Patents Examined by John Rivell
  • Patent number: 8939167
    Abstract: A pressure relief assembly may include an actuator stem having a plurality of retaining grooves. A relief plate may be operatively connected to the actuator stem and a diaphragm plate may be operatively connected to the actuator stem. A diaphragm may be least partially disposed between the relief plate and the diaphragm plate. A relief spring seat may be releasably attached to the actuator stem at one of the plurality of retaining grooves. The relief spring may be adjusted by moving the attachment point from one retaining groove to another retaining groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Scott Mevius
  • Patent number: 8939175
    Abstract: A fluid delivery system has an inner pipe (10) and an outer pipe (12). The inner pipe (10) is fixed and the outer pipe (12) is slidable relative to the inner pipe (10) in an axial direction lengthwise of the inner pipe (10). The inner pipe (10) has an inlet (2) and an outlet (4). The outer pipe (12) has two outlets (6 and 8). The inlet (2) is connectable to a fluid source and the outlets are connectable to appliances such as a shower, bath or washbasin. The outer pipe (12) is slidable along the inner pipe (10) to connect selectively the inlet (2) to one or more of the outlets (4, 6, 8) individually or in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Kohler Mira Limited
    Inventors: Benjamin Lea, Nigel Paul Sansum
  • Patent number: 8936044
    Abstract: A pouch air valve used on a sealing pouch comprises a coupling duct and a piercing base. The coupling duct includes a duct, an air valve and a first suction plate. The piercing base has a piercing head and a second suction plate. The first suction plate surrounds and seals the duct to form coupling therewith. The piercing head has an airflow passage running through two sides thereof. The second suction plate surrounds and seals the piercing head to form coupling therewith. The piercing base is positioned at one side of the sealing pouch while the duct is directly aligned and coupled with the piercing head from another side of the sealing pouch so that the piercing head can pierce through the sealing pouch to allow the first and second suction plates to attract each other and anchor on the sealing pouch which serves as separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Inventor: Wei Ling Chen
  • Patent number: 8936038
    Abstract: An electromagnetic water meter holder apparatus for holding and stabilizing an electromagnetic water meter in a water meter box. A cylindrical rod, large circular tube and arched tab are used, and are optimally sized to hold and stabilize electromagnetic water meters. The method includes positioning an electromagnetic water meter into a water meter box for installation. Aligning and optimizing the electromagnetic water meter pipe nozzles of the electromagnetic water meter up with existing pipe for water flow management. Securing of the electromagnetic water meter in place by moving the cylindrical rod of the electromagnetic water meter holder apparatus, thereby preventing rotation or movement of the electromagnetic water meter; and connecting the existing pipe for water flow in and water flow out of the water meter box to the electromagnetic water meter by securing the existing pipe to the electromagnetic water meter pipe nozzles with connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Inventor: Dave Tyler
  • Patent number: 8936042
    Abstract: A dual control shut off system, such as a dead man system for a blasting system, blasting equipment, or other equipment having both pneumatic and electric safety control circuits, may include an electric dead man's switch or a pneumatic dead man's switch. An embodiment of the dual control dead man system is for wet abrasive blasting systems used for cleaning, preparing surfaces, removing coatings, and/or other abrasive blasting operations. Embodiments of the dual control shut off system provide the ability to conveniently switch between an electric and pneumatic shut off system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc
    Inventor: Keith Eliason
  • Patent number: 8931517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solenoid valve able to control flow amount as desired without receiving influence of change in fluid pressure. In the present invention, in a control valve for opening and closing a first poppet valve 103 and a second poppet valve 104 by a solenoid portion, a first pressure receiving area S1 which is a seating area of the first poppet valve 103, a second pressure receiving area S2 which is a seating area of the second poppet valve 104, a third pressure receiving area S3 which is a pressure receiving area of a first pressure sensing portion 145 and a fourth pressure receiving area S4 which is a pressure receiving area of a second pressure sensing portion 155 are made approximately equal to each other. Thereby unbalanced forces received from fluid flowing in and out when each poppet valve is actuated are all canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8931514
