Patents Examined by John A. Rivell
  • Patent number: 8646747
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a light foil device configured to move based on radiation pressure associated with light received by the light foil device. The apparatus includes a mechanism configured to transition between operational states in response to the movement of the light foil device, or includes a valve configured to control a flow of material through a conduit based, at least in part, on the movement of the light foil device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 79 LLC
    Inventor: William Neil Robinson
  • Patent number: 8646483
    Abstract: A fluidic oscillator can include an input, first and second outputs on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the oscillator, whereby a majority of fluid which flows through the oscillator exits the oscillator alternately via the first and second outputs, first and second paths from the input to the respective first and second outputs, and wherein the first and second paths cross each other between the input and the respective first and second outputs. Another oscillator can include an input, first and second outputs, whereby a majority of fluid flowing through the fluidic oscillator exits the oscillator alternately via the first and second outputs, first and second paths from the input to the respective first and second outputs, and a feedback path which intersects the first path, whereby reduced pressure in the feedback path influences the majority of fluid to flow via the second path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger L. Schultz, Robert Pipkin
  • Patent number: 8646477
    Abstract: A structure of valve stem and frame lining includes a frame lining, a valve body, and a stem. At least two ribs are formed on one face of the frame lining, and the other opposite face of the frame lining is engaged with a base portion of the valve body by molding. The stem is disposed in an air channel of the valve body to control availability of air through the air channel. More particularly, when being disposed on a wheel frame, the frame lining has a width which enables the frame lining to overlap an outer cover engaged with the wheel frame to provide good sealing performance. Besides, the ribs help the frame lining be positioned on the wheel frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Inventor: Yuan-Hung Wen
  • Patent number: 8646480
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus or fuel pump unit includes a lower case having a flange plate fixed to a fuel tank and upstanding walls extending into the fuel tank. An upper case housing a fuel pump therein is provided that includes brackets disposed along inner sides of the upstanding walls. The upstanding walls having engaging holes defined therein, and the brackets having attachment members engaging in the engaging holes. The brackets include tongues projecting heightwise beyond the upstanding walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Koyama, Kyohei Hosoya, Kuniharu Kimura, Junji Miyazaki, Hikaru Tsukamoto, Toshihiko Naito
  • Patent number: 8640727
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dopant gas generating device for supplying the dopant gas to the ion mobility spectrometry instrument, comprising: a doping container; an air inlet having an inlet end connecting with an upstream side of a carrier gas passage and an outlet end connecting with the doping container; an air outlet having an entrance end connecting with the doping container and an exit end connecting with an downstream side of the carrier gas passage; a dopant gas generating unit for releasing the dopant gas, wherein the dopant gas generating unit is disposed within the doping container. Through disposing the dopant gas generating unit, which is used for releasing the dopant gas, within the doping container, the dopant gas in the present invention is applicable with not only a solid state dopant, but also a liquid state dopant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited
    Inventors: Zhongxia Zhang, Hui Li, Yangtian Zhang, Jin Lin, Jianhua Liu
  • Patent number: 8640733
    Abstract: A valve for limiting excess flow includes a one-piece body having a seat, a diaphragm, and a plurality of flexible legs attaching the seat to the diaphragm and spacing the seat from the diaphragm, wherein the legs flex to seat the diaphragm within the seat if excess flow exceeds a limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brasscraft Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Andrew R. Lenn
  • Patent number: 8640729
    Abstract: An automatic shut-off valve shuts off fluid flow in the event of abnormal amounts of fluid flow. A rotor inside the valve turns when fluid flows through the valve. The rotor causes a pneumatic pump to operate and cause increased air pressure. The increased air pressure causes a shut-off piston to move to a closed position when a predetermined air pressure is achieved. The shut-off valve also includes an adjustable bleeder needle to slowly bleed off air pressure when the fluid flow stops and thereby resets the valve. A detent is provided for holding the shut-off piston in the open position. A detent spring and compression bolt are provided for adjusting force on the detent. The shut-off valve is manually closed using a trip arm connected to the detent. The shut-off piston is reset by actuating a reset plunger that moves the piston back to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventor: Brian Dana
  • Patent number: 8640735
    Abstract: A waste water lifting installation has a collection container and a pump assembly. The pump assembly is fastened on a flange plate which closes an opening on the upper side of the collection container. The flange plate, on a first side edge which faces the middle region of the waste water lifting installation, is releasably fixed on the collection container with a single locking element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Grundfos Holding A/S
    Inventors: Luca Casalini, Alessandro Iacoponi, Ralf Schomäcker
  • Patent number: 8640731
    Abstract: A flow rate control device includes: a fuel gas supply channel having a flow rate adjusting valve; a thermal type mass flow rate sensor arranged in the supply channel; a calculation unit which calculates a thermal quantity flow rate of the fuel gas defined by a product of a volume flow rate of the fuel gas and a heat generation quantity per unit volume of the fuel gas according to an output from the thermal type sensor; and a flow rate control unit which controls the open degree of the flow rate adjusting valve according to a difference between a control target value for controlling the thermal quantity flow rate and the thermal quantity flow rate calculated by the calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Azbil Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Isetani
