Patents Examined by Matthew O. Savage
  • Patent number: 11090588
    Abstract: A water-filtration system includes four distinct porous media through which water is sequentially routed in a compact, self-contained four-stage filtration process. The porous media improves water quality by removing unwanted contaminants from the water and adding minerals and compounds to the water to improve water taste. A housing contains the the porous media. The housing includes connection points for incoming and outgoing water. The water-filtration system may be inserted into a water line upstream of a desired source of high-quality water, or may be integrated directly into an appliance or device that requires high-quality water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Vikas Kumar Sharma, Shriram Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 11076716
    Abstract: A filter assembly (10) which is suitable for use in a fluid container (1) of a domestic appliance comprises a filter element (30) and a filter housing (40) for delimiting a portion (8) of a fluid container (1) in which a fluid retrieval pipe (4) is present and in which the filter element (30) is to be arranged, the filter housing (40) being adapted to let fluid into the delimited portion (8) of the fluid container (1) and to direct a fluid flow from an inlet position (41) to an inlet (5) of the fluid retrieval pipe (4) through the filter element (30), the filter element (30) being configured for at least partially enclosing the fluid retrieval pipe (4), and the filter element (30) having a filter medium and a semi-permeable skin for at least partially enclosing the filter medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Bart-Jan Zwart
  • Patent number: 11071976
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compressed salt block comprising a longitudinally extending elongated body having a vertical longitudinal axis, a top horizontal face, a bottom horizontal face. The block portion has a rectangular cross-section taken in a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to the vertical longitudinal axis, wherein the rectangular cross-section is defined by a major front exterior surface that is a base surface of the block portion, a major rear surface, and a pair of exterior minor surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Harvey Water Softeners Limited
    Inventor: Ann Patricia Bowden
  • Patent number: 11065563
    Abstract: The present up-flow water filtration system is made up of three or more layers. In the example of three layers, each layer is individually rigid and capable of supporting loads above it, and each serves a separate function. These layers include the inlet layer on the bottom of the system, the outlet layer at the top of the system, and the central layer in between which contains the filter media. Additionally, the system includes one or more vertical ports that are open above ground and that extend into the central layer and provide access to the central media containment layer for maintenance. There are also several layers of textiles which form the flexible outer casing, as well as internal membranes to separate the different layers and components of the system. Some systems may include inlet and outlet pipes, but other inlet and outlet configurations are possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Atlantic Construction Fabrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey Simonpietri, Rinaldo Joseph DiLoreto, Jr., Scott Gorneau
  • Patent number: 11066311
    Abstract: A filter media can be configured to be securable in an at least partially curved configuration and/or received in a filter housing to form a filter assembly. Water filter media can be adapted for filter-as-you-pour filtration in the context of container (e.g., pitcher) systems where filtering is achieved as the user pours water from the container. The filter housing can have a frame and an optional casing securable about the frame. A filter assembly can include a filter media within, connected to, or associated with a filter housing. The filter media can be securable in an at least partially curved configuration and/or within, connected to, or associated with the filter housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Brita I.P
    Inventors: Nikhil P. Dani, Jonathan McDonald, Nicole Doan, Jonathan Taylor Wiegele
  • Patent number: 11065602
    Abstract: A method of recovering crude oil from crude oil drenched adsorbent and simultaneously regenerating the adsorbent to render it suitable for re-use in crude oil adsorption. The method includes contacting crude oil drenched adsorbent, in the form of solid nanofibrous expanded polystyrene drenched with adsorbed crude oil, with a non-polar solvent, thereby obtaining regenerated crude oil lean adsorbent and crude oil rich solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: University of South Africa
    Inventors: Samson Oluwagbemiga Alayande, Enock Olugbenga Dare, Akinola Kehinde Akinlabi, Peter Olaitan Aiyedun, Titus A. M. Msagati
  • Patent number: 11058973
