Patents Examined by Joseph A Greenlund
  • Patent number: 11148165
    Abstract: A water display is described including a wall or other structure upon which streams of water are shot. The direction, velocity, pressure and flow rate of the water streams may be varied to provide entertaining visual effects, which may also be choreographed with music, lighting or other features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: WET
    Inventor: Mark Fuller
  • Patent number: 11148164
    Abstract: A dispenser and methods for transferring liquids are disclosed. The dispenser may include a capillary tube with tip having an aperture, a piezoelectric actuator coupled to the capillary tube at a location. Actuation of the piezoelectric actuator causes a pressure wave to propagate along the capillary tube toward the tip such that radial motion at the location is transmitted as distally extending axial motion of the tip, thereby causing a droplet of a predetermined volume to be ejected from the aperture. In some embodiments, the capillary tube has a modulus of elasticity in a range which dampens acoustical noise from the actuation and provides single drop stability over a range of drop sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: BioDot, Inc.
    Inventors: Yehuda Ivri, Thomas Tisone, Eric P. Kuo, Shane Gunsalus
  • Patent number: 11148158
    Abstract: An agricultural sprayer system includes a solution circuit including solution lines and a fluid pump to pump a solution from the solution tank through the solution lines to the spray nozzles; an air circuit including air lines and a source of compressed air to selectively introduce air pressure into the solution circuit; and a control system including a controller configured to control flow of the solution and the compressed air. The controller is configured to perform a spray cycle in which, during a primary portion, a control valve is controlled to isolate the air circuit from the solution circuit so that the solution is pumped by the fluid pump from the solution tank to the spray nozzles, and in which, during an air pressure application portion, the control valve is controlled so that the solution is forced through the solution circuit by the compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Joshua J. Engelbrecht, Pierre van Raaij, Julien Saint Laurent
  • Patent number: 11147258
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of nozzle assemblies connected in fluid communication with a fluid supply line, a plurality of electrically actuated valve assemblies to control fluid flow through the nozzle assemblies, and a controller communicatively connected to the valve assemblies and configured to control at least one operating parameter of each valve assembly. A portable electronic device is connected in communication with the controller, and is configured to display an image including at least a portion of the system and a target, and to receive a user input that identifies a location and/or an orientation of each of the plurality of nozzle assemblies on the image. At least one of the controller and the portable electronic device is configured to determine the at least one operating parameter based on an overlap amount between a spray path projection of each nozzle assembly and the target in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: CAPSTAN AG SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey John Grimm, Andrew J. Holtz
  • Patent number: 11135461
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a substantially automated fire suppression system, based on a distributed control communications network. The distributed system can comprise a communication network and at least two control components that are communicatively coupled with the communication network. A first control component can perform a first fire suppression operation, transmit first fire suppression operation data to the communication network, and receive second fire suppression operation data from the communication network. A second control component can perform a second fire suppression operation, transmit second fire suppression operation data to the communication network, receive first fire suppression operation data from the communication network, and alter the second fire suppression operation based at least upon the received first fire suppression operation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: AKRON BRASS COMPANY
    Inventors: David Beechy, Jerry A. Christensen, Bradley L. Busch, Peter J. Lauffenburger
  • Patent number: 11135604
    Abstract: A sprayer system for spraying water, onto and for absorption by, a surrounding area, such as used in wastewater treatment. The sprayer system includes a substantially vertical tubular housing extending from a well base to a distal end from which water communicated to the sprayer system is discharged. The tubular housing includes an inner tubular casing slidably supporting a piston assembly which is movable from the well base to the distal end in response to water communicated from a source to the well base. The piston assembly includes a primary check valve that is biased into engagement with an associated seat and includes a spray nozzle located downstream of the main check valve. When water from the source is applied to an effective pressure area on the piston assembly, an upwardly directed force is applied to the piston assembly when water is delivered to the well base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Inventor: Christopher L. Hansen
  • Patent number: 11123755
    Abstract: Diffuser of an active liquid agent, for the treatment of a fluid environment, be it at the gaseous or liquid state, of the type including a container (1) of the active agent, closed by grid element apt to maintain in position the active agent and to allow the emanation of fluids of the same, the grid element being covered by a barrier film, peelable at the time of the first use to make operative the grid element, wherein the container (1) is closed by a single multilayer film (2, 3a, 3b) including at least one external barrier layer (3a) and at least another inner sealing layer (2) apt to maintain in position the active agent and to form the grid element, at the time of the first use of the container, following the simultaneous removal of the barrier film and of predefined portions of the sealing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: ZOBELE HOLDING S.P.A.
