Patents Examined by Denise R Anderson
  • Patent number: 8256625
    Abstract: A filter cartridge includes a top end cap and a bottom end cap spaced apart from one another. A filter media is disposed between the top and bottom end caps. An outlet channel is within the filter media and extends between the top end cap and the bottom end cap. The outlet channel includes an open top end proximate the top end cap and a closed bottom end proximate the bottom end cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ratnakar Sahasrabudhe, Samuel Vincent DuPlessis, Markus Dantinne, Terry Zerger
  • Patent number: 8251230
    Abstract: A notched wire 4 that is disposed in layers in a filtration apparatus. First projection stripes 4d are formed on the top surface 4b of a base 4a at prescribed intervals in the longitudinal direction of the base 4a so as to extend in the width direction of the base 4a. Second projection stripes 4e are formed approximately at the centers of the first projection stripe 4d so as to extend between the first projection stripes 4d•4d. The second projection stripes 4e are projection stripes having an approximately semicircular cross section, for example. The second projection stripes 4e is smaller in height than the first projection stripes 4d, and the width of the second projection stripes 4e is shorter than the length of the first projection stripes 4d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Kanagawa Kiki Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideto Y Takahashi, Thanh Trung Phan
  • Patent number: 8245854
    Abstract: A filter paper insert for a brewed beverage includes a filter paper shaped to form a cone-shaped filter having a side wall, a closed bottom and an upper filling opening. The side wall has three parallel, circumferential zones of increasing permeability in a direction from the closed bottom to the upper filling opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Melitta Haushaltsprodukte GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Hassebrauck
  • Patent number: 8240484
    Abstract: Herein are disclosed high loft spunbonded webs that are substantially free of crimped fibers and gap-formed fibers. The webs exhibit a solidity of from less than 8.0% to about 4.0% and a ratio of Effective Fiber Diameter to Actual Fiber Diameter of at least 1.40. Also disclosed are methods of making such webs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andrew R. Fox, John D. Stelter, Michael R. Berrigan, Jonathan M Lise
  • Patent number: 8241496
    Abstract: A filter device includes a casing having an inlet for introducing fluid and an outlet for discharging fluid, and a filtering element disposed between the inlet and the outlet. The filtering element has an outer circumference face restricted from being deformed in a fluid flowing direction. The filtering element has an upstream end face on an upstream side in the fluid flowing direction, and a downstream end face on a downstream side in the fluid flowing direction. The filtering element is configured to be compressed toward the upstream end face by pressing the downstream end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Kyosan Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junko Ishii
  • Patent number: 8236178
    Abstract: A method for cleaning and maintaining reverse osmosis membrane filters by injecting sulfurous acid into water to form sulfurous acid (H2SO3), and then sequentially filtering the acidified water through membrane filters to reduce alkalinity and mineral scaling, add sufficient SO2 as a biocide to attack bacteria and other micro organisms to prevent membrane fouling, reduce iron to prevent iron deposit build-up, scavenge and remove dissolved oxygen prior to filtration to prevent membrane oxidation, and prevent concentrated salts within the retentate from precipitating out of solution during transport for land application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Earth Renaissance Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Ruehr, Evelyn Ruehr, legal representative, Terry R. Gong
  • Patent number: 8225940
    Abstract: A filter element includes a filter material (10) having individual filter folds (12) folded in a star-like manner. At least one fluid-permeable support element (26) extends at least partially in the space between two adjacent filter folds (12) and/or on the inner peripheral side and/or external peripheral side of the filter folds (12). The support element (26) is provided with filter-active substances or is made of filter-active substances. A certain type of filter auxiliary agent can be obtained which is used to reduce influences of fluid components which reduce the service life, in the form of specific ageing products or in the form of other agents which damage the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hydac Filtertechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8220640
    Abstract: One embodiment is a replaceable filter cartridge including a plurality of stacked disks of filter media extending between a first endplate and a second endplate. A plurality of frame members extend axially between and connect the first endplate to the second endplate. The cartridge includes a compression assembly supported by the first endplate. The compression assembly includes at least one compression member operable to impart a compression force on said plurality of stacked disks of filter media thereby biasing said plurality of stacked disks of filter media in an axial direction toward the second endplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly H. Schmitz, Gerard Malgorn
  • Patent number: 8220206
    Abstract: A rain gutter filter apparatus and method utilize a filter element of a reticulated foam material adapted for insertion into a gutter having an open top defining a top width of the gutter. The filter element has a flat top surface with a width substantially matching the top width of the gutter, a bottom surface having a width less than the top width of the filter element, and front and rear surfaces extending upward from the bottom surface of the filter element to thereby form a front and a rear open passage for water on front and rear sides of the bottom surface of the filter element when the filter element is installed into the gutter. The reticulated foam material of the filter element has a composition that is flame resistant, germicidal, mold resistant, and resistant to degradation by exposure to ultraviolet rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: American Gutter Filter, Inc.
