Patents Examined by Macade Brown
  • Patent number: 8162006
    Abstract: A check valve for medical infusion lines and the like, includes a diaphragm made of elastic material set between a first tubular connector and a second tubular connector. The diaphragm includes an end wall of a cup-shaped element, having an outer peripheral edge of which is normally pressed in seal contact against an annular valve seat with a conical surface of the first tubular connector under an axial thrust exerted by a side wall of the cup-shaped element. A free edge of the side wall of the cup-shaped element is set resting against a transverse surface of the second tubular connector only in regions corresponding to angular portions of the latter separated by non-resting angular portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Industrie Borla S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Guala
  • Patent number: 8146618
    Abstract: In the valve according to the invention the supporting blind (6) of the deflected channel (5) is terminated at its free ends with the oblique surfaces (10), and the guiding rail (7) of the ball (4) is terminated with the supporting directional arrangement (8) directing the ball (4) toward the supporting blind (6) of the deflected channel (5), and the top (9), which is positioned closer to the valve outlet than to the inlet, and together with the oblique surfaces (10) of the supporting blind (6) of the deflected channel (5) produce a slot (11) widening itself to the direction of deflected channel (5) interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Miroslaw Szuster
    Inventor: Miroslaw Szuster
  • Patent number: 8141578
    Abstract: A protective sleeve for gas bottle valve stems is provided comprised of an elongated tubular body configured to fit on a valve stem. A projection extends from an interior surface of the protective sleeve and is adapted to lockingly engage with an orifice in an opposing surface of the valve stem whereby the sleeve is prevented from being easily removed from the valve stem upon being placed thereover due to engagement of the projection with the orifice. A tear strip is provided within a side surface of the protective sleeve, whereby a portion of the protective sleeve may be removed to permit disengagement of the protective sleeve. A housing may be provided in the protective sleeve for storage of a washer which may be used to provide a seal between a regulator and the valve stem of the gas bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Protective Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick W. Zeyfang
  • Patent number: 8141587
    Abstract: A check valve is provided comprising a conduit for conveying a fluid, the conduit having an inlet and an outlet, the conduit having a first region adjacent the outlet (13) comprising a flexible wall, two opposing sides of the flexible wall converging towards each other to form a closed geometry when the pressure of the fluid upstream of the inlet and the pressure of the fluid downstream of the outlet are substantially equal, the closed geometry comprising each of the opposing sides (23, 24) being arcuate in cross-section and lying against each other in a substantially sealing relationship (21, 22). Preferably, two connecting regions of the wall connecting the two opposing sides (15, 16) are biased towards each other by a biasing means. Preferably, the biasing means comprises one or more flexible ring members (25) encircling the flexible wall attached at points (25A and 25B). Preferably, the conduit takes the form of a duck beak valve (20). The figure shows an end view onto the check valve outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Ian Doig
  • Patent number: 8127785
    Abstract: A pipeline breakaway coupling (10) comprising a pair of valve housing members (12,14) fixedly attached to each other by means of one or more breakaway coupling members (16). The valve housing members (12,14) define a hollow bore (18) along which flowable material may flow and the breakaway coupling members (16) permit the valve housing members (12,14) to separate from each other when exposed to a tensile load exceeding a predetermined limit. An end cap (26) releasably connected to each valve housing member (12,14) to allow connection of the valve housing members (12,14) to respective inlet and outlet pipelines. A valve cassette (20) is releasably retained between each valve housing member (12,14) and the respective end cap (26). Each valve cassette (20) includes a valve member (22) movable between a valve open position and a valve closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: KLAW Products Ltd.
