Patents Examined by Charles S. Bushey
  • Patent number: 11504496
    Abstract: An apparatus for humidifying a flow of pressurised, breathable air includes varying a first pressure of the flow of breathable gas to vary a level of thermal engagement between the conductive portion of the reservoir and the heater plate, varying a height of the variable portion varies a level of thermal engagement between the conductive portion of the reservoir and the heater plate, use of a humidifier reservoir base component with a maximum water capacity substantially equal to the predetermined maximum volume of water of the humidifier reservoir or the use of intersecting inlet and outlet axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Andrew Roderick Bath, Justin John Formica, Matthew Rolf Harrington, Joseph Samuel Ormrod, Luke Andrew Stanislas, Hargopal Verma
  • Patent number: 11504679
    Abstract: The device is a gas-liquid mixing device having a venturi structure in which a throat portion and an enlarged diameter portion are provided in a main passage through which a liquid passes, the gas-liquid mixing device including a collision chamber provided on an outer periphery of the enlarged diameter portion, and a stirring chamber provided downstream of the enlarged diameter portion. A collision flow path communicating with the collision chamber and causing a gas-liquid to collide with an outer peripheral wall, a straight flow path through which the gas-liquid passing through a central portion of the enlarged diameter portion travels straight, and an outer ring flow path through which the gas-liquid flows from the collision chamber to the stirring chamber are formed downstream of the enlarged diameter portion. The gas-liquids from the outer ring flow path and the straight flow path are stirred in the stirring chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: MTEC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Fumio Asano
  • Patent number: 11491297
    Abstract: An apparatus for humidification of air to be delivered to a patient's airways may include a reservoir, and a humidifier chamber. The humidifier chamber may include a humidifier wick and a heating element for heating the humidifier chamber. The humidifier wick may comprise a fibrous sheet material. The humidifier chamber and wick may be vertically oriented in use such that a first end of the wick is above the second end of the wick. A deioniser may be provided to deionise the liquid prior to the humidifier wick. The apparatus may pasteurise liquid to be delivered to the humidification wick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Matthew Rolf Harrington, Andrew Chan, Luke Andrew Stanislas, Nan Hai Wu
  • Patent number: 11484848
    Abstract: An apparatus for aerating bodies of water includes a floating platform, a motor supported by the floating platform, a transmission which is coupled to the motor and whose output shaft is in the form of a hollow shaft, a fan for supplying air through an air supply line connected thereto, wherein the air supply line is connected to one end of the hollow shaft, a hollow stirring shaft coupled to the other end of the hollow shaft, an stirrer affixed to the free end of the approximately vertical stirring shaft, wherein the stirrer is designated as a hollow body and has a central opening through which air supplied by the stirring shaft can pass, and a multiplicity of air outlet openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: INVENT Umwelt—und Verfahrenstechnik AG
    Inventors: Marcus Höfken, Thomas Hagspiel, Torsten Frey, Walter Steidl
  • Patent number: 11466943
    Abstract: High performance ceramic (“HPC”) cooling tower fill plates with scalloped top and bottom edges and cross-hatched veins are used in combination with improved retainers in order to produce high performance, cooling tower fill bundles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: Rodney Applegate
  • Patent number: 11460197
    Abstract: An air transfer apparatus being an integral or a monolithic structure or enclosure including an integral cavity and other cavities formed from a single piece of material. The integrated cavity includes a plurality of individual dividers forming a plurality of integral segmented cavities where pumps and motors are installed, and a controller which controls the operation of the pump motor such as turns on and off the pump motor and adjusts the speed of the pump motor. The air transfer apparatus is adapted to have at least one heat exchanger pad installed in at least of the sides of the walls and at least one fan installed in the air transfer apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Anthony Staniulis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11452974
    Abstract: A passive gas exchange transfer apparatus for exchanging carbon dioxide from a flue gas to a water supply is disclosed. The apparatus includes several upper rods and several lower rods to hold a membrane in place. The membrane provides increased surface area for the gas and the water to meet. The upper rods may be the source of the water supply, and the lower rods may be the source of the gas. The upper rods may disperse the water onto one side of the membrane, and the lower rods may disperse the gas onto the other side. The two may therefore meet at the surface created by the membrane as gravity draws the water downward, and convection draws the gas upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel T. Sellars, Joel W. Agner
  • Patent number: 11454390
