Patents Examined by Joel Zhou
  • Patent number: 9358597
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlled cooling and a control method related to controlled cooling of hot plate or strip shaped metal. The apparatus comprises a header fitted with a first valve which allows air to escape from the header and prevents cooling fluid escaping from the header when being filled and prevents air from getting back into the header. During operation due to the apparatus an improved operation even at low flow rates is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS PLC
    Inventors: John Edward Beeston, Michael Trevor Clark
  • Patent number: 9341373
    Abstract: An air blocker ring assembly includes a proximal end, a distal end, a blocker ring, and a blocker ring support. The blocker ring has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and a third protrusion. The blocker ring support has a recess. The first protrusion of the blacker ring is received in the recess. The blocker ring is circumferentially discontinuous about a circumferential slot. At least a portion of the first protrusion is located circumferentially opposite the slot, and the second and third protrusions terminate at the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Jonathan C. Wilson, Bruno E. Struck
  • Patent number: 9328491
    Abstract: The present invention provides a water spouting device which enables air bubble entrained water with an increased entrainment rate of air bubbles to be discharged at a low flow rate stage even though the user adjusts the flow rate based on the same feeling as that for a conventional water spouting device, the present water spouting device further enabling, at a high flow rate stage, prevention of discharge of air bubble entrained water with such a total amount as makes the user feel that the resultant amount of water significantly exceeds that intended by the user. A spout cap BC serving as the present water spouting device includes a pressure reducing portion 30 serving as an entrainment rate adjusting portion to adjust the entrainment rate of air bubbles entrained in air bubble entrained water in an air bubble entraining portion 703.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Koji Takeda, Tomohiro Kudo, Ryohei Yaita
  • Patent number: 9320927
    Abstract: A sprinkler protection system for protecting an existing sprinkler installation includes housing sections that cooperate to cover a majority of a sprinkler unit, such as a ceiling-mounted sprinkler unit. The housing sections can include one or more apertures aligned with a deflector of the sprinkler to permit the deflector to direct water through the aperture and out of the housing without significantly impeding the water output of the sprinkler and offer greater protection to the sprinkler unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Inventor: Nick DeVaney
  • Patent number: 9315974
    Abstract: A nozzle positioning assembly includes a first support shaft, a second support shaft, a first position adjustment assembly, a second position adjustment assembly, and a hub. The first and second support shafts have respective bodies with a center aperture, a spherical first end, and a second end opposite the spherical first end. The first and second position adjustment assembly include first and second link mounting ears positioned circumferentially from one another. The first position adjustment assembly is adapted to be affixed to the second end of the first support shaft and the second position adjustment assembly is adapted to be affixed to the second end of the second support shaft. The hub has a first end configured to receive and rotatably retain the spherical first end of the first support shaft, and a second end configured to receive and rotatably retain the spherical first end of the second support shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: FOUNTAIN PEOPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Thomas Brown, Cesar Javier Trejo, Tim O'Brien, David Olvera, Kenneth Lee Krauskopf
  • Patent number: 9283574
    Abstract: A spray nozzle includes a nozzle body, the body having an inner wall and an outer wall, a first opening, a second opening, wherein the diameter of the second opening is less than the diameter of the first opening, wherein the first and second openings have threaded portions, a spray opening, the spray opening at an end of the second opening, and an inner vane, wherein the inner vane includes threads corresponding to the threads of the second opening, a vane face, wherein the vane face faces toward the spray opening, a vane protrusion, the protrusion being perpendicular to the face, wherein the face and the protrusion are on opposite sides of the vane, wherein the vane protrusion faces away from the spray opening, at least one vane groove emanating outwardly from the center of the vane face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Munson Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick M Leistiko
  • Patent number: 9272294
