Patents Examined by Lisa Ann Douglas
  • Patent number: 6176442
    Abstract: The mounting of a component subjected to pressure from a fluid requires special precautions if the component is made of wear resistant, hard and hence generally brittle material and may be destroyed by locally raised stresses. A fluidic component of this kind, made, for example, of silicon/glass is arranged in an elastomeric shaped component, made, for example, of silicon rubber. The inner contours of the elastomeric shaped component correspond to the outer contours of the fluidic component. The outer contours of the shaped component corresponds to the inner contours of a holder. Due to this “floating mounting” there are no unacceptable local pressure peaks and no deformation of the fluidic component. The device is particularly suitable for mounting a fluidic component made of glass or silicon, or miniature dimensions, subject to high pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Eicher, Johannes Geser
  • Patent number: 6176439
    Abstract: An enhanced mixing equipment system including a power supply, an actuatable valve, the actuatable valve connected via a line between the power supply and a storage vessel, an actuatable discharge/mixing valve attached to a portion of the storage vessel, the actuatable discharge/mixing valve connected via a line between the actuatable valve and a hose, a terminal end of the hose having a nozzle, a control input line connecting the power supply to a control valve positioned adjacent to the nozzle, and a control return line having a safety bleed positioned adjacent to the actuatable valve and connecting the control valve to the actuatable valve and the actuatable discharge/mixing valve such that any loss of pressure in the control return line results in closing the actuatable valve and the actuatable discharge/mixing valve as pressure is released through the safety bleed. With such an arrangement various configurations are possible which provide various redundancies in operator safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: P. K. Lindsay Co., Inc.
    Inventor: David Masison
  • Patent number: 6170758
    Abstract: A multifunctional air gun, designed to be operable in a sucking mode, a blowing mode or a sucking and blowing mode, is disclosed. In the air gun, a tubular body has an on/off valve unit in addition to upper and lower openings communicating with each other. A fixed spool is set within the upper opening of the tubular body and connects the air supply tube to an air jet pipe while controlling the flowing direction of compressed air. A vacuum valve unit is set within the lower opening of the tubular body and is assembled with suction and exhaust nozzles at both ends while allowing the two nozzles to communicate with each other. The vacuum valve unit vacuumizes the interior of the two nozzles due to the compressed air. A first control knob is assembled with the fixed spool to control the compressed air for the vacuum valve unit, thus controlling the suction force generated by the compressed air for the vacuum valve unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Nambu Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Howang Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 6164562
    Abstract: A rotary type swingable sprayer comprising a fixing tube head, a rotatable tube head, and a nozzle tube. The rotatable tube head is installed atop the fixing tube head, and the nozzle tube is installed atop the rotatable tube head. The lower end of the fixing tube head is connected with a water tube for guiding water. When water flows through the rotatable tube head, the rotatable tube head will swing nearly a full cycle repeatedly so as to drive the nozzle tube above to swing repeatedly. Thus, water is jetted out from the distal end of the nozzle tube. Therefore, water is sprayed out nearly through a full cycle in the whole area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Inventor: Chung-Cheng Wu
  • Patent number: 6161771
    Abstract: System and method for rotating a roof with water to create a participatory water attraction. The system preferably includes a roof having a friction surface and a support member for supporting the roof. A first conduit may be used to direct water onto the friction surface to cause the roof to rotate in a clockwise direction, and a second conduit may be used to direct water onto the friction surface to cause the roof to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. A valve is preferably used to direct water into one of the first and second conduits while restricting water flow into the other conduit. The valve preferably is adjustable by a participant at ground level. The friction surface preferably includes a plurality of protrusions to facilitate rotation of the roof by providing a contact area for the water directed at the roof. A control system may be used to activate a light system and/or a sound system when the valve is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Water Ride Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffery W. Henry
  • Patent number: 6158519
    Abstract: A fire suppression method and apparatus has a sprinkler head support bracket which is installable immediately above a ceiling tile. The support bracket is configured with a plurality of openings such that multiple locations for the sprinkler head may be used and the exact "center of tile" installation of the sprinkler head can be accomplished with a wide variety of suspended ceiling assemblies and sprinkler heads. The support bracket rests on grid support members and arches over the ceiling tile. Hold down clips are provided to maintain the bracket in position relative to the grid support members. A pipe clamp is provided which is insertable within the bracket to retain a drop nipple within it. The drop nipple is adjustable relative to the horizontal to move it upwardly or downwardly relative to the ceiling tile. In this fashion, the vertical location of the sprinkler head can be adjusted depending upon the elevation of the ceiling tiles used and the style of sprinkler head used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Inventor: Alan P. Kretschmer
