Patents Examined by Matthew O. Savage
  • Patent number: 10689267
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods to remove organic and/or inorganic compounds (e.g., contaminants) from water containing organic and/or inorganic compounds, involving contacting the water with an effective organic and/or inorganic compounds removing amount of hemoglobin/Fe3O4 composite where the compounds in the water adsorb onto the hemoglobin/Fe3O4 composite, and removing (e.g., using a magnet since the composite is magnetic) the hemoglobin/Fe3O4 composite from the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Matthew Essandoh, Rafael A. Garcia
  • Patent number: 10688411
    Abstract: To provide a porous molding that can be used as a molding that has sufficient strength to be self-supportable even when the dimensions change due to absorbing water and that can be suitably used as a filter for removing impurities in a liquid or gas. A porous molding is achieved by sintering a mixed powder including a dried gel powder and a thermoplastic resin powder, wherein the ratio of average particle diameter d1 of the thermoplastic resin powder to the average particle diameter d2 of the dried gel powder d2/d1 is 1.3 or greater, and the difference ratio of average particle diameter d1 of the thermoplastic resin powder to the average particle diameter d2 of the dried gel powder and the average particle diameter d3 of the dried gel powder when absorbing water and swelling is (d3?d2)/d1 is 4.0 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10682592
    Abstract: A filter system having a filter media retainer seal includes: at least one underdrain block having a top wall, a bottom wall, and a pair of side walls extending between the top wall and the bottom wall; a filter media retainer mounted onto the top wall of the at least one underdrain block; and at least one rib positioned between the underdrain block and the filter media retainer. The at least one rib forms a seal between the underdrain block and the filter media retainer, and prevents filter media from entering the underdrain block. The at least one rib can be monolithically formed to the at least one underdrain block. Alternatively, the at least one rib is monolithically formed to the filter media retainer. The rib is crushable and/or it bites into a surface on the adjoining part to reduce or eliminate the need for a separate sealant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Xylem Water Solutions Zelienople LLC
    Inventors: Howard James Sweeney, Brian James Bates
  • Patent number: 10675569
    Abstract: A water filter is provided. The water filter includes a melt blown filter including a melt blown filter inlet. The melt blown filter inlet forms a water filter inlet. A carbon filter is in fluid communication with the melt blown filter. A thermoplastic polymer filter is in fluid communication with the carbon filter. The thermoplastic polymer filter includes a thermoplastic polymer filter outlet. The thermoplastic polymer filter outlet forms a water filter outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Inventor: Fred Geyer
  • Patent number: 10668416
    Abstract: Provided is a granular filtration media comprising a mixture of granular filtration media and less than 5% of nanofibers based on the dry weight, method of making the same and uses of the same for removing contaminants from water, including metals, heavy metals, synthetic or natural organic matters, colloidal or suspended particles to improve the chemical safety and purity of water for the purpose of water purification, specifically, one embodiment of the present invention disclosed is use of the granular filtration media to remove particulate lead from high pH water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: STRIX (USA), INC.
    Inventors: Yongjun Chen, Hiroyuki Kawai, Patricia Q. Bottari, Christopher R. Ashley, Andrew F. Mason
  • Patent number: 10669179
    Abstract: The invention discloses and claims various methods for the treatment of various wastewater streams of varying chemical composition using sonication in combination with a variety of other methods, including nucleation, ozonation, flocculation, clarification, adsorption, polishing, and filtration. The methods disclosed and claimed are useful in the treatment of industrial wastewater, brackish water, seawater, and for the treatment of oil and gas-well water as well as wastewater from hydraulic gas-fracturing processes for the production of oil and natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Columbia Water Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Roberts, Lee Shull, Michael P. Mehlhoff
  • Patent number: 10662083
    Abstract: The present invention provides a filter which, even when raw water is subjected to high-speed treatment, enables achieving a high solute rejection ratio and a long solute filtration life and which exhibits a low water flow resistance. The present invention pertains to a filter obtained by laminating woven fabrics or knitted fabrics, the filter being characterized in that: said woven fabrics or knitted fabrics comprise a fiber capable of adsorbing components dissolved in liquid: said fiber has a diameter of 100-600 ?m; the woven fabrics or knitted fabrics have a porosity of 15-70%; and variation in area porosity in the thickness direction of the laminate is 15% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES
    Inventors: Ryoma Miyamoto, Keisuke Yoneda, Kumiko Ogawa, Satoko Kanamori, Ryuichiro Hiranabe, Yoichiro Kozaki
  • Patent number: 10654725
    Abstract: A filter housing can be configured to receive a filter media to form a filter assembly. Water filter media assemblies 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. The 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: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Brita LP
    Inventors: Nikhil P. Dani, Jonathan McDonald, Nicole Doan, Jonathan Taylor Wiegele
  • Patent number: 10654728
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process for the purification of water. The process includes leading water laden with microorganisms and arsenic through an arsenic adsorption media followed by treating the resultant arsenic deficient water with a disinfectant releasing system to obtain water deficient of arsenic and viable microorganisms. The present disclosure also provides an apparatus for the purification of water using the afore-stated process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Shankar Balajirao Kausley, Chetan Premkumar Malhotra, Dilshad Ahmad
  • Patent number: 10653976
    Abstract: A water purification apparatus includes a bottomed cylindrical container tank, a lid member for fluid-tightly closing an upper opening of the container tank, an upper filter which forms an upper space between the lid member and itself, a lower filter which forms a lower space between a bottom plate of the container tank and itself, a water passage pipe which passes through the upper and lower filters and which establishes a communication between the upper and lower spaces, and an ion-exchange resin loaded in a space defined by the container tank, the upper and lower filters and the water passage pipe. The lid member has a water supply pipe for supplying water to the upper space, and an overflow pipe which connects to the water passage pipe. A water conveyance pipe for discharging the pure water in the container tank to outside is connected to the lower space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miki
