Patents Examined by Paul J. Hirsch
  • Patent number: 6981517
    Abstract: A gas supply system for pulse-wise feeding a reactant gas to a reactor, the gas supply system comprising: a first valve being a four-port diaphragm valve; a second valve which in an open state brings the first port into fluid communication with an exhaust and in a closed state closes off said fluid communication; wherein the gas supply system provides a reactant flow state in which the first valve is in an open state and the second valve is in a closed state, and wherein the gas supply system provides a purge state in which the first valve is closed and the second valve is in a open state. Also disclosed are a method of switching a process fluid by operating a gas supply system according to the invention and a valve assembly for use in such a gas supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventor: Gert-Jan Snijders
  • Patent number: 6913245
    Abstract: An in-line water shut-off valve is provided including a tailpipe which is attached to a main water line in order to form a “T” or 90° “L” which protrudes from the wall of the building and upon which is attached a cap which is threadably and rotatably attached and includes a plug therein so that upon rotation into a closed position, the plug will block the through flow bore of the tailpipe. After the installation of fixtures, the water supply line of the fixture may be threadingly attached to an outlet of the cap and the cap rotated 180 degrees to open the valve in order to allow for the flow of water; without the need of cutting off and replacing caps, soldering additional caps or valves or turning off the main water supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Inventor: Michael G. Jacoway
  • Patent number: 6910504
    Abstract: A surge prevention valve may be used to prevent the formation of an initial surge of high pressure. The valve may be located, for example, between a high pressure gas cylinder and a medical pressure regulator. The valve is provided with first and second valves located within a housing and integrating a pressurization orifice. The initial opening of the valve in an axial direction enables gas to flow through the pressurization orifice at a first flow rate. The full opening of the valve in the axial direction enables the gas to flow through the second valve at a second flow rate, which is much higher than the first flow rate. The controlled pressurization of the gas through the orifice delays the time during which the gas reaches full recompression. The valve may be further provided with a vent for venting pressurized gas away from a nominally closed top surface of the lower valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Allied Healthcare Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin D. Kroupa, William J. Kullmann
  • Patent number: 6907903
    Abstract: A faucet includes a main body, a control valve, a drive shaft, and a handle. The drive member of the drive shaft has a peripheral wall contacting with the mounting recess of the control seat of the control valve and formed with a plurality of spacing portions to reduce a contacting area between the drive member and the mounting recess to prevent the drive member from being expanded excessively due to absorbing the water to jam the mounting recess, so that the drive shaft is operated easily and conveniently, thereby facilitating the user operating the faucet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Hain Yo Enterprises Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Po Chang
  • Patent number: 6904960
    Abstract: A heat dissipation apparatus has an enclosure, in which a lateral fan seat is integrally formed with the enclosure. The lateral fan seat divides the interior space of the enclosure into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. An axis is installed across the upper and the lower chambers through a center of the fan seat. A coil set, a magnetic element and a plurality of blades are mounted about the axis in each of the upper and lower chambers. Thereby, two sets of fans are formed in a single enclosure to increase the heat dissipation effect while the assembly convenience is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Sonicedge Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Sheng-Pin Su, Feng Zhi Liu, Shih H. Chen
  • Patent number: 6901942
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a throttle valve unit for installation into a flow conduit through which a gas flow passes. A flap shaft of the throttle valve unit is affixed to a stamped insert part inside a fastening region. The stamped insert part, which includes an insert border, is molded into a housing. At the same time as the stamped insert part is molded into the housing, the flap shaft affixed to the stamped insert part is molded-in inside the fastening region. A planar region of the stamped insert part connected to the flap shaft is cut out from this stamped insert part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Krimmer, Peter Baur, Christian Lorenz, Bruno Hezel, Hubert Hickl
  • Patent number: 6899121
    Abstract: Switching valve utilizing a rotatable seal suitable for use in a regenerative thermal oxidizer, and oxidizer including the switching valve. The valve of the present invention exhibits excellent sealing characteristics and minimizes wear. The valve has a seal plate that defines two chambers, each chamber being a flow port that leads to one of two regenerative beds of the oxidizer. The valve also includes a switching flow distributor that provides alternate channeling of the inlet or outlet process gas to each half of the seal plate. The valve operates between two modes: a stationary mode and a valve movement mode. In the stationary mode, a tight gas seal is used to minimize or prevent process gas leakage. The gas seal also seals during valve movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Megtec Systems Inc.
