Patents Examined by Marina Tietjen
  • Patent number: 11236846
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus may include a fluidic channel connecting an inlet port and an outlet port. The apparatus may further include a gate transmission element configured to limit fluid flow between the inlet port and the outlet port. Still further, the apparatus may include a primary gate terminal connected to a second fluidic inlet port, where pressure or force at the primary gate may at least partially control movement of the gate transmission element. The apparatus may also include a secondary gate terminal connected to the second fluidic inlet port. Pressure or force at the secondary gate may at least partially control movement of the gate transmission element. Various other associated methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Casey Glick, Andrew Arthur Stanley, Erik Samuel Roby, Jack Lindsay
  • Patent number: 11236831
    Abstract: A valve for controlling a fluid flow includes a valve body, a shutter component configured to be able to transition from an open position allowing the circulation of fluid, to a closed position preventing the circulation of fluid. The component is characterized in that it includes a fixed conical support integral with the valve body, a conjugate conical flap rotationally movable relative to the fixed support, and fluid passage apertures respectively arranged in the conical flap and in the fixed support, and an actuator of the shutter component adapted to be able to control the position of the shutter component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: LIEBHERR-AEROSPACE TOULOUSE SAS
    Inventors: Eric Lafond, Adrien Arnaud, Rémi Wojcieszonak
  • Patent number: 11209087
    Abstract: A multi-seat gate valve with a pair of sealing members separated by a gate wherein each sealing member is secured between a bottom edge surface on the gate and a pair of locking members until the gate valve is at a fully closed position and proper seating is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: FRANKLIN VALVE, LP
    Inventor: John Brennan
  • Patent number: 11192774
    Abstract: A device for evacuating a container that contains a pasty liquid to avoid air inclusions or bubbles in the liquid while the container is being filled and/or to eliminate air between the liquid surface and a follower plate until the plate contacts the liquid surface during insertion of the plate into the container before removal of the liquid. The device comprises a cover assembly to close an opening of a container in a vacuum-tight manner and which has a connection device for connecting an evacuation pump. A collapse avoidance apparatus is provided to surround at least one region of the outer faces of the container walls with a seal to connect to the wall outer face in a vacuum-tight manner and form a vacuum-tight collapse avoidance chamber. A connection device is provided for connecting an evacuation pump to evacuate the chamber and apply a vacuum on the wall outer face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventor: Udo Tartler
  • Patent number: 11186973
    Abstract: A faucet assembly including a spout with two fluid channels spaced apart from one another by a void. In an illustrative embodiment, the fluid channels converge near at least one outlet of the faucet assembly to create a desired flow pattern (e.g., waterfall flow) when the water source is operational and fluidly coupled to the faucet assembly. In an illustrative embodiment, the faucet spout is formed through additive manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Delta Faucet Company
    Inventors: Michael Scot Rosko, Thad J. Eads
  • Patent number: 11168841
    Abstract: A service device for a pressure vessel system of a motor vehicle includes a service-device-side refueling coupling part which is connectable to a motor-vehicle-side refueling coupling part of the motor vehicle and a controller for activating the pressure vessel system. A method for the service of the pressure vessel system includes producing a connection between the service device and the pressure vessel system and activating the pressure vessel system by the service device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Szoucsek, Andreas Pelger
  • Patent number: 11156221
    Abstract: In one aspect, valve seats are described herein having structure and design addressing degradative stresses encountered by the seats during installation and operation in fluid ends. In some embodiments, a valve seat for use in a fluid end comprises a first section for insertion into a fluid passageway of the fluid end and a second section extending longitudinally from the first section, the second section comprising a frusto-conical valve mating surface, wherein the second section is encased in a ring imparting a compressive stress condition to the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: KENNAMETAL INC
    Inventors: Roger M. Stark, Carrie Bartkowiak, John Brosnahan, Michael Kelly
  • Patent number: 11142447
    Abstract: A system and a method for mobilized autonomous hydrogen refueling of vertical lift aircraft using a framed landing pad with sensors, an onboard hydrogen storage tank, an onboard refueling arm configured to couple the hydrogen storage tank to the aircraft and an onboard controller configured to control a flow of fuel from the hydrogen storage tank to the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Dean Rainville
  • Patent number: 11143311
