With Pressurized Fluid Or Fluid Manipulation Patents (Class 134/22.12)
  • Patent number: 11953513
    Abstract: An automated analyzer is provided that includes a sample probe for dispensing a substance to be dispensed into a plurality of reaction vessels for causing a sample to be analyzed to react with a reagent, a measurement unit (e.g., light source, spectrophotometer, and control device) for measuring a reaction liquid produced from the sample and reagent in a reaction vessel, a cleaning tank for probe cleaning, and a control device for controlling the operation of the probe, measurement unit, and cleaning tank. The cleaning tank includes a cleaning pool for storing cleaning water for immersing and cleaning the probe and a drying tank for sucking up the cleaning water on the surface of the probe after the probe has been immersed in the cleaning water of the cleaning water pool and cleaned. As a result, it is possible to reduce the amount of cleaning water used to clean the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Yudai Fukushi, Takamichi Mori
  • Patent number: 11931612
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for launch and recovery of a remote inspection device within a fluid storage tank. In one embodiment, the tank is accessed by opening an entrance hatch and then injecting a vapor suppression foam across a surface of a stored liquid mass to form a foam layer. A launching system having a remote inspection device is attached to the entrance hatch to define a launch and recovery space sealed from an external environment and isolated from the stored liquid mass in the tank via a valve and the foam layer. The launch and recovery space is purged of hazardous vapors by injection of an inert gas prior to launch and recovery of the remote inspection device. Prior to removal of the launching system, the surface of the stored liquid mass is re-coated with vapor suppression foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: PHILLIPS 66 COMPANY
    Inventors: Troy L. Staires, Benjamin C. Moore, Jerome Vaganay, Eric Levitt, William O'Halloran
  • Patent number: 11925824
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for launch and recovery of a remote inspection device within a liquid storage tank are described herein. In one embodiment, the tank is accessed by opening an entrance hatch and then injecting a vapor suppression foam across a surface of a stored liquid mass to form a foam layer. A launching system having a remote inspection device is attached to the entrance hatch to define a launch and recovery space sealed from an external environment and isolated from the stored liquid mass in the tank via a valve and the foam layer. The launch and recovery space is purged of hazardous vapors by injection of an inert gas prior to launch and recovery of the remote inspection device. Prior to removal of the launching system, the surface of the stored liquid mass is re-coated with vapor suppression foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: PHILLIPS 66 COMPANY
    Inventors: Troy L. Staires, Benjamin C. Moore, Jerome Vaganay, Eric Levitt, William O'Halloran
  • Patent number: 11904368
    Abstract: Cleaning arms for cleaning containers are disclosed that can be used for transportation of food, medical, and/or pharmaceutical products. In some embodiments, a container cleaning arm comprises a main body and rotatable head for cleaning a container interior surface. The main body comprises a proximate end configured for engaging with a motorized drive and a distal end rotatably coupled to the rotatable head. The rotatable head comprises a first washing nozzle or group of washing nozzles and a first air knife dryer positioned adjacent to the first group of washing nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: LVP Engineering & Constructions BV
    Inventors: Erik Van Pottelbergh, Wouter Van Troos
  • Patent number: 11890654
    Abstract: A system and method for cleaning coils in a fired heater is provided. The cleaning system includes a data acquisition tool configured to pass through the coils to acquire data. The cleaning system is configured to establish a pre-cleaning fouling baseline derived from the data for the coils. The cleaning system is configured to develop an optimized cleaning plan for the coils based on the pre-cleaning fouling baseline. The optimized cleaning plan includes a focused cleaning for a fouling area in the coils. The cleaning system further includes at least one cleaning pig configured to clean the coils based on the optimized cleaning plan. The cleaning system further includes a decoking truck for cleaning the coils with the cleaning pig based on the optimized cleaning plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Quest Integrity Group, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Victor De Lorenzo, Philipp Mayer, Arie Jacobus Van Toor, Benjamin David Van Veen, Timothy Haugen
  • Patent number: 11878392
