Patents Examined by Nicole Gardner
  • Patent number: 11092249
    Abstract: A valve includes a main body defining four flow chambers, a first end cap coupled to a first end of the main body, and a second end cap coupled to a second end of the main body. A first rotatable disc is coupled to a rotatable shaft adjacent the first end of the main body and a second rotatable disc is coupled to the rotatable shaft adjacent the second end of the main body. The first rotatable disc includes first and second communication openings and the second rotatable disc includes a third and fourth communication openings. The first communication opening, the first end cap, and the second communication opening cooperate to provide fluid communication between a first pair of the flow chambers while the third communication opening, the second end cap, and the fourth communication opening cooperate to provide fluid communication between a second pair of the flow chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventor: David Crowther
  • Patent number: 11091902
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a lockable toilet fill valve and methods according to the present invention. In one embodiment, a toilet fill valve includes a float/arm assembly. The toilet fill valve is closed when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a first position. The toilet fill valve being open when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a second position. A shuttle switch is associated with the float/arm assembly. The shuttle switch includes an unlock position and a lock position, wherein the shuttle switch fixes the float/arm assembly in the first position when the shuttle switch is in the lock position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Danco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Schuster, Larry L. Schneider
  • Patent number: 11060633
    Abstract: Methods of determining a force associated with a valve system include wirelessly sensing a position of at least a portion of the conductive material with the at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor and determining a force applied to a portion of the valve system based at least partially on the position of the at least a portion of the conductive material. Valve systems include at least one component comprising a conductive material and at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) configured to wirelessly sense a position of at least a portion of the conductive material. The valve system is configured to determine at least one force applied to a portion of the valve system based at least partially on the position of the at least a portion of the conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Flowserve Management Company
    Inventor: William T. Dolenti
  • Patent number: 11054057
    Abstract: Valve systems include at least one component comprising a conductive material and at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor configured to wirelessly sense at least one property of the conductive material and relay a value associated with the at least one property to a control system of the valve system. Methods of sensing a position of a component of a valve system include wirelessly sensing at least one property of a conductive material of the component of the valve system with at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Flowserve Management Company
    Inventor: William T. Dolenti
  • Patent number: 11028941
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring solenoid valve health are disclosed. A switchbox includes a state manager, a position detector, and a notification generator. The state manager changes an activation state of a solenoid valve between a first state and a second state in response to an initiation signal of a solenoid valve test. The position detector determines, based on position data obtained at the switchbox from an integrated position sensor of the solenoid valve, whether a core of the solenoid valve has moved by at least a threshold change in position within a predetermined time period following the change of the activation state of the solenoid valve. The notification generator generates a notification in response to the position detector determining that the core did not move by at least the threshold change in position within the predetermined time period. The notification indicates that the solenoid valve failed the solenoid valve test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL EQUIPMENT AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Thiago Caetano Ferreira, Patrick B. Mullaney, Bruce S. Rigsby
  • Patent number: 11002379
    Abstract: A manual valve provided with a valve body and a handle includes a lock mechanism to which a lock is attachable. The lock mechanism includes a movable member provided with first and second plate portions, and a support rod pivotally supporting the movable member. The movable member includes a mating hole engageable with only the handle placed in a fully-closed position. The movable member is guided along a guide hole through which the support rod is inserted to move between a locking position where the mating hole is engaged with the handle to lock the handle and an unlocking position where the mating hole is not engaged with the handle to allow rotation of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: CKD CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuhito Aoyama
  • Patent number: 10995775
    Abstract: A hydraulic boost valve includes a housing, a valve seat, and a piston. The housing defines an axially extending internal cavity, a slot that extends radially outward from the internal cavity within the housing, and an outlet port that establishes fluid communication between the slot and a fluid output circuit. The valve seat is secured to an end of the housing. The valve seat defines first and second orifices. The first orifice establishes fluid communication between a fluid input circuit and the outlet port via the slot. The second orifice establishes fluid communication between the fluid input circuit and the fluid output circuit. The piston is disposed within the internal cavity such that the slot is positioned between the piston and an external wall of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Abdul Motin, Raymond Theodore Gage, Derek Kinch, Sylvia Chen
  • Patent number: 10981803
    Abstract: A regulating tank of a wastewater treatment system includes a tank member having an annular wall to receive wastewater, a first overflow weir connected to an interior side of the annular wall of the tank member, and a first pump device having a first pump and a first return pipe. The first pump of the first pump device pumps wastewater in the tank member to the first overflow weir through the first return pipe, and then the wastewater flows back to the tank member from the first overflow weir to disturb the wastewater in the tank member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Kuan Yuan Paper Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuang Yuan Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10974845
    Abstract: A fluid reservoir for a vehicle includes a reservoir body with a sensing chamber portion, a neck portion, and a reserve chamber portion. The neck portion is connected to the sensing chamber portion and the reserve chamber portion is connected to the sensing chamber portion by the neck portion. The neck portion defines a neck portion volume that is smaller a volume defined by the sensing chamber to limit slosh in the sensing chamber when a reserve volume of fluid is present within the fluid reservoir. Windscreen washing systems and aircraft having fluid reservoirs are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: ROSEMOUNT AEROSPACE, INC.
