Patents Examined by Anthony R Shumate
  • Patent number: 11447736
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cell separation apparatus for a bioreactor. The cell separation apparatus may be disposed outside the bioreactor and in fluid connection with the bioreactor, the cell separation apparatus may be in a shape of a box body, the cell separation apparatus may include a liquid buffer device including a first liquid cavity disposed in the box body; a filter device including a filter channel and a filter membrane disposed in the box body, the filter membrane may be disposed above the filter channel; and a first liquid channel may be configured in the box body to facilitate a fluid communication between the first liquid cavity and the filter channel. A power system for filtering and microfluidic channels are integrated in the cell separation apparatus that is of a box shape, thereby reducing the volume and production cost thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: ALIT BIOTECH (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Liu, Rui Chen
  • Patent number: 11446610
    Abstract: A gas separation module includes hollow polymeric fibers held between a pair of tubesheets. The tubesheets are mounted to a core tube, and the distance between the tubesheets is maintained constant. The core tube is formed in telescoping sections, such that the fibers are attached to the tubesheets when the core tube is in its extended position, and the core tube is then collapsed, forming slack in the fibers. The core tube includes two distinct channels, connected to receive permeate and retentate gas streams, and to carry these streams to outlet ports while keeping the streams separate. Because the tubesheets are affixed to the core tube, the tubesheets do not move under the influence of gas pressure in the module. The slack in the fibers compensates for shrinkage of the fibers, prolonging the life of the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Generon IGS, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Straub, Robert Kociolek, Frederick L. Coan, Luis Brizuela
  • Patent number: 11439948
    Abstract: A modular structure for a mitigating evaporative fuel emissions, such as for an automobile, is described. The structure may include a plurality of frames and membranes for flowing fuel vapor and reducing the emission of hydrocarbon therefrom. The structure may include flow guides that provide a meandering flow path for both the fuel vapor and a permeate. A flow guide providing parallel flow paths is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Ehlert, Achim Gommel, John Jackson, Simon Streng, Melanie Volz
  • Patent number: 11433348
    Abstract: A method and device for purifying heptafluoroisobutyronitrile and a dilution gas from a used gas mixture comprising heptafluoroisobutyronitrile, a dilution gas and arcing by-products. The method comprising the steps of (a) contacting the used gas mixture with at least one adsorbent material to generate a gas stream depleted in arcing by-products; (b) contacting the gas stream depleted in by-products with a first membrane to obtain a first permeate stream rich in the dilution gas, and a first retentate stream rich in heptafluoroisobutyronitrile; (c) contacting the first permeate stream rich in the dilution gas with a second membrane to obtain a second permeate stream rich in the dilution gas and a second retentate stream rich in heptafluoroisobutyronitrile; and (d) combining the first and second retentate streams rich in heptafluoroisobutyronitrile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Elodie Laruelle, Louis Maksoud, Yannick Kieffel
  • Patent number: 11433332
    Abstract: Articles and methods relating to filter media are generally provided. In some embodiments, a filter media has an irregular surface structure. For instance, the filter media may comprise a plurality of peaks that are irregular in one or more ways. A ratio of a peak height standard deviation to an average peak height may be greater than or equal to 0.05, and/or a ratio of a peak spacing standard deviation to an average peak spacing may be greater than or equal to 0.08. In some embodiments, a filter media comprises a non-woven fiber web having a layer thickness of greater than 0.3 mm and/or a stiffness of less than or equal to 100 mg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Hollingsworth & Vose Company
    Inventors: Bruce Smith, Maxim Silin, David T. Healey
  • Patent number: 11426700
    Abstract: A method for producing a gas separation membrane containing fine particles uniformly dispersed in a resin, including the following (A) and (B): (A) a step of mixing the fine particles with a matrix resin, the amount of the fine particles with respect to the entire mass of the mixture being adjusted to 1 mass % to 50 mass %, to thereby prepare a master batch; and (B) a step including dissolving the master batch in a solvent, applying the prepared solution onto a substrate, and evaporating the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: NISSAN CHEMICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Odaka, Tadayuki Isaji, Yuji Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 11420143
