Patents Examined by James Hogan
  • Patent number: 8424612
    Abstract: A method for extinguishing a full surface liquid tank fire including addressing plunge zone issues, the attack including throwing at least one primary stream over a tank wall, the stream landing with a force of impact in, and defining, a plunge zone; the method including achieving flame collapse leaving a plunge zone flame and subsequently, at least for a period of time, diminishing force of impact per unit area of a primary stream upon said plunge zone flame; alternately the method includes achieving a partial flame collapse including collapse against back tank wall portions and subsequently diminishing stream impact force upon a plunge zone including moving a plunge zone forward in the tank; the method also includes extinguishing a full surface heavy liquid tank fire by teasing the fire prior to employing a non-feathered stream to create a foam blanket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Willfire HC, LLC
    Inventor: Dwight P. Williams
  • Patent number: 8418274
    Abstract: A vacuum drainage system for unclogging a clogged drain comprises a source of vacuum, a hose having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the proximal end portion of the hose being connected to the source of vacuum when the system is in use, and a drain clean-out device being received on the distal end portion of the hose when the system is in use. The drain clean-out device comprises a hollow tubular structure, a sealing member receiving portion located on the exterior surface of the hollow tubular structure at the first end portion of the structure, and a sealing member mountable on the sealing member receiving portion for creating a seal between the sealing member and the exterior service of the structure and between the sealing member and a clogged drain when the hollow tubular structure, with the sealing member mounted thereon, is positioned over a clogged drain, with the sealing member being in contact with an entrance to the drain or with a surface surrounding the entrance to the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Inventor: Larry Edward Dodson
  • Patent number: 8342425
    Abstract: A fuel injector (10) includes an inlet tube (20). A valve body (12) is associated with the inlet tube to define a fuel passage (23). A valve seat (14) is associated with the valve body and defines an outlet opening (18). An armature (42) is movable with respect to the valve body between a first position and a second position. The armature is associated with a closure member (18) that opens and closes the outlet opening. An electromagnetic coil (40) is energizable to provide magnetic flux that moves the armature between the first and second positions to control fuel flow through the outlet opening. A heat exchanger (50) is provided in the inlet tube and a secondary coil (46) is energizable to provide a magnetic field to inductively heat the heat exchanger and thus fuel prior to exiting the outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Imoehl
  • Patent number: 8333333
    Abstract: A dust-control apparatus may be used in combination with tilling, cultivating, harvesting, construction machinery, and other mobile soil treatment implements. The apparatus applies mist to dust particles where the mist is created by pumping water or other liquid through nozzles. Because the apparatus is used in combination with the operation of the dust-generating machinery, the dust suppressing mist is applied nearly simultaneously to the generation of the dust by the agitation of the soil by the machinery. In one embodiment of the device, the operation of the pump or valves which control liquid flow to the nozzles is automatically activated by a optical sensor. The optical sensors cause either the starting of a pump or opening of a valve thereby increasing or decreasing the pressure and/or volume of the liquid upon the dust level reaching a preset trigger point as detected by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Inventor: Lynn Embry
  • Patent number: 8292194
    Abstract: A process for mixing a liquid or mixture of a liquid and a fine solid present in a vessel, in which the vessel is supplied with the same liquid or the same mixture as a motive jet of a jet nozzle which is present in the vessel and has a motive jet and a momentum exchange chamber, the suction region between motive nozzle and momentum exchange chamber being provided with a sheath which has a suction orifice below the central jet leading from the motive nozzle into the momentum exchange chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Michael Blechschmitt, Ulrich Hammon, Friedrich-Georg Martin, Klaus Joachim Mueller-Engel, Peter Zehner
  • Patent number: 8286936
    Abstract: A closable male luer connector is provided in which an inner portion within the spigot of the connector is movable from a sealing position to an open position on connection of the connector to a female luer connector wherein the movement of the inner portion may be caused by, for example, action of the female connector on a projecting arm or a screw thread arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP
    Inventors: Ichiro Kitani, Shigeaki Funamura, Norifumi Fujiwara, Yosuke Sakai
  • Patent number: 8226214
