outer housing, a scroll compressor arranged in the outer housing and having a first compressor member arranged stationarily in the outer housing and a second compressor member which is movable relative to the first compressor member, the compressor members each having a base and first and second scroll ribs, respectively, which rise above the respective base and engage in one another such that the second compressor member is movable relative to the first compressor member on an orbital path about a central axis for the purpose of compressing the refrigerant, a drive unit for the second compressor member having an eccentric drive, a drive shaft, a drive motor arranged in a motor housing and having drawn-in refrigerant flowing around it as well as a bearing unit for the drive shaft which comprises a first bearing member connected to the outer housing, in such a manner that the refrigerant drawn in by the scroll compressor is free from lubricating o
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Bitzer Kuehlmaschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Karl-Friedrich Kammhoff, Gernot Balz, Christian Scharer
  • Publication number: 20040126262
    Abstract: To provide a gas compressor improved in terms of the vane projectability at the start of the compressor. To achieve the above object, there is provided a communication passage establishing communication between a high pressure supplying hole and a flat groove at the start of the compressor, and high pressure refrigerant gas discharged into the high pressure supplying hole at the start of the compressor is supplied to the flat groove, whereby high pressure refrigerant gas is supplied to vane groove bottom portions, making it possible to improve the projectability of vanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Toshinari Matsuura, Okikazu Kuwahara, Tetsuya Toyokata
  • Publication number: 20040126263
    Abstract: An improved vane for a compressor is provided. By aligning fiber in a vane preform in a linear movement direction of the vane, this fiber in resin or metallic vane preform provides improved reliability, resistance to abrasion, and vibration absorbency. Also, as the weight is decreased, the linear movement of the vane is more smooth, and input power can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Chang-Soo Lee
  • Publication number: 20040126264
    Abstract: A compressor having cylindrical shape vanes, in which the compressor comprises a cylinder assembly having a suction flow path and a discharge flow path connected to an inner space and having vane insertion holes penetrated as a circular shape at upper and lower surfaces thereof; a Z-plate for dividing the inner space into a plurality of compression spaces in the cylinder assembly and for making a fluid be sucked, compressed, and discharged by being rotated by a motor unit; and cylindrical shape vanes inserted to the vane insertion holes and contacted with both sides of the Z-plate for dividing the respective compression spaces into a suction region and a compression region by a reciprocal movement. In the compressor having cylindrical shape vanes, vanes are smoothly operated, a process for construction components is simplified, and its construction components are simple, thereby enhancing a reliability of a driving and enhancing its assembly productivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Kun-Hyeong Lee, Jae-Woo Ahn, Hyoung-Joo Cho
  • Publication number: 20040126265
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a porous metal structure body suitable for reinforcing a light metal alloy member such as an aluminum alloy member. A mixed powder containing a metallic powder is filled in a mold, and is molded into a shape having a single cavity or plural cavities in the inner portion while having a maximum thickness of 6 mm or less at the surface portion side. The molded powder body is sintered to form into the porous metal structure body having a porosity of 20 to 50% by volume at the portions except the cavities. It is preferable that the metallic powder sintered body having a porosity of exceeding 50% by volume is formed into the cavities by being monolithically integrated with the porous metal structure body. Consequently, a structure being lightweight, having a high mechanical strength and being excellent in handling performance while being excellent in impregnability can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Nippon Piston Ring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takiguchi