US3889488A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Refrigerating apparatus
Assignee: Osaka Gas Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1973-12-26
•
Granted: 1975-06-17
•
Expires: 1993-12-26
Abstract
Abstract A refrigerating apparatus having a tank for containing liquefied gas and a vibrator for vibrating the tank. Articles are fed to the tank from one side thereof, placed into the liquefied gas for refrigeration, sent to the other side by virtue of the vibration of the tank and taken out from the liquefied gas.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Maeda
- 👤 Takuma Matsuda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:33
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01F; G01F23/00; G01F23/22; F; F25; F25D; F25D25/00; F25D25/04; F25D3/00; F25D3/10; F25D3/11; G01F23/24; G01F23/246; G01F23/247
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination: a. a tank for containing liquefied gas for refrigerating articles, said tank having an inlet end and an outlet end; and b. means for advancing articles as placed in the liquefied gas within said tank from said inlet end to said outlet end to remove advanced articles from the liquefied gas, said means for advancing articles including 1. an article carrying member disposed at least partially beneath said liquefied gas in said tank and having a conveying surface for conveying such articles as may be placed thereon, said conveying surface extending substantially over the entire length of the distance between said inlet end and said outlet end and having at least a portion toward said outlet end gradually rising above a level of the liquefied gas within said tank, and 2. vibrating means moving said tank from outside thereof to move said conveying surface back and forth along a path, which is inclined upwardly toward said outlet end, for flinging the articles upwardly and toward said outlet end; whereby articles introduced into the tank at the inlet end are moved toward the outlet end in a series of motions of the conveying surface which flings the articles upwardly out of the liquefied gas and forwardly toward the outlet end a number of times and finally to the outlet end.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination: a. a tank for containing liquefied gas for refrigerating articles, said tank having an inlet end and an outlet end; and b. means for advancing articles as placed in the liquefied gas within said tank from said inlet end to said outlet end to remove advanced articles from the liquefied gas, said means for advancing articles including 1. an article carrying member disposed at least partially beneath said liquefied gas in said tank and having a conveying surface for conveying such articles as may be placed thereon, said conveying surface extending substantially over the entire length of the distance between said inlet end and said outlet end and having at least a portion toward said outlet end gradually rising above a level of the liquefied gas within said tank, and 2. vibrating means moving said tank from outside thereof to move said conveying surface back and forth along a path, which is inclined upwardly toward said outlet end, for flinging the articles upwardly and toward said outlet end; whereby articles introduced into the tank at the inlet end are moved toward the outlet end in a series of motions of the conveying surface which flings the articles upwardly out of the liquefied gas and forwardly toward the outlet end a number of times and finally to the outlet end.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
189 words
An improved apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tank is formed of a tubular body having a generally horizontal longitudinal axis and said article carrying member is the interior bottom wall of said tubular body, said tubular body being substantially closed except for an opening at said inlet end for feeding the articles into the interior thereof and another opening at said outlet end for discharging the articles therefrom, the apparatus further comprising at least one containing member for storing the articles to be fed into the interior of said tubular body, means for feeding the articles from said containing member into the liquefied gas within said tubular body at an approximately constant rate, liquefied gas supplying means for supplyIng the liquefied gas to said interior of said tubular body, a controller for controlling said liquefied gas supplying means to keep the liquid level of the liquefied gas within said tubular body substantially constant and conduit means for supplying the gas from within said tubular body to said containing member and to said feeding means to cool the articles before they are fed into said tank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
88 words
vibrating means moving said tank from outside thereof to move said conveying surface back and forth along a path, which is inclined upwardly toward said outlet end, for flinging the articles upwardly and toward said outlet end; whereby articles introduced into the tank at the inlet end are moved toward the outlet end in a series of motions of the conveying surface which flings the articles upwardly out of the liquefied gas and forwardly toward the outlet end a number of times and finally to the outlet end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
88 words
vibrating means moving said tank from outside thereof to move said conveying surface back and forth along a path, which is inclined upwardly toward said outlet end, for flinging the articles upwardly and toward said outlet end; whereby articles introduced into the tank at the inlet end are moved toward the outlet end in a series of motions of the conveying surface which flings the articles upwardly out of the liquefied gas and forwardly toward the outlet end a number of times and finally to the outlet end.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
An improved apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one containing member for storing the articles to be fed to said tank and means for feeding the articles from said containing member into the liquefied gas within said tank at an approximately constant rate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
An improved apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said tank is substantially closed except for an opening for feeding in the articles at said inlet end, another opening for discharging the articles at said outlet end and conduit means for providing gas from said tank to said containing member and said feeding means to cool the articles before they are fed into said tank.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
An improved apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for supplying the liquefied gas to the interior of said tank and a controller for controlling the liquefied gas supplying means to keep the liquid level of the liquefied gas in said tank substantially constant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
An improved apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a sensor for detecting the liquid level of the liquefied gas to sense whether or not the liquid level is within a predetermined range based on a change in ambient temperature dependent on whether said sensor is immersed in the liquefied gas or not, said sensor being disposed within a tubular member whose upper end is exposed to an atmosphere having a temperature higher than the condensation temperature of the ambient gas thereof, and said tubular member having a lower end positioned below the liquid level of the liquefied gas within said tank.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-16 | 1978-12-16 | 1979-06-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-16 | 1982-12-16 | 1983-06-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-16 | 1986-12-16 | 1987-06-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |