Patents Examined by Arnold Rosenthal
  • Patent number: 5217036
    Abstract: An electromagnetically actuatable valve in which the fluid flow quantity output during the opening and closing process of the valve is adjusted by varying the magnitude of the spring force of the restoring spring acting upon the valve closing body by varying the magnetic attraction on the valve closing element. For adjusting the fluid flow quantity output during the opening and closing process of the electromagnetically adjustable valve, the housing cap (10) is moved relative to the valve jacket and thus the critical magnetic throttle cross section defining the magnetic flux of the magnetic circuit is varied, until the measured output actual quantity of the fluid matches a predetermined set-point quantity. The method and valve according to the invention is especially well-suited for electromagnetically actuatable fuel injection valves of fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Maier
  • Patent number: 5215120
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a valve system which upon disconnection essentially eliminates the release of liquids and vapors to the atmosphere. The invention includes a precision machined poppet and valve seat such that the leading end of the poppet and the end of the valve housing are flush when the valve is closed and such that the sides of the poppet are flush with the surface of the valve seat. Fluids and vapors are eliminated as the valve closes. The valve is not sealed until after closing. The invention is normally used with two flushly abutting valves which close sequentially for the elimination of liquids and vapors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Precision General, Inc.
    Inventors: Spencer M. Nimberger, Robert L. Ward
  • Patent number: 5213135
    Abstract: An emission control valve is claimed which is used to control emissions into the atmosphere of a medium, such as liquids, gases, and/or solids, which is being regulated and transported. The apparatus generally comprises a valve body, a valve rack, a first and second valve member disposed within the body, disc means for allowing communication between the first and second valve members, and a pinion member for cooperating with the valve rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Inventor: Robert H. Moate
  • Patent number: 5213124
    Abstract: A pressure actuated valve having a diaphragm assembly for receiving any one of a plurality of interchangeable restrictor elements of varying passageway diameter for changing the rate of valve closure and for servicing clogged passageways is disclosed. The valve employs a restrictor element having a selected inlet port diameter with a metering pin slidably mounted therethrough. The diaphragm assembly provides a slidable mounting for the restrictor element to enhance the cleaning action of the metering pin. A method of adjusting the rate of valve closure and servicing clogged or worn restricted inlet ports in such valves is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Thompson Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Robert B. Costa
  • Patent number: 5213134
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control unit for the delivery of hot and cold water in mixer valves having two overlapping plates (11, 12) one of which is fixed and the other movable on the fixed one and in which the fixed plate has an outlet hole or opening (17) made from a semicircular side (17a) placed between two arched water inlet holes or openings (15, 16) with its center being in the center of the fixed plate and a side which extends and widens in a fan-shape in the other half of the fixed plate, symmetrically in respect to the axis of said plate passing through said two arched holes or openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Galatron S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alessio Orlandi
  • Patent number: 5211371
    Abstract: The invention comprises a linearly actuated valve which includes a valve body, a valve seal linearly movable with respect to the body between closed and open positions, a spring and a shape memory alloy wire. The spring both biases the valve toward the closed position, and forms a part of the electrical circuit providing current to the shape memory alloy wire. The valve seal may be accurately positioned between the closed position and the open position by applying a pulse frequency modulated electrical current to the spring and the shape memory alloy wire. The electrical circuit is continuously closed and is comprised entirely of electrical conductors having no sliding electrical contacts to eliminate arcing and sparking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Advanced Control Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Curtis L. Coffee
  • Patent number: 5209455
    Abstract: There are provided a valve which is opened by an improved two-step motion, a valve which operates positively without leakage of fluid even when the difference in pressure between inlet and outlet of the valve is very small, and an improvement of a solenoid valve using those valves.The present invention relates to small-sized opening/closing valve and solenoid valve capable of being operated by very small force and electric power using a dry cell or the like, and is suitable to a solenoid valve for automatic opening/closing control which is used in city gas appliances, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, MIC Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokio Uetsuhara, Kenji Iio, Masaki Kouzu, Yuichi Andoh
  • Patent number: 5209453
