Patents Examined by Kenneth Bomberg
  • Patent number: 11959453
    Abstract: The utilization of hydro-generation technology is provisioned inside of water distribution systems within large urban buildings that require water pressure reduction. These micro-hydro-generators reduce the water pressure for tenant use and converts the energy into electricity to be used or sold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventor: Dylan M. Kassin
  • Patent number: 11959501
    Abstract: An actuation unit includes an actuating arm pivotable between an open and closed position; a pneumatic cylinder comprising a stem movable linearly along a cylinder axis and configured to control pivoting of the actuating arm; and a closing device that includes a braking unit configured to brake movement of the actuating arm having a surface portion configured to come into contact with at least one braking assembly. The braking assembly is locked against rotation and axially movable between a non-braking and braking configuration. The surface portion is in a non-orthogonal arrangement with respect to the cylinder axis and the braking assembly includes a plurality of rollers retained in the braking assembly with clearance at least with respect to a radial movement thereof, the rollers being able to assume a first radial configuration not in contact with the surface portion and a second radial configuration in contact with the surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: PNEUMAX S.P.A.
    Inventor: Rossella Bottacini
  • Patent number: 11959502
    Abstract: A system includes a pressure exchanger (PX) configured to receive a first fluid via a first inlet and a second fluid via a second inlet. The PX is to exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid and provide the first fluid at a first outlet and the second fluid at a second outlet. The system further includes a first sensor to provide first sensor data associated with the first fluid prior to the first fluid entering the first inlet and a second sensor to provide second sensor data associated with the second fluid prior to the second fluid entering the second inlet. The system further includes a controller to receive user input and cause a first adjustment of the flowrate of the first fluid into the first inlet and cause a second adjustment of the flowrate of the second fluid into the second inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Energy Recovery, Inc
    Inventors: James Elliott McLean, Jr., Patrick Morphew, Joseph Michael Marchetti, Chengyu Zhang, Kyaw Thu
  • Patent number: 11959476
    Abstract: A fluid end block for a reciprocating pump defines a fluid chamber and a packing bore. An outlet fluid passage is formed in the fluid end block in communication with the fluid chamber and includes an outlet valve. An inlet fluid passage is formed in the fluid end block in fluid communication with the fluid chamber and includes an inlet valve. A plunger is reciprocally disposed in the packing bore. Packing in the packing bore is positioned to contact the plunger and a packing sleeve is disposed between the packing and the packing bore. The packing sleeve is a hollow cylinder with inner and outer surfaces and an inner end configured to be inserted into the packing bore. The inner end includes a bevel extending between the outer surface and the inner end, the outer surface including a notch formed therein adjacent the inner end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SPM Oil & Gas Inc.
    Inventors: David T. Figgs, Justin Poehls
  • Patent number: 11959500
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an air cylinder (10) in which flow rate controllers (24, 24A) are built into a head cover (14) and a rod cover (16), said flow rate controllers (24, 24A) being provided with a first flow rate adjustment part (28) connected between a port (14a, 16a) and a cylinder chamber (12c), a second flow rate adjustment part (32) provided adjacent to the first flow rate adjustment part (28), and a pilot check valve (38) connected in series to the second flow rate adjustment part (32). In response to the pressure of pilot air, the pilot check valve (38) switches between a state in which the passage of exhaust air from the cylinder chamber (12c) is permitted and a state in which the passage of exhaust air is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youji Takakuwa, Akihiro Kazama, Hiroyuki Asahara, Kengo Monden
  • Patent number: 11951954
    Abstract: A hydraulic braking device comprising a master cylinder and a brake booster. The braking device comprises a control piston driven by actuating a brake pedal and mounted so as to be tightly slidable in a plunger of a piston of the brake booster. The control piston comprises a first end portion having a certain cross-sectional area and being arranged to cooperate with a gasket so as to establish, during braking, a modulated communication between the first chamber of the brake booster and a discharge chamber of the master cylinder. The braking device has an effective cross-sectional area counter-acting a pressure existing in a region comprised between a master cylinder piston and the control piston. Such area is different from the cross-sectional area of the first end portion of the control piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: VHIT S.P.A. SOCIETÀ UNIPERSONALE
    Inventor: Leonardo Cadeddu
  • Patent number: 11953933
    Abstract: Disclosed are a pedal simulator including a housing, a piston part slidably mounted in an inner space of the housing, and including a plurality of piston rod units, and a plurality of damper parts mounted in the housing, and disposed to face the plurality of piston rod units, respectively, wherein the damper parts are compressed by pressure from the piston rod units facing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin Hyun Kim, Myeon Gyu Cha
  • Patent number: 11953029
