Patents Examined by Robert Popovics
  • Patent number: 6666965
    Abstract: A water recirculating system for use in producing fish. The water recirculating system includes a fish raising tank that provides an environment for fish to grow and a supply system to deliver contaminated water from the fish raising tank to a filtration system. The filtration system includes a chamber with a hydraulic loading area that is divided into a plurality of cells with smaller hydraulic loading areas. Filter media is positioned in each cell to filter the contaminated water received from the fish raising tank. A delivery system returns the filtered water back to the fish raising tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael B. Timmons
  • Patent number: 6666978
    Abstract: An apparatus producing a vacuum in several cavities configured in a microtitration filter plate, each cavity having an upper sample liquid input aperture and a lower aperture fitted with a filter covering the aperture cross-section. The apparatus includes a device that produces a vacuum and that can be connected to the lower apertures such that, upon connection, a vacuum can be applied to the apertures and such that, during the vacuum stage, the sample liquid in the cavities is aspirated through the filters. A flexible plate is mounted in planar contact at the side of the upper cavity apertures on the microtitration filter plate. The flexible plate, when mounted on the microtitration plate and when the vacuum is applied, hermetically seals the upper apertures of unfilled cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Eppendorf AG
    Inventor: Bernd Steinel
  • Patent number: 6656359
    Abstract: An apparatus and method recycles the abrasive fluid or slurry effluent used in the polishing step in the manufacture of semiconductors. Agglomerations of abrasive grains built up in the slurry effluent are crushed using a mill, ultrasonic oscillation, or pressurized circulation. The slurry effluent is then regenerated and reused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Osuda, Toru Matoba, Masataka Fukuizumi
  • Patent number: 6656366
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for preventing or reducing buildup of certain solids in a system or a conduit containing or conveying a fluid. The fluid can be a single phase liquid, such as a liquid hydrocarbon, or a multiphase fluid such as a mixture of several immiscible liquids, for example liquid hydrocarbon and water, plus a gaseous phase that may include hydrocarbon vapors as well as other gases, for example carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, etc. Preferably, the fluid is crude oil. The solids include all solids precipitating from fluids due to thermodynamically or chemical composition driven forces, as well as materials that can change phases. Preferably, the solids are solids typically dissolved in crude oil, such as higher paraffins, asphaltenes, hydrates, organic salts, and inorganic salts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Kellogg Brown & Root, Inc.
    Inventors: Gee Seng Fung, Rajnikant M. Amin, Bayram Kalpakci, Fouad Fleyfel, James F. O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6652748
    Abstract: A filter medium and frame therefore wherein the filter medium is treated by a novel adhesive comprised of a major portion by weight of an oil group consisting of vegetable and animal oils and a minor portion of a preselected thickening material with the rigidity of the filter medium being obtained by sandwiching the filter medium between joined mating upstream and downstream frame members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: AAF-McQuay, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyung-Ju Choi
  • Patent number: 6651822
    Abstract: Horizontal solids recycler to treat waste water comprising refuse solids from hog farms which comprises an intake and loading hopper adapted to establish a uniform curtain of the waste water, a mesh to which an over flow of the waste water is directed, a tumbler cilinder to which is mounted the mesh and which is mounted to a frame which rests on guide wheels, blades mounted within the tumbler cilinder to raise moistured solids, wherein said water of said moistured solids is passed through a mesh, a collecting bin to collect the solids coming from the tumbler cilinder and raised by the blades which comprises a separator to separate the remaining water from the solids, a screw to transport the solids, which is mounted to the collecting bin, a pressing section which comprises a perforated cilinder to which the solids are fed by the screw, a collecting and recycling hopper to which said perforated cilinder is mounted to, and which said collecting and recycling hopper collects and recycles the wastewater to the tu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Noe Martinez Alanis
  • Patent number: 6641737
    Abstract: A liquid filtering apparatus is placed in a vessel having a bed of filtration material and an intake for introducing unfiltered liquid, that includes a washbox, an airlifting tube extending from the washbox and including an intake end and means for introducing a primary gas to the airlifting tube, the airlifting tube passing through a central pipe, which extends from just below the washbox to a position just above the intake end. At least one screen cartridge is oriented in a generally angular downward direction in the bed and is in communication with an effluent chamber defined in part by the outer surface of the central pipe. A reject line extends from the washbox, and an effluent collector extends from the effluent chamber. A method of filtering and cleaning the filtration material is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Ashbrook Corporation