    Abstract: An underdrain assembly for filtering particulates from a fluid having an upper structure connected to a bottom plate. At least one flow control vane is positioned between the upper structure and the bottom plate for directing and managing fluid flow through the assembly. The upper structure can have first and second filtration members, the second filtration member positioned between the first filtration member and the bottom plate. The second filtration member can have a shape that restricts fluid flow within the underdrain. The underdrain can have air and water inlets. The water inlet can have an end with a plate covering an upper portion thereof. The end can also include an opening having an angular cut forming an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the water inlet. Thus arranged, air is prevented from migrating out the water line. A resilient mounting arrangement for the underdrain is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Aqseptence Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Richard Ekholm, Richard Charles Maxson, Mark Edgar Watson, Fabrice Jean Alphonse Courageot
  • Patent number: 11051529
    Abstract: The invention relates to a caffeine-templated MIP copolymer matrix and devices employing these polymers that exhibit high absorbance or binding capacity for caffeine while retaining rapid caffeine uptake kinetics, and which function in both cold and hot aqueous environments to selectively remove caffeine from a beverage with a high selectivity factor in order to better preserve the sensory aspects of the decaffeinated beverage, and which can easily be used by a typical consumer to treat their beverage within a short time frame of less than about one minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Decaf Company, LLC
    Inventors: Igor Luzinov, Ruslan Burtovyy, Iurii Bandera, James P. Farr, William P. Sibert, Wayne Delker, Michael J. Petrin
  • Patent number: 11040896
    Abstract: In one aspect, systems and methods for the efficient and cost-effective removal of bromide from wastewater streams are described herein. Briefly, a system for bromide removal comprises pretreatment apparatus operable for at least partial removal of background ionic species from the wastewater stream and/or dilution of the background ionic species in the wastewater stream. The system also comprises bromide capture apparatus operable for removal of bromide from the pretreated wastewater stream, wherein the system removes bromide from the wastewater stream at an efficiency of at least 80 percent. In some embodiments, bromide is recovered from the capture apparatus and reused in flue gas treatment applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE
    Inventors: James E. Amburgey, Olya Stepanovna Keen, Mei Sun
  • Patent number: 11033667
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sorbent manifold and related systems and methods having a plurality of passageways fluidly connectable to one or more valves and one or more sensors and components for use in a sorbent dialysis system. The sorbent manifold can control the one or more valves to direct fluid to either pass through a sorbent cartridge or bypass the sorbent cartridge based on measurements obtained from sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul R. Chapman, Jr., Carl Wilbert Gomes, II
  • Patent number: 11033893
    Abstract: A continuous resin regeneration system includes a process by which resin in need of being recharged is continuously recharged and cleaned with a plurality of two-set filtration columns so that resin regeneration and the flow of influent is continuous and interrupted. Downstream filtration columns also undergo this cycling but at slower and related rates as the first column with the dirtiest water will naturally degrade resin faster than the downstream columns. Contaminated influent is cleaned by the continuously recharged resin in multiple column sets. The degree of cleaning of earlier filtration columns affects the resin flow rate of later filtration columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Inventors: Jay Vanier, Russell D. Pool
  • Patent number: 11028337
    Abstract: A structure for adsorbing contaminants from cooking oil comprises: an outer shell comprised of a filter material; and an adsorbing mixture comprising rice hull ash blended with a reinforcing binder, wherein the adsorbing mixture is in the form of particles having a particle size from about 0.30 millimeters (300 microns) to about 1.40 millimeters (1400 microns), with an average particle size of about 0.60 millimeters (600 microns) to about 0.70 millimeters (700 microns). The adsorbing mixture is enclosed by the outer shell, such that, in use, cooking oil with the contaminants passes through the outer shell, contacts the adsorbing mixture within the outer shell, and then again passes through the outer shell with substantially fewer contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FreshFry LLC
    Inventor: Jeremiah Chapman
  • Patent number: 11027228
    Abstract: The present application discloses a filtration device. The filtration device comprises a housing, a lid and a filtration material. The housing comprises at least one outlet hole at a bottom of the housing. The lid is coupled to the housing and comprises at least one inlet hole at a top of the lid. The filtration material is disposed within the housing and comprises a top layer, a particulate treatment layer, an activated carbon fiber layer and a bottom layer. The particulate treatment layer is coupled to the top layer. The activated carbon fiber layer is coupled to the particulate treatment layer. The bottom layer is coupled between the activated carbon fiber layer and the bottom of the housing. A filtration assembly is also disclosed in the present application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: QINGDAO ECOPURE FILTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhibin Zou