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the hydro-erosive processing of components, in which hydro-erosive grinding a liquid containing grinding particles flows over surfaces of the component (1), in a device having a channel (3), through which the liquid containing grinding particles flows under pressure and in which the component (1) to be ground is held and in which a valve (5) is positioned upstream of the component (1) in the flow direction, by means of which valve the flow of the liquid can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventor: Mathias Weickert
  • Patent number: 11859533
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustor including a plurality of late lean fuel injectors supplied with secondary fuel; gas turbine, and wash system configured to be attached and in fluid communication with the late lean fuel injectors. The wash system includes a water source including water; first fluid source including a first fluid providing vanadium ash and vanadium deposit mitigation and removal from internal gas turbine components; a mixing chamber in communication with the water source and first fluid source; a water pump to pump the water to the mixing chamber; a first fluid pump the first fluid to the mixing chamber; a fluid line in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and late lean fuel injectors so fluid from the mixing chamber is injected into the combustor at the late lean fuel injectors while the gas turbine engine is on-line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alston Ilford Scipio, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 11850320
    Abstract: A sterilization system includes a vial, a carrier of microorganisms disposed in the vial, and a fluid management system having an output connectable to the vial for delivering a liquid chemical sterilant and a neutralizer thereto. Additionally, a growth medium may be delivered to the vial such that the vial and growth medium may assessed for a change to a visual characteristic indicative of sterilization inefficacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventors: Yan Fang, Prabhakaran Jayabalan, Benjamin M. Fryer
  • Patent number: 11813374
    Abstract: A sterilization system includes a vial, a carrier of microorganisms disposed in the vial, and a fluid management system having an output connectable to the vial for delivering a liquid chemical sterilant and a neutralizer thereto. Additionally, a growth medium may be delivered to the vial such that the vial and growth medium may assessed for a change to a visual characteristic indicative of sterilization inefficacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Inventors: Yan Fang, Prabhakaran Jayabalan, Benjamin M. Fryer
  • Patent number: 11786944
    Abstract: A method of removing trapped hydrocarbons from pipework, the pipework comprising a through pipe (1) extending from an inlet to an outlet, and at least one up-pipe (2a, 2b) extending upwardly from the through pipe. The method comprises: flushing the through pipe with a water-based liquid (6) which has a density less than hydrocarbons; wherein the water-based liquid comprises a plurality of rigid containers, such as microspheres, the rigid containers each having a sealed void containing a gas. in this way, hydrocarbons in the up-pipes may be removed without hot-tapping them. The flushing may be performed by directing pipeline pigs (5a, 5b) in front of and behind the water-based liquid. The pigs may be a cross-linked gel, based pipeline pig with elastomeric properties. A kit of parts for such a method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Italmatch Chemicals GB Limited
    Inventor: Patrick Joseph Collins
  • Patent number: 11779695
    Abstract: An instrument configured for performing a surgery includes a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a tube connecting the distal end portion and the proximal end portion. A fluid fitting includes an inlet configured for receiving flow of an irrigating fluid into the instrument and at least two exits configured for guiding the flow of the irrigating fluid out of the instrument. A first exit is configured to allow the irrigating fluid to flow towards the distal end portion of the instrument and a second exit is configured to allow the irrigating fluid to flow towards the proximal end portion of the tube. A size of the first exit is larger than a size of the second exit to enable greater flow towards the distal end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Karl Storz SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Yann Thouément, Régis Besse, Daniel Kärcher
  • Patent number: 11781823
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to water jet equipment. Specifically, water jet equipment that includes a support frame comprised of a plurality of stackable trollies that support a plurality of lances as those lances are inserted into and withdrawn from heat exchanger tubes during a cleaning operation of the same. A method of cleaning elongated tubes by positioning and rotating the lances while moving in a first direction is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TERYDON, INC.
