Flexible Patents (Class 285/148.3)
  • Patent number: 10385626
    Abstract: A swivel for transfer of fluid across a rotary interface around a swivel rotation axis between an incoming fluid line and an outgoing product piping includes a fixed annular element and a rotating annular element, each arranged around a common rotation axis and having a substantially equal diameter. One selected element from the fixed annular and rotating annular elements includes an annular disk provided with a toroidal cavity in a first of its circular end surfaces, and the other selected element is arranged with a flat circular end surface adjacent to and in close proximity above the first circular end surface to close the toroidal cavity and form a toroidal chamber with the annular disk. The rotary interface is perpendicular to the rotation axis, and is formed by the flat circular end surface of the other selected element and the adjacent first circular surface of the one selected element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventor: Philippe Albert Christian Menardo
  • Patent number: 9482140
    Abstract: A mounting system for connecting an aftertreatment component to an engine is disclosed. The mounting system may include at least one flange. The mounting system may also include a support structure having a first end connected to the at least one flange, and a second end connected to an outer shell circumferentially wrapped around the aftertreatment component. The mounting system may further include at least one seal disposed between the outer shell and an outer surface of the aftertreatment component. The at least one seal may be configured to isolate vibration of the engine from the aftertreatment component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajay Patel, Stephen M. Bednarz
  • Patent number: 9149745
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is generally directed toward an appliance that includes a water source inlet that receives intake water from a water source and a water outlet proximate a water dispensing location on a door of the appliance in fluid communication with one another via one or more water conduits spaced within the appliance. The appliance also includes a removable water filter and dispenser assembly configured to be removably engaged and disengaged with the water outlet of the appliance by hand without the use of tools. The removable water filter and dispenser assembly includes: (1) a housing that includes at least one water treatment media; and (2) a treated water dispensing outlet configured to deliver water treated by the at least one water treatment media for use or consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Senninger, Corey Gooden, Steven Kuehl
  • Patent number: 8739778
    Abstract: A breathing tube connecting device is provided for connecting a breathing tube to at least two respirators. The breathing tube connecting device includes a base body with a breathing gas through duct embodied in the base body, a jacket body, which can be meshed with the base body in a positive-locking manner and thus encloses at least a part of the base body in a coaxial manner, and a transponder. The transponder is provided between the base body and the jacket body. The breathing gas through duct and the jacket body are embodied at least partly as a coupling section for a selective connection of the breathing tube to one of the at least two respirators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Dräger Medical GmbH
    Inventors: Ludger Tappehorn, Olaf Schermeier, Gerd Wotha, Klaus Abraham
  • Patent number: 8707950
    Abstract: A first source of medical gas has a generally cylindrical male outlet with a cylindrical bore and a threaded outer cylindrical surface. A flexible cylindrical elastomeric medical gas tubing has an input end with a bushing making a flush abutment with the male outlet at the output orifice. An output end attaches to any of a plurality of medical gas utilizing devices, but preferably with a dampening disperser held in position in the space in the vicinity of a patient's nose and mouth. An annular flange of the input end bushing resides within a central cylindrical bored out region extending through the first end and nearly to the second end of a rotatable connector forming an interior surface of a connector with threads coupling with the threads of the male outlet. The second end is an annular abutment against the annular flange holding the input end tubing bushing against the outlet source and providing an airtight coupling. A gripping means is on the exterior surface of the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Inventor: Darren Rubin
  • Publication number: 20110193340
    Abstract: A flexible pipe joint achieves flexibility between pipe sections using a plurality of elastomeric pads arranged to create a spherical acting joint. The angle of the pads (and resulting radius of the sphere) can be selected to optimize the internal loads and relative motions of the mating parts. The use of the flex joints reduces bending moments in the pipe from vessel motions and current loads. Stability of the assembly may be maintained by having sufficient weight on the lower sections of the riser to resist current loads. A soft elastomeric seal minimizes fluid loss and allows relative motions of the pipe at the joint. The connector may be mated by inserting the inner pipe into the outer pipe and then rotating the pipe sections relative to each other until a stop is reached. A separate latch may be set, or automatically set, to prevent reverse rotation and unlatching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Seahorse Equipment Corp.
    Inventor: Peter Alan Lunde
  • Publication number: 20090212557
    Abstract: A flexible joint has an extension mounted to a housing for relative angular displacement. Two or more annular elastomeric flex elements are stacked in a co-axial fashion and joined mechanically to mount the extension to the housing so that the flex elements react in parallel to angular and axial displacements of the extension with respect to the housing so that tensile load upon the extension places each of the flex elements in compression to split and share the tensile load among the flex elements in proportion to their relative axial stiffnesses. Therefore, for a given housing size or footprint, the overall load capacity is increased, and the lifetime of the flexible joint is increased for a given load capacity. The flex elements may have a common center of rotation, and the flex elements may be disposed either on the same side of the center of rotation or on opposite sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: OIL STATES INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Danton Gutierrez-Lemini, Todd M. Pottorff, George W. Peppel, James G. Patrick, Carl C. Spicer, Jesner H. Pereira, Gregory P. Cruse
  • Publication number: 20080303271
    Abstract: A fluid filler tool and method of use are provided that allow a user to easily fill a fluid containing device such as a transmission with fluids. The fluid filler tool includes a quick-connect fitting and a cone tip end. The quick-connect fitting mates with a fluid filling device and the cone tip mates with the transmission. The fluid filler tool is made from steel and is flexible so that it retains the configuration that is desired by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Shevela, Brian Echtinaw
  • Patent number: 6764104
    Abstract: A line connector (1) for pipelines and/or hose lines, in particular fuel lines, comprising a connecting body (2) together with at least one line-connecting element (4). The or each line-connecting element (4) is connected to the connecting body (2) via a transitional section (16) which can be deformed elastically and/or plastically in such a manner that it can be bent or buckled transversely to a push-on axis (12) of the line and relative to the connecting body (2) while keeping the media sealed in. The line-connecting element (4) together with the transitional section (16) and the connecting body (2) is formed by a single-piece molding (18) produced monolithically in a plastic molding procedure in a multicomponent injection-molding process from at least two different materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Voss Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Berg