Patents Examined by Kevin E Lynn
  • Patent number: 8763628
    Abstract: An electromechanical valve is provided for the pneumatic actuation of a device of an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to an external casing and one or more supporting dampers embedded in the external casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Luca Buttafuoco, Giuseppe Marrara, Roberto Reginato
  • Patent number: 8752567
    Abstract: A fitment for providing leak protection at a frost-free hydrant has a protective sheath having a bore of a first diameter. An escutcheon plate is formed at an outer end of the sheath to define an aperture for receiving a frost-free hydrant into the sheath. The sheath is made longer than any of a range of frost-free hydrants to be received therein and has an end cap sealingly connected to an inner end of the sheath. The end cap has a reducing section and an end section having a bore of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and dimensioned to receive a link pipe in a sealing connection, the link pipe being of a length to bridge the distance between an inner end of the hydrant and building water supply equipment. In use, the hydrant with link pipe attached is inserted into the protective sheath and the combination of the hydrant and sheath is fully into the wall through a hole in the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Inventor: Wayne Brazeau
  • Patent number: 8720469
    Abstract: A safety shut-off device is provided for a liquid gas system for vehicles and/or vehicle trailers, in order to avoid an inadvertent release of gas. The device includes an electromagnetic gas valve for supplying/shutting off the gas, an electronic unit for activating the electromagnetic gas valve, and a flow sensor for determining a current gas flow being discharged from a storage tank. Furthermore, the device includes an evaluation unit for comparing the current gas flow to a previous gas flow or to a gas flow which is indicated by the gas consumers and is to be expected. If, during use, the evaluation unit determines a current gas flow which differs by more than a maximum permissible rate of change from the previous gas flow or from a gas flow which is indicated by the gas consumers and is to be expected, the electromagnetic gas valve is activated via the electric unit in order to shut off the supply of gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Toptron GmbH, Cavagna Group SpA.
    Inventor: Wilhelm Cramer
  • Patent number: 8720479
    Abstract: A one piece valve lockout device for use with a quarter turn, rotary selector valve that is closed at the one-eighth turn position and is mounted on a common assembly with a manually operated pump. The device includes parallel ears configured in a U shape, used to secure the device to the pumping assembly. The ears are oriented 45 degrees from a locking arm. The locking arm has two parallel plates extending downward around a valve handle. The parallel plates have pairs of aligned holes in which a padlock can be inserted, preventing unauthorized removal of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Inventor: Matthew Joseph Reinert
  • Patent number: 8714187
    Abstract: An improved retention apparatus includes a wedge element that is disposed between a brace element and a flow element of a nuclear reactor system. The retention apparatus further includes an engagement assembly that is engaged with the wedge element and that is structured to engage at least one of the brace element and the flow element. The engagement assembly includes a deflectable element such as a spring that is structured to apply a retention force in an engagement direction of the wedge element to resist movement of the flow element during operation of the nuclear reactor system, such as movement due to vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Stephen K. Parker, Gerry L. Hodson, Alex Nisenbaum, Stephen J. Kaylor, Thanh Tu, Rodney Lum
  • Patent number: 8707992
    Abstract: A fluid apparatus unit structure is provided that can be applied to a use in which a chemical fluid is removed as necessary while chemical fluid circulation and water circulation are being carried out, a fluid such as a chemical fluid does not readily solidify therein, and the fluid apparatus unit structure is compact. In the fluid apparatus unit structure (FU) that groups together and integrates plural fluid apparatus components that are connected via a flow path into a base member (10), a linked flow path (15), which links an adjacent air pressure control valve (20A) and a manual control valve (30A) that form a first chemical fluid discharge path that carries out chemical fluid circulation, is offset from the axial center of the fluid apparatus components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Surpass Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8707988
    Abstract: The invention relates to a water inlet arrangement for the use in fish tanks in aquaculture, including a pipe to feed water into the tank, the pipe having a plurality of openings and, for a better adjustment of the flow, a surrounding second element having a plurality of openings and/or a fixed or adjustable shield are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Glomset, Kenneth Glomset, Ove Gjelstenli
  • Patent number: 8701700
