With Heater Patents (Class 34/215)
  • Patent number: 9850612
    Abstract: A laundry treating apparatus is disclosed. The laundry treating apparatus includes a first cabinet having a first receiving space to receive laundry, a second cabinet having a second receiving space to receive laundry, the second cabinet being separated from the first cabinet, a partition wall located at an upper part of the second receiving space to divide an interior of the second cabinet, a supply unit to selectively supply air to the first receiving space and the second receiving space, a discharge unit including an exhaust duct to discharge air in the first receiving space out of the first cabinet and a suction fan provided in the partition wall such that the suction fan is located in the second cabinet to suction air from the second receiving space such that the air from the second receiving space moves to the exhaust duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jinwoo Bae, Hongjun Cho, Sanghun Bae, Kyungmun Jung
  • Patent number: 8997373
    Abstract: A skate blade dryer is provided for removing moisture from a skate blade after use to prevent rust, discoloration, pitting, and premature dulling of the skate blade. The dryer includes a housing having an interior, a top, and a front face. A blower is positioned in the interior of the housing. A conduit extends from the housing. The conduit includes a slot configured for receiving a skate blade coupled to a skate boot. The blower has an output port in fluid communication with the conduit for directing air flow through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: Raymond J. Lawson
  • Patent number: 8789288
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new conceptual pedestal type dryer which serves both as a pedestal of a washing machine or dryer, and a dryer, and particularly, to a pedestal type dryer with a PTC heater. The pedestal type dryer includes a container having a space formed therein for holding a drying object, and a top provided to install a laundry dryer, or a washing machine, and a hot air supply unit having a fan for blowing air, and a PTC heater, for supplying hot air to the space for holding the drying object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Min Kyu Lim
  • Patent number: 8561316
    Abstract: A granulation device comprises a wet granulation unit (2), comprising a chamber (4), for mixing a powder product with appropriate binding agents, and a dry granulation unit (3), comprising a chamber (26), for mixing a product exiting from the wet granulation unit (2); the dry granulation unit (3) being operatively connected with the wet granulation unit (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Zanchetta S.r.l.
    Inventor: Antonio Bonita
  • Patent number: 8545578
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for capturing the hot humid gases from a gypsum board dryer and utilizing those gases in the production of a synthetic gas (referred to as “syngas”). The syngas produced can then be utilized within a gypsum board plant to reduce the amount of natural gas needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: CertainTeed Gypsum, Inc.
    Inventor: John College
  • Publication number: 20120240424
    Abstract: To prevent evaporated flux from being attached to rotation axes of motors which rotate fans positioned in a preheating zone, a main heating zone and a cooling zone and being solidified, the evaporated flux is efficiently and surely collected with the flux liquefying before the flux is solidified and having fluidity. A drain portion 20 constituting a flux collection apparatus 10A is formed at a side of a motor base 16 opposed to the fan and at a circumferential portion of the rotation axis 14. A surface of the drain portion 20 opposed to the fan is formed as an inclined surface 20A which is inclined from a level position of the motor base 16 to a discharge port 46 provided at a back side of the motor base 16.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: SENJU METAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Sugihara, Hiroshi Taguchi, Daisuke Kasahara, Koichiro Hosokawa, Yuta Saito
  • Patent number: 8266817
    Abstract: An electric wood kiln has a containment space sealed by at least one door. A tray is disposed on a bottom base of the electric wood kiln in the containment space. A diversion device is disposed on a top side of the electric wood kiln having a fan set, a plurality of diversion fins, at least one counterflow space and at least one intake aperture. The fan set has fan blades fluidly connected to the counterflow space, and the counterflow space is fluidly connected to the cycling channel on the door and the rear sidewall. An outer region of each fan blade fluidly couples with radial diversion fins; the diversion fins and the counterflow space form fluidly separated spaces coupled via the fan blades, and the intake aperture is connected externally to the electric wood kiln and the counterflow space. A heating device is disposed on a top side of the electric wood kiln adjacent to an outer side of the diversion fins and fluidly connected to the fan set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Cheng Tai Feng Timber Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Chiang-Shan Shih
