Patents Issued in May 4, 2010
  • Patent number: 7707809
    Abstract: An anti-choke attachment for a horse for preventing internal blockage of the horse's nasopharynx or other blockage of the horse's breathing when the horse is running or vigorously exercising. The attachment temporarily locks the horse's head against tilting downwardly or swinging sidewise. The attachment comprises a rigid plate having a lower part shaped to fit against a horse's neck and an upper part shaped to fit beneath the rear portion of the horse's jaw. An elongated, relatively thick, resilient pad arranged on the upper part is arranged to fit closely within the intermandibulary space region along the rear of the horse's head so as to prevent downward tilting and sidewise swinging of the head relative to the neck which both prevents partial blockage of the nasopharynx and helps maintain driver control of the horse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Al G. Terwilliger
  • Patent number: 7707810
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for varying the speed of a reel versus ground speed of an agricultural windrower, wherein a programmable control module in connection with a signal operated device operable for controlling operation of the reel, is programmed to operate in an automatic mode to control the reel speed as a percentage of the ground speed, while preventing the reel speed from falling below a minimum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Richard P. Strosser, Charles H. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 7707811
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling the operation of a header lift and flotation system for a plant cutting machine, which provides dual modes of operation, including a first mode allowing operator settable and controllable header height with an upward floatation or up-float capability, and a second ground contact mode having a full (up and down float) capability. The system is automatically operable for switching between the two modes responsive to predetermined input commands, and can automatically calibrate for changes in the header weight so as to provide consistent float function and feel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Richard P. Strosser
  • Patent number: 7707812
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a compact lawn mower that includes at least a shroud positioned a fixed distance from a lawn, by a common rear axle extended between and supported by a pair of rear wheels, is provided. The exemplary embodiment further includes a motor adjustment member confined within and supported by the shroud. The motor adjustment member interacts with a motor, which includes a cutting member attached to a motor shaft of the motor. In the exemplary embodiment, by manipulating the motor adjustment member, the height of the cutting member relative to the surface is set. That is, the motor adjustment member is rotated in a first direction to move the motor closer to the lawn, and in the opposite direction to move the motor further from the lawn, allowing the grass to be cut to a desired length, while the shroud remains a fixed distance from the lawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Edward Kwok-Yen Cheung
  • Patent number: 7707813
    Abstract: A method of producing a disk mower cutter bar housing and the housing produced. The method forms an upper plate and a lower plate of a housing, assembles the formed upper plate and the formed lower plate by welding to form a casing, and cuts out holes on the casing, by a laser beam. The holes are configured to receive bearings of disks and intermediate drive gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Kuhn S . A .
    Inventors: Rene Walter, Jacky Kirch
  • Patent number: 7707814
    Abstract: A fuel-flow-rate control device, a power generation system, and a fuel-flow-rate control method which can prevent overshooting of a gas turbine output (gas turbine inlet temperature) and which can improve power generation efficiency are provided. The fuel-flow-rate control device includes a computing portion for obtaining a state quantity relating to operating conditions and temperature conditions of a gas turbine as an input signal and computing a fuel-flow-rate command for controlling a fuel flow rate supplied to a combustor based on the above input signal, and a second selection circuit for setting the above fuel-flow-rate command to be not more than a fuel-flow-rate upper limit. The fuel-flow-rate upper limit is a fuel flow rate at which the gas turbine inlet temperature is set to be not more than a predetermined upper temperature limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sonoda, Shinsuke Nakamura, Akihiko Saito
  • Patent number: 7707815
