Patents Examined by Christopher D Ballman
  • Patent number: 11976738
    Abstract: A hydraulic control circuit component such as a valve is configured which sliding surfaces. At least one of the sliding surfaces is configured as a single crystal material, such as ruby or sapphire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Proserv Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Preston Weintraub
  • Patent number: 11971125
    Abstract: An inflation pump connector includes a housing a sliding groove extending along a longitudinal axis and a pressing device slidably received in the sliding groove. The pressing device includes an airtight ring and a clamping member. The clamping member includes a base and a first claw. The first claw includes a first clamping arm, a first pressing portion, a second clamping arm, and a first hollow portion. The first clamping arm is connected to the base. The first pressing portion is connected to an end of the first clamping arm opposite to the base. The second clamping aim is connected to the first pressing portion. The first hollow portion is disposed between the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm. The first pressing portion is movable towards the longitudinal axis and to squeeze and deform the airtight ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventor: Scott Wu
  • Patent number: 11965608
    Abstract: A digital camera facilitates remote visual inspection of alignment between a rotor plate and a track plate of a multi-position rotary valve. In some embodiments, a signal from the video camera is used as part of a feedback system that controls advancement of the rotor plate, to automatically align apertures in the rotor plate with apertures in a track plate. Some embodiments facilitate remote visual inspection of the condition of a seal sheet disposed between the rotor plate and the track plate, without disassembling the rotary valve. Some embodiments automatically measure remaining usable thickness of the seal sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Artisan Industries Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Hudson, Austin Sady
  • Patent number: 11965601
    Abstract: In a flow path switching valve, when a valve rod is shifted toward a first back pressure chamber, a first valve chamber is separated from the first back pressure chamber by a first valve element, and a second valve chamber is separated from an intermediate chamber by a second valve element. When the valve rod is shifted toward a second back pressure chamber, the first valve chamber is separated from the intermediate chamber by the first valve element, and the second valve chamber is separated from the second back pressure chamber by the second valve element. The valve rod has a pressure equalizing path through which the first back pressure chamber and the second back pressure chamber are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIKOKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Kondo, Kenichi Mochizuki, Satoshi Goto
  • Patent number: 11959558
    Abstract: A valve body with an integral bypass includes a primary valve body portion defining a primary bore extending through the primary valve body portion from a primary upstream end to a primary downstream end, the primary bore defining an axis, the primary bore including a primary upstream bore extending through the primary upstream end and a primary downstream bore extending through the primary downstream end, the primary valve body portion configured to house a valve member between the primary upstream bore and the primary downstream bore; and the bypass seamlessly integrated with the primary valve body portion, the bypass defining a bypass bore, the bypass bore including a bypass upstream bore and a bypass downstream bore, the bypass including a bypass valve body disposed between the bypass upstream bore and the bypass downstream bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Mueller International, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Thomas Sutterfield, Michael Louis Broggi, Jason White Bradley
  • Patent number: 11959553
    Abstract: The invention relates to a valve for controlling a coolant circuit of a refrigerating system, having a housing, which has at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening, having a regulating chamber provided in the housing, which extends between the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening, having a valve arrangement, which is insertable at least partially into the regulating chamber, having a rotary slide arrangement, arranged in the regulating chamber, which has a control disc, which is rotatable in relation to the at least one rotary slide support, the at least one rotary slide support is provided non-rotationally to the housing and the at least one rotary slide support is mounted floatingly to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: OTTO EGELHOF GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Robin, Andreas Ehmen, Eike Willers, Volker Von Rad, Peter Bohnenstengel
  • Patent number: 11953116
    Abstract: A valve body has an inflow passage for a working fluid, an outflow passage for the working fluid, and a pressure relief passage, which connects the inflow passage and the outflow passage by bypassing a normally close valve seat. A pressure relief valve is located in the pressure relief passage. The pressure relief valve closes the pressure relief passage, if a pressure of the working fluid in the outflow passage is lower than, is equal to, and is higher by a pressure difference less than a predetermined relief pressure than a pressure of the working fluid in the inflow passage. The pressure relief valve opens the pressure relief passage, if the pressure of the working fluid in the outflow passage is higher by a pressure difference equal to or higher than the relief pressure than a pressure of the working fluid in the inflow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: HAMANAKODENSO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fumiaki Kaneko, Masashi Sugano, Yutaka Sato, Masahiro Hisada