  • Patent number: 8166667
    Abstract: Clothes drying furniture, comprising a furniture assembly defining a housing. The furniture assembly has a first top wall, a first bottom wall, first and second lateral walls, an intermediate wall, a rear exterior wall, and a door. The first and second lateral walls each have longitudinal tracks mounted thereon. A clothes drying assembly comprises a second top wall, a second bottom wall, third and fourth lateral walls, and a rear wall. The third and fourth lateral walls each have longitudinal rails mounted thereon. The longitudinal rails are journally mounted onto the longitudinal tracks. An electrical assembly comprises a heating element. The heating element is positioned in between the intermediate wall and the rear exterior wall. The electrical assembly further comprises power means. The first and second lateral walls each comprise a latching member to keep the clothes drying assembly housed within the furniture assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Inventor: Robert Lora
  • Publication number: 20120079982
    Abstract: A substrate processing system that has a plurality of deposition chambers, and one or more robotic arms for moving a substrate between one or more of a deposition chamber, load lock holding area, and a curing and treatment module. The substrate curing and treatment module is attached to the load-lock substrate holding area, and may include: The curing chamber for curing a dielectric layer in an atmosphere comprising ozone, and a treatment chamber for treating the cured dielectric layer in an atmosphere comprising water vapor. The chambers may be vertically aligned, have one or more access doors, and may include a heating system to adjust the curing and/or heating chambers between two or more temperatures respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitry Lubomirsky, Jay D. Pinson, II, Kirby H. Floyd, Adib Khan, Shankar Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 8046932
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a dryer used to reduce the moisture content of sheet material. A drying chamber is provided and includes a plurality of drying sections and a single point exhaust system. A seal section located at the input end of the dryer includes an exhaust passage through which a gas sample is drawn by a sampling fan. Gases within the seal section are a combination of ambient air drawn through restricted passages at the entry to the seal section and exhaust gas that bleeds into the seal section from the drying chamber. A controller monitors the temperature of the sampled gases and ambient air and adjusts the rate of exhaust flow from the main exhaust system as a function of the temperature differential. A heating system is also provided for heating the seal exhaust gases above the pitch condensation temperature for the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: USNR/Kockums Cancar Company
    Inventor: Bryan Wolowiecki
  • Publication number: 20110173836
    Abstract: A drying system includes a fluidized bed dryer and fluidizing gas loop. The system is a closed loop so that fluidizing gas used to dry particulate matter can be reconditioned and recycled to fluidize and dry additional particulate matter. The fluidizing gas is reconditioned by removing fine particulates and water vapor. The drying system includes oxygen control features to prevent oxygen from entering the system. A method for drying particulate matter includes fluidizing the particulate matter in a dryer with a fluidizing gas, heating the particulate matter to remove water, removing water vapor and fluidizing gas from the dryer, removing fines and water vapor from the fluidizing gas, recirculating the fluidizing gas to the dryer to fluidize additional particulate matter and removing dried particulate matter from the dryer. A modular drying system reduces the amount of construction necessary at the installation site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: SCHWING BIOSET
    Inventors: Jonathan N. Orr, Thomas M. Anderson, Charles Michael
  • Publication number: 20100031526
    Abstract: A dryer has a motorized air blower for providing a stream of air, an ozoniser for providing ozone in the stream of air, a heater for heating the stream of air after a start up period during which the stream of air mixed with ozone is unheated, a nozzle assembly, each nozzle in the assembly having an outlet, and ducting for directing the stream of air into the nozzle assembly so that the stream of air exits each nozzle through its outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: ECO-DRY SYSTEMS PTY LTD
    Inventor: Steven Lewis Tuckett
  • Publication number: 20100005681
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multiple laundry treating machine. The multiple laundry treating machine includes a body (110) formed with a laundry container (40) for containing laundry, an auxiliary body (120) arranged at one side of the body (110), the auxiliary body (120) having a volume and a height respectively smaller than a volume and a height of the body, and having a space (122) defined in the auxiliary body (120) to contain laundry, and an air supplier arranged in the body (110), to forcibly supply air to the laundry container (40) and to the space (122) of the auxiliary body (120), and to remove moisture from air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Seong Jin Jo, Seong Hae Jeong, Deug Hee Lee
