Patents Examined by Christopher D Ballman
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11841085
    Abstract: A piston actuated cartridge valve (PACV) can be formed within a fluid fitting such as a tee or cross member in a fluid piping system. The PACV includes a base mount extending between first and second ends having a stop and a slide positioned therein. The slide is movable between a closed position and a fully open position by an actuation piston and spring working in combination. The slide permits fluid flow therethrough in the open position and restricts fluid flow in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Edgar Mendez
  • Patent number: 11819811
    Abstract: A premixing device includes: a gas flow passage forming member in which an x direction is used as an axial length direction, and a Venturi-shaped gas flow passage into which air can flow in from the outside is formed inside; and a blade portion positioned in the gas flow passage, extending in a y direction, and equipped with a fuel gas outlet. The blade portion includes first and second blade portions spaced apart from each other in a z direction, and an air flow path near the center through which a part of the air flows is formed between these first and second blade portions. At least one of a pair of surfaces of the first and second blade portions facing each other is equipped with an inner bulging portion that bulges in the z direction so as to squeeze a part of the air flow path near the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: NORITZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Miura, Tsuneo Funabiki, Tatsuya Karaki, Kyohei Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11802630
    Abstract: Valve including a valve body with an inlet port and two outlet ports, a core capable of allowing or interrupting the flow of fluid between the inlet port and the outlet ports, the core being rotatably movable about a longitudinal axis and configured to assume two end angular positions, a gear motor comprising an output shaft driving the core, sensors for managing the electric motor mounted to a first, facing electronic board, an angular position sensor of the output shaft, mounted to a second electronic board, the first electronic board and the second electronic board being disposed in two distinct planes orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, a magnet rotatably attached to the output shaft, the position and angular extension of which are such that the magnet does not disturb the operation of the management sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: BONTAZ CENTRE R & D
    Inventors: Anthony Taupeau, Nicolas Bonnevay, Fabien Casara
  • Patent number: 11801376
    Abstract: In general, one aspect disclosed features a medical device, comprising: a four-way medical stopcock, comprising: a body defining a cock barrel and comprising: a first stem having a first port, a second stem having a second port, and a side stem having a side port; and a rotatable cock disposed within the cock barrel, wherein: the cock places the first port and second port in fluid communication when the cock is in a first position, and the cock places the first port, second port, and side port in fluid communication when the cock is in a second position; and a needleless valve having a valve stem, wherein the valve stem is disposed within the side stem such that an internal volume defined by the side stem, the valve stem, and the cock when the cock is in the third position, is approximately 0.09 ml.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: CODAN US CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas F. Knight
  • Patent number: 11796073
    Abstract: A multi-port valve provides three inlets and three outlets. In many embodiments, seven flow configurations are provided. A stemshell can rotate internal to a housing to direct fluid from specific inlets to specific outlets while saving flow through various inlet/outlet ports as required by the various flow configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Kyle Svejcar, James Pearson
  • Patent number: 11796074
    Abstract: Multiport valve with outlets transverse to the inlet useful as a coker switch valve. A sealed lower sleeve assembly provides semi-trunnion ball support. An upper part of the outlet seat recesses is formed in the bonnet, and a lower part in the valve body, which together bias a resilient member to load the seats, independently of end connections. Before bonnet assembly, when the ball is rotated to face a body outlet, there is sufficient space in the seat recesses to insert the seat, slide the seat onto the ball, and then insert the resilient member. When all the seats and resilient members are in place, engagement of the bonnet biases the upper part of the resilient members to load the seat. In valve operation, an enlarged ball outlet bore can straddle two outlet ports and maintain process media flow during switching. Also, methods of assembling, operating, and servicing the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Mogas Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred Lewis Anderson, Asmaa Sadek Kassab, Phillip M. Inman
  • Patent number: 11796083
