Houses, Kilns, And Containers Patents (Class 34/201)
  • Patent number: 7293369
    Abstract: An appliance is provided with a water dispenser. A fan or heater assembly, a hair dryer assembly, and a brush assembly are disclosed. Each of these assemblies includes a water dispenser incorporated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Patent Category Corp.
    Inventor: Yu Zheng
  • Publication number: 20070209225
    Abstract: A spherical vacuum desiccator consists of two substantially identical shells which are connected together at an engagement region. A receiving segment and connecting segment are positioned in a spaced-apart relationship within the engaging region of each hemispherical shell. In the assembled condition of the invention, each hemispherical shell is disposed in an inverted position with respect to the other shell and the connecting segment of the two hemispherical shells engage at the receiving segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Paul Thom, David Landsberger, Francis Gomes
  • Patent number: 7251905
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drawer structure for storing condensed water generated during the drying procedure. The drawer prevents the condensed water form being leaked out of the dryer though the condensed water is fully filled in the drawer and overflowed from the drawer. Thus, a user may not throw away the condensed water whenever the laundry is dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Young Jin Doh, Chang Wook Kim
  • Publication number: 20070175907
    Abstract: A housing for a household appliance includes a bottom part, a support frame including a supporting bar, and a sheet-metal panel forming a wall. The wall is attached to the support frame. A sound insulation element is provided between the supporting bar and an inner side of the sheet-metal panel. The sound insulation element includes an elastic material having substantially a form of an elastic bead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: Miele & Cie. KG
    Inventors: Joerg Kempe, Andreas Landeck, Georg Nagel
  • Patent number: 7243442
    Abstract: A method for drying a surface comprises supporting a fabric cover above the surface, and holding side edges of the fabric cover against the surface such that an air channel is formed between the fabric cover and the surface. The air channel has an inlet end and a discharge end, and a pressurized warm air stream having a relative humidity less than an ambient relative humidity is directed into the inlet end of the air channel such that the warm air stream moves through the air channel to the discharge end and out to the atmosphere. An apparatus for practicing the invention provides a plenum along the inlet end with plenum outlets to discharge the warm air stream, and cover supports extending out from the plenum to support the cover above the surface. A fabric tube plenum and cover supports provide versatility and portability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Bourgault Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Myerholtz, Claude Bourgault, Larry Dancey, Neil Eisner, Glenn Hantke
  • Patent number: 7228646
    Abstract: An article drying support apparatus includes a perimeter wall defining a housing and enclosing an interior space. The perimeter wall includes a backside having an elongated slit therein defining an opening extending into the interior space. The perimeter wall comprises an air permeable material. A coupler is attached to the perimeter wall and is configured to attach the perimeter wall to an inside surface of a dryer door. A wet item may be positioned within the interior space and held against the dryer door when a clothes dryer is being operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Inventor: Donna W. Purcell
  • Patent number: 7210245
    Abstract: Football warming and drying device with a housing, a propane powered heat source, the housing including a plurality of drawers for gaining football access, the housing also including a battery powered fan affixed to one wall, the fan wall including apertures to allow air flow from the fan into the housing, a wall opposite to the fan wall that includes an adjustable vent door to allow excess heat to escape from the housing, each drawer having a shelf, each shelf capable of being slid out of the housing, each shelf including a plurality of football holding rings that allow each football to be stored in a vertical position. The remainder of the shelf includes open spaces to allow easy passage of heat from one level to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: Victor Galli
  • Patent number: 7191546
    Abstract: A low temperature clothes dryer having a drying chamber provides removable horizontal screens supporting clothing items and a hanging bar for hanging clothes to be dried. A timing control allows setting the time of operation of the drying cabinet. An electric heater with thermostat is provided to initially raise and maintain the air temperature within the drying chamber to at least about 90 degrees F. The dehumidifier is then operated, providing for circulation through the ducts and drying cabinet by an internal fan. The dehumidifier has an evaporator through which warm, humid air is passed, thereby cooling the air and condensing water therefrom, the water being collected in a removable container or drained through a drain hose. The fan forces the cooled, dried air through a condenser which heats the dried air for recirculation through the drying chamber by means of ducts, thereby drying the clothing therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventor: Robert E. Maruca
