With Fixed Guide For Ambulant Air Draft Applying Means Patents (Class 15/312.1)
  • Patent number: 12116725
    Abstract: A cleaning head is disclosed for use in a traversing shower system. The cleaning head includes a plurality of directional fluid nozzles for discharging a fluid, each of which is provided along a different direction toward a work surface such that no two directions cross one another between the cleaning head and a working surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Kadant Nordic AB
    Inventors: Jan Fransson, Werner Raschka
  • Patent number: 11874598
    Abstract: The present application relates to a method for disposing of excess material of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) enlarging a surface of the excess material; (b) displacing the enlarged excess material on the photolithographic mask using at least one first probe of a scanning probe microscope; and (c) removing the displaced enlarged excess material from the photolithographic mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Budach, Christof Baur, Klaus Edinger, Tristan Bret
  • Patent number: 11660787
    Abstract: An automatic mold cleaning device includes an automatic cleaning system, a mold clamping system and a waste recovery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: CITIC DICASTAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinling Yang, Hongshen Zhang, Yukun Yang
  • Patent number: 11596985
    Abstract: A facility for treating or processing or transporting products, using materials made Of wood composite, paperboard or plastic, the facility includes at least: a machine and at least one sensor assigned to the machine which has a detection surface oriented essentially in a vertical direction V, and is subject to a contamination of the detection surface during the treatment or processing process. The at least one sensor is assigned its own blow-off device operating with compressed air which includes at least of: a compressed air generator, an overpressure container, a blow-off nozzle and an electrically controllable switching valve. The compressed air generator is connected to the overpressure container via a first line and the overpressure container is connected to the blow-off nozzle via a second line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: MINDA Industrieanlagen GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Albers
  • Patent number: 11429020
    Abstract: The present application relates to a method for removing a particle from a photolithographic mask, including the following steps: (a) positioning a manipulator, which is movable relative to the mask, in the vicinity of the particle to be removed; (b) connecting the manipulator to the particle by depositing a connecting material on the manipulator and/or the particle from the vapor phase; (c) removing the particle by moving the manipulator relative to the photolithographic mask; and (d) separating the removed particle from the manipulator by carrying out a particle-beam-induced etching process which removes at least a portion of the manipulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Christof Baur, Hans Hermann Pieper
  • Patent number: 10856709
    Abstract: A cleaning system includes a robotic cleaner and an evacuation station. The robotic cleaner can dock with the evacuation station to have debris evacuated by the evacuation station. The robotic cleaner includes a bin to store debris, and the bin includes a port door through which the debris can be evacuated into the evacuation station. The evacuation station includes a vacuum motor to evacuate the bin of the robotic cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Tucker Kuhe, Jennifer Smith, Sam Duffley
  • Patent number: 10602907
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and a sprayer for spraying liquid to the treating chamber. The sprayer may include a liquid passage and at least one outlet extending from an interior to an exterior of the sprayer and in fluid communication with the liquid passage. A membrane may have at least one opening and may be in fluid communication with the liquid passage to control the flow of liquid through the at least one outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Mark S. Feddema
  • Patent number: 10156478
    Abstract: A temperature monitor system for semiconductor substrates in a front opening unified pod (FOUP) includes a temperature detector and a programmable controller. The temperature detector is in the FOUP and configured to obtain temperature data of semiconductor substrates. The programmable controller is coupled to the temperature detector and configured to control operation of the temperature detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Chang Liu, Tzy-Kuang Lee
  • Patent number: 9956593
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to mechanical support rail cleaners for cleaning support rails of workpiece supports in machine tools, such as in machine tools for thermally cutting workpieces. The cleaners include one or more cleaning member carriers, which carry at least one cleaning member, and a parallel drive, by means of which the cleaning member and the support rail can be moved relative to each other in parallel with a lateral longitudinal face of the support rails and transversely relative to a longitudinal axis of the support rail to remove deposits from the support rail by means of the cleaning member. The support rail cleaner further includes a transverse drive configured to periodically move the one or more cleaning member carriers and the support rail towards and away from each other transversely relative to the lateral longitudinal face of the support rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: TRUMPF Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Andreas Janutin, Peter Dubler, Claus Boehringer, Andreas Neuweiler