    Abstract: An axial flow positive displacement engine has an inlet axially spaced apart and upstream from an outlet. Inner and outer bodies have offset inner and outer axes extend from the inlet to the outlet through first, second, and third sections of a core assembly in serial downstream flow relationship. At least one of the bodies is rotatable about its axis. The inner and outer bodies have intermeshed inner and outer helical blades wound about the inner and outer axes respectively. The inner and outer helical blades extend radially outwardly and inwardly respectively. The helical blades have first, second, and third twist slopes in the first, second, and third sections respectively. The first twist slopes are less than the second twist slopes and the third twist slopes are less than the second twist slopes. A combustor section extends axially downstream through at least a portion of the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kurt David Murrow, Rollin George Giffin, Oladapo Fakunle
  • Patent number: 7707816
    Abstract: A gas turbine system burning heavy-oil modified fuel and a method of operating the gas turbine system, which covers from a stage of modifying heavy oil and producing gas turbine fuel to a stage of operating a gas turbine, including startup, ordinary shutdown and emergency shutdown of the gas turbine. The gas turbine system burning heavy-oil modified fuel comprises a reactor for mixing heavy oil and water to cause reaction, thereby separating and removing a heavy component from the heavy oil, a gas-liquid separator for separating hydrocarbon gas and modified oil obtained in the reactor from each other, a gas turbine combustor for burning the hydrocarbon gas supplied from the gas-liquid separator, and a gas turbine driven by combustion gas produced in the gas turbine combustor. The system further comprises another line for extracting the hydrocarbon gas externally of a relevant system region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Petroleum Energy Center
    Inventors: Hirokazu Takahashi, Shinichi Inage, Kouji Nishida, Nobuyuki Hokari, Osami Yokota, Akinori Hayashi, Shinsuke Kokubo
  • Patent number: 7707817
    Abstract: A fuel processor (10) comprises a supply of natural gas (12) and a compressor (14), which compresses the natural gas and supplies the natural gas to a partial oxidation reactor (16). A supply of oxygen (20) supplies the oxygen to the partial oxidation reactor (16). The partial oxidation reactor (16) partially reacts the natural gas and the oxygen to form a mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The partial oxidation reactor (16) supplies the mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a turbine (20). The turbine (20) is arranged to drive the compressor (14). The turbine (20) expands and cools the mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide and supplies the mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a fuel cell stack (22) requiring hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLLC
    Inventors: Gerard D Agnew, Ritindar Singh
  • Patent number: 7707818
    Abstract: An exhaust stack having a junction tube and a flue is provided. The flue has a silencer portion, a converging duct portion, a tubular portion, and a diverging diffuser portion. The silencer portion fluidly communicates with the junction tube. The silencer portion has a first hydraulic mean cross-sectional flow path, and the tubular portion has a second hydraulic mean cross-sectional flow path less than or equal to the first hydraulic mean cross-sectional flow path. The converging duct portion is coupled between the silencer portion and the tubular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Saravanan Nattanmai Venkataraman, Shinoj Vakkayil Chandrabose
  • Patent number: 7707819
    Abstract: Hollow RX-08HD cylindrical charges were loaded with boron and PTFE, in the form of low-bulk density powders or powders dispersed in a rigid foam matrix. Each charge was initiated by a Comp B booster at one end, producing a detonation wave propagating down the length of the cylinder, crushing the foam or bulk powder and collapsing the void spaces. The PdV work done in crushing the material heated it to high temperatures, expelling it in a high velocity fluid jet. In the case of boron particles supported in foam, framing camera photos, temperature measurements, and aluminum witness plates suggest that the boron was completely vaporized by the crush wave and that the boron vapor turbulently mixed with and burned in the surrounding air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: James A. Viecelli, Lowell L. Wood, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, John H. Nuckolls, Phillip F. Pagoria
  • Patent number: 7707820
    Abstract: Control and/or drive device for a flying body for ejecting hot gas streams of a combusted fuel combination of at least a first and second component. Device includes a first hollow chamber body structured and arranged to contain first component, a second hollow chamber body structured and arranged to contain second component, a controllable fuel valve arranged between first hollow chamber body and second hollow chamber body to control feed of first component to second hollow chamber body, and a plurality of outlets structured and arranged to eject respective hot gas streams for influencing a flight path of flying body. Second hollow chamber body is formed as a combustion chamber for combusting the at least first and second components within second hollow chamber body to generate respective hot gas streams, and plurality of outlets are connected to the second hollow chamber body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Maier