    Inventors: Fabio Marchetti, Stefano Deflorian, Franco Zobele
  • Patent number: 11118368
    Abstract: A laminar water feature is provided which includes a housing having a deck niche, a niche collar, a spacer ring, and a lid, a laminar vessel having an inlet, an annular pocket, a vertical baffle, a horizontal baffle, a light pipe, a plurality of screens, a cap having an outlet, and threading within an isolated light chamber for removably accepting a lighting source, and a pivot adjustment bracket having a handle with push button assembly, ridge, and detent configuration for fixedly rotatably adjusting the angle of the laminar vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: James Carter, Danny Raposo, Kevin Potucek, Gregory Fournier
  • Patent number: 11117007
    Abstract: A fire suppression nozzle can include a first fluid channel configured to be in fluid communication with a first fluid having a first flow velocity and a second fluid channel configured to be in fluid communication with a second fluid having a second flow velocity. A mixer can be disposed between the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel such that the mixer is configured to induce streamwise vorticity in at least the first fluid exiting first fluid channel to cause mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid to reduce a flow speed of a mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Paul M. Johnson, Duane C. Mccormick, May L. Corn, Sudarshan N. Koushik, Mikhail Morozov, Changmin Cao, Christopher T. Chipman, Keith A. Post
  • Patent number: 11109584
    Abstract: The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a method for application of products in liquid or semiliquid state, such as chemicals for agricultural use and the like, using a rotating atomizer device, in such a way that the drops shall fall downwards in the form of fog over the crops due to the action of the force caused by its mass and gravity, in addition to the eventual momentum that centrifugal effect of the rotating parties that generate the drops may provide, wherein the method includes the following steps: individually regulate the voltage for the speed of the engines of each rotating atomizer device, modifying the parameter of the power supply of the engine to ensure that the speed of each rotating atomizer device is the correct one, measure the speed of the engine under its control and correct any deviation or separation from the programmed operating values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventor: Mercedes Bonamico
  • Patent number: 11090753
    Abstract: A system and method for determining weld travel speed. In one example, a welding system includes one or more sensors configured to provide a first indication correspond to a welding arc at a first time and to provide a second indication correspond to the welding arc at a second time. The welding system also includes processing circuitry configured to receive the first indication, to receive the second indication, and to determine a weld travel speed based on a weld length of the workpiece and a difference between the first and second times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Jyi-Jiin Luo, Christopher J. Nelli, Todd Earl Holverson, Andrew Patrick Mulroy
  • Patent number: 11085177
    Abstract: A sanitary unit (1, 116, 118) is provided which has a sleeve-shaped outlet mouthpiece (2), which (2) can be installed on a water outlet of a sanitary outlet fitting and has a sleeve interior, into which is inserted a sanitary functional unit (5) with at least one functional element (5), which (5) has a component (6), which (6) can be adjusted between at least two functional positions, by an externally accessible handle, via a transmission element (9) which is guided in an axially displaceable manner in the functional element (5). The handle is configured in the form of an actuating element (7) which is retained in a displaceable manner on the outer circumference of a sub-region, forming part of the outlet mouthpiece (2), which projects beyond the water outlet of the outlet fitting, and the actuating element (7), which serves as a handle has a water-jet-permeable or water-jet-guiding outlet structure (8) held on it that connects the actuating element (7) to the transmission element (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Neoperl GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Schurle, Dietmar Walser, Alexander Stein
  • Patent number: 11084049
    Abstract: A paint spray gun includes a gun body formed as a unitary one piece structure composed of a tubular body portion, a valve connection portion, an air passageway portion and a feed connection portion. A spray cap is disposed on the tubular body portion and has a cap opening. The tubular body portion has an air chamber that is covered by the spray cap and that communicates with said cap opening, and a feed passage connected to the chamber. The valve connection portion, the air passageway portion and the feed connection portion are formed as one piece with the tubular body portion without welded joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventor: Hsing-Tzu Wang
  • Patent number: 11077221
    Abstract: A volatile dispenser for use in a volatile dispensing system is provided. The volatile dispenser includes a blister with a surface having at least one flexible portion, a permeable membrane sealable to the surface and configured to form a sealed reservoir with the blister, and a volatile material contained within the sealed reservoir. Diffusion of the volatile material through the permeable membrane generates a pressure differential between the sealed reservoir and an ambient atmosphere to induce a movement of the at least one flexible portion to perform at least one function for the volatile dispensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan R. Westphal
