Patents Examined by James S Hogan
  • Patent number: 7543765
    Abstract: An improved self-unloading spreader has a front end, a back end, and sides defining walls of a container for holding material. The container has at least one opening in one of the walls through which material can move. Inside of the container, longitudinally disposed between the front end and the rear end, is an auger that can move material in the container to and through the opening. Also inside of the container, adjustably positioned above the auger, is an adjustable height baffle to control the amount of material the auger has available to move. Outside of the container, adjacent to the opening, is a transversely mounted conveyer belt for spreading material that flows through the opening. An hydraulic system powers the auger and allows the hydraulically powered auger to either move material towards the opening or away from the opening. The auger, in combination with the adjustable height baffle, controls the rate at which material is provided to the conveyer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Inventor: Brad Elling
  • Patent number: 7540434
    Abstract: In a spray gun (1) for spraying paint with a gun housing (2) provided with a handle (3) with a union nut (10) screwed onto it that holds an air cap (11) provided with offset outlet openings (14, 15) for compressed air, the union nut (10) is positively connected to the air cap (11) in a circumferential direction. This embodiment makes it possible for the spray jet to be set in a brief time and without difficulties without having to put up with getting dirty. It is merely necessary to turn the union nut (10) accordingly in order to control the air supply to the outlet openings (14, 15) of the air cap (11) and therefore to influence the formation of the spray jet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Inventors: Alfred Göhring, Guido Zimmermann, Elmar Krayer
  • Patent number: 7513443
    Abstract: A liquid supply assembly is disclosed. The liquid supply assembly may be used in combination with a spraying device or spray gun to apply liquid to a substrate. The liquid supply assembly is particularly suitable for use in systems utilizing pressurized liquid containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: John I. Escoto, Jr., Daniel E. Siltberg
  • Patent number: 7510131
    Abstract: A nozzle, comprising a housing; and an assembly including at least two deformable conjugated parts separated by a spacer seal, the assembly being arranged in the housing so as to form a nozzle outlet, the housing and the parts and the spacer seal being deformable so as to define a geometry of the nozzle outlet and seal surfaces between the parts and the spacer seal and between the parts and the housing; wherein the parts and the spacer seal are configured so that a force needed for inserting the assembly into the housing exceeds an assembly force that deforms of at least one of the housing and the assembly, and wherein the parts and the housing are deformed by the assembly force when assembled together to create a seal between the parts and the housing; and wherein the housing is fabricated from material having a lower hardness than the parts and the spacer seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Inventors: Ernest Geskin, Boris Goldenberg, Thomas Ursic
  • Patent number: 7510022
    Abstract: A fire-suppression system for use in an aircraft having at least one cargo compartment is disclosed. Methods of suppressing a fire in the cargo compartment are also disclosed. The fire-suppression system, under one aspect of the present invention, can include at least one fire-suppressant vessel, at least one discharge conduit coupled to the at least one fire-suppressant vessel, and a valve arrangement coupled to the fire-suppressant vessel and the discharge conduit. The valve arrangement can have a first setting to discharge a fire suppressant at a first discharge rate after activation of the fire-suppression system, a second setting to discharge the fire-suppressant at a second discharge rate less than the first discharge rate, and a third setting to discharge the fire-suppressant at a third discharge rate greater than the second discharge rate during descent of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Anthony K. Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 7506823
    Abstract: In a washing nozzle for use on vehicles for applying a liquid cleaning or washing medium, means are provided for acting within the nozzle on a main jet generated in the nozzle with a collision jet in order thus to modify the nozzle jet which emerges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Simone Eisele, Uwe Lasebnick
  • Patent number: 7503511
    Abstract: A bi-propellant rocket engine may include a primary propellant flowing in a central passageway, a secondary propellant flowing in a secondary passageway generally coaxial with central passageway and a pintle tip having a central chamber sidewall coaxial with the primary passageway and surrounding a central chamber, the central chamber sidewall having a first plurality of apertures there through so that some of the primary propellant exits the central chamber transverse to the flow of the secondary propellant in the secondary passageway. The pintle tip may have a secondary chamber sidewall, substantially thicker than the primary chamber sidewall, surrounding a secondary chamber downstream of and in fluid communication with the primary chamber, the secondary chamber sidewall having a second plurality of apertures there through so that some of the primary propellant exits the secondary chamber transverse to the flow of the secondary propellant in the secondary passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Space Exploration Technologies
