By Absorbent Patents (Class 34/80)
  • Patent number: 7472494
    Abstract: A dehumidification plant for granular material provided with a compressed air source, control means for controlling the flow rate of the compressed air fed by the source, a heating chamber of compressed air which is in communication with the flow rate control means, a container of granular material to be dehumidified, diffuser means disposed inside the container, temperature sensor means arranged to detect the temperature of air leaving the container, and a programmable control unit. The dehumidification plant utilizes a compressed-air dehumidifying group located downstream of flow rate control means, and a flow rate adjusting group for controlling the dehumidified air coming from the dehumidifying group located upstream of the heating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Moretto S.p.A.
    Inventor: Renato Moretto
  • Publication number: 20080295354
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dehumidification plant for a granular material, comprising at least one hopper (2) having at least one loading mouth (3a) and one discharge mouth (3) for granular material, at least one upper feeding mouth in the at least one hopper (2) and at least one lower delivery mouth of a gaseous medium therefrom, humidity absorbent means (51, 52) designed to absorb the humidity conveyed by the gaseous medium; at least two towers (29, 36) arranged to contain the absorbent means (51, 52); supplying means designed to feed the gaseous medium to the at least one hopper (2) and the at least two towers (29, 36); at least one electronic control unit (46); detection means arranged to detect process variables of the plant and electrically connected with the at least one electronic control unit (46).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: MORETTO SPA
    Inventor: Renato Moretto
  • Publication number: 20080276484
    Abstract: A dryer and a drying apparatus attachable to a dryer are disclosed. A wheel having desiccant material is located in line and in close proximity with a heating element. The wheel includes a first portion positioned in an inlet air path and a second portion positioned in an outlet air path. The desiccant material removes water molecules from air within the inlet air path, and lowers the vapor pressure of the incoming air. In the outlet air path, heated air flows through the second portion to transfer energy to the desiccant material. The wheel rotates to change the desiccant material within the portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Charles Robert Dewald, III, Thomas L. Cristello
  • Patent number: 7448144
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating air from an exhaust port of a building. The apparatus includes an enclosed pathway having an inlet for communication with an exhaust port, a discharge outlet, and a non-linear pathway portion between the inlet and discharge outlet. The non-linear pathway includes air treatment material positioned in communication with a portion of the pathway to expose the air to the air treatment material as it moves through the pathway. The apparatus includes an irrigation system for maintaining the moisture content of the air treatment material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Inventors: Matthew W. Johnson, Dennis J. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20080256820
    Abstract: Gas drying device, consisting of a desiccant dryer (2) which makes use of a pressure tank (4) with a drying zone (5) and a regeneration zone (6), with an adsorption and/or absorption medium (7) which is alternately guided through the drying zone (5) and the regeneration zone (6); a primary circuit (8) in which the above-mentioned desiccant dryer (2) is included, which makes it possible to guide the gas to be dried through the drying zone (5) of the desiccant dryer (2); a secondary circuit (9) which makes it possible for a part of the gas to be dried to be guided through the regeneration zone (6) of the desiccant dryer (2) and to absorb moisture there, characterised in that the device also contains a cooling dryer (1) which is inserted upstream the abovementioned desiccant dryer (2) in the primary circuit (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, naamloze vennootschap
    Inventors: Bart Etienne Agnes Vanderstraten, Ben Paul Karl Van Hove
  • Patent number: 7395611
    Abstract: A system and method of moving a meniscus from a first surface to a second surface includes forming a meniscus between a head and a first surface. The meniscus can be moved from the first surface to an adjacent second surface, the adjacent second surface being parallel to the first surface. The system and method of moving the meniscus can also be used to move the meniscus along an edge of a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: James P. Garcia, John M. de Larios, Michael Ravkin, Fred C. Redeker, Carl Woods
  • Patent number: 7353623
    Abstract: A solvent removal apparatus and method is provided that can dry a coat on a workpiece in a uniform thickness. The solvent removal apparatus includes a support base for supporting a substrate provided with a liquid phase film-forming coat containing a film material and a solvent, a gas introduction mechanism for introducing a solvent removal gas toward a center part of the substrate, and a flow restrictor for restricting flow of the solvent removal gas in such a manner that the gas can flow radially outward from the center part of the substrate toward a peripheral edge part thereof. The solvent is removed from the coat while restricting the flow of the gas with the flow restrictor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shintaro Asuke
  • Patent number: 7343699