  • Patent number: 8641009
    Abstract: A positioner operating mode identifying function and an use parameter selecting function are provided in a calculating unit. A positive operating parameter and a negative operating parameter are stored in a storing portion. The positioner operating mode identifying function identifies the operating mode of a positioner or from the direction of change of a control output and the direction of change of an amplified pneumatic pressure signal Pout, and the identification result is set automatically as the current operating mode of the positioner. In accordance with the current operating mode identified for the positioner, the use parameter selecting function selects, as the use parameter from the storing portion, the positive operating parameter if the positive operating mode, and the negative operating parameter if the negative operating mode, and sets the selected use parameter automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Azbil Corporation
    Inventor: Yohsuke Inagaki
  • Patent number: 8636034
    Abstract: A one-way pressure relief valve having an integrated filter. One-way pressure relief valves may be applied to a product package to evacuate gas from the package. The integrated filter prevents materials within the package from interfering with closure or operation of the pressure relief valve. Certain pressure relief valve embodiments can be configured for optimal valve operation without need for a wetting agent while other pressure relief valve embodiments operate optimally with a wetting agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Plitek, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Karl K. Hoffman, Keith P. Hoffman, Robert C. Larsen, John Ozcomert, Douglas A. Wielunski
  • Patent number: 8636027
    Abstract: A relief vent including a vent body having an opening configured to be in communication with the internal volume of a tank. The relief vent further includes a movable portion that is movable relative to the vent body. The movable portion or the vent body includes a base and a sealing member coupled thereto. At least part of the sealing member is elastically deformed to press at least a portion the sealing member against the base. The portion of the sealing member pressed against the base is positioned to sealingly engage the other one of the movable portion or the vent body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: OPW Fueling Components Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew R. Lauber, James E. Kesterman
  • Patent number: 8636029
    Abstract: A color changer has a valve block for connecting a plurality of coating material lines to an application device. The valve block has a parallelepiped housing. The housing has a central color channel with an axial direction and contains valve bores for receiving valves and a length of a central color channel is as short as possible with a simultaneous supply of many paint feed lines. A first number of parallel valve bores open into the color channel at first openings, a second number of parallel valve bores open into the color channel at second openings on the opposite side of the color channel and offset in the axial direction with respect to the first number of valve bores. A third number of parallel valve bores open into the color channel at third openings and a fourth number of parallel valve bores open into the color channel at fourth openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Lactec GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Ott, Joachim Kunkel, Burkhard Bilz, Udo Klein
  • Patent number: 8636024
    Abstract: A fuel supply device for generating mixed gas in which air and/or oxygen are mixed into fuel gas and supplying the mixed gas to a burning appliance comprises a flow rate control module disposed in a supply path of the fuel gas and flow rate control modules disposed in supply paths of the air and/or the oxygen. The flow rate control module includes a thermal mass flow rate sensor, a first calculator for calculating the thermal flow rate of the fuel gas from the output of the thermal mass flow rate sensor, a control computing unit for controlling the flow rate of the fuel gas via a flow rate regulating valve according to the calculated thermal flow rate, a second calculator for calculating the calculated calorific value per unit volume of the fuel gas, and a computing unit for computing the ratio of the calculated calorific value to the reference calorific value per unit volume of the fuel gas in a reference state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Azbil Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Isetani
  • Patent number: 8631815
    Abstract: A pump attachment interface provides a fixed link between a first line in communication with a fluid reservoir, and a second line in communication with a mobile storage tank via a pump of a pump truck. The interface includes an interface body with a sloping surface that supports a fixed conduit such that a lower end of the conduit is at a height that is lower than an upper end of the conduit. The lower end is for coupling to the first line, and the second end is for coupling to the second line. The attachment interface also has a spill containment catch basin over which the second end of the conduit is located so as to catch any spillage from the second line when it is coupled to the conduit. The body can be a concrete block, or be molded plastic filled with sand or water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Inventor: Randal K. VanConett
  • Patent number: 8631821
    Abstract: Described are flexible sumps including a sump cavity comprising flexible walls and a platform coupled to an upper edge of the sump cavity. Some examples of the flexible sumps may also include a flange having a coupling section and an exposed section and/or an interface coupled to a lower surface of the sump cavity. In some examples, at least two coupling tabs are coupled to the platform and are configured to couple the platform to a lower surface of a fuel structure, which may include a sump aperture that is configured to surround the flexible walls of the sump cavity when the platform is coupled to the lower surface of the fuel structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Aerazur S.A.
