Natural Ambient Air Drying Of Material Patents (Class 34/511)
  • Patent number: 8950080
    Abstract: A drying rack and contact lens storage case assembly consists of a contact lens storage case assembly that includes a base formed with externally threaded receptacles having inner diameters, and internally threaded caps having inner diameters and which relate to the respective receptacles. A drying frame is formed fingers that support pattern of lugs at openings through the frame. The lugs relate to inner diameters of the receptacles formed in the base and the caps, respectively. The receptacles are concurrently positionable on and over a pair of the patterns of lugs, the caps are concurrently positionable on and over another pair of the patterns of lugs, and the openings provide drying ventilation for the receptacles and the caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventor: Karen Marie Evans
  • Patent number: 8869423
    Abstract: A golf cart includes at least one external surface and an apparatus for coupling a glove to the at least one external surface. The apparatus comprises a body comprising an inner surface and an outer surface. The body is coupled to the golf cart such that the inner surface remains in substantial contact against the at least one external surface during operation of the golf cart. The body outer surface includes at least one fastening mechanism for removably coupling a glove to the body such that the glove remains coupled to the apparatus during operation of the golf cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: DJ Nicholson Enterprises LLC
    Inventor: Dennis Lawrence Nicholson
  • Patent number: 8124009
    Abstract: Aeration drying and disinfecting grain crops in bulk and pretreating seeds includes passing through a bulk of grain crops and seeds disinfecting and drying agents including an ozone and air mixture and surrounding air, subdividing the disinfecting and drying agents into a plurality of streams spaced from one another in a vertical direction, and passing the streams at different heights through levels located at corresponding heights of the bulk of grain crops and seeds transversely in a substantially horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Vitaliy G. Danchenko, Ronald T. Noyes, Larysa P. Potapovych
  • Patent number: 8108074
    Abstract: A method includes determining how to adjust one or more manipulated variables using at least one model. The one or more manipulated variables are associated with a sugar dryer. The method also includes generating one or more control signals to control one or more controlled variables associated with the sugar dryer. The one or more controlled variables include an outfall temperature associated with the sugar dryer, and the one or more manipulated variables include a rate at which wet material is provided to the sugar dryer. The sugar dryer could include multiple sugar dryers. At least two of the sugar dryers could operate using different fuels. The one or more control signals could be generated to control the rates at which the wet material is provided to the multiple sugar dryers based on costs associated with the different fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Howard M. Boder
  • Patent number: 8002901
    Abstract: Drying of wet workpiece, such as a magnetic recording media, following a wet clean process where the wet workpiece is displaced from a liquid volume into a gaseous volume at a pull speed that is dependent on the temperature of the gaseous volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: WD Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Chaoyuan Chen, George Galluzi, John Cho
  • Patent number: 7856738
    Abstract: A method for sanitizing a toothbrush using a receptacle having a plurality of openings, a plurality of toothbrushes to be removably retained in the receptacle, where the toothbrushes are arranged for each cycle of use so that a dry toothbrush is always available for use and replaced after use within the receptacle in a different arrangement from the rest and allowed to be dried for a sufficient period to kill and prevent bacterial proliferation prior to its reuse in a subsequent cycle of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Inventor: Jose A. Camacho-Pantoja
  • Patent number: 7856737
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and a method that reduces a moisture content of an agricultural product, particularly by using moisture sensors and/or temperature sensors. The apparatus includes at least one moisture sensor, optionally at least one temperature sensor, a controller, a flow regulator and/or a dryer. The method includes obtaining a moisture content and a temperature to calculate a product flowrate and optionally an energy input. A product flowrate signal is used to vary the flow regulator and an energy input signal is used to vary the energy regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Mathews Company
    Inventors: Robert James McMahon, Jr., Kenneth William Kroeker
  • Publication number: 20090056162
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and a method that reduces a moisture content of an agricultural product, particularly by using moisture sensors and/or temperature sensors. The apparatus includes at least one moisture sensor, optionally at least one temperature sensor, a controller, a flow regulator and/or a dryer. The method includes obtaining a moisture content and a temperature to calculate a product flowrate and optionally an energy input. A product flowrate signal is used to vary the flow regulator and an energy input signal is used to vary the energy regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Robert James McMahon, JR., Kenneth William Kroeker
  • Publication number: 20080172903
    Abstract: According to the drying method and apparatus of the present invention, at first, the coated film on one end side of the support is more quickly dried than that on the other end side, because drying air is supplied from one end side of the support. Subsequently, the coated film on the other end side of the support is more quickly dried than that on one end side, because drying air is supplied from the other end side of the support. Accordingly, the method and the apparatus can diminish a difference between drying rates in on one end side and in the other end side of the long support, in the whole drying zone. Thus, the method and the apparatus can uniformly dry the support and inhibit the production of a dry spot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro SHIMODA, Kyohei YOSHIMURA, Nobuo HAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 6868621
    Abstract: A clothes drying apparatus is provided. This clothes drying apparatus comprises a cabinet with an interior region to receive clothes. At least one door is operably connected to the cabinet to allow access to the interior region thereof. Attached to the cabinet is a first intake passage for accessing and receiving air from the exterior environment of a building. A vacuum unit is also attached to the cabinet. This vacuum unit draws air from the exterior of the building, through the passage, and into the interior region of the cabinet. A second passage linked to the interior environment and a switching mechanism may also be provided to permit selective operation of the clothes drying apparatus to draw air from outdoors or indoors based on environmental conditions. Also provided is a method of drying clothes with the clothes drying apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Grimm Brothers Plastics Corp.