    Abstract: The method of removing moisture from a material contained within a dryer (3) comprises heating a first stream of gas (A3); passing the heated stream of gas through a dryer (3) to extract moisture from the material to be dried; returning a first portion (E3) of the used gas from an outlet of the dryer (3) to the heater (2), re-heating the second stream of gas (E3) in the heater (2); and passing the heated second stream (B3) back into the dryer (3), wherein the first stream of gas (A3) is atmospheric air from which at least a proportion of the nitrogen present therein has been removed, to thereby increase the percentage by volume of oxygen in the first stream of gas (A3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Inventor: George Svonja
  • Patent number: 7323035
    Abstract: A dehumidifying device for absorbing water vapour from ambient air comprising a container having an opening to permit water vapour to enter the container, the container having a water-absorbing agent disposed therein for absorbing water vapour, wherein a first portion of the water-absorbing agent is adapted to provide an indication of water absorption faster than a second portion of the water-absorbing agent following exposure of the first and second portions of water-absorbing agents to water vapour, thereby providing an early indication of the operation of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Paul William Robinson, Richard Paul Harbutt, David Bedford
  • Publication number: 20080005919
    Abstract: An in-line dryer for connecting to a compressed fluid delivery line comprising a flexible, translucent housing having first and second ends and a desiccant material within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Jerome R. Brown, Benjamin A. Kawa
  • Patent number: 7207123
    Abstract: Two rotors 18a, 18b each housing a honeycomb structure 25 carrying an absorbent is driven for rotation by a common motor 19. Partitioning members 17 define an absorbing zone S and a recovery zone U in the rotor depending on the angular positional relationship between the partitioning members 17 and the rotor corresponding thereto. In the absorbing zone S, the absorbent removes moisture and organic matters from air passing therethrough. In the recovery zone U, recovery of the absorbent deteriorated by absorbing the moisture and the organic matters is preformed by using heated dry air. Air sucked from a transfer space 10 of the processing system sequentially passes through the absorbing zones of both the rotors via a circulation passage 20, thereafter returned to the transfer space. A part of clean dry air having passed through the absorbing zones of both the rotors is supplied into an exhaust passage 21, and is heated by a heater, and passes through the recovery zones of both the rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Nichias Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Tanahashi, Takanobu Asano, Ken Nakao, Katsuhiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7194821
    Abstract: The downtime of a vacuum processing apparatus due to wet cleaning is reduced. In a vacuum processing apparatus that requires aging for its chamber or process container after vacuum evacuation of the apparatus and before actual processing of a workpiece, when the chamber has been opened to atmosphere for the purpose of wet cleaning or component replacement, the apparatus comprises a high precision absolute pressure gauge for use in processing, a wide range gauge capable of measuring a wide range of pressures, and a controller, wherein the controller uses a pressure trend during vacuum evacuation to determine whether the vacuum evacuation is satisfactory, and starts aging upon determining that the vacuum evacuation is satisfactory even if the actual pressure is not below a prescribed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Edamura, Akitaka Makino, Motohiko Yoshigai, Takanori Nakatsuka, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7191547
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel installation (100) for drying products (70) of the most varied type, the dehumidifying apparatus (10) of which comprises two silica-gel adsorbent bodies (20, 20?) which work in alternating operation and which—in a periodically mutually alternating manner—pass through an adsorption or dehumidifying phase (EB) and a regeneration phase (RB), the periodic changeover to the respective other phase and vice versa being effected by means of a control unit (8), which can be supplied with moisture data or the like from moisture sensors or the like, e.g. as a function of the moisture of the air after passing through the adsorbent body (20, 20?) which is in the regeneration phase (RB), the dehumidified air (lt) being drawn by means of a suction fan (71) through a drying chamber (7) containing the product (70) to be dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventors: Alfred Wiedl, Alfred Freh, Alois Reiterbauer
  • Patent number: 7188434
    Abstract: A dehumidification apparatus including an outer tubular container (2) closed at its ends, a first (5) and a second (9) transverse grids located inside the tubular container (2), one grid element being spaced from the other and from a respective adjacent end of the tubular container (2) and delimiting a receiving space therewith, a mass of molecular sieves (MS) located in the receiving space, heating elements (19) in the tubular container (2), and first and second openings (4, 16) for communication of the interior of the container with the outside, characterised in that it comprises an inner tubular jacket (6) extending from at least the first grid (5) for a distance greater than that between the first (5) and the second (9) grid, thereby shaping the receiving space for the sieves (8) as an annular gap and providing a projecting section (6a) extending from the second grid (9); and an annular partition (17) between the outer container (2) and the inner jacket (6) at the projecting section (6a) of the inner jack
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Moretto S.P.A.
