Patents Examined by Jon Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10082143
    Abstract: Apparatus (10) and a method for supporting one or more turbomachines, with the apparatus including a first package (12) module including a first frame (32) and a fluid-handling machinery mount coupled to the first frame, the fluid-handling machinery mount being configured to support one or more fluid-handling machines (42). The apparatus also includes a second package module (14) including a second frame (38) and a heat exchanger mount coupled to the second frame, the heat exchanger mount being configured to support one or more process fluid coolers (46), and the second package module being coupled to the first package module. The apparatus further includes an access passage (16) extending between the first and second modules and configured to enable personnel to proceed therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY
    Inventors: Pascal Lardy, Pierre Jean, Frederic Marteau, Guillaume Carpentier
  • Patent number: 10036373
    Abstract: A thermal-pumping apparatus according to a non-limiting example embodiment may include a first volume structure defining a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening in fluid communication with a first volume, a second volume structure defining a second inlet opening and a second outlet opening in fluid communication with a second volume, and a connection structure joining the first outlet opening of the first volume structure to the second inlet opening of the second volume structure. The connection structure may include a one-directional valve configured to allow fluid flow between the first and second volume structures in one direction only from the first volume of the first volume structure to the second volume of the second volume structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLC
    Inventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Hunt
  • Patent number: 9863411
    Abstract: A control valve is configured such that a suction pressure, which is used to displace a sub-valve element in a valve opening direction after a main valve has been closed, is varied according to a value of current supplied to a solenoid. A crankcase communication port, which communicates with a crankcase of a compressor, and a suction chamber communication port, which communicates with a suction chamber of the compressor, are provided in a body. A sub-valve chamber whose diameter is larger than that of the main valve hole is formed between the crankcase communication port and a main valve hole, and a sub-valve is placed in the sub-valve chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TGK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Saeki, Masaaki Tonegawa
  • Patent number: 9810210
    Abstract: The invention provides a peristaltic pump. The pump has a cavity for receiving a rotor and a flexible conduit, the rotor engaging the flexible conduit to displace fluid therein. A conduit retainer mechanism is provided for engaging the flexible conduit to assist with retention of the conduit in the cavity against displacement resulting from engagement between the conduit and the rotor. The conduit retainer mechanism including first and second jaws opposite to one another, defining between them a passageway for receiving the conduit, wherein one of the first and second jaws are spring biased to resiliently engage the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: CAPMATIC LTEE
    Inventor: Loris Bassani
  • Patent number: 9790946
    Abstract: An exhaust pump includes: a cylindrical rotating member; an outer cylindrical fixed member; an inner cylindrical fixed member a helical inner thread groove exhaust passage provided between the cylindrical rotating member and the inner cylindrical fixed member; connecting opening portions that are opened in the cylindrical rotating member and that lead a part of gas existing in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the cylindrical rotating member towards the inner thread groove exhaust passage. A gap between an upstream end of the connecting opening portions and lowermost stage rotor blades provided at the outer periphery of the cylindrical rotating member which is located upstream of the connecting opening portions has a dimension equal to or greater than a dimension that enables insertion, into the gap, of a tool for opening the connecting opening portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Edwards Japan Limited
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Ohtachi, Yasushi Maejima, Tsutomu Takaada
  • Patent number: 9777716
    Abstract: A pump for exchange of fluid between an apparatus reservoir and a reserve reservoir. The pump may have an elongated tubular body with a central bore with a reservoir end portion, an inlet end portion and an intermediate barrel portion. A piston assembly with a driving piston with a stem member with nonmagnetic properties attached and the stem member has a tubular extension member attached with all in longitudinal axis alignment slidably positioned in the central bore to position the driving piston adjacent to an electromagnetic coil assembly that is positioned around the intermediate barrel portion and to position the tubular extension member for a reservoir end to extend outwardly at the reservoir end portion opening. An output tubular member with a pressure relief valve is attached to an output port in a side wall of the reservoir end portion positioned for release of fluid through an output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventors: Richard Nelson, Robert M Nelson, Robert K Dyas
  • Patent number: 9777726
    Abstract: In order to prevent the leakage of a gas from an internal space communicating with a compression chamber inside a cylinder in a cylinder head of a compressor, the compressor includes a suction valve pressing portion that presses a suction valve so that the suction valve provided in the internal space of the cylinder head does not slip off through a suction-side head opening, the suction valve pressing portion includes a suction valve pressing and inserting portion that is inserted into the cylinder head through the suction-side head opening, the outer peripheral surface of the suction valve pressing and inserting portion is provided with an annular suction valve pressing groove portion, a suction-side O-ring is attached into the suction valve pressing groove portion, and a suction-side backup ring that suppresses the movement of the suction-side O-ring toward the suction-side head opening is disposed at a position near the suction-side head opening of the suction-side O-ring inside the suction valve pressing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagura, Toshio Hirai, Hitoshi Takagi
  • Patent number: 9771932
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for reducing the warpage of a rotor of an aircraft engine. When the aircraft engine is placed in standby mode, a solenoid-operated bypass valve may receive a control signal to open. When open, the solenoid-operated bypass valve places an electric hydraulic pump in fluidic communication with an engine driven hydraulic pump. The engine driven hydraulic pump rotates because of the pressured provided by the electrical hydraulic pump. The mechanical linkage between the engine driven hydraulic pump and the rotor causes the rotor of the aircraft engine to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Robert E. Fisher
  • Patent number: 9759068
