Block Forms Flow Path Patents (Class 392/484)
  • Publication number: 20020081109
    Abstract: A system for warming a fluid includes a fluid warmer having a housing that retains therein a heating element, and cartridge that is retained inside the housing and which receives heat from the heating element. The cartridge has a rigid plate having a first surface and a second opposing surface, with the plate having a meandering path provided therein. The cartridge also has a sheet of film that covers the first and second surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: Michael Mitsunaga, Yoshiaki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6330395
    Abstract: A fluid type heating apparatus with safety sealing has a metallic heat exchanging main body, a heating unit embedded within the metallic heat exchanging main body, a plurality of fluid conduits extended along the lengthwise direction of the metallic heat exchanging main body, a groove at the center of the metallic heat exchanging main body and housing the heating unit enclosed by an insulating layer, a front cover at front side of the metallic heat exchanging main body and a rear cover at rear side of the metallic heat exchanging main body. The front and rear cover has a plurality of guiding slots coupled to the conduit to control circulation of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Inventor: Chia-Hsiung Wu
  • Patent number: 5947722
    Abstract: A particulate material heating system and method for heating particulate material having a core which is heated to a predetermined temperature. The core has a plurality of serpentine passages which receive particulate material from a metering device having a plurality of gears which meter the particulate material into the serpentine passages. Gravity causes the particulate material to pass through the serpentine passages such that the particulate material is agitated as it passes through the serpentine passages, thereby causing a substantial portion of the particulate material to come into contact with the core and become heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: IAP Research, Inc.
    Inventor: David P. Bauer
  • Patent number: 5949958
    Abstract: The present invention is a flash steam generator (10) to be used as an integral component of a steam sterilizer (30). The generator comprises a metal block (11) having a first bore (12) drilled lengthwise through the metal block (11). Surrounding the first bore (12) are a plurality of additional heater bores (14) in which heating elements (15) are inserted. The generator is integral to the sterilizer piping (31, 34) and control systems. In a preferred form, the first bore (12) provides a non-linear flow path. For example, a packing material such as monel wool (41) or a spiral dowel (45) can provide such a tortuous flow path. Alternatively, the block (11) may be provided with a plurality of fluid containing bores (51, 57, 67, 73, 81) interconnected by manifolds (59, 69, 75, 83).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Steris Corporation
    Inventors: Susan Mary Naperkowski, Kenneth John Klobusnik, Francis John Zelina
  • Patent number: 5934562
    Abstract: An air pre-heating apparatus useable for pre-heating air supplied to one or more hot melt adhesive dispensing nozzles mounted on an adhesive supply manifold. Air is supplied from an air supply inlet on an outer portion of an outer heating member to an air supply outlet on an inner heating member having a heater therein. The outer heating member formed of a plurality of laminated plates having one or more air flow paths, which include preferably a serpentine air flow path portion that increases the residence time of the air therein. The air is supplied through the apparatus against a decreasing temperature gradient whereby heat is increasingly added thereto before the air is supplied to the nozzles. The apparatus is preferably thermally isolated from the manifold to permit maintaining the pre-heating apparatus at a temperature different than a temperature of the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Kui-Chiu Kwok
  • Patent number: 5727118
    Abstract: Electric boiler for heat-transfer liquid (FC) comprising a set of plates (P) having corrugations on both their faces, and which include, in their corners, openings (3, 4, 5, 6) allowing circulation of fluid. Said assembly consists of at least one module comprising two stamped plates (P), the corrugations of which are in the same sense on both their faces between which at least one heater block (I) is inserted, within which heater block a resistance element (R) is embedded, being in the form of a block which also includes orifices (3, 4, 5, 6) as well as herringbone corrugations on both its faces (A) and (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Vicarb
    Inventors: Claude Roussel, Fabrice Chopard
  • Patent number: 5724478
    Abstract: An elongated heat conductive assembly for heating water including a plurality of water passages equally spaced about the central axis of a heat conductive member in which an elongated electrical heating element is located on the central axis of the heat conductive member. Preferably the water passages are tubes located in a highly heat conductive member whereby the heat is trapped in the center of the conductive member from where it is transferred to the water. In one embodiment, caps are provided at the ends of the tubes so that the water enters a first end and flows to a second end and then back to the first end where it exits to the hot tub. In another embodiment, the water flows through one end to the other end from whence it flows to the hot tub. In another preferred embodiment the transfer of heat from the conductive member to the water flowing in the pipes is maximized by expanding the tubes against the walls of openings in the conductive member by applying hydraulic pressure inside the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: TruHeat Corporation
