Patents Examined by Mary McManmon
  • Patent number: 9664290
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes a valve body defining a fluid flow passageway between an inlet and an outlet, a cage disposed in the fluid flow passageway, a plug disposed in the cage, a retainer collar coupled at an end of the plug, where an exterior surface of the retainer collar includes a first engagement surface having a first non-circular cross-section, and an anti-rotation collar coupled at an end of the cage, where the anti-rotation collar has a second engagement surface defining an aperture to receive the retainer collar, where the aperture has a second non-circular cross-section, where the engagement surfaces interact to inhibit rotation of the retainer collar and the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC
    Inventors: Randall Scott Collison, Chad Michael Engle, Christine Rae Hodny
  • Patent number: 9657954
    Abstract: A thermally optimised circulation fluid system is proposed which comprises a circulation line, a circulation pump unit and a control unit. The circulation pump unit and the circulation line together form a circulation circuit. The circulation pump unit is configured for transferring an amount of thermal energy directly or indirectly to a fluid located in the circulation line. The control unit is configured for adjusting the amount of thermal energy which is transferrable to the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Flashaar, Axel Schreiner, Michael Rempe, Erika Lourdes Sander
  • Patent number: 9657856
    Abstract: A regulating apparatus for a pressure activated one-way valve. The one-way valve is for mounting on a container to permit the release of gas from within the container and to control the ingress of atmospheric air. The regulating apparatus comprises a sealed and expandable chamber containing a gas. The chamber is operatively associated with the one-way valve such that when the chamber is exposed to elevated temperatures and/or reduced external pressure the gas within the chamber expands and exerts a force upon the one-way valve or portions thereof. The force tends to maintain the one-way valve in a closed or semi-closed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: O2i Ltd
    Inventor: Robert Buckingham
  • Patent number: 9657861
    Abstract: A flow passage switching unit includes side-by-side arranged rotary valve parts. The valve part includes a casing, side walls, a peripheral wall, first fluid ports, a second fluid port, a rotary shaft, and a valving element. A flow passage, through which the first fluid ports and the second fluid port selectively communicate, is formed by rotation of the valving element. The unit includes a driving mechanism driving each valving element by its corresponding predetermined rotation angle. The driving mechanism includes one driving source, and a motive power transmission member transmitting rotation motive power of the driving source respectively to the valve parts. Motive power of the driving source is transmitted to each rotary shaft of the valve parts to drive each valving element to a position, which position of the valving element relative to the first and second fluid ports is different from one another among the valve parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto, Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Kengo Sugimura, Yoshiki Katoh
  • Patent number: 9650766
    Abstract: Plumbing outlet boxes, such as for connecting washing machines, ice makers, and other plumbed appliances to plumbing systems, are provided that can be attached to each other without the use of separate connectors or mounting brackets. In particular, plumbing outlet boxes are described that include receiving features and mounting tabs extending outwardly from the side walls. The receiving features and mounting tabs are arranged such that the plumbing outlet box has rotational symmetry. In this way, receiving features may be engaged with mounting tabs of an adjacent plumbing outlet box regardless of the relative orientation of the mating plumbing outlet boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: IPS Corporation
    Inventors: James H. Whitehead, Jeffrey A. Humber
  • Patent number: 9650765
    Abstract: Plumbing outlet boxes, such as for connecting washing machines, ice makers, and other plumbed appliances to plumbing systems, are provided that can be attached to each other without the use of separate connectors or mounting brackets. In particular, plumbing outlet boxes are described that include receiving features and mounting tabs extending outwardly from the side walls. The receiving features and mounting tabs are arranged such that the plumbing outlet box has rotational symmetry. In this way, receiving features may be engaged with mounting tabs of an adjacent plumbing outlet box regardless of the relative orientation of the mating plumbing outlet boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: IPS Corporation
    Inventors: James H. Whitehead, Jeffrey A. Humber
  • Patent number: 9649894
    Abstract: A tire pressure sensor is provided. The tire pressure sensor comprises a sensor housing having a first engagement portion defining an opening. A pressure sensing element is within the sensor housing and is in fluid communication with the opening of the sensor housing. The tire pressure sensor is configured to engage and be in fluid communication with an over-inflation pressure relief valve. The over-inflation relief valve is engagable in a wheel of an aircraft wheel assembly. The tire pressure sensor is also disengageable from the over-inflation pressure relief valve. A tire pressure sensor assembly and an aircraft wheel system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Steven T. Keller, Paul L. Summers, Scott Whittle
  • Patent number: 9638338
    Abstract: Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: RHEONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Peng Zhou, Lincoln C. Young
  • Patent number: 9637104
    Abstract: A valve apparatus 1 for a pressure-actuated system has a pressure medium input 7 and a pressure medium output 22. A relay valve 8 controls the pressure medium input 7. A pressure-actuatable inlet valve 23 is arranged between the relay valve 8 and the pressure medium output 22. Each pressure medium output 22 includes a pressure-actuatable outlet valve 28 controlling a fluidic connection of the pressure medium output 22 to a purge 16 leading to atmosphere. At least one outlet valve 28 or inlet valve 23 is formed as a diaphragm valve and has a valve diaphragm 29 which lies on a valve seat 30 and opens against the pressure in a purge chamber 31. For each diaphragm valve, an electrically actuatable purge valve 33 controls a fluidic connection of the purge chamber 31 to a purge line controlling the relay valve 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Couppee, Jan Gensink, Bernd-Joachim Kiel
  • Patent number: 9638335
    Abstract: A double sealing valve includes a power cylinder having a driving axle, a valve body formed of a first and a second valve members, and a seal plate assembly within the valve body. Therein, the first valve member has an axle bore for the driving axle to pass through, and the second valve member has two valve holes oppositely disposed. The seal plate assembly has a driving frame connected to the driving axle, with plural roller assemblies disposed around the driving frame. The seal plate assembly has two seal plates disposed between two faces of the driving frame and the valve body, respectively. Each seal plate has plural driving grooves corresponding to the roller assemblies. The driving axle drives the seal plate assembly to seal the valve holes, with a sealing force produced therebetween by use of the roller assembly and the driving groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: King Lai Hygienic Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shu-Mei Huang