    Inventors: Terry D. Gromes, Sr., Kristen E. Griffin
  • Patent number: 11776822
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate a cleaning fixture and method to prevent chemical solutions from contacting the various substrate supporting member features and penetrating into the holes and the metal plate of the substrate supporting surface. The cleaning fixture includes a mounting plate having a plurality of thru-holes arranged on a bolt circle and configured to align with a plurality of thread holes disposed in an electrostatic chuck, a recess formed in the mounting plate, and a gas port formed through the mounting plate. A sealed plenum is formed between the recess of the mounting plate and a lower surface of the electrostatic chuck when the electrostatic chuck is coupled to the mounting plate. The gas port is fluidly coupled to the sealed plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuochuan Huang, Gang Peng, David W. Groechel, Vijay D. Parkhe, Shinnosuke Kawaguchi, David Benjaminson
  • Patent number: 11697775
    Abstract: Systems and methods for efficient on-line pigging of a coker furnace without interruption of the delayed coking process, which will save time and money during the delayed coking process. This system can be retrofitted to existing coker furnaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: BECHTEL ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES & SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Rimon Vallavanatt
  • Patent number: 11684958
    Abstract: A system and method for cleaning, rinsing, and sanitizing a container is disclosed. The system has a sanitizing agent chamber for storing a sanitizing agent, the one or more solution chambers in fluid communication with the container, a pump in fluid commination with the sanitizing agent, wherein the pump is in communication with a gas, and at least one spray nozzle fluidly connected to the at least one solution chamber via a conduit positioned within the container, wherein the spray nozzle comprises a housing inside which the sanitizing agent is mixed at pressure with the gas to disperse the sanitizing agent and gas mixture into the container for sanitizing the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Ronald Hinck
  • Patent number: 11674695
    Abstract: A controller performs a first operation in which a heat source device directly or indirectly heats water in a first channel of a heat exchanger and a second operation in which the heat source device directly or indirectly cools the water in the first channel of the heat exchanger after the first operation ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideho Sakaguchi, Atsushi Okamoto, Masanori Ukibune, Yasuhiro Kouno, Yurika Gotou, Qi Fang, Tim Coessens
  • Patent number: 11662159
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a device for assembling and processing a plate heat exchanger of a power battery, including a cleaning box, and a base platform. The base platform is welded to a bottom of the cleaning box. A water outlet pipe is welded symmetrically through an inside of the base platform obliquely. A power box is provided at a middle of the inside of the base platform. A motor is screwedly provided inside the power box. A top end of a rotating shaft of the motor is penetratingly welded to a bottom end of a rotating plate, and a welding position between the rotating shaft and the rotating plate is sealed. An edge of an upper surface of the rotating plate is welded to a bottom end of a connecting column, and a top end of the connecting column is penetratingly welded to an upper plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Zhejiang University
    Inventors: Shusheng Xiong, Qiujie Song, Wei Li, Jun Ye, Peng Li, You Weng
  • Patent number: 11638518
    Abstract: A method for reconditioning an endoscope in a reconditioning apparatus, the method including: connecting an interior of the endoscope to a leakage tester of the reconditioning apparatus; supplying the interior with a fluid at a predefined pressure; carrying out a reconditioning process using a rinsing liquid; monitoring the pressure in the interior of the endoscope during the reconditioning process; and identifying the endoscope as defective if a profile of the pressure deviates from a predefined pressure profile; wherein the predefined pressure profile is determined according to process parameters of the reconditioning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: OLYMPUS WINTER & IBE GMBH
    Inventor: Jan Batista Andrade
  • Patent number: 11603220
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method of treating the pipes of the drinking water network of an aircraft for cleaning purposes, said network comprising at least one storage tank and a plurality of pipes providing a plurality of water inlet and outlet points, notable in that it involves the following operations: —injecting water at a high temperature of between fifty and one hundred degrees Celsius into the network, for treatment purposes, —draining, —injecting cold water at a temperature no higher than thirty degrees Celsius combined with chemical treatment products comprising a chlorinated product or hydrogen peroxide, —draining, —injecting water at a high temperature of between fifty and one hundred degrees Celsius for rinsing purposes, eliminating the chemical treatment products comprising a chlorinated product or hydrogen peroxide, —draining. Applications: cleaning the drinking water network of an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: PRODOSE SARL
    Inventor: Morou Boukari
  • Patent number: 11598154