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes an ink supply channel extending through a substrate; an ink chamber arranged on the substrate, into which chamber ink from the ink supply channel is supplied, the ink chamber defining an ink ejection port on one surface thereof; an internal rim provided within the ink chamber, the rim interposed between the ink supply channel and the ink ejection port; and a thermal bend actuator extending into the chamber from outside the chamber, the thermal bend actuator terminating in the chamber with a paddle. The periphery of the paddle and the internal rim are shaped with complementary edges turned towards the ink ejection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Zamtec Limited
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 8191802
    Abstract: A spray head for attachment to an aerosol container containing pressurized product is provided, the spray head comprising conduit means, more than one separate spray outlet and a splitting chamber for diverting the flow to the spray outlets, wherein the conduit means comprise inlet means for attachment to a valve stem of the aerosol spray unit and conduit outlet means which are in direct fluid communication with the splitting chamber, wherein the splitting chamber is in fluid communication with the spray outlets and wherein, for each spray outlet, the ratio, L1/L2, of the distance (L1) between the conduit outlet means and the spray outlet to the distance (L2) between the inlet means and the spray outlet is in the range 0.01 to 0.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ayub Ibrahim Khan, Su-Yon McConville, Christopher Luke Leonard, Scott Edward Smith
  • Patent number: 8191801
    Abstract: A spray head for attachment to an aerosol spray unit containing pressurized product is provided, the spray head having at least two separate spray outlets, wherein at least one of the spray outlets has a non-circular cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ayub Ibrahim Khan, Su-Yon McConville, Christopher Luke Leonard, Scott Edward Smith
  • Patent number: 8181893
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve for internal combustion engines has a valve housing composed of a first housing part and a second housing part which are connected to one another in a connecting region. In order to improve the strength of the connection in relation to the pressure of the fuel which prevails in an inner space, the housing wall of the first housing part is supported in the connecting region on the housing wall of the second housing part, and the housing wall of the second housing part is of reinforced design in the connecting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Siegfried Ruthardt
  • Patent number: 8136741
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel injection device comprising a housing and a valve element disposed therein and cooperating with a valve seat located in the area of at least one fuel discharge port. The valve element is composed of several parts while at least two parts of the valve element are coupled to each other via a hydraulic coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Hanneke, Nadja Eisenmenger, Achim Brenk, Lorenz Zerle, Michael Mennicken, Helmut Clauss, Hans-Christoph Magel, Dirk Vahle, Andreas Kellner, Hrvoje Lalic, Joachim Boltz, Falko Bredow, Martin Katz
  • Patent number: 8132743
    Abstract: A color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Terrence M. Fulkerson, Terry John Thompson, Jeffery Edward Dailidas, Kenneth A. Kreeger, Joseph G. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 8128008
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser nozzle comprising: a rigid support; a fluid passageway; and an annular sealing element that is made of elastomer, that surrounds the rigid support, and that is provided with a lip adapted to close off the passageway so long as the fluid is not arriving under pressure from said passageway. The fluid dispenser nozzle being wherein the rigid support comprises a side wall which internally defines the passageway, the side wall extending along a central axis, and wherein the rigid support further comprises an end wall which closes off the fluid passageway at the second end of the side wall, said end wall being provided with at least one hole that is covered by the lip of the sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: LVMH Recherche
    Inventor: Marc Chevalier
  • Patent number: 8122756
    Abstract: An explosive and narcotics detection system detects the presence of trace particles of those materials that are adhering to surfaces. The particles are removed from the surface, transported and collected in a particle collection medium, and then provided to detection instrument. Narcotics and explosive particles are often bound tenaciously to the surface, and simple techniques, such as blowing air, will either remove only the largest particles or none at all. Techniques for the removal of narcotics and explosives particles are described which utilize an aerosol mixture of aerosol particles in a gas stream to impact and more efficiently remove the target narcotics and explosives particles from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Implant Sciences Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen N. Bunker
  • Patent number: 8109409
