Patents Examined by R. K. Arundale
  • Die cushion device
    Patent number: 9782816
    Abstract: There is provided a die cushion device that includes a cushion pad, a hydraulic cylinder configured to lift the cushion pad, and a hydraulic closed circuit connected to a die cushion pressure creation chamber of the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic closed circuit includes a pilot drive type logic valve that is operable as a main relief valve at the time of the die cushion operation, and a pilot relief valve configured to create pilot pressure for controlling the logic valve. Hydraulic oil is filled in the hydraulic closed circuit, in a pressurized manner, and the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic closed circuit is pressurized by only die cushion force applied from the cushion pad through the hydraulic cylinder, in one cycle period of the cushion pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: AIDA ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kohno, Tadahiro Kondo
  • Die shoe assembly with bearing surface mechanism, and die for use therewith
    Patent number: 9782818
    Abstract: An apparatus meant to contain a die portion of a punch and die set whether in a loading cartridge or in machine operating position, wherein a key is used with a die shoe to prevent lateral movement of the die regardless of extent by which the die is sharpened and continued to be used with the die shoe, and wherein a die is used with the die shoe to minimize jagged or sharp edges being created from sharpening processes thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Wilson Tool International Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Daniel Broadbent, Bradley P. Schulte, Brian J. Lee
  • Pressure independent control valve
    Patent number: 9784375
    Abstract: A pressure independent control valve contains a valve body with an inlet, an outlet and a flow channel coupling the inlet to the outlet. A hollow piston is arranged in a seat in the valve body, such that the hollow piston is configured to move. The hollow piston has an enclosure, such that the pressure independent control valve maintains different fluid pressures in the flow channel and inside the hollow piston. The pressure independent control valve contains a chamber and a biasing member to urge the hollow piston towards the chamber. The chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet and with the inside of the hollow piston, such that the valve applies substantially the same pressure inside the annular channel, at the inlet and inside the hollow piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Stefan Hagmann
  • Comminuting apparatus
    Patent number: 9776192
    Abstract: A device for comminuting media materials that store sensitive information. The device is a rotating mill core with removable flat edged blades, a set of stacked bed knives and a screen. The mill core rotates in close proximity to adjustable bed knives to shear the material being fed before passing through a screen in order to grate the material. The mill core has an angular positioned blade constructed and arranged to shear material with said bed knives. The mill core has a mass and is operated at 1000 rpm. A flywheel is further attached to the mill core in order to conserve rotational energy and improve the efficiency of the device. Vacuum ports facilitate cleanup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Phiston Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Ali Ebadian, William Olliges
  • Cold-formed tank head for railroad tank car
    Patent number: 9771630
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a railroad car tank head includes the steps of providing a circular blank of steel plate material, cold-forming the circular blank to form an intermediate ellipsoidal dish, cold-forming a peripheral flange region of the intermediate ellipsoidal dish to form a flanged ellipsoidal dish, and heat treating the flanged ellipsoidal dish. The heat treatment may be either a thermal stress relieving heat treatment or a normalizing heat treatment. The two cold-forming steps may be carried out at room temperature. The present invention provides a method of making a railroad car tank head that is more efficient than prior methods, avoids the challenges of hot-forming and single-stage cold-forming, is easily adaptable to different tank head diameters using the same forming equipment, and yields a railroad car tank head that meets safety standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Samuel, Son & Co., Limited
    Inventors: Daniel P. Stancescu, Richard M. Balaz, Emad Fakhry Habib Assaad
  • Dynamic valve seal having retaining features
    Patent number: 9765894
    Abstract: A dynamic seal assembly is disclosed for use in a valve having an upstream pressure side and a downstream pressure side, the dynamic seal assembly including an annular seal member having a generally C-shaped cross-section and including opposed upstream and downstream legs defining an internal cavity with an opening facing toward the upstream pressure side of the valve, wherein the upstream leg has a radial length that is greater than a radial length of the downstream leg and includes a retaining foot that extends angularly away from the upstream leg in an upstream direction at an angle of between about 0° and 90°, and a metallic spring is disposed within the internal cavity of the seal member for providing a constant sealing force to the seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: DELAVAN INC
