Patents Examined by Christopher M Afful
  • Patent number: 11971144
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes: a processing container configured to accommodate a substrate; a storage tank connected to the processing container via a gas supply pipe; a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in the storage tank; a valve provided in the gas supply pipe between the processing container and the storage tank; and a controller configured to control an opening degree of the valve based on the pressure in the storage tank detected by the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Seiya Nasu
  • Patent number: 11965615
    Abstract: To provide a pipe joint that can immediately shut off a hydrogen gas flow path at an initial stage when a plug (nozzle side member) comes out of a socket (filling apparatus side member) to prevent release of outgas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: TATSUNO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Takezawa
  • Patent number: 11965624
    Abstract: Apparatus for compressing cryogenic fluid in at least one compression stage comprising at least one piston and at least one sleeve delimiting at least one compression chamber, a shaft that is able to move in translation along a longitudinal axis (A), the shaft being connected to the piston(s) or sleeve(s) and being able to move with an alternating movement in two opposite directions to ensure phases of compression and intake of fluid into the at least one compression chamber by moving the at least one piston and the at least one sleeve in a relative manner, characterized in that the shaft comprises a portion of reduced cross section in the longitudinal direction (A), said portion of reduced cross section separating two adjacent parts of the shaft, the shaft also comprising at least one linking element made of material that is less thermally conductive than the constituent material of the shaft, in particular a composite material, said at least one linking element having two ends connected respectively to the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude Et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Guillaume Petitpas, Cyril Benistand-Hector
  • Patent number: 11958679
    Abstract: Mechanisms and methods for injecting and sealing pressurized fluid into containment vessels using a divided valve mechanism are disclosed. The invention describes designs and methods in which a valve may be plugged by an actuator, and then the valve and actuator may then be disjoined, allowing the containment vessel to thereby be sealed without the additional mass or volume of the actuation mechanism and without fluid loss from the containment vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: South 8 Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cyrus S. Rustomji, Andrea Biondi, Nick Wayland, Denton Iverson, James Royer, Maciej Lisiak
  • Patent number: 11946599
    Abstract: An apparatus for hydrogen dispensing can be configured to generate a display to be output visually to a customer that may use a dispenser to fill a fuel tank with hydrogen fuel. The display can include a graphical user interface or other interface that can show the customer information about the dispensing of fuel that is being provided to the user. This displayed information can include information to indicate an estimated time remaining to fully fill a vehicle's fuel tank so the customer can have visual and/or audible indications for how much longer the customer may have to wait to have the vehicle's fuel tank filled for continued use of the dispenser. This can improve the customer's experience at the fueling station. For instance, embodiments can allow the customer to more effectively use the fueling station and manage his or her time at the fueling station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph P. Cohen
  • Patent number: 11946594
    Abstract: Mobile cryogenic tank for transporting cryogenic fluid, notably liquefied hydrogen or helium, comprising an internal shell intended to contain the cryogenic fluid, an external shell arranged around the internal shell and delimiting a space between the two shells, said space containing a thermal insulator, the first shell having a cylindrical overall shape extending along a central longitudinal axis (A), when the tank is in the configuration for transport and use, the central longitudinal axis (A) being oriented horizontally, the tank comprising a set of temperature sensors measuring the temperature of the fluid in the internal shell, characterized in that the set of temperature sensors is situated on the external face of the internal shell and measure the temperature of said shell, the set of temperature sensors comprising a lower sensor positioned at the lower end of the internal shell situated below the central longitudinal axis (A), the set of temperature sensors further comprising a plurality of intermedi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Lucien Varrassi, Philippe Cadeau, Thomas Fayer, Stephane Duval
  • Patent number: 11933458
    Abstract: Heat is transferred from a first portion of liquid hydrogen to a flow of a heat transfer fluid at a first heat exchanger through heat exchange with a heat transfer fluid to produce a flow of vaporized hydrogen and a warmed flow of heat transfer fluid. The flow of vaporized hydrogen is combined with a second portion of liquid hydrogen in amounts designed to produce a combined flow with a desired temperature, the combined flow being used to fill one or more buffer vessels. Heat is also transferred at a second heat exchanger from a stream of pressurized hydrogen from the at least one buffer vessel to the cooled flow of heat transfer fluid to produce a cooled flow of pressurized hydrogen that is used to fill tanks of fuel cell electric vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Vincent Fairy, Anh Thao Thieu, Samuel Trompezinski
  • Patent number: 11927399