  • Publication number: 20090277037
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new conceptual pedestal type dryer which serves both as a pedestal of a washing machine or dryer, and a dryer, and particularly, to a pedestal type dryer with a PTC heater. The pedestal type dryer includes a container having a space formed therein for holding a drying object, and a top provided to install a laundry dryer, or a washing machine, and a hot air supply unit having a fan for blowing air, and a PTC heater, for supplying hot air to the space for holding the drying object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventor: Min Kyu Lim
  • Publication number: 20090277036
    Abstract: A new concept drying machine, which not only functions as a pedestal for a washing machine or a drying machine, but also performs a drying function, is disclosed. The disclosed pedestal drying machine includes a container having a space for containing an object to be dried, in an interior of the container, the container allowing a laundry drying machine or a laundry washing machine to be laid on an outer top surface of the container, an air supplier for forcibly supplying air to the space, an input unit provided at the container, to receive an operating command from a user, a display unit provided at the container, to display an operation state, and a controller provided at the container, to control the air supplier based on the command from the input unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Phal Jin Lee, In Haeng Cho, Sang Ho Park
  • Patent number: 7581334
    Abstract: A drying apparatus is provided with a gas burner indirect heat exchanger wherein a turn down ratio thereof maybe controlled. In a housing of the gas burner indirect heat exchanger, a gas burner and a heat exchanger are contained. Combustible gas in the gas burner is supplied to the heat exchanger. The air having entered the housing is heated as passing around the gas burner and, furthermore, passing through the heat exchanger. The housing is connected to the dryer booth by a blowing duct. A blower provided in a middle of the blowing duct supplies the hot air heated in the gas burner indirect heat exchanger to the dryer booth. In the dryer booth, an aluminum web coated with coating liquid is transferred. The hot air is blown to the coated surface of the aluminum web so as to dry the coated liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Majima
  • Patent number: 7526877
    Abstract: An operation method for a drying device is disclosed. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new type of a drying device which enables air in a drying drum and a cabinet for drying the laundry to circulate continuously, as well as capable of getting a suitable output of power based on each drying cycle due to a various structure of a drying heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Young Soo Kim, Soung Bong Choi, Byung Hwan Ahn, Deug Hee Lee, Hung Myong Cho
  • Publication number: 20080282575
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the drying of water-containing, preferably plate-shaped products in a throughflow dryer in multi-level construction, and such a dryer for carrying out the method. The invention aims to suck away moist air stagnated under the housing (2) in a dyer of the above mentioned type and to transport this moist air into the suction area (12) of the axial blowers (9) arranged in the lower levels, and thereupon to differentially admix moist air into a quantity of drying air and deliver it to the nozzle boxes (5) of the dryer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: LINDAUER DORNIER GESELLSCHAFT MBH
    Inventors: Alfred Dotzler, Anton Hecht
  • Publication number: 20080282571
    Abstract: A drying system for a hair removing device is capable of effectively drying the cutter head. The drying system includes a casing having a dry chamber configured to detachably receive a cutter head of the hair removing device, a heater for heating the cutter head; and a blower for generating a forced air flow and drying the cutter head. The casing is formed with an air flow channel configured to direct the forced air flow towards the cutter head. A tray is provided to define the bottom of the dry chamber and bear the cutter head. The tray is formed with a draft port through which the flow channel communicates into the dry chamber so that the forced air flow can be directed straight to the cutter head for effectively cooling or drying the cutter head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Yasunori Ueda, Kazuya Shigeta, Yasuo Ibuki
  • Publication number: 20080282576