    Abstract: Articles and methods relating to filter media are generally provided. In some embodiments, a filter media has an irregular surface structure. For instance, the filter media may comprise a plurality of peaks that are irregular in one or more ways. A ratio of a peak height standard deviation to an average peak height may be greater than or equal to 0.05, and/or a ratio of a peak spacing standard deviation to an average peak spacing may be greater than or equal to 0.08. In some embodiments, a filter media comprises a non-woven fiber web having a layer thickness of greater than 0.3 mm and/or a stiffness of less than or equal to 100 mg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Hollingsworth & Vose Company
    Inventors: Bruce Smith, Mohammad A. Hassan, Maxim Silin, Sudheer Jinka, Greg Wagner Farell, David T. Healey
  • Patent number: 11420162
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing a porous membrane of a fluorine-based resin having an improved shrinkage while maintaining excellent filtration efficiency and air permeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Joo Yeon Seo, Sungjae Han, Byeong In Ahn
  • Patent number: 11413584
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a functional fluid gating control system, which comprises a porous membrane and a functional fluid. The functional fluid at least partially infiltrates the porous membrane and cooperates to form a fluid gating pathway. The functional fluid and/or the porous membrane responds to at least one stimulus and undergoes a physical change or a chemical change to change the threshold pressure of the transport substance. A transport fluid being immiscible with the functional fluid is controlled to pass through the fluid gating system, and thus controllable transport and multiphase separation of materials are achieved. The stimulus of the present disclosure comprises a wide range of sources, and the stimulus responsiveness of the functional fluid and the porous membrane can be randomly and freely combined to adapt to multiple stimuli from complex external conditions and achieve intelligent controllability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Xiamen University
    Inventors: Xu Hou, Zhizhi Sheng, Lizhi Huang, Lingli Min, Miao Wang, Yinglin Zhu, Feng Wu
  • Patent number: 11413564
    Abstract: A microporous membrane for filtering and a method for preparing the same, a flat filtering element and a gas filtering article are disclosed. The microporous membrane is composed of following raw materials in parts by weight: 100-110 parts of polyethylene, 27-30 parts of acrylonitrile, 0.1-0.2 parts of dicumyl peroxide, 2-4 parts of plasticizer, 1-2 parts of antimonous oxide, 0.8-1 part of zinc borate, 1-2 parts of antioxidant, 0.8-2 parts of heat stabilizer, 1-2 parts of octylisothiazolinone, 1-3 parts of calcium propionate, 0.7-2 parts of triglycidyl isocyanurate, 4-6 parts of diacetone alcohol, 0.7-1 part of oleic diethanolamide, 0.5-1 part of sodium myrastate and 1-2 parts of glycolic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SENIOR TECHNOLOGY MATERIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xuemei Yang, Wuhua Xiao, Dongbo Gao, Xiufeng Chen
  • Patent number: 11401251
    Abstract: Provided herein are membrane separation systems and methods suitable for use in separating carbonylation catalyst from a beta-lactone product stream. Such membrane separation systems utilize a cross flow separation technique and employ a sweep stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Novomer, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Dackson
  • Patent number: 11400422
    Abstract: A support is a porous ceramic support for supporting a zeolite membrane. The hydraulic conductivity of the support is less than or equal to 1.1×10?3 m/s. In the support, the total content of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal in a surface part within 30 ?m from a surface in a depth direction perpendicular to the surface is less than or equal to 1% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Miyahara, Kenichi Noda
  • Patent number: 11395985
    Abstract: The technology disclosed herein relates to a vent assembly having a vent housing that defines a first airflow pathway, a second airflow pathway, and a third airflow pathway. The first airflow pathway is configured for fluid communication with an interior of an enclosure. The second airflow pathway is configured for fluid communication with the external environment, and the third airflow pathway extends between the first airflow pathway and the second airflow pathway. A membrane is coupled to the vent housing such that the second airflow pathway and the third airflow pathway are in communication through the membrane. Coalescing filter media is disposed within the vent housing such that the third airflow pathway and the first airflow pathway are in communication through the coalescing filter media. The vent assembly defines a spacing region between the coalescing media and the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Lauden, Michael J. Hebert, Daniel Dotzler, Daniel Little
  • Patent number: 11389769
