Patents Examined by Ian Paquette
  • Patent number: 9938924
    Abstract: A control device for a fuel injection valve includes a drive circuit that controls open/close operation of the fuel injection valve by passing an exciting current through a solenoid of the fuel injection valve and an ECU that reduces a peak current value as a fuel pressure in a delivery pipe at timing of a start of energization of the fuel injection valve decreases. The ECU reduces the peak current value as an amount of fuel discharged from a high-pressure fuel pump to the delivery pipe reduces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nakano, Eiji Murase, Rihito Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9939080
    Abstract: A system, including a flow control system, including a valve, a first cylinder including a piston coupled to the valve, wherein the piston moves axially within the first cylinder to transition the valve between open and closed positions, a magnetorheological (MR) fluid within the first cylinder configured to axially move the piston, and an MR fluid device configured to magnetize the MR fluid to control axial movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: University of Houston
    Inventors: John M. Alred, Amnah Kudia, Javier Villarreal, Hilario Torres, Gangbing Song, Devendra Patil
  • Patent number: 9933089
    Abstract: A rotary valve for fluid flowing in a pipe. The valve has a body provided with upstream and downstream segments located on either side of a central recess constituting a seat into which a rotary sealing element, including a through-channel, is inserted. A decompression insert is arranged in the upstream segment and provided with a first cylindrical section having an outer cross-section equal to the cross-section of the upstream segment, a second cylindrical section having a cross-section that is narrower than the first cylindrical section, and a third section, referred to as frusta-conical connection section, for connecting the first and second sections. The decompression insert has a plurality of radial openings provided in at least one of the walls of the second and/or the third sections in order to diffuse the fluid toward the through-channel of the sealing element during a partial opening phase of the rotary valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventor: Roger Bey
  • Patent number: 9933088
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a positioning device that includes an actuator assembly configured to actuate an output shaft based on an input signal, and a position sensor assembly. The position sensor assembly includes a position sensor configured to detect a position of an input shaft not directly coupled to the output shaft, a first input receiver configured to receive the input signal, a first output transmitter configured to provide an output signal based on the position of the input shaft, and a second output transmitter configured to provide another output signal indicative of a failure of at least one of the input shaft and the output shaft. A moveable member is coupled to both the output shaft and the input shaft and is configured to alter the positional configuration of the input shaft and to be actuated by the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Paul Smith, Steven Charles Stumbo, Aaron William Hrdlichka
  • Patent number: 9932976
    Abstract: A starting valve (100) for a fluid operating machine (200) for a vacuum system (1000). The starting valve (100) comprises:—a valve body (10) with an opening (17) to let a gas in; and an actuating piston (13) splined on a stem (16) free to slide in a guide (18A). The actuating piston (13), with a portion of the valve body (10), defines a chamber (30). The actuating piston (13) is subject to the action of a deformable diaphragm (15). A calibrated throttling hole (16B) is provided in series with a through hole (16A) in line with the stem (16) to establish a fluid communication between the chamber (30) and a fluid-dynamic line (500) of the vacuum system (1000). A shutter (20) is furthermore provided also splined on the stem (16). The shutter (20) closes a gas passage opening (10B) as a function of the pressure difference between the chamber (30) and the fluid-dynamic line (500).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: GARDNER DENVER S.R.L.