    Abstract: A dryer for hair shaving devices includes a casing having a drying space for removably receiving a blade portion of a hair shaving device, and a heater and a fan for drying the blade portion received in the drying space. Also, a control unit is provided for controlling output power of the heater and the fan to perform operation modes, the operation modes include a drying operation mode in which the heater and the fan are driven simultaneously and a sterilizing operation mode in which the heater alone is driven with the fan kept stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunori UEDA, Minoru KASHIWABARA, Yasuo IBUKI
  • Patent number: 7225559
    Abstract: A toothbrush dryer includes a substantially hollow housing having a pair of side walls, a rear wall and an open front in communication with an interior chamber. A door hingedly engages one of the side walls and is pivotable to selectively enclose the interior chamber. The door is retained in a closed position with a magnetic latch assembly. Removably mounted within the interior chamber are a plurality of toothbrush retaining clips. A blower/heater mechanism is mounted within the interior chamber for circulating warm air therethrough. A thermostat deactivates the heater upon the temperature within the interior chamber exceeding a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Inventor: Leona Lynn Padilla
  • Patent number: 7171761
    Abstract: An increased air pressure forced hot air towel warmer comprising a substantially airtight enclosure configured to be more desirable and user friendly when placed in close proximity to a tub or shower whether mounted within cabinetry, on the wall or when permanently installed between existing standard 16 inch on center wall support studs while protruding as little as possible into the room. Intended for use with large area plush towels and bath sheets for which insertion in a limited width wall enclosure or shallow depth cabinetry leads to greater vertical depth of towel material to be penetrated and substantially increases the resistance to air flow, therefore back pressure, thereby necessitating increased supply pressure to maintain adequate hot air flow through the towel. Increased supply pressure is created without objectionable noise by use of low noise rotary blowers and associated pressure accumulator cavities arranged in tandem such that their respective pressure gradients are additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventor: Barney Dean Hunts
  • Patent number: 7122085
    Abstract: Preferred embodiments of the present invention provides a sublimation system employing guidance structures including certain preferred embodiments having a high surface area support medium onto which a solid source material for vapor reactant is coated. Preferably, a guidance structure is configured to facilitate the repeated saturation of the carrier gas with the solid source for a vapor reactant. Methods of saturating a carrier gas using guidance structures are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Shero, Michael E. Givens, Ryan Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6936793
    Abstract: A solder reflow oven with horizontal cyclonic convection air flow for enhancing equalized heating of printed circuit boards conveyed therethrough. Air circulation apparatus can include a first air movement fan for urging air to move horizontally laterally from the first side wall of the oven toward the second side wall of the oven across and above printed circuit boards being conveyed therethrough. A second air fan is positioned below and laterally displaced from the conveying means for directing a second air stream below the first air stream and oppositely oriented in order to urge movement of heated air across the undersurface of the conveyor for enhancing equalization of heating of the printed circuits boards thereupon. Preferably, both blowers are oriented to move air approximately perpendicularly with respect to the direction of movement of the conveyed printed circuit boards in opposite respective directions thereabove and therebelow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Novastar Technologiesm Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Shiloh, Peretz J. Shiloh, Avraham Shiloh, Viktor Kapiliovich
  • Patent number: 6922910
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus is provided for performing exposure processes with high accuracy by accurately performing pressure control inside a chamber having a plurality of air-conditioning chambers. The inside of the main chamber which accommodates the exposure apparatus is divided into a plurality of air-conditioning chambers, and a pressure detection device which detects the pressure is provided with each of the plurality of air-conditioning chambers. Also, among the plurality of the air-conditioning chambers, the pressure inside a main column which accommodates an exposure stage on which a wafer in mounted and subjected to an exposure process, is set to be higher than the pressure of the other air-conditioning chambers based on detection results obtained from the pressure detection devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiko Tsuji, Yoshitomo Nagahashi, Takaaki Kimura, Shinichi Takagi
  • Patent number: 6874247