    Abstract: A wellbore tool is conditioned between downhole deployments with a substantially continuous application of a conditioning fluid within the tool. Selectively removable caps connect to ends of the tool after its removal from the wellbore. If the tool is part of a downhole string, the caps are added after the tool is decoupled from the remainder of the string. The conditioning fluid is introduced into the tool through a fitting on one of the end caps; and while a fitting on the other end cap is opened to vent fluids resident within the tool. The caps are in sealing contact with a housing of the tool to retain the conditioning fluid inside the tool. A fluid supply system at the well site provides the conditioning fluid. Example conditioning fluids include a fracturing fluid, a completion fluid, a diluent, a solubilizing agent, an anti-scaling agent, a pH buffer, a liquid freezing point depressant, corrosion and oxidation inhibitors, oxygen scavengers, biocides, surfactants, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Sven Hoegger, Helmuth Sarmiento Klapper, Peter Schorling, Erik Bartscherer
  • Patent number: 11541362
    Abstract: An agitator rotor includes a shaft, rails, and a rod. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis. The rails extend radially from and are coupled to the shaft. The rails are separated from each other along a length of the shaft. Each rail includes a surface defining a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The rod includes a first end coupled to a first one of the rails. The rod includes a second end coupled to a second one of the rails. A projection of the first end and the second end of the rod in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft defines a minor arc about a portion of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Ecogensus LLC
    Inventors: Bjornulf Ostvik, Michael Costen
  • Patent number: 11497580
    Abstract: A force transducer is coupled to a distal portion of a shaft of a surgical instrument. The force transducer includes proximal and distal portions, radial ribs, and a plurality of strain gauges. The radial ribs form a plurality of through passages. The surgical instrument further includes a flush manifold that receives a liquid from a proximal portion of the shaft, and that directs the liquid along a first subset of through passages of the plurality of through passages toward the distal portion of the force transducer. A plenum at the distal portion of the force transducer collects the liquid from the first subset of through passages and redirects the liquid back toward the proximal portion of the shaft along a second subset of through passages of the plurality of through passages different from the first subset of through passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen J. Blumenkranz
  • Patent number: 11452439
    Abstract: A device may be configured for white balancing a medical videoscopic camera system prior to videoscopic medical procedures, as well as optionally simultaneously or non-simultaneously applying a fog-prohibiting agent to the distal lens of a medical videoscope such as an endoscope or laparoscope. The device combines a white balancing mechanism, protective mechanism, and defogging mechanism in one simple easy to use device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Adam Muratori, Bill Kane, David Fink, Joe Gordon, Mark Guarraia, Paul Bertram, Paul Puniello, Justin Morse
  • Patent number: 11396703
    Abstract: Processing chambers and methods to disrupt the boundary layer are described. The processing chamber includes a showerhead and a substrate support therein. The showerhead and the substrate support are spaced to have a process gap between them. In use, a boundary layer is formed adjacent to the substrate support or wafer surface. As the reaction occurs at the wafer surface, reaction products and byproduct are produced, resulting in reduced chemical utilization rate. The processing chamber and methods described disrupt the boundary layer by changing one or more process parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate, time, process gap or temperature of fluid passing through the showerhead).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Griffin, Sanjeev Baluja, Joseph AuBuchon, Mario D. Silvetti, Hari Ponnekanti
  • Patent number: 11297737
    Abstract: A method of cooling electronic equipment is disclosed and includes substantially continuously circulating ambient air across a plurality of rack-mounted electronic devices, monitoring the temperature of air in or around a group of devices in the plurality of rack-mounted electronic devices, and providing substantially cooler-than-ambient air to the group of devices when the monitored air temperatures rises above a set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Jimmy Clidaras, Winnie Leung
  • Patent number: 11266162
    Abstract: A method and a system for cleaning a machine for making liquid and/or semi-liquid food products for the ice cream, pastry or catering trade, wherein the machine is fed with a capsule containing a preparation for cleaning the machine, after which a cycle for cleaning the machine is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ALI S.P.A.—CARPIGIANI GROUP
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 11246480
    Abstract: Provided are methods of immunizing a viewport of a medical device against fogging before or during a medical procedure, and related apparatuses and devices. The methods comprise applying plasma to the viewport prior to use, thereby rendering a surface of the viewport highly hydrophilic. The methods eliminate or at least significantly reduce blur due to fogging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: PLASMATICA LTD.
