Patents Examined by Martin P. Schwadron
  • Patent number: 5485983
    Abstract: A gas metering valve is provided for selectively providing a series of different calibrated gas flow rates. The valve includes a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a chamber situated between the gas inlet and gas outlet. The valve also includes a metering element located in the chamber. The metering element is formed to include a plurality of passageways for permitting gas flow from the gas inlet to the gas outlet. The metering element is movable relative to the valve body to position a selected passageway in communication with the gas inlet. The valve further includes a seal apparatus including a sealing disk in sliding contact with the metering element. The sealing disk has an aperture formed therethrough aligned with the gas inlet for sealing said chamber against the transmission of gas therethrough except when the metering element is oriented with the selected passageway in registry with the aperture in the sealing disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: AMP Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Voege, Richard B. Voege, John S. Voege
  • Patent number: 5483993
    Abstract: The in-line fluid connector serves to separate the upstream and downstream portions of flexible or semi-flexible conduit to allow maintenance on the flow system. The connector includes a female valve and sleeve attached to one portion of the conduit and a male housing attached to the other portion of the conduit. An installation tool that is either hand operated or motor driven consists of a pushout rod whose outer diameter fits into the sleeve for pushing the valve out of the female housing and into the sleeve and for positioning seals to straddle the passageways formed in the female portion and seals in the pushout rod to prevent leakage from the upstream and downstream portions. A locking ring secures the female and male portions and a ball screw motor driven actuator may be used to stroke the installation tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: George J. Roebelen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5482250
    Abstract: There is provided a device attached to the flush valve of an existing stool and adapted for automatically carrying out flushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Uro Denshi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Kodaira
  • Patent number: 5482249
    Abstract: A dynamic seal is provided between a rotatable ball control member and a noise attenuator in a fluid control valve. In one embodiment a noise attenuator is rigidly clamped in the valve body and a floating, spring biased seal is provided in the attenuator and facing the ball. A bi-directional fluid control valve is provided with two rigidly mounted noise attenuators each having a floating, spring biased ball seal. In a second embodiment a noise attenuator is floating, spring biased towards the ball and includes an annular seal retained in the attenuator. Pressure balancing the fluid flow pressure and the spring bias enables substantially zero seal engagement with the ball during ball rotation, while enabling a reliable seal of the ball in the shut-off valve position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Schafbuch, Charles R. Kuhlman
  • Patent number: 5482083
    Abstract: A quick connect coupling for joining opposing ends of a fluid flow line includes a sleeve member and a body member sized to be received in the open engagement end of the sleeve member. The sleeve member has resilient, laterally displaceable fingers joined at one end and tapering inwardly toward the axis in cantilever fashion to free ends. Upon insertion of the body member in the sleeve member, the body member contacts the fingers and urges the cantilevered portions including the free ends outwardly. Upon complete insertion, the free ends snap inwardly to engage shoulders of the body member. The body member has a series of camming faces adjacent each shoulder. The sleeve is rotatable about the body member to displace the free ends of the fingers outwardly and to align such fingers with portions of the body member away from such shoulders to thereby release the body member from the sleeve member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Aeroquip Corporation
    Inventor: Gary M. Jenski
  • Patent number: 5479960
    Abstract: A coupling comprising a female coupler and a male coupler insertable therein, the couplers having mutually engageable poppet valves for allowing fluid flow between the couplers on the mating of the couplers. A J-section annular sealing member has a dynamic sealing portion responsive to internal fluid pressure to seal against the male coupler and a static sealing portion disposed to sealingly engage the female coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Inventor: Douglas F. Kirkman
  • Patent number: 5478046
    Abstract: A quick connector adapted for locking engagement with a male member includes a cylindrical body portion open at one end for receiving the male member and a through passage communicating the open end with a conduit receiving adapter at an opposite end. A valve member is located in the passage and is displaceable from a closed position to an open position to establish open communication therethrough in response to engagement of the body portion and male member. Relatively displaceable, at least partially radially coextensive seats are provided to effect axial engagement with the seal in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: ITT Corporation
    Inventor: George Szabo
  • Patent number: 5476244