  • Patent number: 7707821
    Abstract: A controlling method for adjusting concentrations of, for example, individual cylinder's exhaust gas constituents to provide engine functions such as catalytic converter diagnosis, increased overall catalytic converter efficiency and rapid catalyst heating, before and/or after initiating closed loop fuel injection control, using a selected temperature sensor location within a low thermal mass catalytic converter design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Joseph E. Legare
  • Patent number: 7707822
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio of each cylinder is estimated on the basis of a detection value of an air-fuel ratio sensor disposed in an exhaust confluent portion. An air-fuel ratio correction quantity is computed on the basis of the estimated air-fuel ratio of each cylinder. The air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture to be supplied to each cylinder is corrected on the basis of the cylinder air-fuel ratio correction quantity to reduce a variation in the air-fuel ratio between the cylinders. When a state in which the cylinder air-fuel ratio correction quantity or its learning value of any cylinder is outside a specified range continues for a while during a period in which this cylinder air-fuel ratio control is performed, a combustion is stopped for the cylinder outside the specified range and the cylinder air-fuel ratio control is continuously performed only for other normal cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsunori Katoh, Yuuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7707823
    Abstract: An exhaust purification device is provided to selectively perform a combustion purge control and an exhaust addition purge control in response to an operation state of the internal combustion engine. The combustion purge control process is performed in the case where a NOx occlusion amount of a NOx catalyst is larger than or equal to a first threshold value, and the exhaust addition purge control process is performed in the case where the NOx occlusion amount of the NOx catalyst is larger than or equal to a second threshold value which is larger than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Jyun Kawamura, Masakuni Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 7707824
    Abstract: A method of regulating an amount of NH3 stored in a catalyst of an exhaust after-treatment system includes determining a mass of NH3 into the catalyst based on a dosing rate of a dosing agent that is injected into an exhaust stream upstream of the catalyst and determining a mass of NH3 out of the catalyst. An accumulated mass of NH3 within the catalyst is calculated based on the mass of NH3 into the catalyst and the mass of NH3 out of the catalyst. The dosing rate is regulated based on the accumulated mass of NH3 within the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles E. Solbrig
  • Patent number: 7707825
    Abstract: A high-pressure metering pump for providing reductant in a single fluid engine exhaust dosing system having a solenoid for actuating a piston slidably received within an inner bore of a valve housing of the pump, the inner bore having a pressure chamber with an inlet check valve and an outlet check valve; and wherein movement of the piston causes high pressure reductant to be received at an atomizer of the system, the atomizer being disposed in a location to cause a maximum reduction of undesirable pollutant in the combustion gases of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip J. G. Dingle, Joachim Kupe
  • Patent number: 7707826
    Abstract: A system, method, and software for triggering regeneration of an adsorber connected with a flow of exhaust from an engine. An exhaust sulfur flow rate module estimates a sulfur accumulation rate associated with an adsorber as a function of a flow of fuel. A sulfur removal rate module estimates a sulfur removal rate associated with the adsorber. An accumulated sulfur loading module includes a counter the value of which is increased as a function of the sulfur accumulation rate and decreased as a function of the sulfur removal rate. A combustion manager module controls an engine to regenerate the adsorber once the counter reaches an upper threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Yun Wang, Sriram Satya Srinivas Popuri, Michael J. Ruth, Michael J. Cunningham, Joan M. Wills, Jer-Sheng J. Chen, Samuel C. Geckler
  • Patent number: 7707827