    Inventor: Renato Moretto
  • Patent number: 7181863
    Abstract: A wafer dryer and method featuring a nebulizer which emits a pressurized drying liquid stream that converges with an opposed pressurized non-reactive carrier gas stream to produce a drying liquid fog. The pressurized non-reactive gas spray device is disposed partially within a tub and partially within a wafer bath vessel housing a wafer to be dried. The tub has a vent port for allowing the drying liquid fog to pass into the wafer bath vessel to adhere to exposed wafer surfaces and displace remaining liquid on wafer surfaces, thus drying the wafer. The tub may further include a drain for draining drying liquid not converted into the fog or which has condensed. The vent also may include means for retaining larger drying liquid fog particles which allows smaller drying liquid fog particles to pass into the wafer bath vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: SEZ America, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary W. Ferrell, Jagjit S. Ratra
  • Patent number: 7160362
    Abstract: A method of cleaning air, including a humidifying operation for humidifying the air containing chemical contaminants by a humidifier and taking a part of the gaseous contaminants in the air into excessive moisture to remove the contaminants from the air, and a dehumidifying operation for dehumidifying the humidified air by a condenser and taking the gaseous chemical contaminants remaining, without being removed, in the humidifying operation into condensed water for removal. By using an oblique honeycomb having both front and rear faces and both upper and lower faces disposed in open state, air is led from the front opening part of the oblique honeycomb and water is fed from the upper opening part thereof to one or both of the humidifier and condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignees: Nichias Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electron Limited, Taisei Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Terada, Minoru Tanaka, Yuji Matumura, Sadao Kobayashi, Naoki Mori, Hiromu Itoh, Yoshihide Wakayama, Osamu Suenaga
  • Patent number: 7118614
    Abstract: An air dryer comprises a base member, a main cartridge and an intermediate cartridge. The air dryer is capable of drying and possibly filtering and/or cleaning air passing there through. The intermediate cartridge, capable of drying and possibly filtering and/or cleaning air passing there through, is arranged between the base member and the main cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Haldex Brake Products AB
    Inventors: Hans Welin, Sven-Olof Larsson
  • Patent number: 7114266
    Abstract: A housing assembly includes first and second sides and first and second panels spaced apart from each other by an interior of the housing and traversing the first and second sides. A first porous desiccant retention plate and a second porous desiccant retention plate are spaced from each other are secured within the housing so as to define a desiccant chamber therebetween for maintaining the desiccant medium. An opening is formed within one of said panels in a location corresponding to the location of the desiccant chamber, facilitating replacement of the desiccant medium within the desiccant chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Bel-Art Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Gomes, Paul Thom, David Landsberger
  • Patent number: 7103990
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotation type silicon wafer cleaning device to further raise the stability of a silicon wafer by providing a better hydrogen termination on the silicon wafer after completion of chemical and pure water cleaning treatments. According to the present invention, a rotation type silicon wafer cleaning device has a silicon wafer support/rotation driving mechanism inside the case body for cleaning the silicon wafer at the post chemical cleaning with pure water, drying and hydrogen termination treatments on the outer surface of a silicon wafer is performed by means of installing a silicon wafer drying device comprising a gas supply panel attached to a case body to supply a mixed gas of the hydrogen gas and inactive gas containing a hydrogen gas of more than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Fujikin Incorporated
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Yasuyuki Shirai, Takumi Fujita, Yukio Minami, Nobukazu Ikeda, Akihiro Morimoto, Koji Kawada
  • Patent number: 7100305
    Abstract: An improved system and method for mounting an air dryer is provided. The improved system and method employs a single centralized special fitting that secures the air dryer manifold to a reservoir. The bore in which the fitting is disposed is used to communicate air from the reservoir to the air dryer in order to purge the desiccant in the air dryer. The mounting assembly includes anti-rotational mechanisms which prevent the air dryer from rotating about its axis. The mounting assembly may also include a reservoir and a mounting bracket for the reservoir which uses less than 75 percent of a truck mounting rail height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Bendix Commerical Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Fred Hoffman, Leonard Quinn
  • Patent number: 7050837
