Patents Examined by John Fristoe, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8146888
    Abstract: In a valve, the combination comprises a valve body defining an annular seat, and porting at upstream and downstream sides of the seat; a valve operating handle and stem; a tubular part connected into the body and defining a first side opening facing toward one of the sides; a tubular stopper sleeve received within the tubular part and having an open end facing the seat; and a second side opening rotatable by the stem into and out of registration with the first side opening whereby flow through the valve and stopper sleeve is established when the second side opening registers with the first side opening, and flow through the valve is blanked when the second side opening is rotated out of registration with the first side opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Inventor: Herbert W. Hoeptner
  • Patent number: 8141849
    Abstract: A valve body and seal assembly comprises a valve body symmetrical about a longitudinal axis and comprising a circumferential seal retention groove and a frusto-conical valve body impact area for contacting a valve seat. An elastomeric seal is cast-in-place in the circumferential seal retention groove. Each seal comprises first and second seal sections in contact via an intra-seal interface, the interface simultaneously extending radially outward and longitudinally. First seal sections may comprise a first polyurethane having a higher modulus than a second polyurethane of which second seal sections may be comprised. First seal sections are cast and partially cured in a mold which is rotating about the longitudinal axis. Second seal sections are cast after the first seal sections are partially cured, resulting in the intra-seal interface shape described above. Cross-linking between first and second seal sections across the intra-seal interface is thus facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: George H. Blume
  • Patent number: 8141845
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fuel cell supply for a fuel cell having an outer casing, a liner member containing methanol, and a valve component comprising a valve body member and a slidable body member disposed inside the valve body member. The slidable body member is normally biased toward a valve seat surface to seal the valve component and the slidable body member can be moved away from the valve seat surface to open the valve component. The liner member, the valve body member and the slidable body member are made from at least two different materials and wherein at least one of the members compatible with methanol. Hence, each component can be selected from material(s) that is substantially optimal for its function in the fuel supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Societe Bic
    Inventors: Paul Adams, Andrew J. Curello, Floyd Fairbanks
  • Patent number: 8141844
    Abstract: Improving the accuracy of the flow rate of a valve in a fluidic delivery device in which a desired flow rate may be achieved by varying the duty cycle of the valve. The flow rate of fluid delivery from the valve over its lifetime is stabilized by minimizing the voltage OPENING time of the valve to account for valve and piezoelectric actuator drift. Also, the valve OPENING time of one or more fluidic parameters that impact on the flow rate delivery by the valve and differ among fluidic delivery devices is compensated to optimize the flow rate accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Codman NeuroSciences Sàrl
    Inventors: Rocco Crivelli, Alec Ginggen, Toralf Bork
  • Patent number: 8141842
    Abstract: A solenoid valve includes a valve housing in which a spool valve element is fitted to be reciprocably slidable along an axis; a magnet coil that moves the spool valve element in a first direction along the axis by an action of an electromagnetic force; a return spring that biases the spool valve element in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, and moves the spool valve element in the second direction when the magnet coil is not excited; and first and second attraction members that are respectively fixed to the spool valve element and the valve housing such that they are spaced from each other along the axis by a distance no less than a maximum moving amount of the spool valve element and attract each other by an attraction force smaller than a bias force of the return spring when the magnet coil is not excited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Imamura, Atsushi Honda
  • Patent number: 8141847
    Abstract: A method for controlling or regulating a vacuum valve that includes a valve body (1) with a valve opening (2), a closing member (3), an actuator (5) for moving the closing member (3), and a control device (9) by which the actuator (5) is triggered and by which the pressing force acting on the elastic seal (4) in the closed position of the closing member (3) is set. The setting of the pressing force acting on the elastic seal (4) is performed as a function of at least one parameter that can be input by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: VAT Holding AG
    Inventor: Richard Fischer
  • Patent number: 8141579