    Inventors: Adam Sagiv, Michael Maller, Amnon Lam
  • Patent number: 11085435
    Abstract: An embodiment system and method for dispensing multiple dairy products includes a dispenser which houses two or more dairy product bases with different formulations, which may be combined with or without water to create a multitude of homogenous dairy beverages. The two or more dairy product bases may be mixed together first and then separately mixed with water, mixed together simultaneously with water, or mixed together without adding water. They may be mixed together with or without additional flavoring, ingredients, mineral or nutritional additives. The dispenser comprises a pump with a quick-release mechanism to allow for quick and clean maintenance of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: fairlife, LLC
    Inventors: Gerald Dobbins, Timothy Peter Doelman, John Hengesbach, Brett Malsom
  • Patent number: 11083667
    Abstract: An automatic pipe clean system for massage bath equipment includes a bathtub, a water-filling pipe, a water-draining pipe, a suction pipe, a pump pipe, a pump connected between the suction pipe and the pump pipe, an automatic water-filling pipe, a water-filling valve and a controller. The controller is configured to: in a cleaning stage: turn on the pump to allow the water to pass and clean the suction pipe and the pump pipe; and in a drying stage: turn on the pump to allow the water to drain out from the suction pipe and the pump pipe; and turn off the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: DARTPOINT TECH. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsien-Peng Hung, Chi-Lin Kang, Chao-Yuan Huang
  • Patent number: 11000855
    Abstract: An unclogging system for the plumbing of a sink/garbage disposal assembly including a water supply line, a sink drain waste line, a garbage disposal waste line, and an end-outlet tee having a first inlet, a second inlet connected to the sink drain waste line, and an interior baffle disposed adjacent to the first inlet. The system includes a coupling adaptor having a waste-in end attached to the garbage disposal waste line, a waste-out end attached to the first inlet, a hollow interior for the passage of fluid/waste therethrough, and an inlet port. A water jet tube extending through the inlet port into the interior directs water toward the waste-out end and at the baffle. A solenoid valve allowing a flow of water from the water supply line to the water jet tube is coupled to a power outlet, which simultaneously powers the solenoid valve and the garbage disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Inventor: Richard A. Moon
  • Patent number: 10775076
    Abstract: A water heater flushing system includes a housing having an inlet configured to be coupled to a drain port of the water heater and receive water therefrom, and an outlet configured to discharge water from the housing. A series of filter elements are positioned and spaced apart within the housing transverse to a water flow path defined between the inlet and the outlet, the series of filter elements are configured to separate solid impurities from the water according to different particle sizes (e.g. progressively different or finer particle sizes) in the water flow path between the inlet and the outlet. A viewing feature, such as a transparent lid, is carried by the housing and configured to provide visual access to an interior of the housing for inspection of separated solid impurities at each of the filter elements. A sediment buster may be coupled to the inlet of the housing and configured to send a fluid into the drain port of the water heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Nerd Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John Verhoff
  • Patent number: 10760473
