Patents Examined by Richard D. Jordan
  • Patent number: 4793928
    Abstract: A polymer filtering apparatus (1) is used to filter a molten polymer in a step of extruding a molten polymer to manufacture films and fibers. A plate type filter medium (4), which is incapable of resisting a filtration pressure, is supported at its rear portion on a liquid-permeable support member (5). Two pieces of filter media (4), (4) of the above-mentioned construction are arranged in opposition to each other so as to form a polymer passage (10) therebetween, and a polymer to be filtered is fed from this polymer passage (10) and through the filter medium (4) and support member (5). The plate type filter medium (4) and support member (5), which are detachably piled, can be separated, and the surfaces thereof can be easily washed. Moreover, the results of washing of both the primary and secondary sides can be inspected visually with ease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Tsugio Tsukamoto, Tsuneo Inose
  • Patent number: 4789474
    Abstract: A filter (51) for liquids comprises a filter vat (52) having an inlet orifice (60) for the liquid to be filtered, an outlet orifice (58) for the filtrate, and an evacuation orifice (66) for solid particles, together with filter elements comprising filter medium cloths disposed vertically around filter leaves (18) inside said vat between said inlet and outlet orifices. Said cloths (12) are in the shape of elongate pockets (16) threaded freely over said leaves (18), said leaves being provided with longitudinal drainage channels (32), said pockets having openings (19) in communication with said outlet orifice (58), and said filter leaves (18) being suspended beneath supports (20) which are fixed inside said vat (52), with said leaves being free to rock sideways from their supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Inventor: Guy Gaudfrin
  • Patent number: 4786409
    Abstract: Duplex filter apparatus suitable for pressure or suction applications includes dual filter housings and a central valve housing having dual, cylindrical, three-way plug valves. Four glass-filled Teflon sleeve seals, each having an inner cylindrical cut edge conform to the valve periphery and seal the valve openings in either a pressure or suction configuration. A wave spring biases each sleeve seal against the plug valve and further o-ring seals utilize the pressure or suction condition to enhance the effectiveness of the sleeve seals. In the pressure configuration a tubular support is used in conjunction with the sleeve seal with the wave spring acting either directly on the sleeve seal or indirectly through an intermediate metal ring which houses the o-ring seals and which minimizes thermal expansion effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel W. Miller
  • Patent number: 4782878
    Abstract: A system for inflating and deflating pneumatic tires of a vehicle through pneumatically actuated tire isolating valves which isolate air under pressure in the tires from the system comprises electronically controlled valves for achieving opening of the tire isolating valves, inflating or deflating of the vehicle tires and the quick exhausting of air under pressure from the system when the desired tire pressure is reached so as to immediately enable closure of the tire isolating valves to assure obtaining the desired pressure in the tires. Optimum rates of inflating and deflating together with accuracy in obtaining a desired tire pressure are achieved through a unique tire isolating valve construction and electronic controlled circuitry by which signals corresponding to desired and existing tire pressures are electronically compared to provide output signals by which the inflating, deflating and exhaust functions are controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Tire Inflation Systems, Corp.
    Inventor: Chander P. Mittal
  • Patent number: 4783256
    Abstract: The disclosure describes an adapter assembly for a conventional fluid system having a filter unit mounted to a filter pad. The adapter assembly allows the pressure differential across the filter element to be conveniently measured by a differential pressure detector. The adapter assembly, which is mounted between the filter pad and the filter unit, generally comprises an adapter plate, a mechanism for attaching and sealing the adapter plate to the filter pad, a mechanism for attaching and sealing the filter unit to the adapter plate, and a fitting for connecting the differential pressure detector to the adapter plate. The adapter plate includes at least one aperture which allows fluid to flow between the inlet chamber of the filter pad and the inlet of the filter unit and another aperture which allows fluid to flow between the outlet of the filter unit and the outlet chamber of the filter pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Pall Corporation
    Inventors: Roydon B. Cooper, Walter A. Mordes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4783271
    Abstract: A filter assembly for removing particles from a fluid which comprises first and second filters, each having a porous filter medium. The mean pore diameter of the porous filter medium of the second filter is greater than the mean pore diameter of the porous filter medium of the first filter. The filter assembly further comprises structure for directing the fluid serially through the first filter and then through the second filter, a mechanism for sensing the temperature of the fluid, and a valve arranged in parallel with the first filter and serially with the second filter. The valve is coupled to the temperature-sensing mechanism so that at least a portion of the fluid is directed around the first filter in response to a predetermined fluid temperature. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the fluid is directed around the first filter when the fluid temperature is below a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Pall Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard F. Silverwater
