Patents Examined by Amene Bayou
  • Patent number: 8790089
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for controlling the speed of the compressor to ensure adequate lubrication oil is provided to the components of the compressor. During operation of a capacity control program for the compressor, a preselected operating parameter of the compressor or motor drive is measured. The measured preselected operating parameter is compared to a preselected range for the operating parameter. If the measured preselected operating parameter is not within the preselected range, the output frequency of the capacity control program can be increased to provide proper lubrication for the components of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Bristol Compressors International, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Moody, Eugene K. Chumley, Jerry D. Edwards, Tim M. Wampler, John W. Tolbert, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8777596
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pump, a motor operatively coupled to the pump, and a flushing system. The motor includes a stator and a rotor disposed in a rotor cavity isolated from the stator. The flushing system is operable to provide a flushing medium to the rotor cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher E. Cunningham, Rune Fantoft, Terje Hollingsaeter
  • Patent number: 8757047
    Abstract: A fluid control device for use in a high pressure fluid system, the device including a device body with a cavity and a high pressure circuit, a plunger positioned for reciprocal movement in the cavity, and a leakage reduction cap mounted to the plunger for reducing fluid leakage flow. In one implementation, the leakage reduction cap includes a flexible portion positioned between the device body and the plunger, and defining an annular clearance gap between the leakage reduction cap and the device body. The flexible portion of the leakage reduction cap resiliently flexes radially outwardly in response to fluid pressure forces to reduce the annular clearance gap so as to minimize fluid leakage flow through the annular clearance gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Donald J. Benson, David L. Buchanan, Scott R. Simmons
  • Patent number: 8740591
    Abstract: A vacuum pump comprises a casing having a bottom forming an aperture therein and a chamber slidably coupled within the casing. The chamber has a bottom forming an aperture therein. The vacuum pump further comprises a piston slidably coupled within the chamber. The piston includes an upper portion generally parallel to the chamber bottom. The piston further includes a hollow shaft extending from a bottom surface of the upper portion. The shaft has a first end adjacent to the upper portion and a second opposing end. The shaft is configured to fit within the chamber aperture and the casing aperture. The shaft includes at least one aperture positioned at the first end. The second end of the shaft is coupled to the casing at the casing aperture. The vacuum pump is configured to evacuate air from a flexible storage container by pushing the chamber in a downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products LLC
    Inventor: James S. Blythe
  • Patent number: 8740579
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel supply pump includes a discharge valve, which is a non-return valve between a pressurizing chamber and a discharge port. The discharge valve includes a valve body housing, a discharge valve spring, a valve body and a seat member. The discharge valve is a flat valve. When the valve is opened, a flow of fuel moving from the pressurizing chamber and axially colliding with the valve body is radially distributed in the radial direction of the valve body to become a flow directly moving the discharge ports and a flow colliding with an inner wall of the valve body housing before moving toward the discharge ports and then in a circumferential direction of the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Aritomi, Hideki Machimura, Kiyotaka Ogura, Masami Abe, Kenichiro Tokuo
  • Patent number: 8734125
    Abstract: A system includes a compressor having a shell housing a compression mechanism driven by an electric motor in an on state and not driven by the electric motor in an off state. The system also includes a variable frequency drive that drives the electric motor in the on state by varying a frequency of a voltage delivered to the electric motor and that supplies electric current to a stator of the electric motor in the off state to heat the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel L. McSweeney, Charles E. Green, Stephen M. Seibel
  • Patent number: 8727750
    Abstract: A hot swap fan includes a fan and a puller structure. The puller structure covers a side surface of the fan. The puller structure includes a base, a holder, and a fixing structure. A first end of the base is pivoted to the fan. The holder and the fixing structure are on a second end of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ja-Jeng Lu, Peng-Chu Tao, Te-Tsai Chuang, Wen-Shi Huang
  • Patent number: 8727740
    Abstract: An assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for providing a substantially uniform output flow from at least one piston of a pump powered by a prime mover includes at least a first power piston disposed in a cylinder and reciprocatingly movable within the cylinder between an extension direction when supplied with power from the prime mover and an opposite retraction direction, and a synchronization element attached to the power piston to control the speed of the power piston in the retraction direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Fangfang Jiang, Philippe Gambier, Rod Shampine