    Abstract: An automatic oil return structure has a main body assembly mounted between an oil storage container and a housing, and having a pressure regulating blocking unit, a pressure regulating elastic unit, an engaging unit, and an engaging elastic unit. The pressure regulating elastic unit pushes the pressure regulating blocking unit to block a first pressure regulating channel. An engaging groove is formed radially inward on the pressure regulating blocking unit. The engaging elastic unit pushes the engaging unit toward the pressure regulating blocking unit. When a pressure in the first pressure regulating channel is higher than a set value and the pressure regulating blocking unit is pushed away to a set distance, the engaging unit is pushed to engage with the engaging groove of the pressure regulating blocking unit such that the pressure regulating blocking unit is unmovable to avoid blocking the first pressure regulating channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Kudos Mechanical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: James Chuan
  • Patent number: 11946493
    Abstract: A flow rate controller and a drive device are provided with a first flow passage connected between an operation switching valve and an air cylinder, and that supplies air to and discharges air from a cylinder chamber of the air cylinder; a first flow rate adjustment part provided in the first flow passage; a second flow passage adjacent to the first flow passage; a pilot check valve provided at a point along the second flow passage; a second flow rate adjustment part connected in series to the pilot check valve at a point along the second flow passage; a pilot air flow passage, one end of which communicates with the operation switching valve and the other end of which is connected to a pilot port of the pilot check valve; and a third flow rate adjustment part provided in the pilot air flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youji Takakuwa, Akihiro Kazama, Hiroyuki Asahara, Kengo Monden
  • Patent number: 11926295
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electric hydraulic brake device, which includes a main brake unit, which provides a braking fluid to a plurality of wheel cylinder units by driving a motor, a storage unit connected to the main brake unit and configured to store the braking fluid, and an auxiliary brake unit which is connected to the main brake unit and the storage unit and provides the braking fluid to some of the plurality of wheel cylinder units when an operation error of the main brake unit occurs and in which a hydraulic circuit is physically distinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sung Ki Ahn
  • Patent number: 11913480
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting the functional state of a piloted or direct-operated isolation valve in a hydraulic circuit is presented. In some examples the hydraulic circuit is a steering circuit and the isolation valve provides selective isolation between a hydraulic actuator and one or more metering valves. In some examples, the isolation valve assembly is movable between a first position, in which fluid flow between the metering valve and the actuator is enabled, and a second position, in which fluid flow between the metering valve and the actuator is blocked. When the isolation valve assembly is moved to one of the first and second positions, an inlet port and a pressure sensing port of the isolation valve assembly are placed in fluid communication with each other. When the isolation valve assembly is moved to the other of the first or second position, a second inlet port and the pressure sensing port are placed in fluid communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventor: Kenneth Marshall Befus
  • Patent number: 11912252
    Abstract: In order to prevent rotation of a piston of a hydraulic unit of a hydraulic vehicle braking system, a sleeve is provided having axially parallel cylindrical pins constituting rotation prevention elements on its inner circumference, the rear ends of which elements are pressed into axially parallel holes in an inwardly projecting flange of the sleeve, and the front ends of which are inserted into axially parallel blind holes in a diameter step in a mouth of the cylindrical hole in a hydraulic block of the hydraulic unit. A method for assembling the hydraulic unit thus configured is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Weh, Martin Hagspiel, Matthias Mayr, Stefan Kaserer
  • Patent number: 11905980
    Abstract: A power transfer unit includes a first hydraulic circuit, a second hydraulic circuit fluidly connected to the first hydraulic circuit, a pump and motor assembly fluidly connected between the first hydraulic circuit and the second hydraulic circuit, an isolation valve arranged along the first hydraulic circuit and fluidly connected to an inlet of the pump and motor assembly. The isolation valve is movable between a closed position and an open position to prevent and enable high-pressure fluid flow to the inlet, respectively. An unloader valve is arranged along the second hydraulic circuit and fluidly connected to an outlet of the pump and motor assembly, and an orifice is arranged along the second hydraulic circuit and fluidly connected to the unloader valve to reduce back pressure in the second hydraulic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Steven A. Krane, Dean R. Pollee, Scott N. Johns, David A. Scranton, Bernard J. Strehlow
  • Patent number: 11903343
    Abstract: Hydraulic power savings for a rear module handler cylinder of a round module cotton harvester is possible by using a regenerative hydraulic arrangement for raising an empty handler and using gravity to lower the handler. A bale handler system for a cotton picker baler includes a handler for receiving a round module that is movable between upright and lowered positions and a handler cylinder operably connected to the handler. The handler cylinder system includes a regenerative valve. The regenerative valve is engaged when the handler moves to the upright position during regenerative handler raise mode of operation, the regenerative valve is not engaged when the handler moves to the lowered position during float handler lower mode of operation. While in the float handler lower mode of operation, the handler cylinder retracts and diverts an oil flow pressure from a base end to a rod end of the handler cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven D. Wallestad, Mark A. Cracraft, James T. Noonan