  • Patent number: 9745735
    Abstract: An intake nozzle fits onto the suction hose of a vacuum pumper truck. The nozzle comprises a tubular housing and the rotor within the housing near the intake end. The rotor includes a hollow cylindrical canister and spiral vanes on its exterior. Ambient air enters an air tube, penetrates the side of the housing and supplies ambient air to the interior of the canister. The air exits through outlet ports into the liquid waste as it moves past under vacuum. The injected air reduces the density of the liquid waste, speeding up the pumping process and reducing the incidence of blockages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventors: David Stevenson, Christopher Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9291368
    Abstract: [Problem] To present a solar heat collecting device capable of enhancing the heat collecting efficiency by effectively utilizing the sunlight entering an area near the end part of the reflector at the opposite side of the direction of location of the sun. [Solving Means] In the solar heat collecting device for collecting the reflected light of sunlight Sb1, Sb2 entering a trough type reflector 1 having a parabolic section to a heat collecting pipe 2 erected at a position of focus of the reflector 1, and transmitting energy to a heat medium passing inside of the heat collecting pipe 2, the solar heat collecting device is installed so that central axis L1 of the reflector 1 may be directed along the north-south axis, and a plane reflector 3 is disposed orthogonally to central axis L1, at the end part of the reflector 1 at the opposite side of the direction of location of the sun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Plant Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichirou Kawane, Jun Yoshida, Munenori Kawamura, Hironobu Ueda
  • Patent number: 9091093
    Abstract: A self-propelled robotic cleaning apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface of a pool or tank includes a housing defining an interior chamber containing a filter assembly for filtering water flowing through at least one water inlet formed in the base plate. A filter backwash assembly is positioned within the interior chamber and has at least one fluid discharge outlet for providing a pressurized flow of a fluid towards the exterior surface of the filter assembly as a backwash to rinse and dislodge the debris therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Aqua Products, Inc.
    Inventor: William Londono Correa
  • Publication number: 20150068554
    Abstract: Embodiments of mechanisms for cleaning load ports of semiconductor process tools are provided. The automatic system includes a vacuum cleaner, a rail, and a transport mechanism. The transport mechanism is moveably disposed on the rail and transfers the vacuum cleaner along the rail. The automatic system also includes a system controller. The system controller is connected to the semiconductor process tools and the transport mechanism to detect which load port is unoccupied, such that the system controller controls the transport mechanism to transfer the vacuum cleaner to the unoccupied load port to perform a cleaning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ching-Fa CHEN, Hung-Wen CHEN, Mei-Wei WU
  • Patent number: 8819892
    Abstract: An automatic cleaning system comprises a control panel communicatively coupled to a sprinkler device and a cleaning apparatus. The sprinkler device emits a heat and deodorizer for intense drying and sterilization. The cleaning apparatus removes the cleaning solution, sweeps mops, vacuums, shampoos and waxes floors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventor: Marella Bettina Mangum
  • Patent number: 8689393
    Abstract: A device for cleaning a collector of a solar thermal electric power generation system is provided which does not need to secure any water source or the like and which improves the flexibility of selection of a place for installing the solar thermal electric power generation system. The cleaning device includes an air supply device and an air nozzle configured to blow air supplied from the air supply device, which are mounted on a self-propelled truck. The cleaning device is capable of blowing air blown from the air nozzle against a sunlight reflecting surface of a collector to clean up the sunlight reflecting surface. The air nozzle is configured to be capable of moving up and down. The cleaning device further includes a soiling degree measuring device for measuring soiling degrees of the sunlight reflecting surface before and after air blowing by the air nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Ota
  • Patent number: 8545637
    Abstract: A cleaning device (1) performs a cleaning of an article by blowing a cleaning medium (5) by an air stream onto the article (4). The cleaning device (1) includes a cleaning tank (6) that forms a space for the cleaning medium (5) to be blown, which includes an opening; a holding unit (3) that holds the article (4) at the opening; a pool member (19) that is arranged on an outer edge of the opening with a clearance between the pool member (19) and the article (4); and a cleaning-medium collecting unit (8) that brings the cleaning medium (5) leaked out of the outer edge and accumulated in the clearance back into the cleaning tank (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Fuchigami, Tatsuya Satoh, Yoichi Okamoto, Yuusuke Taneda