  • Patent number: 11020688
    Abstract: A filtration device comprising a media basket, a baseplate, and a canister. The media basket is affixed to the baseplate. The canister has a cavity therein and is detachably coupled with the baseplate to enclose the media basket. The media basket contains a porous filtration material that efficiently removes contaminants from liquid. The device is configured to establish a first siphon to convey liquid from outside the device into the canister cavity through a canister pipe when a liquid level outside the filtration device is higher than the top of the weir in the canister pipe and configured to establish a second siphon to convey liquid from canister cavity through the top of a center riser pipe and out an outlet pipe when the first siphon has been established and the liquid level outside the filtration device is higher than the top of the center riser pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeff Mason
  • Patent number: 11014831
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a process for removing metal ions from waste water, which process comprises providing plant-derived anionic nanofibrillar cellulose, carrying out a purification treatment comprising sorption of positively charged metal ions contained in the waste water to said nanofibrillar cellulose, separating used plant-derived anionic nanofibrillar cellulose from the waste water, and recovering treated waste water. The invention also concerns use of plant-derived anionic nanofibrillar cellulose for removing metal ions from waste water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Helinä Hartikainen, Salla Venäläinen, Markus Nuopponen, Anne Meriluoto
  • Patent number: 11008230
    Abstract: A water treatment system comprising an ion exchange vessel, a cationic resin located within the ion exchange vessel, and an anionic resin located within the ion exchange vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Inventor: Don Keller
  • Patent number: 11008229
    Abstract: A filter element comprises a porous body. The porous body is made of bonded matter, including: at least one material for binding lead; and at least a binder having a Melt Flow Rate, MFR, of more than 1 g/10 min. The porous body has a Mean Flow Pore size, MFP, in a range of between 0.1 and 11 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: BRITA GMBH
    Inventors: Tim Hartmann, Maria Fester, Simon Floren
  • Patent number: 11000787
    Abstract: A fiber filtering apparatus includes: an enclosure including an upper box and a lower box communicating with the upper box; a strainer installed in the upper box along a longitudinal direction; a plurality of fiber yarn media configured to be fixed to upper and lower fixing means each coupled to upper and lower parts of the strainer; a plurality of fiber ball media configured to be embedded in the lower box to form a second filtering layer; a first pipe configured to be formed on one side wall on the lower part of the upper box and introduced with raw water during filtration and drain backwashing water during backwashing; and a second pipe formed on one side wall on a lower part of the lower box and drain filtered water during the filtration and introduced with washing water during the backwashing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sung Won Park, Jung June Lee
  • Patent number: 11000781
    Abstract: Provided is a process for purifying an aqueous solution, wherein the aqueous solution comprises one or more sugars and additionally comprises furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, or a mixture thereof; wherein the process comprises passing the aqueous solution through a collection of resin particles; and wherein the resin particles comprise covalently bound acid functional groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: DDP SPECIALTY ELECTRONIC MATERIALS US 8, LLC
    Inventors: Collin H. Martin, Stephen Pease
  • Patent number: 10981144
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention relates to a carbon-based boron removal medium with hydroxyl groups and amine group, and in particular, to a method for forming the carbon-based boron removal medium. In a specific embodiment, nitrogen-doped (“N-doped”) graphene oxide is synthesized by a simple two-step process: (1) oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide, and (2) nitrogen-doping (“N-doping”) the graphene oxide to form the amine group. The resultant N-doped graphene oxide can efficiently remove boron from aqueous solutions. In another embodiment, a method of sensing or detecting the presence of boron in an aqueous solution by using a boron sensing medium comprises at least two hydroxyl groups and at least one pyridinic nitrogen or pyrrolic nitrogen or quaternary nitrogen (i.e. pyridoxine, in particular vitamin B6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
    Inventors: Fuming Chen, Hui Ying Yang