...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8123840 | Electrostatic particle filter The invention relates to an electrostatic particle filter for removing particles from air. The electrostatic particle filter includes a filter medium (3) with first and second opposite sides, a first electrode (1) and a second electrode (2), the... | 02/28/2012 |
| 7582144 | Space efficient hybrid air purifier A compact, hybrid particulate and gas collector that can be used in an ultra-clean air purification, vehicle emissions control system, gas turbine, or in any other application where space and lower cost is important or in applications where sub-micron and nano-parti... | 09/01/2009 |
| 7473304 | Air filtration device for closed environments An air filtration device for suppressing biological pollutants for closed environments, including at least one enclosure with at least one air inlet, at which at least one perforated conducting grille is located, that has a present negative electrical potential adap... | 01/06/2009 |
| 7384666 | Method and apparatus for fabricating quantum dot functional structure, quantum dot functional structure, and optically functioning device Fabrication of a quantum dot functional structure having ultra-fine particles homogeneously distributed in a transparent medium includes depositing such particles having a single particle diameter and uniform structure onto a substrate with the transparent medium. A... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7364605 | Photo-electronic air purifying disinfector A photo-electronic air purifying disinfector firstly filters out airborne impurities using a washable filter screen. It then utilizes an activated carbon filter to filter out airborne bacteria and germs. The bacteria and germs which are capable of passing through th... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7351336 | Ballast water treatment systems including related apparatus and methods Ballast water treatment apparatus and methods for preventing foreign aquatic invasive species form entering marine ecological zones by translocation in ship's ballast water. The apparatus includes a housing, a filter member, and UV water treatment chambers. Methods ... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7347888 | Air purifier An air purifier is disclosed having an electrostatic chamber and a germicidal chamber, wherein the two chambers are distinct and there is no air flow communication between the electrostatic and germicidal chambers. ... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7338181 | Eye protecting table lamp having an air purification function An air purification apparatus and an illuminating apparatus which provide an eye protecting table lamp that emits gentle light and has an air purification function. The eye protecting table lamp comprises a lamp body unit, a lamp base unit, a focus lamp unit and an ... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7334424 | Air conditioner having independent cooling and purifying paths Disclosed herein is an air conditioner having independent cooling and purifying paths. The air conditioner comprises a body casing formed by assembling a front panel with a rear panel, the front panel having a cooled air discharge opening and one or more suction ope... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7329313 | Air cleaner An air cleaner includes a housing, a filter, a photocatalyst reaction unit which can form spiral a air flow, a forced convection device, and an electrocircuit controller. The forced convection device is located between the filter and the photocatalyst reaction unit.... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7318856 | Air treatment apparatus having an electrode extending along an axis which is substantially perpendicular to an air flow path An air transporter-conditioner device is disclosed that can include an elongated housing having a bottom, a top and an elongated side wall. The housing can have an inlet located adjacent to the bottom and an outlet located adjacent to the elongated side wall, an emi... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7318858 | Gas separator for providing an oxygen-enriched stream A system for separating oxygen from air operates at a pressure less than atmospheric. The oxygen separation system includes an entry port for ambient air, and at least two separate exhaust ports through which separate exhaust streams are drawn by separate suction so... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7309386 | Vertical air cleaner A portable air cleaner having a vertical orientation with a small footprint that uses an electrostatic precipitator to remove small particles from the air in combination with forced air for increased air flow and improved particle removal. ... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7303612 | UV reflective cavity and method of providing same A UV reflective cavity may be provided in a duct by attaching a plurality of tiles to the interior surface of the duct, each of the tiles having UV reflective surface. ... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7300499 | Airplane air purifier An airplane air purifier employs high voltage electrostatic ionic air charging grid and precipitator plates for the removal of particulates and contaminants, together with germicidal capabilities provided by an ultraviolet wavelength band UVC illuminator within the ... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7291207 | Air treatment apparatus with attachable grill Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for moving air using an air treatment apparatus, the air treatment apparatus preferably including at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode, and at least one third electrod... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7279028 | Electrostatic filter An electrostatic filter having an improved dielectric is described. The dielectric constitutes a dielectric mat formed from high porosity non-woven fibers having pores that have a void fraction of at least 97%. The dielectric mat is sandwiched by a pair of porous el... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7273515 | Photo-electronic air purifying and conditioning system A 4-in-1 photo-electronic air purifying and conditioning system, which utilizes alternating current suitable for use in all weather conditions has activated carbon filters used in the first stage to eliminate impurities, germs and bacteria in the air drawn into the ... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7270696 | Photo-electronic air purifying and disinfecting system A 3-in-1 photo-electronic air purifying and disinfecting system, which utilizes alternating current, has an activated carbon filter used in the first stage to eliminate impurities, germs and bacteria in the air drawn into the system. The bacteria and germs which are... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7267712 | Planar electric precipitator A plane type electric precipitator includes an electrode plate of plane shape, made of electricity-conducting material; a collecting plate, parallel to the electrode plate and made of electricity-conducting material; a plurality of electrode units, placed on the ele... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7264657 | Photo-electronic air conditioning, dehumidifying, purifying and disinfecting system A 4-in-1 photo-electronic air conditioning, dehumidifying, purifying and disinfecting system has an activated carbon filter in the first stage to eliminate impurities, germs and bacteria in the air drawn into the system. The bacteria and germs in the extracted air, ... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7247237 | Fluid cleaning filter and filter device A fluid cleaning filter of the present invention consists of a composite matrix composed of a pleated substrate 2 configured into a pleated shape and an active carbon-containing layer 3, wherein the pleated substrate 2 is made of polyurethane fo... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7244290 | Electrostatic room air cleaner An electrostatic room air cleaner includes a housing having a given profile and a plurality of electrostatic precipitation collector units arrayed in the housing with a common fan to circulate room air through the plurality of electrostatic precipitation collector u... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7244288 | Pulsed vapor desorber Vapor concentrators are used to provide a higher concentration of trace target vapor than would normally be available in the environment. This is accomplished by allowing the trace target vapor to adsorb onto a concentrating surface and subsequently releasing the tr... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7205152 | Closed loop system and method for air sampling of mail products A self-contained closed loop system and method for detecting contaminants in, on, and around objects. The system includes an air duct subsystem connecting at least one sensor to a sealed housing containing a rotating container. Air from the sealed housing is circula... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7194924 | System and method for biohazard detection using compression The present invention includes a system and method for detecting contaminated objects, for example mail pieces, through use of a pinching device that compresses the objects, thereby possibly releasing potential contaminant-containing particles into the air in a clos... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7195660 | Pillow with air filter A travel pillow has one or more air filters and a body with a soft material coupled to the one or more air filters. The air filters can be powered by a power source located within the pillow. The one or more air filters can have an air intake and an air outflow in c... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7160365 | Ion generating apparatus, air conditioning apparatus, and charging apparatus An ion generating apparatus is built by sandwiching a dielectric layer between an induction electrode and a discharge electrode. The induction electrode is formed of a metal substrate of, for example, aluminum. Even when the apparatus is made larger, it offers impro... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7156897 | Anti-infection and toxin elimination device The invention provides an apparatus for removing airborne pathogens and toxic substances from a surface of an article or a volume of air, comprising: a main processing chamber having a door for ingress to and egress from the main processing chamber, at least two hig... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7156898 | Low pressure drop deep electrically enhanced filter A method and apparatus using deep pleated filters to provide efficient and safe electrically enhanced filtering (EEF), with ultra low pressure drop, higher efficiency of particulate removal and higher dirt holding capacity over the life of the filter. An EEF may be ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7151264 | Inline air handler system and associated method of use An inline air handler system and associated method of use is disclosed. This includes a member, at least one sensor operatively attached to the member, at least one ultraviolet light operatively attached to the member, at least one electronic input device, at least ... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7132003 | Air clean apparatus An air clean apparatus including an air intake intended to be located at a lower position in a corner of a room and an air outlet intended to be located at an upper position in the corner of the room, and at least a filter and a blower both inside the air clean appa... | 11/07/2006 |
| RE39313 | Procedure and filter device for removal and/or destruction of organic substances in contaminated air A procedure and a filter device (1) serving the purpose of removing and/or destruction organic substances in contaminated air. The filter device comprises at least one ventilator (12) for sending an air stream through a first chamber (14) with a... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7107778 | Appliance for disinfection of HVAC systems A device (20) for Disinfection of HVAC Systems that include features that will protect service personnel from un-intended exposure to ultra violet radiation. The safeguards include an interlock (70) that prevents illumination of germicidal lamps (80... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7105041 | Grid type electrostatic separator/collector and method of using same An electrical type grid electrostatic collector/separator removes particles from an air stream. The apparatus includes multiple parallel grids that act as the porous material, enclosed in a sealed compartment so that the entrained air flows parallel and between one ... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7041153 | Method of measuring floating dusts In a method of measuring particles floating in an atmosphere, the atmosphere containing the particles is sucked into a container, ions are generated from a discharge electrode disposed in the container to charge the particles with the ions. A dust-collecting electro... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7014686 | Electrostatic air cleaner An air cleaner electrode assembly includes an elongated collector electrode and a plurality of elongated discharge electrodes arranged around the collector electrode. A fan may move air in a direction parallel to a length of the electrodes. The collector electrode m... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7011500 | Rolling barrel fan A ventilation fan that functions as a wheel for movements. The generally cylindrical fan housing is pivotally coupled to a triangular handle. The handle may be manually grasped to roll the fan towards an operative position. The handle may be positioned in a temporar... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6984259 | Air disinfection apparatus An air purification and disinfection apparatus incorporates an air inlet filter (1) spanning the intake of the apparatus, an ultraviolet light source (2) for treating the air within a chamber (14) of the apparatus, and an equalising screen (3... | 01/10/2006 |
| 6974560 | Electro-kinetic air transporter and conditioner device with enhanced anti-microorganism capability An electro-kinetic air conditioner for removing particulates from the air creates an airflow using no moving parts. The airflow is subjected to UV radiation from a germicidal lamp within the device. The conditioner includes an ion generator that has an electrode ass... | 12/13/2005 |