    Abstract: A method for charging coolant in a cooling system for a vehicle may include determining a vehicle-diagnostic apparatus connection that determines whether a diagnostic apparatus configured for charging coolant has been connected to a vehicle; starting a coolant charging mode for charging the coolant by the diagnostic apparatus; and determining whether a coolant charging mode release condition has been satisfied after starting the coolant charging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Tae-Man Chung, Hyo-Jo Lee, Yong-Gyu Lee, Woo-Yeol Jung
  • Patent number: 10653807
    Abstract: System, method and process for disinfection of internal surfaces in aseptic tanks and pipelines by flooding with sanitizing fog in facilities designed to store liquids in general, such system comprising an external equipment with means to generate sanitizing fog, controlling means of gases flow rate, in-line detectors and draining means of gases inside the tank, input means of fog carrying means comprising inert gases. Disinfection process comprises introduction of a sanitizing fog with droplets with a maximum size of 10 ?m, preferably with maximum size of 5 ?m, simultaneously with removal of gases enclosed inside such tanks and pipelines, maintaining a positive pressure inside such tanks and pipelines, such method providing reduction of oxygen concentration inside the tanks in two steps, the first one comprising reduction to near 10% and the second a reduction to a value below 1%, filling the tank with a sanitizing fog during the second step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: AURRA SERVIÇOS ESPECIALIZADOS LTDA
    Inventor: Caio Vinicius Agmont E Silva
  • Patent number: 10631707
    Abstract: A method for washing laboratory consumables comprises receiving, in a drawer compartment of a washing device, a rack holding a plurality of laboratory consumables, the drawer compartment selectively movable out and in between, respectively, an open and a closed position, the receiving occurring when the drawer compartment is in its open position; moving the drawer compartment to its closed position; moving a manifold dispenser downward from a loading/unloading position to a washing position; the manifold dispenser in a top compartment of the washing device that is positioned above the drawer compartment when the drawer compartment is in its closed position, the manifold dispenser selectively movable up and down between, respectively its loading/unloading position and its washing position; and directing one or more fluid solutions to contact the plurality of laboratory consumables out of a plurality of liquid outputs of the manifold dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: GRENOVA, INC.
    Inventors: Ali Safavi, Taylor Anderson
  • Patent number: 10576175
    Abstract: A method for washing laboratory consumables comprises directing one or more liquid solutions to contact a plurality of laboratory consumables held by a rack, draining the one or more liquid solutions via a waste drain disposed proximate to a washing chamber configured to receive the one or more directed liquid solutions following the contact by the one or more liquid solutions with the plurality of laboratory consumables, and exposing the plurality of laboratory consumables to light in an ultraviolet (UV) range. The directing comprises introducing the one or more liquid solutions into a fluid input and out of a plurality of fluid outputs of a manifold dispenser. The number of fluid outputs is equal to the number of laboratory consumables such that each one of the fluid outputs directs the one or more liquid solutions at a corresponding one of the laboratory consumables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: GRENOVA, INC.