    Abstract: A valve trim that is configured to abate noise in a control valve. These configurations may include a cage with a flow path that has a spiral design or layout. This flow path can direct flow around a central bore. A plug may reside in this bore. This plug can travel longitudinally to change parameters of flow through the control valve. In one implementation, the spiral design can split flow inside of the cage. This feature can elongate travel of flow without any increase in dimensions of the cage (or the valve trim itself).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Dresser, LLC
    Inventors: Chad Eric Yates, Rohan N. Buntval, Stephen Randall Farmer, Donald Stroman Sanders, Jeremy Asher Glaun, Mikhail Anisimov
  • Patent number: 11788647
    Abstract: A valve arrangement includes a valve module and a base module. The valve module includes a stator and a rotor, which is rotatable relative to the stator such that at least one fluid connection is formable between the stator and the rotor. The base module includes at least a part of a force control mechanism for selectively implementing a force-releasing or force-coupling of the rotor and the stator, whereby the valve module and the base module are selectively coupleable to or decoupleable from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Manfred Berndt
  • Patent number: 11788263
    Abstract: A valve enclosure and side handle faucet system comprising the valve enclosure. The valve enclosure comprises an inlet portion, an outlet portion and a valve cavity. The valve enclosure further comprises a ball valve and is mounted to the side of a spout such that fluid enters the valve cavity perpendicularly from a fluid inlet line and exits the cavity perpendicularly from an outlet such that the distance between the input and output flow to the cavity is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventor: Lily Herron
  • Patent number: 11781662
    Abstract: A multi-port, rotary actuated valve assembly for controlling fluid flow in a vehicle is provided, which includes a valve housing defining a puck-receiving cavity. A puck is positioned within the puck-receiving cavity and is rotatable therein. The puck has a plurality of chambers that interconnect different combinations of ports provided in the valve housing depending on the rotational position of the puck. The chambers in the puck include at least a first chamber and a second chamber, each of which include a chamber opening on the distal end of the puck. The opening to the first chamber on the distal end of the puck is radially inboard of the opening to the second chamber such that at least two separate and parallel fluid flow paths are provided on the distal end of the puck along which fluid may enter or exit the first and second chambers, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignees: HANON SYSTEMS EFP DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, Hanon Systems EFP Canada Ltd.
    Inventors: Tilo Schäfer, Jan Hinrichs, Michael Krug, Dean Bajlon, Frants Selimov
  • Patent number: 11781695
    Abstract: An apparatus for sealing a hole or a shape in a surface, which, in an exemplary embodiment, may take the form of a sheet of a soft material containing an interior hole, an exterior surface, a top lip, and an outer area. It may likewise be contemplated for the sealing apparatus to feature a bottom lip. Part of the apparatus may be roughened or have a rough surface attached thereto, which may be imprinted into the interior portion of the body and the exterior portion of the body and the top lip, or both. An adhesive pipe sealant may be used along the rough surface and bonded to the increased surface area of the roughened region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Inventor: Paul Luccia
  • Patent number: 11781660
    Abstract: A multiport valve used for a water quality analyzer is provided with: a valve head having a plurality of ports for receiving pipings for connections therebetween, the ports being provided on an outer surface of the valve head, the valve head including a connection surface in which ends of flow paths communicating with the respective ports are arranged in the same plane, the valve head being made of a resin material having corrosion resistance against a chemical used in the water quality analyzer; a rotor having a flat surface provided with a groove for switching a connection state between the ends of the flow paths arranged on the connection surface, the flat surface being arranged so as to face the connection surface; and a drive mechanism configured to rotate the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuma Maeda
  • Patent number: 11773999
    Abstract: A fluid valve for a sample separation apparatus includes a first valve component and a second valve component, which are adjacent to one another and movable relative to one another. The valve components are configured such that, in at least one switching state, at least one switchable fluid channel is formed between the valve components, and at least one part of a surface of at least one of the first valve component and the second valve component is provided with a coating containing gold and/or platinum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tony Ziegler, Darijo Zeko, Thomas Ortmann