  • Patent number: 8727739
    Abstract: A liquid pump that includes a cylinder (2), an inlet valve (4) for feeding liquid into the cylinder, and a discharge valve (5) for discharging the liquid out of the cylinder. The liquid pump also includes a piston (3) sliding in said cylinder so as to draw said liquid into said cylinder and to expel the same outside the cylinder. Additionally, the liquid pump includes an electric circuit (7) for heating the cylinder, with at least one resistor (70, 71) for electrically heating the liquid in the cylinder. The resistor (70, 71) may be made in the form of an electrically conducting thin track deposited on or in the wall (20) of the cylinder (2). The heating may be initiated before the introduction of the liquid into the cylinder, and interrupted before the full discharge of the liquid out of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Gotec SA
    Inventor: Vincent Grenon
  • Patent number: 8714949
    Abstract: In a washer fluid pump (2) for a window cleaning system (3) of a motor vehicle, a ventilation duct (21) of an electric motor (9) is guided in a labyrinth from a first plane (22) arranged in the electric motor (9) into the environment via a second plane (24) arranged in a collecting space (23). For this purpose, the ventilation duct (21) has two first sections (20) which lead vertically from the electric motor (9) into the collecting space (23), and two second sections (26) which open out vertically from the collecting space (23) into the environment. The first and the second sections (20, 26) are offset with respect to one another by 90°, so as to prevent an infiltration of spray water into the electric motor (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Opel, Dirk Ringler
  • Patent number: 8702401
    Abstract: A cooling fan includes a sidewall coupled to a base of a housing and defining a compartment. The housing includes an air inlet, an air outlet, and a dust channel. The air inlet, the air outlet, and the dust channel are in communication with the compartment. An impeller is rotatably coupled to a stator coupled to the base. A control element includes a driving circuit electrically connected to the stator and a rotating direction control circuit electrically connected to the driving circuit. The air outlet and the dust channel separate an inner periphery of the sidewall into first and second guiding wall sections. The first guiding wall section has a guiding portion contiguous to the dust channel. A first spacing between the guiding portion and a center of the impeller is not larger than a second spacing between the second guiding wall section and the center of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 8696332
    Abstract: A heat-dissipating fan includes a housing having a peripheral wall defining a compartment receiving a shaft seat. The peripheral wall includes a wire-guiding slot in communication with the compartment. A base is coupled to the housing and includes a coil unit and a connection port electrically connected to the coil unit. The connection port faces the wire-guiding slot. A power line includes a first end connected to the connection port and a second end extending through the wire-guiding slot. An impeller includes a hub, a shaft mounted to the hub and coupled to the shaft seat, and a permanent magnet mounted to the hub. The permanent magnet faces the coil unit. The connection port is located on a reference line passing through the shaft seat and the wire-guiding slot. A distance between the connection port and the wire-guiding slot is shortened to enhance assembling convenience of the power line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 8696336
    Abstract: A miniature unidirectional valve configured to restrict the free flow of fluid through the valve includes a valve body having an inlet and an outlet. A flexible membrane is movably disposed over the inlet and outlet, and movable between an open position and a closed position. The flexible membrane is movable by a pressure from the inlet to move the membrane to the open position. A control chamber is disposed in the valve body adjacent the fluid flow path, and configured to apply a pressure against the membrane to move the membrane to the closed position to restrict fluid flow through the valve. A preload structure is associated with the flexible membrane, and biases the flexible membrane toward the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sterling Investments, LC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Jacobsen, Shane Olsen
  • Fan
    Patent number: 8690547
    Abstract: A fan includes an impeller portion generating an air flow and a motor that rotates the impeller portion about a center axis. The impeller portion is attached to a yoke of a rotor portion of the motor and is rotated with the yoke. A circular portion of the impeller is attached to a bottom opening of the yoke having a cylindrical shape whose top is covered by insert molding. Therefore, the impeller and the yoke may be securely fixed to each other. In addition, an outer side surface of the yoke is exposed to outside air such that the space arranged inward from the plurality of blades may be enlarged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Nagamatsu, Shoki Yamazaki, Shigeyuki Moriya