    Inventor: Ali Safavi
  • Patent number: 10480780
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for commissioning steam turbine generator power plants to advance the cleanliness of the complete steam cycle by the conditioned discharge of steam to the plant surface condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Boyle Energy Services and Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Bloch
  • Patent number: 10465480
    Abstract: Cleanout tools and related methods of operation. At least some of the example embodiments are cleanout tools including a tool body that defines an internal annular channel, a joiner coupled to the tool body, a sleeve telescoped within the joiner and tool body, and a ball disposed within the annular channel. The ball held within the annular channel by the sleeve, and the ball configured to move along the annular channel under force of fluid pumped into the cleanout tool. The ball creates a pulsing of fluid streams exiting the tool body. Moreover, in some example systems the fluid streams created by the tool body intersect the inside diameter of a casing at non-perpendicular angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Inventor: Michael W. Dennis
  • Patent number: 10392746
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preventing or decreasing scale formation on process surfaces in manufacturing process of paper, board or the like, in which method performic acid is used as an antiscaling agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Kemira Oyj
    Inventors: Clayton Campbell, James Atkinson, Arkadiusz Zaniewski, Marko Kolari, Jaakko Ekman
  • Patent number: 10377650
    Abstract: A membrane separation type activated sludge treatment method according to an aspect of the present invention includes a step of performing biological treatment on waste water and a step of performing membrane separation on water having been treated in the biological treatment step. The membrane separation step employs a plurality of filtration modules including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes arranged adjacent to one another and oriented in one direction and a pair of holding members fixing both ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a plurality of cleaning modules supplying air bubbles from beneath the filtration modules. An amount of treated water sucked by the filtration modules and an amount of air bubbles supplied by the cleaning modules are varied in response to variations in an inflow rate of the waste water in the biological treatment step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromu Tanaka, Hiroko Miki, Tomoyuki Yoneda, Toru Morita
  • Patent number: 10307713
    Abstract: The invention provides cleaning agents, cleaning liquids and cleaning methods that effectively remove contaminants which are impossible to remove sufficiently with conventional cleaning liquids at the occurrence of a decrease in performances such as permeation flux and salt rejection rate due to contamination of permeable membranes, in particular aromatic polyamide RO membranes used in water treatment. Permeable membranes are cleaned with a cleaning liquid which is an aqueous solution including a chloramine compound and an alkali agent and having a pH of 10 or above. The chloramine compound is preferably one obtained by mixing a compound having a primary amino group with hypochlorous acid and/or a hypochlorite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Aoki, Takahiro Kawakatsu, Kunihiro Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10288206
    Abstract: The present invention provides leakage plugging devices and methods for sealing a leakage at a remote site in a pipe, the device including a porous carrier plug of a deformable material including pores and at least one sealant composition disposed in the pores, wherein the porous carrier plug is adapted to transport the at least one sealant composition from a first site to a remote site and to plug the leakage at the remote site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Curapipe System Ltd.
    Inventors: Samuel Perstnev, Boris Natapov, Alexander Perstnev, Reonald Ukhanov
  • Patent number: 10272479
    Abstract: System and method for cleaning a product line of a fluid dispensing system. The cleaning system includes a first container that contains liquid and a second container that contains gas such that the cleaning system is attached to the product line of a liquid dispensing system so that cleaning fluid can be pumped through the line that has gas pockets therein. The gas pockets work to create sheer within the product line in order to clean biomass and other contaminates from within the product line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph S. Pickett
  • Patent number: 10260997
    Abstract: A microorganism concentrator includes a water storage part that stores water sample therein and a filter that partitions the water storage part into a supply side and a drain side for the water sample. The microorganism concentrator concentrates microorganisms that are too large to pass through the filter on the supply side by moving the water sample on the supply side to the drain side of the water storage part. In the microorganism concentrator, the filter is arranged in such a way that no vertically downward force is applied to a surface of the filter on the supply side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: SATAKE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukuyo, Yukio Hosaka, Akira Eto, Akiko Nakata
  • Patent number: 9993280