  • Patent number: 11767922
    Abstract: A multi-way valve for controlling a refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration system with a heat pump function, having a housing which has two mutually opposite end faces which each comprise an insertion opening to which a regulating chamber is connected, having multi-way valve arrangements which can each be inserted in the regulating chamber, the multi-way valve arrangement comprising at least one base body and a rotary slide valve arrangement, with in each case one connection in the housing, which open into the respective regulating chamber, and with at least further connections in the housing, which open into at least one channel which extends between the regulating chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: OTTO EGELHOF GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Peter Bohnenstengel, Christian Dorn, Andreas Ehmen, Hans Köstler, Rainer Maurer, Volker Von Rad, Kai Schauwecker
  • Patent number: 11719347
    Abstract: A control valve includes a valve body and a valve gate, the valve body has an inner space, first fluid inlets, second fluid inlets, and a fluid outlet, the valve gate is movably located inside the inner space, the first fluid inlets are located at a side of the fluid outlet, the second fluid inlets are located at another side of the fluid outlet, the first fluid inlets and the second fluid inlets are arranged along a radial direction of the valve gate, the valve gate has a main channel having a first inlet end, a second inlet end, and an outlet end, the first inlet end is connected to the first fluid inlets, the second inlet end is connected to the second fluid inlets, and the outlet end is connected to the fluid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: COOLER MASTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shui-Fa Tsai, Sy-Chi Kuo, Hsin-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 11718216
    Abstract: A cabin control valve assembly for a vehicle includes a cabin control valve with at least one port P, and at least one solenoid direction control valve that is integrated with the cabin control valve at the at least one port P such that pressurised air that enters through an inlet port of the cabin control valve reaches an inlet of the at least one solenoid direction control valve. The at least one solenoid direction control valve is configured to allow, based on at least one signal indicative of at least one parameter related to the vehicle, delivery of pressurised air to a corresponding cylinder coupled to the cabin control valve assembly for operation of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: ROTEX AUTOMATION LTD.
    Inventor: Nirav Shah
  • Patent number: 11719349
    Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve body defining a cylindrical passage therein about an axis. An inlet port is defined in or near a first end of the valve body. First and second outlet ports are defined in the valve body extending radially outward from the cylindrical passage. A cylindrical valve spool having a central passage is positioned within, and sealingly engaged with, the cylindrical passage. The valve spool is moveable along the axis among: a first position wherein the inlet port is in fluid communication with the first outlet port but not the second outlet port, a second position wherein the inlet port is in fluid communication with the second outlet port but not the first outlet port, and an intermediate position between the first and second positions wherein the inlet port is in fluid communication with both of the first and second outlet ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: MUELLER REFRIGERATION, LLC
    Inventors: Ralph S. Bryant, Gregory S. Wade, Bradley W. Randolph, Mark Bornand, Tyler A. Meador
  • Patent number: 11713830
    Abstract: A valve trim for use in a fluid flow control device. The valve trim includes a cage body defined by an outer cage wall and an inner cage wall coupled to the outer cage wall, the outer cage wall spaced radially outward of the inner cage wall. The valve trim also includes a plurality of first flow characterizing passages formed in the outer cage wall, and a plurality of second flow characterizing passages formed in the inner cage wall. The cage body is at least partially made of an erosion-resistant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Kimball R. Barron, Daniel J. Eilers
  • Patent number: 11713818
    Abstract: The decoking control valve includes a piston, a cylinder, and a hydraulic rod seal at the outlet ports. The piston can move translational inside the cylinder along a fixed direction. The cylinder houses the hydraulic rod seal in a groove of the cylinder that places the hydraulic rod seal next to the piston. The hydraulic rod seal has a seal ring in contact with the piston, and the seal rings are activated. As the piston translates within the cylinder, the seal ring will activate at one outlet port and allow fluid to flow out of another outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Flowserve Management Company
    Inventors: Daniel Arzuaga, Hrishikesh Gadre, James T. McGuire