    Abstract: A mobile communication terminal device is disclosed having elements for detecting moisture in the device. These elements include the following precautionary features: a memory for recording a circumstance under which the detection of moisture takes place, a shutdown feature for shutting down the mobile communication terminal device at least partially if moisture has been detected, and a feature for determining two circumstances, namely that the mobile communications terminal has been at least partially shut down as a result of a detection of moisture and that the mobile communication terminal device has been connected to an external power supply and subsequent current is being drawn from the power supply. Once these two circumstances have been detected, a mode is activated by which the mobile communication terminal device is subjected to a heating phase and as a result, in turn, to a drying phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Menz, Thomas Plugge
  • 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: 7014690
    Abstract: An expandable desiccant element for removal of moisture from an air stream. Such expandable desiccant element includes at least one first expandable containment section capable of expanding a first predetermined amount, at least one second expandable containment section capable of expanding a second predetermined amount which is greater than the first predetermined amount connected to the first expandable containment section. Such at least one first expandable containment section and at least one second expandable containment section forming a predetermined shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew D. Mitsch, Brian L. Cunkelman
  • Patent number: 7007402
    Abstract: A system and method for drying particulate material in a dual flow hopper employs multiple flow paths by which heated gas is inserted into the hopper at different levels. Gas is extracted from the hopper and is divided for flow along two flow paths, one of the flow paths receiving gas that has been dried and the other flow path receiving gas that has not been dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Novatec, Inc.
    Inventor: W. John Gillette
  • Patent number: 6990908
    Abstract: A transportation subassembly is provided for transporting a material that is destabilized in the presence of a destabilizing contaminant. The subassembly has a structural body having a cavity constructed and arranged to receive the material to be stored, a breather assembly operatively connected to the structural body and including a container forming a chamber, the chamber being in fluidic communication with the cavity and being constructed and arranged to receive an contaminant-removing material selected to remove the destabilizing contaminant, and a venting assembly mounted with respect to the structural body. The venting assembly includes a rupture apparatus rupturable at a predetermined pressure formed within the cavity to form fluidic communication between the cavity and the atmosphere. A method for transporting a material in a transportation subassembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: OCI Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Lissa, Lucius Wood
  • Patent number: 6981337
    Abstract: There is provided a container for absorbing water vapour from ambient air, the container having an opening to permit water vapour to enter the container, a perforate shelf positioned above the base of the container and having a water-absorbing agent disposed thereon for absorbing water vapour, and an airway which allows air to flow into the region of the container beneath the shelf, wherein the container comprises an indicator for providing information on the operation of the container, the indicator operating when the liquid in the container has reached a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Stuart Michael Ruan Jones, David Bedford
  • Patent number: 6935050
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an optical fiber preform including a metal remover, which operates by adsorption, that removes gaseous transition metal impurities present in a process gas to be provided to a furnace for drying, doping or consolidation. The apparatus and method may reduce attenuation of the resultant optical fiber drawn from the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana C. Bookbinder, Richard M. Fiacco, Cynthia B. Giroux
  • Patent number: 6931755
    Abstract: A dehumidifier includes: a housing, a fan axially mounted in the housing along a longitudinal axis of the housing, and a moisture-exchange device having a plurality of thin flat air-penetrable ducts radially disposed in the housing and having a dehydrating chamber filled with desiccant material in the chamber between the fan and an outer shell of the housing; whereby the ambient air will be drafted by the fan and blown radially outwardly by the fan through the air-penetrable ducts to allow the desiccant material to absorb the moisture as laden in the air through the ducts for efficiently dehumidifying the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Inventor: Tsang-Hung Hsu
  • Patent number: 6899749
    Abstract: A moisture absorption apparatus comprises a desiccant container with a side wall and optionally a bottom and a desiccant solution container with a side wall and a bottom. The desiccant container receives particulate desiccant which forms a desiccant solution on contact with moist air. The desiccant container side wall has at least one air access opening and a passage permitting desiccant solution to flow into the desiccant solution container. The desiccant solution container has a top opening and is slidingly displaceable on the desiccant container so as to allow the desiccant container to be displaced in the desiccant solution container to a depth sufficient for the desiccant solution container side wall to fully cover the air access opening of the desiccant container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Inventor: Thomas Johansson