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for controlling a wind turbine based on an identified surface condition of a rotor blade may include monitoring an operating parameter of the wind turbine to obtain parameter data related to the operating parameter as an operating input of the wind turbine changes, analyzing the parameter data to identify a roughness state of the rotor blade and performing a corrective action in response to the identified roughness state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andreas Herrig, Saskia Gerarda Honhoff
  • Patent number: 9752438
    Abstract: An energy system for converting potential and/or kinetic fluid energy into mechanical kinetic energy is provided comprising a housing configured to securely and rotatably support a centrifugal turbine and a energy transmission shaft, the housing comprising a housing fluid inlet and a housing fluid outlet, where the centrifugal turbine comprises relatively light-weight material and a plurality of chambers supported radially around a central hub and configured to function essentially as impellers to rotatably drive the energy transmission shaft upon direction of fluid into the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: William Thomas Damron
  • Patent number: 9739266
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of operating a fluid-working machine wherein the volume of working fluid displaced each cycle is selectable and wherein the volume of working fluid displaced by a first working chamber takes into account the suitability of the working chamber to displace fluid. The invention extends in further aspects to power absorbing structures such as renewable energy devices comprising such fluid working machines. The invention allows the operation of fluid working machines and power absorbing structures which are more long lived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ARTEMIS INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephen Hugh Salter, William Hugh Salvin Rampen, Michael Richard Fielding, Niall James Caldwell, Stephen Michael Laird, Pierre Robert Joly
  • Patent number: 9689401
    Abstract: An impeller designed to be mounted on a rotary shaft includes: a basic rim provided with blades protruding on one surface of the basic rim, and a hub capable of being coupled to the basic rim and to the rotary shaft. In certain embodiments, the impeller includes an annular plate and the hub, where the annular plate and the basic rim are configured to interact together so as to hold the basic rim axially and to maintain a freedom of radial deformation of the basic rim relative to the hub and to the annular plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Thermodyn
    Inventors: Sylvain Guillemin, Vittorio Michelassi, Douglas Carl Hofer
  • Patent number: 9670933
    Abstract: A compressor control apparatus, and a refrigerator including the same are provided. The operation of two compressors may be controlled using an alternating current (AC) switch, thereby minimizing a number of components, as well as increasing compressor capacity and enhancing operation efficiency. A plurality of operation modes may be used to correspond to a load or freezing capacity using two compressors, and the two compressors may be operated in a separate or simultaneous manner using a drive including two (AC) switches, thereby simplifying the configuration of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaeyoo Yoo, Gyunam Kim, Boram Lee
  • Patent number: 9662433
    Abstract: A pressure detection device of a liquid flow route is provided which detects a pressure of an arterial blood circuit consisting of a flexible tube, a portion of which is connected to a peristaltically-actuated tube that can cause an internal liquid to flow by being compressed in a radial direction and being peristaltically actuated in a longitudinal direction in a roller of a blood pump, and which enables a predetermined liquid to be circulated. The pressure detection device includes a load sensor that detects radial displacement of the peristaltically-actuated tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: NIKKISO COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Sumiaki Matsuo, Kazumi Yokoyama, Kunihiko Akita
  • Patent number: 9638059
    Abstract: In the generic exhaust-gas turbocharger, the turbine-side and compressor-side radial bearing bush are of identical design. A more compact bearing space, and improvements in acoustics and rotor dynamics, are achieved by providing different bearings on the turbine and compressor sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Becker, André Seiler
  • Patent number: 9624929
    Abstract: An electric pump includes a housing and a motor unit having a stator disposed in the housing. A rotor is rotatably disposed on the stator and a rotating shaft is inserted in and passing through the rotor. A pump comprises an inner rotor coupled to one end of the rotating shaft and an outer rotor, and the pump has an inserting recess for receiving the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chanseok Kim
  • Patent number: 9599112
    Abstract: A automotive coolant pump includes a pulley wheel fixedly supported by a rotatable rotor shaft. A shaft sealing separates a dry pump section from a wet pump section. A pump wheel is supported in the wet pump section by the rotor shaft and is axially slidable between a pumping and a non-pumping position. An actuator is arranged in the dry pump section. A linear actuator rod is arranged in parallel to and eccentrically with respect to the rotor shaft. The linear actuator rod comprises a dry and a wet section. A rod sealing is actuated by the actuator and separates the dry from the wet of the linear actuator rod. A shift ring is arranged so as to be axially shiftable and rotatably fixed at the rotor shaft in the wet pump section. The shift ring is moved axially by the actuator rod and axially moves the pump wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: PIERBURG PUMP TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Durand
  • Patent number: 9556874
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a variable frequency drive system and a method of controlling a pump driven by a motor with the pump in fluid communication with a fluid system. The drive system and method can provide one or more of the following: a sleep mode, pipe break detection, a line fill mode, an automatic start mode, dry run protection, an electromagnetic interference filter compatible with a ground fault circuit interrupter, two-wire and three-wire and three-phase motor compatibility, a simple start-up process, automatic password protection, a pump out mode, digital input/output terminals, and removable input and output power terminal blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: Pentair Flow Technologies, LLC, Danfoss Drives A/S
    Inventors: Melissa Drechsel Kidd, William James Genaw, Micheal Robert Pasche, Gary Thomas Baase, II, Lars Hoffmann Berthelsen, Rasmus Fink, Martin Skov Holm
  • Patent number: 9540952
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, the turbocharger being supported by hydrostatic bearings in both a radial and an axial direction by a compressed air supplied from a compressor of the turbocharger and boosted in pressure by a separate boost pump to a high enough pressure to support the rotor of the turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: S & J DESIGN, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy J Miller, Alex Pinera
  • Patent number: 9500188
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to medical fluid cassettes and related systems and methods. In some aspects, a medical fluid cassette includes a base and a magnetically attractive member overlying a fluid pump chamber of the cassette. The magnetically attractive member defines a cavity sized and shaped to receive a portion of a piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Tri Ly, Gurpreet Singh, Michael David Young