    Abstract: A valve including a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, a valve stem, a valve seat, an opening control chamber for the valve stem, which chamber, by being fed with fluid, urges the valve stem to move towards the open position of the valve, a return spring of opposing effect, and a piston suitable for sliding in the body so as to urge contact to be established between the valve stem and the seat. The valve seat is formed on the piston, which piston is provided with a bore in which the valve stem is in its closure movement, the fluid flows out via a constriction from a damping chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Poclain Hydraulics Industrie
    Inventors: Dominique Costaz, Alain Mangano
  • Patent number: 8141843
    Abstract: A valve includes a body, a throttling ball, and a shoe. The body includes an upstream flow passage and a downstream flow passage in fluid communication with an interior cavity of the body. The throttling ball is rotatable within the interior cavity on an axis to adjust the valve from a closed position to an open position and includes a fluid conduit extending through the throttling ball, where the fluid conduit is alignable with the upstream flow passage and the downstream flow passage. The shoe is disposed in the cavity abutting an interior surface of the cavity and includes a fluid passage there through having an inlet being alignable with the flow conduit of the throttling ball and an outlet being alignable with the downstream flow passage of the body. The interior surface of the shoe is disposed adjacent to and tracking an external surface of the throttling ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Dresser, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Rimboym, Vladimir Etinger
  • Patent number: 8136789
    Abstract: A valve actuator operates a valve, such as a drain valve of an industrial washing machine. The valve actuator has a permanent magnet DC motor which drives a gear train which rotatably drives an output shaft. The output shaft is engaged with the drain valve and moves the drain valve to open and closed positions as desired. The valve actuator also has a controller which controls operation of the valve actuator. The controller provides power to the motor only when needed to open and close the drain valve. The controller does not provide power to the motor when the drain valve is in the open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Molon Motor and Coil Corporation
    Inventor: Stoyan S. Staev
  • Patent number: 8136791
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for controlling the filling and/or extraction of a fluid, for example, in relation to a pressurized fluid tank including a body having a connection end (516) which is equipped with engagement means that are intended to co-operate with complementary engagement means which are provided, for example, on a connection interface of a tank, a member (17) for opening a valve that can move in relation to the body, actuation means (250) which can move the opening member (17) selectively and which can move between a running position and a stopped position corresponding respectively to an operating position and a rest position of the opening member (17) and a hole (105) which can receive a removable outlet or inlet coupling (75) for the distribution of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude Et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Arnaud Denis, Renaud Ligonesche, Philippe Pisot
  • Patent number: 8136793
    Abstract: A valve arrangement has an annular housing with valve seat and a two-part valve plate that is rotatable about an axis. The seat is in the form of a disk including two adjacent openings with a web between and the axis is parallel to the web. The two parts of the valve plate are next to each other with their planes parallel and offset in a perpendicular direction. They are connected to each other through one of the openings by a connection piece extending through the one opening. In a closed position for the valve, the valve plate part are respectively positioned on opposite sides of the valve seat and cover and seal the respective openings due to a seal that is between the valve plate parts and the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventor: Pierino Keller-Staub
  • Patent number: 8136790
    Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator for a hydraulic directional control valve is provided. The electromagnetic actuator is used for adjusting a hydraulic directional control valve, for example, for the variable adjustment of the control times of an internal combustion engine. The electromagnetic actuator includes a housing (08) with which the electromagnetic actuator is mounted opposite the hydraulic directional control valve. The electromagnetic actuator further includes a coil (01) that is arranged in a coil body (03). The electromagnetic field that can be generated with the coil (01) acts on an armature (09) that is arranged in the electromagnetic actuator so that it can move axially. In order to prevent that the hydraulic medium of the hydraulic directional control valve leaks from reaching the electromagnetic actuator, the actuator includes a seal (13; 24) between the coil body (03) and the housing (08). The coil body has a holder (26, 28) for holding the seal (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Hoppe, Markus Kinscher
  • Patent number: 8132782
