Patents by Inventor Curtis J. Elwell

Curtis J. Elwell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9381469
    Abstract: A radial seal is described for use in a filtration system having annular elements. The rings or annuli fit in a groove in an outer surface of a seal plate. Each annulus has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of a cylindrical housing of the filtration system. A gap in the annulus has a width selected to enable the annular element to deform sufficiently to permit insertion of the at least one annulus into the cylindrical housing. Two or more annuli can be configured such that the gaps of the annuli are misaligned when both annuli are installed in the groove, thereby minimizing leakage in operation. A registration system includes a registration element that cooperates with a registration element of the other annulus to ensure misalignment of the gaps of the pair of annuli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Curtis J. Elwell, Frederick K. Lesan, Victor Verbeek, Peter F. Metcalfe
  • Publication number: 20140299533
    Abstract: A radial seal is described for use in a filtration system having annular elements. The rings or annuli fit in a groove in an outer surface of a seal plate. Each annulus has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of a cylindrical housing of the filtration system. A gap in the annulus has a width selected to enable the annular element to deform sufficiently to permit insertion of the at least one annulus into the cylindrical housing. Two or more annuli can be configured such that the gaps of the annuli are misaligned when both annuli are installed in the groove, thereby minimizing leakage in operation. A registration system includes a registration element that cooperates with a registration element of the other annulus to ensure misalignment of the gaps of the pair of annuli.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Curtis J. Elwell, Frederick K. Lesan, Victor Verbeek, Peter F. Metcalfe
  • Patent number: 8758489
    Abstract: A radial seal is described for use in a filtration system having annular elements. The rings or annuli fit in a groove in an outer surface of a seal plate. Each annulus has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of a cylindrical housing of the filtration system. A gap in the annulus has a width selected to enable the annular element to deform sufficiently to permit insertion of the at least one annulus into the cylindrical housing. Two or more annuli can be configured such that the gaps of the annuli are misaligned when both annuli are installed in the groove, thereby minimizing leakage in operation. A registration system includes a registration element that cooperates with a registration element of the other annulus to ensure misalignment of the gaps of the pair of annuli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis J. Elwell, Frederick K. Lesan, Victor Verbeek, Peter F. Metcalfe
  • Patent number: 8728213
    Abstract: A radial seal is described for use in a filtration system having annular elements. The rings or annuli fit in a groove in an outer surface of a seal plate. Each annulus has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of a cylindrical housing of the filtration system. A gap in the annulus has a width selected to enable the annular element to deform sufficiently to permit insertion of the at least one annulus into the cylindrical housing. Two or more annuli can be configured such that the gaps of the annuli are misaligned when both annuli are installed in the groove, thereby minimizing leakage in operation. A registration system includes a registration element that cooperates with a registration element of the other annulus to ensure misalignment of the gaps of the pair of annuli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis J. Elwell, Frederick K. Lesan, Victor Verbeek, Peter J. Metcalfe
  • Publication number: 20130270172
    Abstract: A radial seal is described for use in a filtration system having annular elements. The rings or annuli fit in a groove in an outer surface of a seal plate. Each annulus has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of a cylindrical housing of the filtration system. A gap in the annulus has a width selected to enable the annular element to deform sufficiently to permit insertion of the at least one annulus into the cylindrical housing. Two or more annuli can be configured such that the gaps of the annuli are misaligned when both annuli are installed in the groove, thereby minimizing leakage in operation. A registration system includes a registration element that cooperates with a registration element of the other annulus to ensure misalignment of the gaps of the pair of annuli.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Curtis J. Elwell, Frederick K. Lesan, Victor Verbeek, Peter F. Metcalfe
  • Publication number: 20110084013
    Abstract: An axial face seal is described that may be employed to seal a spiral membrane element of a filtration system. A seal can be formed using a first seal plate for capping the spiral membrane element to engage a corresponding face of a second seal plate of an adjacent spiral membrane element. The faces of the first and second seal plates have complementary profiles that yield an intermeshed contact of the seal plates when the spiral membrane element is coupled to the adjacent spiral membrane element. The intermeshed contact creates a tortuous flow path from inside the spiral membrane element to the outside of the spiral membrane element, thereby sealing the spiral membrane element at the point of coupling with the adjacent spiral membrane element. Adjacent spiral membrane elements can be coupled using a latching mechanism that is engaged before the spiral membrane elements are inserted into the cylindrical housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: Toray Membrane USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick K. LESAN, Curtis J. Elwell
  • Publication number: 20110084455
    Abstract: A radial seal is described for use in a filtration system having annular elements. The rings or annuli fit in a groove in an outer surface of a seal plate. Each annulus has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of a cylindrical housing of the filtration system. A gap in the annulus has a width selected to enable the annular element to deform sufficiently to permit insertion of the at least one annulus into the cylindrical housing. Two or more annuli can be configured such that the gaps of the annuli are misaligned when both annuli are installed in the groove, thereby minimizing leakage in operation. A registration system includes a registration element that cooperates with a registration element of the other annulus to ensure misalignment of the gaps of the pair of annuli.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: Toray Membrane USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis J. ELWELL, Frederick K. Lesan, Victor Verbeek, Peter F. Metcalfe