    Abstract: Spray heads for use with desuperheaters and desuperheaters including such spray heads. In accordance with an example, a spray head for a desuperheater includes a main body having a first end portion arranged for attachment to a flow line, a second end portion, and a passage that extends between the first end portion and the second end portion and defines an entrance port. The passage being adapted for connection to a source of fluid. The main body includes an outer portion having an irregular external shape and including a spray nozzle having an exit opening defined by the outer portion. A flow passage is coupled between the entrance port and the spray nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Marc Oliver Huber, Kaspar Loeffel, Thomas Duda
  • Patent number: 11433370
    Abstract: A fill sheet for cooling heat transfer fluid in a cooling tower includes an air intake end, an air outlet end, a top edge and a bottom edge. The air outlet end is positioned opposite the air intake end along a lateral axis. The top edge connects the air intake end and the air outlet end and the bottom edge also connects the air intake end and the air outlet end. The bottom edge is positioned opposite the top edge along a vertical axis. A plurality of flutes extends generally parallel to the lateral axis between the air intake end and the air outlet end. An offset extends generally parallel to the vertical axis. A first flute of the plurality of flutes transitions from a first peak at a first side of the offset to a first valley at a second side of the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: BRENTWOOD INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Edwards, Aditya Bhat
  • Patent number: 11418090
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cooling tower that has a cooling tower structure having fill material supported by the cooling tower structure and configured to receive heated process fluid and a motor mounted to the cooling tower structure. The motor has a casing and a rotatable shaft and is sealed to prevent fluids, moisture, foreign particles and contaminants from entering the casing. A fan is connected to the rotatable shaft of the motor. Rotation of the rotatable shaft rotates the fan thereby inducing an upward moving mass flow of cool air through the fill material. A basin is attached to the cooling tower structure for collecting cooled fluid. A fluid distribution system distributes the cooled fluid in the basin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: PRIME DATUM DEVELOPMENT CO., LLC
    Inventors: Patrick M. Rollins, George Lucas
  • Patent number: 11413587
    Abstract: The invention relates to a carbonized water dispensing device (1) provided with a carbonized water conditioning chamber (2), which conditioning chamber (2) is provided downstream of the carbonator (7) and upstream of the carbonized water dispensing outlet (5), for receiving a mixture of carbonized water mixed with unresolved CO2, which conditioning chamber (2) is dimensioned to hold a single serve of carbonized water with a headspace, and which carbonized water conditioning chamber (2) is provided with an outlet valve (17) and a gas outlet (18). According to the invention, the carbonized water dispensing device (1) is configured to, upon receiving a beverage dispensing order, provide the empty carbonized water conditioning chamber (2) with a single serve volume of carbonized water, and hold the single serve of carbonized water prior to dispensing the single serve volume of carbonized water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Apiqe Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Jasper Jacobus Van De Sluis, Mattheus Pieter Both
  • Patent number: 11406943
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating fluids such as waste streams with improved aeration efficiency and dual function operation has a blower-assisted aerator, an impeller, a baffle structure circumscribing an air line that includes a first baffle and a second perforated baffle downstream from the first baffle, and a liquid reservoir containing a liquid. The impeller is fully submerged, and located upstream of the fully submerged baffle structure. A fully submerged air outlet is located downstream of the baffle structure, preferably in close proximity to the perforated baffle. When the blower is stopped and the impeller rotating, the baffle structure prevents aspiration into the liquid. In some embodiments, the baffle structure is removably affixed to an air outlet from the blower-assisted aerator, and so may be applied to pre-existing blower-assisted aerators. In some embodiments, one or both of the first and second baffles may resemble flat, domed, cupped, or hemispherical washers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventors: Jing Huang, Raymond P. Hedelson, Sherif S. Saleh
  • Patent number: 11402164
    Abstract: A system and method for installing a water diversion system to a cooling tower flume and distribution basin to dam a section of the basin includes installing first and second basin dams extending radially from respective first and second parapets of the flume wall to the basin wall in sealing contact with a basin floor, blocking water from flowing from the undammed section of the basin into the dammed section using the basin dams, and installing a flume dam to each notch of one or more notches distributed peripherally along the flume wall between the first and second parapets, blocking water from flowing from the flume into the distribution basin through the one or more notches using the flume dam, and such that the flume dams installed to the one or more notches in combination with the first and second basin dams define a dammed section of the basin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Mid-American Gunite, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Masserant
  • Patent number: 11389996
