Patents Examined by Jason J Boeckmann
  • Patent number: 8720796
    Abstract: A rotation restricting mechanism is provided between a mounting shaft section of a rotational shaft and a mounting tube section of a rotary atomizing head. The rotation restricting mechanism includes a male spline member provided on the outer peripheral side of the mounting shaft section, and a female spline member provided on the inner peripheral side of the mounting tube section. By meshing engagement of the male spline member with the female spline member, the rotation restricting mechanism restricts rotational displacements of the rotary atomizing head relative to the rotational shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: ABB K.K.
    Inventor: Yukio Yamada
  • Patent number: 8689369
    Abstract: A swimming pool skimmer formed to include an integral disinfectant dispenser. The disinfectant dispenser is adapted to enable infinite adjustment to the level of disinfectant dispensed into the normal flow of the pool water. The skimmer includes a valve that is used to adjust the flow of water distributed to the disinfectant dispenser. The flow rate of water entering the dispensing chamber is controlled by the valve, which controls the water level within the dispensing chamber. The amount of water exiting the dispensing chamber is controlled by a vertically extending elongated flow slit. The higher the water level in the dispensing chamber causes more exposure to the chlorine tablets, increasing the chlorine level in the dispensing water. Chlorinated water exits the flow slit and enters the skimmer main chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: P.I. Inc.
    Inventor: Laurence A. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8678340
    Abstract: A hydraulic control valve apparatus including a valve body and a hydraulic control valve that is disposed in the valve body in parallel to an upper horizontal surface of the valve body. The hydraulic control valve includes a spool, a biasing member that biases the spool, and a damper chamber that accommodates the biasing member. The valve body includes a drain hole through which a pressurized oil is discharged from the hydraulic control valve, and a first communication passage that allows fluid communication between the drain hole of the valve body and the damper chamber of the hydraulic control valve. The drain hole and the first communication passage are formed on the upper horizontal surface of the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Ishii, Tomohiro Kameda
  • Patent number: 8672191
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a hand-operated spray pump configured to discharge a predetermined amount of content upon pressing a button and to suction a residual portion of the content in an end of a nozzle after discharging the content, the hand-operated spray pump including a housing forming the external appearance of the pump, a housing cap configured to seal the internal space of the housing from the outside, the closure configured to mount a container containing content in the housing, the closure being integrally formed with the housing cap, a stem configured to move upward and downward while being connected to the lower end of the button, the shaft configured to move upward and downward along the inside of the housing cap while being coupled to the outside of the stem, a piston configured to move upward and downward along the inner wall of the housing, a compression spring provided between a side protrusion formed at the upper end of the shaft at the side of the shaft and the housing cap, an opening and closin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Chong Woo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chung Kee Lee
  • Patent number: 8661577
    Abstract: An undermount sink that can be integrally mounted to a laminate or solid surface countertop. The undermount sink has a novel mounting structure to accomplish mounting to a laminate countertop. A mounting flange is attached to an outer perimeter of the undermount sink bowl, and is reinforced by way of a mounting flange support within the mounting flange that is mechanically fastened to the upper outer perimeter of the undermount sink bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Inventor: Chad Michael Cusimano
  • Patent number: 8656951
    Abstract: An encapsulated valve system includes a first housing portion having a first facing surface, the first facing surface comprising a plurality of branch pathways formed as a recess within the first facing surface. The valve system further includes a second housing portion having a second facing surface, the second facing surface comprising a plurality of branch pathways formed as a recess within the second facing surface. A disposable conduit is configured to be interposed between the first and second housing portions and disposed within the recess of the first facing surface and the recess of the second facing surface. The disposable conduit is thus sandwiched between the first and second facing surfaces. A plurality of pinch valve actuators are mounted on one or both of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the plurality of pinch valve actuators configured to pinch the disposable conduit at selective branch pathways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Alphabio, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Gagne, Steven V. Cates
  • Patent number: 8646495
