Patents Examined by Ana M. Fortuna
  • Patent number: 10478778
    Abstract: A composite membrane for selectively separating (e.g., pervaporating) a first fluid (e.g., first liquid such as a high octane compound) from a mixture comprising the first fluid (e.g., first liquid such as a high octane compound) and a second fluid (e.g., second liquid such as gasoline). The composite membrane includes a porous substrate comprising opposite first and second major surfaces, and a plurality of pores. A pore-filling polymer is disposed in at least some of the pores so as to form a layer having a thickness within the porous substrate. The composite membrane further includes at least one of: (a) an ionic liquid mixed with the pore-filling polymer; or (b) an amorphous fluorochemical film disposed on the composite membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jinsheng Zhou, Ryan C. Shirk, David Scott Seitz, Moses M. David
  • Patent number: 10478781
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tangential flow separator element for separating a fluid medium for treatment into a filtrate and a retentate, said separator element having a monolithic rigid porous support (2) of rectilinear structure and having a single channel (3) arranged therein for passing the flow of the fluid medium for treatment, the outside surface (5) of the support presenting a profile that is constant. According to the invention, the monolithic rigid porous support (2) defines obstacles (9) to the flow of the fluid for filtering, which obstacles extend from the inside wall (31) of said channel (3), are identical in material and porous texture to the support, and present continuity of material and of porous texture with the support, said obstacles (9) generating variations in the flow section of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TECHNOLOGIES AVANCEES ET MEMBRANES INDUSTRIELLES
    Inventor: Jérôme Anquetil
  • Patent number: 10465153
    Abstract: The invention discloses a separation matrix with a porous solid support and a plurality of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) polymer chains covalently attached to the solid support. The polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer chains are either vinylpyrrolidone homopolymer chains or copolymer chains which comprise at least 70 mol % vinylpyrrolidone monomer residues and less than 2 mol % negatively charged monomer residues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: GE HEALTHCARE BIOPROCESS R&D AB
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Maloisel, Tobias Soderman, Ola Lind
  • Patent number: 10464024
    Abstract: A water treatment device is provided with a separation membrane device having a separation membrane for concentrating dissolved components and dispersed components from water to be treated and obtaining permeated water; a first deposit detecting unit provided in a non-permeated water branch line branched from a non-permeated water line for discharging non-permeated water in which dissolved components and dispersed components have been concentrated, using part of the non-permeated water that has branched off as a detection liquid, and having a first separation membrane for detection in which the detection liquid is separated into permeated water for detection and non-permeated water for detection; and first flow rate measuring devices for separated liquid for detection that measure the flow rates of one or both of the permeated water for detection and the non-permeated water for detection separated by the first separation membrane for detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideaki Sakurai, Hideo Suzuki, Hiroshi Nakashoji, Shigeru Yoshioka, Susumu Okino, Noriaki Senba, Shigehiro Sugiyama, Masayuki Eda, Hyota Abe, Ryo Kamito, Nobuyuki Ukai
  • Patent number: 10463776
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for regenerating used dialysis fluid are described herein. In an embodiment, a regenerative dialysis fluid system includes a dialysis unit configured to generate used dialysis fluid including urea, a urea separation unit configured to separate at least a portion of the urea from the used dialysis fluid into a secondary fluid, and a urea removal unit configured to remove at least a portion of the urea from the secondary fluid and return the secondary fluid to the urea separation unit. In an embodiment, the urea separation unit includes a membrane separating a dialysis fluid chamber from a urea chamber, the membrane including at least one of: (i) a positive charge to prevent positive ions from transporting across the membrane; and (ii) a negative charge to prevent negative ions from transporting across the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Cristian Adolfo Menzel Bueno, Yuanpang Samuel Ding, Rosa Yeh
  • Patent number: 10457571
    Abstract: Acoustic pressure shock waves are applied to a membrane in a fluid to prevent attachment of or dislodge biological or solid matter for membrane cleaning or desalination with a membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SANUWAVE, INC.