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are filtration articles comprising a porous ceramic structure comprising a plurality of channels separated by a plurality of porous interior walls, and a nanomembrane disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the porous ceramic structure, wherein the nanomembrane comprises nanoparticles of at least one inorganic oxide, and wherein the nanoparticles are present in a concentration ranging from about 0.001 g/L to about 1 g/L based on the total volume of the porous ceramic structure. Methods for making such filtration articles and methods for filtering a particulate from a fluid using such filtration articles are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Corning Incorported
    Inventors: Guohua Chen, Curtis Robert Fekety, Jianguo Wang, Huiqing Wu
  • Patent number: 11389765
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a transport mechanism apparatus for transporting at least one of a gas or a fluid. The transport mechanism may have an inlet, an outlet and a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structure. The TPMS structure is formed in a layer-by-layer three dimensional (3D) printing operation to include cells propagating in three dimensions, where the cells include wall portions having openings, and where the cells form a plurality of flow paths throughout the transport mechanism from the inlet to the outlet, and where the cells form the inlet and the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Pratanu Roy, Du Nguyen, Joshuah K. Stolaroff
  • Patent number: 11389781
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for producing a metal organic framework nanosheet, including forming a metal organic framework in a sheet form between two monolayers constituting a single bilayer membrane in a case where the bilayer membranes form a hyper-swollen lamellar phase in a solvent. The present disclosure relates to a metal organic framework nanosheet including a metal organic framework disposed, in a sheet form, between two monolayers constituting a single bilayer membrane, wherein a plurality of the bilayer membranes forms a hyper-swollen lamellar phase in a solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Uchida, Norikazu Nishiyama, Takeru Omiya, Takuto Nakai
  • Patent number: 11383199
    Abstract: A flue gas extraction system provides extraction, collection, cooling, enriching and distributing flue gas from a vent stack of a stationary flue gas generator to carbon dioxide consuming crops, orchards, and other photosynthetic organisms. The collected flue gas is processed through the system to achieve optimal temperature, pressure, flowrate, water content and carbon dioxide concentration for application to plants for increasing plant productivity and sequestering the carbon dioxide. The gas distribution network may have one or more membrane modules which receive a low pressure gas mixture, where the membrane modules are utilized to enrich the CO2 concentration and to separate out a nitrogen rich component from the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Black Swan, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Kolodji
  • Patent number: 11383208
    Abstract: Provided is a gas separation membrane that can be used continuously. The gas separation membrane comprises: a porous support membrane that contains an aromatic polyamide in which an aromatic ring has been replaced with a chloro group; and a separation functional layer that is disposed on the surface of the porous support membrane and contains a cross-linked polyamide obtained by polycondensation of a polyfunctional amine and a polyfunctional acid halide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Rina Takahashi, Kazuki Sato, Masakazu Koiwa, Shuji Furuno, Takao Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11376554
    Abstract: A porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane of the present disclosure is a membrane having an average fibril length of 50 ?m or more, having an average node length 5 or more times larger than the average fibril length, and having an average node area ratio of 5% or less. The porous PTFE membrane of the present disclosure, when attached as a waterproof air-permeable membrane to a housing of an electrical component or electrical device, allows water vapor residing inside the housing to be quickly discharged out of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teppei Tezuka, Youzou Yano, Kazuhiro Omura, Tomoyuki Kasagi
  • Patent number: 11364471
    Abstract: Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described herein. The membranes can comprise a gas permeable support layer, an inorganic layer disposed on the support, the inorganic layer comprising a plurality of discreet nanoparticles having an average particle size of less than 1 micron, and a selective polymer layer disposed on the inorganic layer, the selective polymer layer comprising a selective polymer having a CO2:N2 selectivity of at least 10 at 57° C. In some embodiments, the membrane can be selectively permeable to an acidic gas. The membranes can be used, for example, to separate gaseous mixtures, such as flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: OHIO STATE INNOVATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: W. S. Winston Ho, Prabir Dutta, Kartik Ramasubramanian, Michael Severance