    Abstract: A toothbrush dryer includes a housing formed as a heating chamber for storing toothbrush in the housing, and a heating device provided in the housing preferably at a bottom portion of the housing for warming the toothbrush for keeping a dried toothbrush for preventing bacteria, fungi or algae infection or contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Inventor: Tsang-Hung Hsu
  • Patent number: 6839983
    Abstract: A heating oven for use in dynamo-electric machine component manufacture is provided. The oven uses forced air heating to raise the temperature of in-process component subassemblies to suitable process temperatures. The heating oven includes a rotating drum mounted in a cabinet. A number of open-ended tubular cradles are disposed in circular arrays between the drum faces. Batches of component subassemblies may be individually loaded into the cradles for heat treatment. Air flow channels are set up in the oven cabinet to evenly distribute heated air through individual cradles. Heated air after passing over the individual in-process subassemblies, exits the cradles through side slots in the cradle walls into the interior of the drum. The exiting air is reheated and recirculated through the heating oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Axis USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Raffaele Becherucci, Gianfranco Stratico
  • Patent number: 6689180
    Abstract: A heat-shrinking film packaging machine includes a conveyor for transporting an article to be packaged through a heating device to have a heat-shrinking film surrounding the article heated and shrunk and thus tightly packaging the article. The heating device includes a hot air flow control device including two air supply devices located on opposite sides of the conveyor to define a channel through which the article is transported. Each air supply device has a surface in which an array of openings is defined and arranged in rows and columns for supplying hot air toward the article. A blocking bar is movably mounted to the surface of each air supply device and associated with each row of the openings. The blocking bar is movable with respect to the openings to selectively and partially block the openings for controlling hot air flow through the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Benison & Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Benker Liao
  • Patent number: 6601317
    Abstract: A high-efficiency drying kiln, particularly for wood-like material, constituted by an internal chamber, which is covered with thermally insulating material and is provided with at least one opening for loading and extracting the material to be treated; two flues for recirculation of the air inside the chamber by aspirating and delivering air respectively from and into the outside environment; an air heating device; an air acceleration duct and air acceleration elements located inside the acceleration duct; the air acceleration duct has, at least at its output section, elements for orienting in an axial direction the air stream that is forced by the acceleration elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Nardi S.p.A.
    Inventor: Renzo Nardi
  • Patent number: 6499228
    Abstract: An apparatus for drying and conveying pistachios comprises a plurality of fixed and moveable slotted plates. The moveable plates are interleaved with the fixed plates and reciprocate to push pistachio nuts along the surface of the plates. Heated air is blown through the plates to dry the pistachios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Inventor: Mohammad Nakhei-Nejad
  • Patent number: 6430838
    Abstract: A dehumidifier drying apparatus adapted to dry saturated drying agent of dehumidifiers, including a top-open drying box, the drying box having an air inlet, a detachable seal cover covered on the drying box and adapted to hold saturated drying agent for drying, the detachable seal cover having a plurality of air vents, and a hot air source, for example, a hair dryer adapted to blow hot air through the air inlet of the drying box and the air vents of the detachable seal cover to dry saturated drying agent being put on the detachable seal cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventor: Shih Hsein Yang
  • Patent number: 6357141
    Abstract: An evaporating system for evaporating solvents from chemical samples held in supply plates, which accelerate evaporation by warming the samples in a hot air bath. The system includes adapters to allow the use of supply plates of varying heights, such as either standard micro-plates or deep well micro-plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Zymark Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Kearsley, Tye Fowler, Barry T. Hixon
  • Patent number: 6321460