    Inventor: Carl Thweatt
  • Patent number: 5647054
    Abstract: A smoke generator apparatus (10) is disclosed which is suitable for use in conducting air flow studies in wind tunnels. The smoke generator apparatus (10) includes a tube assembly (12) which may either be wire-packed or crimped and has fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics which permit the substantially uninterrupted flow of smoke-appearing vapor (82) from the tube outlet (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Pitsco, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Wayne Jones
  • Patent number: 5570452
    Abstract: A heater for fluids has a main housing part which is provided with flow channels for a fluid to be heated. The main housing part is surrounded by an auxiliary housing part, and the housing parts cooperate to define a compartment which is capable of containing sparks, flames and explosions. The compartment communicates with the atmosphere via one or more gaps too narrow to be penetrated by sparks and flames. The compartment further communicates with a chamber which is provided in the auxiliary housing part for switching elements. A heating foil is adhesively secured to one surface of the compartment so as to lie flat against such surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Bollhoff Verfahrenstechnik GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Kuhn, Norbert Buchholz, Reiner Schulte
  • Patent number: 5539857
    Abstract: A heating block made from a heat conductive material has a passage through which a fluid heated by the heater can flow. A groove preferably having a looped configuration extends into the block from a peripheral surface in the block. A heater made from an electrically conductive and heat conductive material is disposed in the groove, preferably in a looped configuration corresponding to the looped configuration of the groove. A heat conductive member disposed in the groove is provided with a hole to receive the heater in an enveloping relationship. The member may be defined by a pair of separable portions. The member is preferably disposed in the looped relationship in the groove. Localized deformation of the heating block holds the member and the heater in a fixed relationship with the block. The heater may deteriorate or become defective with extended usage and may have to be replaced. To accomplish this, the heater and the member may be removed as a unit from the block after removing the deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Caco Pacific Corporation
    Inventor: Alan N. McGrevy
  • Patent number: 5408577
    Abstract: An inexpensive, disposable heating element is prepared for medical applications using layers of biologically-compatible materials disposed about a heating element that is formed of an electrically conductive material which exhibits positive temperature coefficient of resistance and that is then operated by a power controller which responds to the resistance of the heating element or to other electrical indication of operating temperature in order to control the level of power supplied to the heating element. A fuse is distributed about the periphery of the heating element to disconnect electrical power from the heating element in response to excessive heating of the element attributable to a portion of the heating element, usually including the periphery, not being immersed in liquid being warmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Sonne Medical
    Inventors: Jaroy Weber, Jr., Kenneth C. Kitlas
  • Patent number: 5407101
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for dispensing hot melt adhesives includes an air gap (100) in the adhesive manifold (16) of the dispenser (10). The apparatus (10) includes a heater (80), a temperature sensing device (RTD) (82) and adhesive passageway (84) located within the adhesive manifold (16) of the dispenser (10). The dispenser (10) delivers heated adhesive to a gun body (12) where it is applied to a substrate. The air gap (100) is interposed between the heater (80) and the adhesive passageway (84) and directs a majority of the heat generated by the heater (80) toward the gun body (12) and toward regions of the apparatus (10) needing additional heating. The air gap (100) enables a desired temperature gradient within the dispenser (100) to be maintained and prevents localized heating or cooling, thus decreasing the possibility that the adhesive will coagulate and plug the dispenser (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy M. Hubbard
  • Patent number: 5388180
    Abstract: A steam generator has a body (4) of heat conductive material, an electric heating element (6) located within the body (4), an inlet (14) for water to be vaporized, one or more discharge orifices (20) for steam, and one or more elongate convoluted passageways (26) serving to transfer water and/or steam from the water inlet (14) to the one or more steam discharge orifices (20). The steam generator has first and second chambers (8), (22). The first chamber (8) has relatively wide passageways (12) serving to remove substantially any impurities present from, and preheat, the water, to produce steam which contains entrained water droplets, and which is substantially free from impurities. The second chamber (22) has relatively narrow and convoluted passageways (26) to achieve final heating of the steam to convert any entrained water droplets to steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Peter W. Bayles