  • Patent number: 6883247
    Abstract: A submersible gas compressor is described which has a ceramic high pressure piston in contact with a ceramic sleeve, a drive piston mounted to the ceramic high pressure piston and a crank in mechanical connection with the drive piston. The submersible gas compressor can be used as a second stage compressor in a gas delivery system that includes a first stage low pressure compressor, an absorption bed containing molecular sieve material, a second stage compressor to pressurize a gas stream to a pressure between 5000 and 10,000 psig, a cascade system for storing the pressurized gas stream between 3500 and 5000 psig, a control system, and an outlet for delivering the pressurized gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Inventor: John F. Barrett
  • Publication number: 20040244215
    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: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Bernard Jay Greenspan, Eliot N. Pierce, David K. Woodruff
  • Patent number: 6772534
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing moisture from air which includes a moist air inlet area, a dry air outlet area, a regeneration air inlet area, a regeneration air outlet area and a desiccant medium. A drying fan is provided for drawing the moist air through the moist air inlet area, through the desiccant, as to exit the unit through the dry air outlet area. A regeneration fan is provided for drawing regeneration air through the regeneration air inlet area, through the desiccant medium, so as to exit the unit through the regeneration air outlet area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Bel-Art Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Gomes, Paul Thom, David Landsberger
  • Patent number: 6767521
    Abstract: A system for dehumidifying and deodorizing, the system comprising a hanging, dehumidifying and deodorizing pouch comprising a housing having a impermeable membrane and a semi-permeable securely attached to the impermeable membrane. The housing enclosing moisture-absorbent material and deodorizing material. The housing is enclosed within a jacket comprising a perforated contiguous wall; the wall defines an opening for receiving the housing. The jacket further comprises a closing member for closing the opening when the housing is within the jacket. The jacket can comprise a rigid, rectangular cage having a detachable lid. The semi-permeable membrane of the housing can comprise polyethylene or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, individually or a combination thereof. The impermeable can comprise either polyethylene film or polypropylene film. The moisture-absorbent material can comprise a hygroscopic, deliquescent or a combination of a hygroscopic deliquescent and a gel forming polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: W.M. Barr & Company
    Inventors: Fred K. Vogt, Surendra Kumar Mishra, David Prince Heaner
  • Publication number: 20040112972
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus that is used to measure relative humidity, such apparatus comprises a housing having a first end and a second end. There is a humidity sensor disposed at the first end of the housing for measuring the humidity in the air and a temperature sensor also disposed at the first end of the housing for measuring ambient temperature. The apparatus has an electronics portion in direct electrical communication with the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor for computing a relative humidity and a dewpoint temperature. The electronics portion is disposed within a center portion of the housing. There is, further, a battery that is in electrical communication with the electronics portion, the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor for providing power to the apparatus. Such battery is disposed in the center portion of the housing of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian L. Cunkelman, Matthew D. Mitsch
  • Patent number: 6729039
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling airflow in a desiccant drying system having two desiccant beds (10, 12). A first diverter valve (14) communicates with each of the desiccant beds, a regeneration air inlet (22), and a press air outlet (20). A second diverter valve (16) communicates with each of the desiccant beds, a process air inlet (18), and a regeneration air outlet (28). First and second regeneration air control valves (24, 30) are also provided which during a cooling phase of the regeneration cycle admit a cooling bleed stream of process air to the desiccant bed being regenerated and then convey the cooling air bleed stream from the desiccant bed and through a heat exchanger (42) back to the process air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Universal Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert R. Crawford
  • Patent number: 6709499
