Patents Examined by Daphne M Barry
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Patent number: 11441701Abstract: A microfluidic valve may include a firing chamber having an orifice, a first portion of a liquid conduit connected to the firing chamber at a first port, a second portion of the liquid conduit connected to the firing chamber at a second port and a thermal resistor. The thermal resistor is to form a bubble within the firing chamber to expel liquid from the firing chamber through the orifice such that a first meniscus forms across the first port and a second meniscus forms across the second port to interrupt liquid flow between the first portion and the second portion of the liquid conduit.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2017Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Craig Olbrich, Alexander N. Govyadinov
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Patent number: 11434970Abstract: A damping valve having a damping valve body with at least one flow channel for damping medium. A valve rod is arranged in the flow channel. The valve rod cooperates with a valve disk and a valve seat surface. The valve rod carries a further valve disk that cooperates with a second valve seat surface. The first valve disk together with the first valve seat surface forms a first partial valve having a first permanently open pilot orifice cross section, and the second valve disk together with the second valve seat surface forms a second partial valve having a second pilot orifice cross section, and a shuttle valve is formed which opens one partial valve and closes the other partial valve depending on the flow direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2018Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Holger Beck, Klaus Schmitz, Sven Kapell
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Patent number: 11434900Abstract: A valve member for a spring-loaded valve assembly includes a top portion having a spring retaining recess, the spring retaining recess extending into the top portion to form a void space, the void space to receive at least one coil of a spring, the spring retaining recess having a recess diameter that is smaller than a top portion diameter, wherein the recess diameter is larger than a rest diameter of a spring base including the coil, the spring retaining recess blocking expansion of the at least one coil when the spring is compressed. The valve member also includes a bottom portion coupled to the top portion. The valve member further includes a sealing element positioned axially below a shoulder of the top portion and legs coupled to the bottom portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2022Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Vulcan Industrial Holdings, LLCInventors: Akhil Alex, Chance Ray Mullins, Kyle Matthew Ellisor, Seth Sprowls
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Patent number: 11427165Abstract: A portable inflation device having a pump, a control device, a user interface, and an inflation indicator. The pump includes an elongated hose with an inflation nozzle. The control device controls operation of the pump and is configured to sense a current pressure of an object, calculate the estimated remaining time to inflate the object to a target pressure, and display the remaining time using the inflation indicator. The user interface is configured to allow a user to enter the target pressure into the control device.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2021Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONInventors: Lynn Curtis Strong, James Randolph Kingsbury, Chris Auerbach, Patrick Lee Ohm, Stephen LeVeau, Michael Williams
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Patent number: 11414846Abstract: The invention provides a device for safely dispensing liquids, enabling to manage the state of a releasing valve according to the user, for example a vulnerable user such as a child.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: UNITO SMART TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Yuval-Yoni Dahan, Abraham Dahan
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Patent number: 11408157Abstract: A fixture pod assembly retained within an outlet of a fixture includes a main body having an inlet and an outlet, a dispersion element retained within the outlet of the main body, and a sensor disposed within an opening of the main body. The dispersion element may be either an aerator or a soap dispenser.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2019Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Bradley Fixtures CorporationInventors: James A. Wollmer, Graeme S. Bayley, Jeffery S. Jaworski
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Patent number: 11408158Abstract: The present application generally relates to a faucet. The faucet includes a continuous internal waterway and a body. The continuous internal waterway includes a first chamber, a second chamber, a valve seat, and a waterway. The second chamber is configured to receive water from a water source. The valve seat is coupled to the first chamber and the second chamber. The valve seat is in fluid communication with the second chamber. The waterway is in fluid communication with the valve seat. The body encapsulates the continuous internal waterway. The faucet is operational to receive the water from the water source and to provide the water to the waterway. The body is isolated from the water by the continuous internal waterway during operation of the faucet.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: KOHLER CO.Inventors: Jeffrey A. Kohler, David J. Macon, Mark W. Schibur, Thomas Manoni, Vindhya K. Tiwari, Jeffrey A. Schumacher