    Inventors: Venkata Anil Kumar Mothe, Jai Kumar Gowda, Stephen D. Rock
  • Patent number: 10968614
    Abstract: An accumulator for a vacuum drainage system. The accumulator includes a body having a bottom wall, sidewalls and top wall, the bottom wall, sidewalls and top walls all cooperating to define a reservoir within the body. A first inlet port and a first outlet port are provided toward a first end of the body, and a second inlet port and a second outlet port are provided toward a second end of the body. The first and second inlet ports respectively define first and second inlet openings into the reservoir, and the first and second outlet ports respectively define first and second outlet openings from the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Acorn Engineering Company
    Inventors: Thomas K. Zinn, Carlos J. Galeazzi
  • Patent number: 10962173
    Abstract: A system includes a source of pressurized fluid, a primary pressure vessel disposed in fluid communication with the source, and a supplemental pressure vessel disposed in fluid communication with the source and in fluid communication with the primary pressure vessel. The primary pressure vessel has a first life expectancy duration and includes a first structural characteristic. The supplemental pressure vessel has a second life expectancy duration shorter than the first life expectancy duration and includes a second structural characteristic. A method uses a supplemental pressure vessel to predict impending failure of a primary pressure vessel. The method includes connecting a primary pressure vessel to a source of pressurized fluid, fluidly connecting a supplemental pressure vessel with the source and with the primary pressure vessel, and exposing the supplemental pressure vessel to a first fatigue load to cause its failure before failure of the primary pressure vessel occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY AS
    Inventor: Norman L. Newhouse
  • Patent number: 10962134
    Abstract: A valve having a metal insert with a fluid passage formed in the metal insert. A composite valve body is disposed at least partially around the metal insert and having at least one port in fluid communication) with the fluid passage with the metal insert. A valve member is partially disposed in the metal insert and operable to control the fluid flow through the fluid passage of the metal insert and parts of the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Morgan, Michael E. Jones
  • Patent number: 10933703
    Abstract: A pressure equalization valve assembly may include a valve body forming fluid chamber configured to receive pressurized fluid from a fluid pressure source, a first port configured for sealed communication with a first vehicle tire, and a second port configured for sealed communication with a second vehicle tire; a first one-way valve disposed in the valve body between the fluid chamber and the first port so as to allow one-way fluid communication from the fluid chamber to the first port when the first one-way valve opens; a second one-way valve disposed in the valve body between the fluid chamber and the second port so as to allow one-way fluid communication from the fluid chamber to the second port when the second one-way valve opens; and a two-way valve disposed in the valve body between the first port and the second port so as to allow two-way fluid communication between the first port and the second port when the two-way valve opens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Equalaire Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Kevin Hennig, Dane Henry, James Raymond Snider
  • Patent number: 10907743
    Abstract: A reciprocating body (2) has valve element (6) including deflecting surface (10a), valve shaft (7) guided by guide cylinder (4), and packing (8) having an annular shape circularly brought into close contact with valve seat (12a) in a state where the reciprocating body (2) is in a closed position. The valve element (6) includes large diameter portion (9a), and small diameter portion (9b) and deflecting portion (10). The large diameter portion (9a) has flange surface (9d) supporting the packing (8) in a state where the packing (8) is exposed to the primary flow passage side. The flange surface (9d) is formed such that the flange surface (9d) is allowed to come into contact with the valve seat (12a) via the packing (8). Recess (9c) is formed on the outer periphery of the small diameter portion (9b), and a portion of the packing (8) is fitted in the recess (9c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: ISHIZAKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Ishizaki, Takeshi Ouchi, Daisuke Kikuchi, Kazuhiko Kojima, Futoshi Hasegawa, Kohei Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10900574