  • Patent number: 7140121
    Abstract: A garment drying cabinet and a garment dryer utilizing the garment drying cabinet. The garment drying cabinet includes a housing through which at least one heater mounting opening and at least one exhaust hole are disposed. At least one heater mount is attached to the housing proximate to each mounting opening and is dimensioned to attach a heater to the housing such that the air directed from the heater is delivered into the interior of the housing. A cabinet door is movably attached to the housing. The garment dryer combines the drying cabinet with at least one heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Inventors: Anthony Casella, Lawrence Butz, Robert Cox, Theodore E Tinsler
  • Patent number: 7124517
    Abstract: One is a process to dry and to immunize guadua twigs based upon the recirculation of smoke within a furnace provided this one with a coil that provides vaporized water to conform a humid atmosphere in a temperature of between the 30 and 50° c. The furnace goes equally provided with air nozzles by pressure in the home and a recollection system of piro log (piroleñoso) acid of the drying, as well as parallel grills in the furnace to vertically align guadua twigs during the drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Maderas Y, Guaduas Ltda.
    Inventor: Alba Maria Mendoza Giraldo
  • Patent number: 7104788
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning and/or decontaminating polyester, in particular polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The apparatus has an at least partially heated rotary tubular furnace to be fed with a mixture of polyester and an alkaline material and is for carrying out a saponification reaction in the mixture. The invention is distinguished in that within the rotary tubular furnace a weir is disposed which at least partly closes the interior of the rotary tubular furnace, and an orifice is formed in the shell of the rotary tubular furnace adjacent the weir for separating undersize grain from the PET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Cleanaway Deutschland AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Achim Ebel, Carlos Dario Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 7076887
    Abstract: A body drying apparatus includes a housing for dissipating heated air outwardly therefrom and is situated within a plenum having at least one rear wall abutted against an interior surface of the plenum. The housing further has a front wall including a vent formed therein and a top wall provided with an opening in fluid communication with the vent. The vent is provided with a grill for channeling the heated air. The present invention further includes a power unit and a plurality of flexible conduits for directing ambient air into the power unit and for directing the heated air out from the power unit. The power unit is electrically coupled to an external power supply source. A mechanism is included for remotely operating the power unit such that a user may toggle the apparatus between on and off modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Inventor: Jesse C. Camberos
  • Patent number: 7069668
    Abstract: A transportable portable tank for storing, transporting and drying a hygroscopic material and a transportable portable tank assembly. The portable tank comprises an upper, a middle and a lower region. The upper region comprises a materials inlet, a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The middle region comprises a gas disperser. The lower region comprises a materials discharge outlet. The portable tank has a capability to effectively remove and/or exclude moisture and a capability to effectively break up agglomerates of caked hygroscopic material, such as iodine. The present invention further provides a process for drying a hygroscopic material such as iodine within a portable tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: George Murray Volker, Leo Michael Lech
  • Patent number: 7039301
    Abstract: After washing, the hands are dried rapidly and comfortably by using a shaped high speed flow of heated air. The air flows in a direction controlled by an air outlet shaped to retain much of the exiting forceful air flow and temperature at a distance where the hands are dried. The air entrainment is controlled so that the properties of the air flow are not diluted by the air entrainment to a point where the drying performance is degraded. The forceful air flow blows off most of the loose water on the hands. The forceful air flow also reduces the stagnation boundary layers in the hands so that the evaporation removal of the remaining film of water is improved. These result in reduced drying time and comfort during and after drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Excel Dryer, Inc.