    Inventors: Yongming Xia, James E. Thompson, Jeffrey S. Devine
  • Patent number: 6627089
    Abstract: A truck houses a closed recirculation system having a series of hoses, filters and pumps interconnecting a first point and second point, preferably hydrants, of a water supply system. A flow of water pumped outside of the water supply system through the filters causes an increased water flow within the section of the water supply system between the second and the first point to clean the section of deposits, sediment, particulates and other undesirable matter. All of the filtered water is returned to the water supply system. The water may be inspected and chlorinated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Inventor: Chris E. Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 6613238
    Abstract: The present invention is a device and method for clearing debris from fluid channels. In one embodiment, the device has a fixed screening member that is permeable in part wherein debris will collect. A movable scraper then scrapes along the screen and removes the debris therefrom and transports the debris to a desired location. In embodiments of the invention, the surface that comprises the screening member may be arcuate, and may be a surface of revolution. Different portions of the screening member may or may not be permeable. The invention may also include an overflow mechanism where overflow water is diverted into a separate unscreened fluid stream. Further, the invention may be suitable for use within a sump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Inventor: Charles M. Schloss
  • Patent number: 6599420
    Abstract: A filter bag (1) comprises a first thin plastic film (22); a second thin plastic film (21) having substantially the same size with the first plastic film and sealed to the first plastic film at a first side-peripheral edge (2a), a second side-peripheral edge (2b) opposite to the first side-peripheral edge and a bottom peripheral edge (2d) thereof to provide an open-top interior, and a filter sheet (5) having a length substantially equal to the first and second plastic films and a width smaller than the first and second plastic films. The filter sheet has a first longitudinal edge (5a) interposed and sealed together between the first side-peripheral edges of the first and second plastic films and a second longitudinal edge (5b), opposite to the first longitudinal edge, sealed to the inside of the first plastic film at an intermediate position in width of the filter bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: iBio Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Sugiyama, Kazuo Shiraiwa
  • Patent number: 6585901
    Abstract: A method of draining water from low-consistency water-fiber suspensions, in which the water-fiber suspension is fed to a filtering surface comprising holes. The rougher fibers are first separated from the water-fiber suspension and fed to the filtering surface to form a separate filtering layer and the water-fiber suspension is led to flow through the filtering layer formed by the rougher fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventor: Vesa Juutinen
  • Patent number: 6582601
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating soap from liquor in a filtrate tank are particularly well suited for treating soap-containing filtrates from digester houses, bleach plants, and washer rooms in the chemical pulp processing industry. A device is disposed in the filtrate tank for generating a horizontal draw between the soap collecting devices and the soap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Andritz Oy
    Inventors: Pasi Heinämäki, Hannu Rönkönharju, Janne Vehmaa, Olavi Pikka
  • Patent number: 6579456
    Abstract: A device and a method are described, which are used for precipitating beverage sediment from the rinsing mixture of beverage production machines and which comprise a rinsing conduit, a sediment receptacle and a filtering means. In order to design a device of this type in a structurally simple manner such that it can be serviced more easily, it is suggested that the filtering means should comprise a first and a second filter which are arranged one after the other when seen in the direction of flow of the rinsing mixture and which are each provided with filtrate discharge means and that a flow connection for the rinsing mixture discharged from the rinsing conduit and for the filter cake precipitated on the first filter should be provided, said flow connection bypassing said first filter and leading into the sediment receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: WMF Wuerttemergische Metallwarenfabrik AG
    Inventors: Rolf Frey, Frank Göltenboth, Martin Grupp, Günther Nagel, Armin Startz, Gerhard Wittlinger
  • Patent number: 6571959
    Abstract: An improved coolant cleaning method, system, and apparatus, are provided through the use of a filter disk assembly that defines and is rotatable about an axis of rotation of the disk, for removing particulate matter from a fluid flowing through the filter disk assembly in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the filter disk assembly. A coolant cleaning system includes such a filter disk assembly, connected in fluid communication with an apparatus for circulating a flow of fluid through the filter disk assembly in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the filter disk assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventors: Robin C. Moore, David M. Dambek