  • Patent number: 11905938
    Abstract: A piston hydraulic device comprises a cylinder block having a plurality of cylinder assemblies and is rotatable about a first rotation axis. Each cylinder assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston. A port plate has a first port and a second port that are angularly spaced relative to the first rotation axis. A plurality of first conduits connect respective cylinders alternately to the first port or the second port. At least one second conduit is connected to a fluid reservoir. At least one directional control valve is positioned in the first conduit and fluidly connects to the second conduit. The at least one directional control valve connects the cylinder to the port plate in a first position and to the fluid reservoir in a second position. A controller is operatively associated with the directional control valve for switching between the first and the second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DANA MOTION SYSTEMS ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alessandro Sassi, Fabio Natali, Federica Franzoni
  • Patent number: 11898581
    Abstract: A pneumatic stepper motor includes a housing, said housing accommodating at least part of: a rack or geared axle comprising a plurality of gear elements; and two pistons, each comprising at least two teeth, said pistons being arranged to cooperate with said rack or geared axle. The racks may either be straight or curved. The pistons are preferably double-acting pistons. A device includes at least one, and preferably a plurality of, such pneumatic stepper motor(s). The device may in particular be an MRI-compatible robotic system, more in particular for example an MRI-guided breast biopsy device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Machnet Medical Robotics B.V.
    Inventors: Vincent Groenhuis, Francoise Jeanette Siepel, Stefano Stramigioli
  • Patent number: 11898547
    Abstract: A pump contains a sealed chamber, a movable wall for changing a volume of the sealed chamber, and a vibration actuator which can be electromagnetically driven for displacing the movable wall to discharge fluid in the sealed chamber to an outside of the sealed chamber. Further, three axes perpendicular to each other are respectively defined as an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis. When a direction along the X axis is defined as an X axis direction, a direction along the Y axis is defined as a Y axis direction, and a direction along the Z axis direction is defined as a Z axis direction, an outer shape of the pump is a concave shape in a planar view from the Y axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Yuta Yoshii, Chikara Sekiguchi, Shigenori Inamoto, Yuki Takahashi, Daisuke Kodama, Kenta Ueda, Daisuke Kurita
  • Patent number: 11892014
    Abstract: A hydraulic machine includes: a power source; an assist motor including comprising an inlet port and an outlet port and assisting a torque of the power source; a tank; a collection line which is connected to the inlet port and allows a fluid to flow to the inlet port; a first return line which is connected to the tank and allows the fluid to flow to the tank; a self-priming line which connects the first return line to the inlet port and allows the fluid to flow from the first return line to the inlet port; and an anti-cavitation line which connects the outlet port to the self-priming line and allows the fluid to flow from the outlet port to the self-priming line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AB
    Inventors: Taerang Jung, Sangmin Gwon, Sangki Bae
  • Patent number: 11889795
    Abstract: A hydraulic system and method for service mode on a work machine is operatively coupled to a cutting element for felling trees. The hydraulic system comprises a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump, a feed actuator, a feed line, a directional control valve, a voltage battery, and a controller. The hydraulic motor is coupled to the hydraulic circuit for operating the cutting element. The hydraulic pump is operable to supply pressurized fluid to the hydraulic motor. The feed actuator extends or retracts the cutting element. The feed line is coupled to the hydraulic actuator. The directional control valve is located on the feed line of the feed actuator. The controller receives a cutting element service mode signal, moves the directional control valve to pressure the feed line for extending the cutting element where the valve is powered by the voltage battery upon receiving the cutting element service mode signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Sanket Pawar
  • Patent number: 11885317
    Abstract: A pump control assembly for controlling a variable displacement hydraulic pump includes a spool mounted within a valve block. The spool is configured to move between a first and a second position within the valve block so as to selectively control the displacement of the attached pump. The pump control assembly further includes first and second chambers that each apply a force to opposite ends of the spool. The first chamber is positioned at a first end of the spool in fluid communication with a pump output port. The second chamber is positioned at a second end of the spool and in fluid communication with a hydraulic tank port and a proportional pressure reducing valve. The second chamber also includes a piston and first and second springs positioned on either side of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: DANFOSS A/S
    Inventors: Anil Balasaheb Kharpas, Avinash Dadaso Patil, Sanjay Dhondappa Mali, Amit Ranjit Panchal, Robert Leslie Isaacs