Did You Know...
...that while attempting to develop a super strong glue, 3M employee Spencer Silver accidentally developed a glue that was so weak it would barely hold two pieces of paper together? However, his colleague Art Fry needed the glue. Fry sang with his church choir and marked the pages of his hymnal with small scraps of paper that often fell out. He used Silver's glue to hold the papers in place. Today we call this invention Post-it Notes.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7958885 | Method for operating an active thermal energy storage system An active thermal energy storage system is disclosed which uses an energy storage material that is stable at atmospheric pressure and temperature and has a melting point higher than 32 degrees F. This energy storage material is held within a storage tank and used as... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7793651 | Heat storage apparatus A heat storage apparatus includes heat storage panels having primary fluid passages formed therein; passage plates having secondary fluid passages formed therein; and heat reservoirs. The heat storage panels and the passage plates are layered alternately, and the he... | 09/14/2010 |
| 7441558 | Active thermal energy storage system An active thermal energy storage system is disclosed which uses an energy storage material that is stable at atmospheric pressure and temperature and has a melting point higher than 32 degrees F. This energy storage material is held within a storage tank and used as... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7318432 | Solar collector plate method for safeguarding the operation of a solar collector and method for manufacturing a solar collector plate A solar collector plate (2) has a solar radiation receiving front absorber plane (3) that is wiped at its rear side by a cooling liquid (4) flowing in channels (5). Cavities (7), preferably behind the channels (5) and integr... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7316265 | Method for passive phase change thermal management In one embodiment, a method includes forming a conductive structure having a cavity, injecting a phase change material into the cavity, injecting a plurality of spheres into the cavity, and sealing the cavity. ... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7267898 | Freeze prevention of a fuel cell power plant A fuel cell power plant comprises a water circulation passage (5) which circulates the cooling water in a fuel cell stack (4). Sodium hydroxide which lowers the melting point of water is mixed with water in the water circulation passage (5) to p... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7225860 | Compact heat battery A compact heat battery (CHB) may comprise a casing, a tube containment sheath, a bundle of hermetically sealed phase change material (PCM) encapsulation tubes, and encapsulation tube inserts. An insulation envelope and insulation shield may be positioned radially ou... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7055575 | Thermally active convection apparatus Apparatus for abstracting heat comprises a container charged with a first liquid and with small auxiliary containers free to circulate in the first liquid. Each of the small auxiliary containers is charged with a second liquid. The first and second liquids each have... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7051730 | Portable heat exchanging device A heat exchanging device is detachably mounted on a container or a cover. The cover is mounted on the container, thereby forming a closed space between the cover and the container. The heat exchanging device containing a temperature regulating medium is mounted in t... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7034254 | Heated delivery system A heated delivery system for pizza and the like including a thermally insulated receptacle, an electrical resistance heating unit having a heat storing shell molded from thermosetting resin, and an electrical resistance heating member within the shell, the member ha... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7011086 | Bottom supported solar receiver panel apparatus and method A bottom supported solar receiver tube/header assembly having a bottom clip for supporting the entire load of a plurality of tubes carrying a heat absorbing fluid. The tubes are allowed to expand vertically upwardly under thermal flux conditions created when the flu... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6936791 | Thermal storage and transport The carrying case for storing and transporting heated articles includes a thermal storage assembly having a heat retention member for absorbing and retaining sensible heat and for releasing the sensible heat of a extended period time. The thermal storage assembly in... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6912816 | Structurally integrated solar collector A structurally integrated solar collector. Roof and wall covering components are integrated with solar collectors to permit solar energy to be converted to heat, electricity and hot water for use within a building. A roof truss is described that additionally capture... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6908595 | Vacuum-insulated exhaust treatment devices, such as catalytic converters, with passive controls A thermally-activated exhaust treatment device, such as a catalytic converter (20); for vehicles includes a core having an inner housing (21) and a catalytic material (27, 27′). A jacket includes an outer housing (22) enclosing the inne... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6701914 | Installation for storing thermal energy The installation stores thermal energy, i.e., heat energy and/or cold energy. A plurality of conduits are laid underground. Several regions that are arranged one inside the other and contain energy-saving material and conduits respectively are provided. T... | 03/09/2004 |
| 6657170 | Heat retentive inductive-heatable laminated matrix An induction heatable body (22) that quickly heats to a desired temperature, retains heat long enough to be used in almost any application, and develops no "hot spots" even when heated by a heating source having an uneven magnetic field distribution. The ... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6581589 | Solar cell with a solar collector and storage elements Heat insulations in houses having card-board lattice arranged behind a glass pane yield, in practice, a heat flow which is dependent on insolation. Said heat flow is lower at night and during weak insolation and begins to increase when the lattice is sola... | 06/24/2003 |
| 6493507 | Water heating unit with integral thermal energy storage The present invention is directed to a water heater which includes a phase change material having a freezing/melting temperature from about 30° C. to about 90° C. The water heater include a source of water, a heating element for heating the water, a hea... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6486443 | Apparatus and method for heated food delivery A delivery apparatus comprising a container and a heater is provided for holding an article in thermally conductive contact with the heater. The heater includes a heating grid constructed to provide a output watt density of greater than 2.5 watts per squa... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6463212 | Water heating unit with integral thermal energy storage The present invention is directed to a water heater which includes a material having a thermal energy capacity of at least about 25 cal/g and having a freezing/melting temperature from about 20° C. to about 100° C. The water heater include a source of w... | 10/08/2002 |
