Patents Examined by Michael Powell
  • Patent number: 6622745
    Abstract: A waste diversion system for diverting the effluent from a manufacturing process, such as polishing the surfaces of silicon wafers, has an electrically controlled diverter valve for receiving the effluent and diverting it either to a “dirty” output for waste treatment, or to a “clean” output for recycling or other treatment. To determine whether the effluent is “dirty” or “clean”, parameter sensors are located to sense particular parameters such as turbidity, conductivity, ORP, pH, or ion content, as desired. One sensor is located to sense the parameters of effluent flowing into the diverter valve; and the other sensor is located to sense the parameters (typically, the same parameters) of the flow from the “dirty” or waste side of the diverter valve. Only when both of the sensors indicate that the effluent is “clean” is a signal provided to the diverter valve to switch it to the clean output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Projex IMS, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Roland Smith, David A. White
  • Patent number: 6622748
    Abstract: A unitary removable barrier for installation in a cylindrical water line to selectively block the water line to passage of water therethrough. The unitary removable barrier is composed of a single piece body having at least one cylindrical section sized to receive upstream and downstream pipes of the water line. A planar disk is molded with the cylindrical section and is of a circular circumference which completely blocks the water line but which is selectively removable from the cylindrical section thus removing the barrier to the passage of water through the line. Removal of the barrier is facilitated through the use of a piercing device and pull tab which can be actuated from a position outside of the waste line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: MCP Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Duncan
  • Patent number: 6619324
    Abstract: A non-return bias valve mechanism for a fluid pumping assembly established to prevent backflow of fluid when the fluid is pumped under pressure, said mechanism comprises, a body member having a longitudinal hole 5a formed in the axis direction and radial hole(s) 5b extending from the longitudinal hole to a radial direction and going through to the outside, and, a ring shape sealing member 6 made of material having elasticity such as of rubber which is expandable that seals the radial hole(s) of the body member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: NGN Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nagamasa Yamada, Kaoru Onizuka
  • Patent number: 6612326
    Abstract: An inflator for inflating an airbag has a vessel for containing compressed gas. The vessel has a gas outlet aperture. A support element is located in the gas outlet aperture with a sealing element next to the side of the support element that faces the interior of the vessel. A locking element is disposed in a locking position between a side of the support element that faces away from the interior of the vessel and a first abutment that is rigid with respect to the vessel. The support element is further supported by a second abutment that is rigid with respect to the vessel. A gas releasing device moves the locking element from the locking position to open the gas outlet aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Specht, Florian Sachsenhauser, Thomas Heckmayer, Rudolf Meyer, Joachim Verheugen
  • Patent number: 6612338
    Abstract: A valve structure that comprises a housing and a valve. The housing includes a first fluid communication passage between a first port and a second port. The valve is movable with respect to the housing between a first configuration, a second configuration, and an intermediate configuration between the first and second configurations. The first configuration permits substantially unrestricted fluid flow between the first and second ports. The second configuration substantially prevents fluid flow between the first and second ports. And the intermediate configuration provides restricted fluid flow between the first and second ports. The valve includes a first valve element and a second valve element. The first valve element includes a second fluid communication passage providing the restricted fluid flow between the first and second ports. The second valve element is positionable in first and second positions with respect to the first valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Andrew Weldon, John Edward Cook, William Charles Gillier
  • Patent number: 6612331
    Abstract: A closed loop pressure controller system that sets, measures and controls the process pressure within a semiconductor process is shown. The system is commonly composed of a pressure sensor to collect the pressure information, a controller box that hosts the control electronics, and a valve to physically affect the conductivity of the inlet or outlet gas line and accordingly the process pressure. The present invention differs from the prior art by using closed-loop motor control of the valve, rather than the method of the prior art, where the valve position is controlled by a stepper motor actuator driven in an open loop fashion. It is demonstrated that the utility of such prior art open-loop configurations is limited by the fact that the achievable precision of the valve position is hindered by static friction in the valve system, and the non-linear character of the torque versus shaft-angle of the motor (among other error components).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Inventors: Per Cederstav, Sean Mallory, Emmanuel Vyers, William Ballard, David Kruse
  • Patent number: 6609534