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying apparatus for a diesel engine has a filter provided in an exhaust pipe of the engine for trapping diesel particulates contained in exhaust gas. The filter is re-generated when an accumulated amount of the diesel particulates exceeds a predetermined value. An electronic control unit estimates the accumulated amount of the diesel particulates from a pressure loss at the filter, based on an accumulation characteristic in which the pressure loss is related to the accumulated amount of the diesel particulates, and corrects the accumulation characteristic depending on flow velocity of the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Nosaka, Kazuharu Tochikawa, Shigeto Yahata
  • Patent number: 7707828
    Abstract: A system for manipulating engine exhaust gases away from inhabited areas comprises an air pressurization system coupled in fluid communication to a housing. The housing is adapted to reside adjacent a terminal portion of an exhaust pipe so that pressurized air injected into the housing entrains the exhaust gases and disperses them from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Leseman Davis, LLC
    Inventors: Gary Thelen Leseman, Joseph Byron Davis
  • Patent number: 7707829
    Abstract: A flushing system for a transmission is disclosed. The system has a first pump and a first actuator connected to the first pump to form a first loop. The system also has a second pump and a second actuator connected to the second pump to form a second loop. The system further has a charge pump configured to replenish the first and second loops. The system also has a single charge relief valve situated to receive fluid from the first pump, the second pump, and the charge pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Caterpillar S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Paul Anthony Dvorak, Matthew Chad Full, Paul Alan Rousseau
  • Patent number: 7707830
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 7707831
    Abstract: A method for controlling boost pressure in an internal combustion engine is provided. The method includes a boost pressure control device, which is used to control the boost pressure in an internal combustion engine. The boost pressure control device includes a bypass unit, preferably in the exhaust gas flow of the internal combustion engine. The bypass unit includes an actuating device which enables the bypass unit when a predetermined actuating device setpoint value is reached. An adapted value is established as the correction value (pwgad) as a function of preset and/or detected internal combustion engine parameters (rlsol, nmot). The adapted value is used to adapt the setpoint value for the actuating device, which is specified as a function of the operating point, for a predetermined control deviation between a boost pressure actual value and a boost pressure setpoint value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Audi, AG
    Inventors: Jorg Ballauf, Siegmar Lampe, Daniel Beese, Holger Braun
  • Patent number: 7707832
    Abstract: A device for injecting a mixture of air and fuel into a combustion chamber of a turbomachine is disclosed. The injection device has symmetry of revolution about an axis and includes radial swirl inducers of outside diameter D2, a bowl spaced axially from the radial swirl inducers, and a support ring for supporting the injection device, which is arranged around the bowl. The bowl has a cylindrical wall extended by a flared wall, the flared wall being provided with air intake holes. The support ring includes a first cylindrical portion of outside diameter D3, connected to a second cylindrical portion of outside diameter D4 spaced axially from the first cylindrical portion, the first cylindrical portion being connected to the cylindrical wall of the bowl by a plurality of support tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Patrice Andre Commaret, Denis Jean Maurice Sandelis, Denis Gabriel Trahot
  • Patent number: 7707833
    Abstract: A secondary nozzle is provided for a gas turbine. The secondary nozzle includes a flange and an elongated nozzle body extending from the flange. At least one premix fuel injector is spaced radially from the nozzle body and extends from the flange generally parallel to the nozzle body. At least one second nozzle tube is fluidly connected to the fuel source and spaced radially outward from the first nozzle tube with a proximal end fixed to the flange. The second nozzle tube has a distal end, spaced from the proximal end, with at least one aperture therein. A passageway extends between the proximal end and the distal end of the second nozzle tube, with the passageway fluidly connecting to the fuel source and the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Gas Turbine Efficiency Sweden AB
    Inventors: Robert Bland, John Battaglioli
  • Patent number: 7707834