    Abstract: A drying apparatus is disclosed. The drying apparatus comprises a drying housing, a heat pump unit and a heat pump piping. The interior of the drying housing is divided into a drying chamber and a circulation passage by a partition wall. The circulation passage is divided into upper and lower passages by a partition plate. Dampers are respectively mounted on the partition plate and the upper and lower portions of the outside wall of the circulation passage, and a heated air inlet and an air outlet are respectively formed on the upper and lower portions of the partition wall. The heat pump unit is disposed with its condenser situated in the heated air inlet and its evaporator situated in the atmosphere. The heat piping is disposed with its condensing portion situated in front of the sucking side of the evaporator and its evaporating portion situated in front of the heated air outlet in the drying chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Inventor: Keum Su Jin
  • Patent number: 6272767
    Abstract: An environmental test chamber comprises a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a partition. The first chamber receives one or more electronic components to be tested. The first chamber includes an exhaust area through which air is introduced to the first chamber and an intake area from which air is evacuated from the first chamber. The exhaust area and intake area are both fitted with a panel having a plurality of apertures. The size and/or the distance between the apertures is varied to provide a uniform airflow through the first chamber, thereby insuring that each electrical component housed within the first chamber experiences the desired temperature and humidity conditions. An air intake assembly is provided which draws air into a control panel chamber housing the electrical circuitry necessary to operate the environmental test chamber, and transports the air into the second chamber to thereby permit both the control panel chamber and the second chamber to receive ambient air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Envirotronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dwayne D. Botruff, Gregory J. Langfeldt
  • Patent number: 6272770
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus having a sealable pressure vessel and an agitator for agitating an article, such as clothing, in a liquid within the vessel to remove contaminants from the article. A fluid system supplies fresh liquid to the vessel and drains used liquid from the vessel to separate excess contaminated from the article, a portion of the contaminated liquid being retained by the article after this separation. One or more heating elements are activatable to vaporize the retained liquid, and a vacuum system is activatable to reduce the pressure in the sealed vessel while the heating elements are activated, such that the boiling point of the retained liquid is substantially reduced from that at atmospheric pressure. The liquid may be plain, ozonated or carbonated water, or a mixture thereof, and may be cooled by a heat exchanger before being introduced into the sealed vessel. Agitation during washing and drying is minimized for use of the apparatus as an alternative to dry cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: American Dryer Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis Slutsky, Ricky D. Lerette
  • Patent number: 6263591
    Abstract: The portable sports equipment drying container comprised: a box shaped body; a cover for the body; the body having opposed side walls and opposed end walls; an input fan mounted in one of the walls; an output fan mounted in a another one of the walls; a heating pad in the box shaped body; perforated or porous insulating structure between the heating pad and clothing or equipment placed in the box shaped body; and electrical circuitry for energizing the fans and the heating pad for drying moist or wet clothing or equipment placed in said container and for circulating air through the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Inventor: Victor M. La Porte
  • Patent number: 6233844
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for dehydrating solid products containing moisture, particularly food products, includes a hot gas stream device for creating a hot gas stream over the products to be dehydrated and an ultrasonic wave emitting system for directing ultrasonic waves over the products. The dehydrating apparatus includes a closed housing and at least one conveyor mounted in the housing for transporting the products. The ultrasonic wave emitting system includes a plurality of ultrasonic diffusing plates which are connected to sound wave generators and are in direct contact with the products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas
    Inventors: Juan A. Gallego Juárez, Tom Yang, Fernando Vázquez Martinez, Juan Carlos Galvez Moraleda, Gérman Rodriquez Corral
  • Patent number: 6202318
    Abstract: A system (10) for processing wafers and cleaning wafer cassettes (160, 260, 460) includes a work cell (12) having a plurality of processing stations (14) for processing wafers, and at least one processing/cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) for receiving and delivering wafers to and from a wafer cassette (160, 260, 460), a transfer mechanism (16) for moving the wafers between the plurality of processing stations (14) and the cleaning station (30). The cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) may have an exterior door (32, 132, 232, 432), an exhaust (34, 134, 234, 434), an interior door (40, 140, 240, 440), a plurality of gas nozzles (166, 266, 466) for delivering a sweeping gas over the wafer cassette (160, 260, 460). The cleaning process can also be done with a loaded cassette (160, 260, 460) that is unloaded before cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard L. Guldi, Jimmie Brooks