  • Patent number: 4782879
    Abstract: The device comprises, in a housing formed from two parts (102,103), disposed on opposite sides of a diaphragm (104), three orifices, namely an orifice (105) capable of receiving the low and high pressure and ensuring the purge, the second (107) connected to the pneumatic tire, and the third (106) of large diameter for a rapid escape, an escape valve (110) being normally closed while a passage (116) between the first and second orifices is normally closed and a passage (121) of large diameter between the second orifice and the escape valve (110) is normally open. Application in the measurement, the inflation and the deflation of vehicle pneumatic tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Precision Mecanique Labinal
    Inventors: Robert Le Chatelier, Jean-Jacques Diefenbach
  • Patent number: 4781824
    Abstract: To stabilize flow rate in a single-stroke, syringe-type high pressure pump to a constant value after turn-on, a control system increases the pump speed until equilibrium conditions are reached and then pumps at the preset rate. In one embodiment, the control system senses the maximum rate of change of pressure, detects a pressure when the rate of change is two-thirds of the maximum, increases the pump rate until the pressure is three times that at the value of the detected pressure and begins pumping at the preset constant flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Isco, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Allington
  • Patent number: 4780200
    Abstract: Water purification apparatus includes a housing 10 which contains water purification materials. Liquid which has been purified can be extracted via a manually operable dispensing element 16 which is coupled to the main housing by a flexible conduit 14. The element 16 can be supported with its nozzle in a receptacle 17 in the housing 10 where it can be irradicated by ultra violet radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Elga Ltd.
    Inventors: Graham Bond, Anthony van Tullekin
  • Patent number: 4778469
    Abstract: A method of producing a site for tissue ingrowth on a surgical implant by embedding a space occupier possessing a desired pattern in the surface of the implant at the desired location for ingrowth and then solubilizing the embedded space occupier to leave the pattern on the implant surface. Preferably, the implant is fabricated from a composite comprising a semi-crystalline thermoplastic resin such as polyetheretherketone or polyphenylene sulfide, and the space occupier is an acid-soluble metal plate machined to produce the desired pattern and removed by aqueous acid solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Pfizer Hospital Products Group Inc.
    Inventors: Ruey Y. Lin, Casper F. Stark
  • Patent number: 4775466
    Abstract: A control for draining water accumulated in a fuel tank, without loss of fuel or ingestion of water into an associate fuel system, is responsive to a flotation device weighted to float at the water-fuel interface. The flotation device is connected by a lever to turn a rotor in a pressurized chamber thereby selectively connecting pressure or exhaust to respective actuation control ports for a drain valve and fuel valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Muesco, Inc.
    Inventors: Santiago Abad, John B. Mallay
  • Patent number: 4775481
    Abstract: To stabilize flow rate in a single-stroke, syringe-type high pressure pump at a constant value after turn-on, a control system increases the pump speed until equilibrium conditions are reached and then pumps at the present rate. In one embodiment, the system is operated in a constant pressure mode under the control of a feedback system to a point at which the pressure is estimated to provide the desired flow rate, with feedback being provided from a pressure measurement and from a flow rate measurement. The feedback from the flow measurement is increased logarithmically with the rate of pumping prior to being compared with the pressure error signal and the comparison between the previous error signal and the logarithmic flow rate signal is used to control the speed of pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Isco, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Allington
  • Patent number: 4773996
    Abstract: An apparatus for dewatering primary dewatered sludge pieces conditioned with dewatering powders comprises: a first member having a recess and a path communicating with the recess, a fluid-tight diaphragm mounted over the recess thereby defining a fluid chamber with which the path communicates, a second member having a filtrate member, and a filter member provided over the filtrate chamber. At least one of the first member and the second member is mounted to bring them into fluid-tight contact with each other, and the primary dewatered sludge pieces into a cavity defined by the diaphragm and the filter member. A pressure fluid then is fed to the fluid chamber, thereby isostatically compressing the primary dewatered sludge pieces to remove the water contained therein without substantially destroying the inner structures of the primary dewatered sludge pieces. Because of this isostatic pressure exerted by the diaphragm, the sludge pieces are compressed highly uniformly, resulting in high dewatering efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Endo, Toshikazu Hanamoto, Shigeru Uchida, Katsuya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 4773454
    Abstract: The tire filling unit, particularly for filling a bicycle tire, comprises a filling head with an outlet connectable to a filling valve of a tire and with an inlet containing a hollow prong for a high pressure gas cartridge and a concentric cartridge jacket attachable with the filling head at the inlet for receiving the high pressure cartridge. A connecting duct contains an automatically closing valve between the inlet and the outlet which locks the connecting duct in a closed configuration and which is movable into an open configuration by an operating device mounted in the filling head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Wilfried Kroh