    Inventors: Sol Aisenberg, George Freedman, A. Ze'ev Hed, Richard Pavelle
  • Patent number: 7033167
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning and/or decontaminating polyester, in particular polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The apparatus has an at least partially heated rotary tubular furnace to be fed with a mixture of polyester and an alkaline material and is for carrying out a saponification reaction in the mixture. The invention is distinguished in that within the rotary tubular furnace a weir is disposed which at least partly closes the interior of the rotary tubular furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Cleanaway Deutschland AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Achim Ebel, Carlos Dario Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 7024798
    Abstract: A low-pressure dryer dries a substrate applied a coating solution thereon at low pressure. The dryer includes an airtight chamber installing a substrate table to place the substrate thereon; a diffuser plate, provided as facing the substrate placed on the substrate table with a gap, for discharging gas existing in the gap toward outside, the diffuser plate having a size almost the same as or larger than the substrate; a substrate-temperature adjuster, installed in the substrate table, for adjusting a temperature of the substrate; and a decompression mechanism for decompressing the airtight chamber. The diffuser plate has a temperature adjuster for making temperature adjustments to have a temperature difference between a first region and a second region of the diffuser plate, the first region facing a center region of the substrate, the second region being outside the first region and including a region facing an outer region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tomohide Minami, Hiroshi Shinya, Takahiro Kitano
  • Patent number: 7017276
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for removing moisture from electronic devices such as hearing aids, using a desiccant material. The desiccant material is regenerated in place with heat from an embedded heater when the apparatus is open to the atmosphere. Drying of the hearing aids takes place when the hearing aids are placed in the apparatus and it is closed. Heat is not applied during drying to avoid potential damage to the hearing aids or other electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Inventors: Bernard Jay Greenspan, Eliot N. Pierce, David K. Woodruff
  • Patent number: 6990749
    Abstract: An oven assembly for drying paint on a product transported by a conveyor includes a plurality of modules positioned in a generally abutting relationship. Each of the modules includes a roof, side walls, and a floor having a length and a width. The floor is formed from abutting floor panels reinforced by a plurality of support members spaced along the length of the floor and having a length greater than the width of the floor. The side walls include an inner side wall panel disposed in an overlapping relationship with the floor and a side wall cladding panel supported by the support members along the width of the floor thereby concealing thermal insulating material disposed between the inner side wall panel and the side wall cladding panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Dürr Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Roesler, Lawrence A. Cook, Douglas G. Smith, David J. Cole, Jeffrey C. Andrews
  • Patent number: 6986214
    Abstract: A low-pressure dryer dries a substrate applied a coating solution thereon at low pressure. The dryer includes an airtight chamber installing a substrate table to place the substrate thereon; a diffuser plate, provided as facing the substrate placed on the substrate table with a gap, for discharging gas existing in the gap toward outside, the diffuser plate having a size almost the same as or larger than the substrate; a substrate-temperature adjuster, installed in the substrate table, for adjusting a temperature of the substrate; and a decompression mechanism for decompressing the airtight chamber. The diffuser plate has a temperature adjuster for making temperature adjustments to have a temperature difference between a first region and a second region of the diffuser plate, the first region facing a center region of the substrate, the second region being outside the first region and including a region facing an outer region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tomohide Minami, Hiroshi Shinya, Takahiro Kitano
  • Patent number: 6928752
    Abstract: A combination tumble and cabinet dryer appliance includes a housing with a tumble dryer and a cabinet dryer therein. The tumble dryer and cabinet dryer are operable independently of one another. Separate sources of hot air are provided to each of the tumble and cabinet dryers. The cabinet dryer extends over and along one side of the tumble dryer. A portion of the cabinet dryer extends substantially along the height of the housing so as to receive long hanging clothes, such as a dress. Removable shelves are provided in the cabinet dryer for drying sweaters and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Troy A. Johnson, Lee R. Birch, Michael C. Roberts, Kevin W. Shipley, Julie M. Bundy, Frank S. Nekic, Stephen D. Schober, Curtis J. Tremel
