Patents Assigned to Mac Valves
  • Patent number: 11976734
    Abstract: A valve apparatus that includes a valve assembly including a valve retainer body that houses a movable poppet that defines a valve member that is configured to contact a conically shaped valve seat of the valve retainer body; and a motor assembly including a rotatable shaft that is configured to actuate the valve assembly; wherein the rotatable shaft includes a thread formed at an end thereof, the thread being engaged with a sleeve that through rotation of the thread by the rotatable shaft will translate the sleeve towards and away from the movable poppet to transfer an axial force to the poppet that forces the valve member into engagement and disengagement with the valve seat to open and close the valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Sobka, Jr., Jeffrey Simmonds
  • Publication number: 20240093790
    Abstract: A valve apparatus that includes a valve assembly including valve body that defines an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, and including a poppet located in the valve body that includes a valve member. An actuator assembly is attached to the valve assembly that includes an armature that is coupled to the poppet and is configured to move the poppet and the valve member to control a flow of fluid through the valve assembly from the inlet to either the first outlet or the second outlet. A diaphragm is located between valve assembly and the actuator assembly that is configured to seal the valve assembly from the actuator assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey SIMMONDS, Brett LANDACRE
  • Patent number: 11859729
    Abstract: A valve including a valve assembly and a solenoid assembly. The solenoid assembly is coupled to the valve assembly to actuate the valve assembly. The solenoid assembly includes a movable armature engaged with a poppet of the valve assembly. A plate spring having a spring force is positioned between the valve assembly and the solenoid assembly that is configured to bias the valve member of the poppet into engagement with a valve seat. Based on the spring force of the plate spring and the voltage or current that is applied to the solenoid coil, the solenoid assembly is configured to control a distance that the valve member moves relative to the valve seat to proportionally control an amount of flow that is permitted through the valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric P. Janssen, Jeffrey Simmonds, Brett Landacre
  • Patent number: 11779872
    Abstract: A pulse valve assembly including a main valve and a pilot valve that selectively actuates the main valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Ray Jenkins, Matthew Neff, Jeffrey Simmonds, Kevin C. Williams
  • Publication number: 20230204110
    Abstract: A valve apparatus that includes a valve assembly including a valve retainer body that houses a movable poppet that defines a valve member that is configured to contact a conically shaped valve seat of the valve retainer body; and a motor assembly including a rotatable shaft that is configured to actuate the valve assembly; wherein the rotatable shaft includes a thread formed at an end thereof, the thread being engaged with a sleeve that through rotation of the thread by the rotatable shaft will translate the sleeve towards and away from the movable poppet to transfer an axial force to the poppet that forces the valve member into engagement and disengagement with the valve seat to open and close the valve assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. SOBKA, JR., Jeffrey SIMMONDS
  • Patent number: 11248715
    Abstract: A valve including a valve assembly and a solenoid assembly. The solenoid assembly is coupled to the valve assembly to actuate the valve assembly. The solenoid assembly includes a movable armature engaged with a poppet of the valve assembly. A plate spring having a spring force is positioned between the valve assembly and the solenoid assembly that is configured to bias the valve member of the poppet into engagement with a valve seat. Based on the spring force of the plate spring and the voltage or current that is applied to the solenoid coil, the solenoid assembly is configured to control a distance that the valve member moves relative to the valve seat to proportionally control an amount of flow that is permitted through the valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric P. Janssen, Jeffrey Simmonds, Brett Landacre
  • Patent number: 11067102
    Abstract: A valve assembly having a plurality of fill valves that permit a fluid to flow from a fluid inlet into an interior flow path to increase a pressure of the fluid output from a fluid outlet, and a plurality of dump valves that permit the fluid to flow from the interior flow path to an exhaust to reduce the pressure of the fluid output from the fluid outlet. The valve assembly includes a controller that is configured for receipt of a command signal including a desired pressure of the fluid to be output from the fluid outlet, and is configured for receipt of a signal from a pressure sensor that is indicative of an actual pressure of the fluid output from the fluid outlet, wherein based on a comparison of the command signal with the signal indicative of the actual pressure, the controller is configured to selectively open and close each of the fill valves and each of the dump valves until the actual pressure is equal to the desired pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin C. Williams, Thomas Jones, Thierry Delvaux, Gilles Raets
  • Patent number: 11028837
    Abstract: A solenoid pump that includes a base and a solenoid having a coil and a pole piece. A retainer body, positioned inside the solenoid and the base, includes an armature cavity that receives an armature in a sliding fit for movement between energized and de-energized positions. A diaphragm, mounted in the armature cavity, is connected to the armature. An inlet check valve permits fluid flow in only a first direction moving from an inlet port toward the diaphragm. An outlet check valve permits fluid flow in only a second direction moving from the diaphragm toward an outlet port. A fluid flow path extends through the retainer body from the inlet check valve to the diaphragm and from the diaphragm to the outlet check valve for transporting fluid from the inlet check valve to the outlet check valve as the diaphragm oscillates between first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Landacre, Matthew Neff, Jeffrey Simmonds
  • Patent number: 10935153