    Abstract: The portions at the circumferential edges of a flow channel formation plate in which the corner portions of a dummy flow channel portion are formed are weaker than other portions, and thus when thermal stress has occurred due to temperature changes when the constituent elements of a flow channel unit are affixed to each other, cracks can be induced preferentially in the weak portion, rather than the other portions, starting from the ends of the corner portions. In particular, although similar corner portions are formed in a common liquid chamber, the intersection angle of the corner portions in the dummy flow channel portion is smaller than the intersection angle of the corner portions in the common liquid chamber, and thus it is easier for stress to concentrate in the corner portions of the dummy flow channel portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nozomi Ogawa, Hajime Nakao, Isamu Togashi
  • Patent number: 9265242
    Abstract: A system to apply mainly phytosanitary products that use the principle of electrostatic attraction. A high static charge is imprinted on the microdrops in the nozzle with high flows of water using a simple industrial design and very low probabilities of failure. The system is very stable and reliable. An active water provider capillary tube is optionally used in the nozzles (as opposed to a fixed one), which results in a more efficient use of the air to micronize drops. The nozzles can be fixed or dirigible nozzles. A chemical product doser system is optionally used with injection in the nozzle itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Inventor: Carlos Alberto Moreno Ramos
  • Patent number: 9261060
    Abstract: A fuel injector may include a housing, a poppet valve assembly, and an actuation assembly. The housing may define a longitudinal bore, a high pressure fuel duct in communication with the longitudinal bore and a valve seat including a valve seat surface and an aperture. The poppet valve assembly may include a stem and a valve head, be disposed within the longitudinal bore and be variably displaceable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the valve head may abut the valve seat to seal the aperture. In the second position, the valve head may be displaced from the valve seat to open the aperture. The actuation assembly may operate to move the poppet valve assembly between the first position and the second position. The high pressure fuel duct may carry pressurized fuel that biases the poppet valve assembly to be in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Robert D. Straub
  • Patent number: 9243386
    Abstract: Non-limiting, illustrative systems and methods for collecting rain water are disclosed. Given by way of non-limiting example, a down spout interface bladder is removably attachable to an end section of a down spout. A rain water holding device is hydraulically couplable to the down spout interface bladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Seattle Tarp Company
    Inventor: Deano Perlatti
  • Patent number: 9233387
    Abstract: A functional head for a fragrance container includes a housing wall section and a spring-loaded valve plate. The housing wall section has an inlet opening for admitting air into an inlet channel, an outlet opening for discharging a mixture of fragrance and air from an outlet channel, and a recess. The valve plate is biased to close the openings and is displaceable by a plunger inserted into the recess to thereby open the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Andre Fehling
  • Patent number: 9233380
    Abstract: A revolvingly spraying device includes a sheath tube and a revolvingly spraying tube. The revolvingly spraying tube includes a transmitting tube and a curved tube connected with the transmitting tube. The transmitting tube is inserted within the sheath tube. A front bearing is provided in one end, near the curved tube, of the transmitting tube, and a rear bearing is provided in the other end of the transmitting tube. The revolvingly spraying tube has a front position limiting portion radially protruding therefrom to retain the front side of the front bearing, and a rear position limiting portion radially protruding therefrom to retain the rear side of the rear bearing. Thus, the revolvingly spraying device has fewer component parts and is convenient for assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: STRONG FORTRESS TOOL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Su Yen Huang, Tzu An Hsu
  • Patent number: 9221070
    Abstract: Disclosed is two-tier fountain with a continuous scupper. A continuous scupper is a 360-degree, unrestricted border (i.e., continuous), scupper in an upper basin that creates an inward flowing laminar sheet of fluid. A continuous scupper maintains a laminar flow for great distances so that the fluid falls in a circular cascade sheet. On reaching the lower basin, the fluid creates a limited amount of turbulence during entry and therefore a reduced splash. The continuous scupper may be circular, or may have simple to complex variations that create different forms of circular cascade sheets. The upper basin may be open to the atmosphere, or may be closed to create even more spectacular circular cascade sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Inventor: Sean P. Andersen
  • Patent number: 9216573