    Inventor: Anthony John Webber
  • Patent number: 8113235
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for improved prosthesis donning, doffing, retention, and fit. A valve located in a prosthetic socket port includes a body, a core, a spring located partially within the core, a diaphragm, and a maintained operator. The operator includes a recess and a protrusion. The operator may be indexed to a displacement or vent position. When the operator is indexed to the displacement position, a tip of the core is pressed against the recess via the spring, and the diaphragm displaces any air that enters into the prosthetic socket when a load is applied to the residual limb. When the operator is laterally actuated, it is indexed to the vent position and the core tip moves from the recess to the protrusion. In this position, the diaphragm opens the socket cavity to the external atmosphere via valve vents, thereby facilitating prosthesis donning and doffing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: David Robert Bogue
  • Patent number: 8100141
    Abstract: A water supply control assembly is disclosed for cutting off the supply of water to a house or building in the event of excessive water consumption. In one embodiment, a valve is secured to a distribution conduit in fluid communication with a pressurized source of fluid. A water flow sensing unit is secured between the inlet port and the flow discharge port. A magnet is mounted therein to a displaceable member and moved into and out of magnetic field coupling proximity to a timing reed switch in response to the onset and termination of pressurized water flow through the water flow sensing unit. A controller is coupled to the timing reed switch in order to actuate the valve to a water shut-off condition in response to the continuous flow of pressurized water for an elapsed flow time in excess of a preset duty cycle limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Inventors: Raymond H. Slupecki, J. Thomas Miller
  • Patent number: 8096315
    Abstract: A double-walled contained shear valve comprises of an inner housing forming a fuel flow path, and a containment housing surrounding the inner housing, either partially or wholly, to provide a secondary containment. An interstitial space is formed between the inner housing and the containment housing as a result, and may be placed under a vacuum or pressure level to monitor for leaks. A vacuum actuator coupled to the interstitial space automatically opens and closes the fuel flow path of the shear valve in response to the vacuum level in the interstitial space to prevent leaks to the environment. The shear valve may contain a flange for connection to internal fuel dispenser piping that either does or does not includes interstitial space orifices to couple the shear valve interstitial space to the fuel dispenser piping interstitial space to monitor the vacuum or pressure level in these interstitial spaces as one contiguous space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Veeder-Root Company
    Inventors: David J. Bolt, Dale Ewing, Shane Reese, Kent Reid
  • Patent number: 8087425
    Abstract: A hose assembly includes a length of hose and a bracket. The bracket includes a rigid insert and a resilient overmold encapsulating at least a portion of the insert and mechanically bonding with at least a portion of an exterior of the hose. A method to produce this assembly may employ thermoplastic injection molding and include the steps of associating the rigid insert with the length of hose and overmolding the rigid insert and a section of the length of hose associated with the rigid insert with the resilient material, thereby encapsulating a portion of the insert and mechanically bonding the resilient material with the section of the length of the hose. A portion of the rigid insert may extend from the bracket and provide amounting holes and a bearing surface for mounting fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Layne Railsback
  • Patent number: 8082944
    Abstract: A base assembly, including wheels, is attachable to the bottom of a hose reel enclosure. This assembly enables the hose reel enclosure to pivot about a vertical axis. This pivotal movement of the hose reel enclosure permits a hose to be withdrawn from and wound back onto the hose reel in the enclosure while remaining substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hose reel. This also enables a hose to be taken up evenly onto the hose reel and played out from the hose reel without tipping over the hose reel enclosure. In one embodiment, the base assembly is attached to the bottom of a hose reel enclosure. Two wheels are mounted at one end portion of the assembly and a stake is positioned in a member mounted between the end portions of the base assembly. The stake is driven into the ground below the hose reel enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Suncast Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle A. Rosine, Torrence C. Anderson, Robert Stein
  • Patent number: 8079385
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pressure-responsive valve assembly which functions in the nature of a check valve to control fluid flow across the assembly. The assembly includes a valve body which defines first and second internal flow passages, and includes a valve seat through which at least one flow port extends for joining the first and second passages in fluid communication with each other. A flexible, resiliently deformable valve member is positioned in operative association with the valve seat, and can be deflected, in response to a sufficient pressure differential, to move out of sealing engagement with the valve seat, to thereby permit fluid flow through the valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Liquid Molding Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason D. Hatton