    Abstract: A multi-additive injection system for injecting required amounts of different additives to flowing fuel in a fuel line (6) comprises a number of additive injection sub-systems (1, 2, 3 and 4). Each sub-system includes a source of additive (7), a pump (13) to deliver additive from the source (7) to the fuel line (6), and an additive meter (21) to measure an amount of the additive being delivered to the fuel line (6) by the pump (13). The multi-additive injection system further includes a meter to measure the amount of fuel flowing through the fuel line (6) and a control device such as a computer to control the pump (13) of each sub-system to adjust the amount of additive being delivered by each pump, should the amount metered by the meters (21) deviate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Fluid Transfer Limited
    Inventors: Brian Frederick Beaney, Bruno Peter Paul La Terra
  • Patent number: 6609535
    Abstract: A reed valve includes a generally wedge shaped reed cage or block defining a fluid flow passage and having substantially coplanar discharge ports. A reed is mounted at a common hinge end to the reed cage and has a plurality of petals each of which overlies a corresponding one of the ports. The petals have predetermined edge profiles to establish different transverse widths at their hinge axes so that the petals overlying outer low pressure zones in the reed cage lift from their port closing positions at a lower fluid pressure than the petals that overlie higher pressure zones in the reed cage, thereby providing multiple stage lifting and reflex action by the reed petals relative to the reed cage ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Inventors: Henry A. Oppermann, Anton Wolf, Anton F. Wolf, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6607003
    Abstract: There is provided herein an improved rupture panel or disk that consists of a sheet metal top section with a relatively thick polymer foam seal attached thereto. In the preferred arrangement the instant invention does not require a separate support member. The foam sealing component is preferably attached to the top section by some sort of adhesive to hold it in place and it is installed on the process side of the top section. Additionally, the sealing member is preferably of a thickness which is substantially thicker than would typically be used in a conventional rupture panel arrangement. In another preferred embodiment the sealing member is also designed to function as a gasket, thereby eliminating the need for that separate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Oklahoma Safety Equipment Co,
    Inventor: Alan T. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6604538
    Abstract: An improved adjustable fluid flow regulator having a regulator chamber, a moveable diaphragm within the regulator chamber, a spring that acts upon the diaphragm to regulate the flow of fluid, and a first adjustment member and second adjustment member for adjustably biasing the spring against the diaphragm. The improvement includes a tamper resistant feature for restricting adjustment above a predetermined limit. The first adjustment member is fully adjusted to a limit. The second adjustment member is adjusted to bias the spring to a predetermined maximum setting, and restricted from further adjustment. The first adjustment member would subsequently be adjustable to any setting up to the predetermined limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: John A. Schmotzer, Wilfred G. Soutiea, John J. Love, Mike C. Santinanavat
  • Patent number: 6604541
    Abstract: A rupture disk assembly comprising two rupture disks which form a chamber. The chamber is connected by a first line to the interior of a vessel on which said rupture disk assembly is mounted and a valve in the line reduces the pressure in the chamber to less than 90% of the pressure of said vessel. A second line connects the vessel and a pilot valve, and a third line connects the chamber to the pilot valve and has a pressure reduction valve in the line to prevent flow from the pilot valve to the chamber. The pressure in the chamber is static and said pilot valve is closed while the pressure in the vessel is at or below the set pressure of the pilot valve and a flow is established through said chamber when the pressure in the vessel exceeds the set pressure of the pilot valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Inventor: David M. Denning
  • Patent number: 6599274
    Abstract: A cell delivery catheter having one of more apearutres is used to positon and deliver cells to an implant site in a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Inventors: John Kucharczyk, George T. Gillies, William C. Broaddus, Helen L. Fillmore
  • Patent number: 6595237
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas pressure regulator having a valve, a delivery duct of low pressure gas (Pb), a regulation shutter for the gas delivery flow, a control head of the valve defining an upper chamber [(9)] and a lower chamber. A pilot valve controls the movement of the shutter. The pilot valve has a first chamber with an inlet way, a first outlet way communicating with said delivery duct and a second chamber in which there is the body of an interception shutter adapted to open or close the inlet way [(14)]. The first chamber has at least a second outlet way communicating with the lower chamber and the upper chamber and the inlet way are connected to each other through an auxiliary duct containing gas at an intermediate pressure (Pm) between high pressure (Pa) and low pressure (Pb).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Pietro Florentini SpA
    Inventors: Umberto Cecchinato, Claudio Imboccioli
  • Patent number: 6595231
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for regulating the pressure and/or flow of a gas stream, which device comprises a housing (9, 109) which is provided with a pressure-regulating chamber (4, 104), at least part of whose wall comprises a diaphragm (10, 110), which diaphragm (10, 110) is subjected, on the side remote from the pressure-regulating chamber (4, 104), to an adjustable prestressing force, the pressure-regulating chamber comprising an inlet opening (3, 28, 128) for a gas and an outlet opening (5, 29, 129) for a gas, it being possible for at least one of the openings (3/5, 28/29, 128/129) to be completely or partially closed off with the aid of a displaceable closure member (15, 115) which is connected to the diaphragm (10, 110) in such a manner that the position of the closure member is dependent on the displacement of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Varian, BV