    Abstract: A liquid flow rate control valve is provided in which since a total area of overlapping sections of a communication hole group (38c, 38d) of a distributor (38) and an outlet opening (37a, 37b) of a sleeve (37) changes when the distributor (38) is rotated by a first electric motor (46), if a rotor (42) is rotated by means of a second electric motor (47), an input port (31e) communicates with an output port (31f) through an inlet opening (42c, 42d) of the rotor (42), the communication hole group (38c, 38d) of the distributor (38), and the outlet opening (37a, 37b) of the sleeve (37) when the inlet opening (42c, 42d) of the rotor (42) passes through the overlapping sections, thereby making it possible to carry out PWM control of a flow rate of liquid. Since a thrust load in an axis (L) direction does not act on the distributor (38) and the rotor (42), supporting the distributor (38) and the rotor (42) becomes easy, thereby enabling the cost and weight to be cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuneo Endo, Seiichiro Ishikawa, Hidemi Arai, Yuki Shibahata, Mitsuo Kadota, Hiroshi Hanabusa, Daiki Sato, Kensaku Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8931511
    Abstract: A valve device is provided with a contraction-type high polymer gel actuator which laminates slab-like negative plates and mesh-like positive plates alternately and interleaves high polymer gel between each negative plate and each positive plate, and with a first and a second valve mechanisms driven by the gel actuator. The direction of deformation of expansion and contraction of the high polymer gel actuator is the same as the driving direction of the first valve mechanism and perpendicular to the driving direction of the second valve mechanism. The valve device is composed in such a way as to switch opening and closing of a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage simultaneously by means of deformation of expansion and contraction by controlling voltage applied to the high polymer gel actuator. This allows to compose a valve device that can open and close plural oil passages at an identical timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Naoki Yajima, Tatsuhiro Tomari, Minoru Ueno
  • Patent number: 8931754
    Abstract: A safety valve includes a cylinder having an open end and a plug for closing the open end with a hermetic seal. The interior of the cylinder communicates with a high-pressure gas passage. The cylinder is deformed as a function of gas pressure in the high-pressure gas passage to widen the open end. This allows gas in the high-pressure gas passage to escape and thus prevents the gas pressure from increasing beyond an acceptable level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignees: Jtekt Corporation, Toyooki Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Imoto, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kazushi Numazaki, Chihiro Uchimura, Akira Yamashita, Tsukuo Ishitoya, Noritaka Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8931512
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivery of gas are provided herein. In some embodiments, a gas delivery system may include a premix tank having an inlet and an outlet; a plurality of gas supplies coupled to the inlet of the premix tank; a plurality of valves, each valve respectively disposed in line with a corresponding one of the plurality of gas supplies; and a conduit coupling the outlet of the premix tank to one or more gas delivery zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Cruse, Ezra Robert Gold, John W. Lane
  • Patent number: 8931516
    Abstract: A pilot-controlled valve having a valve system switches a pressure medium flow between at least one working connection, a supply pressure connection and a ventilation connection, and includes at least one valve member of ceramic material operated rotationally/linearly by pilot control, at least one connecting channel is bringable into flow connection to the working connection, which, based on the valve member's position, produces a flow connection of the working connection to a first flow channel connected to the ventilation connection or to a second flow channel that is connected to the supply pressure connection, at least one section of the first and second flow channels being in at least one static valve body of ceramic material, at least the first flow channel is sealed from the second flow channel by at least one seal that is in a region outside a direct inflow by the pressure medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Woerner, Siegmund Deja
  • Patent number: 8931502
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas-dispensing device for connecting a plurality of pressurized gas sources (E1, E2, E3, E4) to a user, the device including a housing provided with a plurality of gas inlets to be connected to respective gas sources (E1, E2, E3, E4) and an outlet to be connected to a user member, a dispensing member that selectively movable, relative to the body, into separate dispensing positions for selectively putting each inlet in communication with the outlet in turn, while the other inlets are isolated from the outlet, characterized in that the device comprises an emergency discharge system that is movable into an operative position in which all the gas inlets are simultaneously forcedly connected to a gas discharge outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Laurent Allidieres
  • Patent number: 8925567
    Abstract: A thermal pressure relief device (TPRD) is shown and includes a housing having a first end with a first aperture and a second end having a second aperture. The first and second apertures are configured to allow a fluid to flow through the housing. The TPRD includes a trigger member, such as a ball, disposed within the housing. The ball is seated laterally within a retainer. The retainer includes a rim forming a seat for supporting the ball within the housing. The movement of the ball from the first closed position laterally seated within the retainer to the second open position descended within the retainer is caused by an expansion of the rim of the retainer. The rim of the retainer is formed substantially of a temperature sensitive material adapted to expand volumetrically with an increase in temperature. The temperature sensitive material can expand linearly or non-linearly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Jörg Schulze