    Abstract: A diffuser for a single-head annular combustion chamber of an airplane engine, the diffuser comprising a separator formed by a thin sheet connected by structural arms to inner and outer circularly-symmetrical walls of the diffuser, the diffuser angle for each diffusion stream defined by the separator lying in the range about 12° to about 13°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Alain Cayre, Luc Henri Claude Daguenet, Claude Gautier, Christophe Pieussergues, Stephane Henri Guy Touchaud
  • Patent number: 7707835
    Abstract: A combustor has a flow sleeve and a flow liner defining a generally axial flow direction of compressor discharge air toward combustor burners. A casing is secured to the forward end of the flow sleeve defining an annular plenum along the interior of the flow sleeve. Openings through the flow sleeve supply compressor discharge air into the plenum where the air changes direction for flow through apertures into and generally coaxially with the free air stream. The axial injection minimizes or eliminates energy losses due to cross flow injection within the axial air stream while continuing to cool the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Joseph Lipinski, Thomas Edward Johnson, Robert Paul Ziegler, Mark Stewart Schroder
  • Patent number: 7707836
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine is provided having a nozzle assembly located at one end and a combustion chamber defining a second end of the combustor. A venturi is positioned within the combustor, between the nozzle and the combustion chamber. The venturi defines an internal passageway therein having a first side facing the nozzle and a second side facing the combustion chamber. Compressed air is directed into an inlet in fluid communication with the first and second sides of the internal passageway. The internal passageway directs the compressed air from the inlet in opposite directions within the first and second sides of the internal passageway for cooling the venturi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Gas Turbine Efficiency Sweden AB
    Inventors: John Barnes, Adam Bailey, John Battaglioli, Robert Bland
  • Patent number: 7707837
    Abstract: A steam reforming system with high thermal efficiency, which can compensate for a reduction in the amount of steam generated in a reformer without increasing the reformer size and without limiting the degree of freedom in layout of the reformer and a gas turbine. A gas turbine and a heat recovery exchanger are additionally installed such that the gas turbine generates electric power, and flue gases of the gas turbine are employed to preheat feedstocks supplied to the reformer and to generate steam used for the pre-reforming stage. The heat recovery exchanger is disposed in a downstream channel for the flue gases (at 500-600° C.) of the gas turbine to perform heat exchange between the high-temperature flue gases of the gas turbine and the feedstocks supplied to the reformer, thereby increasing the temperature of the feedstocks to a level suitable for vaporization and desulfurization, and to a level suitable for the pre-reforming stage in a pre-reformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taiji Inui, Tsunehisa Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7707838
    Abstract: An embodiment of the technology described herein is an auxiliary power unit assembly. The auxiliary power unit assembly includes an auxiliary power unit being installable in an aircraft having a cabin, a duct connecting the cabin and the auxiliary power unit, and an airflow management feature in the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Karl Edward Sheldon, Charles Erklin Seeley, Ludwig Christian Haber
  • Patent number: 7707839
    Abstract: This invention relates to a declogging device (9) and declogging method used to declog and clean the precipitation of metal dusts, compressor oil and the foreign matters in the refrigeration cycle (1) in a refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Gurol Altunan
  • Patent number: 7707840
    Abstract: A portable air conditioning unit (10) that is designed to produce cooled air without the need for a cooling refrigerant. The unit (10) includes an enclosure (12) that houses an air duct (40) having an air input port (42) attached to a fan (48) that is powered by a rechargeable battery pack (34), and an air exhaust vent (36) that protrudes through an air exhaust opening located on a first panel (24) located on the enclosure (12). The air exhaust vent (36) passes the cooled air through a flexible air passage hose (90) having an air output connector (96) that is attached to a structure air input port (102) located on a cooled-air receiving structure (100). The structure (100) can consist of various structures which include a bed sheet (140), a sleeping bag (148), a tent (178), a field suit (204) or a flexible non-porous drape (230) that is dimensioned to be draped over the back of an animal (304) such as a horse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Mark A. Flores
  • Patent number: 7707841