    Abstract: A valve device comprises: a housing provided with a flow path; a valve body configured to move in a direction intersecting the flow path, thereby controlling an opening area of the flow path; a bonnet provided with a hollow portion and detachably attached to the housing, the hollow portion extending from the flow path in a radial direction and the valve body being retracted into the hollow portion; and a load receiving portion configured to receive inertia force generated at the bonnet by a rotation torque received by the housing due to external force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Masahito Kogame
  • Patent number: 10888018
    Abstract: A cooling system for electrical and electronic devices for hot swapping of a fan module without affecting cooling efficiency due to air backflow, preventing stalling of newly installed exhaust device due to reverse rotation. A check valve assembly having an inlet side frame member, an outlet side frame member, and one or more non-symmetrical valve flaps, each flap having a movable part and a fixed part. The outlet side frame allows the flaps to open under suction pressure on side of the outlet side frame, the inlet side frame disallows the flaps to open under suction pressure on side of the inlet side frame, allowing air to flow in one direction from inlet side frame side to outlet side frame side only. The check valve assembly can be independent of the exhaust device. The check valve assembly can prevent backflow of air during hot swapping of the exhaust device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Fortinet, Inc.
    Inventors: Qian Yu, Chenghua Hong, Keqin Chen
  • Patent number: 10865897
    Abstract: A non-return valve for a solenoid valve includes a non-return valve seat and a movable closure element. The valve seat is arranged at an edge of a fluid channel. The movable closure element is configured to carry out a direction-orientated throughflow and sealing function. The closure element includes a sealing cone, an abutment base, and a resilient sealing ring. The sealing ring is arranged between the abutment base and the sealing cone. The abutment base forms, in the event of sealing, a support face for the resilient sealing ring. At an edge of the non-return valve seat there is a first support face which in the event of sealing forms with a second support face which is formed at the outer edge of the abutment base in the direction of the non-return valve seat a mechanical axial stop for the movable closure element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Enrico Belmonte, Ingo Buchenau, Martin Winkler, Michael Hilden, Rene Schepp, Thomas Weitze, Thorsten Schelldorf
  • Patent number: 10801632
    Abstract: Two-way pressure relief valves featuring dual poppets and magnets that allow very rapid flow. Such flow is accomplished by a valve housing enclosing a hollow interior portion containing a stationary member including a magnet and a first pressure-movable poppet disposed in sealing arrangement with the housing and including a second magnet. To provide flow in the other direction, a second moveable poppet disposed coaxially and in sealing arrangement with the first poppet and is coupled to a spring that extends from a first end of the second poppet to a support structure coupled to the second magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: AMG CONTAINER CONTROLS, INC.
    Inventor: Eric J. Zuercher
  • Patent number: 10786825
    Abstract: The invention concerns a disposable container (1), intended to contain at least one liquid component to be sprayed and having a bottom (3), at least one peripheral side wall (2) extending from the bottom (3) to an open end spaced apart from and facing said bottom (3), which is provided with a closable vent device (6), characterised in that the closable vent device (6) comprises an aperture (7) forming an air passage, provided in the bottom, and a rotary valve (8) mounted on an outer surface (3a) of said bottom (3) in the extension of the aperture (7), in order to close and open the air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Inventors: Michel Camilleri, Joseph Guarino
  • Patent number: 10753464
    Abstract: A switch valve assembly controls first and second fluid flows in a hydraulic circuit defined by a valve body and a separator plate of a valve body assembly of a hydraulic control module. The valve body defines a fluid exit. The valve body is further defined as first and second body housings. The switch valve assembly includes a piston moveable between a first position for allowing the first fluid flow to flow and a second position for allowing the first and second fluid flows to flow into the fluid exit, and a biasing member coupled to the piston and biasing the piston from the second position toward the first position. The piston presents a regulating surface oriented with respect to the first axis. The first fluid flow fluidly engages the regulating surface in a manner that biases the piston into the first position in conjunction with the biasing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Roskowski, Howard Saxon, Christopher Vangorder