Patents Examined by John Fox
  • Patent number: 9657852
    Abstract: A flow through isolation valve having a stationary member; a movable member, with a surface of the stationary member interfacing with a surface of the movable member; and at least one pin isolation valve. The pin isolation valve has a flow through internal conduit and is movable so that the internal conduit can fluidically communicate with at least one blank opening in the movable member and with a flow through internal conduit in the movable member. Movement is by rotation, linear or curvilinear translation. At least one pin isolation valve is fluidically coupled typically to a sample loop of a face seal valve, or to a pump supplying high pressure liquid to or to a column discharging liquid from a face seal valve of a high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) system or directly to the face seal valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell Keene, David R. Friswell
  • Patent number: 9644754
    Abstract: There is provided a valve structure including a valve case provided with a suction port and discharge ports, valve bodies provided for opening and closing the discharge ports and a drive body for driving the valve bodies, where the valve bodies are provided with, at one end thereof, a blocking portion for closing the discharge port and at the other end thereof, an elastic member portion generating an elastic force for moving the blocking portion for opening and closing the discharge port, the rod-like drive body having a convex portion on its side is inserted into through-holes provided on the valve bodies in a direction intersecting a moving direction of the blocking portion moved by an elastic force, and the blocking portion is moved in the direction intersecting the drive body by the rotation of the drive body, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: TECHNO TAKATSUKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Morishita, Nozomu Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 9644586
    Abstract: A solenoid valve for metering a fluid into an intake tract (1) of an engine, said solenoid valve comprising a solenoid assembly (2), an armature (3) interacting with the solenoid assembly (2) and a stroke-movable valve disc (4) connected to the armature (3) for opening and closing at least one through-flow aperture (6) formed in a valve plate (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Foerster, Kai Kroeger, Okke Venekamp, Stephan Dirnberger
  • Patent number: 9638332
    Abstract: A valve for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine includes a housing which contains a passage for conducting exhaust gases. In the passage is arranged a closing body with which the passage can be closed. The closing body is fastened in a rotationally fixed manner to a shaft, which is mounted rotatably in the housing, and can be pivoted together with the shaft about the rotation axis of the shaft. The closing body has a partition, which runs perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the shaft, and has a circular outer contour which is sealed off from the housing and divides the passage into a first duct and a second duct. When the closing body is in the closed position both the first and second ducts are closed. When the closing body is in an open position the exhaust gasses can pass through the first and second ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Esslingen GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Ulrich Gross, Dirk Michael Strubel
  • Patent number: 9632065
    Abstract: A valve having a valve cap with a plurality of process conduits extending therethrough, each one of the plurality of process conduits ending in a process port at a valve cap interface. The valve also has a valve body defining a valve body interface facing the valve cap interface, a diaphragm positioned between the valve cap interface and the valve body interface, across the process ports, and a purge line provided through one of the valve cap and the valve body. The valve further comprises a sealing assembly located in the valve body. The sealing assembly is configured and positioned to block fluid leaked through the diaphragm such that the fluid leaked through the diaphragm is discharged via and exit of the purge line of the valve. A chromatographic system including the valve and a method of operation thereof are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: MÉCANIQUE ANALYTIQUE INC.