    Abstract: A flow control valve including a valve body, stepper motor, and valve member. The valve member includes a poppet that can slide longitudinally within a bore of the valve body when the stepper motor receives electricity. A diaphragm, extending inwardly from the valve body to the valve member, deflects in response to movement of the valve member. A flow control needle, mounted to the poppet of the valve member, is at least partially received in an outlet port of the valve body. The flow control needle cooperates with an inner surface of the outlet port to define an outlet flow orifice that varies in size when the valve member moves between open and closed positions. In the closed position, a seat engagement surface of the valve member contacts a valve seat of the valve body to create a fluid-tight seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin C. Williams, David M. Sobka, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10808860
    Abstract: A control valve having a valve body, seat member, valve member, and solenoid including a housing, bobbin, and coil. The valve member has a head portion disposed within the bobbin and a valve portion, disposed within the valve body, that has a seat engagement member operating to open and close ports in the valve body when the valve member slides between first and second positions. A permanent magnet, disposed within the bobbin, applies an attractive force of variable magnitude to the valve member in a direction opposing a biasing force created by a biasing component. Pulses of electric current applied to the coil change the variable magnitude. The permanent magnet pulls the valve member to the second position when the attractive force is greater than the biasing force and the valve member returns to the first position when the attractive force is less than the biasing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jamison, Eric P. Janssen, Kevin C. Williams
  • Patent number: 10774943
    Abstract: A solenoid operated modular valve including a valve body, a valve member slidingly received in the valve body, and a solenoid that moves the valve member relative to the valve body along a longitudinal axis between an open position and a closed position. The valve body has an end face, a side face, and an inner bore. An outlet port in the end face is disposed in fluid communication with the inner bore. An inlet port in the side face is disposed in fluid communication with the inner bore. The valve body includes an O-ring valve seat that is positioned longitudinally between the inner bore and the outlet port. The valve member includes a tapered end that has a frustoconical shape and a valve member abutment surface. The valve member abutment surface contacts the O-ring valve seat when the valve member is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Anthony Landacre, Matthew Neff, Jeffrey Simmonds
  • Patent number: 10753498
    Abstract: A valve including a housing, a valve seat provided in the housing, and an armature assembly positioned in the housing proximate the valve seat. The armature assembly is movable towards and away from the valve seat, and includes a first armature, and a second armature that is movable relative to the first armature. The valve also includes a coil that is configured to actuate the armature assembly away from the valve seat to open the valve, wherein upon application of a first current to the coil, the first armature and the second armature are each actuated away from the valve seat to a first open state, and upon application of a second current that is greater than the first current to the coil, the second armature is actuated away from the first armature to a second open state that is greater than the first open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Anthony Landacre, Jeffrey Simmonds
  • Patent number: 10731677
    Abstract: A pneumatic control valve manifold assembly including a modular manifold segment with first and second valve receiving bores, inlet and exhaust cavities, and fluid passageways. The modular manifold segment has a mating face and a back-side face. The fluid passageways are arranged in fluid communication with the first and second valve receiving bores, are open to the modular manifold segment mating face, and have multiple configurations. The modular manifold segment mating face includes an abutment surface surrounding the fluid passageways that has a plurality of shapes depending upon the configuration of the fluid passageways. The modular manifold segment back-side face includes a plurality of sealing ribs arranged in a pattern that universally mates with each of the different shapes of the abutment surface such that multiple modular manifold segments with different fluid passageways can be stacked next to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jamison, Matthew Neff, Jeffrey Simmonds
  • Patent number: 10711915
    Abstract: A pulse valve assembly including a main valve and two pilot valves. The main valve includes a main valve body, main valve bore, and main valve spool. The main valve body includes an inlet port, an outlet port, and a pressure chamber at one end of the main valve bore. A first pilot valve selectively supplies pressurized fluid to the second pilot valve depending on the position of a poppet, which is controlled by a solenoid. A second pilot valve includes a spool that is driven by pressurized fluid from the first pilot valve. The second pilot valve selectively supplies pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber in the main valve causing the main valve spool to move towards the open or closed position. When the main valve spool is in the open position, pressurized fluid can flow through the main valve from the inlet port to the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Neff, Matthew Neff, Jeff Simmonds, Eric Janssen, Joseph Richardson
  • Patent number: 10578226
    Abstract: A multi-port valve having a longitudinal axis and a solenoid coil wound about a bobbin. Coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis is an armature, at least partially disposed within the bobbin. The armature is coupled to a valve member that forms a sealing relationship with at least one valve orifice. A two-piece can having a first can component and a second component that cooperate to define an interior region. The solenoid coil, bobbin, pole piece, and at least part of the armature are disposed in the interior region of the two-piece can. The second can component is adjustably threaded to the first can component such that a longitudinal dimension of the interior region of the two-piece can may be adjusted to vary the size of a gap between the pole piece and the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: MAC VALVES, INC.