  • Patent number: 9638369
    Abstract: The ice maker protection box system is a durable plastic box assembly that mounts on the wall around a water valve assembly, and protects a refrigerator water supply line from pinching and kinking. It has a transparent cover which slides upwardly along flanges to access the water connection. The ice maker protection box assembly further provides ample space behind a refrigerator for airflow to maximize refrigeration potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Jeff Spilker
  • Patent number: 9632513
    Abstract: A tank monitor control device is disclosed which comprises a monitoring device for insertion into a day tank to monitor a level of fluid stored in the day tank, a shutoff valve connected between a main storage tank and a diaphragm pump, a solenoid valve connected between an air supply and the diaphragm pump, and a control device connected to the monitoring device for receiving a signal indicative of the level of fluid in the day tank, the control device connected to the shutoff valve and the solenoid valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Husky Corporation
    Inventor: Roger Wiersma
  • Patent number: 9631729
    Abstract: A closure element for a valve device for fluids and a valve device for fluids is described. The closure element includes a membrane and a valve device protruding from the membrane. The valve device has an outer diameter recess which is configured so that the closure element can be locked by means of a locking slide which can be moved toward the outer diameter recess substantially orthogonally to a feed axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: GEMÜ GEBR. MÜLLER APPARATEBAU GMBH & CO. KOMMANDITGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Rene Föhn
  • Patent number: 9631737
    Abstract: In a solenoid valve having a magnetic drive including a housing which is at least partly formed from an injection molding compound, the magnetic drive includes a magnet coil having a winding, a magnet yoke, and a movably mounted magnet armature which is arranged outside the magnet coil. The housing has a first section which encloses the magnet coil having the winding and the magnet yoke, and the housing has a second section which encloses at least most of the movably mounted magnet armature. Further proposed are a battery having a plurality of solenoid valves, a method of manufacturing a solenoid valve, and a mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Burket Werke GmbH
    Inventors: Claus Brust, Simone Knauβ, Rainer Künzler, Ralf Scheibe
  • Patent number: 9631740
    Abstract: A faucet handle includes a fluid supply line, fluid return line, and valve cartridge. A first portion of the valve cartridge provides a connecting passage between fluid supply line and fluid return line and allows fluid flow when the valve cartridge is open. A valve body having first and second openings houses the first portion of the valve cartridge. A second portion of the valve cartridge extends through first opening and extends from first portion to second portion in a direction that is substantially parallel to a mounting surface. A control handle contacts second portion of the valve cartridge. When control handle is rotated in a first direction around an axis along which the valve cartridge extends the valve cartridge is opened allowing flow from supply line to return line, and when the valve cartridge is rotated around the axis in an opposing direction the valve cartridge is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Waterworks IP Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kevin Farinella, Robert Sallick
  • Patent number: 9625054
    Abstract: A shut-off flap with a flap-shaped shut-off element, which is supported within a housing in such a way that it can swivel around a rotation axis and which contains a flap disk staggered relative to the rotation axis and lateral hubs to hold two drive shafts which are supported in such a way that they can rotate in the housing. In order to make possible an improvement of the throughflow and a reduction of the actuation torque, flow deflection elements are located on the two hubs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: VAG—ARMATUREN GMBH
    Inventor: Heribert Herold
  • Patent number: 9624838
    Abstract: The present air intake control valve includes a valve body and a seal portion being elastically deformable to seal between an inner wall surface of an air intake port and the valve body. The seal portion is formed in a bending configuration including a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion each serving as a supporting point upon elastic deformation of the seal portion. One of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion is arranged at an upstream side of the air intake port and the other of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion is arranged at a downstream side in a state where the valve body is at a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Oiwa, Masato Ishii
  • Patent number: 9625051
    Abstract: In one aspect, a tube device including concentric inner and outer tubes to form an annulus to receive an upright stem in a toilet tank and adjustable vertically and rotationally relative to the stem. In another aspect, an elongated catch device is pivotally mounted intermediately to an inlet tube device and carries at its upper extremity a keeper selectively disposed in the path of a float device to, unless a toilet has been flushed, block lowering of the float device and consequent opening of the control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventor: Anthony R. Brandelli
  • Patent number: 9624878
    Abstract: A non-return valve device for an internal combustion engine includes a valve housing comprising an aperture with a downstream end arranged in a duct housing. The aperture defines a flow cross section. A valve seat surrounds the flow cross section. A valve closing member, provided as leaf springs, adapts, closes or opens the flow cross section. A distance between each of the leaf springs in their maximum opened position at the downstream end of the aperture and the duct housing arranged opposite to each of the leaf springs has a maximum which is twice as large as a distance between each of the leaf springs in their maximum opened position and the valve seat arranged opposite to each of the leaf springs. Defining inner walls of the duct housing downstream of the valve housing are arranged so that the flow cross section is first continuously reduced and then continuously enlarged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: PIERBURG GMBH
    Inventors: Stephan Hambloch, Lars Baumeister, Jessica Jasper
  • Patent number: 9617919
    Abstract: A valve includes a valve housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a longitudinal axis defined through the valve housing. The valve also includes a toggle mechanism configured and adapted to cycle flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet through a plurality of different flow rates in response to repeated impulses. The toggle mechanism is also configured to hold flow rate steady between impulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon P. Williams, Neal A. Thomson