  • Patent number: 10646796
    Abstract: The present invention includes iterations of devices for absorbing water and hydrocarbons that accumulate in hydrocarbon handling and dispensing systems, fuel tanks, sumps, and other oil and hydrocarbon storage tanks, at gas stations and other locations such as ports, commercial trucking facilities, government installations, military bases, privately owned and commercial shipping vessels, and privately maintained fueling locations including trucking facilities, etc. Specialized versions of the devices can also clean up petroleum slicks on water surfaces—known as “sheen” or petroleum-contaminated water (PCW”), and other contaminants. The present invention can stop “phase separation”. Once they have absorbed water, most versions of the device can also be disposed of easily and economically compared to alternative disposal methods due to their extremely light weight and because they can be dehydrated before disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Inventor: Thomas Ralph Rossi
  • Patent number: 10646098
    Abstract: An integrated component for supplying and treating water for a dishwashing machine having a washing tank includes a monolithic body of plastics material, within which an inlet conduit for water, a chamber containing substances with water-softening properties, into which the inlet conduit leads, a salt-containing reservoir arranged in the lowermost portion of the body and having a filler tube for loading the salt and to be connected to the washing tank, a compartment for blowing out vapours having an inlet opening to be connected to the washing tank and an outlet opening, an outlet conduit of water, a conduit for supplying water to the reservoir to produce the brine, and a conduit connecting the reservoir to the chamber are defined. The monolithic body has at least one protrusion, to which a sealing gasket is associated, for the direct connection within an opening of corresponding shape of the washing tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: BITRON S.P.A.
    Inventor: Enzo Brignone
  • Patent number: 10640240
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes a sublimator that has a porous plate, a water feed line connected with the sublimator for delivering feed water to the porous plate, and an adsorbent bed in the water feed line. The sublimator is operable to freeze and sublime the feed water using the porous plate. The adsorbent bed is configured to substantially remove organic compounds from the feed water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Tony Rector, Barbara M. Peyton, John W. Steele
  • Patent number: 10626570
    Abstract: A system, method for forming, and a method of manufacturing a boom for the containment of contaminants, wherein the system includes a cover and an adsorbent material disposed within the cover. The adsorbent material may be formed of at least one sheet of flexible, adsorbent fabric folded upon itself within the elongated cover. Additionally, the adsorbent material disposed within the elongated cover may form a non-cylindrical cross-section, and the flexible, adsorbent fabric forming the adsorbent material may be at least partially a polyester material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: HalenHardy LLC
    Inventors: Donald L. Beaver, Jr., Patrick E. Healy, Joshua D. Beaver, Irvin R. Parks, Jr., Brandon W. Guida
  • Patent number: 10626025
    Abstract: Provided is a water-purification cartridge to be replaceably accommodated in an accommodating portion of a water purifier. The cartridge includes activated carbon that removes impurities from water, forms, within the water purifier, a raw water flow path through which raw water flows downstream without passing through the activated carbon and a water purification flow path through which raw water flows downstream while passing through the activated carbon, and further includes a buffer portion that is disposed, within the water purifier, at a position upstream of flow path switching valves for selecting discharge from the raw water flow path or discharge from the water purification flow path and downstream of the activated carbon and that cuts off a water hammer propagating from the flow path switching valves to the activated carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KOTOBUKI TSUSHOU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshio Takagi, Jutaro Takagi
  • Patent number: 10611989
    Abstract: A method of treating an beverage, comprising exposing a beverage to an ion exchange matrix that includes a mixture of cation exchange beads and anion exchange beads each capable of binding to one or more cationic or anionic constituents present in the beverage and thereby reduce concentrations of the one or more cationic or anionic constituents in the beverage and capable of maintaining a pH of the beverage within ±0.5 pH units of the beverage's pretreatment pH value. The cationic or anionic constituents have a noxious effect on humans and the cation exchange beads include a cationic mineral form and the anion exchange beads include a chloride mineral form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Purewine Inc.
    Inventors: David Meadows, Howard Ketelson
  • Patent number: 10611650
    Abstract: A method of treating water in a water treatment system after a replacement of an ion exchange bed includes introducing water to be treated into the ion exchange bed of the water treatment system to produce treated water, calculating a current exchange daily average flow rate of water through the water treatment system, calculating a cumulative daily average flow rate of water through the water treatment system, and determining an estimated number of days remaining to exhaustion of the ion exchange bed based on the current exchange daily average flow rate and the cumulative daily average flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Erich G. Hoefferle, Isabel Rozario, Stephen Mildner
  • Patent number: 10603421
    Abstract: Cartridges useful in regenerating or purifying dialysis solutions are described as well as methods to regenerate or purify spent dialysis solutions. Dialysis methods using the sorbent cartridges of the present invention are further described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen A. Merchant
  • Patent number: 10596488
    Abstract: Described herein are compositions for non-aqueous lithium ion extraction and methods of non-aqueous lithium ion extraction. In some embodiments, Octolig® or a methyl derivative thereof can be used to extract lithium and/or other ions from a non-aqueous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Dean F. Martin, Kirpal Singh Bisht
  • Patent number: 10589192
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for waste water treatment. A filtration gel includes about 30-45% by weight poly(ethylene) oxide, about 30-40% by weight propylene glycol, about 10-20% by weight glycerin (at least 65% pure), about 5-10% by weight NaCl, about 1-5% by weight fumed silica, about 1-6% by weight silica dioxide, and about 0.5 to 5% calcium as mixed salts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: MATRIX GELS LLC
    Inventor: Richard Ray Black