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling a workpiece, tool or the like by subjecting the workpiece, tool or the like to a coolant that has been heated to have a temperature near the temperature at which the coolant changes phase from liquid to gas. Thus, the coolant can quickly draw a substantial amount of heat from the workpiece, tool or the like in order to effect a phase change from liquid to gas. Typically, the coolant is preheated to within a predefined range of the phase change temperature, such as within 5° C. or even 1° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Garth Elzy Turner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7707842
    Abstract: A heat pump, and in particular a heat pump for heating a hot water supply is provided with an improved defrost mode. The defrost mode is actuated to remove frost from an outdoor evaporator that may accumulate during cold weather operation. An algorithm for operation of the defrost mode is developed experimentally by seeking to maximize the heat transfer provided by the refrigerant. A heating system condition is experimentally related to the heat transfer capacity. One then maximizes the average heat transfer capacity to determine the optimum initiation point for the defrost mode. Further, protections are included into the defrost mode. When the heat pump is utilized to heat hot water, methods are provided to prevent the water that remains in the heat exchanger from becoming unduly heated. In one method, the water pump may be periodically operated to move the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Julio Concha, Yu Chen, Young Kyu Park, Tobias H. Sienel
  • Patent number: 7707844
    Abstract: A thermostatic expansion valve is provided comprising an inlet, an outlet, first and second flow paths through the valve, a first valve element in the first flow path between the inlet and outlet, and a movable diaphragm having a first side acted on by a first fluid pressure and a second side acted on by at least a second fluid pressure. The diaphragm is movable to permit increased flow through the first flow path when the force against the first side is greater than that against the second side, and is movable to restrict flow through the first flow path when the force against the first side is less than that against the second side. The diaphragm moves in an upward direction to cause the first valve element to close the first flow path, and may continue to move in the upward direction to cause a second flow path to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: David B. Nestler, Mike Noble
  • Patent number: 7707845
    Abstract: A climate control system (10) for a cab/berth of a vehicle, comprises a climate control circuit (12) in which a first refrigerant circulates between at least an energy accumulator (20) in which an accumulator refrigerant is in heat exchange with the first refrigerant, a radiator (22) in the cab/berth to adjust a temperature of the cab/berth, and a heat-exchange unit (23). A refrigeration circuit (14) is provided for submitting a second refrigerant to a refrigeration cycle. An evaporation stage (43) is in heat-exchange relation with the heat-exchange unit (23) of the climate control circuit (12) such that the second refrigerant absorbs heat from the first refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Groupe Énerstat Inc.
    Inventor: Stéphane Bilodeau
  • Patent number: 7707846
    Abstract: A refrigerator having a refrigeration unit comprising a cabinet and a door. The cabinet contains a plurality of items to be cooled or frozen. The refrigerator also includes an audio playback device having a memory and a speaker. The audio playback device is adapted to store a recorded audio soundtrack on the memory and play the recorded audio soundtrack through an audio speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: True Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Trulaske, Sr., Steven L. Trulaske, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7707847
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a housing having at least one refrigerator compartment, a door for accessing the at least one refrigerator compartment, and an ice-dispensing assembly. The ice-dispensing assembly includes an insulated housing arranged within the at least one refrigerator compartment, an ice-making device arranged within the insulated housing and configured to produce ice, an ice-storage container arranged within the insulated housing, and a dispenser arranged within the door and communicating with the ice-storage container, wherein the dispenser is configured to transfer ice from the ice-storage container to an external portion of the refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew William Davis, Alexander Pinkus Rafalovich, Mark Wayne Wilson, Gautam Subbarao, Anil Kumar Tummala, Thiruvalan Venkatesan, Anand Ganesh Joshi, Hemachandran Umakanthan, Sanjay Manohar Anikhindi
  • Patent number: 7707848