    Abstract: An apparatus for emptying a sewage storage tank of a vehicle into a sewage disposal unit, the apparatus including: an extendible member coupled to the vehicle, the extendible member comprising a first end pivotally coupled to the vehicle and a second end for coupling to an outlet of a sewage conduit of the vehicle, the extendible member being movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and wherein the extendible member is pivotable and extendible for moving the outlet of the sewage conduit into communication with the inlet of the sewage disposal unit prior to opening the valve of the sewage storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Inventors: Erich Penner, Kurt Richard Penner
  • Patent number: 8684042
    Abstract: The aircraft comprises: a fuel valve; an actuator for controlling the valve; and a tank panel extending between the valve and the actuator. It is arranged in such a manner that the bearing point(s) between the panel and a first one of the members selected from the valve and the actuator, and preferably the actuator, is/are provided by means of the second one of these members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Alexis Courpet, Thomas Barre, Matthieu Biteau, Olivier Bourbon, Cedric Sable, Jean-Marc Roques
  • Patent number: 8672291
    Abstract: An actuator control system including a servo-actuator comprising: at least one coil; a solenoid core within the at least one coil; a rod within the solenoid core having a first end, a second end, and a length extending between the first end and the second end, the first end coupled to a sensing core pin having a profile; a moveable member coupled to the second end of the rod; a moveable armature within the solenoid core surrounding a portion of the length of the rod and biased by a spring; and a noncontact sensor integral with servo-actuator and aligned with the first end of the rod coupled to the sensing core pin. A selected position of the servo-valve actuator may be set by the ECU by sensing the position of the sensing core pin using the non-contact sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: G.W. Lisk Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeff Tyler
  • Patent number: 8662103
    Abstract: The present invention includes a hose reel having side rollers. A hose reel includes: a housing defined by at least one or more base members; a spool rotatably disposed within the housing, wherein the spool is adapted to connect to a flexible hose; a winding mechanism to rotate the spool and to coil the flexible hose around the spool; and one or more rollers associated with said housing, wherein the one or more rollers are able to rotate during coiling of the flexible hose around the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Keter Plastic Ltd.
    Inventors: Elad Refael Adler, Vadim Prokofiev
  • Patent number: 8628057
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a locking mechanism for a valve device having a valve body for retaining the valve body at a predetermined opened position, including: a disk having a rotational shaft rotatable together with a valve body driving shaft and having a cutout groove formed on an outer circumferential face thereof; a ball disposed in the cutout groove; a body member having an axial direction restriction face and an inner circumferential face; a holder member having an engaging face which has a diameter gradually decreasing toward the ball and is engageable with the ball; and a spring member biasing the holder member toward the ball, wherein said ball is clamped by and among the engaging face which is acted upon by the biasing force of said spring member, the axial direction restriction face and the inner circumferential face so that a rotational direction position of the rotational shaft is retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Sakata, Takuya Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 8590859
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a solenoid valve (1) having a solenoid armature (2) which is operatively connected to a sealing element (5) of the solenoid valve (1) in order to move the same, and an armature opposing piece (16) which engages, at least in certain areas, in a receptacle opening (23) in the solenoid armature (2). There is provision here for the armature opposing piece (16) to be composed of a pole core (19) and an intermediate component (20) which is supported on the pole core (19), wherein only the intermediate component (20) is arranged at least in certain areas in the receptacle opening (23), and at least one venting opening (33, 36), which produces a fluid connection between the receptacle opening (23) and the surroundings of the solenoid armature, is formed in the intermediate component (20). The disclosure also relates to a driver assistance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Edgar Kurz
  • Patent number: 8539974
    Abstract: A forced fluid switch including a first plenum in communication with a first port; a second plenum in communication with a second port; a third plenum in switched communication with the first plenum and the second plenum and in communication with a third port; a fourth plenum in switched communication with the first plenum and the second plenum and in communication with a fourth port; and wherein the forced fluid switch has at least a first forced fluid path and a second forced fluid path, wherein in the first forced fluid path, the third plenum is in communication with the first plenum and the fourth plenum is in communication with the second plenum, and wherein in the second forced fluid path, the third plenum is in communication with the second plenum and the fourth plenum is in communication with the first plenum. A method is provided for switching forced fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Sandvik Thermal Process, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin B. Peck