    Abstract: An air-routing household appliance includes an improved removable and washable filter in that the filter is of a flexible fiber material and is finished such that it can bind and/or decompose odorous substances. Such a filter can be disposed, in particular, in the closed process-air circuit of a condensation laundry dryer to free laundry of unpleasant odorous substances. The odor filter is produced, in particular, from a textile material and can, therefore, advantageously be cleaned in a washing machine. For the binding of odorous substances, the fibers of the filter can be treated with particles that can bind odorous substances and from which the odorous substances can also be washed out again to regenerate the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Moschütz
  • Patent number: 6675492
    Abstract: A regenerative dehumidifier includes: a housing having perforations formed through the housing for directing moisture-laden (or moisture-free) air therein (or therefrom), a moisture-absorbable dehydrating agent including silica gel filled in the housing for absorbing moisture as laden in the air entering the housing for dehumidification or dehydration, and a heating device sandwiched in a first layer and a second layer of the dehydrating agent disposed on opposite sides of the heating device for heating the moisture-saturated dehydrating agent for vaporizing water from the dehydrating agent in order for regenerating the water-absorbed dehydrating agent for its re-use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventor: Tsang-Hung Hsu
  • Patent number: 6640463
    Abstract: A vehicle air supply system having a compressor, an air dryer, a reservoir adapted to receive air from the compressor via the air dryer, and control means operable to cause a standard regeneration of the air dryer when a predetermined system condition is met, the control means being further operable to cause an intermediate regeneration of the air dryer in advance of said predetermined system condition being met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Wabco Automotive UK Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Howard Beck, David Townsend
  • Publication number: 20030172546
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing moisture from air which includes a moist air inlet area, a dry air outlet area, a regeneration air inlet area, a regeneration air outlet area and a desiccant medium. A drying fan is provided for drawing the moist air through the moist air inlet area, through the desiccant, as to exit the unit through the dry air outlet area. A regeneration fan is provided for drawing regeneration air through the regeneration air inlet area, through the desiccant medium, so as to exit the unit through the regeneration air outlet area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: Bel-Art Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Gomes, Paul Thom, David Landsberger
  • Publication number: 20030163929
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compressor unit comprising a compressor unit comprising compressor element (2), the outlet conduit (3) of which connects to an adsorption dryer (6) with a vessel (8) and a rotor (7) mounted therein. On each of the extremities of the vessel (8), two compartments (20, 21, 23, 24) are formed. The portion of the rotor (7) situated between one compartment (24) n he o extremity and a compartment (21) on the other extremity forms a drying chamber (9), whereas the portion of the rotor (7.) situated between the other compartments (20, 24) forms a regeneration chamber (10) and is situated in the outlet conduit (3) upstream of a cooler (4). Between the compartments (20, 21, 213, 24) on each extremity, a separation compartment (22, 25) is formed and means (30, 21) are provided to remove gas therefrom (22, 25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventor: Danny Etienne Andree Vertriest
  • Patent number: 6601315
    Abstract: A combined fluidized bed dryer and absorption bed allows an absorbant to be dried to remove any moisture therefrom immediately followed by treating a product material with the dried absorbant, all in the same vessel, such that the absorbant is at its optimum dryness prior to treating the product material therewith The invention has particular application in the ophthalmic lens production where the absorbant is alumina and is used to remove methacrylic acid from liquid monomer prior to using the monomer in producing lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated
    Inventor: Ulick Stafford
  • Patent number: 6588345
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for improving the flowability of hygroscopic materials from a hopper wherein a desiccant containment device containing a desiccant material is located within a hopper that is used for transporting or storing granular or powdered bulk materials. The desiccant material captures moisture from the hopper atmosphere in order to promote the flowability of the bulk material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: United States Sugar Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar L. Aguirre, Donald H. Griffin, William A. Raiola, Derek Duplooy
  • Patent number: 6581297
