Patents Examined by Kelsey E Cary
  • Patent number: 11261997
    Abstract: An annular safety valve that is positionable in a wellbore may include a housing having an opening extending through the housing to allow to allow pressure to transmit between a first annular area of the wellbore below the annular safety valve and a second annular area of the wellbore above the annular safety valve. The housing can define the opening by a seat face. A poppet may extend through the opening. A groove may at least partially surrounding the seat face for maintaining a shape of the seat face in response to an increase in pressure in the first area of the wellbore. The shape of the seat face may correspond to a surface of the poppet for preventing pressure from transmitting between the first annular area of the wellbore and the second annular area of the wellbore when the annular safety valve is in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Irvine Cardno Brown, Ronald George Taylor, Katherine Ann Davies, Peter Derek Walter Inglis
  • Patent number: 11255443
    Abstract: Flow control valves may be positioned downstream of water meters to increase pressure and compress entrained water vapour passing through the meters. However, turbulence within such valves can cause the valve's head to move radially, bending a shaft within the valve which may break. Accordingly, there is provided a flow control valve comprising: a housing having a flow passage; a valve seat defined within the flow passage; a valve head moveable to a closed position to engage the valve seat and seal the flow passage; a shaft secured to the valve head; a support slidingly mounting the shaft within the housing; a spring biasing the valve head to the closed position and configured to maintain the valve head in the closed position until a predetermined pressure is applied; and a guide assembly extending along at least a portion of the flow passage to constrain radial movement of the valve head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Wachter, Nenad Pavlovic
  • Patent number: 11242940
    Abstract: A capacity control valve includes a valve housing provided with a main valve seat; a main valve body that is inserted into the valve housing and includes a main valve portion which is capable of seating on the main valve seat 10a to open and close a communication between a suction port and a control port using a driving force of a solenoid; and a pressure-sensitive body that applies a biasing force to the main valve body in an opening direction according to pressure of a fluid surrounding the pressure-sensitive body. The fluid is supplied from the control port to around the pressure-sensitive body, and the fluid is supplied from the suction port to a back pressure side of the main valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayama, Yoshihiro Ogawa, Keigo Shirafuji, Kohei Fukudome, Wataru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11236830
    Abstract: Example seal glands for butterfly valves are disclosed herein. An example butterfly valve disclosed herein includes a valve body and a valve retainer mounted to the valve body, where the valve body and the valve retainer define a circumferential cavity. The example circumferential cavity includes a first surface substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a flow path of process fluid through the butterfly valve, a second surface substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, where the second surface offset from the first surface, and a third surface extending between the first surface and the second surface. In the example butterfly valve, the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface enable a seal to translate within the cavity in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventor: Bryan Quinn Leger
  • Patent number: 11231111
    Abstract: A valve seat comprising a primary retention component to retain the valve seat in a valve seat housing upon seating of the valve seat in the valve seat housing, and a secondary retention component to at least temporarily retain the valve seat in the valve seat housing during seating of the valve seat in the valve seat housing, whereafter the valve seat is primarily retained in the valve seat housing via the primary retention component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin Lee Hurst, James Alan Olis, Joseph A. Beisel
  • Patent number: 11221087
    Abstract: An electromagnetic switching valve includes: a sleeve; a spool; an electromagnetic actuator, including a plunger having a through passage and a stator exerting a magnetomotive force on the plunger; and a transmission member of a tubular shape, interposed between the plunger and the spool and transmitting a driving force. The stator includes an insertion hole through which the transmission member is inserted. The transmission member includes: a facing wall facing the through passage; a first internal passage formed closer to the plunger than the facing wall and communicating with the through passage; a first opening formed closer to the plunger than the insertion hole and opening the first internal passage in a radial direction; second internal passages formed closer to the spool than the facing wall; and second openings formed closer to the spool than the insertion hole and opening the second internal passages in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiki Ogasawara, Masashi Ueda, Kazuya Yonemura, Hitoshi Takasaki, Ryosuke Dakiishi
  • Patent number: 11213834
