Patents by Inventor Lawrence R. Lafler
Lawrence R. Lafler 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: 6668848Abstract: The system controls of a pneumatically operated valve using an electrical control signal from a controller. A pilot circuit of the system has multiple piezo valves that are subject to electrical signals from the controller to provide pneumatic output signals to a volume booster circuit of the system. Relatively small volume pneumatic pilot signals from the piezo valves are used to determine the opened or closed state of higher volume valve assemblies of the booster circuit which connect or disconnect the actuator of the valve to be operated with a source of pressurized gas. Both the piezo valves and the booster valve assemblies are subjected to gas at the same operating pressure, but the surface area of pistons in the booster valve assemblies exposed to the piezo valves is substantially larger than the surface area of the pistons exposed to operating pressure such that the pneumatic signals shift the pistons even when pressure is the same on both sides thereof.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2001Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignee: SPX CorporationInventors: Lawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner
-
Patent number: 6659247Abstract: The system controls the position of a pneumatically operated valve using an electrical control signal from a controller. A pilot circuit of the system has multiple piezo valves that are subject to electrical signals from the controller to provide pneumatic output signals to a volume booster circuit of the system. Relatively small volume pneumatic pilot signals from the piezo valves are used to determine the opened or closed state of higher volume valve assemblies of the booster circuit which connect or disconnect the actuator of the valve to be operated with a source of pressurized gas. Both the piezo valves and the booster valve assemblies are subjected to gas at the same operating pressure, but the surface area of pistons in the booster valve assemblies exposed to the piezo valves is substantially larger than the surface area of the pistons exposed to operating pressure such that the pneumatic signals shift the pistons even when pressure is the same on both sides thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2001Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: SPX CorporationInventors: Lawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner
-
Patent number: 6484751Abstract: A rotary control valve includes a flow control element having a lower valve shaft rotatably received in a non-magnetic body portion. A magnet is coupled with a lower valve shaft and rotatable therewith to produce an external magnetic field that varies in accordance with the angular position of the flow control element. A magnetic field detector, positioned in the external magnetic field, is operable to detect the external magnetic field and to produce position signals representative thereof, such being indicative of the angular position of the flow control element.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2001Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: SPX CorporationInventors: Lawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner, Val DiEuliis, Vernon M. Cottles
-
Patent number: 6357335Abstract: The system controls the position of a pneumatically operated valve using an electrical control signal from a controller. A pilot circuit of the system has multiple piezo valves that are subject to electrical signals from the controller to provide pneumatic output signals to a volume booster circuit of the system. Relatively small volume pneumatic pilot signals from the piezo valves are used to determine the opened or closed state of higher volume valve assemblies of the booster circuit which connect or disconnect the actuator of the valve to be operated with a source of pressurized gas. Both the piezo valves and the booster valve assemblies are subjected to gas at the same operating pressure, but the surface area of pistons in the booster valve assemblies exposed to the piezo valves is substantially larger than the surface area of the pistons exposed to operating pressure such that the pneumatic signals shift the pistons even when pressure is the same on both sides thereof.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1999Date of Patent: March 19, 2002Assignee: Sox CorporationInventors: Lawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner
-
Publication number: 20020029811Abstract: The system controls the position of a pneumatically operated valve using an electrical control signal from a controller. A pilot circuit of the system has multiple piezo valves that are subject to electrical signals from the controller to provide pneumatic output signals to a volume booster circuit of the system. Relatively small volume pneumatic pilot signals from the piezo valves are used to determine the opened or closed state of higher volume valve assemblies of the booster circuit which connect or disconnect the actuator of the valve to be operated with a source of pressurized gas. Both the piezo valves and the booster valve assemblies are subjected to gas at the same operating pressure, but the surface area of pistons in the booster valve assemblies exposed to the piezo valves is substantially larger than the surface area of the pistons exposed to operating pressure such that the pneumatic signals shift the pistons even when pressure is the same on both sides thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2001Publication date: March 14, 2002Applicant: SPX CorporationInventors: Lawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner
-
Publication number: 20020007727Abstract: The system controls the position of a pneumatically operated valve using an electrical control signal from a controller. A pilot circuit of the system has multiple piezo valves that are subject to electrical signals from the controller to provide pneumatic output signals to a volume booster circuit of the system. Relatively small volume pneumatic pilot signals from the piezo valves are used to determine the opened or closed state of higher volume valve assemblies of the booster circuit which connect or disconnect the actuator of the valve to be operated with a source of pressurized gas. Both the piezo valves and the booster valve assemblies are subjected to gas at the same operating pressure, but the surface area of pistons in the booster valve assemblies exposed to the piezo valves is substantially larger than the surface area of the pistons exposed to operating pressure such that the pneumatic signals shift the pistons even when pressure is the same on both sides thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2001Publication date: January 24, 2002Applicant: SPX CorporationInventors: Lawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner
-
Publication number: 20010027812Abstract: A rotary control valve includes a flow control element having a lower valve shaft rotatably received in a non-magnetic body portion. A magnet is coupled with a lower valve shaft and rotatable therewith to produce an external magnetic field that varies in accordance with the angular position of the flow control element. A magnetic field detector, positioned in the external magnetic field, is operable to detect the external magnetic field and to produce position signals representative thereof, such being indicative of the angular position of the flow control element.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2001Publication date: October 11, 2001Applicant: SPX Corporation, MichiganInventors: Lawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner, Val DiEuliis, Vernon M. Cottles
-
Patent number: 6244296Abstract: A rotary control valve includes a flow control element having a lower valve shaft rotatably received in a non-magnetic body portion. A magnet is coupled with a lower valve shaft and rotatable therewith to produce an external magnetic field that varies in accordance with the angular position of the flow control element. A magnetic field detector, positioned in the external magnetic field, is operable to detect the external magnetic field and to produce position signals representative thereof, such being indicative of the angular position of the flow control element.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1999Date of Patent: June 12, 2001Assignee: SPX CorporationInventors: Lawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner, Val DiEullis, Vernon M. Cottles
-
Patent number: 4847548Abstract: A signal conditioner for a linear variable differential transformer having a first amplifier which senses the differences in amplitude between secondary alternating current voltages in the two secondaries respectively, and a second amplifier which compares the phase of the difference signal from the first amplifier with the phase of one of the secondary alternating voltages. A conditioned signal A.sub.out is output by the signal conditioner according to the equation A.sub.out =K.sub.1 V.sub.s1 +K.sub.2 (V.sub.s1 -V.sub.s2) where K.sub.1 and K.sub.2 are constants, and V.sub.s1 and V.sub.s2 are instantaneous voltages across the respective secondaries.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 1988Date of Patent: July 11, 1989Assignee: General Signal CorporationInventor: Lawrence R. Lafler