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Patent number: 11402027Abstract: A fluid pressure control device includes a neutral passage, a control valve provided in the neutral passage, a first supply passage, and a discharge passage, the control valve has, a switching valve configured to control a flow of a working fluid to the discharge passage from the first actuator in accordance with a pressure in a pilot chamber to which a part of the working fluid supplied from the first supply passage to the first actuator is led, and a throttle portion configured to throttle the flow of the working fluid supplied to the first actuator from the first supply passage, and the pressure on an upstream side of the throttle portion is led to the pilot chamber.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: KYB CORPORATIONInventors: Masanari Kojima, Masayuki Nakamura, Takeshi Terao
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Patent number: 11401705Abstract: A faucet includes a spout, a water level sensor, and a controller. The spout includes a water outlet having a first set of nozzles oriented at an angle with respect to a central axis defined by the water outlet such that water discharged from the first set of nozzles converges at the central axis at a focal distance from the water outlet. The water level sensor is disposed on the spout, and is configured to detect a distance between the water outlet and a level of water in a container disposed below the water outlet. The controller is configured to control the flow of water through the water outlet based on a comparison between the detected distance and the focal distance.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2021Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: KOHLER CO.Inventor: Chanseol Chung
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Patent number: 11396740Abstract: A free standing bath filler that includes a body having an inlet configured to receive hot and cold water, a first outlet, and a second outlet; a first valve located within the body and configured to control at least one of a flow rate or a temperature of water from the inlet to the first outlet; a second valve located within the body and configured to control at least one of a flow rate or a temperature of water from the inlet to the second outlet; a first controller configured to control an operation of the first valve; and a second controller configured to control an operation of the second valve, wherein the each controller is operable independently of the other controller.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: KOHLER CO.Inventors: Austen G. Thogersen, Jeffrey A. Schumacher
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Patent number: 11391029Abstract: Provided are valve devices and flow heads for a valve device. A valve device can include a valve body (30) that opens and closes a valve hole (15a) to allow communication between a primary flow path (17a) and a secondary flow path (17b), a back pressure chamber (7) defined at the back side of the valve body, a small hole (51) that is provided in the valve body to allow the primary flow path of and the back pressure chamber to communicate with each other, and a pin (6) that has a straight portion inserted into the small hole to clean the small hole by relative motions of the small hole and the straight portion. A flow head (34) may be annular and include one or more notches along a perimeter and be configured to engage with an inner peripheral surface of an upper end portion of an inner barrel of the valve device.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: AS America, Inc.Inventors: Marin Marinov, Walter Pitsch, Eric Soberano, Koji Shimizu, Kojiro Watari
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Patent number: 11384849Abstract: The invention relates to a pinch valve comprising a valve element (4) with precisely one flow channel (20) that is surrounded by a circumferential wall (21) and has an inlet opening (24), which is designed for connecting a connection member (2) or which adjoins a connection element (2a), at a first end and an outlet opening (25), which is designed for connecting a connection member (2) or adjoins a connection element (2a), at a second end. The valve element (4) additionally has a pair of force transmitting elements (19, 19?) or a force transmitting element (19) and a fixing element (26) which are connected to the circumferential wall (21) in a central closing region (18) that is arranged between the inlet opening and the outlet opening. The force transmitting elements (19, 19?) or the force transmitting element (19) and the fixing element (26) are arranged at least substantially perpendicularly to the flow direction of the flow channel (20).Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2018Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: SARTORIUS STEDIM BIOTECH GMBHInventors: Thomas Regen, Sebastian Purmann, Swen Weitemeier, Christian Grimm, Lars Böttcher
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Patent number: 11384848Abstract: Fluid management systems for handling pressurized fluid connect various subsystems or subunits without the need to use reinforced tubing. The system utilizes one or more segments of unreinforced conduit that are encapsulated at various points along a length of the segment with one or more rigid encapsulating members. The unreinforced conduit may be made a disposable element while the rigid encapsulating members may be re-used. In one aspect, the encapsulating member may include a two-part valve body that surrounds and encapsulates a portion of the unreinforced conduit. In another aspect, the encapsulating member may include a two-part jacket that surrounds and encapsulates a portion of the unreinforced conduit. The two-part valve bodies and two-part jackets may be joined at various points within the system as part of the overall flow system.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2020Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Repligen CorporationInventors: Michael C. Gagne, Dean C. Richards, Steven V. Cates