  • Patent number: 6860735
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rotary kiln that can be used efficiently in drying, dry distillation and incineration of various garbage and industrial wastes. The rotary kiln comprises a cylindrical furnace body (10) disposed to incline at a small angle from the horizontal plane, a cylindrical contact heater (20) supported in the furnace body (10), a rotation drive means (30) that drives the furnace body (10) and the contact heater (20) to rotate, a waste charging port (61), a processed material discharging port (18), a combustion gas supply means (40) that supplies a combustion gas into the cylindrical contact heater (20) and a combustion gas introducing means (50) that guides the combustion gas through the contact heater (20) from a distal end to a proximate end thereof, and then guides the combustion gas through a space (S) between the contact heater (20) and the furnace body (10) from the proximate end to the distal end, thereby to charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: S. Mac Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanobu Shimono
  • Patent number: 6857200
    Abstract: A critical point drying apparatus for sample preparation in electron microscopy and semiconductor wafer production includes a computer system to automate the operational modes in drying the specimen. These operational modes controlled by the computer system are: cooling, in which a drying chamber is cooled; starting, in which the specimen chamber is filled with a transitional fluid; purging, in which the transitional fluid purges an intermediary fluid from the drying chamber and the purged internediary fluid is collected by a collector condenser; heating, in which the drying chamber is heated to elevate the transitional fluid to its critical point temperature and pressure; and bleeding, in which the drying chamber is depressurized to atmospheric pressure at a very slow rate until the drying chamber is completely vented, which signals the end of the drying operation. The drying chamber incorporates concave surfaces for pressure dispersal and to facilitate purging the intermediary fluid completely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Tousimis Research Corporation
    Inventors: Anastasios Tousimis, Chris Tousimis
  • Publication number: 20040244219
    Abstract: An apparatus for the drying of aggregate and aggregate-binder mixtures includes a housing containing a fan within a housing that pulls air through various materials held in a drying sieve, or multiple drying sieves, and then exhausts the air to the ambient environment. The apparatus is particularly useful in determining the saturated surface dry state of materials which is an important factor in various testing procedures. The apparatus may include activation means, such as switches and controls, and may incorporate weight sensors to aid in determining the drying state of the material. Various input, output, memory, and display functions are provided to allow calculations and display of observed and calculated indicia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Michael L. Dicke
  • Patent number: 6802136
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for drying the interior of a flexible beverage container. The apparatus includes a housing having an inlet and outlet. A blower is disposed intermediate between the inlet and outlet and is operative to draw air through the housing via the inlet and outlet. An exhaust pipe is disposed at the outlet whereby the container may be disposed thereon for drying. The dryer is operative to blow air onto the farmost inner portions of the container to facilitate thorough and hygienic drying between uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Inventor: Scott T. Merchant
  • Patent number: 6796054
    Abstract: A low-pressure dryer dries a substrate applied a coating solution thereon at low pressure. The dryer includes an airtight chamber installing a substrate table to place the substrate thereon; a diffuser plate, provided as facing the substrate placed on the substrate table with a gap, for discharging gas existing in the gap toward outside, the diffuser plate having a size almost the same as or larger than the substrate; a substrate-temperature adjuster, installed in the substrate table, for adjusting a temperature of the substrate; and a decompression mechanism for decompressing the airtight chamber. The diffuser plate has a temperature adjuster for making temperature adjustments to have a temperature difference between a first region and a second region of the diffuser plate, the first region facing a center region of the substrate, the second region being outside the first region and including a region facing an outer region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tomohide Minami, Hiroshi Shinya, Takahiro Kitano
  • Patent number: 6792693