    Inventors: Paolo Cavatorta, Umberto Tomei
  • Patent number: 9920507
    Abstract: A valve including a housing having a first inlet chamber defined by a first chamber wall and configured to receive the cold water, a second inlet chamber defined by a second chamber wall and configured to receive the hot water, and a mixing chamber configured to receive the cold water from the first inlet chamber and the hot water from the second inlet chamber, wherein at least a portion of the mixing chamber is located between the first and second chamber walls; a first flow control valve extending through the first inlet chamber and moveable relative to the housing for controlling the flow of cold water from the first inlet chamber to the mixing chamber; and a second flow control valve extending through the second inlet chamber and moveable relative to the housing for controlling the flow of hot water from the second inlet chamber to the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Kevin T. Peel
  • Patent number: 9920852
    Abstract: A subsea electric actuator includes a housing configured to be filled with dielectric oil, an electric motor, a brake, a clutch, and a spring. The clutch and the brake are configured to maintain the spring in a compressed position. In certain embodiments, the actuator further includes a planetary gear and a multi-turn gear assembly, such that the planetary gear and the multi-turn gear assembly are configured to multiply the torque provided by the electric motor. The actuator can further include a ball screw and a nut screw configured to convert the torque provided by the motor into linear thrust to compress the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: PETROLVALVES S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Garrone, Ivan Ambrosini, Tiziano Cazzola
  • Patent number: 9920652
    Abstract: A section of a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a thermally isolated area, and a first rotor disk and a second rotor disk. Each of the first and second rotor disks are provided within the thermally isolated area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann, James D. Hill, Brian D. Merry
  • Patent number: 9920843
    Abstract: A valve and a method for producing a valve for regulating a fluid, having a valve housing with a central part and with two connection ends, the connection ends extending away from the central part, wherein internally of the central part there is arranged a valve body including at least a shutoff part and a through-flow part. The valve seat is arranged in the valve housing and resiliently bears against the valve body, a resilient structural part has a spring action that acts in a direction substantially parallel with the flow direction of the valve and has at least one annular flange part adapted for bearing on the valve body. The resilient valve seat includes a fixing member for mechanical fixing of the valve seat in the valve housing. The fixing member has a flange part fixed in the valve housing by plastic deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BROEN A/S
    Inventors: Mads Lindegaard Lildholdt, Karin Birthe Lindegaard Lildholdt, Peder Madsen
  • Patent number: 9909288
    Abstract: A showerhead that is configured to receive a supply of cold water and a supply of hot water. The showerhead includes a body, a mixing valve within the body that includes a first actuator within the mixing valve for controlling a first flow control valve within the mixing valve and a second actuator within the mixing valve for controlling a second flow control valve within the mixing valve, and a controller on or within the body that is configured to send a control signal to control actuation of the first actuator and the second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Kevin T. Peel
  • Patent number: 9909681
    Abstract: A diaphragm actuator (10, 40) for a control valve is shown including an actuator housing (12, 42), in which a diaphragm (14, 44) including a diaphragm disk (16, 46) is sealingly fitted thus forming a pressure chamber (20, 50), and furthermore at least one spring (24, 54) is provided which rests against the diaphragm disk (16, 46) and the actuator housing (12, 42), with the diaphragm disk (16, 46) being connected to a valve stem (22, 52) for actuating a valve body. At least two springs (26, 56) are provided and are disposed one after another in an axial direction between the actuator housing (12, 42) and the diaphragm disk (16, 46), with a spring seat element (28, 58) linearly guided by at least one linear guiding element (30, 60) being provided between the at least two springs (26, 56).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSON AG
    Inventors: Eugen Nebel, Michael Siegert, Janusz Koinke
  • Patent number: 9903498
    Abstract: A solenoid valve has a coil spring that biases a spool valve toward a solenoid portion, and an adjuster screw that is positioned to interpose the coil spring between the adjuster screw and the spool valve and that is screwed in an internally threaded portion of a sleeve so that its axial position is adjusted. The sleeve is swaged with a swaging tool etc. from an outer peripheral surface located on the outer peripheral side of the internally threaded portion of the sleeve, whereby the swaged part of the internally threaded portion is plastically deformed to the opposite side from the coil spring. The adjuster screw is thus fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Takanishi, Toshio Murakami, Kaori Fujita, Itsuki Ono
  • Patent number: 9903520