    Inventor: Michael Jamison
  • Patent number: 10473229
    Abstract: A diaphragm valve includes a solenoid body having a coil and a pole piece. An armature is configured to slide in the solenoid body along a longitudinal axis between energized and de-energized positions. A valve body cartridge is connected to the solenoid body. A valve member, connected to the armature, is configured to slide within the valve body cartridge when the armature moves. A biasing member acts to normally bias the armature toward the de-energized position. A diaphragm, extending inwardly from the valve body cartridge towards the valve body, is received between the armature and the valve member. A diaphragm support sleeve includes a support sleeve wall defining a sleeve cavity that receives the armature and a support sleeve flange that extends inwardly from the support sleeve wall to abut and support at least part of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventor: Brett Anthony Landacre
  • Publication number: 20190195246
    Abstract: A pneumatic control valve manifold assembly including a modular manifold segment with first and second valve receiving bores, inlet and exhaust cavities, and fluid passageways. The modular manifold segment has a mating face and a back-side face. The fluid passageways are arranged in fluid communication with the first and second valve receiving bores, are open to the modular manifold segment mating face, and have multiple configurations. The modular manifold segment mating face includes an abutment surface surrounding the fluid passageways that has a plurality of shapes depending upon the configuration of the fluid passageways. The modular manifold segment back-side face includes a plurality of sealing ribs arranged in a pattern that universally mates with each of the different shapes of the abutment surface such that multiple modular manifold segments with different fluid passageways can be stacked next to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jamison, Matthew NEFF, Jeffrey SIMMONDS
  • Patent number: 9903395
    Abstract: A proportional pressure controller includes a body having inlet, outlet, and exhaust ports. A fill valve communicates with pressurized fluid in the inlet port. A dump valve communicates with pressurized fluid from the fill valve. An inlet poppet valve opens by pressurized fluid through the fill valve. An exhaust poppet valve when closed isolates pressurized fluid from the exhaust port. An outlet flow passage communicates with pressurized fluid when the inlet poppet valve is open, and communicates with the outlet port and an exhaust/outlet common passage. An isolation valve assembly selectively isolates fluid flow to and from the inlet port or the exhaust port to achieve a zero pressure condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Neff, Matthew Neff, Kevin C. Williams, Joseph Richardson
  • Publication number: 20170241450
    Abstract: A proportional pressure controller includes a body having inlet, outlet, and exhaust ports. A fill valve communicates with pressurized fluid in the inlet port. A dump valve communicates with pressurized fluid from the fill valve. An inlet poppet valve opens by pressurized fluid through the fill valve. An exhaust poppet valve when closed isolates pressurized fluid from the exhaust port. An outlet flow passage communicates with pressurized fluid when the inlet poppet valve is open, and communicates with the outlet port and an exhaust/outlet common passage. An isolation valve assembly selectively isolates fluid flow to and from the inlet port or the exhaust port to achieve a zero pressure condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Neff, Matthew Neff, Kevin C. Williams, Joseph Richardson
  • Patent number: 9395010
    Abstract: A solenoid operated modular valve includes a solenoid body having a coil and a pole piece positioned in the solenoid body. A valve body cartridge is connected to the solenoid body. A polymeric snap-in seat assembly includes first and second deflectable claw arms each having a barb engaging the valve body cartridge retaining the snap-in seat assembly in direct contact with the valve body cartridge. A seat engagement face when contacted by a valve seal member defines a valve closed position, and is displaced away from the seat engagement face in a valve open position when the coil is energized. A valve body cartridge body end portion includes a barb engagement face having pitched contact edges each having a continuous pitch directly contacted by the barb of the first and second deflectable claw arms to rotatably and frictionally lock the snap-in seat assembly to the valve body cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jamison, Jeffrey Simmonds, Kevin C. Williams