    Abstract: A showerhead bracket including a bracket body, a spool rotatable relative to the bracket body, and a flow control knob non-rotatably connected to the spool such that the flow control knob and the spool rotate together relative to the bracket body. The flow control knob non-slidably connected to the spool to inhibit axial disengagement of the flow control knob from the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: WATER PIK, INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Quinn, Leland C. Leber, Harold A. Luettgen, Ryan Saunders
  • Patent number: 11187329
    Abstract: A valve may have a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The valve may include a valve stem having a lumen extending from a first opening at a proximal portion of the valve stem to a second opening at a distal end of the valve stem. A plurality of seals may be positioned relative to the valve stem. The valve stem and seals may be configured so that a fluid entering the inlet is prevented from flowing to the outlet in a first position of the valve stem and relative to the inlet and the outlet. The valve stem and the seals may be configured so that a fluid entering the inlet flows to the outlet in a second position of the valve stem relative to the inlet and the outlet, the second position being more distal than the first position relative to the inlet and the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Stanton, Allyn Jensrud, James Scutti, Colby Harris, Robb Gavalis
  • Patent number: 11174962
    Abstract: A servo valve for an actuator comprises a housing, a sleeve provided within the housing comprising an axis (A) and having a plurality of metering holes for communication with a cavity within. A metering rod extends within the cavity for metering flow of pneumatic fluid through the metering holes. The metering rod is coupled to a drive unit for axial movement within the cavity, the drive unit comprising a drive unit housing, a solenoid and an adjustable core. The adjustable core comprises a threaded first portion having a thread and a second portion. The thread of the first portion engages a thread extending through the drive unit housing for adjustment of the relative position of the adjustable core with respect to the solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Piotr Kozlowski, Piotr Sawicki
  • Patent number: 11174823
    Abstract: A hot gas exhaust recirculation valve includes a housing containing a duct for conducting gases, a drive chamber, and a valve stem which is mounted in the housing. The valve stem can be displaced in its longitudinal direction thereof and extends from the drive chamber into the duct. The end of the valve stem that is situated in the drive chamber is coupleable to a drive device. A closing body is fastened to the other end of the valve stem. The closing body is situated in the duct and has a closed position in which it separates an upstream section of the duct from a downstream section of the duct. A sealing ring surrounds the valve stem and is arranged between the duct and the drive chamber. The valve stem is supported within two bearing bushings that are spaced apart from each other, between which the sealing ring is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: BorgWarner Esslingen GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Bareis, Jochen Wentz
  • Patent number: 11149658
    Abstract: A valve includes a flap, a tubular valve body defining a passageway, and a guiding device to guide the flap relative to the valve body for pivoting the flap relative to the valve body about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position of the passageway. The guiding device comprises a pin traversed by the pivot axis and comprising a body with a base and, opposite the base, a free end resting against the valve body. The pin also comprises two lugs each protruding from the base in a direction opposite to the free end, the two lugs defining between them a slot, wherein an edge of the flap is received. The valve further comprises at least one member, connected to the flap, and which presses one of the lugs of the pin against the flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventors: Ronan Botella, Gilbert Delplanque
  • Patent number: 11143116
    Abstract: A valve comprises a kinematic chain having a rotary driving member, a rotary driven member, and an intermediate member. The driving member has a driving contact element in flat or linear abutment on a complementary driving contact element of the intermediate member. The driven member has a driven contact element in flat or linear abutment on a complementary driven contact element of the intermediate member. The complementary driving contact element and the complementary driven contact element (49) together form an angle between 45° and 135°. A driving elastic member urges the driving contact element against the complementary driving contact element. A driven elastic member urges the driven contact element against the complementary driven contact element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventors: Gilbert Delplanque, Raphael De Matos, Alain Mercier, Jean-Pierre Leon
  • Patent number: 11137081
    Abstract: A control valve includes a housing formed with first and second supply ports, first and second actuator ports, and a pilot port, and a spool accommodated slidably in the housing, and the spool is configured to allow the first supply port and the pilot port to communicate with each other both at the first communication position and the second communication position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: KYB CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanari Kojima, Masayuki Nakamura, Takeshi Terao
  • Patent number: 11137075