    Inventor: James T. Cash
  • Patent number: 6896240
    Abstract: A diaphragmed air valve system for an automotive engine is provided which is designed for the purpose of keeping intact the shape as well as the mass of an air flow going through it. This diaphragmed air valve system includes a cylindrical air inlet having a valve opening covered by a number of plates of specific type and arrangement. The rate of air flowing into the engine is dictated by the diameter of the valve opening defined by the specific arrangement and type of the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventor: Heru Prasanta Wijaya
  • Patent number: 6892747
    Abstract: A temperature and pressure sensitive valve is disclosed herein. The valve has a valve piston for regulating flow through the valve, a valve piston guide for directing movement of the piston, the piston guide having one or more passages there through, a thermal element for enabling movement of said piston, and an elongated housing having an anterior and posterior end and an interior wall able to house the piston, guide and thermal element. The housing further has two or more passages able to aid the piston in regulating flow, with at least one of the passages placed towards the anterior end of the housing, and at least one of the passages placed towards the posterior end of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Research by Copperhead Hill, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert D. Dulin
  • Patent number: 6886586
    Abstract: A compression-type valve seating ring device for sealingly engaging the valve seat. The seating ring device includes a resilient cylindrical body having a central axis and having a side surface, a top surface and a bottom surface. A first inward bevel is defined circumferentially from the side surface toward the top surface, and a second contour is defined circumferentially between the first bevel and the top surface, wherein the first bevel provides a seating surface and the second contour enhances the seal and life of the valve. The valve element is configured symmetrically such that top and bottom sides are substantially identical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Mueller International Inc.
    Inventor: Leo W. Fleury, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6886806
    Abstract: In a throttle valve actuator unit having a throttle valve neck that contains a pivotable throttle valve and having a drive chamber for receiving an electric drive mechanism for the throttle valve and for receiving an electric connection plug for a plug connection to a control unit, in order to reduce the production costs while maintaining the many customer-specific characteristics, the drive chamber is enclosed by a housing module, and the throttle valve neck is attached as a separate part to the housing module and secured thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Borasch, Hans-Joerg Fees, Klaus Kaiser, Uwe Hammer, Stephan Wuensch
  • Patent number: 6886804
    Abstract: There is disclosed a socket for a pipe coupling, comprising a hollow cylindrical socket body including a plug insertion port, a radially movable locking element to lock a plug in the plug insertion port, and a sleeve attached to the socket body so as to be movable forwards/backwards and can operate the locking element. A valve body including a channel hole and purge hole is fixed in the socket body, and a cylindrical seal member rotatable between a first position and a second position is attached between the socket body and valve body. The seal member opens the channel hole and closes the purge hole in the first position, and vice versa in the second position. The seal member is connected to a sleeve for valve opening/closing operation rotatably attached to the socket body by a connection pin inserted through a circumferential groove in the socket body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Doi, Takeya Sasa
  • Patent number: 6886801
    Abstract: A valve assembly has a valve opening which can be sealed and un-sealed by movement of a membrane 6, a force generator, such as an electromagnetic force generator having a solenoid and armature arrangement, and a shaft that is operably connected to the membrane and which is movable along a movement axis under the influence of the generated force to move the membrane and thereby regulate the degree of opening of the valve. Bearing assemblies are provided to procure a magnetic suspension of the shaft, permit its movement along the axis, and also to optionally produce a magnetic biasing of the shaft in a direction along the axis, particularly in the absence of a generated force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB
    Inventors: Mangus Hallbäck, Åke Larsson, Fredrik Jalde
  • Patent number: 6883774
    Abstract: A microvalve and a method of forming a microvalve. The microvalve comprises first and second layers, a diaphragm member and a switching means. The first and second layers are secured together to form a valve body that forms an inlet opening for receiving fluid, an outlet opening for conducting fluid from the valve body, and a flow channel for conducting fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The diaphragm is disposed between the layers, and is movable between open and closed positions. In these position, the diaphragm, respectively, allows and blocks the flow of fluid from the inlet to the flow channel. The diaphragm is biased to the closed position, and moves from the closed position to the open position when the pressure of fluid in the inlet reaches a preset value. The switching means is connected to the valve body for moving the diaphragm to the closed position against the pressure of fluid in the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew C. Nielsen, Laura J. Meyer, Todd G. Wetzel, Stanton E. Weaver, Jeffrey B. Fortin, Renato Guida