    Abstract: A fuel tank for vehicles has a filler tube and a filling level limiting device, with the filler tube comprising, in the interior of the fuel tank, a closing device which interacts with an actuating device which is composed of: a) a frame which is fastened in the interior of the fuel tank and which has a force store which actuates the closing device; b) a locking arrangement which holds the force store in the stressed state; c) a release mechanism which is operatively connected to a float; and d) a stressing mechanism for stressing the force store. The actuating device ensures that a flap closes precisely when a nominal filling level is reached, and does not open again even under intense fluctuation of the liquid level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Fuel Systems GesembH
    Inventor: Thomas Fuchs
  • Patent number: 8636233
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler includes an outer case and a riser extensible from the outer case by water pressure and normally in a retracted position. A nozzle is rotatably mounted at an upper end of the riser. A turbine is mounted in the riser for rotation by water entering a lower end of the riser. A gear train reduction is mounted in the riser. A gear driven coupling mechanism mounted in the riser couples the gear train reduction and the nozzle. A pressure regulator valve is located inside a nozzle turret of the sprinkler and includes a valve member that is pivotably mounted between the gear train reduction and the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Clark, Daniel E. Hunter
  • Patent number: 8616467
    Abstract: A sprinkler head cover. Implementations may include an artificial turf portion including a backing, a stiffener coupled to the backing, and a bag coupled to the stiffener where the bag has at least one reclosable opening therein. The bag may be configured to receive a quantity of fill material when the at least one reclosable opening is opened and to retain the quantity of fill material within the bag when the at least one reclosable opening is closed. The bag may also be configured to rest on a top surface of a sprinkler head when the sprinkler head is in a retracted position in a grassy area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Inventor: Gary Leavitt
  • Patent number: 8607887
    Abstract: Disclosed is an intelligent, autonomously usable closure for misting nozzles, atomizing nozzles and sprinklers. A covering plate 20 is fixed on the closure having a heat tripping device, a nozzle body 2, outlet channel 11 and outlet opening 10 by means of a melt tripping device 5. The melt tripping device 5 is activated when necessary by a heat element 23 and the outlet opening 10 is released. A structural element 21, such as a disk spring, ensures at the melting moment of the melt tripping device 5 that a force F is applied and the covering plate 20 is separated with force from the outlet opening. In case of emergency, the release is triggered without energy. The proposed autonomous device can be used in a system network and can also be integrated into an existing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventor: Peter Kammer
  • Patent number: 8590816
    Abstract: A spray nozzle includes a tubular channel extending along a longitudinal axis, a slot formed by two approximately plane surfaces converging in a direction of the channel and located on either side of a plane including the longitudinal axis of the channel, and a dome connecting the channel and the slot wherein a length of the dome represents less than 50% of a largest transverse dimension of the channel and a plane cross section of the dome is symmetric and it is defined by at least two different circular arcs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Exel Industries
    Inventor: Patrick Ballu
  • Patent number: 8572769
    Abstract: A spa heats or cools air in the air space surrounding the water containment vessel to heat or cool the water in the water containment vessel. The air is heated and cooled and is circulated within the spa cabinet in contact with the underside of the tub and the plumbing for transferring or absorbing heat from the water through the tub and the plumbing. The air is heated by a solid state thermoelectric device or a conventional space heater and is cooled using a solid state thermoelectric device. Preferably a single thermoelectric device is mounted through a wall in the spa cabinet and is used for both heating and cooling the air in the air space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Blue Falls Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventors: Jody Gamracy, Gustaaf Maarten Rus, Darcy S. Amendt
  • Patent number: 8567435
    Abstract: A valve (10) is disclosed. The valve (10) has an inclined valve seat (14) defining a fluid aperture (18), and a valve head (20) for contact with the valve seat (14) for closure of the fluid aperture (18). A lever arm (22) is attached to the valve head (20). There are biasing means (32) operatively coupled to the lever (22) arm for urging the valve head (20) into contact with the valve seat (14), the biasing means (32) being arranged to provide decreased biasing on opening of the valve head (20) relative to the fluid aperture (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Global Valve Technology Limited
    Inventor: Allan Meyer
  • Patent number: 8544766
    Abstract: An ambient environment modification mechanism such as a scent dispenser (which could also act as a filter) which may comprise a piston and a piston cylinder, receiving the piston, and forming a piston cylinder chamber volume when the piston is moved from an inserted position in the piston cylinder to a withdrawn position in the piston cylinder. The piston may have a hollow interior receiving an ambient air modification material holder, such as a cartridge, containing ambient air modification material. The hollow interior may be in fluid communication with the piston cylinder chamber volume at a first end of the hollow interior. A ventilation opening may be in fluid communication with the hollow interior at a second end of the hollow interior. A piston cylinder chamber volume forming mechanism, such as spring may move the piston relative to the piston cylinder from the inserted position to the withdrawn position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Novia Products LLC