  • Patent number: 6533931
    Abstract: A filter assembly is described that includes a substantially recyclable filter cartridge inside a pressure vessel. The invented filter cartridge comprises substantially non-pressure bearing walls, except for a pressure-bearing neck that is adapted to withstand high pressures preferably in the range of about 500 psi from the inside. The walls of the filter cartridge that are incapable of withstanding significant internal pressure are surrounded on the outside by a pressure vessel. The invented cartridge need not seal to the pressure vessel, because the cartridge neck protrudes outside of the pressure vessel to seal directly to a filter head. The cartridge preferably includes a quick-disassembly mechanism for allowing quick and non-destructive access to the internal components and media of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Inventor: Roger P. Reid
  • Patent number: 6524477
    Abstract: Embodiments of a gravity-flow filter cartridge are described for removing water-borne parasites, and other contaminants such as chlorine, lead, and organics from water. The filtration cartridge includes a liquid porous plastic filter, which has pore diameters large enough to let water pass at acceptable flow rates under only the force of gravity, while the matrix creates a tortuous path which traps parasites and other microorganisms that are typically in the approximately 3-9 micron size range. The filter may include interstitial carbon and other additives to improve performance. The filter may be shaped to provide a large surface and an optimized wall thickness for providing beneficial filter capacity and water flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Rich Buhler
    Inventor: Douglass E. Hughes
  • Patent number: 6524479
    Abstract: A filter element 10 for purifying fluids having a filter medium 11, an enclosure member 12, and a rod 13. The filter medium 11 has folds 14, which may be zigzag-shaped, and which define a fold height 15 and a pleat surface 16. At right angles to folds 14 extend end faces 17, which represent the course of the folds 14. The enclosure members 12 are arranged on the end faces 17. To support the folds 14, the rod 13 pierces through the pleat surfaces 16 of the folds 14 creating joints 19. These joints 19 are sealed, e.g., by additional seals or by fusing the filter medium to the support rod or the support rod to the filter medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Schwinghammer
  • Patent number: 6521124
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-element filtering system assuring serial filtration of a liquid through multiple filter cartridges while enabling flushing without requiring removal of the filter cartridges. Both conventional and reverse osmosis filtration is performed, sequentially, within the system. After filtration, the water is subjected to ultraviolet irradiation for purification. The filter cartridges are held within a canister which is pressed against the cap and constrained against rotation with the cap. The canister is divided into chambers, and has passages in its floor arranged to enable serial transfer of liquid from one chamber to the next. Flushing employs liquid introduced under normal pressure. Passages leading to the flush liquid outlet enable flushing to proceed when the flush liquid outlet is opened. At other times, filtered liquid will pass through passages leading to the filtered liquid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Inventors: Donald A. Northcut, Douglas W. Northcut
  • Patent number: 6521133
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a system for thermal disinfection of sludge with the aim of pathogen reduction. Such thermal sludge treatment systems require a certain minimum detention time t dependent on the temperature T of the heated sludge. The system according to the present invention is a continuous flow system. The system includes means for continuous sludge heating. The heated sludge flows continuously through at least one chamber, whereby the flow through the chamber has a substantially vertical direction. The mean residence time t2 of the sludge between entering the chamber and leaving the chamber is minimum 2 times the time period t required by regulations for conventional batch systems. The ratio of the flow path length of the flow through the chamber or chambers to the hydraulic diameter of the vertical flow through the chamber or chambers l/d is at least 3:1. The higher the ratio t2/t, the smaller can be the required ratio l/d. The relationship is: l/d*t2/t>8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Roediger Pittsburgh, Inc.
    Inventor: Markus Roediger
  • Patent number: 6517715
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating or segregating an insoluble or immiscible fluid mixture into its denser and less dense components is disclosed. The apparatus' serviceability is enhanced through the use of a removably secured focusing plate. The apparatus may be advantageously used to separate grease/water mixtures of commercial food preparation operations into a gray water component for disposal in sewer lines and a grease component for storage and subsequent appropriate disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Thermaco, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Batten, Bruce W. Kyles