    Abstract: A filling system that has at least one heat pipe used for heat transfer, at least one ammonia tube that pure ammonia is able to be stored at room temperature as saturated vapour, at least one delivery line that enables to deliver ammonia from the ammonia tube to the heat pipe and the heat pipe is removably engaged, at least one valve is located on the delivery line and allows ammonia flow to be controlled, at least one detector located on the delivery line and providing seal control, and at least one heater to heat the heat pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: TUSAS-TURK HAVACILIK VE UZAY SANAYII ANONIM SIRKETI, GAZI UNIVERSITESI
    Inventors: Cem Omur, Ahmet Bilge Uygur, Hasan Gurguc Isik, Ilhami Horuz
  • Patent number: 11920737
    Abstract: Device for storing and for supplying fluid fuel, comprising a reservoir of liquefied fuel gas in equilibrium with a gas phase, in particular hydrogen, a circuit for filling the reservoir, at least one circuit for tapping fluid from the reservoir, and at least one circuit for regulating the pressure in the reservoir, the filling circuit, tapping circuit and pressure-regulating circuit comprising a set of valves arranged in a housing separate from the reservoir, the housing being removably connected to the reservoir via a demountable mechanical coupling system, the tapping circuit, the pressure-regulating circuit and the filling circuit comprising a set of demountable fluidic connectors situated at the junction between the reservoir and the housing and configured to allow the separation between portions of circuits situated in the reservoir and in the housing during the demounting of the housing with respect to the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Emmanuel Bensadoun, Patrick Bravais, Patrick Sanglan
  • Patent number: 11920736
    Abstract: Heat is transferred from a flow of liquid hydrogen to a flow of a heat transfer fluid at a first heat exchanger to produce a warmed flow of pressurized hydrogen and a cooled flow of heat transfer fluid. Heat is also transferred at a second heat exchanger, to the cooled flow of heat transfer fluid, from a flow of pressurized hydrogen that is derived from one or more buffer vessels filled by the warmed flow of pressurized hydrogen and/or the warmed flow of pressurized hydrogen from the first exchanger to produce a cooled flow of pressurized hydrogen that is used to fill tanks of fuel cell electric vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Vincent Fairy, Anh Thao Thieu
  • Patent number: 11916267
    Abstract: An installation for supplying a fuel cell with hydrogen comprising a fuel cell, a liquefied hydrogen storage facility and a supply circuit that includes at least one upstream end connected to the storage facility and one downstream end connected to a fuel inlet of the fuel cell, the supply circuit including at least one system for heating hydrogen by heat exchange with a heat source and a set of control valves, the liquefied hydrogen storage facility being configured to keep the liquefied hydrogen in equilibrium with a gaseous phase at a determined nominal storage pressure of between 1.5 and 4.5 bar, the supply circuit including a buffer tank for pressurized gaseous hydrogen which is configured to store the hydrogen withdrawn from the storage facility and heated by the heating system, the set of valves being configured to accumulate pressurized gas in the buffer tank at a determined storage pressure of between 4 and 100 bar, for example between 6 and 8 bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Laurent Allidieres
  • Patent number: 11913581
    Abstract: A control conduit for liquid hydrogen offloading is configured to couple a controller of a liquid hydrogen offload system to a liquid hydrogen tanker. The control conduit includes a control line and a gas detector. The control line is configured to transmit a control signal from the controller to the liquid hydrogen tanker. The gas detector is configured to detect hydrogen gas and provide a gas detector signal to the controller. The gas detector is secured to the control line at a predetermined distance from a tanker connection end of the control line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: FirstElement Fuel, Inc.
    Inventors: Ghassan Sleiman, Tim Brown
  • Patent number: 11905162
    Abstract: A mobile fluid transfer system. The system includes a fluid evacuation system, a fluid refill system, a sensing system and a control system. The fluid evacuation system comprises a first fluid storage container. The fluid refill system comprises a second fluid storage container. The sensing system is coupled to the fluid evacuation system and the fluid refill system. The control system is coupled to the sensing system, the fluid evacuation system and the fluid refill system. The control system is configured to determine an amount of a first fluid in the first fluid storage container based on a first signal from the sensing system, and determine an amount of a second fluid in the second fluid storage container based on a second signal from the sensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: RPM INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: John K. Apostolides, William E. Ryckman
  • Patent number: 11906109
    Abstract: A method for displaying a fill level of a pressure vessel includes measuring an actual fill level of the pressure vessel, calculating a displayable fill level based on the actual fill level, and displaying the displayable fill level via a display device. In the method, during refueling between a first filling point (FP1) and a second filling point (FP2), the displayable fill level is increased in relation to the actual fill level in accordance with a predefined characteristic curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Markus Koban, Andreas Pelger
  • Patent number: 11897675
    Abstract: A stopper for closing sparkling and other non-pressurized beverage containers. A stopper body may have a carrier member and lip engagement member arranged for sliding movement relative to each other and relative to the stopper body. The lip engagement member may be arranged to engage with a lip of a container neck, and be resiliently biased to move toward the carrier member to provide a seal-forming force on a sealing surface of the stopper body. The stopper may be arranged to introduce gas into the container, e.g., to re-pressurize the container to keep a carbonation level of beverage during storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Coravin, Inc.