    Abstract: A quick coupling device for pressurized fluid, comprising a male coupling (2), a first adapter (36) applied to said male coupling (2) for connection to a first external element, a female coupling (1) associable with the male coupling (2), a second adapter (20) applied to said female coupling (1) for connection to a second external element, at least one adapter (36, 20) being made as an axially hollow piece exhibiting a first portion (100) having a cylindrical external cross section and at least a second portion (101) coaxial to the first portion (100) and having a polygonal external cross section, the polygonal external cross section of the second portion (101) being inscribed along the axial generatrices of the cylindrical external cross section of the first portion (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ALFA GOMMA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Enrico Gennasio, Stefano Mazzoli, Rinaldo Doi
  • Patent number: 9903328
    Abstract: A solenoid valve for controlling fluids includes a closing element that opens and closes at least one outlet opening on a valve seat, and a magnetic circuit that includes an armature, an internal pole, a magnetic return path, and a coil, the armature being connected to the closing element. The magnetic circuit includes a nonmagnetic separating element for interrupting the magnetic circuit and at least one magnetic crosspiece running in a direction of a longitudinal extension of the valve and situated on the nonmagnetic separating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Ralf Kromer, Michael Knorpp
  • Patent number: 9903488
    Abstract: A control valve includes a seat portion through which the fluid passes, a poppet valve portion configured to move relative to the seat portion, a guide cylinder portion configured to guide the fluid having passed through the seat portion by an inner peripheral surface thereof, a poppet guide portion which is in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the guide cylinder portion and supports the poppet valve portion, and a rectifying slit which is formed on at least one of the inner peripheral surface of the guide cylinder portion and an outer peripheral surface of the poppet guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: KYB Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinari Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9903481
    Abstract: A control valve having a closing element, mounted in a housing between an inlet side and an outlet side and rotatable about an axis between a first and second end positions, and a passage channel through the closing element perpendicularly with respect to the rotational axis. The channel has inlet and outlet openings and connects the inlet side to the outlet side in the first end position, disconnects the inlet side from the outlet side in the second end position, and permits an increasing throughflow of a medium during the transition from the second end position into the first end position with a characteristic curve. Low valve noise is achieved because of the shape, size and configuration of the inlet and outlet openings of the passage channel and the configuration of walls of the passage channel without steps and edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: BELIMO HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Urs Keller, Andrew James Jukes, Giuseppe Cicerchia
  • Patent number: 9903269
    Abstract: A housing, a solenoid, a pin which can be moved by the solenoid, and a piston which is connected to the pin. The piston is pot-shaped and its base has an aperture. On the exterior of the base an arcuate yoke spans the aperture and the pin projects through the aperture in the base. The pin is connected to the arcuate yoke by a detent connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Rosario Bonanno
  • Patent number: 9903499
    Abstract: The proportional valve including a valve body, an air inlet hole and an air outlet hole being provided inside the valve body; a valve core component, the valve core component being movably disposed inside the valve body along a vertical direction; and a first film sheet, an outer side of the first film sheet being connected to the valve body, and an inner side of the film sheet being connected to the valve core component. The proportional valve has a high response speed, high precision, desirable repeatability, desirable consistency, small hysteresis, low fabrication difficulty, and low fabrication cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: BEIJING AEONMED CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youfang Shen
  • Patent number: 9903508
    Abstract: The present invention describes a valve for controlling the passage of a microfluidic system. Said valve comprises a first valve element (103) and a second valve element (104, 105) with respective first and second contact surfaces which are placed opposite to each other in such a way as to control a fluid flow through said passage. Said first valve element comprising a flexible part and a rigid part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: DEBIOTECH S.A.
    Inventor: Eric Chappel
  • Patent number: 9903503
    Abstract: An aircraft water heating tank air vent valve includes an air vent valve housing having an upper vent valve body and a lower valve adapter sealingly mated together to define an interior chamber. A tubular collar is disposed within the interior chamber between an upper planar valve seat member and a lower notched valve seat member, and a ball float is movable within the tubular collar between first and second positions seated on the upper planar valve seat member or the lower notched valve seat member, respectively. The lower notched valve seat member includes oblique notches and frustoconical projections providing upper shoulders upon which the tubular collar is positioned, and providing outwardly flaring radially inner oblique edges upon which the ball float can be seated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke E. Kelly, Stuart A. Dietz