| 6425388 | Pizza oven deck A pizza oven that has an air curtain or air wash along the bottom of the cooking stones that reduces heat transfer from the burners to the stones during idle modes to thereby prevent over heating and burning of pizza bottoms during an ensuing cooking mode... | 07/30/2002 |
| 6412545 | Carrying case for protecting heat sensitive materials A carrying case for protecting heat sensitive materials includes a first portion, a second portion, and a closure device. The closure device seals the first portion to the second portion. Each portion includes a retainer which contains a phase change mate... | 07/02/2002 |
| 6400896 | Phase change material heat exchanger with heat energy transfer elements extending through the phase change material A heat exchanger for a phase change material including a container holding the phase change material, a tube surrounding the container to define an annular space therebetween, and preferably divider walls within that annular space to create a circuitous p... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6353208 | Apparatus and method for heated food delivery A delivery apparatus comprising a container and a heater is provided. The container is provided for holding an article in thermally conductive contact with the heater. The heater includes a heating grid constructed to provide a output watt density of grea... | 03/05/2002 |
| 6311687 | Heating furnace, especially with gas and/or oil firing The invention relates to a heating oven (1) in particular with a gas and/or oil firing system. The heating oven comprises a combustion chamber (2) surrounded by heat storage elements, wherein respective first heat storage elements (3, 4; 27) are arranged ... | 11/06/2001 |
| 6227192 | Hot plate for cups and related items The device of the present invention is a stored heat warming utensil. It includes a heat storage element having a bottom surface and a top surface, a an outer container, and a vessel for a liquid, most typically a cup. The outer container has an opening i... | 05/08/2001 |
| 6191401 | Heat maintaining food delivery container A heat maintaining food container includes a container for depositing a food product therein and a ferrous material heated element, which has been heated to a selected temperature by electromagnetic induction heating, positioned in close proximity to the ... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6188053 | Heat retentive server A heat retentive server that has an outer peripheral member, a central portion having a heat storage member susceptible to heating by induction, wherein the outer peripheral member does not contact the heat storage member. Preferably, the outer peripheral... | 02/13/2001 |
| 6178963 | Heat pack Disclosed is a heat pack A heat pack comprising a flexible container; a solution which is filled in the container and generates a heat while be crystalizing; a trigger which is disposed in the container to be in contact with the solution, for making the s... | 01/30/2001 |
| 6091052 | Image fixing roller, image fixing apparatus, and image fixing method using the image fixing roller An image fixing roller includes an exothermic phase transition layer which performs a plurality of phase transitions repeatedly from an amorphous state to a crystalline state. The exothermic phase transition layer may include a plurality of exothermic pha... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6091053 | Heat-reserving container for pizza and furnace for the same A heat-reserving container for pizza comprising a disc case having a flat circular portion, with a resin-made heat reservoir stored therein is disclosed. The entire surface, of the pizza can be in contact with the flat portion of the heat-reserving contai... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6079404 | Article for thermal energy storage A thermal energy storage composition is provided which is in the form of a gel. The composition includes a phase change material and silica particles, where the phase change material may comprise a linear alkyl hydrocarbon, water/urea, or water. The therm... | 06/27/2000 |
| 6047106 | Water heating unit with integral thermal energy storage A water heater which comprises a phase change material having a thermal energy capacity of at least about 25 cal/g and having a freezing/melting temperature from about 15° C. to about 100° C.; a source of water, a heating element for heating the water; ... | 04/04/2000 |
| 6044200 | Hot fluid dispenser with inner reservoir containing meltable material and heat pipes transferring heat to outer reservoir A hot fluid dispenser comprises a first reservoir (1) for the fluid (usually water); at least one heating source (7, 8) operatively associated with the first reservoir 91); and at least a second reservoir (9) defining an interface with the first reservoir... | 03/28/2000 |
| 5901699 | Heat retentive food service base A one-piece, seamless food service base is insert molded from a heat and impact resistant plastic. The base is shaped to receive a standard serving plate and includes an integrally molded core. The core is made from a metal or other material that is susce... | 05/11/1999 |
| 5786643 | Heat retentive server for induction heating A heat retentive server adapted to the inductively heated comprises a central portion comprising a heat storage member comprising a material which is susceptible to being heated by induction; and an outer peripheral member connected to the central portion... | 07/28/1998 |
| 5755216 | Building products incorporating phase change materials and method of making same A building product having thermal energy storage properties in the form of a cementitious hollow core building block having a hollow core or cores and having within the hollow core(s) a composite containing a phase change material. The composite may be a ... | 05/26/1998 |
| 5687706 | Phase change material storage heater A storage heater for storing heat and for heating a fluid, such as water, has an enclosure defining a chamber therein. The chamber has a lower portion and an upper portion with a heating element being disposed within the enclosure. A tube through which th... | 11/18/1997 |
| 5685289 | Heat storage device A two layer system for heat energy capture and storage with an upper or lower layer for heat extracting and the other layer for heat transfer. Either layer can function as a phase change material. Heat stored is conducted externally of the system and can ... | 11/11/1997 |
| 5647343 | Latent store The invention relates to a latent store with a photosensitive storage medium and a regenerating agent. To this end, an organic storage substance with at least two stable stereoisomeric configurations is used, the first of which is photosensitive and can b... | 07/15/1997 |