    Abstract: A wafer dryer system which is suitable for drying rinse water from substrates in the event of a system malfunction or failure during or after rinsing of the substrates. The wafer dryer system typically includes a pair of drying chambers, each of which is fitted with at least one nitrogen gas inlet, at least one IPA gas inlet and an exhaust opening. A wafer boat which holds multiple wet wafers from an interrupted rinsing process typically in a wet bench system is placed in one of the chambers, after which the chamber is filled with hot nitrogen gas and mixed IPA gas to dry the wafers in the wafer boat. Upon resumption of operation of the wet bench system from which the wafers were taken or upon availability of a second wet bench system, the dried wafers are removed from the chamber for continued rinsing, as necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Hsing-Kai Huang
  • Patent number: 6772536
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for measuring the physical strength and ability of a solid sample, to resist breakdown into fines after repeated cycles of hydration and regeneration of temperatures in excess of 100° C. The test samples are evaluated using an accelerated degradation apparatus that subjects the sample to a predetermined number of timed cycles of wetting/drying under heat and vacuum, and the weight-percent of any fines produced by the degradation of the sample are measured and recorded after a prescribed number of cycles. Specific values are used for predicting potential useful service life, in years of samples from different commercial manufacturers of the same class of product; the resulting data can be used by manufacturers for more effective quality control of production batches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Timothy Lynn Ely, Rashid Mohammad Al-Othman, Abdul Rahman, Douglas Patrick Mitchell
  • Patent number: 6766592
    Abstract: A manure processing apparatus which has a circular processing bin and a plurality of augers, with the augers arranged vertically and adapted to move in a circular path within the processing bin, and to raise and mix the manure continuously. The apparatus further comprises an air conditioning system to compost the manure and to dry the manure to produce feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Inventor: Willard Clark
  • Publication number: 20040118006
    Abstract: A plant for the drying and treatment of a pourable mineral material. The plant includes a combustion apparatus, introducing smoke gases into a rotary-driven rotary drum for cocurrently with the pourable mineral material. The rotary drum is inclined in the conveying direction, has installed fittings on the inner circumference and is connected sealingly at its outlet end to a shaft. The installed fittings in a front introduction region of the drum are transport blades. The shaft is put under a vacuum by means of a fan and is set up to take over the material and gas stream emerging from the rotary drum. A Venturi fitting is arranged coaxially in the rotary drum, upstream of the outlet, and a bypass for conveying air is arranged in the drum casing in the introduction region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Applicant: ENERCO BV
    Inventors: Heinrich Emil Jerzembski, Jan Bot
  • Publication number: 20040093758
    Abstract: This invention is about portable mini clothes and hair dryer which is designed to collapse and fit into a standard suitcase. It possesses all the features of the standard clothes dryer but is approximately one tenth the size and weighs less than 25 pounds. The dryer will not operate in its collapsed state or if the lid is opened. It comprises a simple but reliable heater and motor assembly. The single flat motor drives both the blower fan and the rotating drum of the machine but the rotating drum can be disengaged when the unit is used for drying hair only. Clothes and other items can be packed in and around the dryer when traveling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Rhona A. Miller, Halden A. Morris
  • Patent number: 6725561
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating workpieces comprises a treatment chamber enclosing a treatment zone for workpieces. A conveyor guides workpieces through the chamber. Said conveyor comprises drive elements located outside the chamber, and a carrier arm, extending through a slot along the conveyor's path of motion, in a wall of the chamber. A sealing arrangement comprises a first set of spring strips, which overlap laterally and are attached on one side of the slot to the wall, and an opposing second set of spring strips attached on the other side of the slot to the wall. In a resting position, the end zones of the spring strips overlap. Two deflecting devices, which move together with the carrier arm by the conveyor, open the sealing arrangement proximate the carrier arm by resiliently bending apart the spring strips. After passage of the carrier arm, the spring strips return to a sealing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Eisenmann Maschinenbau KG
    Inventors: Kersten Link, Wolfgang Renner
  • Publication number: 20040064965
    Abstract: A wafer dryer system which is suitable for drying rinse water from substrates in the event of a system malfunction or failure during or after rinsing of the substrates. The wafer dryer system typically includes a pair of drying chambers, each of which is fitted with at least one nitrogen gas inlet, at least one IPA gas inlet and an exhaust opening. A wafer boat which holds multiple wet wafers from an interrupted rinsing process typically in a wet bench system is placed in one of the chambers, after which the chamber is filled with hot nitrogen gas and mixed IPA gas to dry the wafers in the wafer boat. Upon resumption of operation of the wet bench system from which the wafers were taken or upon availability of a second wet bench system, the dried wafers are removed from the chamber for continued rinsing, as necessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsing-Kai Huang
  • Publication number: 20040020071
    Abstract: The invention relates to an oil removing device for cleaning pipes that are present in the form of coils (13). Same device comprises a furnace that accommodates and heats the pipes, with or without associated cooling zone, and a gas guiding device (15, 16′) for feeding a scavenging gas to or removing it from the pipes. Said gas guiding device is provided with means for detachably and sealingly establish a link with a gas feed line and a gas discharge line. The aim of the invention is to configure the link with the pipes in as easy and reliable a manner as possible. For this purpose, the device is configured in such a manner that both ends of every pipe are separately connected to one and the same connecting head (4) that has a gas inlet (5) and a gas outlet opening the axially aligned therewith. The end (7) of the gas feed line and the end (8) of the gas discharge line are opposite each other and can be displaced along with the gas inlet opening and/or the gas outlet opening while sealingly connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Willi Johnen, Glynn Jones
  • Publication number: 20040003511
    Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for-sanitizing sports equipment which comprises a cabinet which can be sealed, first and second conduits in fluid communication with the cabinet, an ozone generator, and fans for circulating ozone containing gas through the conduits into the cabinet, the fans being operative to circulate the ozone containing gas in a first direction and subsequently in a reverse direction. There is also provided a fluid storage device, the fluid storage device being associated with a spray action to spray the fluid into the cabinet after the ozone has been circulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventor: Steve Silver
  • Patent number: 6658760
    Abstract: A flexible container in the form of a bag is described for use in a non-immersion dry cleaning process. Bag walls that are appropriately stiff and slick are preferred (preferred Kawabata Evaluation System stiffness and surface friction values are given), as are bag designs that are inherently three-dimensional and self-supporting. A preferred embodiment is a tetrahedral bag having a slick polymeric coating on the interior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Randolph S. Kohlman, Allan W. Smith, Thomas E. Godfrey, Charles E. Willbanks, Allen M. Smith
  • Publication number: 20030182817
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for drying shoes, gloves or garments comprising a fan which produces an airflow and which is accommodated in a housing. The housing comprises two openings that are connected to two tube sockets which are arranged opposite one another and which are fastened to said housing. The tube sockets are connected to tubes for guiding the airflow. To this end, the tube sockets are angular and one end of each tube socket is rotatably connected to the housing while forming a swivel joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: David Macher, Heinz Zorn, Gerhard Schreiner
  • Patent number: 6615508
    Abstract: A floor drying system that includes a housing have rollable wheels and a combination heater/blower mechanism for generating a heated air flow wherein ambient temperature air flow caused to enter the housing from the top, heated within the housing and forced to exit the housing through the four sides and bottom; the heated air exiting at angles directed toward the floor upon which the housing is supported; the top of the housing being provided with a caution strobe light which emits a strobe light action when the system is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Inventor: Rosendo Valle
  • Patent number: 6606801
    Abstract: A system and process for drying a shoe, for example a leather shoe comprising a fan operable to produce an air flow, a heating element and at least one duct having at least one outlet, which is adapted to direct a portion of the air flow into a shoe. Additionally, the shoe drying system provides a drying effectiveness of at least 70 g/hr within the first hour of drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Janine Morgens Strang, Ilya Yurievich Ilyin, Viatcheslav Vladimirovitch Karamychev, Valeriy Valentinovich Pavlov, Michael Peter Siklosi