  • Patent number: 6122838
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying grain which includes a method and apparatus for unloading the grain from a grain dryer of a type including spaced apart first and second walls for defining a passageway or grain column for directing grain flowing downwardly by gravity between the first and second walls. A substantially horizontal shelf is disposed below the outlet port of the grain confinement walls for receiving grain thereon from the grain column. A channel is disposed below the shelf for receiving grain which is pushed off of the shelf. A discharge port is disposed in the channel. A strip of material is disposed for moving along above the shelf for metering grain from the shelf to the channel as the strip moves along the shelf. A paddle is disposed for movement in the channel for pushing grain from the channel into the discharge port. The dryer also has a central air passage from top to bottom, which lends itself to being used for three mode drying, if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Beard Industries
    Inventor: Brent J. Bloemendaal
  • Patent number: 5940983
    Abstract: A hydrating device includes a food processing chamber and a control unit which communicates with the chamber via two connecting pipes. The control unit has an inclined separating board inclinedly disposed therein and a water exit located corresponding to an upper surface of the inclined separating board. A compressor having an evaporating pipe and a condensing pipe is disposed in the control unit, wherein the condensing pipe and a first section of the evaporating pipe are located in the control unit, and a second section of the evaporating pipe is located outside the control unit. A heating member is disposed in the control unit and located above the first section of the evaporating pipe. A first set of ventilators is disposed below the heating member for sucking dry air to the chamber and a second set of ventilators is disposed beside the second section of the evaporating pipe for cooling the evaporating pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Inventor: Shun-Tsung Lu
  • Patent number: 5937536
    Abstract: A dryer for use with chemical compounds employs controlled vacuum, elevated temperature and dry, inert gas to dry the chemical compounds. The dryer includes a vacuum chamber into which trays containing the compounds are placed. The chamber includes heating elements which elevate the temperature of chemical samples placed within the chamber. Supplying and evacuating manifolds, each with a plurality of orifices for supplying and evacuating dry inert gas, provide a substantially laminar flow of dry inert gas just above the trays of chemical compounds which are to be dried. The laminar gas flow removes the unwanted vapor which tends to form above the tray of chemical compound, thus accelerating the drying process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Pharmacopeia, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Kieselbach, Ilya Feygin, Joseph J. Brzezinski, Gregory L. Kirk, Thuc Nguyen, Joseph A. Mollica
  • Patent number: 5926968
    Abstract: A wood drying system to eliminate the discharge of liquid kiln water includes a kiln which is heated to dry a batch of wood, a basin to collect the water driven from the wood, and an evaporator in which the collected water is converted into steam. The steam is provided to the kiln to balance the drying and alleviate the splitting, warping, etc. caused by over drying. The steam is ultimately vented harmlessly into the atmosphere to effectively eliminate any discharge of the kiln water as a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Gipson
  • Patent number: 5915811
    Abstract: A drier with a curvalinear chamber having a heat transfer surface at one end and baffles at the other end. A fan is provided to circulate air within the chamber. In the process for drying, the product to be dried is positioned within the chamber and air circulated across the heat transfer surface, toward the baffle, past the product, and back to the heat transfer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Jack B DeVore, James E. Snow
  • Patent number: 5842287
    Abstract: An apparatus for warming towels, or other articles. The apparatus includes a cabinet having an internal vertical wall that divides the cabinet into a warming chamber and a second chamber. A tubular rack extends generally horizontally across the warming chamber and is adapted to support a towel, or other article to be warmed. An open inlet end of the rack extends through the interior wall. An integral air supply unit is located within the second chamber and includes a motor driven fan or blower and a pair of discharge channels are connected to the discharge side of the fan. The upper end of one channel registers with the inlet of the rack, while the open upper end of the other channel communicates with the upper end of the warming chamber. The air discharge unit is removably connected within the second chamber in a manner to cause registry of the upper end of the first channel with the inlet of the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Inventor: Willard J. Murphy
  • Patent number: 5806203
    Abstract: A combination drying unit has a towel roll rotatably held within a housing. An air blower, powered by a motor, is also held within the housing. The motor provides a stream of air from the air blower through an opening in the housing. The motor also powers, via an appropriate transmission unit, a guide roller, which engages a towel stream and dispenses the stream through a second opening. A sensor detects a towel outage within the device and communicates, in appropriate fashion, the towel outage condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Inventor: Joe M. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5793019
    Abstract: An infra-red and forced air oven for drying a freshly painted object. The drying oven has a plurality of heating elements, which radiate infra-red energy, disposed about the object to be dried. Each heating element preferably has an annular shell, an electrically conductive coil carried by the shell, and an air passage through the shell through which air is forced by a fan. Electricity is provided to the electrically conductive coil which becomes heated and thereby heats the shell and radiates heat and infra-red energy into the oven. The fan forces air through the air passage of the shell so that heated air flows to the interior of the oven. Thus, the oven provides both radiant energy and forced air to dry an object within the oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: DriQuik, Inc.
    Inventors: David Frederick Boyle, Thomas Alan Cherry, Gary Louis Solgere
  • Patent number: 5685710
    Abstract: The objects of the present invention are a barn and a procedure for curing Virginia type tobacco. The barn consists of an air heating device with an impulsion fan (9) connected by means of an inlet duct (10) to several curing units (1-8) where the Virginia type tobacco leaves are contained said curing units (1-8) being mutually connected. The heated air introduced into the barn by the fan (9) flows continuously and sequentially through the curing units (1-8), said air thereby acquiring the adequate moisture and temperature for each step of the Virginia type tobacco curing process.The barn and procedure of the invention provide improved fuel efficiency and ease of management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Inventors: Jorge Martinez Sagrera, Michael Venturas, Michael Bernard
  • Patent number: 5675906
    Abstract: An enclosed type air circulation drying mechanism includes a housing for receiving the food. The housing has two side chambers each for receiving a blower and two heating members and an evaporator for drying the air. Two or more fans are disposed in the side chambers and arranged in an antisymmetric condition for generating an eddy current and for removing the humidity from the food. The refrigerant is received in a low pressure container and pumped to a condenser by a compressor. An evaporator may remove the humidity from the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Inventors: Tsung Li Li, Tsung Hwa Li, Yuan Jiun You, Hsi Mei Lee
  • Patent number: 5634281
    Abstract: An apparatus for drying moist solid or semi-solid materials, such as sewerage sludge, municipal waste, industrial waste, agricultural waste, and the like, includes a dryer unit having a plurality of stacked heating chambers, each of the heating chambers above the lowest heating chamber having a conveyor belt for transporting the material through the associated heating chamber and depositing it on a lower heating chamber, the lowest of the stacked heating chambers including a conveyor belt for transporting the material therethrough and discharging the material from the dryer unit. The apparatus utilizes a combination of convective heat transfer, in the form of a heated gas which rises upwardly through the dryer unit through successive heating chambers, and radiative heat transfer, provided by radiative heating units disposed above the conveyor belt in each heating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Universal Drying Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Nugent
  • Patent number: 5604992
    Abstract: A dual roll dispenser is disclosed. The device comprises a housing unit having a first paper towel roll and a second paper towel roll mounted therein. Paper automatically dispenses paper from one of the rolls while the second roll remains idle. When a sensor detect that the roll being dispensed is exhausted, the device automatically engages the second paper towel roll and begins dispensing from this second roll. Displays, both local and remote, are activated to communicate a paper absent condition. The device can be used in standalone configuration or in conjunction with an air blower wherein activation of the device activates the air blower for a preset amount of time and thereafter dispenses a single paper towel sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Inventor: Joe M. Robinson