Patents Examined by Frank Lawrence
  • Patent number: 9931591
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor system for detecting accumulation of dust in a filter of a HVAC system includes a first conductive mesh, a second conductive mesh, a first filter media disposed between the first conductive mesh and the second conductive mesh, and a circuit configured to measure a capacitance of a first capacitive sensor formed by the first conductive mesh, second conductive mesh, and the first filter media. The circuit further is configured to translate a measured capacitance to a dust level indicator frequency that is used to determine a frequency corresponding to level of dust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marlon Galsim, Marlowe Dulaca Apuhin
  • Patent number: 9931582
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for use with flue gas having a moisture content M. The flue gas is introduced to strong brine adapted to exothermically absorb moisture. Simultaneously, heat is withdrawn. This produces heat, water-enriched brine and a gas having a moisture concentration less than M. The strong brine can be recovered by distillation from enriched brine to produce water. The brine temperature throughout absorption can remain within 2° F. of a temperature T in the range 220° F.-300° F. The heat withdrawal can be associated with gas-liquid phase change of a working fluid. The terminus of the heat flow can be associated with gas-liquid phase change of the working fluid. The working fluid can: as liquid, flow only by gravity, convection or wicking; and, as gas, flow only by diffusion or convection. The heat flow can drive a boiler producing steam. M can be greater than 15 wt. % water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Drystill Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Furlong, Ian R. McGregor, Christopher H. Belchers
  • Patent number: 9933116
    Abstract: A vehicle fuel gas pre-filter unit can include a housing, a filter, and an inlet valve. The housing is installed in a vehicle structure that includes an outlet valve. The filter is located in the housing and between the inlet and outlet valves with respect to fuel gas flow through the pre-filter unit. The inlet valve permits and prevents gas flow into the housing and has a valve head that opens and closes an inlet port. The outlet valve permits and prevents gas flow out of the housing and eventually to a vehicle fuel gas storage tank. The outlet valve has a valve head that opens and closes an outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Alternative Fuel Containers, LLC
    Inventor: Joong-Kyu Lee
  • Patent number: 9936604
    Abstract: An option device for an electrical appliance of the invention is provided with a filter for purifying exhaust air from the electrical appliance, and an electric fan, wherein the air flow resistance in an external air inlet port formed independently of a suction port for sucking exhaust air from the electrical appliance is adjustable. According to this configuration, it is easy to secure balance between the exhaust air flow rate of the electrical appliance and the suction force by the electric fan without variably controlling the rotational speed of the electric fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Tomoda, Shogo Asaoka, Naoki Matsui, Isao Kawakami, Shuan Yang
  • Patent number: 9933078
    Abstract: A passive isolation valve equipped with one or more nozzles configured to deliver a flow of gas to an area adjacent the valve seat so as to remove accumulated particulate material from the area of the valve adjacent the valve seat that otherwise may adversely affect closure of the valve in response to an energetic event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Fike Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan Garnett, E. Dean Miller
  • Patent number: 9932941
    Abstract: A snap-in spring clip assembly includes a discrete clip cleat and a fastener carried on the clip cleat. The discrete clip cleat includes a body having a base, a first rib depending from the base and a second rib depending from the base. The first and second ribs each include at least one resilient locking arm that allows the discrete clip cleat to be snapped into and retained in a desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Roger Khami, Jeff Sean Boulton, Jacqueline L. Tomlin, Ronald R. Narkun
  • Patent number: 9932943
    Abstract: A filter element, and filter apparatus, include a filter pack, a seal member, and a seal support frame operatively connecting the seal member to the filter pack. The seal support frame includes an annular extension, which is preferably canted at an oblique angle to a longitudinal axis, for supporting the seal member. The seal support frame also preferably includes a first end thereof including the annular extension, and a second end thereof spaced from the first end thereof along the longitudinal axis, with the first and second ends of the seal support frame joined by a hub of the outer peripheral sidewall of the seal support frame to define a cavity within the seal support frame for receiving the filter pack. The first and second ends of the seal support frame, and the filter pack are preferably joined and sealed to one another by a single bead of adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Baldwin Filters, Inc.