    Inventor: Yves Gamache
  • Patent number: 9611952
    Abstract: A choke with reduced cavitation and/or flashing due to a high pressure fluids passing through the choke includes a housing having a high pressure inlet port and a low pressure outlet port, and a cage positioned within the housing and having a passage for passing fluid therethrough. A plurality of beads are each positioned in the cage, such that fluid flows between the cage and the beads and between the beads when passing through the cage. Fluid pressure is reduced by the fluid passing through the cage, thereby reducing cavitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Lane McCaskill
  • Patent number: 9611946
    Abstract: An example valve includes a sleeve having a plurality of openings. A spool is rotatable within the sleeve and includes a respective plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of openings of the sleeve. A rotary actuator coupled to the spool is configured for rotating the spool within the sleeve to one of at least eight rotary positions. The rotary actuator can rotate the spool to a given rotary position in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction to cause at least a partial alignment between a subset of the respective plurality of openings of the spool and a subset of the plurality of openings of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Steven D. Potter, John Aaron Saunders
  • Patent number: 9599236
    Abstract: A water supply valve comprising a valve body having a first orifice and a second orifice, a rotatable valve shaft, and a handle. The rotatable valve shaft can be inserted into the first orifice or the second orifice, thereby converting the water supply valve from first configuration where the handle is on the left side to a second configuration where the handle is on the right side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: AYRLETT LLC
    Inventors: Daniel L. McCoy, Leonard G. Franklin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9596957
    Abstract: A hydraulic circuit for instant beverage machines includes a tank, a water extraction pipe contained in the tank, a flow-meter connected to the extraction pipe, a pump, a first vibration-damping valve, a boiler, a second relief and safety valve, a water/steam faucet, a third beverage flow valve, and a recovery tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Stefano Tonelli, Massimo Lelli
  • Patent number: 9593882
    Abstract: A cryogenic turbine expander system which consists essentially of a cryogenic liquid pressure vessel, and the vessel further accommodating a turbine expander, an internal bypass configuration, which are operable in parallel, a three-way valve to direct incoming high pressure liquefied gas flow to the turbine expander, or the internal bypass configuration, which further consists a Joule-Thomson valve, when the turbine expander is not operational.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: EBARA International Corporation
    Inventor: Joel V. Madison
  • Patent number: 9587454
    Abstract: A modular apparatus for controlling flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid to and from opening and closing hydraulic actuator cylinders of oil and gas well blow-out preventers (BOP's), utilizes novel rotary hydraulic valve/actuator assemblies, each of which uses a pair of integral double-acting pneumatic actuator cylinders that drive a rack gear coupled to a spur gear located inside the actuator housing which is fixed to a valve rotor shaft that protrudes forward from the valve housing and protrudes through an outer wall of the housing and has a manually operable handle attached thereto, thus enabling multiple valve/actuator assemblies to be mounted in a close side-by-side arrangement to an hydraulic manifold. An air control manifold panel for remotely energizing the pneumatic actuator cylinders includes opening and closing push button control valves on an air manifold connected through air hoses to the actuator cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: PacSeal Group, Inc. PacSeal
    Inventors: Joseph Owen Beard, Frode Sveen
  • Patent number: 9581294
    Abstract: The invention is a distribution block assembly that contains replaceable sleeves and pistons that are suitable for use at high fluid pressures. The conventional distribution block assembly can be altered to include end plugs and these replaceable sleeves having designated precise quantity of lubricant distribution so that the user can alter the distribution levels by changing the replaceable piston/sleeves and allowing for users to fix excessively worn pistons without having to dissemble the entire distribution block. The use of these piston/sleeve assemblies transforming conventional distribution blocks making them more versatile and reducing the costly expense of manually replacing of the entire distribution block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Inventor: Curtis Roys
  • Patent number: 9574499
    Abstract: A valve and valve assembly having a hybrid valve member are provided. The valve includes a housing, with an inlet, a primary outlet, and a secondary outlet. The hybrid valve member is rotatably positioned within the housing. The hybrid valve member has a fully closed position wherein the hybrid valve member prevents flow between the inlet and the primary outlet and prevents flow between the inlet and the secondary outlet. The hybrid valve member includes a planar portion and a hemispherical portion on a first side thereof. The planar portion faces the inlet in the fully closed position and the hemispherical portion faces the secondary outlet in the fully closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn J. Pollock, Aaron W. Hrdlichka, Brian E. Hoemke, Harold W. Williams