  • Patent number: 6598313
    Abstract: The invention produces equipment for drying bales of forage comprising: at least one unit for generating hot air (30) channeled onto at least one pair of treatment units (A, B) stack one over the other, each having a rectangular bottom chamber (2, 5) and top chamber (4, 6), kept apart by spacing devices (40, 41; 60, 61; 103, 104) supporting the top chamber above the bottom chamber, and where one or more telescopic columns (A1, A2, A3; B1, B2, B3) set between the bottom chamber and the top chamber transfer the hot air from the bottom chamber to the top one. The bales are set in each treatment unit between the bottom chamber (2, 5) and the top chamber (4, 6) stacked in two layers so that they can be dried by the countercurrent flow of hot air. One or more of the telescopic columns (A3; A1, A2) is provided with shutoff dampers (20; 101, 102) suited to opening/closing the air flow from the bottom treatment unit (A) to the top treatment unit (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Clim.Air. 50 Srl
    Inventor: Giovanni Beltrame
  • Publication number: 20030136019
    Abstract: The invention provides a compact drying chamber for drying printed circuit boards and electronic connectors and components mounted thereto by enhanced evaporation to remove residual water and completely dry printed circuit boards. The compact drying chamber comprises features that help maximize a velocity at which heated air impacts printed circuit boards to significantly enhance evaporation from surfaces of printed circuit boards and to raise the temperature of electronic connectors and components to allow evaporation therefrom, while maintaining low power consumption with respect to heating and circulating air. The compact drying chamber also comprises features that help maximize a dwell time of printed circuit boards in high velocity heated air within practical conveyance speeds, while maintaining overall dimensions that allow a compact design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventor: Gerald Leap
  • Publication number: 20030079364
    Abstract: The trays (V) are provided with identical vertical spacers (4) which enable the trays to be stacked on top of each other in a centred way, with a suitable spacing betweem them, and enable the various adjacent stacks of trays to be raised and lowered in steps, by means (BM) which act only on the bottom tray of each stack. The sides of the stacks of trays of the kiln are thus free and can be engaged by conveyors (37-37′, 77-77′, 57-57′) of the means provided for the translation of the trays between the stacks, both in the normal operating cycle and in the short operating cycle. However, the lower translation conveyors (24-24′) which transfer the trays from the stack with the unloading station (K2) to that with the loading station (K1) are positioned in the usual way under the stacks of trays and transversely with respect to the trays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Luigi Franzoni, Valdo Marini
  • Publication number: 20030079368
    Abstract: A material drying apparatus having a sealable chamber for receipt of wet material, such as clothing. Material placed into the chamber is dried upon the evacuation of air from the chamber wherein moisture drawn from the material is condensed on a condensate coil placed in the chamber. Heating coils placed around the chamber or beneath a drawer elevate the temperature to enhance condensate operation providing an energy efficient material dryer requiring no make-up air. Drum or thermal blanket enhances temperature elevation. Condensed water is purged after the drying process although provisions provide for an interim purge should excess liquid be drawn from the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventor: Karl H. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20030061727
    Abstract: A dryer has a blower and means for dividing an airflow into two separate chambers. A drying channel is defined between the two chambers and material to be dried passes along the channel. The walls between the chambers and the channel are apertured to allow air to flow into the channel. The channel increases in cross-sectional area along the length thereof such that air flowing along the channel is subject to a pressure drop. The air thus flows substantially in one direction along the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Leslie R. Wells
  • Patent number: 6536135
    Abstract: A method and system for cleaning a metal article. The system is used to employ a method that comprises placing the article in a means defining a chamber; subjecting the article to a gaseous atmosphere in the means defining a chamber, where the gaseous atmosphere consisting essentially of carbon, hydrogen, and fluorine; and subjecting the article to the gaseous atmosphere at a temperature in a range from about 815° C. to about 1100° C. to clean the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Don Mark Lipkin, Lyle Timothy Rasch, Peter Joel Meschter