    Inventor: Christophe Mendes
  • Patent number: 8631828
    Abstract: A flow dividing manifold (12) divides a flow of anhydrous ammonia having both liquid and gas phases into separate flow paths. The manifold (12) has a first mixing nozzle (32) for concentrating the flow of the anhydrous ammonia in a first direction (46) against a first enclosed end (50) of a first mixing chamber (48). A second mixing nozzle (48) concentrating the flow of anhydrous ammonia in a second direction (76) orthogonal to the first direction (46) and against a second enclosed end (80) of a second mixing chamber (78). A flow divider structure (96) is disposed about an outward end of the second mixing chamber (78) and has a plurality of flow ports (90) which are angularly spaced around and extend orthogonal to the second flow direction (76) through the second mixing nozzle (64).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Continental NH3 Products Co., Inc.
    Inventor: David P. Ward
  • Patent number: 8622088
    Abstract: A solenoid valve has a valve housing, first and second valve members, first and second biasing members, a pressing rod and an electromagnetic driving member. The valve housing defines a fluid pathway for flowing fluid therein. The first and the second valve members are configured to open and close the fluid pathway, respectively. The first biasing member biases the first valve member in a direction for closing the fluid pathway. The second biasing member biases the second valve member in a direction for closing the fluid pathway. The electromagnetic driving member sequentially presses the pressing rod against the first valve member and the second valve member in order to open the fluid pathway in stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Sugiura, Takashi Nagai
  • Patent number: 8622084
    Abstract: A liquid-suctioning tank includes a liquid inflow port, a gas outflow port, a baffle plate and a guide member. The liquid inflow port communicates with an upper space of a surface of a liquid, and configured and arranged to be connected to a liquid-suctioning object. The gas outflow port communicates with the upper space, and configured and arranged to be connected to a suctioning device so that a negative pressure is applied to the upper space by the suctioning device to trap liquid from the liquid-suctioning object using suction. The baffle plate is disposed in the upper space so that the liquid flowing from the liquid inflow port collides against the baffle plate. The guide member has a guiding wall configured and arranged to guide the liquid that has collided with the baffle plate from the baffle plate toward the surface of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishii, Akihiro Satake, Nobuyuki Hayasaka
  • Patent number: 8622074
    Abstract: A venting system for a fuel tank may include a first vent valve having an inlet, an outlet through which fuel vapor may be vented from the fuel tank, and a valve. The first vent valve may be located within a first chamber of the fuel tank. A second vent valve may have an inlet, an outlet through which fuel vapor may be vented from the fuel tank, and a valve. The second vent valve may be located within a second chamber of the fuel tank that is separate from the first chamber during at least certain fuel levels within the fuel tank. The support may carry both the first and second vent valves within the fuel tank and be movably carried within the fuel tank to vary the height of the first and second valves within the fuel tank as the support moves relative to the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: TI Automotive Technology Center GmbH
    Inventors: Andrej Hochstein, Bernd M. Nickel, Martin Stickel