    Inventors: Gene W. Brown, Steven J. Merritt
  • Patent number: 9932942
    Abstract: A flexible porous non-pollutive tube, wherein the walls of the tube are made by tapes formed by interlaced textile fibers, and to which activated charcoal is added, in agglomerate, powder or granulated form, and the textile tapes being wound over the charcoal and glued among the charcoal in the helical direction, forming an air conducting acoustic flexible helical pipe which is a part of a combustion engine's intake system used by the automobile industry, and adding the activated charcoal in the walls or in the pipe's external or internal lining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventor: Edmond Pol Jean Lepoutre
  • Patent number: 9925516
    Abstract: A metal-organic framework (MOF) structure comprising at least one metal ion and at least one multidentate organic ligand which is coordinately bonded to said metal ion, and a scaffold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: NUMAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick Fuller, Mitchell Hugh Weston, William Morris, William Hoover
  • Patent number: 9925567
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for a self-cleaning ion generator that includes a self-cleaning ion generator device that includes a bottom portion, a top portion, at least one electrode extending from the top portion, and a cleaning apparatus for cleaning the at least one electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Global Plasma Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Charles Houston Waddell
  • Patent number: 9924845
    Abstract: A robot cleaner including: a body; and a sensor protruding from a top surface of the body, wherein the body includes a protrusion positioned forward of the sensor relative to a forward driving direction of the robot cleaner, the protrusion extending to a height that is at least equal to the height of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: DYSON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: James Dyson, Michael David Aldred, Leanne Joyce Garner
  • Patent number: 9919587
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided including a cabin, a conduit arranged to conduct a flow of air from outside the vehicle to the cabin, and a filter unit arranged to filter at least a portion of the flow of air before it enters the cabin. Further, an ionizing unit is arranged in the conduit upstream of the filter unit as seen in the direction of the flow of air so as to charge particles present in the flow of air and transmit at least a major part of the charged particles towards the filter unit. The at least one collector electrode has a tube-like shape arranged to conduct at least a portion of the flow of air, and the at least one emitter electrode is arranged at a central axis of the tube-like shaped collector electrode, whereby a more uniform ionization field is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BLUEAIR AB
    Inventor: Johan Wennerström
  • Patent number: 9919262
    Abstract: A process for removing sulfur dioxide from a feed gas stream, which comprises (i) contacting the feed gas stream with an aqueous lean absorbing medium comprising a chemical solvent comprising a regenerable absorbent, a physical solvent, and one or more heat stable salts. The regenerable absorbent is an amine. The ratio of the wt % of the physical solvent over that of the regenerable absorbent is 0.5 to 2.5. The ratio of the wt % of heat stable salts over that of the regenerable absorbent is 0.29 to 0.37. The pH of the lean absorbing medium is 6 or less. With the process SO2 can be selectively removed. When the absorbing medium is stripped, a reduced amount of energy is required as compared to known processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Michel Ouimet, Mélina Infantino
  • Patent number: 9919184
    Abstract: An air-cleaning fitness device has a main frame, a housing, a driving assembly, a fan device and at least one filter. The housing, the driving assembly and the fan device are mounted on the main frame. The housing has a confined space and an airflow passage. The driving assembly and the fan device are located inside the housing and connect to each other. The fan device has a second inlet and a second outlet. The second inlet and the second outlet are respectively aligned with two ends of the airflow passage. The at least one filter is mounted on the housing and is capable of covering either end of the airflow passage. The driving assembly has at least one driving member which extends out of the housing and drives the fan device. When the user operates the air-cleaning fitness device, the air-cleaning fitness device purifies the air at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Hao-Tsang Lin
  • Patent number: 9919257
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for regenerating a sorbent material of a scrubber, configured for scrubbing a contaminant from indoor air from an enclosed space. Some embodiments include a sorbent material portion (SMP) including a sorbent material, which may be configured to be cycled between an adsorption phase for adsorbing a contaminant from indoor air, and a regeneration phase configured for releasing at least a portion of the contaminant adsorbed by the sorbent material during the adsorption phase thereof, via temperature swing adsorption, into a purging airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Enverid Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Udi Meirav, Israel Biran
  • Patent number: 9919258
    Abstract: A pressure swing adsorption process for producing a gas stream enriched in a compound X from a feed gas stream is provided. The process includes at least 2 adsorbers, with each adsorber being subjected to a pressure cycle having a high pressure and a low pressure. The process includes adsorption at the high pressure with production of the gas stream enriched in compound X; then depressurization; then elution at the low pressure; and finally repressurization to the high pressure. The elution gas is made up fractions of gas stream resulting from the depressurization of an adsorber and the gas stream enriched in compound X. The pressure cycle has a phase time corresponding to the duration of a pressure cycle divided by the number of adsorbers and the fraction of the gas stream enriched in compound X is determined as a function of the phase time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Christian Monereau, Yann-Pierrick Lemaire, Elise Renou, Louis Toulemonde
  • Patent number: 9919252
    Abstract: An air purifier device is provided including a fan unit including a fan arranged to produce an air flow through the air purifier device, and a filter unit including a filter arranged to filter the air flow produced by the fan. The filter unit is adapted to stand on a support surface when the air purifier device is positioned for use. The air purifier device further includes a coupling mechanism arranged to secure the fan unit on top of the filter unit. The coupling mechanism includes two release means arranged on opposite outer sides of the fan unit, and the fan unit is releasable from the filter unit by actuating the two release means. The filter unit may be removed from the fan unit by a single action (or movement) by the user, whereby filter replacement of the air purifier device is facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BLUEAIR AB
    Inventors: Johan Wennerström, Elin Engberg
  • Patent number: 9914087
    Abstract: Certain aspects and examples are directed to sorbent devices and methods of using them. In certain embodiments, a sorbent device comprising a body comprising a sampling inlet, a sampling outlet and a cavity between the inlet and the outlet, the cavity comprising a serial arrangement of at least four different sorbent materials is described. In some embodiments, the sorbent materials are arranged from a material with a weakest sorbent strength to a material with a strongest sorbent strength with the weakest sorbent strength material adjacent to the sampling inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Marotta, Miles Snow
  • Patent number: 9914643
    Abstract: In some aspects, a method for incremental hydrogen production includes separating in a first Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) system an existing reformer synthesis gas product stream into a first hydrogen stream and a first waste stream. The first waste stream is compressed to at least 40 bar to produce a compressed waste stream. Water is removed from the compressed waste stream to produce a dried waste stream. Carbon dioxide is removed from the dried waste stream to produce a remaining waste stream, and the removed carbon dioxide is at least 85% of carbon dioxide in the existing reformer synthesis gas product stream. A second PSA system separates the remaining waste stream into a second hydrogen stream and a second waste stream, and the second hydrogen stream comprises at least 11% of hydrogen from the existing reformer synthesis gas product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: GTLpetrol Holding Co. LLC
    Inventor: Rodney J. Allam
  • Patent number: 9909759
    Abstract: In a combustion system, a charge source is configured to cooperate with a collection plate and a director conduit to cause at least one particle charge-to-mass classification to be reintroduced to a flame for further reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION
    Inventors: David B. Goodson, Tracy A. Prevo, Joseph Colannino, Robert E. Breidenthal, Igor A. Krichtafovitch, Christopher A. Wiklof