  • Patent number: 6155498
    Abstract: A sprayer can convert the entire manual effort used to operate a manual pump into energy for spraying liquid. The sprayer has a liquid tank filled with a liquid, and an air tank having a pressurized air supply valve through which pressurized air can be introduced into the air tank. The air tank communicates with a float valve having a valve hole communicating with a spray nozzle and a hollow rod as the outlet of a manual pump. Pressurized air is introduced into the air tank through the pressurized air supply valve to increase the air pressure in the tank to a predetermined bias pressure. Then, the manual pump is operated to suck liquid in the liquid tank and supply the thus sucked liquid through the float valve into the air tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Yamaho Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenzo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6152335
    Abstract: An aerosol device for dispensing texture material for matching existing accoustical ceiling texture. The device comprises a container, a valve assembly, a dispensing nozzle, a hardenable material, and pressurized inert gas as a propelling mechanism. The hardenable material and pressurized inert gas are placed into the container. When the valve assembly is opened, the the inert gas forces the hardenable material out of the container through the dispensing nozzle. The dispensing nozzle diverts at least a portion of the hardenable material exiting the container to develop a spray suitable for the application of the hardenable material onto the ceiling surface being textured. The hardenable material preferably comprises at least water, filler, binder, and polystyrene particles. The inert gas is preferably nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Homax Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald J. Stern, James A. Tryon
  • Patent number: 6152387
    Abstract: The metering valve is fitted in a hollow body of the injector and is contled by the armature of an electromagnet. The travel of the armature towards the electromagnet is arrested by a stop element fittable to the hollow body by a threaded element, which is screwed to a thread of the hollow body with a calibrated tightening torque to adjust the travel of the armature towards the electromagnet according to of the tightening torque. The method of adjustment includes the steps of fitting the stop element in the hollow body by a threaded element, and applying a calibrated tightening torque to the threaded element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Elasis Sistema Ricerca Fiat Nel Mezzogiorno Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventor: Mario Ricco
  • Patent number: 6149071
    Abstract: A spray control system for applying a coating composition to an object. The control system includes an applicator, flow control valve, flow meter, and an electronic controller connected to the valve and flow meter. The controller regulates the flow of coating composition to maintain it at a user-specified setpoint. The controller includes a learn mode in which it learns the proper valve setting for a particular setpoint and stores a valve control signal that is later used at the start of a spray application to initially set the valve at the proper position. Then, once the flow of material begins, the controller uses either incremental or proportional control, or both, to maintain the flow at the specified setpoint. When learning a setpoint, the controller also stores the current values of a number of user-specified process parameters, such as ambient air temperature and the coating composition source pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Global Metering Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: David Frederick MacCallumMhor, David H. McNitt
  • Patent number: 6145757
    Abstract: A shower head with water supplied through a flexible hose. The shower head provides for two different modes of spray that can be switched by operating two push buttons. The shower head comprises a delimited supply space, two delivery members, two distinct communication passages between the supply space and the delivery members, and two separate intercept valves, each valve controlling the flow through one of the communication passages. Each valve is connected to an operating push button. A valve lever connects the two valves, so that, as one valve is depressed and therefore closed, the other valve is correspondingly opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Masco Corporation of Indiana
    Inventor: Alfons Knapp
  • Patent number: 6145599
    Abstract: Anti-combuation safeguarding of fuel and other combustible material confined in contact with a pre-existing overlying ambient atmosphere supportive of combustion. Such atmosphere is displaced by an underlying blanketing layer of heavier-than-air gaseous carbon dioxide evolving from solid non-combustible carbon dioxide located at a nearby site, from which it is distributed to site(s) of fuel or other combustible material. Such a method, together with apparatus to implement it, is applicable to fuel or other combustible material not only when stored at a fixed location, but also in a transport vehicle or craft of whatever type, and wherever located. Distributive flow of carbon dioxide to fuel sites in air, land, or marine craft may be accelerated in accordance with fuel consumption, and also in the event of occurrence of a spark or other hazard, as by applying radiation to the solid carbon dioxide so as to increase its existing rate of conversion into carbon dioxide gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Christian F. Mumme
  • Patent number: 6142396
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly including a nozzle unit, first and second sleeves and a clamp. The nozzle unit has an aft collar and a tapered inner fluid contact surface, tapering to gradually increase the velocity of fluid passing therethrough. The inner surface is formed of an elastomer material that deforms by eddies in the fluid and thereby does not build turbulent flow. The clamp encircles a rearward fitting of the first sleeve and a forward fitting of the second sleeve, holding them together with the collar sandwiched therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventor: Timothy David Gallus