  • Patent number: 8528231
    Abstract: A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a support body arranged in the main body so as to form a frame of the main body, a flexible drum rotatably installed on the support body so as to have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated, and rotation guides arranged between the support body and the flexible drum so as to guide rotation of the flexible drum. A distance from a center of rotation of an inscribed circle contacting the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum to one random point on the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum is greater than a distance from the center of rotation of the inscribed circle to another point on the inscribed circle such that the drum maintains a non-circular cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungmin Kim, Jongseok Kim, Daeyun Park, Sogkie Hong
  • Patent number: 8419862
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for at least partially removing a contamination layer (15) from an optical surface (14a) of an EUV-reflective optical element (14) by bringing a cleaning gas into contact with the contamination layer. In the method, a jet (20) of cleaning gas is directed to the contamination layer (15) for removing material from the contamination layer (15). The contamination layer (15) is monitored for generating a signal indicative of the thickness of the contamination layer (15) and the jet (20) of cleaning gas is controlled by moving the jet (20) of cleaning gas relative to the optical surface (14a) using this signal as a feedback signal. A cleaning arrangement (19 to 24) for carrying out the method is also disclosed. The invention also relates to a method for generating a jet (20) of cleaning gas and to a corresponding cleaning gas generation arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Heinrich Ehm, Arnold Storm, Johannes Hubertus Josephina Moors, Bastiaan Theodoor Wolschrijn, Thomas Stein, Edwin te Sligte
  • Patent number: 8375505
    Abstract: The present invention wipes a writing board through areas. A teacher can wipe an area of a blackboard while writing on another area. Thus, a writing board can be flexibly used with convenience obtained and time saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: National Central University
    Inventors: Shu-San Hsiau, Chi-Hsin Ho, Peng-Shin Lee, Po-Ting Pan, Chao-Hung Zeng, Yi-Fu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7895704
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for cleaning a rubbing-cloth. The apparatus includes a rubbing-cloth fixing unit, a pile removing head, and a transferring unit. The rubbing-cloth fixing unit is fixed to a base body and fixes a rubbing-cloth that is substantially unfolded. The pile removing head is disposed on the rubbing-cloth fixing unit and sucks and removes the piles attached onto the rubbing-cloth. The transferring unit is fixed to the base body and transfers the pile removing head along an upper surface of the rubbing-cloth with respect to the rubbing-cloth fixing unit. Accordingly, particles that are generated when a rubbing-cloth is cut out from a fabric are quickly removed from the rubbing-cloth, so that scratches may be prevented from being generated on an alignment film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byoung Chul Choi, Chang Soo Na
  • Patent number: 7624471
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mat vacuum cleaning machine in which a vacuum suction device is installed in a rear region of the machine and is adapted to vacuum suction and remove moisture, impurities, and bacteria in a washed mat so as to effect a rapid drying of the mat, and an electric heating device is installed near the vacuum suction device to heat the mat, which was inevitably deformed and wrinkled in the previous washing and drying processes, to a predetermined temperature from 30° C. to 60° C. so as to evenly smoothen the mat, resulting in an improvement in cleanness of the automotive passenger compartment using the mat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Inventor: Sang-Choi Bae
  • Patent number: 7624470
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a heat exchange coil includes a gas-dispensing member having a cavity for carrying a gas and at least one orifice in communication with the cavity. An actuating device which couples to the gas dispensing member and moves the gas dispensing member relative to a coil such that the gas dispensed from the gas dispensing member through the at least one orifice removes dust and debris from the coil. A timer initiates operation of the gas-dispensing member and the actuating device at given time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Inventor: Keith A. Heyman
  • Patent number: 7591041
    Abstract: A pneumatic cleaning module for a magnetic ruler of a position measurement system is combined with a displacement transducer of the position measurement system by a screw so that when the displacement transducer moves along the magnetic ruler, the pneumatic cleaning module implements a high-pressure air to remove swarf, dirt and impurities from a surface of the magnetic ruler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Hiwin Mikrosystem Corp.