    Inventor: Thomas J. Mueller
  • Patent number: 7484674
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved water flow switching mechanism of a gear-type sprinkler, which addresses problems of typical gear-type sprinklers, such as invalid water switching and poor stability. The gear-type sprinkler includes a water inlet portion, a water outlet portion and accommodating space. A convex framework is additionally placed onto the accommodating space opposite the separate water outlets. Two lateral grooves are defined in the convex framework, each corresponding to a water outlet. So the pivotal portion of the rotary switching seat is assembled centrally into the convex framework. The rotary switching seat is provided with two opposite extension flanges. The extension flange may block the lateral groove of the convex framework in line with the swinging direction of the rotary switching seat. The water-stop area of rotary switching seat is greatly increased, thus ensuring the stability of the water flow switching state and improving performance of the sprinkler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Inventor: Hsin-Fa Wang
  • Patent number: 7478526
    Abstract: A turbine for a sprinkler is disclosed for self-governing its rotational velocity. As a rate of fluid through the sprinkler increases, particularly when air is used to flush the sprinkler system, a portion of the turbine shifts outwardly so as to decrease alignment of vanes located thereon with directed water streams for controlling the rotation of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. McAfee, Cesar A. Gomez
  • Patent number: 7472850
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic standing-wave atomizer arrangement for producing a paint spray mist for painting a workpiece, with a sonotrode, with a component arranged lying opposite the sonotrode, a standing ultrasonic field being formed in the intermediate space between the at least one sonotrode and the component in the case of operation. At least one nozzle-shaped paint feeding device is arranged perpendicularly in relation to the center axis of the sonotrode and introduces the paint into the intermediate space for the atomizing process at least one paint discharge point, the component arranged lying opposite the sonotrode being a coaxially aligned reflector, and the end face of the latter, facing the sonotrode, having a step-shaped recessed formation and the depth of said recessed formation corresponding to a multiple of half the wavelength ? of the sonic vibrations in air that are produced in the sonotrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Gert Stauch, Bjoern Mattias, Uwe Goerges, Gunter Boerner, Hidetoshi Yamabe, Josef Wittmann
  • Patent number: 7469845
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described. The fuel injector includes an inlet, outlet, seat, closure member, and a metering orifice disc. The metering orifice disc is disposed between the seat and the outlet. The metering orifice disc includes: a generally planar surface, a plurality of metering orifices that extends through the generally planar surface, the metering orifices being located radially outward of the seat orifice; and at least one flow channel having a cross-sectional area that decreases in magnitude starting at a location spaced from the longitudinal axis to proximate a perimeter of a metering orifice. A seat subassembly and a metering orifice disc are described. And a method of atomizing fuel is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Hamid Sayar
  • Patent number: 7448555
    Abstract: Spraying tool for foundry molds with spraying nozzles, which can be controlled separately for several media per spraying nozzle and/or for a spraying nozzle per medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Wotec Automationssysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Rudolf Wollin
  • Patent number: 7445052
    Abstract: A fire protection and fire extinguishing device for a water-based domestic appliance containing at least one gas sensor and at least one water spraying system. The gas sensor generates a signal to disconnect the electrical supply of the domestic appliance while activating the at least one water spraying system when a predetermined amount of gas is sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Jerg
  • Patent number: 7438239
    Abstract: A fire-fighting piercing nozzle device having two chambers for extinguishing and monitoring fires within a storage unit. The fire-fighting piercing nozzle device includes a dispensing system for dispensing fire-fighting materials onto a fire, a temperature measuring system for measuring the temperature within a storage unit to determine the location of a fire, and a combustion gas extraction system for extracting a sample of combustible gas from a storage unit to determine the location of a fire or to determine whether the fire has been properly extinguished. The fire-fighting piercing nozzle device includes a nozzle tip, a plurality of extenders (if necessary), and a head connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: The Southern Company