    Abstract: A system for rapidly cooling a liquid in a container within a refrigerator-freezer or freezer is provided. The housing has a space for receiving a container, and a rotator rotates the container about an axis. While the container is rotating, a sprayer sprays chilled cooling medium on the container in the housing. A reservoir stores the cooling medium when the system is not being used and maintains the cooling medium at a given temperature. At least one chilling surface is preferably provided over which the cooling medium flows and where ice may be stored. A recirculator such as a pump recirculates the cooling medium throughout the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
    Inventors: Gregory H. Loibl, George Sidebotham
  • Patent number: 7707849
    Abstract: A first evaporator connected to an outlet side of an ejector, a second evaporator connected to a refrigerant suction port of the ejector, a throttle mechanism arranged on an inlet side of a refrigerant flow of the second evaporator and for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant flow are provided. Furthermore, the ejector, the first evaporator, the second evaporator and the throttle mechanism are assembled integrally with each other to construct an integrated unit having one refrigerant inlet and one refrigerant outlet. Hence, mounting performance of an ejector type refrigeration cycle can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Naohisa Ishizaka, Hirotsugu Takeuchi, Yoshiaki Takano, Mika Gocho, Hiroshi Oshitani, Haruyuki Nishijima, Makoto Ikegami, Naoki Yokoyama, Etsuhisa Yamada
  • Patent number: 7707850
    Abstract: A liquid refrigerant drainage mechanism is described for use in a flooded evaporator to mitigate liquid carryover. The drainage mechanism can trap liquid refrigerant droplets, create a liquid column to overcome a pressure difference across the mechanism and drain liquid back to the pool in the evaporator. The drainage mechanism is disposed in a suction baffle, and has a mesh pad and a tapered pipe secured to the bottom of the baffle. The pipe has a drainage aperture at one end to allow the accumulated liquid refrigerant to return to the refrigerant pool below. The mesh pad helps to separate liquid droplets that coalesce and fall into the tapered pipe. By using this liquid drainage mechanism in conjunction with a suction baffle, liquid carryover can be reduced and chiller performance improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jun Wang, Mahesh Valiya Naduvath, John F. Judge
  • Patent number: 7707851
    Abstract: An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes two or more heat exchangers, a refrigerant pipe, a compressor, an accumulator, and an overcooler. The heat exchangers perform heat exchanging between air or water and refrigerant. The refrigerant pipe guides refrigerant circulating between the two or more heat exchangers. The compressor compresses refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant pipe to a high temperature and pressure. The accumulator is provided on one side of the compressor, to separate an inflowing refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant. The overcooler is provided on one side of the heat exchangers, to further cool refrigerant passing through the heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: In Woong Park, Ja Hyung Koo, Seung Cheol Baek, Soo Yeon Shin, Dong Hyuk Lee
  • Patent number: 7707852
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a process for recovering lower carbon olefins from MTO or DTO product gas. Said process primarily comprises the product gas compressing, pre-deethanizing, demethanizing and ethylene recovering apparatus, depropanizing column, ethylene rectification column, propylene rectification column and the like. In addition, the process of the present invention needs no independent ethylene cooling system, and the ethylene recovery rate may achieve 99.5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignees: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Sinopec Engineering Incorporation
    Inventors: Zhenwei Wang, Zaihang Sheng, Xueliang Zhao
  • Patent number: 7707853
    Abstract: In the process for partially shaping, a glass/glass ceramic article (5) is held on a planar support plate (1) by suction. The glass/glass ceramic article is heated to soften it, so that it has a viscosity below 106 dPa·s. After the softening one or more shaping dies (4) is or are moved upward through an opening or respective openings (3) in the support plate to form raised regions in the softened glass/glass ceramic article (5). The suction force is produced by a low pressure in a hollow compartment (2) below the support plate (1) and acts on the glass/glass ceramic article (5) by means of a gap (G) formed between each shaping die (4) and the support plate. Additional openings can be provided in the support plate and/or in one or more of the shaping dies to assist in applying the suction force to the glass/glass ceramic article. After solidification of the softened glass/glass-ceramic article the shaping die or dies (4) is or are withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Friedrich-Georg Schroeder, Roland Hochhaus, Bernd Weitzel, Bernd Hoppe, Hermann Lemm, Gerhard Hahn, Hans-Walter Abraham
