Patents Examined by Denise R Anderson
  • Patent number: 9963359
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for recovering bromide from a halide-containing aqueous stream, comprising the steps of: providing a feed of halide-containing aqueous stream; contacting an anion-exchange resin with said feed, to form halide-loaded resin; treating said halide-loaded resin with a regenerant and subsequently with a rinse to produce, in succession, a chloride-rich solution, a mixed chloride/bromide solution, a bromide-rich solution and an essentially halide-free solution; directing said mixed chloride/bromide solution to said feed; processing said bromide-rich solution to recover one or more bromide products; and utilizing said essentially halide-free solution for regenerant dilution and/or rinsing of said resin. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: BROMINE COMPOUNDS LTD.
    Inventors: Emanuel Korngold, Mordechai Cohen, Mira Bergstein Freiberg, Sharon Krumbein Rubin
  • Patent number: 9956527
    Abstract: A guide member for directing gas bubble flow along a membrane surface, the guide member having first and second side edges defining a channel for gas bubbles to flow along, the channel having an open bottom end through which the gas bubbles can enter the channel and an open top end through which the bubbles can exit the channel, and a diverting means adjacent the channel bottom end arranged to direct at least some of the incident gas bubbles in a first direction towards the channel bottom end. A membrane module assembly and a membrane filter system including the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Bionest Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Garfield R. Lord
  • Patent number: 9950288
    Abstract: A fluid filter assembly of a filtration system is described. The filter assembly described includes a cover member and a filter cartridge having at least one filter element and a plate member. The plate member includes a seal surface on one side facing the cover member, and a seal surface on another side facing away from the cover member. The seal surface facing the cover member is configured to seal with the cover member, and the seal surface facing away from the cover member configured to seal with another component of the filtration system. The assembly provides a structure that can retain a seal between sealing surfaces of the cover and the filter cartridge, at least while the fluid filter assembly is being serviced, so as to at least minimize fluid dripping and leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark V. Holzmann, Christopher E. Holm, Brian W. Schwandt, Mike J. Connor, Clint T. Deweese, Roger Zoch
  • Patent number: 9950299
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a process for the treatment of an incoming fluid, comprising: a bottom part connecting a common feed stream to individual membrane filter modules through a tailor made connecting piece; a top part connecting individual membrane filter modules to a common retentate stream through a tailor made connecting piece. According to the invention the apparatus is assembled out of tailor-made parts with the object to reduce material costs and labor costs, and the part are made such that footprint of the contraption is minimized. Furthermore, the individual parts form a sub-unit with such dimensions that multiple sub-units can be combined into one main unit, without the need to execute any alterations to the sub-units in terms of sizing, by which means modularity and scalability is introduced into the main units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: X-Flow B.V.
    Inventors: Rob Borgerink, Derk Rudolf Journeé, Robert Martinua Van Opdorp, Bastiaan Blankert
  • Patent number: 9919249
    Abstract: A method and system to recycle water for hydro-excavation includes a vacuum hose to remove a slurry of solids and liquid from hydro-excavation at a site. A debris tank is in fluid communication with the vacuum hose and is used to collect the slurry. The system also includes a filter drum, where a portion of the filter drum is configured to rotate through the slurry to filter the liquids from the solids, where dewatered solids are returned to the site for compaction. In addition, an outlet is in fluid communication with a central portion of the filter drum to return filtered water for use in hydro-excavation at the site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: VAC-TRON EQUIPMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Don M. Buckner
  • Patent number: 9889444
    Abstract: An analysis tool suppressing background and improving detection sensitivity. In a first plate is formed a first concavity having, in the path of excitation light of a surface opposite to a bonding surface, a first bottom surface, a first opening, and a slanted surface widening from the edge of the first bottom surface towards the edge of the first opening. In a second plate, having a flow path formed on the bonding surface, is formed a second concavity having, in the path of excitation light of the surface opposite to the bonding surface, a second bottom surface, a second opening, and a slanted surface widening from the edge of the second bottom surface towards the edge of the second opening. The first plate is bonded to the second plate, and the first opening and the second opening are covered with a film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: ENPLAS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Ono
  • Patent number: 9887400
    Abstract: A secondary battery is disclosed. In one embodiment, the secondary battery includes i) an electrode assembly comprising upper and lower surfaces opposing each other, ii) a container configured to receive the electrode assembly via an opening defined at one end thereof, iii) a cap assembly configured to close the opening of the container, wherein an electrolyte injection hole is defined in the cap assembly, and wherein the electrolyte injection hole is configured to receive electrolyte and iv) an insulation case configured to be received by the container and being interposed between the cap assembly and the electrode assembly, wherein a first electrolyte permeation passage is formed between an outer surface of the insulation case and an inner surface of the container, and wherein the first electrolyte permeation passage is configured to expedite the permeation of the received electrolyte into the lower surface of the electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joung Hwan Park