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a quantitative tank bottom sludge valve. The extension and retraction of a cylinder drives a lower valve body, a valve rod, an upper valve body and respective accessories to move up and down, and sludge at the bottom of a water tank that is deposited to the upper part of an upper valve plate and the lower part of an upper valve body gasket is discharged quantitatively, thereby saving water and avoiding blockage; moreover, the quantitative tank bottom sludge valve has simple components in structure, and it is low in processing and assembly precision requirements, low cost, convenient to install and maintain, and suitable for mass production and use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: CITIC Dicastal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naili Li, Kai Li
  • Patent number: 11125344
    Abstract: An example valve includes a housing having a first port at a distal end of the housing and a second port at a side of the housing, wherein the housing is configured to receive fluid flowing laterally to the second port at the side of the housing and discharge fluid longitudinally through the first port; and a spool slidably accommodated within the housing, wherein a distal end of the spool is configured to control fluid flow from the second port to the first port, and wherein the distal end of the spool comprises: (i) a metering edge, (ii) a protrusion that protrudes longitudinally outward in a distal direction, and (iii) an undercut laterally interposed between the metering edge and the protrusion, wherein the undercut recedes longitudinally inward relative to the metering edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Sun Hydraulics, LLC
    Inventor: Zachary Hunter
  • Patent number: 11112028
    Abstract: One illustrative embodiment of a valve disclosed herein comprises a body (12), a valve stem (22) that comprises a combination threaded-splined section (22X) and an unthreaded section (22Y) wherein the combination threaded-splined section (22X) comprises at least one spline (22S) and a thread (22Z). The valve (10) also comprises an anti-rotation ring (26) that includes at least one tab (26T) positioned in the at least one spline (22S) of the combination threaded-splined section (22X) and a threaded drive nut (24) that is adapted to engage the thread (22Z) of the combination threaded-splined section (22X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cameron Hackney Kusmertz, Zac Michael LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 11105436
    Abstract: Provided is a butterfly valve pipe alignment mechanism configured so that favorable usability can be provided and an alignment process in plumbing can be easily performed. In the present invention, a groove (10) into which a positioning tool (11) is to be inserted is provided at a portion below a top flange (6). An end surface position of the groove (10) is on a plane on which a pipe flange (7) and a valve box (1) are joined to each other. The groove (10) is drilled in an elongated oval shape, and groove step portions (10a, 10b, 10c) projecting in both directions of a lateral direction are formed at multiple positions of the groove (10) so that the groove (10) can accept various flange connection standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: ASAHI YUKIZAI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinobu Kamimura, Takashi Nasu
  • Patent number: 11092172
    Abstract: An improved servovalve for a seismic vibrator or vibration machine which includes a left additional passageway conducting a portion of sampled pressure from a left cylinder pressure chamber to only a portion of the right end drive surface of the spool, wherein the portion of the right end drive surface is less that of the entirety of the right end drive surface; and a right additional passageway conducting a portion of sampled pressure from a right cylinder pressure chamber to only a portion of the left end drive surface of the spool, wherein the portion of the left end drive surface is less that the entirety of the left end drive surface; thereby providing at least two additional passageways configured to provide linear proportional pressure feedback in spool movement control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventor: Dennis Keith Reust
  • Patent number: 11092366
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an expansion valve with an improved ring spring. Accordingly, in the present invention, the expansion valve includes a valve body including a valve chamber, a valve element disposed in the valve chamber, a biasing member configured to bias the valve element toward a valve seat, an actuation rod that presses the valve element in a valve opening direction against a biasing force of the biasing member, and a ring spring disposed between an outer circumferential surface of the actuation rod and an inner circumferential surface of the valve body. The ring spring includes a ring portion, at least three elastic protrusion portions that protrude inward from the ring portion and contact the outer circumferential surface of the actuation rod, and at least one outward protrusion portion that protrudes outward from the ring portion and contacting the inner circumferential surface of the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKOKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Mogi, Kouhei Kubota, Ryo Matsuda, Shin Honda, Kurato Yamasaki, Shigeki Ito
  • Patent number: 11090713
    Abstract: A valve body having a ring of dissimilar material and a method of forming the valve body are described. The valve body includes an inlet, an outlet and a ring of dissimilar material. The method includes forming a valve core, splitting the valve core, placing a metal ring of dissimilar material between two pieces of the valve core, casting a valve body around the valve core, and fusing the metal ring to the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Steven K. Hostetter, Thomas N. Gabriel