    Inventor: Don-Hua Cheng
  • Publication number: 20080295690
    Abstract: A cone (36) and a ring (38) are accessories separately used during respective phases of cleaning a diesel particulate filter (10, 10?) in a cleaning machine that uses compressed air pulses to clean the substrate (12) where particulate matter in engine exhaust has been trapped. In one phase the ring covers the outer perimeter margin of one end face of the substrate, and in the other phase the cone covers a central inner zone of the end face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Mark S. Ehlers
  • Publication number: 20080190461
    Abstract: An overhead rail system cleaning device 20 has a body 21 with rollers 23 mounted thereon for suspension of and movement along the rail 11, cleaning brushes 41 mounted on the body 21 for cleaning the rail 11, and preferably suction device 61 also mounted on the body 21 and having at least one air intake port 62 adjacent the cleaning brushes 41 for collection of dirt and dust particles removed from the rail. The cleaning device 21 can moved in use along the rail 11 by a drive wheel 51 mounted on the body 21 and resiliently biased against the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventor: James Christopher Thorpe
  • Patent number: 7386911
    Abstract: An apparatus for dislodging and removing contaminants from a surface of a machine tool. The apparatus includes an arbor, a vacuum source, a tube, and a cleaning member disposed proximate a distal end of the tube. The cleaning member contacts a surface of the machine tool to dislodge contaminants. The contaminants are drawn through the tube by the vacuum source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Alexander Stoll
  • Patent number: 7309366
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cleaning filter cake from the interior of a baghouse bag. A nozzle through which compressed gas flows is positioned on the interior of a bag such that gas is directed to, and thereby disrupts, the filter cake. The compressed gas flows in the same direction as a gas that is being filtered by the baghouse, thereby avoiding the effects of reverse-flow cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Inventor: Robert M. Jensen
  • Patent number: 7284296
    Abstract: A valve plate (54) is slidably moved on a frame (52) by an actuator (62) between open and closed positions to control the supply of air sucked into the inlet (44) of a blower system (40) that supplies pressurized air through an outlet (46) to a plenum (12) for distribution to said nozzle (16, 18). By disposing the valve plate (54) at the inlet, the blower motor (49) may run continuously without a load as the impeller is not pumping air when there is no demand to blow the water from a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Proto-Vest, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Patrick McElroy
  • Patent number: 7150112
    Abstract: An actuator (42) moves a nozzle (16) between vertical operating positions to accommodate the changing longitudinal configuration of a vehicle (18) and a rotary drive (46) rotates the nozzle (16) about a nozzle axis to efficiently direct air against the contour of the vehicle (18). A first sensor (50) is disposed upstream of the nozzle (16) for detecting the presence of a vehicle from above and for generating a blower start signal (50) and for generating an actuator signal to energize the actuator (42) and move the nozzle system (14) vertically between the operating positions. A second sensor (52) is disposed between the first sensor (50) and the nozzle (16) for detecting the contour of a vehicle from above. A third sensor (56) is disposed downstream of the second sensor for sensing the rear of a vehicle from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Proto-Vest, Inc.
    Inventor: Natalya Faytlin
  • Patent number: 7017226
    Abstract: In a dust removal apparatus, a front air nozzle unit emits air jets onto a region of a workpiece surface near a rotary brush along a linear front end edge of a hood covering an upper half portion of the rotary brush. Rear air nozzle unit emits air jets onto another region of the workpiece surface near the rotary brush along a linear rear end edge of the hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Ikeda, Hideaki Tsukahara, Shinji Miyajima, Seiichi Honda, Eiji Inomata
  • Patent number: 6922867
    Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for purging unwanted gasses from the Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP). It consists of a purging wand which is inserted into the chamber for an optimal purge. The purging wand moves back and forth along a simple axis activated by a linkage robot. The wand is carried along a track with the FOUP and when its reaches its optimal position inside the FOUP, the source of cleaning gas is allowed to flow into and spray out of the wand thereby purging the FOUP. After the purging is completed, the linkage robot withdraws the wand from within the FOUP to its original position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Fangli Hao
  • Patent number: 6883527
    Abstract: The compressor cleaning system includes a track mounted about the inlet of the compressor. A circumferential position assembly mounts an insertion drive assembly which is driven about the track into selected circumferential positions. The insertion drive assembly carries a manipulator arm assembly mounting at its distal end a cleaning head. By using pairs of control cables, the proximal yaw, pitch and distal yaw sections of the manipulator arm can be moved to weave the cleaning head past the multiple stages of blading to locate the cleaning head adjacent a selected blade. By repeated extension and retraction of the cleaning head relative to the compressor inlet and about the compressor blades, each blade can be cleaned without disassembly of the compressor casing or removal of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Joseph Travaly, William Francis Lopes, Kathleen Lynne Bentzel
  • Patent number: 6874196
    Abstract: A reed cleaning apparatus is provided with rotary brushes (16) supported on a carriage (3) that travels along the upper bar (2) of a reed for rotation about an axis parallel to guide groove (17) formed in the reed. Flexible shafts (15) are used to transmit rotative force to the rotary brushes (16) to form the reed cleaning apparatus in compact construction, to dispose the rotary brushes close to the reed, to form the rotary brushes in a small diameter, and to enable cleaning the reed with warp yarns extended through the reed by depressing the warp yarns. The rotary brushes are disposed at the opposite longitudinal ends, respectively, of the carriage (3) to enable the reed cleaning apparatus to clean the entire length of the reed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignees: Takayama Reed Co., Ltd., Tagawa Kikai Ltd.