  • Patent number: 6883599
    Abstract: In a heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between a first fluid and a second fluid, a corrugated plate is provided in a first tube defining a first fluid passage through which the first fluid flows. The corrugated plate forms ridges and grooves. Walls between the ridges and grooves include first walls, second walls and third walls. Each first wall defines an opening between its second end and a second side wall of the first tube. Each second wall defines openings at its first and second ends. Each third wall defines an opening between its first end and the first side wall of the first tube. The first to third walls are reiterative in an order of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall and the second wall. Therefore, the first fluid makes double serpentine flows each of which makes alternately large and small turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Ken Yamamoto, Takeshi Okinotani, Norihide Kawachi
  • Patent number: 6883773
    Abstract: A pinch valve is provided which includes an outer housing into which lower and upper elements are positioned. A flexible, tubular shaped hose, duct, or similar conduit or line to be used under pressure is inserted into and maintained between a support section of the lower pinch element and a support section of the upper pinch element. A resilient spring located between the lower pinch element and the bottom surface of the outer housing compresses the flexible line into a closed position, in order to maintain an effective and leak proof closure of the line. When it is desired that the pressurized line be opened and fluid in the line be permitted to flow, an actuating button located atop the outer housing is pressed. The resulting pressure acts against the compressive force of this spring, causing the lower pinch element to move down within the housing, thereby opening the flexible line to permit fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Gilwal Technologies
    Inventor: Harley Mattheis
  • Patent number: 6880808
    Abstract: A medical stopcock is provided that is constructed and arranged to withstand high pressures and gamma irradiation. The stopcock generally includes a housing and a valve member. The valve member is trapped within the housing so that, when subjected to relatively high pressures, the valve member is unlikely to become separated from the housing. A handle member is attached to the valve member and allows the valve member to be rotated from open to closed positions. In some preferred embodiments, the handle member locks the valve member within the housing, when attached. All of the components are constructed of gamma-stable materials so that the stopcock may be sterilized, in its package, using gamma irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Acist Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. McPeak, Jon K. Moon
  • Patent number: 6880797
    Abstract: A child resistant tap has a valve body (12) with an inlet (22) and an outlet (24) and a valve seat (26) therebetween. An axially slidable valve element (28) engages the valve seat (26) to open and close the valve. A handle or lever (1) is pivotally connected to the valve element (28) outside the valve body. The handle has a fulcrum portion (1-2), so that pivotal movement of the handle (1) operates the valve element (28). A safety lever (6) is pivotally attached to the handle (1) and has a locking arm (6-2) which engages the valve body (12) to prevent the handle from pivoting to open the valve. The safety lever (6) also has an actuator arm (6-1) located adjacent to a transverse lever arm (1—1) of the handle, so that squeezing together of the actuator arm (6-1) and the handle lever arm (1—1) causes the safety lever (6) to pivot out of engagement with the valve body (12) allowing the valve to be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Inventor: George M. Yui
  • Patent number: 6880805
    Abstract: A Roman tub installation includes a hub and handle assembly, a valve, a sleeve coupled to the valve's body, a stem adapter coupled to the valve's stem and to the hub and handle assembly, and a threaded collar coupled to the sleeve. The hub and handle assembly includes a hub having a threaded portion for engaging the threaded collar, thereby coupling the hub and handle assembly to the sleeve and valve body, and a handle disposed adjacent the hub. A handle stem extends from the handle and couples the handle to the stem adapter. The stem adapter couples the handle's stem to the valve's stem, thereby coupling the handle to the valve stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Newfrey LLP
    Inventors: Indalecio Ortega, Jr., Mark S. Bloom
  • Patent number: RE39311
    Abstract: A hermetically sealed compact contains a cosmetic substance. The compact includes an integral two-piece insert having a cover piece coupled to a base piece by an integral living hinge. The cover piece of the insert has a circular cavity with a pair of ridges, while the base piece has a peripheral wall that slides within a groove to form the seal. As the integral insert obtains the closed configuration, the evacuated air makes a distinctive audible sound, indicating to the user that the hermetic seal has been established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Rexam Beauty and Closures Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence G. Davis, Carol J. Nikolaus