    Abstract: The invention relates to a valve seat and cage assembly (18) comprising a valve cage (20) and a valve seat (22), the valve seat (22) being adapted to be screwed into the valve cage (20), which valve cage (20), in a connection portion (34) thereof, has a valve cage connection inner diameter (DK) in which the connection portion (32) of a valve seat (22) engages with its valve seat connection outer diameter (DV) and thus provides radial centering, a screw connection portion (37) and a shoulder (38), with the shoulder (38) serving as an axial stop between the valve cage and the valve seat, and with the valve seat (22) and the valve cage (20) being pressed against one another with an axial contact pressure component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSON AG
    Inventors: Andreas Sander, Michael Merscher
  • Patent number: 11125354
    Abstract: An infusion set check valve assembly includes a self-contained housing that defines inlet ports and an outlet port. The assembly also includes at least one check valve disposed within the self-contained housing between the outlet channel and at least one of the inlet ports. The at least one check valve is configured to open for a first fluid to flow from a first inlet to a patient line via an outlet channel while a second fluid also flows from a second inlet to the patient line via the outlet channel. The at least one check valve closes to prevent the first fluid from flowing to the patient line via the outlet channel while the second fluid flows to the patient line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Colm M. Carmody, Gerard G. Henn, Robert R. Schaser, Raymond Jozwik, David Drake Thompson, Michael Grant Leonhard, Brendan Casey, Yash Siddhartha, Elizabeth O Connor
  • Patent number: 11125386
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the disclosure a steam trap system and a method of operation is provided. The steam trap system includes a steam trap body and a disk operably coupled to the steam trap body, the disk being made from a magnetic material. A cap is coupled to the steam trap body adjacent the disk, the cap being made from a nonmagnetic material. A hall effect sensor operably coupled to the cap, the hall effect sensor being configured to generate a signal in response to movement of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY OF NEW YORK, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Edison Slanover
  • Patent number: 11117560
    Abstract: A membrane valve arrangement (1) includes a disc-shaped valve membrane (10) made from an elastic material and a disc (14) having a central opening (15). The valve membrane (10) is arranged with one side on the disc (14) and has a circumferential sealing bead (11) radially outside on the side opposite from the disc. The disc (14) is arranged, along with the valve membrane (10), between a housing upper part (2) and a housing lower part (6) of the membrane valve arrangement (1). The sealing bead (11) is clamped between the housing upper part (2) and the housing lower part (6). The sealing action in the region of the sealing bead is largely independent of tolerances because, on at least one of the housing parts in the region of the sealing bead (11) and/or in the radially outer peripheral region of the disc (14), additional sealing arrangements are present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: WABCO Europe BVBA
    Inventors: Rafal Bialon, Siegfried Höfler, Andreas Teichmann, Ingo Torhoff
  • Patent number: 11118698
    Abstract: A valve has a housing having an inlet and an outlet. A valve element is biased towards a closed position in which the valve element restricts fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet. The valve element is axially movable by fluid pressure at the inlet towards an open position in which the inlet is in fluid flow communication with the outlet. The valve further has a damping chamber having a metering orifice in fluid communication with the inlet. The damping chamber has an axially facing surface defined by the valve element and having a variable volume varying from a minimum volume when the valve element is in its closed position to a maximum volume when the valve element is in its open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHIINEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Daniel Alecu, Roberto Brito, Kimberley Ann Macdonald, Patrick Beauchamp
  • Patent number: 11105189
    Abstract: A bypass plunger combines a unitary or one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion of the hollow body using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during ascent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and valve stems surfaced to achieve specific functions. Combinations of these features provide enhanced performance, durability and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost, due primarily to the simplicity of its design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Garrett S. Boyd, Mitchell A. Boyd
  • Patent number: 11105426
    Abstract: A gate valve adapted for use in oil and gas operations, such as, for example, fracturing or gravel-packing operations. In an exemplary embodiment, the gate valve includes a valve body, which defines an internal region; a first fluid bore intersecting the internal region and defining a first interior surface in the valve body; and a first annular recess formed in the first interior surface and adjoining the internal region. A first seat element defines a second fluid bore and extends within the first annular recess. A first protective sleeve extends between respective portions of the first seat element and the valve body. The first and second fluid bores have first and second full-bore inside diameters, respectively. The first protective sleeve has a third full-bore inside diameter that is substantially equal to each of the first and second full-bore inside diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: VALVEWORKS USA, INC.