    Inventors: Wilfried Kroh, Reinhard Kurz
  • Patent number: 4774007
    Abstract: The apparatus provides for a housing mountable on a trailer for conducting the process in-situ. A pump withdraws substantially all hydrocarbon-contaminated matter from the oil waste pit and delivers it into a lower chamber formed in the housing, wherein the hydrocarbon-contaminated matter is separated from the heavy solid particles and heavy salt water. The hydrocarbon-containing mixture, after being separated in the lower housing is delivered into the upper chamber formed in the housing and heated to facilitate separation, by gravity, of hydrocarbons, water and fine particles into various layers for subsequent withdrawal from the housing. The process of withdrawal of the hydrocarbon-contaminated mixture continues until hydrocarbon content of the oil waste pit is reduced to such degree that the waste pit becomes substantially hydrocarbon-free and is environmentally safe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Pollution Control Corporation
    Inventor: Parris A. Gordon
  • Patent number: 4772385
    Abstract: A novel control for use with a reverse osmotic treatment system is disclosed. The unit (9) provides the desired flow of product solution from the system by controlling a "single" valve (3) disposed on a secondary line for conveying a concentrated solution coming out of a reverse osmotic apparatus (4). One application of this control unit is in desalination of salt water. Once the desired level of the flow of desalinated water (Q.sub.1) is initially set, the control unit (9) determines automatically the necessary opening (A.sub.v) of the valve in accordance with the performance characteristics (21 to 28) of the components of the desalination system [centrifugal pump (1), reverse osmotic apparatus (4) and the system line]. In response to this determination, the valve develops the desired pressure at the inlet of the reverse osmotic apparatus (4), which then produces desalinated water at a flow rate substantially equal to the initially set value (Q.sub.1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Yamada, Ichiro Hiraiwa, Shin Taniguchi, Toshinari Zengo
  • Patent number: 4770769
    Abstract: The ultra-filtration in a hemodialysis operation is controlled by a control apparatus which is connected to a balancing device (1) and to a dosing device (9) to form a closed loop control circuit for the metered supply of dialysis concentrate into the balancing device and for the metered supply of fresh dialysis solution into the dialyzer. The closed loop control circuit controls the alternating supply of fresh dialysis solution into one chamber of a balancing device and the withdrawal of used-up dialysis solution from the other chamber of the balancing device. The closed loop control circuit also controls a pump for the metered withdrawal of used-up dialysis solution out of the dialysis circulatory system. The dosing device operates as a proportionality device to produce fresh dialysis solution from water and dialysis concentrate whereby the concentrate is dosed and the dialysis solution is also dosed or metered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Fresenius Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Wilfried Schael
  • Patent number: 4770770
    Abstract: A water supply system for use in connection with a variety of water using equipment such, for example, as commercial ice makers and commercial steam cooking equipment wherein the water supply system utilizes a reverse osmosis unit thereby providing water of low mineral content to be used as product water in the equipment and at the same time utilizing the waste water generated from use of the reverse osmosis unit to provide cooling or condensing water for the same units to which the low mineral water is supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Everpure, Inc.
    Inventors: Perialwar Regunathan, Dale A. Squier, John W. Tadlock
  • Patent number: 4770768
    Abstract: A water filter has an elongated base with an inlet opening near one end thereof to which is secured an adaptor ring for attachment to a water faucet. A first outlet opening on the base dispenses unfiltered water and there is a channel defined within the base that leads toward the other end, with an externally-operable valve being included for selecting between unfiltered flow to that outlet and flow down the channel. Located near the other end of the base is a mounting on which sits a water filter cartridge that communicates with the channel, and the cartridge delivers filtered water to a second outlet. A number of features include a color indicator to exhibit degree of cartridge usage, a reversible adaptor ring to accommodate different faucets and there are different aerator structures. Of particular note is the replaceable cartridge which includes a deflector for obtaining better usage of the main filtering material, an exteriorally-mounted first filter and an internally-mounted second filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Teledyne Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Lang
  • Patent number: 4769135
    Abstract: A fluid metering device (10) is provided for automatically restricting (i.e., shutting off or reducing) fluid flow to a filter (16). The metering device (10) has a vane (32) which turns as fluid flows and thereby drives a gear (92). Once the vane (32) has rotated a selected number of times, as a result of the fluid flow, the rotation of the gear will break a frangible link (82), causing the fluid flow to stop or reduce by closing a valve (60). The customer will know to replace the filter (16) when the fluid no longer flows or is substantially reduced, and the customer will also have to replace the frangible link (82) to enable the fluid to flow at full volume again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Culligan International Company
    Inventor: William W. Norton