Patents Examined by Andrew J. Rost
  • Patent number: 12215801
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture of valve packing apparatus and related methods. An apparatus includes a cartridge including packing components and a spring. The cartridge is dimensioned to fit in a bore of a bonnet of a valve. A retainer is disposed in an aperture of the cartridge. The retainer is removable from the aperture to release the spring to apply a predetermined compressive load to the stack of packing components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC
    Inventors: Lucas Schmitt, Steven Hostetter, Aaron Anderson, Lisa Miller
  • Patent number: 12208561
    Abstract: A valve unit comprises an operating piston for closing and opening a connection between a process pressure input line and a process pressure output line, at least one control line and at least one control chamber for controlling the operating piston. The operating piston has a closing ring which in the closed state of the connection sealingly abuts a valve seat of the valve housing (or the valve housing has a closing ring which in the closed state of the connection sealingly abuts against a valve seat of the operating piston). The valve seat consists of a softer and more elastic material than a circumferential sealing edge abutting said valve seat. An annular sealing element is present which comprises the valve seat. The sealing element has the shape of a truncated cone with an outwardly widening base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Eugen Seitz AG
    Inventors: Marcel Ramsperger, Joachim Schmidt, Christian Elbs
  • Patent number: 12209678
    Abstract: A valve plate has a plate portion with an elastomeric seal on a front face and an elongated connecting portion spaced apart from a rear face by a slot for fastening the valve plate to a valve rod. The extension of the connecting portion in the width direction is defined by opposing first and second side edges of the connecting portion when viewed in a plan view of the rear face of the plate portion. A connecting structure is configured in the connecting portion in a central region of the longitudinal extension of the first side edge of the connecting portion for connecting the connecting portion to an end portion of the valve rod. The connecting portion is reinforced in a region of its extension in the width direction adjoining the second side edge, relative to a region of its extension in the width direction adjoining the first side edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: VAT Holding AG
    Inventors: Mathias Schön, Bernhard Litscher, Mario Moser, Alen Franic, Gregor Beck
  • Patent number: 12203561
    Abstract: A system for exercising a valve may comprise a valve exercising apparatus having inoperative and operative conditions, a transitional event when the apparatus transitions from the inoperative to the operative condition. The exercising apparatus may comprise a valve exercising motor for connecting to the valve and a controller assembly for controlling operation of the motor. The controller assembly may operate in a manual control mode and an automated control mode, with the manual control mode being characterized by operation of elements of the exercising apparatus being initiated by manual input from the operator, and the automated control mode being characterized by operation of elements of the exercising apparatus being initiated by the controller assembly. The controller assembly may be configured to operate the apparatus in a startup condition at the occurrence of the transitional event, and the startup condition may correspond to the manual control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Inventor: Michael Hurley
  • Patent number: 12196341
    Abstract: A closure member is configured for use in a valve. These configurations may include a plug with grooves or “flutes” that extend along its length. Inserts in the flutes may comprise materials, like ceramics, that are different than the material that forms the core or base portion of the plug. These inserts are useful to slow erosion of the device, particularly in the flutes, which form an outwardly-facing surface that is subject to high velocity flow in the valve. This feature can extend service life of the plug, particularly in highly-erosive process fluids, like particle-entrained fluids commonly found in hydrocracking or refining operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Dresser, LLC
    Inventors: Cyril Nicolas Vlassoff, George Dodan
  • Patent number: 12172307
    Abstract: A hydraulic valve includes two ports, a chamber within the valve housing which, in operation, is at least partially filled with a hydraulic fluid, and a fluid switch within the chamber. The fluid switch is movable between at least a first position and a second position. In the first position, the ports are fluidly coupled to each other. In the second position, the ports are fluidly isolated from each other. An external surface of the fluid switch is separated from an internal surface of the chamber by a first micro-gap. Another external surface of the fluid switch is separated from another internal surface of the chamber by a second micro-gap. The first micro-gap and the second micro-gap are fluidly coupled to the chamber, and each have a respective size of less than about five micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Connor Richard Shannon, Amir Farzad Forughi, Can Ozdemir
  • Patent number: 12169026
    Abstract: Valve control device (100) for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, said valve control device (100) comprising a first valve (120) having an assigned first functional element (125) comprising a first engagement unit (122), a second valve (150) having an assigned second functional element (155) comprising a second engagement unit (152), wherein the first valve (120) and the second valve (150) in terms of the switch position thereof are configured so as to be variable by rotating the respective assigned functional element (125, 155), a locking mechanism (200) comprising an entrainment installation ( ), wherein the locking mechanism (200) is configured so as to be able to be driven by means of a drive (300), wherein the locking mechanism (200) in a rotating movement, by means of the entrainment installation (210) engaging in the first engagement unit (122), is configured for transferring the first functional element (125) from a first switch position to a second switch position, and/or, by means of the entrainm
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: ECO Holding 1 GmbH
    Inventor: Sven Dehrmann
  • Patent number: 12163601
    Abstract: A valve apparatus, in particular a ball valve apparatus, is provided. The apparatus includes a housing device having at least one fluid port, a closure body, wherein the closure body includes an axis of rotation about which the closure body can be rotated in a direction of rotation in order to release and close the fluid port, wherein the fluid port includes a seal for sealing abutment against the closure body. The seal includes a first and a second sealing lip, wherein the sealing lips are configured such that, during operation, only one seal sealingly abuts against the closure body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Torsten Hauk
  • Patent number: 12152700
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: MAC Valves, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Simmonds, Brett Landacre
  • Patent number: 12129952
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a low-spill coupling assembly including a female coupling device and a male coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Colder Products Company
    Inventor: David J. Vranish
  • Patent number: 12123531
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a low-spill coupling assembly including a female coupling device and a male coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Inventor: David J. Vranish
  • Patent number: 12117086
    Abstract: A faucet includes a faucet housing defining a mixing chamber and a dry chamber, a valve assembly, and a damper assembly. The valve assembly includes a main shaft having a first end and a second end, a knob coupled to the first end, a mixing plate coupled to the second end, a main seal coupled to the main shaft, and a first biasing member disposed around the main shaft. The first end is disposed within the mixing chamber and the second end is disposed within the dry chamber. The damper assembly includes an outer cylinder disposed within the dry chamber, a piston extending at least partially into the outer cylinder, and a second biasing member disposed within the outer cylinder. The piston has an interference surface configured to contact the knob, and the second biasing member is configured to bias the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: B/E AEROSPACE, INC.