    Abstract: A system and method of using a source of low-pressure refrigerant for a cryotherapy procedure. The system may generally include a fluid reservoir and a fluid flow path in thermal exchange with the fluid reservoir, the fluid flow path including a thermal exchange device in thermal exchange with the fluid reservoir, a compressor in fluid communication with the thermal exchange device, a condenser, a reversing valve located between the compressor and the condenser, and an expansion valve located between the condenser and the thermal exchange device. The method may include transferring a low-pressure refrigerant to a first fluid reservoir, reducing the temperature of the refrigerant within the first fluid reservoir, increasing the temperature of the refrigerant within the first fluid reservoir, and transferring the pressurized refrigerant from the first fluid reservoir to a second fluid reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronic CryoCath LP
    Inventors: Rachid Mahrouche, Eric Monger
  • Patent number: 9968972
    Abstract: A cleaning system includes a surgical tool assembly having a longitudinal shaft and a sleeve surrounding the longitudinal shaft. The system includes an injector head and body that receive the assembly. The head has an inlet coupling that fluidly couples to a pressurized fluid source. The body couples to the head to house the assembly between the head and the body. The body has an outlet coupling to fluidly couple to a vacuum source. When the assembly is housed between the head and the body, at least one fluid pathway is formed between the inlet coupling, the head, the shaft and the sleeve, the body, and the outlet coupling. A positive pressure fluid source is coupled to the inlet coupling and a vacuum source is connected to the outlet coupling to establish a pressure differential across the fluid pathway sufficient to draw the fluid therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Enteroptyx, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony D. Prescott, Richard W. Mendius
  • Patent number: 9816335
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas extraction system includes receiving a drilling fluid sample at a flow meter via a flow meter inlet conduit and discharging the drilling fluid sample into a flow meter outlet conduit. A first inline mud valve positioned in the flow meter inlet conduit and a second inline mud valve positioned in the flow meter outlet conduit are each closed to transition the gas extraction system to a bypass flushing configuration. A bypass flow meter valve positioned in a flow meter bypass conduit is opened to divert the drilling fluid sample around the flow meter. The flow meter is then flushed with flushing fluid by opening first and second flow meter flushing valves and starting a pump to circulate the flushing fluid through the flow meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Prashant Shekhar, Gillies Alexander MacDonald, Robert James Costo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9730577
    Abstract: An endoscope cleaning/disinfecting apparatus includes an endoscope connection section, a liquid supply conduit, a gas feeding conduit, a first gas feeding section, a first exhaust section, and a control section that performs a step of filling the gas feeding conduit with a cleaning liquid, a step of opening the first exhaust section, a step of allowing a gas to flow from the first gas feeding section to the endoscope connection section and feeding a two-phase gas-liquid fluid with which the gas feeding conduit is filled into the conduit of the endoscope and a step of closing the first exhaust section a predetermined time after allowing the gas to flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Komiya, Hideto Onishi
  • Patent number: 9616144
    Abstract: Food handling facilities such as meat packing, plants, dairies, kitchens and the like are disinfected using a disinfecting atmosphere which includes ozone and hydrogen peroxide, at a relative humidity of at least 60%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Medizone International Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Edward Shannon, Dick Eric Zoutman
  • Patent number: 9573038
    Abstract: A variable speed swim spa system wherein the user can choose between a combination of speeds with two or more pumps connected through a manifold to one or more swim jets. Check valves are used on all but the first pump to prevent backflow of water effluent and can be placed inside the manifold or between the pumps and the manifold. A user interface attached to electronic controls and operating software allow the user to program his preferred speeds with the one more jets using the two or more pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Waterway Plastics
    Inventors: Jason Hillyard, Michael Holtsnider
  • Patent number: 9498082
    Abstract: A self-cleaning milk foaming device includes a mixing unit, a steam jet unit and a control unit. The mixing unit has a mixing chamber, and a milk inlet passage, a cleaner inlet passage and a foaming gas inlet passage communicated with the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber has a milk outlet nozzle, an upstream section, and a downstream section disposed between the upstream section and the milk outlet nozzle. The milk inlet passage is situated between the cleaner inlet passage and the milk outlet nozzle. The foaming gas inlet passage is disposed upstream of the milk inlet passage. The steam jet unit is for supplying steam into the mixing chamber. The control unit is for controlling the cleaner to flow or to stop flowing into the cleaner inlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Tsann Kuen (Zhangzhou) Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yan-Xiang Zhang