    Abstract: A twin tower gas drying system is disclosed for cleaning compressed air lines in locomotives, buses, transit vehicles and the like by removing undesirable contaminants from an air or gas stream. A multistage filtration process employs a first scrubber that is capable of removing particulate material or soot from a stream of unpurified gas. A pre-filtering means is employed to remove impurities from the stream of unpurified gas. Coalescing filters are us to remove remaining moisture from the gas stream. Two towers of dessicant material dry the gas stream. The drying system is capable of controlling the flow of gas by alternately switching between supplying unpurified gas to a first tower and supplying unpurified gas to a second tower, with a purge cycle in between. Thus, a first dessicant tower is being purged of moisture while the second tower accumulates moisture, and likewise the second tower is purged while the first tower accumulates moisture, in alternating sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Graham-White Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William F. Ginder
  • Patent number: 6571489
    Abstract: For a single chamber air drier in a compressed air system on a vehicle the volume of dry regeneration air required to regenerate a desiccant in the air drier has to be determined. This can be accomplished in that data regarding system pressure, outdoor temperature and supplied air volume are continuously provided to a compute, which in relation to these parameters controls the supply of regeneration air to the air drier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Haldex Brake Products AB
    Inventors: Sven-Olof Larsson, Mats-Örjan Pogen
  • Patent number: 6572687
    Abstract: A gas dryer particularly useful for natural gas transmission lines has a sump vessel including a splash plate for intercepting incoming gas, a lower region for collecting water removed from the gas, at least one tower or other vessel for holding desiccant tablets and permitting water to drain into the sump, and partition(s) in the vessel extending into the lower region to permit collected sump water to be in a single body of liquid while the partitions in the upper regions of the vessel direct the gas from one tower or drying vessel to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignees: Clearwater International LLC, Argo Sales Ltd.
    Inventor: Reg Slaymaker
  • Patent number: 6568100
    Abstract: A gas dryer includes a housing, and a drying drum in the housing which is permeable to allow a flow of gas through the drum between its opposite first and second ends. A first flow guide is located at the first end of the drum and a second flow guide is located at the second end of the drum. The first and second flow guides define between them a primary region of the drum for a primary gas flow to flow through the drum, and a secondary region of the drum for a secondary gas flow to flow through the drum, and are mounted for rotation about the drum axis so that boundaries between the primary and secondary regions rotate around the drum. The permeable structure of the drying drum and the flow guides allow the primary and secondary gas flows to flow through their respective regions of the drum without significant mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Domnick Hunter Limited
    Inventors: Robert Michael Fielding, Colin Thomas Billiet, Desideratus Julius Sienack
  • Patent number: 6526674
    Abstract: A drum dryer comprises a drying drum which is arranged for a gas to flow through it to be dried from a first end of the drum to its opposite second end, and a housing in which the drum is located with a space around the drum between the internal wall of the housing and the external surface of the drum. Gas can be directed into the space through a housing inlet, to flow in the space to the first end of the drum where it can be admitted into the drum for drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Domnick Hunter Limited
    Inventors: Robert Michael Fielding, Colin Thomas Billiet, Desideratus Julius Sienack
  • Patent number: 6493960
    Abstract: An apparatus for drying the air inside of hermetically sealed electronic devices. The apparatus includes a desiccant part and an activation piece that is attached to the desiccant part. The desiccant part and activation piece are attached together and then covered, except for the portions where the two pieces are attached, with a polymer that has a low moisture vapor transmission rate, such as parylene. The apparatus may be added into an electronic device during assembly. The desiccant, or drying agent, is not activated, by removal of the activation piece, until prior to closure of the hermetically sealed electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Taylor, John E. Hansen
  • Patent number: 6487790
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously drying unpackaged food products, in particular vegetables, comprises conveyor means for conveying the products to be dried and circulating means for feeding dry air on the product to be dried and for collecting wet air coming from the products, and being characterized in that the apparatus further comprises means for dehumidifying the wet air, said means comprising an adsorption dehumidifier device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Inventor: Pasquale Damiani
  • Patent number: 6484413
    Abstract: An air drier comprises a base member with means for supplying and carrying away air to and from the air drier, respectively, a cylindrical, dome-shaped container releasably attached to the base member, and in the container a replaceable cartridge for desiccant. The cartridge is divided by a cylindrical dividing wall into a central compartment containing desiccant and an outer annular compartment. The top wall of the cartridge is provided with holes or passages for allowing air communication inside the container between the two compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Haldex Brake Products AB
    Inventor: Sven-Olof Larsson