    Inventor: Todd Roberts
  • Patent number: 11098781
    Abstract: A damping valve includes a damping valve body with at least one through-channel, the outlet cross section of which is at least partially covered by at least one valve disk. The at least one valve disk is preloaded by at least two star springs. Each star spring has a support ring and a quantity of radial spring arms. The support rings lie one on top of the other in the installed position. The star springs are layered in opposite orientation such that the spring arms of at least two adjacent star springs face in the same direction with respect to the valve disk, and this star spring package has an anti-rotation element in an assembled position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Achim Eich
  • Patent number: 11092258
    Abstract: A hydraulic valve (3) includes an actuation device (1, 1 a, 1 b) for a control piston (2). The valve (3) is simple, robust, and insensitive to dirt. The is an actuation device (1, 1 a, 1 b) has a flexurally rigid metal plate (5), with an outer region fixed to the housing (4) in a stationary manner. A piezoelectric actuator (6) can bend a central region of the metal plate (5); and a pressure chamber (7) is filled with a pressurized liquid during operation. The pressure chamber (7) is delimited by the housing (4), the metal plate (5), and the control piston (2). The metal plate (5) seals the pressure chamber (7), and the pressure chamber (7) acts on the control piston (2). A surface area AP of the metal plate (5) over the pressure chamber (7) is larger than the cross-sectional area AK of the control piston (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventors: Gudrun Mikota, Josef Mikota
  • Patent number: 11078652
    Abstract: A faucet comprises a spout, a passageway that conducts water flow through the spout, and an electrically operable valve disposed within the passageway. A first capacitive sensor has a first detection field that generates a first output signal upon detection of a user's hands in the first detection field, and a second capacitive sensor has a second detection field that generates a second output signal upon detection of a user's hands in the second detection field. A controller is coupled to the first and second capacitive sensors and the electrically operable valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Delta Faucet Company
    Inventor: Joel D. Sawaski
  • Patent number: 11067179
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a valve assembly that includes a valve body that has a cavity having one or more seating surfaces, a ball body disposed within the valve body and configured to engage the one or more seating surfaces to form a seal, and an actuator configured to drive the ball body in a first axial direction along a central axis of the cavity to wedge the ball body against the one or more seating surfaces to form the seal, and where the actuator is configured to move the ball body in a second axial direction along the central axis to unseat the ball body and to rotate the ball body about the central axis between an open position and a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: William S. Shelton, Christian Meade
  • Patent number: 11067198
    Abstract: Disclosed is steering drive device for a pressing-controlled valve core, the steering drive device including a fixed top frame, a lifting drive rod, a vertical guide column, a lifting receiving seat, a fork-shaped swinging member, and a steering linkage. The steering linkage has an end that swings laterally when being moved, and the laterally swinging end is provided with a through hole for the fork-shaped swinging member to drive the swing arm, and cause the horizontal post to axially slide. The vertical cross-section of the through hole is rectangular, and the drive horizontal column has a range of up and down movement space in it, so that, when the drive swing arm generates lateral displacement due to vertical swing, it will pull the steering linkage along a circular path laterally moving, and at the same time drives the valve to rotate the actuating seat and cause it rotate laterally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Inventor: Hao-Nan Peng