    Inventor: Damon Eric Woodson
  • Patent number: 7434749
    Abstract: A direct-current sprayer includes a shell with an outlet therein, a valve in the outlet, a pipe leading to the valve from a pump in the shell and a hose detachably connected to the valve so that water can flow from a pump in the shell into the hose through the valve. The valve automatically blocks the flow of the water after the hose is detached from the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventor: Scott Wu
  • Patent number: 7434753
    Abstract: A novel hub design that enables removal of nozzle core for disposal while the hub is retained for reuse. The reusable hub provides a cost advantage over a one-piece metal design, enabling the use of a dispensing system that is of high quality and low cost to proliferate the use of the technology in the industry. Using this method, a nozzle hub dispensing system has a very favorable impact on the environment, 90% less hazardous waste with a reusable hub system, as only the lightweight cores are disposed. This nozzle hub provides a positive locking, tool-less mechanical connection of nozzle core to hub, which offers a financial advantage over competitive products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventor: Brian L. Verrilli
  • Patent number: 7434629
    Abstract: A vehicle having a tire fire suppression system includes a vehicle body for transportation of occupants or cargo. A plurality of combustible tires is connected to the body. The tires are susceptible to auto-ignition in response to exposure to an elevated temperature condition. The fire suppression system is connected to the body and includes a container of a fire suppressant. At least one temperature sensor is positioned in close proximity to at least one of the tires. The temperature sensor is adapted to be activated in response to the elevated temperature condition and before the auto-ignition. At least one nozzle is positioned to direct the suppressant toward the tire. An actuator connects the container to the nozzle for the suppressant to be dispersed from the nozzle in response to activation of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Kidde Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven Edward Hodges, Gregory Deane Simpson
  • Patent number: 7431100
    Abstract: A fire fighting tool includes an elongated hollow cylindrical nozzle having a plurality of openings surrounding the nozzle, a tubular member and a coupling for connecting the tubular member to a hose. The tool also includes a mounting member for positioning the nozzle within an interior of a structure. The mounting member includes a base, an upper member and a pair of rotatable clamping members adjustably mounted on the mounting member for engaging inner and outer surfaces of a wall. The mounting member and nozzle extend through an opening in the wall for spraying water or other fire suppressant onto the fire. The tool also includes a rotatable heat shield for protecting a fireman from heat and smoke and a handle for carrying the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Inventor: Zafer J. Al-Osaimi
  • Patent number: 7429004
    Abstract: At a time of forming lip portions in upper and lower edge portions of an ejection port in a protruding manner, a nozzle for ejecting a washer fluid of a washer fluid ejection apparatus in a diffusion manner is structured such that a step surface is formed on an inner side surface such that protruding amounts of the lip portions are set to the same length with a protruding tip portion in a washer fluid ejection side of the lower lip portion positioned lower than a lower side edge portion of the ejection port. Accordingly, it is possible to make the ejected washer fluid substantially unaffected by the air flow during vehicle movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventor: Takatoshi Kondou
  • Patent number: 7427037
    Abstract: A showerhead facilitating draining of water retained following shut-off. The showerhead includes a housing swivelably fitted on a ball-adapter which in turn includes an integral threaded segment for attachment to a water feed line. An air pathway is formed to extend from inside to outside the ball-adapter where it opens to generally atmospheric pressure. A flexible check valve in the form of an annular skirt is retained by an integral ring portion where the ball-adapter is threaded to the feed line. Under water-flow pressure, the skirt expands, blocking the passage. Upon shut-off, the skirt withdraws, instantly opening the air passage. Opening the showerhead to atmospheric pressure relieves the normally occurring suction effect which keeps water from draining completely from the showerhead spray holes. Thus avoiding the widespread problem of trapped water slowly evaporating and leaving behind stubborn and unsightly mineral deposits that eventually build up to clog showerhead spray holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Inventor: John S. Frazee