    Inventors: William Webster, David Gallant
  • Patent number: 8534573
    Abstract: A sprinkler has a sprinkling device, and an inlet controlling device and an end cap respectively mounted on two opposite ends of the sprinkling device. The sprinkling device has a casing having outlet holes, and two regulating panels having regulating slots, two regulating wheels, two transmission rods and a cover having limit slots mounted on the casing. The outlet holes, the regulating slots and the limit slots respectively align with each other and are mounted around multiple nozzles. Turning the regulating wheels forces the nozzles to bend through the regulating panels so the sprinkler has a variety of sprinkling patterns to be suitable for every place where the sprinkler is placed. The nozzles are individually manufactured and are easily mounted on the casing and replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Kwan-Ten Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Hsiung Wang, Tzu-Meng Wang
  • Patent number: 8511349
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rotary valve and rotary disk fluid dispensing system that sanitizes valve ports using UV radiation during non-use. Steam and ozinated water can also be used for stripping and disinfecting portions of the dispenser that can be accessed by the public. The system also uses detectors including hall detectors and a camera to inspect for blockage of valve ports, tampering or improper operation of the rotary valve disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Watermill Express, LLC
    Inventors: John J. Kolber, Donald P. Dolifka, Gerald Davis
  • Patent number: 8499368
    Abstract: The invention relates to a toilet system (1) for installation in a vehicle, wherein the toilet system comprises the following components indicated: namely a base (2) which is to be fixed to the vehicle and has a top wall portion, also a toilet bowl (3) which is borne by the top wall portion of the base and has a top peripheral portion preferably bearing a toilet-seat ring (6), further a sewage-retention tank (15) which, in the use position, is arranged, at least in part, beneath the top wall portion, and additionally a guiding, retaining and coupling device which is configured such that the user—preferably from the outside of the vehicle—can pull the correspondingly formed sewage-retention tank out of its use position, in which it can be connected in a liquid-tight manner to the outflow of the toilet bowl (3), remove it from the vehicle and then replace it in said use position, wherein the toilet system (1) is configured such that, even after the base has been fixed to the vehicle, it is possible to make a se
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Dometic GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Wunderlich, Volker Müller
  • Patent number: 8468905
    Abstract: An operating device with an operating lever for a control valve includes: an input member connected to the operating lever; an output member connected to a slide spool of the control valve; and a swing link for relaying a displacement of the input member to the output member. The swing link is swingable about a swing shaft center on one end and is connected to the input and output members. A latch portion in the swing link is farther than a connecting point with the output member from the swing shaft center. A lock body is switchably operable between a lock position and a release position, and at the lock position, engaged with the latch portion at a neutral position to limit a swing of the swing link about the swing shaft center by which the control valve is locked at a neutral state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoshige Maezawa
  • Patent number: 8387898
    Abstract: A paint sprayer includes a motor-driven multi-stage turbine for compressing air, which subsequently flows through a venturi in a paint gun to draw in paint or some other liquid from a canister. To prevent the high-pressure air from expelling lubricant from the motor's inboard bearing, a pressure responsive annular seal axially deflects and sealingly engages an axial face of the bearing. To avoid subjecting the seal and bearing to excess air pressure and temperature created by the turbine, a bypass bleed line diverts some air to atmosphere when the paint gun is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventors: Scott C. Mancl, Dennis J. Mancl
  • Patent number: 8371514
    Abstract: A spout cover for a spout having an outlet end includes a first member, having a deflector, mounted to a second member having a liquid soap reservoir and a dispenser for dispensing liquid soap from the liquid soap reservoir toward the deflector. A receiving area is defined between the first and second members for receiving the spout. The first member is movable relative to the second member between a first position permitting the spout to be received in the receiving area and a second position locating the deflector underneath the outlet end of the spout and preventing withdrawal of the spout from the receiving area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: BKD Acquisition, Inc.
    Inventor: Rebecca M. Finell