  • Patent number: 5377300
    Abstract: A heater for heating processing gases used in semiconductor processing equipment; the heater including a chamber whose walls are heated by a strip heater whereby gases flowing through the chamber are heated by said heated walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Watkins-Johnson Company
    Inventors: Craig C. Collins, Eric A. Ahlstrom
  • Patent number: 5354965
    Abstract: A system for electrically heating a volume of windshield cleaning fluid in a motor vehicle includes a metallic vessel connected between a windshield fluid reservoir and a nozzle for spraying the windshield with the fluid. The vessel has a metal heater wall heated by PTC thermistors thereon and provided with a plurality of metal heat exchange pins extending into an internal chamber in the vessel through which the fluid flows to be heated. A control circuit is provided and includes an electronic timer circuit for controlling the length of time the thermistors are energized to heat the fluid in accordance with the prevailing ambient temperature, an engine speed sensor including a pulse stretching circuit for preventing energization of the thermistors if the engine of the vehicle is not running, and a differential input circuit for simplifying the attachment of the system to a standard windshield cleaning fluid pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Gensonic, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng-Hann Lee
  • Patent number: 5280560
    Abstract: A coffee or tea maker includes a base shell including a vertically-oriented connecting sleeve; a flow heater accommodated in the base shell and having a vertically-oriented inlet nipple received in the connecting sleeve; a mains cable connection situated in the base shell; a machine switch situated in the base shell; an electric circuit board connected to the mains cable connection and to the machine switch and having plug-in pins; and a bottom closing off the base shell and locked thereto by a detent joint. All the plug-in and detent connections define a vertical joining direction for relative movement toward one another into a locked state during an assembling operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Melitta Haushaltsprodukte GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Thomas Salomon
  • Patent number: 5265318
    Abstract: A method for forming an in-line heater for heating water supplied to a hot water carpet cleaning extractor includes the formation of a spiral flange upon the exterior surface of an elongated cylindrical body having a bore therein to define a heat exchanger. The flanged heat exchanger is inserted into a cylindrical housing having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the spirally flanged heat exchanger by heating the housing to increase the inner diameter thereof sufficiently to allow the spirally flanged heat exchanger to be be received therein. Upon cooling, the housing shrinks into watertight engagement with the spiral flange to define a spiral water floe conduit between the ends of the in-line heater. The first and second ends of the heat exchanger are then welded to the housing. Quick disconnect fittings are threaded into the in-line heater to establish communication with the end of the spiral water conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Inventor: William K. Shero
  • Patent number: 5262619
    Abstract: A heating device for heating flowing media includes a heat exchanger to be heated by PTC resistors. The heat exchanger is formed of thermally conductive metal having a slit-like pocket formed therein defining a given shape and defining pocket surfaces facing one another. A cuboid substrate body has a shape adapted to the given shape and an introduction side to be introduced into the pocket. The substrate body has opposed surfaces with recesses formed therein for receiving the PTC resistors and an internal conduit formed therein for receiving a contact spring. At least the surfaces of the substrate body having the recesses and the pocket surfaces facing the surfaces of the substrate body are beveled for decreasing the cross section of the substrate body and of the pocket from the introduction side inward, and for pressing the PTC resistors against the pocket surfaces upon introduction of the substrate body into the pocket with the PTC resistors located in the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Siemens Matsushita Components GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Robert Karner
  • Patent number: 5249624
    Abstract: A load-following vaporizer converts an inlet liquid reactant stream to an outlet vapor reactant stream. The vaporizer comprises a containment shell, a nozzle and a fin block. The fin block has a base in thermal contact a heat source, preferably a thermal fluid stream. The base has a plurality of evaporative heat transfer structures that are spaced from and generally radiate from the nozzle outlet. Each of the evaporative heat transfer structures has two principal surfaces oriented such that the extension of each of the surfaces intersects the nozzle outlet. Upon contacting the evaporative heat transfer structures, the atomized liquid reactant dispersion is vaporized to produce a vaporized reactant stream. The vaporizer rapidly responds to changes in the inlet liquid reactant flow rate to produce a corresponding change in the output vapor flow rate by minimizes the liquid inventory within the heated environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence
    Inventors: Eric G. Pow, Nicholas J. Fletcher, Wolfgang Schlosser