    Inventor: Ken Konkey
  • Patent number: 8206592
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods of treating water by directing the water to a first reverse osmosis (RO) membrane; separating the water using the first RO membrane; adding a chelating agent to first permeate and/or raising the pH of the first permeate to between about 5.5 and 7.5 before a second RO membrane; and separating the first permeate into a second permeate and a second concentrate using the second RO membrane, thereby separating constituents from the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Bossler, Hari Bhushan Gupta, Kenneth R. Workman, Jospeh C. Jimerson
  • Patent number: 8162153
    Abstract: Herein are disclosed high loft spunbonded webs that are substantially free of crimped fibers and gap-formed fibers. The webs exhibit a solidity of from less than 8.0% to about 4.0% and a ratio of Effective Fiber Diameter to Actual Fiber Diameter of at least 1.40. Also disclosed are methods of making such webs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andrew R. Fox, John D. Stelter, Michael R. Berrigan, Jonathan M Lise
  • Patent number: 8162870
    Abstract: A blood filter device has a housing that includes: a head portion (2) provided with a blood inlet (5) and forming an upper structure of the housing, a filtration portion (3) positioned below the head portion and forming a middle structure of the housing, and a bottom portion (4) disposed below the filtration portion and provided with a blood outlet (7); and a filter (8) mounted in a cavity of the filtration portion and partitioning a cavity of the housing into a head portion side and a bottom portion side. The filter is formed of a filter sheet folded to have a plurality of pleats, and disposed so that ridgelines of the plurality of pleats traverse respectively the cavity of the filtration portion in parallel. The bottom portion has a conical portion (4a) on the inner bottom face protruding downward to form a conical face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: JMS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shota Nakao, Yutaka Katsuno, Masayoshi Omori
  • Patent number: 8157106
    Abstract: A container is shown with a sump and a strainer separating the container interior from the sump. The sump is provided with a drain for draining liquid in the container from any solid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventors: Michael Alan Rosenblatt, Peter Ashley Bourgeois, Michael David Lonegrass
  • Patent number: 8157105
    Abstract: An oil strainer includes a body which has lower and upper walls and an inside space between the lower and upper walls, a filter substantially horizontally disposed within the body so as to divide the inside space into lower and upper space sections, an outlet port provided on the upper wall of the body and communicated with the upper space section, and an inlet port provided on the lower wall of the body and communicated with the lower space section. The lower wall includes a first area in which an inlet port periphery of the inlet port is disposed, and a second area separate from the first area. A vertical distance between the filter and the lower wall in the first area is smaller than a vertical distance between the filter and the lower wall in the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nishiyama, Youji Hiraoka, Shingo Hirotsu
  • Patent number: 8147691
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a fluid filter having integral attachment means which may take the form of a threaded portion of a filter cartridge. The threaded portion threadably interacts with a complementary threaded portion of a filter mounting to retain the filter cartridge to the filter mounting. The disclosure also pertains to a fluid filter having a cartridge made from two plastic shells welded together. The disclosure also pertains to a fluid filter with filter media positioned within a filter cartridge by an end cap with extending ribs welded to one of the two shells which compose the filter cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Baldwin Filters, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy L. Krull, Farrell F. Calcaterra
  • Patent number: 8128821