  • Patent number: 9884295
    Abstract: The present invention relates to membrane bioreactor (“MBR”) system that includes a mechanical membrane reciprocation system to reduce or eliminate membrane fouling. The disclosed MBR system can be operated with higher flux and lower fouling than MBR systems using air scouring. Furthermore the system can remove nitrogen and phosphorous with one RAS and one or no internal recirculation line. The membrane can be reciprocated by a low RPM motor connected to a pulley via belt to rotate rotor to convert rotational motion into reciprocating motion of membrane. Various mechanical means can also be employed to create the reciprocating motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: DOOSAN HEAVY INDUSTRIES & CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jaeho Ho, Shaleena Smith, Gyu Dong Kim, Jaren Patamasank, Petia Tontcheva, Hyung Keun Roh
  • Patent number: 9878290
    Abstract: A submerged membrane separator includes: a plurality of membrane cartridges arranged at predetermined spaces; a flow generating device for generating flows in one direction along the membrane surfaces of the membrane cartridges; and wall members on both sides of a channel of the flow in the one direction formed between the membrane cartridges adjacent to each other. The membrane cartridges can be attached and detached from another direction substantially orthogonal to the flows in the one direction and substantially orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the membrane cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Matsuzaki, Kimihiro Ishikawa, Tatsuya Uejima, Tomohiko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9849408
    Abstract: A filter element (1) has an inner body (12) and an outer body (11). One casing body (12) has a cross section deviating from circularity. Body contact surfaces (20, 21) face one another for the contact of essentially all filter folds (18a-18f, 18I-18III) of a pleated filter web (10). The filter folds (18a-18f, 18I-18III), in terms of fold height (h), are divided into individual groups (I, II) each having several filter folds (18I-18II) of a common fold height (hmax, hmin) alongside one another in sections. Between two adjacent filter folds (18a-18f, 18I-18III) of different groups (I, II) filter folds are arranged (18b-18e; 18m) of at least one third group (III).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: RT-FILTERTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Gerhard Stehle, Dirk Schonfeld
  • Patent number: 9849427
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a hollow fiber membrane with enhanced phosphorus-removing performance without impairing antithrombogenicity in order to inhibit in vivo accumulation of phosphate ions in living body that might cause bone metabolism disorders. The present inventors have found that a hollow fiber membrane having a specific membrane structure and a specific membrane composition possesses a very useful range for inner surface charges of the membrane. More particularly, the inventors have discovered that the above object can be achieved in a limited range in which the zeta potential on the inner surface of a hollow fiber membrane measured under given certain conditions is greater than ?3.0 mV but less than 0 mV. This finding has led to the completion of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: ASAHI KASEI MEDICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mariko Kuroda, Masaya Fuke, Masaki Katou
  • Patent number: 9796600
    Abstract: A portable drinking water filter system, such as a pitcher, having a floatable body including a filter opening configured to receive a water filter, the floatable body having a seal extending outward from an outer surface of the floatable body. The floatable body is disposed in a container cavity such that a body seal engages the sidewall and restricts water from passing between the floatable body and the sidewall. The seal is configured to create friction with the sidewall, wherein the friction created when the floatable body rises in the container is different than when the floatable body lowers in the container. The friction created when the floatable body rises in the container is greater than when the floatable body lowers in the container, allowing the floatable body to auto-retract toward a cavity base without burping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Sports, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus J. Shotey, Jason Swanson, David M. Daniel
  • Patent number: 9790109
    Abstract: The present invention has the technical effect of disinfecting an EDI device of a water purification system. The present invention may be applied to an EDI device having an internal chamber comprising ion exchange components. The internal chamber may also comprise a plurality of ion selective membranes positioned between the anode and the cathode compartments. As illustrated and described herein, embodiments of the present invention seek to sanitize the EDI device without sanitization chemicals or a water supply. Embodiments of the present invention disinfect the EDI device by applying electrical power. Here an electrical supply device heats the EDI device, through resistive heating of the internal chambers, to a sanitization temperature. The resistive heating is a result of ionic movement through the internal chamber. The friction that is created through the ionic movement increases the temperature within the internal chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Harold Barber, Wojciech Gutowski
  • Patent number: 9782706
    Abstract: A flow connector adapted to connect a lug-type filtration sump to a screw-type filtration head, having a first portion for receiving a lug-type filtration sump, and a second portion receivable by a screw-type filtration head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SELECTO, INC.