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Patent number: 11371309Abstract: An assembly for a blowout preventer includes a ram having a threaded opening. The assembly also includes a threaded shaft to engage the threaded opening and a motor to drive rotation of the threaded shaft. Rotation of the threaded shaft causes the ram to move axially along the threaded shaft.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventor: Nicolas Arteaga
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Patent number: 11371619Abstract: Example devices include a fluidic device, such as a fluidic valve, including a body formed from a rigid body material including a fluidic source, a fluidic drain, and a fluidic gate, each of which may have a fluid connection with a chamber, or a portion thereof. The device may further include a gate transmission element, located within the chamber, that is controllable between at least a first position and a second position using a gate pressure received through the fluidic drain. Adjustment of the position of the gate transmission element may allow control of fluid flow through the device. Other devices, methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLCInventors: Andrew Arthur Stanley, Erik Samuel Roby, Casey Glick, Serol Turkyilmaz
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Patent number: 11365822Abstract: An electrically operated valve, comprising a valve body component, a drive component and a nut sleeve piece. The drive component comprises a magnetic rotor, a screw rod and a nut, the magnetic rotor being arranged in an inner cavity of a valve cover body, the screw rod being threadedly connected to the nut, the screw rod being incapable of movement in the axial direction with respect to a valve body. The nut sleeve piece comprises a first limiting portion which limits rotation of the nut in the circumferential direction, the cross-section of the first limiting portion being non-circular. A compact structure, which helps to reduce the size of the electrically operated valve.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2018Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: ZHEJIANG SANHUA CLIMATE AND APPLIANCE CONTROLS GROUP CO., LTD.Inventors: Ming Lv, Jiancheng Zhi, Damai Yang
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Patent number: 11365816Abstract: A valve includes: a first plate having a first vent hole; a second plate having a second vent hole; a valve chamber positioned between the first plate and the second plate; a valve body including a third vent hole; an exhaust path-forming plate forming a first flow path between the exhaust path-forming plate and the valve body, forming a second flow path between the exhaust path-forming plate and the second plate, and having a fourth vent hole through which the first flow path is in communication with the second flow path; and a fifth vent hole. The first flow path establishes communication between the second vent hole and the fourth vent hole, and the second flow path establishes communication between the fourth vent hole and the fifth vent hole.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2021Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Yukiharu Kodama
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Patent number: 11365828Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve moveable between an open position where hydraulic fluid flow is permitted and a closed position where hydraulic fluid flow is blocked. A controller includes a magnetometer adapted to measure a magnetic flux through at least a portion of a solenoid linear actuator that moves the valve. A magnetic flux value measured by the magnetometer corresponds to a linear position of the regulating member relative to the port.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2019Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: DANFOSS POWER SOLUTIONS II TECHNOLOGY A/SInventor: Aaron Hertzel Jagoda
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Patent number: 11359740Abstract: An electromagnetic valve includes a sleeve having a valve hole at a central portion thereof, a spool, and an electromagnetic solenoid. The sleeve has plural ports penetrating the sleeve between inner and outer peripheral surfaces thereof and disposed side by side in a central axis direction of the valve hole. In the spool, plural lands having an outer peripheral surface facing an inner peripheral surface of the valve hole are provided side by side in the central axis direction. The electromagnetic solenoid is configured to move the spool in the central axis direction in the valve hole. The ports have one or plural recessed portions in which working oil is stored. When the spool is decentered with respect to the sleeve, a pressure of the working oil stored is increased.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATIONInventors: Kaori Fujita, Toshihiko Shima, Teppei Morita, Toshio Murakami, Shungo Kamigaichi, Tomohiro Shiromaru
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Patent number: 11358015Abstract: A pilot actuator for controlling the operation of a control valve. The control valve can be part of a thy-type fire suppression sprinkler system in which the sprinkler piping network is filled with pressurized gas such as, for example, air, nitrogen, or another gas. The pilot actuator is a differential valve that actuates the control valve when the gas pressure in the sprinkler piping network is at or below a value for tripping or actuating the pilot valve to the open position. The actuator assembly defines a neutral chamber that is at an intermediate pressure in comparison to pressures at the inlet port and the measuring port when the pilot actuator is in a stand-by state.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2019Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: Minimax Viking Research & Development GmbHInventors: Shawn J. Feenstra, Marc Serge Ferere