  • Patent number: 9570765
    Abstract: A hydrogen supply unit is configured to inject hydrogen gas having flowed in an inflow passage into an outflow passage by use of an injector to reduce the pressure of the hydrogen gas. The hydrogen supply unit includes a primary-side relief valve for releasing the hydrogen gas from inside to outside of the inflow passage when the internal pressure of the inflow passage rises to a first predetermined value, and a secondary-side relief valve for releasing the hydrogen gas from inside to outside of the outflow passage when the internal pressure of the outflow passage rises to a second predetermined value. The primary-side relief valve and the secondary-side relief valve are held between the inflow block and the outflow block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Sadatsugu Nagata
  • Patent number: 9568109
    Abstract: Various control valves are provided. In one embodiment, a valve includes a hollow body with an inlet and an outlet along a common axis of the hollow body. A trim is disposed inside the hollow body along the common axis and includes a conduit and a sleeve disposed about the conduit to selectively cover fluid ports in the conduit. Further, the valve includes a pressure-balanced stem connected to the sleeve to enable the sleeve to be moved along the conduit via the stem. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventor: Edmund McHugh
  • Patent number: 9562615
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an acoustically actuated flow valve having temperature-sensitive reed valves thereon. The flow valve and reed valves are configured to impart acoustical energy into a fluid flowing through the flow valve and one or more fluids downstream of the valve, leading to increased mixing of the fluids. The reed valves are further configured to be temperature-sensitive, thereby allowing more fluid to flow through the flow valve as the result of a change in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Roy Edward McAlister
  • Patent number: 9556962
    Abstract: There is provided a multi-directional selector valve which makes it possible to control opening and closing of the discharge ports in an easy manner and to minimize increase in cost and size even if the number of branches is increased. The multi-directional selector valve includes a valve case provided with a suction port and at least two discharge ports, at least two valve bodies provided for opening or closing the at least two discharge ports, a drive body formed into a rod-like shape and provided for driving the valve bodies and a drive source for rotating the drive body, and is configured such that any of convex portions provided on the side of the drive body are pressed onto any of the at least two valve bodies by the rotation of the drive body, thereby opening or closing the at least two discharge port in order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: TECHNO TAKATSYKI, CO., LTD
    Inventors: Nozomu Kawasaki, Tomoyuki Morishita
  • Patent number: 9546747
    Abstract: Fluid processing apparatus has a prefabricated branched network of flexible tubing, for conducting process fluid between process elements of the apparatus, and control valves. A tubing support has opposable front and rear plates which define a pattern of support channels between them in which the flexible tubing network lies, so that the support channels limit or prevent expansion of the flexible tubes. Standard non-reinforced tubing can then be used for high-pressure work. The support body plates can be separated to open the channels for insertion or removal of the flexible tubing. The front plate may be transparent. The control valves operate by simply pressing on the tubing in the support channels to block flow, without invasion of the flow path. The tubing sets can be easily replaced, cleaned or sterilized. The invention is useful in a range of controlled-flow processes e.g. chromatography and filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: BIOTECHFLOW LTD.
    Inventor: Martin John Hofmann
  • Patent number: 9539420
    Abstract: A control valve includes a tube housing, a tube within the tube housing, and a clamp within the tube housing. The tube is disposed between a first portion of the tube housing and the clamp, and the clamp is movable between an open position and a closed position. The clamp in the open position is located away from the first portion of the tube housing, and the clamp in the first closed position is located adjacent to the first portion of the tube housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Inventor: Ta-lun Tan
  • Patent number: 9534571
    Abstract: An intake device includes: a plurality of intake ports which are adjacent to each other with a partition wall interposed therebetween; a valve body provided for each of the plurality of intake ports; a rotating shaft which rotates along with the valve body; and a bearing member which is disposed between the intake ports adjacent to each other and rotatably supports the rotating shaft of the valve body, wherein the bearing member includes a bearing main body having a bearing hole which rotatably supports the rotating shaft, and an arm portion which extends in a length larger than an inner diameter of the bearing hole from the bearing main body along the partition wall between the intake ports adjacent to each other and configures a bearing-side welding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Oiwa, Yu Sakurai