  • Publication number: 20030046824
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for drying materials wet with one or more solvents, particularly hygroscopic materials and materials wet with a high boiling point (low vapor pressure) solvent that are sensitive to heat. Wet material is loaded into a chamber, which is then sealed and caused to oscillate back and forth. Vacuum is enlisted to provide rapid evaporation of solvent at a lower temperature than possible at standard atmospheric pressure. The material is oscillated until a sudden decrease in the residual pressure of the chamber, which indicates completion of the drying cycle. Because vacuum is applied to an oscillating chamber, a rotary vacuum seal is not required to accomplish drying in accordance with the practice of the instant invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: John Tony Kinard, Michael John Maich, Brian John Melody, Duane Earl Stenzinger, David Alexander Wheeler, Keith Lee Moore
  • Publication number: 20030037456
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a multistage semiconductor processing tool, wherein the processing tool includes a first transfer chamber having a first substrate transfer robot positioned therein and at least one load lock chamber in communication with the first transfer chamber. The at least one load lock is generally configured to communicate substrates into and out of the first transfer chamber. Further, the processing tool includes at least one substrate cleaning chamber positioned in communication with the first transfer chamber. The at least one substrate cleaning chamber generally includes a substrate support member, a broadband actuation device in communication with the substrate support member, and a particle removal device configured to sweep away dislodged particles from an area proximate the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Reginald W. Hunter, Joel Brad Bailey
  • Publication number: 20030029052
    Abstract: Fans circulate heated air which is introduced from nozzles defining discharge axes that are respectively directed generally parallel to, yet slightly toward, the rotational axes of the fans. The fans operate in first and second modes to respectively force flow in opposite first and second directions. Heated air is introduced from the nozzles at the high-pressure sides of the fans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: George R. Culp
    Inventors: Robert T. Nagel, John Craig Holbert
  • Publication number: 20030009903
    Abstract: A drying mold 1 for a pulp molded article has a first mold member 10, a second mold member 20, and a third mold member 30. The first mold member 10 has a drying portion 12 and first passageways 13a and 13b connecting the drying portion 12 to an exterior surface of the first mold member 10. The second mold member 20 has a prescribed heating means and is disposed in contact with the exterior surface of the third mold member 30. The third mold member 30 is disposed in contact with the exterior surface of the first mold member 10. The drying mold 1 is designed to form second passageways 2a and 2b between the first and the third mold members when the first and the third mold members are disposed in contact with each other. The passageways 2a and 2b connect the first passageways 13a and 13b to the outside of the drying mold 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Kenichi Otani, Shingo Odajima, Tokihito Sono
  • Publication number: 20020189127
    Abstract: By directly distributing liquid material into upright cylindrical tubes, such liquid material for foodstuffs, medicaments, etc. is kept in its state of being isolated from external atmosphere so as to be perfectly sterilized. That is to say, while simply and adequately securing the controlled cooling of the tube, by means of the heat medium which circulates within the jacket, the liquid material supplied into the tube is caused to freeze with uniform thickness onto the inner wall surface of the tube, with further possibility of uniform heating of the freeze-dried layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: KYOWA VACUUM ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Akimoto, Ryoji Sunama
  • Publication number: 20020174563
    Abstract: The method serves for drying an active part containing at least one winding and solid insulations. The active part is arranged in a vacuum-tight housing and is heated there to a final temperature value (Tfin) by means of warmed oil and by means of a current (I) carried in the winding. The warmed oil is sprayed in the housing at reduced pressure (p) and with the current (I) switched on. At the same time, water is extracted from the active part. The sprayed oil is collected on the housing bottom, after discharging heat to the active part, and, after rewarming, is sprayed once again in the housing at reduced pressure and with the current switched on. The active part is thus dried particularly quickly and carefully.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Paul Gmeiner, Peter Keller