    Inventors: Takatsugu Kato, Hiroyasu Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6843833
    Abstract: A front opening unified pod for preventing the contamination of wafers due to outgassing. The front opening unified pod includes a front opening unified pod body and a cleaning apparatus. The front opening unified pod has an opening section and a base plate within the opening section and the base plate facing each other. The cleaning apparatus has at least an air-blasting element installed inside the front opening of the unified pod body. An air supplying system connected to the air-blasting element provides a stream of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Jung-Yuan Wu, Kuo-Hwa Huang
  • Patent number: 6630032
    Abstract: Apparatus for dislodging an accretion of a substance from the vicinity of a vessel, includes apparatus for generating gas-borne shock waves in the vicinity of a vessel, thereby to expose a substance accrued on a surface thereof to separation forces causing at least partial separation of the substance from the surface, so as to facilitate removal of the at least partially separated substance therefrom; and support apparatus for supporting the apparatus for generating shock waves in a selected association relative to the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: ProWell Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Gennady Carmi, Yuri Ass
  • Patent number: 6523221
    Abstract: A mobile air cleaner for removing particulate materials from a chamber of a railcar or container is mounted on a motor truck operable to locate the air cleaner adjacent a railcar. The cleaner has an air hose connected to a motor driven fan for moving air through the hose and into the chamber of the railcar to move particulate material into a box located below the railcar. A lift device mounted on the truck has articulated booms and a work person carrier that can be located in the chamber of the railcar allowing the work person to move the hose adjacent the particulate material in the chamber and visually observe the cleaning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Inventors: William G. Dahlin, William S. Pladson
  • Patent number: 6449877
    Abstract: An airflow control system of the present invention is positionable between an air producer and a duct exit. The airflow restricter includes an outer airflow restricter ring that has a central diameter. A pivot rod is rotatably positioned along the central diameter. An aerodynamic rotatable airfoil is secured about the pivot rod. The present invention also includes an airflow transition between the air producer having a first-shaped air producer exit and the duct having a second-shaped duct entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Hanna Car Wash Systems International, LLC
    Inventors: Dennis R. Cote, Daniel C. Hanna, Jr., Wayne E. Carlson, Ira William Wills
  • Patent number: 6317919
    Abstract: A mobile vacuum cleaner for removing particulate materials from a chamber of a railcar or container is mounted on a motor truck operable to locate the vacuum cleaner adjacent a railcar. The cleaner has a material pick-up hose connected to a box and a motor driven fan for drawing air through the hose and box to pick up particulate materials from the chamber of the railcar and transport the particulate materials to the box. A lift device mounted on the truck has articulated booms and a work person carrier that can be located in the chamber of the railcar allowing the work person to move the hose adjacent the particulate material in the chamber and visually observe the cleaning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Inventors: William G. Dahlin, William S. Pladson
  • Patent number: 6282746
    Abstract: A blower assembly for an automatic car wash is provided. The blower assembly includes a housing, an impeller, a fan motor, an oscillation motor and an oscillation linkage assembly. The impeller is rotatively disposed in the housing. The housing includes an egress spout. The fan motor is rigidly connected to the housing. The linkage assembly mechanically relates the oscillation motor to the fan motor and housing and oscillates both. In the preferred embodiment, the motor and housing are rotatably supported on both axial sides of the motor and the motor shaft and motor housing drive substantially the same axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Auto Butler, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith M. Schleeter
  • Patent number: 6217669
    Abstract: In a printing device in which a printing material is printed on or applied to a to-be-printed surface of a circuit board through a screen mask for printing having openings formed therein in a predetermined pattern, it is intended to reliably remove cream solder remaining in the openings in the screen mask. After an air suction mechanism (19) has its flow rate controlled by a flow rate controller (20). An air suction section (15) is lifted until its front end contacts with the screen mask (5), the air suction mechanism (19) starts cleaning by sucking air from the openings (6) in the screen mask (5). An inspecting camera (2) is used to observe the cream solder (4) remaining in the openings (6) after cleaning, and the air suction flow rate is controlled according to the results thereof to effect cleaning again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eigo Sarashina, Ken Takahashi, Masuo Masui, Takao Naito