  • Patent number: 8690545
    Abstract: In order to improve a reciprocating piston compressor for a refrigerant circuit, comprising a crankcase, in which a collecting chamber for lubricant is arranged, a cylinder housing, in which at least one reciprocating piston is movable in an oscillating manner, a valve plate which closes the cylinder housing and in which at least one inlet valve and one outlet valve are arranged, and a cylinder head, in which a suction gas duct which runs to the inlet valve and a compressed gas duct which leads away from the outlet valve are provided, in such a manner that excessive accumulations of lubricant can be avoided, it is suggested that a lubricant suction conduit be provided which has an inlet opening associated with the collecting chamber and an outlet opening associated with the suction gas duct and that the outlet opening be located in an area of the suction gas duct, in which a static pressure, which is lower than a static pressure in the collecting chamber for lubricant, prevails at least temporarily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Bitzer Kuehlmaschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Eduardo Martin
  • Patent number: 8684707
    Abstract: A piezoelectric microblower includes a vibrating plate including a piezoelectric element and arranged to be driven in a bending mode by applying a voltage of a predetermined frequency to the piezoelectric element, and a blower body arranged to fix both ends or a periphery of the vibrating plate and to define a blower chamber between the blower body and the vibrating plate, an opening being provided in a portion of the blower body facing a central portion of the vibrating plate. In a portion of the blower chamber corresponding to the central portion of the vibrating plate, a partition is provided around the opening and a resonance space is defined inside of the partition. A size of the resonance space is set such that a driving frequency of the vibrating plate and a Helmholtz resonance frequency of the resonance space correspond to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shungo Kanai, Gaku Kamitani, Yoko Kaneda
  • Patent number: 8678782
    Abstract: A substantially planar suspension spring for supporting a linear compressor housed within a hermetic shell. A hub portion (36) connects to the body of the compressor assembly while a spiral arm portion (38) curves around the hub portion (36) at least one full turn before attaching to the wall of the compressor housing. Provides lateral stability to the reciprocating compressor assembly while maintaining axial flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fishe & Paykel Appliances Limited
    Inventors: John Julian Aubrey Williams, Gordon Cameron Otte, Ian Campbell McGill
  • Patent number: 8678784
    Abstract: A drive device in which a driving force transfer mechanism is accommodated in a case that includes a main body portion having an opening portion and a cover portion attached to the opening portion, and the cover portion is provided with an oil pump. The drive device is configured with a pump cover attached to a case inner surface of the cover portion, which forms an inner surface of the case, such that the pump cover is accommodated in a case internal space surrounded by the main body portion and the cover portion. A pump chamber of the oil pump is formed by a recess that is formed in at least one of a mating surface of the cover portion and a mating surface of the pump cover in a bonding portion between the cover portion and the pump cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoo Atarashi, Natsuki Sada, Takuya Komatsu, Yutaka Ozeki
  • Patent number: 8678776
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vacuum generating device (1) and to a method suitable for the operation thereof. An ejector device (27) is connected with an inlet (29) thereof to an air supply conduit (32) that can be selectively closed or opened by an electronic control unit (14) in order to selectively turn off or turn on the ejector device (27). When the ejector device (27) is turned on, a vacuum is generated in a suction channel (35). The ejector device (27) is operated such that the vacuum fluctuates between an upper switching value and a lower switching value. By comparison to a reference time value, the operating period of the ejector device (27) is determined in order to generate a diagnosis signal that allows a conclusion of the leak that is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Medow, Markus Bretzler, Yvonne Krehl
  • Patent number: 8672642
    Abstract: A system and method for starting a compressor is provided. An amount of liquid refrigerant that is located in an oil sump of the compressor is determined. Using the determined amount of liquid refrigerant, a starting algorithm for the compressor is selected. The selected starting algorithm is configured to remove the determined amount of liquid refrigerant from the oil sump before the compressor reaches a preselected operating speed. The selected starting algorithm is then executed to start the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bristol Compressors International, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Tolbert, Jr., Bruce A. Moody, Eugene K. Chumley, Richard C. Denzau, Jerry D. Edwards, David R. Gilliam, Scott Hix, Justin M. Toner, Mark R. Trent, Tim M. Wampler, John R. Williams