  • Patent number: 8925896
    Abstract: A positioner includes a modeling portion that, having input/output characteristics that model an electropneumatic converter, inputs a control signal from a control calculating portion to calculate an estimated value for an input air pressure that is inputted from the electropneumatic converter into a pilot relay, and a shift magnitude calculating portion that calculates a shift magnitude from the equilibrium state of the pilot relay, from the estimated value for the input air pressure, which is calculated by the modeling portion, and the output air pressure that is outputted from the pilot relay. The control calculating portion determines the control signal from an actual opening signal, an opening setting signal, and the shift magnitude from the equilibrium state of the pilot relay, and outputs it to the electropneumatic converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Azbil Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Nomiyama, Masaki Namikawa
  • Patent number: 8919374
    Abstract: An electromechanically actuated, hydraulic control valve with a double slide arranged in a valve housing which is in fluid communication with at least three hydraulic-fluid ports wherein a first and a second axially movable valve slide are, independently of each other, arranged to sealingly abut corresponding portions of a double valve seat, each valve slide is provided with a slide nut which is in engagement with an external threaded portion on the valve slide and is connected via transmission means to an actuator, and to each valve slide, a position sensor is connected, arranged to indicate a rotational motion of the slide nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Tool-Tech AS
    Inventor: Egil Eriksen
  • Patent number: 8919379
    Abstract: A plug switch outlet mechanism has a first and second shower. The first shower includes a first switch mechanism inside and a socket outside a fixed unit, an outlet connected to the fixed unit; the fixed unit is disposed with two waterways and an inlet waterway connected to the external water source, one of the waterway is connected to the outlet, the socket is disposed with a switch, the switch is driving connected to the first switch mechanism for driving the first switch mechanism when touched to make the two waterways switched to connect to the inlet waterway; the second shower is connected to the other waterway, the second shower is coupled to the socket and can plug into the socket, when the second shower is inserted into the sockets or pulled away from the socket, the switch is touched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Xiamen Solex High-Tech Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huasong Zhou, Haisong Peng, Renzhong Li, Bin Chen
  • Patent number: 8919373
    Abstract: A valve (101) that can be used as a pressure limiter, for example in a sanitary supply line. The valve (101) according to the invention includes a valve housing (1), a fluid line piece (2) being provided in the housing interior thereof, the downstream side circumferential edge area thereof forming a valve seat (3) for a valve body (4), wherein the valve body (4) can be displaced between an open position and a closed position, in which closed position the valve body (4) acts on the downstream circumferential edge area of the fluid line piece (2), by the pressure of the fluid flowing in through the fluid line piece (2) on one side, and a downstream side pressure acting on the valve body (4) opposite to the regular flow-through direction on the other side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Neoperl GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Fangmeier
  • Patent number: 8919383
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for manipulating a liquid in a channel, wherein a body, which forms a capillary intermediate space with respect to the channel wall, is moved in the channel and the channel is filled with liquid only up to the body. Preferably, the body can also bridge an area of the channel that cannot be wetted for the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
    Inventor: Tobias Rodenfels
  • Patent number: 8919375
    Abstract: Valve comprising a shutter (2) rotating as one (A) with a shaft (3) and a sensor sensing the rotational position of the shaft (3), which comprises a target holder (4a) push-fitted onto the shaft (3), a plate (6) slipped onto the shaft (3), the target holder (4a) and the annular part (6a) being in one and the same plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: KSB S.A.S.
    Inventors: Dominique Duboy, Christophe Amagat
  • Patent number: 8915265
    Abstract: A double-walled above-ground storage tank includes a primary tank and a secondary tank, and an interstitial space; an containment chamber formed by a primary chamber wall and a secondary chamber wall, forming a chamber interstitial space therebetween, and an exterior door assembly; and at least one pipe and valve assembly wherein the pipe originates in the tank interior volume and the valve is disposed within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Envirovault Corporation
    Inventor: Russ Hebblethwaite