    Abstract: A reverse osmosis system 110 includes a membrane chamber 112 having a feed line. The chamber 112 generates a permeate stream 114 and a brine stream 116 from the feed line 118. A feed pump 120 pressurizes the feed line 118. A first flow meter generates a first flow signal corresponding to a flow of fluid in the permeate stream 214. A booster device 172 has a turbine 176 in fluid communication with the brine stream 116 and a pump 174 in fluid communication with the feed line 118. A motor 178 is coupled to the turbine device 176 and a variable frequency drive 182 is attached to the turbine device 176 operating in response to the first flow signal. A second flow meter 218 generates a second flow signal corresponding to a flow of fluid in the brine stream 116 and a variable size nozzle 240 operates an opening in response to the second flow meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fluid Equipment Development Company, LLC
    Inventor: Eli Oklejas, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8110110
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for removing organic matter from water. The method includes contacting the water with a powdered material with an anionic or cationic surface charge and having a particle size of between 0.1 mm and 2 mm. The powdered material is a modified product of natural origin. The system and method also provides for the regeneration of the powdered material in situ and reused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Croue, Hugues Humbert, Abdelkader Gaid, Herve Suty, Jean-Christophe Schrotter, Yvan Poussade
  • Patent number: 8101083
    Abstract: A pre-treatment method for cleaning and maintaining reverse osmosis membrane filters by injecting sulfurous acid into waters with suspended solids in a liquid fraction to be filtered to form sulfurous acid (H2SO3) to acid leach heavy metals into the liquid fraction, reduce alkalinity and mineral scaling, add sufficient SO2 as a biocide to attack bacteria and other micro organisms to prevent membrane fouling, reduce iron to prevent iron deposit build-up, scavenge and remove dissolved oxygen prior to filtration to prevent membrane oxidation, and then sequentially filtering the acidified water through membrane filters to create a metal free permeate and a brine retentate, which can be pH adjusted to remove the heavy metals as metal hydroxide precipitates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Earth Renaissance Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Ruehr, Evelyn Ruehr, legal representative, Terry R. Gong, Marcus G. Theodore
  • Patent number: 8070088
    Abstract: A novel positive traction permeate tube and fittings therefor are described for use in spirally wound membrane filtration elements for filtration and separation applications. Membrane filtration elements incorporate the novel permeate tube. Methods of making the novel positive traction permeate tube are also disclosed, as are the preferred sanitary stainless steel materials used for the sanitary tube and fittings. The novel permeate tube involves a sanitary tubing having two open ends, each with an end fitting. The end fittings engage a positive traction drive for high tension spiral winding of a membrane element spirally around the novel permeate tube. Membrane filtration elements made with the novel permeate tube are less subject to slippage and breakage during manufacture and can withstand higher pressure drops and flow rates during use without failure of the spirally wound membrane element. The positive traction permeate tube facilitates membrane replacements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Cott Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Pedro J. Tortosa
  • Patent number: 8038882
    Abstract: Intermittent gas flow and membrane separation apparatus and methods of use including an internal gas chamber including an upper wall; at least one inlet for supplying gas to the internal gas chamber; a column pipe that extends above the upper wall of the internal gas chamber, the column pipe including a lower end portion including a lower end portion opening in the internal gas chamber, the column pipe linking the internal gas chamber to an area external to the internal gas chamber for fluid flow between the internal gas chamber and the external area; an auxiliary pipe including one end portion connected to the column pipe for fluid flow between the auxiliary pipe and the column pipe, and another end portion branched off from the column pipe, the another end portion including an opening located in the internal gas chamber at a position higher than the lower end portion opening of the column pipe by a predetermined height; and an auxiliary pipe external tubular member including a closed end, the auxiliary pipe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Tomotaka Hashimoto