  • Patent number: 11071260
    Abstract: An emitter forms a flow path that runs to a discharge part from a water collecting part for receiving an irrigation liquid in a tube. The flow path includes a flow rate control part which includes: an end surface including a concave inclined surface that faces a film for receiving the pressure of the liquid inside the tube; a hole that opens at the center of the flow volume control part and connects to the discharge part; and a groove crossing the inclined surface and running to the hole. When the film adheres to the inclined surface as a result of the pressure of the irrigation liquid inside the tube, the flow volume of the irrigation liquid inside the emitter is controlled so as to be a volume that can pass through the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: ENPLAS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Kidachi
  • Patent number: 11071802
    Abstract: The device for diffusing volatile substances, comprising a casing (1) wherein at least two respective volatile substance containers (2) are housed, said containers (2) being moveable relative to said casing (1) between at least one first position, where one of the containers (2) is exposed to the environment for diffusing its volatile substances, and a second position, where another container (2) is exposed to the environment, and characterised in that between said casing (1) and the container or containers (2) unexposed to the environment a space (3) is defined, which allows the diffusion of volatile substances from the unexposed container or containers (2) to a lesser extent than the container (2) exposed to the environment. It enables performance to be improved due to the fact that two or more fragrances in two or more containers contribute to the final performance and intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: ZOBELE ESPANA, S.A.
    Inventors: Montserrat Riera Giner, Ruben Garcia Fabregas, Elisabeth Martinez de Morentin Pujabet, Cedric Gobber
  • Patent number: 11066230
    Abstract: A manually operated applicator for spraying and dispensing expanding foam chemicals from aerosol containers is provided. The applicator dispenses compressed gas in close proximity to the foam as the foam exits the applicator, which results in improved adhesion of the foam to surfaces. The applicator includes a nozzle, an aerosol inlet for connection to an aerosol container, a gas inlet for connection to a source of compressed gas, and a trigger for operation of the applicator. The nozzle includes outlets for dispensing the foam and the compressed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Inventor: Nathaniel L. Waugh
  • Patent number: 11059063
    Abstract: The invention relates to the application of liquid active substances with the acid of a portable spray device. The subject matter of the present invention is a system comprising a portable spray device and a replaceable cartridge that contains an active substance concentrate. The invention also relates to method for applying a liquid active substance formulation. In addition, the invention discloses a replaceable cartridge that has a memory unit in which information is stored relating to an adjustable dilution ratio for the active substance concentrate contained in the cartridge. The invention also relates to a spray device comprising a control unit that can be read out a memory unit of cartridge attached to the spray device and, on the basis of the read out information, adjust a dilution ratio for the active substance concentrate contained in the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Bayer CropScience Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Volker Gutsmann
  • Patent number: 11059057
    Abstract: A shower head, illustratively for a sanitary shower, including a shower head housing, a fluid inlet into the shower head housing, a shower jet outlet out of the shower head housing, a fluid duct within the shower head housing from the fluid inlet to the shower jet outlet, and an overpressure valve pressure-coupled to the fluid duct, including a movable valve body which, in case of an overpressure in the fluid duct, moves from a normal position to an overpressure position. The valve body is illustratively configured to be self-retaining in the overpressure position and returnable to the normal position by user operation, and/or the valve body acts position-dependent on a passage cross-section of the fluid duct, wherein the valve body reduces the passage cross-section in the overpressure position relative to the normal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Hansgrohe SE
    Inventor: Fabian Melle
  • Patent number: 11058907
    Abstract: A fire suppression system is provided including at least one nozzle configured to expel a fire suppression agent into a space. A storage container includes a fire suppression agent and a first pressurized gas at least partially dissolved within the fire suppression agent. At least one canister contains a second pressurized gas. A piping system is configured to fluidly couple the at least one canister to the storage container and to fluidly couple the storage container to the at least one nozzle. When the fire suppression system is inactive, the fire suppression agent within the storage container is pressurized to a storage pressure. The storage pressure is greater than a vapor pressure of the fire suppression agent such that first pressurized gas dissolves into the fire suppression agent. When the fire suppression system is active, propellant pressure in the piping system exceeds the storage pressure of the fire suppression agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: KIDDE-FENWAL INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Joseph Senecal