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling droplet motion in an electric field by reducing volume of a single droplet to a very small volume using a strong electric field and controlling a position of a droplet using a repulsive force of the same polarity, and a method of the same. The apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first electrode, an insulator disposed above the first electrode, a discharge tip disposed above the insulator by a predetermined distance and dividing a transferred fluid into a small volume of a droplet, and a second electrode contacting the fluid supplied through the discharge tip. The first electrode and the second electrode may form an electric field at an end of the discharge tip by forming a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: POSTECH ACADEMY-INDUSTRY FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Bum-Joo Kim, Intae Kim, Geunbae Lim
  • Patent number: 9211171
    Abstract: The inventive device is provided with a unit (1) comprising a body (3) which interacts with a pipette tip (24) in a vertical position in order to retain the content of the pipette tip (24) in the unit (1) and comprises a nozzle (2) having a capillary channel (4) insertable into a straw (25) oriented in a transversal position with respect to the body in such a way that, when the body is in a vertical position, said nozzle (2) is in a horizontal position. The inventive method consists in sampling a liquid substance initially contained in a top-open container (45) with the aid of the pipette tip (24) in the vertical position, in transferring the content of pipette tip (24) to the body (3) of the unit (1) prior to filling the straw (25) with the predetermined dose of a liquid substance transferred thereto from the unit (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: CRYO BIO SYSTEM
    Inventors: Alain Ehrsam, Christian Beau, Laurent Cohen
  • Patent number: 9192956
    Abstract: A sprinkler assembly including a pressure regulator and a flow stop element combined in a single assembly. In one embodiment, the sprinkler includes a sprinkler body in fluid communication with a water supply to provide water to the sprinkler, a riser movably mounted in the sprinkler body and in fluid communication with the sprinkler body such that the riser rises up and out of the sprinkler body when water is provided to the sprinkler, a nozzle assembly mounted on a top end of the riser and in fluid communication with the riser; and a regulation element mounted in the riser and in contact with a portion of the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly holds the regulation member in an open position to allow flow of water to the nozzle assembly and to maintain a substantially constant water pressure in the nozzle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventors: Carl L. C. Kah, Jr., Carl L. C. Kah, III, Weiming Feng, Richard Zhang
  • Patent number: 9179611
    Abstract: A hose-fed lateral move irrigation system and method that utilizes a pipe with a plurality of sprinklers attached to a wheeled cart that pulls a flexible-hose assembly therebehind using at least one onboard winch and travels laterally with the pipe and sprinklers relative to a field so that a sufficient amount of hose may be used to enable total automation of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lindsay Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Korus, Wayne T. Jarecki
  • Patent number: 9174229
    Abstract: A helix cup for use in a pressurized dispenser. The helix cup has a convergent funnel wall. The funnel wall is not straight and does not satisfy the mathematical equations for surface area or for subtended volume of the frustrum of a cone. Instead, the funnel wall provides a longer flow path than is achieved with straight sidewalls. The longer flow path provides for a tighter particle size distribution at lower pressures than occurs in the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Scott Edward Smith
  • Patent number: 9157544
    Abstract: A valve section that functions as a solenoid valve device that includes a pressure adjusting section that adjusts fluid pressure supplied from a fluid pressure source; a pump section that sucks and discharges working fluid in a reservoir; and a single solenoid section that drives the pressure adjusting section and the pump section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shimizu, Kazuhiko Kato, Naoyuki Fukaya, Kazunori Ishikawa, Kenichi Tsuchida, Akitomo Suzuki, Noriomi Fujii
  • Patent number: 9149671
    Abstract: A compact, stand-alone fire-extinguishing system for use with a water source is disclosed. The fire-extinguishing system can include an engine, a pump, a foam tank, a flow meter, and a foamant adjustment valve. The flow meter can be a variable area flow meter and indicate an instantaneous concentration of a water-foamant solution. The foamant adjustment valve can be a needle valve. A head injector can be coupled to the pump. The head injector provides foamant to be mixed with water inside the pump to create a water-foamant solution. The fire-extinguishing system may also include an inlet mixing valve assembly and an unloader valve to recirculate the water-foamant solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Fire Research Corp.
    Inventors: Robert L. Hosfield, Michael Dupay, Kurt Mehrkens