    Inventors: Otto DeRuntz, Michael Rider
  • Patent number: 11897438
    Abstract: A system for a fuel cell vehicle includes a providing fuel cell fuel port, a fuel cell fuel storage tank, a fuel cell fuel flowmeter, and a pressure regulator. The fuel cell fuel storage tank is fluidically coupled to the providing fuel cell fuel port. The fuel cell fuel flowmeter is coupled between the fuel cell fuel port and the fuel cell fuel storage tank and is configured to measure flow of fuel cell fuel from the fuel cell fuel storage tank to the providing fuel cell fuel port. The pressure regulator is coupled between the fuel cell fuel flowmeter and the fuel cell fuel storage tank and is configured to control pressure of fuel cell fuel flowing from the fuel cell fuel storage tank to the providing fuel cell fuel port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventors: Archit N. Koti, Jean-Baptiste Gallo, Joseph P. Chandraraj
  • Patent number: 11885465
    Abstract: An apparatus to refuel a vessel with cryo-compressed hydrogen is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a refueler controller configured to defuel the vessel prior to a refuel process based on a pressure of the vessel; fill a mixing tank with at least the cryo-compressed hydrogen based on the pressure of the vessel and a pressure of the mixing tank, wherein the mixing tank is connected upstream of the vessel and is structured to include the cryo-compressed hydrogen; initiate the refuel process of the vessel; adjust a temperature of the mixing tank in response to a temperature of the vessel not satisfying a target temperature of the vessel during the refuel process, wherein the temperature of the mixing tank is to be adjusted based on an increase or a decrease of flow of supercritical hydrogen; and end the refuel process in response to the pressure of the vessel satisfying a target pressure of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Constantinos Minas
  • Patent number: 11879597
    Abstract: Device for storing and transferring cryogenic fluid, comprising at least one elementary container comprising a liquefied gas tank, the tank being provided with a first pipe for transferring fluid, which pipe has a first end connected to an upper end of the tank, the tank being provided with a second pipe for transferring fluid, which pipe has a first end connected to a lower end of the tank, the first and the second transfer pipes each comprising an assembly of respective valves, characterized in that the first transfer pipe comprises two arms forming two second ends connected in parallel to the first end of the first transfer pipe, the two second ends of the first transfer pipe each being provided with a respective fluidic connection coupling, and in that the second transfer pipe comprises two arms forming two second ends connected in parallel to the first end of the second transfer pipe, the two second ends of the second transfer pipe each being provided with a respective fluidic connection coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11857497
    Abstract: A robotic system and method are provided for transfer of fluid between a container accessible via a container-septum and a fluid transfer assembly accessible via a fluid transfer connector septum. The robotic system includes a controller and a manipulator controllable by the controller to manipulate at least one of the container and the fluid transfer assembly. The controller is configured to operate the manipulator to secure contact between the container-septum and the fluid transfer connector septum during at least a portion of the transfer of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: EQUASHIELD MEDICAL LTD
    Inventors: Eric Shem-Tov, Marino Kriheli, Boaz Slav, Raanan Tavor, Gonen Daskal
  • Patent number: 11845409
    Abstract: A method for inflating a tyre mounted on a corresponding wheel rim comprises the following steps in sequence; placing a tool at an operating position, where a first bead of the tyre is interposed between the tool and a second bead of the tyre, and one end of tool is positioned axially between a first flange of the rim and a first rib of the rim and positioned radially between an outside surface of the rim and a tread of the tyre; blowing a gas under pressure through an inflation valve of the tyre into a chamber delimited by the tyre and by the rim, with the tool at the operating position, so that the first sidewall of the tyre is pressed against the end of the tool; removing the tool from the operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: NEXION S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giulio Corghi