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a deodorizer that comprises a package comprised of a porous compostable material and a crushable compostable material within the package that releases a deodorant when crushed. The application further describes a deodorizer assembly comprising an attachment assembly for removably attaching a deodorizer to the interior of a garbage container. The application also discloses a deodorizer assembly comprising a garbage can liner and a crushable compostable material that releases a deodorant when crushed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Inventor: Carolyn MacMurray
  • Patent number: 8104698
    Abstract: In relation to injectors used for internal-combustion engines, it is important to decrease valve closing delay time and also the minimum injection quantity, while these are affected by remanent magnetism in the fixed core, surface tension of the fuel, etc. With reference to a fuel injection valve with a pipe-shaped member to enclose a fixed core and a movable part and further with coils and yokes to cover up the above pipe-shaped member, the anchor to drive the movable member has a plurality of through holes for fuel passage extending in the axial direction, while these through holes are arranged at a certain intervals in the circumferential direction, and projections formed to constitute a contacting surface to touch the fixed core arranged randomly in between the through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Hayatani, Motoyuki Abe, Toru Ishikawa, Eiichi Kubota, Takehiko Kowatari
  • Patent number: 8100345
    Abstract: A needle is forced to open an injection hole by reducing a pressure of fuel in an injection control chamber to thereby inject fuel stored in a fuel storage, while the needle is forced to close the injection hole by increasing the pressure of fuel in the injection control chamber to thereby terminate injection of fuel from the injection hole. In a valve-closing stroke of the needle to close the injection hole, fuel pressure is supplied from a common accumulator to the fuel storage and the injection control chamber in such a manner that the pressure to supply fuel to the fuel storage is lower than that to supply fuel to the injection control chamber. In this way, a force acting on the needle toward the injection hole side can be increased in the valve-closing stroke, to thereby accelerate a valve-closing speed of the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hotta, Yoshifumi Wakisaka, Kiyomi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8100350
    Abstract: An injector includes a valve body, a needle valve, and a thermal expansion member. The valve body includes an internal space and a bottom portion having a nozzle hole. One end side of the space is covered with the bottom portion. The needle valve is accommodated in the space such that a fuel passage leading to the hole is formed between an inner surface of the valve body and an outer surface of the needle valve. The passage is opened or closed with respect to the hole by movement of the needle valve, so fuel injection is started or stopped. The inner surface of the bottom portion is opposed to a one end surface of the needle valve. The member is attached on the one end surface. The member is made of a material having a larger coefficient of thermal expansion than a material of the needle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Oozono, Kazunori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8100382
    Abstract: A flow control valve includes an inlet and an outlet through which fluid enters and exits the valve. A valve plunger has a guide spring attached thereto, such that the guide spring is situated between the plunger and a valve orifice. The plunger, and thus the guide spring, is movable relative to the orifice to control fluid flow through the valve. The guide spring and the orifice surface adjacent the guide spring define coplanar surfaces that seal against each other when the valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Brooks Instrument, LLP
    Inventors: Walter Dennis Robertson, III, Thomas John McNichols, Stephen R. Kramer
  • Patent number: 8096491
    Abstract: An elastomer membrane based, regulated drip emitter unit, equipped with a non-drip valve, wherein the drip emitter is characterized by that it includes an opening that is exposable to an approximate atmospheric pressure that prevails on the water outlet from the drip emitter; and an additional elastomer membrane portion that is strained and biased against the water inlet opening of the drip emitter for creating a seal with its one side for a non-drain valve and on its other (second) side it is connected to that atmospheric pressure prevailing opening, and wherein the elastomer membrane portion is movable towards that opening in order to open the water inlet opening for enabling a water flow passage from a water supply conduit to the drip emitter, and this from the specific instant that the force exerted by the water pressure prevailing in the water supply conduit on one side of that elastomer portion, overcomes the strain at which that portion was strained and biased against the water inlet opening, as well a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Plastro Irrigation Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Moshe Lutzki, Zvika Einav