  • Patent number: 8074679
    Abstract: A fluid end assembly for a high pressure pump receives a fluid from a fluid supply manifold and supplies the fluid to an outlet manifold. The assembly includes a housing with a removable suction module. The housing has a plunger bore to receive a reciprocating plunger, a suction passage intersects said plunger bore, and a discharge passage intersects both said plunger bore and said suction passage. The removable suction module has an inlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Gardner Denver, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest Jerome Jensen, Anthony Waylan McLain
  • Patent number: 8074685
    Abstract: A one-way valve allows air to be drawn from a collapsible, flexible, airtight bag using a vacuum source. When the vacuum source is removed, the one-way valve prevents air from re-entering the bag. The valve assembly comprises a valve base attached to a bag wall and having an opening, a cap base coupled to the valve base, a flapper held in place by the valve base and cap base, and a cap connected to the cap base by a living hinge. When the cap is snapped onto the cap base after bag evacuation, the cap maintains the flapper in a position so that the opening in the valve base stays closed, preventing the admission of ambient air into the evacuated bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Calvo, Linh Pham, Michael Burton
  • Patent number: 8069876
    Abstract: There is disclosed a sealing bush as well as a hydraulic unit fitted with the sealing bush and a check valve. The sealing bush is made of plastic and has, on an end face, a preferably conical elevation that can be brought into sealing contact with a bearing shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Bosch Rexroth AG
    Inventors: Brian Kane, Bernd Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8066025
    Abstract: A simplified piercing valve stem assembly system and apparatus which includes a valve stem component to which a piercing point has been securely affixed, and an easily manufactured stub-out with a flattened or partially flattened end adapted for piercing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventor: Richard Anderson
  • Patent number: 8051874
    Abstract: A liner assembly adapted to line a valve body of a control valve comprises a sleeve, a liner and a retainer. The sleeve has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface defines a bore. The outer surface is adapted to be disposed in engagement with the outlet of the control valve. The liner is slidably disposed within the bore of the sleeve. The retainer is in engagement with the liner to removably secure the liner within the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC
    Inventor: Michael W. McCarty
  • Patent number: 8020577
    Abstract: A rupture disc assembly for pneumatic plugs constructed and arranged to cooperate with an aperture in an end casting or other plug component to expel excess air from the plug interior when a predetermined internal plug pressure is reached. The rupture disc holder assembly may have a two part body structure and be mounted to the inside or outside of the pneumatic plug. The rupture disc assembly utilizes a rupturable member in a flanged holder structure positioned in communication with the pneumatic plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Cherne Industries Incorporated
    Inventors: Brent L. Gabel, David A. Endresen, Mark C. Bjorlin
  • Patent number: 7992588
    Abstract: A valve device includes a tubular member fitted into an inflatable article, a flexible diaphragm having a peripheral region which engages a valve seat of the tubular member through a mounting support and an intermediate surrounding region which has a portion that can be flexed to deflect a corresponding portion of the peripheral region from the valve seat, and a positioning member which is actuated to be displaced between normally-closed and deflating positions so as to bring an engaging end thereof to be proximate to or distal from the valve seat. In the deflating position, the flexed portion is vested with an increment of biasing force that is counteracted by a resisting force at an actuated end so as to keep the peripheral portion in a deflected position for maintaining the valve device in an open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Inventors: Rong-Jyh Song, Tsung-Ping Yen
  • Patent number: 7987870
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protection device which defines a through hole (21) for the passage of a fluid which may be under overpressure conditions. In addition, the inventive device comprises: a stop plug (26) which can move between an open position and a position in which a first section of the hole (21) is sealed; a stop valve (28) which can move between an open position and a position in which a second section of the hole (21) is sealed; and means (22, 23, 27) for triggering both the movement of the stop plug (26) and the movement of the valve (28) from the open position to the sealing position in response to an overpressure (P2) in the hole (21). The invention is particularly suitable for self-contained equipment used to supply electrical power by means of a fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Staubli Faverges
    Inventors: Alain-Christophe Tigerghien, Andre Charles Pavan
  • Patent number: 7980266
    Abstract: A one-way soffit vent has an upstream valve seat and a downstream vented cover having a boss extending in the upstream direction. A valve disk is reciprocally mounted on the boss and biased against the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Dundas Jafine Inc.
    Inventor: Siegfried Niedermair