    Abstract: A method for controlling or regulating a vacuum valve that includes: a valve body (1) with a valve opening (2); a closing member (3) that can be moved between an open position and a closed position over a closing path (s) for closing the vacuum valve and that closes the valve opening (2) in the closed position, in which at least one elastic seal (4) is pressed onto a seal face (35); an actuator (5) for moving the closing member (3); and a control device (9) by which the actuator (5) can be triggered; the point (p) of the closing path (s) at which the elastic seal (4) contacts the seal face (35) and/or a velocity (v) of the closing member (3) at that point is used as a controlling parameter for the control device (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: VAT Holding AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Duelli, Friedrich Geiser
  • Patent number: 8132783
    Abstract: In a fluid transmission line, a valve comprising a housing that establishes a lumen for transmission of a fluid through said valve; a drive mechanism and a drive gear mounted in said housing to be selectively driven in a first or second rotational direction by said drive mechanism. The drive gear has a central throughhole and a plurality of pins around the central throughhole. A plurality of leaves are pivotally mounted on the pins, and oriented to extend radially inward into said central throughhole. A fixed extension has an annular aspect disposed in the drive gear, and has a plurality of engagement members disposed to operatively engage one of said leaves. The engagement members bias the leaves to close an orifice when said drive gear rotates in said first direction and to open the orifice when said drive gear rotates in said second direction. Each of the leaves maintains a substantially sealing engagement with each adjacent leaf throughout a range of motion of the leaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Lumec Control Products, Inc
    Inventor: Paul Luebbers
  • Patent number: 8132777
    Abstract: A blowout preventer for use in the oil and gas industry having a single modified, dual-acting hydraulic operator per door, comprising a reconfigured adapter. The reconfigured adapter comprises a body having a longitudinal bore, a plurality of hydraulic fluid passageways therethrough, and is slidably received by the blowout preventer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Alberta Petroleum Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Scott Delbridge, Dean Foote
  • Patent number: 8132781
    Abstract: A fluid coupling includes a body defining a passageway, a valve member that is selectively movable between a closed position and an open position, and an interface at which the body is connectable to a complementary coupling. An interlock system is configured to permit movement of the valve member from the closed position to the open position when the complementary coupling is connected to the body at the interface, and to prevent movement of the valve member from the closed position to the open position when the complementary coupling is not connected to the body at the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory A. Haunhorst
  • Patent number: 8128057
    Abstract: A valve assembly may include a body having an axis and a flow tube attached to the body for flowing a fluid therethrough, the flow tube having a first bend and a second bend. The valve assembly may further include a valve attached to the flow tube having an axle that is perpendicular to the axis, and a piston attached to the body and the axle and parallel to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mark Douglas Swinford
  • Patent number: 8128061
    Abstract: A capacity control valve includes a solenoid portion; a tube placed in the solenoid portion; and a movable core which forms a slide surface that is fitted to the tube. An actuation rod has a joint portion and a valve body, the joint portion being engaged with an abutting surface of a solenoid rod portion, and the valve body opening or closing a control fluid passage. The joint surface of the solenoid rod portion or the abutting face of the actuation rod has a concave cone-shape surface while the other has a convex cone-shape portion. A bottom face of the concave cone-shape surface is formed as a wide area of either a planar surface or a circular cross section, wherein a head portion of the convex cone-shape portion is truncated to form a truncated cone surface, the truncated cone surface corresponding to the bottom face of the concave cone-shape surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Uemura, Toshiaki Iwa, Katsuya Shirai, Keigo Shirafuji
  • Patent number: 8128058
    Abstract: A flow control device in which a flapper is continuously biased to the closed position by a leaf spring that may have a plurality of fingers. The same valve includes a shutoff mechanism allowing the user to adjust forward flow through the valve or shut it off entirely. The leaf spring is made to include polyoxymethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: National Diversified Sales, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory F. Quinn, Robert G. Morris
  • Patent number: 8128059
    Abstract: In a certain brake control apparatus, a valve main body of a hydraulic control valve and a coil unit are separately formed, are assembled with each other, and are mounted on an actuator block. Further, bias current is secured even though the supply of current is temporarily unnecessary depending on a control state and a period between the termination and the start of the driving of the hydraulic control valve. Accordingly, it may be possible to maintain a contact state between the inner peripheral surface of the coil unit and the outer peripheral surface of the valve main body during the driving control period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Uechi, Eiji Nakamura