Patently Speaking highlights the technological achievements of Fort Wayne area residents.
Transit bus intake air management box
•U.S. Patent No. 7,771,500
•Invented by: Eric W. Maxwell, Fort Wayne, and Robert J. Jones, Yoder
•Assigned to: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC, Warrenville, Ill.
With more and more buses on the road these days – whether for public transportation or school – exhaust can be a problem. Emissions can release a lot of noxious chemicals into the air.
Typically, these buses are required to meet EPA emission standards. One of the ways they accomplish this is by drawing in cooler air from outside of the engine.
Remember, gas engines do not run only on gasoline, but instead on a mixture of gasoline and air. Air surrounding the engine is drawn in by the air intake and mixed with the gasoline. An unfortunate consequence of this is that the heat generated by the engine transfers to the air being drawn in. This higher air temperature contributes to poorer emissions.
This happens because the air intake is under the bus near all the engine components. If the air intake were located farther from the engine components, it is logical that obtaining cooler air would be an easier task. But that is easier said than done.
The way buses are made presents a problem when it comes to moving the air intake. Multiple bus manufacturers are involved in making a finished bus. One type of manufacturer makes the frame and drivetrain only. The frame and drivetrain are delivered to other manufacturers that make and attach the buses’ bodies. Because of this process, it is the drivetrain manufacturer’s responsibility to make a complete frame and engine assembly that can accommodate a variety of bus bodies. But this means all of the engine components, including the intake, must be low profile and out of the way.
To solve this problem, this patent describes a new air intake located just to the side of the engine, instead of underneath the engine. This intake includes a drop tube and baffle that directs cooler air toward the engine. The baffle also keeps out water. A hose attached to the intake leads to the engine so the cooler air can flow directly to the engine before the engine’s temperature is too high.
Chemical delivery assembly
•U.S. Patent No. 7,771,665
•Invented by: Jeffrey C. Pohl, Fort Wayne, and Angela M. Wiggs, North Webster
•Assigned to: Group Dekko Inc., Kendallville
Plug-in air fresheners have been around for a while. They disperse scented oils into the air making the surrounding area smell better.
These oils are “volatile,” meaning they evaporate when heated. Electricity is needed to activate their heater, thus air fresheners need to be plugged into a power outlet. Plug-in air fresheners are also non-disposable.
This new patent describes a disposable air freshener that does not need to be plugged in. As a result, it can be made inexpensively and disposable.
This air freshener is made up of a lightweight, inexpensive plastic tray that holds a special chemical, such as iron oxide, that when exposed to air creates heat. With this heat, oil inside a packet volatilizes, releasing the scent. Once the oil has completely evaporated, there is little material left over and what is left can be discarded.
The preceding are lay descriptions of patents obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s public records and are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing contained herein is a legal description of any claimed invention, identification of novelty, or offer of legal advice.
Because issued patents are based on applications often filed years earlier, the subject matter of some patents may have been available on the market for some time prior to the issuance of the patent. Additional information on these patents is available at www.uspto.gov.