    Inventors: Curt L. Grimm, Kent L. Grimm
  • Patent number: 6389772
    Abstract: A universal building unit comprising a plurality of members connected to each other by at least one adjustable plate. There is also at least one panel connected to the plurality of members. In this case, the plurality of members, the adjustable plate, and the panels all connect together to form a universal building unit that can be repeatedly constructed and combined with adjacent building units to form a building structure. These building units also contain a heating and cooling system for heating and cooling each unit within the structure. In addition, these units can be combined in any manner to create stairs, walls, doors, fixed and movable partitions, windows, roofs, or any other type of building component. These building units comprise a series of simple, easy to install fittings and steel profiles to create framing for any type of building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Inventors: William B. Gleckman, Jacques Racine
  • Patent number: 6134806
    Abstract: A portable sport equipment bag having an air distributor is connected with a hose to blower and ozone generator operable to move air and ozone under pressure into the air distributor. The air distributor has one or more manifolds located within the bag. The manifolds have a plurality of holes to allow air and ozone in the manifolds to flow into the bag to dry sport equipment and objects within the bag and destroy bacteria, molds and fungus in the bag. One or more air filters mounted on the bag remove odors and foreign matter from the air flow from the bag into the environment adjacent the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Gregory L. Dhaemers
  • Patent number: 5930915
    Abstract: A portable sport equipment bag having an air distributor is connected with a hose to blower operable to move air under pressure into the air distributor. The air distributor has one or more manifolds located within the bag. The manifolds have a plurality of holes to allow air in the manifolds to flow into the bag to dry sport equipment and objects within the bag. One or more air filters mounted on the bag remove odors and foreign matter from the air flow from the bag into the environment adjacent the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Inventor: Gregory L. Dhaemers
  • Patent number: 5817184
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus capable of supplying on a substantially continuous basis an anhydrous agent and water to an area to be cleaned. The cleaning machine includes an inner enclosure disposed in an interior chamber of an outer enclosure. The outer enclosure is designed to enclose the interior chamber. Also, provided in the cleaning apparatus is a system for purging the interior chamber with dry air. The inner enclosure contains the anhydrous agent, which is typically baking soda. The inner enclosure further includes a system for distributing the anhydrous agent to a cleaning nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventor: John Webb Lawrence
  • Patent number: 5671551
    Abstract: A protective device for use in protecting hay bales and preventing spoilage thereof, the device comprising a cover designed to substantially cover an upper surface of the hay bale, the cover being spaced from the upper surface thereof and having a vent to permit the egress of air from the space between the upper surface and the cover and to prevent the increase ingress of moisture therethrough. The cover preferably has means of securing itself to the hay bale. The cover minimizes deterioration of the hay and is particularly adapted for use with so called round bales stored on their side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Inventor: Bernard Adam
  • Patent number: 5558157
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method is provided for removing microfouling from the tube side of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger on a more effective and efficient basis. The tube side of the heat exchanger is isolated and drained completely of surface water while it is still on-line. A source of low relative humidity air which is dry is provided. The low relative humidity air is passed through the tube side of the heat exchanger while there is still a heat load on the shell side of the heat exchanger. The surface water is re-introduced to the heat exchanger after the tube side of the heat exchanger has been dried so as to wash away and remove the dried out microfouling from the tube side of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Inventors: James Makowski, Sunish Shah, Tony Lostroscio, Ronald D. Wine, Arne A. Lindberg
  • Patent number: 5363568
    Abstract: A stack of lumber (10) is inhibited from checking as it dries by being sheltered with an air pervious plastic material (16). The plastic material has a material to air density of greater than 50% to restrict sunlight and rain and less than 90% to allow adequate ventilation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Cornelia Textiles, Inc.
    Inventor: Nat Cloer