    Abstract: An air transfer apparatus being made as a monolithic or an integral structure or enclosure. The air transfer apparatus is made from a non-porous material and is made from any of the manufacturing methods of molding, injection molding, gas assisted injection molding, liquid/water assisted injection molding, blow molding, extruding, electrofusion or 3-D printing. The air transfer apparatus can be any of a cooling tower, a swamp cooler or a cooling Indirect Direct Evaporative Cooler. The air transfer apparatus has at least one integral cavity manufactured therein and at least one heat exchanger pad can be attached to the air transfer apparatus or made integral with the air transfer apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventor: Anthony Staniulis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11384714
    Abstract: An automatic choke device of a carburetor includes a wax attached to an engine main body, a rod configured to perform a linear motion in conjunction with expansion of the wax, a choke lever configured to rotate in conjunction with the linear motion of the rod, and a choke shaft arranged so as to be able to abut against the choke lever and connected to a choke valve of the carburetor. The choke lever includes a flat portion that engages with an engaging portion of the choke shaft, and a circular arc portion that is formed in a circular arc shape so as to be continuous from the flat portion and is brought into sliding contact with the engaging portion of the choke shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Soji Kashima, Ryota Morinaga, Keigo Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11369939
    Abstract: A device is provided having a structure for conducting a first fluid, the structure having in addition an interface for conducting a second fluid. The first fluid can be brought into contact with the second fluid at the interface of the structure. A flow interrupter (120.0) for interrupting a flow of the second fluid is situated at the interface of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Hirschberg Engineering AG
    Inventor: Sebastian Hirschberg
  • Patent number: 11369228
    Abstract: New and novel structure(s) for cleaning surfaces have been disclosed. The device may include; a wiping surface, which may be disposable; a brush roll/larger debris gathering mechanism; a local debris storage and/or staging area, and a larger remote debris storage structure. Additionally, there are mechanisms and structures disclosed for powering the brush roll, activating the brush roll from an out of use position to an in use position, waste from one area to another. The invention at hand uniquely and inventively improves upon the known devices in this field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: Steven Jerome Caruso
  • Patent number: 11369094
    Abstract: An automatic calcium reactor preferably includes a reactor body, a carbon dioxide separator, a salt water pump, a recycling venturi and an electronic controller. The reactor body includes a lower chamber and an upper chamber. A source of calcium is placed in the upper chamber. The carbon dioxide separator is suspended near a top of the upper chamber. A salt water outlet is formed through a side wall of the reactor body. Salt water from the aquarium and salt water from the reactor body are fed into the salt water pump. A recycling venturi includes a salt water inlet, a carbon dioxide inlet and an outlet, which is connected to the lower chamber. A float switch is retained near a top of the upper chamber. Rising salt water inside the upper chamber trips the float switch and opens the carbon dioxide valve through the electronic controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: William H. Wann, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11358116
    Abstract: A fill sheet for cooling heat transfer fluid in a cooling tower includes an air intake end, an air outlet end, a top edge and a bottom edge. The air outlet end is positioned opposite the air intake end along a lateral axis. The top edge connects the air intake end and the air outlet end and the bottom edge also connects the air intake end and the air outlet end. The bottom edge is positioned opposite the top edge along a vertical axis. A plurality of flutes extends generally parallel to the lateral axis between the air intake end and the air outlet end. An offset extends generally parallel to the vertical axis. A first flute of the plurality of flutes transitions from a first peak at a first side of the offset to a first valley at a second side of the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: BRENTWOOD INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Edwards, Frank M. Kulick, III
  • Patent number: 11359876
    Abstract: A cooling tower splash bar hanger assembly includes a grid comprised of a plurality of wires, including vertical and horizontal wires, defining a plurality of slots. The plurality of vertical wires includes a first vertical wire and a second vertical wire. The plurality of slots includes a first slot. The first slot defines a first slot width. A first splash bar defines a first bar width and is configured for positioning in the first slot supported by one of the plurality of horizontal wires. A second splash bar defines a second bar width. The second splash bar is supported by the one of the plurality of horizontal wires. The first slot width is greater than the first bar width and the second bar width. The first slot width and the first bar width define a size ratio of approximately two to one or greater than two to one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: BRENTWOOD INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Frank M. Kulick, III, Christopher Bowman