    Inventor: Ehud Levy
  • Patent number: 9757694
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for backwashing filter membrane modules arranged in parallel in the form of a plurality of module rows within a module rack and supplyable with raw water through supply/drain ports at each end face via respectively associated supply/drain lines, and each including a drain port on a wall side for the filtrate, to which a filtrate collection line is connected for draining the filtrate, wherein valve means are provided to control at least one filtration and backwashing mode, wherein, in the backwashing mode, a supply-side control valve of the first supply/drain lines carrying raw water of a module row is closed, but an associated drain-side control valve of the other supply/drain line of one module row serving to drain backwashing water is open, whereas the remaining supply-side control valves in the supply line carrying raw water of the remaining module rows are open, to ensure backwashing of the one module row of the module rack by the filtrate simultaneously produced by the other mod
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Inge Watertechnologies AG
    Inventors: Peter Berg, Roland Winkler
  • Patent number: 9757676
    Abstract: A filter apparatus and method utilize a filter element, defining a longitudinal axis and an axial end thereof, and having a central winding structure and a length of fluted filter material wound about the winding structure with the flutes of the media oriented to provide for filtration of fluid passing axially through the filter element. An edge of filter media defines the axial end of the filter element when the media is wound about the winding structure. An axial end of the winding structure is disposed adjacent the axial end of the filter element. A winding feature extends substantially axially outward from the axial end of the winding structure to a distal end of the winding feature. The filter media is wrapped about the winding structure such that the axial end of the filter element is disposed substantially flush with the distal end of the winding feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Baldwin Filters, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Merritt, Kyle Swanson
  • Patent number: 9707496
    Abstract: A product that is an apparatus for removing debris from water containing such debris using a perforated plate, a backer plate, and a skimmer, positioned adjacent the back of the perforated plate to provide a means of removing debris from the perforated plate without scraping the debris from the perforated plate, the skimmer bar and the backer plate being synchronized in their movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventors: Terry L. Duperon, Michael A. Woodley
  • Patent number: 9511311
    Abstract: A wastewater filtration device, the device including a tank having end walls, a first screen rotationally mounted adjacent one tank end wall, and a second screen rotationally mounted adjacent the other tank end wall, adjacent the fine screen. The device further includes an inlet in one end wall adjacent the fine screen and into the fine screen, and an outlet in the other end wall adjacent the second screen and out of the second screen. A dividing wall is between the first screen and the second screen, so that water in the inlet flows into the first screen, and then through the first screen out into the tank, around the dividing wall, and then through the second screen into the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ovivo Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. Bugg
  • Patent number: 9498741
    Abstract: An assembly including a first filter element; and a filter element assembly connected to the first filter element. The filter element assembly includes a second filter element located between a first plate and a second plate. The second plate includes a liquid outlet into a center open area of the first filter element. The first and second plates are directly fixedly connected to each other to retain the second filter element therebetween. The second plate is located at an end of the first filter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Inventor: Norbert M. Assion
  • Patent number: 9452375
    Abstract: A replaceable filter for a liquid filter cartridge system having a valve body and a valve actuator relatively rotatable to control fluid flow through the valve by aligning and unaligning respective fluid inlet passages and fluid outlet passages of the valve body and the valve actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Alan J. Mitchell