  • Patent number: 6138925
    Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for throwing discrete quantities of a viscous fluid material from a material source toward a target surface includes a housing having a material entry structure for connection to the material source, a material exit structure and a material passageway extending from the entry structure to the exit structure; a drive motor; a material pump powered by the drive motor for driving a stream of the material through the material passageway; and a centrifugal material throwing mechanism for accelerating segments of the material stream through the material exit structure toward the target surface. The material throwing mechanism preferably includes a direction adjustment mechanism for changing the exit trajectory of the accelerated segments of the material stream relative to the material exit structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Eugene O'Neill
    Inventor: Michael M. Anthony
  • Patent number: 6135356
    Abstract: In a sprinkling apparatus constructed as a square sprinkler, which has a straight nozzle row with a plurality of nozzles and directionally adjustable nozzle axes, it is possible to tilt the nozzle axes of single nozzles collectively relative to one another. A preferred embodiment has a fan-like sprinkling pattern, the jets of the fan being symmetrically or asymmetrically brought together or moved apart. The fan edges can be adjusted independently of one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Gardena Kress + Kastner GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Mitzlaff, Reiner Haufele, Wolfgang Lindermeir, Johann Katzer
  • Patent number: 6135361
    Abstract: A garden sprayer for spraying liquids such as pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides. The garden sprayer includes a housing defining a reservoir therein for holding fluid therein. The housing also has a lower compartment beneath the reservoir of the housing. A tubular flexible elongate conduit is outwardly extended from the housing. A pump is disposed in the lower compartment of the housing and is in fluid communication with the reservoir of the housing and the elongate conduit. The pump pumps fluid from the reservoir to the elongate conduit when actuated. A spray nozzle is coupled to a free outer end of the elongate conduit. The spray nozzle has a trigger pivotally coupled thereto. The trigger has a switch for selectively actuating the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Aron J. Grassi
  • Patent number: 6135363
    Abstract: A vehicle wash boom apparatus includes a fixed journalling tube for journalling a boom-supporting tube for reciprocal and rotational movement about a vertical axis. The journalling tube carries a cam and the boom-supporting tube carries a cam follower. A pair of torsion springs at all times bias the cam follower in an upward direction against a cam surface of the cam which is inclined relative to the vertical axis. Thus, as the boom is rotated, the interaction between the cam and the cam follower effects a vertical movement of the boom-supporting member which allows the boom while being used to by-pass a like boom of an identical apparatus when in its home or parked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Charles D. Titzer
  • Patent number: 6135359
    Abstract: A freezeless yard hydrant comprises a single length, electrically heated, hydrant apparatus that does not have an underground drain port. The operating mechanisms are located in the outlet head, above ground, to facilitate the assembly, operation and repair of the hydrant. A single length heater is provided to prevent the hydrant and the water supply connection from freezing under the coldest environmental conditions expected where this type of hydrant would be used. Heat conduction through the water directly from the heating element and the casing materials permits a single length hydrant and heater to be used. By using the electric heater to prevent the freezing, the water does not have to be drained out of the hydrant. The use of such a heater also makes the hydrant very simple to construct and operate. No cumbersome reservoirs or expulsion apparatus are needed to draw water out of the hydrant. This results in an efficient and relatively inexpensive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: WCM Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Almasy, James F. Shuler
  • Patent number: 6135360
    Abstract: A heated tip fuel injector includes a housing having a bore formed therein for receiving fuel under pressure; a valve seat mounted at one end of the housing, the valve seat including an orifice; a needle valve having one end mounted to an armature and another end which contacts the valve seat to close off fuel outflow from the bore and which is lifted from the valve seat to inject fuel; a heater disposed in the housing upstream of the valve seat and extending around the needle valve; and at least one flow disturbing element disposed upstream of the heater. The flow-disturbing element enhances heat transfer from the heater to the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Min Ren, Frank Zimmermann, John F. Nally, Jr., John Bright
  • Patent number: 6135362
    Abstract: A riser assembly for an irrigation system, including a first riser segment attached to a supply line and a second riser segment attached to the first riser segment at a first end and to a sprinkler at the second end. The riser assembly also includes a control valve which may be inserted between the second riser segment and a sprinkler gun. The various segments and the control valve and sprinkler are all coupled employing mechanical couplings which permit a degree of flexion at the coupling or joint. The first riser segment is formed of a section of PVC pipe and the second riser section is formed of a segment of copper alloy pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Nicholas R. Purdy