  • Patent number: 8540212
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solenoid valve, in particular for a brake system of a motor vehicle, having an axially displaceably supported armature, on one end of which a valve sealing body is disposed and with the other end of which a pole core is associated, and having a compression spring acting in prestressed fashion between the pole core and the armature. It is provided that the compression spring is held in prestressed fashion in an axial passage of the armature, between a bolt, having the valve sealing body and held in a selectable position in the axial passage in force- and/or form-locking fashion, and a thrust piece, disposed such that it can be pushed out of the axial passage up to a stop and subjects the pole core to the prestressing force. The invention further relates to an armature for a solenoid valve. Finally, the invention relates to a method for producing an armature for a solenoid valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Speer
  • Patent number: 8534311
    Abstract: A cartridge heater is accommodated in a heater bore in a shaft connected to a valve element, and a heating portion provided at an end portion of the cartridge heater is located at a joint portion of the shaft and the valve element. At the joint portion, a heat receiving groove and a pressurizing portion communicating with the heater bore are provided at a position between a surface of the valve element and that of the shaft located so as to oppose and to contact each other. The heat receiving groove includes an arcuate groove portion of the same radius as that of the heating portion of the cartridge heater, and the heating portion is pressed by the pressurizing portion to enter into plane-to-plane contact with an inner circumferential surface of the arcuate groove portion of the heat receiving groove, upon fastening the valve element and the shaft to each other with a bolt, with the heating portion located between the heat receiving groove and the pressurizing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneo Ishigaki, Hiroshi Ogawa, Hiromi Shimoda
  • Patent number: 8534306
    Abstract: A subsea hot-tapping system, comprising an existing pipeline; a hot-tap body fitted around the pipeline; and a fluid injected between the pipeline and the body. In some embodiments, the system also includes a radial arm cutter, adapted to cut a hole in the existing pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ray Rolland Ayers, Michael Hosokawa Dupre, Michael Lee Eckstein, Jack Everett Miller
  • Patent number: 8511332
    Abstract: A valve of the “Snap-In” type is intended to be mounted directly on the rim of a vehicle wheel fitted with a “tubeless” tire. The valve is secured to the rim through which it passes via a groove produced at the base of a bulb extended by a rubbery coating of an internal nozzle of the valve. The groove collaborates elastically with a hole in the rim, on the periphery of which hole it becomes lodged, the mass or the volume of the bulb being smaller in its region (A) toward the interior of the rim by comparison with its region (B) directed toward the exterior, this reduction taking place near the groove intended to collaborate with the hole in the rim, both in the part thereof that surrounds the nozzle and in the part thereof that is in contact with the bottom of the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Schrader SAS
    Inventor: Aurelien Robert
  • Patent number: 8505581
    Abstract: A pressure compensated electromagnetic proportional directional flow control valve of the present invention integrally includes: an electromagnetic proportional directional flow control valve configured to be driven by a solenoid; and a pressure compensated valve configured to carry out pressure compensation of a flow rate controlled by the electromagnetic proportional directional flow control valve. A pressure compensation spool moves so as to balance forces of a spring, a first pressure chamber, and a second pressure chamber. With this, the pressure compensation for maintaining a constant pressure difference between an upstream side and a downstream side of a first variable aperture can be carried out, and a surplus liquid of a liquid flowing from a liquid-pressure supply port to a derivation port can flow out from a branch port to outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawasaki Precision Machinery, Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Matsuo, Noboru Ito, Yuko Funakubo
  • Patent number: 8474791
    Abstract: Roller insertion grooves are formed along the longitudinal direction of inner wall portions of side frames, which are provided in the interior of a housing that makes up a gate valve. Respective pairs of retaining rollers are inserted into the roller insertion grooves. A valve disk is tilted, such that in a valve closed state in which the valve disk is seated on a valve seat, a load imposed from a displacement block, which is connected to a valve rod and tiltably displaced thereby, is imposed on the retaining rollers, the load being borne by first and second pressure receiving bodies, which abut against the retaining rollers and are disposed on the side frames. The first and second pressure receiving bodies are formed from a material having a hardness greater than that of the side frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ogawa, Takeshi Nishikawa, Jiro Ishibe