    Inventors: Iulian Cioanta, John Jackson
  • Patent number: 10456753
    Abstract: The present invention provides a porous hollow fiber membrane that has both high strength and high pure water permeability, and that exhibits excellent thermal deformation resistance. The present invention is related to a porous hollow fiber membrane containing a fluororesin-based polymer, and a manufacturing method of the membrane comprises a drawing step and a relaxing step. The porous hollow fiber membrane is characterized in that: the molecular chain of the polymer is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane; and at the same time internal distortion of oriented non-crystalline chains, which is disadvantageous in terms of entropy, is alleviated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Takaaki Yasuda, Masayuki Hanakawa, Kenta Iwai, Toshiyuki Ishizaki, Tamotsu Kitade, Masahiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 10456720
    Abstract: A screen for intake of fluid. The screen includes parallel and spaced rods, filtration material, a fitting, and structural members. The rods may be distributed in a cylindrical configuration. The filtration material, which can be spirally wrapped wire, is disposed around the rods to define an interior volume. The fitting is disposed at an end of the rods and adjacent to the filtration material. Each structural member, which can be elongated bars, is interposed between adjacent rods. The structural members are welded to the adjacent rods, and the adjacent rods and the structural members are welded to the fitting to increase the effective weld area, the tensile strength of the connection, and potentially the overall strength of the screen. The screen may be used for a variety of fluids and installations, and is particularly suited to use in water wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Aqseptence Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Smith, Thomas James Berger
  • Patent number: 10442716
    Abstract: A method and a device for the continuous purification of a domestic or industrial water stream. After passing through a biological reactor to obtain a sludge of between 4 and 12 g/l of Dry Solids, the method involves feeding a series of chambers separated by restrictions at a flow rate q, injecting air into a second chamber at a flow rate Q>q, in order to obtain an emulsion, injecting a flocculant into a third chamber, and recovering the degassed emulsion in a drain pan. Flocculated and aerated sludge floats on top, such that the remaining liquid centrate has a Dry Solids content less than 100 mg/l and has a positive redox potential >50 mV and a value greater than 100 mV relative to the redox potential of the sludge at the inlet of the chambers, and is reinjected upstream from or into the biological reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: OREGE
    Inventors: Patrice Capeau, Pascal Gendrot
  • Patent number: 10441697
    Abstract: A modular assembly for a portable hemodialysis system may include a dialysis unit, e.g., that contains suitable components for performing hemodialysis, such as a dialyzer, one or more pumps to circulate blood through the dialyzer, a source of dialysate, and one or more pumps to circulate the dialysate through the dialyzer, and a power unit having a housing that contains suitable components for providing operating power to the pumps of the dialysis unit. The power unit may be selectively connected to the dialysis unit and provide power (e.g., pneumatic power in the form of pressure and/or vacuum) to the dialysis unit for the pumps when connected to the dialysis unit, but may be incapable of providing power to the dialysis unit when disconnected from the dialysis unit. The dialysis unit and the power unit are sized and weighted to each be carried by hand by a human.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dean Kamen, Jason A. Demers, Michael J. Wilt, Kevin L. Grant, Shannon Prescott, David E. Collins
  • Patent number: 10399041
    Abstract: The antimicrobial agent includes at least one two-dimensional metal carbide layer. The two-dimensional metal carbide has the formula Tin+1CnTx, where T represents a terminal functional group and x represents the number of terminal functional groups. The two-dimensional metal carbide is preferably Ti3C2Tx. The terminating group may be oxygen, hydroxide (OH), fluorine or combinations thereof. The antimicrobial agent may be used as a two-dimensional metal carbide antimicrobial membrane (10) or filter for removal of harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and B. subtilis. A stack of two-dimensional metal carbide layers (14) may be supported on a polymer filter substrate (12), such as a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) supporting substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development
    Inventors: Kashif Rasool, Khaled Ahmed Mahmoud
  • Patent number: 10385299
    Abstract: The metal-supported zeolite for alcoholic beverages of the present invention is a zeolite that carries a metal component, wherein the metal component is silver, and the zeolite is at least one selected from a beta-type one and a Y-type one. The metal-supported zeolite is for removing unwanted components contained in alcoholic beverages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: IDEMITSU KOSAN CO., LTD., THE NIKKA WHISKY DISTILLING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimi Kawashima, Mitsuko Murata, Shun Fukasawa, Kenji Hosoi, Toshikazu Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 10364164
    Abstract: Cross-linked polymeric resins from anilines linked together with polyamine alkyl chains. A process for producing the cross-linked polymeric resins by Mannich-type polycondensation of anilines and diaminoalkanes linked together by an aldehyde and subsequent basification. In addition, a method for removing heavy metals, such as Pb (II) and As (V) from aqueous solution via contacting and treatment with the cross-linked polymeric resins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Othman Charles Sadeq Al Hamouz, Oluwafemi S. Akintola, Tawfik Abdo Saleh Awadh
  • Patent number: 10357785
    Abstract: In a centrifugal screening apparatus wherein a housing (10, 11) mounts a screen assembly (12) and a scroll assembly (20) to be differentially rotated about the machine axis, there is provided an inlet assembly (30) having an inlet body (31) defining an annular inlet space (32) coaxial with and opening in to an open apical end of the screen assembly (12) and a material supply conduit (35) delivering material to be screened to the annular space (32) and being aligned in a tangent to the annular space to deliver material to the screen assembly (12) substantially in the direction of rotation of the screen assembly (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: WEIR MINERALS AUSTRALIA LTD.