    Abstract: A flush valve includes a body with an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat at the outlet. There is a valve movable in the body toward and away from the valve seat to control flow through the flush valve. There is a chamber in the body above the valve and there is a refill orifice in the valve connecting the chamber with said body inlet. Pressure in the chamber maintains the valve closed upon its valve seat, with the size of the refill orifice controlling the time to fill the chamber from the inlet which determines the time of flow of water from the inlet through the outlet. There is a relief valve for venting the chamber to the outlet when the relief valve is open, thereby causing the valve to move away from its seat permitting flow from the inlet through the outlet. There is a cover threadedly attached to the body and a seal element formed from an elastomeric material positioned between the cover and the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
    Inventors: Daniel J. Carroll, Jerry P. Gronwick
  • Patent number: 5476116
    Abstract: A dispensing device comprises a body having a chamber sized to accommodate a volume of solid halogen source therein. The chamber comprises an open end and a closed end. A number of apertures extend through the body and into the chamber near the closed end. A control member comprises an open end and a closed end separated by a wall. The open end of the control member is rotatably mounted over the closed end of the chamber. Openings extend through the wall and are positioned at locations that correspond to the apertures so that alignment of the openings with respective apertures form dispensement ports. The ports has a degree of closure that can be precisely controlled by rotation of the control member about the body for dispensing the halogen solution to the water. A cap is releasably attached to the open end of the chamber to form an air and water-tight seal therebetween, creating an air head within the body when placed into the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Rainbow Lifegard Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Price, Michael L. Schuman
  • Patent number: 5472045
    Abstract: A filter device is provided for use with the heat exchanger utilizing a filter having a low volume mass of filter media wherein residual oil remaining in the filter is eliminated as a major environmental concern. The heat exchanger has first and second discrete flowpaths for fluid to be filtered. One of the flowpaths is designed to be in heat exchange relation with a coolant. Means are provided to establish fluid communication between the first and second discrete flowpaths with a low volume filter being situated between the establishing means and the heat exchanger, and clamp means are provided to maintain the establishing means and the low volume filter in sealed, assembled relation with the heat exchanger with the clamp means including means for providing access to an axial passageway through the clamp means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Robert F. Poehlman
  • Patent number: 5472047
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger tube bundle design that eliminates the need for tube supports or baffles within a heat exchanger tube bundle. The inventive configuration uses a combination of bare tubes and longitudinally finned tubes positioned such that the longitudinal fins act as spacing and supporting means within the tube bundle. The longitudinal fins provide spacing and support substantially along the entire length of the tubes within the bundle and eliminate the need for internal spacing or supporting means. Taking advantage of this inventive design, one can economically construct a tube bundle requiring only external rings to secure the tube bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Brown Fintube
    Inventor: Joseph J. Welkey
  • Patent number: 5472015
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Y-type cylinder-controlled valve assembly which mainly consists of a valve body and a cylinder having a reduced upper portion. The reduced upper portion of the cylinder has an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of a piston in the cylinder and thereby serves as a means to define the maximum travel of the piston. Moreover, the valve body has an inclined cylinder-receiving sleeve which has an enlarged inner diameter than that of a conventional Y-type valve assembly and thereby effectively prevents the valve thereof from being frictionally stuck in the inclined sleeve due to any deviation of the valve by fluid passing through the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Wae Yen Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shun-hsing Chiou
  • Patent number: 5469878
    Abstract: A flexible spoolable coiled tubing gas lift valve assembly connected in a coiled tubing. The flexible valve includes a circular housing having an axial bore therethrough for allowing the passage well tools therethrough. In one embodiment, the valve element and valve seat of the gas lift valve are eccentrically positioned in the housing. In another embodiment, the valve and valve seat are concentrically positioned in the housing. The valve element is guided and supported laterally by the housing and may include flow injection ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Camco International Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald E. Pringle
  • Patent number: 5469887