  • Patent number: 7707854
    Abstract: A method of making an article having channels therethrough includes the steps of: providing a ductile structure defining at least one macro-channel, the macro-channel containing a salt; drawing the ductile structure in the axial direction of the at least one macro-channel to reduce diameter of the macro-channel; and contacting the salt with a solvent to dissolve the salt to produce an article having at least one microchannel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventor: Brian R. D'Urso
  • Patent number: 7707855
    Abstract: A known method for producing synthetic quartz glass with a predetermined hydroxyl group content comprises the following steps: a porous SiO2 soot body is produced by flame hydrolysis or oxidation of a silicon-containing start compound and by layerwise deposition of SiO2 particles on a rotating support; the soot body is subjected to a dehydration treatment in a reaction gas-containing drying atmosphere at a drying temperature for removing hydroxyl groups; and the SiO2 soot body is vitrified into a body consisting of the synthetic quartz glass. Starting from this, and in order to permit a reproducible and reliable manufacture of synthetic, UV-radiation resistant quartz glass with predetermined hydroxyl group content and low chlorine content, it is suggested according to the invention that the dehydration treatment according to method step (b) comprises a drying phase during which ozone is used as the reaction gas, whereby the ozone content of the drying atmosphere is between 0.5% by vol. and 10% by vol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stephan Ochs, Bodo Kuehn
  • Patent number: 7707856
    Abstract: A take-off element (10) for the gentle treatment of thread and for simple handling comprises two parts (11, 12), wherein at least one of said parts is arranged so as to be adjustable in longitudinal direction relative to the other. Whereas one of the parts 11 has a longitudinal slit for receiving a thread, the other part is provided with a head (34) extending on one side away from the shaft (35), the head being movable from the outside to the thread-receiving opening (26) in order to close the opening and away therefrom in order to clear the opening. The head (34) has an oblique surface (37) which is disposed to close the thread-receiving opening (26). The new take-off element (10) does not have a hook and thus does not exhibit any problem regarding process reliability. Its part (12) has a robust slider head, thus avoiding potential deformations on the head. Considering process reliability, the take-off element (10) permits a perfect insertion and removal of the comb thread (25) of a knit fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventor: Zhiyong Wang
  • Patent number: 7707857
    Abstract: A double face, weft-knit textile garment. The garment includes: a first face having a printed portion; and a second face having a printed portion, wherein the fabric density of the fabric forming the garment is greater than about 5 oz. per square yard, thereby substantially preventing grin through from at least one printed portion to the opposite face. In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of openings are formed in both faces for breathability. In addition, the garment may further include at least one body anchor for facilitating attachment of the garment to the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: McMurray Fabrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian L. McMurray, Robert Thomas Spillane, Harold F. Kegley
  • Patent number: 7707858
    Abstract: A washing machine is provided. The washing machine includes a detergent box, a housing, and a filter. The detergent box is installed on one side of a main machine and connected to a flowing path of an exhaust duct through which air is exhausted. The housing is detachably installed in the detergent box. The filter is installed in the housing to collect lint while the exhaust air passes through the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Si Moon Jeon, Young Hwan Park
  • Patent number: 7707859
    Abstract: A fabric treatment appliance comprises at least one of a tub and drum defining a fabric treatment chamber, a steam generator having a steam generation chamber and configured to supply steam to the fabric treatment chamber, and a conduit fluidly coupling a water supply to the steam generation chamber. The fabric treatment appliance can also include a flow controller and/or a flow meter fluidly coupled to the conduit to facilitate controlling the supply of water to the steam generation chamber. The disclosure provides methods of water supply control that can employ the flow controller and/or the flow meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nyik Siong Wong, Raveendran Vaidhyanathan, Dengming Peng