    Inventor: Ronald Best
  • Patent number: 6591854
    Abstract: A burst disk assembly has a burst disk which is interposed within the high pressure relief vent of a superconducting magnet. The burst disk is a composite design constructed of a solid carbon graphite center surrounded by an integrally formed stainless steel ring. A captured burst disk flange insures proper placement and seating of the burst disk during replacement and supports the burst disk so as to prevent it from falling or dropping out of the assembly during replacement of the ruptured burst disk. A deformable gasket contiguous to the burst disk seals the burst disk to the captured burst disk flange when the disk and the flange are pressed together. Attachment bolts are used to provide even application of pressure along the face of the burst disk and the captured burst disk flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Turner, Daniel C. Woods, Jerry Butler, Daniel Molumby, Lawrence V. Bischke, Wayne Cooke, Christopher G. King, Mehdi Kaveh
  • Patent number: 6592611
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a device, a method, and a treatment system for chronic disease conditions. The present invention was designed using the theoretical concepts of Quantum Biology. The principles of operation are based on the device's ability to stimulate a Bose-Einstein condensate and excitation of Frolich resonance in living tissue The wavenumbers necessary for this excitation are derived from the solution to the equations for optical phonon scattering in living tissue generated by optical photon excitation. The establishment of this degeneracy condition induces a super conducting state in the tissue. This super conducting state facilitates DNA replication, transcription and translation, thereby allowing the proper formation or regeneration of healthy tissue. This superconducting state provides the conditions necessary for establishing the violation of time reversal invariance in living tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Inventor: Robert H. Zawada
  • Patent number: 6584999
    Abstract: A fluid pressure controller has an air supply valve plug displaceable under an action of pilot pressure of a pilot chamber. When the air supply valve plug is seated on a seat section, fluid communication between a supply port and a regulator port is interrupted. Further, the fluid pressure controller has a solenoid valve. When electric power supply to the solenoid valve is interrupted, the solenoid valve is opened to generate pilot pressure applied to the air supply valve plug by the original pressure of pressurized fluid introduced from the pressurized fluid supply source to the supply port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Inayama, Tohru Inohara
  • Patent number: 6585000
    Abstract: A pressure relief valve for releasing pressure from a system, which pressure relief valve typically includes a valve housing provided on a pressure relief conduit which receives pressure from the system. A valve opening establishes communication between the valve housing and the pressure relief conduit, and a substantially arcuate valve body is pivotally mounted in the valve housing for sealingly and slidably engaging the valve opening. Accordingly, the valve body is capable of pivoting between a first position to close the pressure relief conduit and a second position to open the pressure relief conduit as the valve body slidably traverses the valve opening. A bias mechanism biases the valve body in the closed position in such a manner that the valve body pivots from the closed position to the open position against the bias mechanism and opens the pressure relief conduit, responsive to a threshold pressure of the pressurized fluid impinging against the valve body in the pressure relief conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Inventor: Lydell Radford
  • Patent number: 6581641
    Abstract: A valve assembly mounted in a resealable/reclosable storage bag. The valve assembly includes a base and a valve element. The valve element includes a stem with a convex cap attached at one end and a valve gate attached at the opposite end. The stem extends into a hole in the base. The resilient quality of the cap, acting against the top of the base, holds the gate against the bottom of the base, thereby forming a seal between the gate and the base that is strong enough to preserve the vacuum inside the bag. A cavity extends into the stem from the cap end. A hole in the stem runs from the cavity to outside the stem. When the stem is pressed down, a vacuum source may draw air between the gate and the base, through the hole in the stem, into the cavity, and subsequently outside the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Janet L. Skeens, Gerald W. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 6581626
    Abstract: A backflow prevention apparatus has a housing with an opening having a predetermined length. A first valve body, and a second valve body may be slidably sealed with one another, and compressed such that their combined length is less then the length of the opening. In the compressed state the valve bodies may be inserted within the opening of the housing and then elongated such that the ends of valve bodies engage and sliding seal with segments of the housing. A spacer may be placed between the first valve body and the second valve body to secure them within the opening. An intermediate valve body may be introduced between the first valve body and the second valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Zurn Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad L. Noll, William M. Orr, Timothy W. Hurt