    Inventor: Michael Trench
  • Patent number: 10358368
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for treating pulp, particularly a method for treating sludge from wastewater treatment plants, for producing energy and/or organic materials that have undergone hygienization, including at least the following steps: a step of aerated or non-aerated thermal hydrolysis of the pulp, a digestion step, a dehydration step and a step of recirculating part of the dehydrated pulp into the step of thermal hydrolysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SUEZ INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Pierre Emmanuel Pardo, Hugues Vanden Bossche
  • Patent number: 10350518
    Abstract: Methods of filtering a liquid feed are disclosed. In one version, the method comprises passing a liquid feed through a single pass tangential flow filtration (SPTFF) system and recovering the retentate and permeate from the system in separate containers without recirculation through the SPTFF system. In another version, the method of filtering a liquid feed, comprises passing a liquid feed through a tangential flow filtration (TFF) system, recovering permeate and a portion of the retentate from the system in separate containers without recirculation through the TFF system, and recirculating the remainder of the retentate through the TFF system at least once. The methods can be performed using an SPTFF or a TFF system that comprises manifold segments to serialize the flow path of the feed and retentate without requiring diverter plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Steen, Mikhail Kozlov, Herbert Lutz, Joseph Parrella, Elizabeth M. Goodrich, Bala Raghunath
  • Patent number: 10351441
    Abstract: A system and process for taking a liquid such as water from a source and supplying the liquid by, for example, pushing the liquid through a filter provided inside a reservoir in order to render the liquid clean and potable. The reservoir and filter may be surrounded 360-degrees by a pressure bladder that may be wrapped with a material such as nylon, so that substantially all pressure goes inwards towards the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: PLANO MOLDING COMPANY
    Inventor: Jay Robert
  • Patent number: 10322221
    Abstract: A method of reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in blood plasma includes removing blood from a patient and treating or processing at least blood plasma of the blood by flowing the blood plasma on one side of at least one semi-permeable membrane and flowing a dialysate on the other side of the at least one semi-permeable membrane. The dialysate has a concentration of bicarbonate less than the concentration of bicarbonate in the blood plasma before treating the blood plasma and has a composition such that the blood plasma strong ion difference that results from treating the blood plasma in conjunction with an achieved reduction in blood plasma CO2 concentration results in a blood plasma pH that does not change by more than +/?0.5 during treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: John Alston Kellum, Jr., Matthew Cove, William J. Federspiel
  • Patent number: 10322380
    Abstract: Fiber webs which are used in filter media are described herein. In some embodiments, the fiber webs include fibrillated fibers and optionally non-fibrillated fibers, amongst other optional components (e.g., binder resin). In some embodiments, the fiber webs include limited amounts of, or no, glass fiber. The respective characteristics and amounts of the fibrillated fibers are selected to impart desirable properties including mechanical properties and filtration properties (e.g., dust holding capacity and efficiency), amongst other benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Hollingsworth & Vose Company
    Inventors: Howard Yu, Sneha Swaminathan
  • Patent number: 10315138
    Abstract: A filtering apparatus includes a filtering screen removably positioned within an inner cavity of a screen chamber. The screen includes a frame portion at a first end and a screen portion extending from the frame portion to a second end. The frame portion includes an end block and frame members extending from the end block to the screen portion, with the frame members defining an aperture. The screen portion includes an outer wall extending from a fluid inlet to an end cap at the second end. The outer wall includes a plurality of openings therethrough. The screen chamber includes a removable end cover with a key configured to engage a notch of the screen to rotationally lock the screen and the end cover. A screen manifold may include a first fluid path including the screen chamber, and further including a bypass fluid path having a bypass valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Advanced Tool and Supply, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Duhon, Shannon Duhon, Shawn Gallow, Yury Remedio