    Inventor: Robert Wilson
  • Patent number: 12117862
    Abstract: A modular control apparatus for actuating hydraulic valve systems includes an actuating section including a tilting control member and a plurality of control rods provided with a pusher, which interacts with the control member so as to translate the control rods in the longitudinal direction, a sensor section including a plurality of sensor members suitable to detect a movement in the longitudinal direction of said control rods and a blocking section comprising a blocking device that is capable of individually blocking in the longitudinal direction each of said control rods. The actuating section can be alternately connected to the blocking section or to the sensor section so that the sensor section can be directly connected to the actuating section, detecting the longitudinal movement of the control rods also if the blocking section is not present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: WALVOIL S.P.A
    Inventors: Alessandro Cervi, Davide Mesturini, Ulderico Busani, Daniel Poli
  • Patent number: 12110974
    Abstract: A double-power-supply complex control device includes a main body. Four control sections and two load flow ways are disposed in the main body. A main flow way is disposed in control section. Four switch members of a switch assembly are assembled and disposed in the main flow ways. A circumference of each main flow way is in communication with multiple bypasses. The main flow ways of each two of the control sections are in communication with a fluid output passage and a fluid input passage of a power device. Some of the bypasses of control section are in communication with each other. A lower flow guide window is disposed on switch member in indirect communication with main flow way. When switch member is operated under external force, the lower flow guide window is switchable between the bypasses to selectively communicate with the bypasses to make different power devices drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: CH Creative Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jui-Cheng Chang
  • Patent number: 12104713
    Abstract: [Object] A diaphragm can strongly be fixed to a flow path-side body by a diaphragm-holder, a thickness of the flow path-side body of an outer periphery of a diaphragm is thinned, and the flow path-side body is downsized. [Solving Means] A diaphragm-holder abutting surface 75 is formed between a diaphragm-holder inner peripheral side ring-shaped projection 73 and a diaphragm-holder outer peripheral side ring-shaped projection 74, a diaphragm-holder inner peripheral side end surface 73s is abutted against a first fixed portion piston-side end surface 63Ap, a diaphragm-holder inner peripheral side outer peripheral surface 73o is abutted against a second fixed portion inner peripheral surface 63Bi, a diaphragm-holder outer peripheral side inner peripheral surface 74i is abutted against a body-side projection outer peripheral surface 16o, and the diaphragm-holder abutting surface 75 is abutted against the second fixed portion piston-side end surface 63Bp and a body-side projection end surface 16s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: ADVANCE DENKI KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Rikiya Oshima
  • Patent number: 12092239
    Abstract: The invention relates to a valve body for a process valve, wherein an interior space of the valve body connects at least two ports to one another in a fluid-conducting manner, wherein at least one partition wall separates adjacent flow chambers of the interior space from one another, and wherein an outer shell and the at least one partition wall, at least in a blocking portion of the valve body extending essentially perpendicularly to a blocking axis, are made of a flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: GEMÜ Gebr. Müller Apparatebau GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Maximilian Barghoorn, Michael Baumgärtner, Christian Dasbach
  • Patent number: 12066126
    Abstract: A ball valve system includes a body having an upstream end and a downstream end and a ball within the body between the upstream end and the downstream end, the ball being rotatable about a vertical axis to move between a closed position and an open position. The ball valve assembly includes a stem movable in an actuation direction substantially parallel to the vertical axis, the stem including a recess at a proximal portion of the stem, a guiding member extending within the recess of the stem, the guiding member being configured to prevent rotation of the stem or cause rotation of the stem, and a lubrication port in fluid communication with the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: SCV Valve, LLC
    Inventor: Sidney McCarra
  • Patent number: 12044319
    Abstract: A high flow/low flow valve includes a valve body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connected to one another by a fluid passageway. A valve seat is disposed in the fluid passageway. A low flow valve plug is disposed in the fluid passageway proximate valve seat, the low flow valve plug cooperating with the valve seat to control fluid flow through the valve seat. A high flow valve plug is disposed in the fluid passageway proximate valve seat, the high flow valve plug cooperating with the valve seat to control fluid flow through the valve seat. A low flow actuator is operatively connected to the low flow valve plug and a high flow actuator operatively connected to the high flow valve plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Shannon E. Jelken, Katherine N. Bartels, Thomas N. Gabriel, Julian A. Mann, Lawrence Martin
  • Patent number: 12025256
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a low-spill coupling assembly including a female coupling device and a male coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Colder Products Company
    Inventor: David J. Vranish
  • Patent number: 12013043
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a frangible structure coupled or integral to at least a portion of the apparatus and a triggerable mechanism disposed at or proximate the frangible structure. The triggerable mechanism is configured to break the frangible structure in response to a trigger signal. A containment structure is disposed on or over at least a portion of the frangible structure. The containment structure is configured to allow at least the portion of the frangible structure to deform or change shape in response to breaking of the frangible structure while keeping substantially all fragments of at least the portion of the broken frangible structure together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Julie Ann Bert, Steven Neltner, Emily Coker