  • Patent number: 11953106
    Abstract: This disclosure sets out an apparatus for handling fluid, such as coolant, for a vehicle that is at least partially powered by electricity. The apparatus includes a substantially plate-shaped base element defining a base plane separating a first subspace from a second subspace. At least a first fluid flow channel section is also present and is largely located in the first subspace. At least one second fluid flow channel section is also present and is largely located in the second subspace. The base element includes at least one first flow-through opening fluidly connecting the first fluid flow channel section and the second fluid flow channel section. A method of manufacturing the apparatus is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing the base element with at least a first fluid flow channel section and a first flow-through opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: ECO Holding 1 Gmbh
    Inventors: Sven Dehrmann, Manuel Alt
  • Patent number: 11953104
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a valve assembly for providing selective flow communication between a plurality of fluid flow conduits. The valve assembly may comprise two valve members disposed coaxially in fluidly sealing contact and relatively rotatable to provide valving action of at least two port tracks. At least one valve member may comprise a fluid pressure loading means, and the fluid pressure loading means may span at least two port tracks. The valve assembly may further comprise a drive means for driving relative rotation of the valve members in order to enable cycled interconnection and fluid flow through the fluid flow conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Pathway Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Babicki, Edson Ng
  • Patent number: 11946496
    Abstract: A hydraulic control valve can be one type of a variable characteristic (e.g., coil voltage). A visual identification system is provided to permit the visual identification of the specific type of the variable characteristic that the control valve is to assist in the assembly of systems utilizing such control valves. The visual identification system includes first and second indicator bearing first and second indicia, respectively, configured to indicate a first value and a different second value of a variable characteristic, respectively. The first and second indicator members are configured to be separately removably mounted to the control valve via a mechanical connection substantially without adhesive such that the appropriate indicator member can be selected and mounted to the valve depending upon what type of valve it is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HydraForce, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Casale, Scott Wickboldt, Aaron Winslow
  • Patent number: 11940054
    Abstract: Provided is a safety valve (10) comprising a body (12) which defines an incoming fluid passage (14) and a return fluid passage (20). The incoming fluid passage (14) generally enables a fluid to pass from a fluid reservoir (18) through the body (12) to the tool head (16). The return fluid passage (20) generally enables a fluid to return from the tool head (16) through the body back to the fluid reservoir (18). The body (12) further comprises a diverter (22) which is displaceable between an active position and an inactive position. When the diverter (22) is in the active position, the diverter (22) redirects the fluid via a shunting passage (24) from the incoming fluid passage (14) to the return passage (20) to prevent operation of the tool head (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Ogon Contracting Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Luke Roger Gosden
  • Patent number: 11938493
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes a swing nozzle that is arranged on one side of the support module, moves in a swing manner, and sprays a chemical solution to the substrate, a sensor arranged on one side of the swing nozzle to sense movement of the swing nozzle, an electromagnet and a magnet installed on the other side of the swing nozzle so as to be able to adjust spacing relative to each other, and a controller for receiving a sensing result of the sensor and performing a damping operation to the swing nozzle by providing power to the electromagnet to generate an attractive force or repulsive force between the electromagnet and the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noh Hoon Myoung, Han Seon Kang, Jung Min Yoon
  • Patent number: 11885255
    Abstract: A multiport valve, having a housing having at least two connectors, a control element for blocking at least one of the connectors, the control element disposed to be rotatable in a recess of the housing. An external contour of the control element has a compression portion which in at least one first position of the control element compresses a first seal disposed on a first one of the connectors. The external contour of the control element has a decompression portion that has a smaller radius than the compression portion and in at least one further position of the control element lies opposite the first seal such that the control element compresses the first seal to a lesser extent than in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Alexandru Popa, Daniel-Marius Pop, George Plaeru, Cosmin Ion Belin
  • Patent number: 11885438
