Patents by Inventor Francis J. Lahey

Francis J. Lahey 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: 10371030
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification system includes a tank for storing a fluid and a mounting plate coupled to the tank. A baffle is positioned inside the tank below the mounting plate. The baffle has an outer wall defining an interior cavity and an opening. A sensor is positioned in the interior cavity for detecting a condition of the fluid. A supply conduit extends through the mounting plate into the tank. A return conduit extends through the mounting plate into the tank and has an outlet positioned to discharge a return fluid below the opening and exterior to the baffle and the interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Ryan Kruse, Francis J. Lahey, Mark D. Benedict, Douglas J. Send, Paul Wantschik, Eric Nohr, Paul Riffel, Jonathan Copeland
  • Publication number: 20180094562
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification system includes a tank for storing a fluid and a mounting plate coupled to the tank. A baffle is positioned inside the tank below the mounting plate. The baffle has an outer wall defining an interior cavity and an opening. A sensor is positioned in the interior cavity for detecting a condition of the fluid. A supply conduit extends through the mounting plate into the tank. A return conduit extends through the mounting plate into the tank and has an outlet positioned to discharge a return fluid below the opening and exterior to the baffle and the interior cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Ryan Kruse, Francis J. Lahey, Mark D. Benedict, Douglas J. Send, Paul Wantschik, Eric Nohr, Paul Riffel, Jonathan Copeland
  • Publication number: 20170328745
    Abstract: A sensor assembly is provided for detecting a concentration of a fluid. The sensor assembly includes a sensing unit and a cover assembly. The sensing unit includes a transmitter configured to transmit a signal into a sensing volume and a receiver configured to receive the signal after the signal passes through a portion of the sensing volume. The cover assembly at least partially encloses the sensing volume and is substantially impermeable to a gas portion of the fluid. The cover assembly includes apertures defined therein which are permeable to the gas portion of the fluid. A first plurality of apertures are defined along a top surface of the cover assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Ryan J. Kruse, Michael F. Flanagan, Jonathan R. Copeland, Francis J. Lahey
  • Patent number: 9804004
    Abstract: A sensor assembly is provided for detecting a concentration of a fluid. The sensor assembly includes a sensing unit and a cover assembly. The sensing unit includes a transmitter configured to transmit a signal into a sensing volume and a receiver configured to receive the signal after the signal passes through a portion of the sensing volume. The cover assembly at least partially encloses the sensing volume and is substantially impermeable to a gas portion of the fluid. The cover assembly includes apertures defined therein which are permeable to the gas portion of the fluid. A first plurality of apertures are defined along a top surface of the cover assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Ryan J. Kruse, Michael F. Flanagan, Jonathan R. Copeland, Francis J. Lahey
  • Patent number: 6273134
    Abstract: A sterilizer valve including a valve body with an inlet, an outlet, a vent, and a centerbore intersecting the inlet, outlet and vent. The valve further includes a valve stem having a shot chamber for holding a volume of sterilizing fluid, a fill passage having one end in fluid communication with the shot chamber and a second end intersecting the exterior surface at a fill port. The valve stem also has fluid communicating paths extending through the interior and disposed in an external surface of the valve stem. The valve stem is rotatably disposed in the centerbore of the valve body to selectively fluidly connect the shot chamber with the vent through the fluid communication paths upon the valve stem having different rotational positions with respect to the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Barnstead/Thermolyne Corporation
    Inventors: James R. Edwards, Francis J. Lahey, Kerry W. Leppert
  • Patent number: 6058247
    Abstract: An unplumbed sterilizer includes a heater having an electrical heating element disposed within a thermally conductive heater body. A conformable thermally conductive heat transfer plate is mounted between a mounting surface on the heater body and a heating surface on the sterilizing chamber. The heat transfer plate is effective to maintain a continuous mechanical contact between the heating and mounting surfaces. Further, a temperature sensor is attached to the heater body. By regulating the electrical power to the heating element as a function of the temperature of the heater body, the power applied to the heating element is maintained within specifications. Further, the heater body is mechanically attached to the sterilizing chamber by a single fastener resiliently applying a clamping force through the center of the heater body. In addition, the heater body is accessed simply by removing a cover plate from the outer body of the sterilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Barnstead/Thermolyne Corporation
    Inventors: Francis J. Lahey, Steven C. Peake, Dennis H. Smith