    Abstract: A piezoelectric apparatus includes a piezoelectric device which is biased by a fluid force instead of a spring. Since the fluid force can be maintained within a predetermined value even after the piezoelectric device has been used number of times, and since the fluid force can be modulated by fluid pressure providing means and valve means when the fluid force is decreased from the predetermined valve, the present piezoelectric apparatus can maintain the initial pressure on the piezoelectric device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Aota, Masatoshi Kuroyanagi
  • Patent number: 5207245
    Abstract: A solenoid-actuated three-way fluid control valve having a paramagnetic valve body and a ferromagnetic adjustable end stop connected by a ferromagnetic tubular sleeve and forming a housing defining a valve chamber containing an axially elongate generally cylindrical ferromagnetic solenoid plunger supported for axial reciprocal movement between a pair of axially opposed valve seats. The plunger is biased toward seating engagement with an associated one of the seats and is moveable out of seating engagement with the one seat and into seating engagement with the other seat in response to energization of a surrounding solenoid coil. An annular ferromagnetic flux ring disposed adjacent one end of the coil cooperates with a diametrically enlarged portion of the plunger to define a portion of a flux path. The position of the end stop relative to the sleeve is adjusted during manufacture to set the clearance between the valve plunger and the one valve seat thereby enabling accurate valve calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: KIP Corporation
    Inventor: Miguel F. Maranzano
  • Patent number: 5205537
    Abstract: A control valve well-suited for controlling the flow of particulate solids comprises a valve body having a flow passageway comprising inlet and outlet passages extending transversely to a slide chamber. A plug member having a flow orifice is mounted for movement, within the slide chamber to seal the flow passageway when the flow orifice is out of registration therewith and to connect the inlet and outlet passages in flow communication when registered therewith. The flow orifice has a cross section including a tapered slot portion which terminates in an apex defining an angle of from about 45 to 90 degrees and a rectangular base portion or a circular arc base portion subtending from 225 to about 270 degrees of arc. This shape provides valves of enhanced rangeability with a unique logarithmic flow characteristic which, for most flow rates, is intermediate to linear and equal percentage flow characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Inventor: Robert W. Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 5205534
    Abstract: A zone valve for a hydronic system (either heating or cooling) in which a motor-driven actuator rotates a ball valve through approximately 90.degree., between closed and opened positions. The ball valve provides lower flow resistance than that of conventional heat-motor and motorized zone valves, allowing the use of lower rated pumps, and allowing a single size valve to serve most applications. A restoring torque is provided by a tension spring so configured that it provides sufficient restoring torque to overcome the frictional torque of the ball valve. The restoring torque is kept from building up during rotation by configuring the spring in such a manner that its force varies inversely with the effective moment arm. The restoring torque varies by no more than 20% (preferably no more than 10%) during rotation of the ball valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Taco, Inc.
    Inventor: Attilio G. Giordani
  • Patent number: 5205539
    Abstract: A diaphragm valve is described which comprises a lower housing portion and a upper housing portion which are clamped together by a fastening device. An elastomeric diaphragm is located between the lower housing portion and the upper housing portion. A compression spring is arranged between either the lower housing portion or the upper housing portion and an element of the fastening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Georg Fischer Rohrleitungssysteme AG
    Inventor: Adelbert Schalk
  • Patent number: 5205323
    Abstract: A valve including a valve member having two different stable positions, and a valve operator for shifting the valve member between its two stable positions and holding the valve member in those positions. The valve operator includes a shuttle moveable between two extreme positions corresponding to the two stable positions, respectively, of the valve member. A first spring urges the shuttle toward one of its extreme positions and a second spring, stronger than the first spring, urges the shuttle toward the other of its extreme positions, these movements of the shuttle being transmitted to the valve member. A device, such as an electric solenoid, selectively renders the second spring ineffective with respect to the shuttle, so that when the second spring is ineffective the first spring causes the valve member to assume one of its stable positions, and when the second spring is not ineffective, the second spring causes the valve member to assume the other of its stable positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Automatic Switch Company
    Inventor: Joseph W. Baker
  • Patent number: 5203538
    Abstract: A solenoid valve device and specifically a solenoid operated injection valve wherein the bouncing of the valve element upon closing is dampened. This is done by providing an inertial mass which is slidable relative to the stem portion of the valve element and contacts fixed abutments on the stem portion of the valve element to limit the relative movement in each direction. In addition, a cushioning arrangement is interposed between the inertial mass and the abutment for cushioning the stopping of the inertial mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Matsunaga, Yoshihiko Moriya