    Abstract: A choke valve and a method of operation of the choke valve in which the choke valve includes an orifice plate and/or a guide vane to control a flow of fluid though the choke valve, the orifice plate defining a center point and being rotatable about a center axis extending longitudinally through the center point; the orifice plate defining at least one aperture including a first aperture, the first aperture defining at least a first equi-incremental phase region, the first aperture being spaced away from the center point of the orifice plate; and rotation of the orifice plate with respect to the center point effecting an incremental and staged transitioning of the orifice plates among a plurality of open states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Lancaster Flow Automation, LLC
    Inventors: Gerardo Haro-Valdez, Weston William Woods, Md. Monirul Islam, Joshua Green
  • Patent number: 11873753
    Abstract: A valve device includes a housing integrally or separately having a flow path formation part where at least one flow path hole through which a fluid passes is formed. The valve device includes: a drive part that outputs a rotational force; and a rotation part that rotates about a predetermined axis by the rotational force output from the drive part. The rotation part includes a shaft and a rotor increasing or decreasing an opening degree of the flow path hole with rotation of the shaft. The rotor has a sliding surface that slides while facing an opening surface of the flow path formation part where the flow path hole is opened. At least a part of the rotation part is rotatably held by the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Higuchi, Takehito Mizunuma, Ryou Sano
  • Patent number: 11873915
    Abstract: A poppet valve apparatus has a valve body with an aperture rimmed by a first sealing surface, and a valve stem with an axially oriented cup at its tip with a spring disposed within the cup. The valve plate includes a sealing surface at its perimeter and also has a central pocket which receives a spheroid. The valve stem passes through a collar which is affixed to the valve plate to trap the spheroid beneath the spring so that the plate is pivotably coupled to the valve stem and also tolerates radial and lateral excursion to allow the valve plate to self-align and seal within the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Brad M. Addona, James A. Richard, Maegan Rinehart Dawson, William Francis Sadowski
  • Patent number: 11873909
    Abstract: A valve device includes a case member, a valve body, a sleeve, a spring, and a spring end support part. The sleeve is slidably supported by an inner wall of a fluid inflow part of the case member and forms a flow path to guide a fluid flowing out from a valve outflow port of the valve body toward a fluid outflow port of the case member. The spring is placed so as to surround the outer periphery of the sleeve and biases the sleeve toward the valve body. The spring end support part is formed in an end part in the case member on an opposite side of the spring from the valve body and supports an end part of the spring on an opposite side to the valve body in the axial direction from the outside in the radial direction of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Rie Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11867356
    Abstract: A rotary multiport greasing valve having an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has at least one inlet port and at least 2 outlet ports. The inner sleeve has an inlet port, a central passageway, and an outlet port. The inner sleeves inlet port is fluidly connected to the outer sleeve's inlet port. The inner sleeve rotates within the outer sleeve so that the inner sleeves outlet port is circumferentially aligned with a selected outer sleeve outlet port creating a fluid pathway from the outer sleeve inlet port into the inner sleeve's inlet port through the central passageway through the inner sleeve's outlet port and finally through the outer sleeves outlet port to create an open flowpath. In certain instances, the inner sleeve inlet port is longitudinally shifted so as not to align with any portion of an outlet sleeve outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Patriot Research Center, LLC
    Inventors: Craig Cotton, Brandon Cain
  • Patent number: 11852257
    Abstract: A valve device includes a case having an opened bottom portion and a receiving space formed therein, a base plate covering the open bottom of the case, a flow-in pipe coupled to the base plate to bring in a refrigerant, a boss installed to the base plate and including a plurality of refrigerant flow-in/out holes through which the introduced refrigerant flows in/out, a plurality of flow-in/out pipes coupled to the plurality of refrigerant flow-in/out holes and through which the introduced refrigerant flows in/out, and a pad arranged on the boss and including an open cavity formed therein to selectively opening one of the plurality of refrigerant flow-in/out holes and a connection cavity formed therein to selectively connecting two of the plurality of refrigerant flow-in/out holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jungwook Bae, Kookjeong Seo, Heemoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 11846367
    Abstract: A mixer faucet having a left-right clicking mechanism and configured to increase a degree of freedom of the faucet is provided. The mixer faucet includes a lever handle and a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes: a tilting lever that is configured to move in conjunction with a movement of the lever handle, turn forward and rearward, and also turn leftward and rightward; a lower case; an upper case; a lower sealing member; an inner sealing member; and a click rotary member. The click rotary member is exposed to the outside of the valve assembly. The click rotary member is rotated leftward and rightward by a rotation force applied from the tilting lever. The click rotary member includes a first click engaging portion. The upper case includes a second click engaging portion. An engagement between the first click engaging portion and the second click engaging portion generates a left-right click.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: TAKAGI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kobayashi