    Abstract: A hydraulic coupling having a pressure-equalizing valve in the female coupler body is disclosed. A passage extends between the central bore or receiving chamber and the external surface of the female member. A valve in the passage allows sea water to flow into the annulus during connection or disconnection of the male and female coupling members, thus equalizing the pressure and preventing implosion of seals during disconnection of the coupling members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: National Coupling Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Smith, III
  • Patent number: 5469877
    Abstract: An electric to pneumatic transducer including a transducer housing with a primary converting housing section and a relay housing section. The primary converting housing section contains feedback and control electronics and an electronic feedback sensor that are electrically connected. The feedback and control electronics are adapted to be connected to an electronic signal input. The primary converting housing section also contains a nozzle and associated flapper control for controlling the output from the nozzle and the primary converting housing section also contains a bleed orifice. The relay housing section contains a relay control chamber with a positive bias spring that exerts a force on an upper control diaphragm and an associated lower control diaphragm that are in turn associated with a combined exhaust and supply valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Fairchild Industrial Products Company
    Inventor: Andy R. Askew
  • Patent number: 5470045
    Abstract: A valve apparatus wherein a diaphragm is provided above a valve seat in the valve body, employing a structure whereby the diaphragm can be depressed onto the valve seat, wherein a means of load is provided to depress the diaphragm, wherein an electromagnetic actuator is installed to separate the diaphragm from the valve seat, wherein a thin plate disc is provided with its center fixed to the periphery of the means of load and wherein a valve stem is positioned being fixed to the center of the thin plate disc. Driving the electromagnetic actuator, the valve stem is pulled up opposing the resilient force of the thin plate disc to allow the diaphragm to restore itself from its status being depressed onto the valve seat, thus controlling the aperture of the valve appropriately and smoothly. This invention therefore can provide a valve unit with a simplified structure but capable of maintaining a high cleanliness and improved flow rate controllability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Kazama, Tomihisa Oyama
  • Patent number: 5469915
    Abstract: A panel heat exchanger is disclosed. The panel heat exchanger has a plurality of parallel tubes in a spaced apart side-by-side relationship, the tubes being located between two plastic sheets that envelope and conform to the shape of the tubes so as to maintain said tubes in the side-by-side relationship. The sheets being bonded together between said tubes. One end of each of the plurality of tubes is in fluid flow communication with an inlet manifold and the other end of each of the plurality of tubes is in fluid flow communication with an outlet manifold. Processes for the manufacture of the panel heat exchanger are also disclosed. The panel heat exchanger may be used in a variety of uses, including automotive, refrigeration and domestic uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Anthony J. Cesaroni
    Inventor: Anthony J. Cesaroni
  • Patent number: 5467961
    Abstract: An electromagnetically actuated valve comprising an annular-shaped solenoid coil arranged in a housing and surrounding an axially reciprocal magnet armature of metallic material is disclosed. The magnet armature is provided on a front end with an elastomeric sealing member facing a valve seat made of elastomeric material. The magnet armature and the sealing member are joined together via form locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
    Inventors: Andreas Sausner, Stefan Knapp
  • Patent number: 5467962
    Abstract: A valve assembly for metering exhaust gas to the intake of an internal combustion engine has an electromagnetic solenoid actuator having a magnetic circuit which includes a stationary pole piece, an armature moveable within said pole piece, and an air gap separating the pole piece and the armature. The air gap is established using a sleeve member constructed of non-magnetic material and having axially extending slots formed therein. The slots are operable to transfer air from the space above the armature to a space below the armature when the armature moves axially, relative to the pole piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Raul A. Bircann, Dwight O. Palmer
  • Patent number: 5467960
    Abstract: A two-way fluid control valve for use in temperature controlled HVAC systems. The control valve includes an engine coolant inlet and an engine coolant outlet. A diaphragm is located between the inlet and outlet and is movable between a closed position in which it prevents coolant flow through the control valve and an open position in which it allows coolant to flow through the control valve. A pressure chamber above the diaphragm is in fluid connection with the common port of a three-way control solenoid. The inlet is in fluid connection with the normally closed port of the solenoid and the outlet is in fluid connection with the normally open port of the solenoid. In an unenergized position, the pressure chamber is maintained at a lower pressure than the coolant pressure in the outlet, allowing the diaphragm to be forced open by the engine coolant, thus allowing engine coolant to flow through the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: GT Development Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Morris, Charles J. Green