  • Patent number: 5203537
    Abstract: A piezoceramic valve includes a valve actuator sandwich assembly including a piezoceramic bending element flexibly bonded between two metal sheets. Flexible elastomeric sheets are bonded to outer surfaces of the metal sheets, respectively, to form the sandwich assembly. The valve includes a first supporting member which sealingly engages an outer surface of the first elastomeric sheet and a second supporting member which sealingly engages an outer surface of the second elastomeric sheet to flexibly support the valve actuator sandwich assembly between the two supporting members. The valve actuator is engageable with a valve seat to prevent flow through the valve and is deflectable away from the valve seat to allow flow through the valve. The piezoceramic bending element is isolated in the valve actuator sandwich assembly from the flow stream to prevent diffusion of low molecular weight gases through the porous ceramic and to isolate electrically active elements of the bending element from the flow stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Teledyne Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Jacobs, Joseph A. Hochadel
  • Patent number: 5201492
    Abstract: A metal diaphragm used in making valves designed for passage of highly pure liquids has, starting at an outer periphery, an outer collar designed to abut a planar base of a valve in sealing fashion and connected to a central part, on which an actuating device of the valve is designed to act, by several annular surfaces stepped upward from a plane in which the diaphragm abuts the base. The annular surfaces are successively inclined from the periphery to the central part. One of the annular surfaces is parallel to the plane in which the diaphragm abuts the base when no force is exerted on the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Transfluid SA
    Inventor: Jacques Beauvir
  • Patent number: 5201341
    Abstract: A fluid flow control valve comprises a fluid heating device for supplying a heat energy to a fluid, a valve device for controlling a flow rate of the fluid, an electromagnetic coil for generating a magnetic field at the fluid heating device and the valve device so that the fluid heating device is heated to supply the heat energy to the fluid and the valve device is operated to control the flow rate of the fluid, and a power source for applying a voltage to the electromagnetic coil to generate the magnetic field, the power source supplying a current whose value fluctuates to the electromagnetic coil when the fluid heating device supplies the heat energy to the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Kimitaka Saito, Tatsuyoshi Matsumoto, Toshihiko Igashira
  • Patent number: 5201491
    Abstract: Apparatus for regulating the fluid flow produced from a gas pressurized subterranean reservoir. The produced mixture comprising crude oil, water, gas and varying amounts of particulated matter. The apparatus includes a bean which is characterized by a constant diameter flow passage, which limits the flow to a maximum rate. An adjustable valve positioned immediately upstream of the bean flow passage is adjustable to regulate the flow of pressurized fluid from its source, to a desired value less than the maximum level maintained by the bean. The apparatus is structured to allow ready access to the interior to facilitate replacement and repair of internal parts which may become worn or damaged due to constant wear and erosion by the flowing, abrasive fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Domangue
  • Patent number: 5201490
    Abstract: A gate-valve comprising a gate-valve body inside of which a gate-valve seat is formed having a stop surface delimiting the orifice of a pipe, a valve moving in a linear direction in the gate-valve body, the valve having an upper shoulder and a lower shoulder axially distanced from the upper shoulder, and a seal fitted between the two shoulders intended to stop the orifice of the pipe, the pipe having an internal peripheral surface which is parallel with the direction of displacement of the valve, characterized in that the valve comprises a limiting means to limit the flow of a liquid between a surface of the valve and the internal peripheral surface of the pipe during the displacement of the valve while the seal is not completely removed from the orifice of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Defontaine S.A.
    Inventors: Bruno Maraud, Joel Guicheteau, Jean Bonnefous
  • Patent number: 5199856
    Abstract: A compressor or pump is connected to a discharge plenum. The plenum includes a movable wall whose motion varies the volume of the plenum. The wall is connected to passive elements forming a spring-mass-damper system whose characteristics are selected to damp pressure fluctuations in the plenum which would give rise to pumping system instabilities. In another aspect of the invention, a compressor is connected to a discharge plenum which in turn is connected to an exit throttle. The throttle includes a movable portion whose motion varies the throttle area. The movable portion is connected to passive elements forming a spring-mass-damper system selected to damp pressure fluctuations in the plenum. In another embodiment, the plenum communicates with a fixed area throttle and a variable area throttle. The variable area throttle includes a movable portion connected to passive elements selected to damp pressure fluctuations in the plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Alan H. Epstein, Edward M. Greitzer, Daniel L. Gysling, John Dugundji, Gerald R. Guenette