    Inventors: Neal A. Thomson, Andy W. Tibbs
  • Sheet stacking device
    Patent number: 9764581
    Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a vacuum system that delivers an individual sheet toward a binder element, a sheet deflector element that presses an end of the individual sheet onto the binder element, and a sheet kick-down element that presses the individual sheet away from the vacuum system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ACCO Brands Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan G. Murphey, Peter Hotkowski
  • Mixing and grinding mechanism and mixer grinder using the same
    Patent number: 9764295
    Abstract: A grinding and mixing mechanism for mixing and grinding fluid paint or fluid slurry includes a barrel, a rotor rotatably mounted in the barrel, grinding rolls rotatably mounted in the outer perimeter of the rotor and rotatably kept in contact with the inner barrel wall of the barrel for grinding a fluid paint or slurry, and a stirrer connected to the rotor for synchronous rotation with the rotor to mix the fluid paint or slurry circulated through the barrel. The invention also provides a mixer grinder using the grinding and mixing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: CATHAY COATING MANUFACTURE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kuang-Nan Juan
  • Freely rotating magnetic tip with surface trace for dent removal rod
    Patent number: 9757782
    Abstract: The current invention refers to a paintless dent removal tip having a rare earth magnetic sphere which is free to rotate within a mounting cup and attach itself to the inside of a motor vehicle panel at a point on the magnet dictated by its polarity, so that maximum magnetic flux attracts a ferromagnetic ball trace on the panel's outer surface, indicating the exact position of the part of the magnet touching the panel, regardless of the angle at which the tip is held, and so showing the user where to apply pressure to remove a dent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: Alan Wilkinson
  • Device for measuring pressure and controlling a flow
    Patent number: 9756796
    Abstract: A pressure measuring and flow-rate controlling device includes: a flattening plate including a fluid cavity in the flattening plate; a flexible contact membrane provided on said flattening plate; a support member configured to secure the flattening plate against a sample; a pressure adjuster; an inlet tube connected to the pressure adjuster at a first end of the inlet tube, the inlet tube connected to a first end of the fluid cavity at a second end opposite to the first end of the inlet tube; and an outlet tube connected to a second end opposite of the first end of the fluid cavity, where the pressure adjuster is configured to control a flow rate of a fluid passing through the fluid cavity based on cell pressure of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: EMPRESA BRASILEIRA DE PESQUISA AGROPECUÁRIA-EMBRAPA
    Inventor: Adonai Gimenez Calbo
  • Rail vehicle with pressure surge-safe graywater line
    Patent number: 9758179
    Abstract: A rail vehicle includes a graywater line which is in communication with the surroundings of the rail vehicle directly or by way of a collecting container. The graywater line is equipped with a pressure protection valve, which protects a graywater line section upstream of the pressure protection valve from pressure surges occurring in the surroundings of the rail vehicle. The pressure protection valve is constructed as a pinch valve which is controlled by a control device in order to protect the graywater line section from pressure surges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Turgay Cinarci, Ralph Gaertner, Christian Huebsch, Christian Schneider
  • Self-sealing valve
    Patent number: 9752693
    Abstract: A fluid controller comprising a self sealing valve is disclosed. The fluid controller includes a rim that defines a fluid passage for a flow of fluid inflation and deflation of an inflatable bladder. A diaphragm is configured to seal the fluid passage, and the self sealing valve also includes at least one extension configured to extend over the diaphragm to limit a deflection of the diaphragm in a direction away from the interior of the inflatable bladder to maintain a substantially fluid-tight seal between the diaphragm and the rim under increased pressure within the inflatable bladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: Robert B. Chaffee
  • Pressure compensation valve
    Patent number: 9745724
    Abstract: A pressure compensation valve comprises a valve body, a valve sleeve fixedly mounted on the valve body, and a spool disposed in a valve hole of the valve body and capable of moving. The pressure compensation valve can change the pressure compensation characteristic, that is, the pressure compensation valve can change the difficult degree of the pressurized oil liquid flowing by changing an effective pressure acting surface of the pressure compensation valve The structure is simple, requires low cost, and increases the utilization rate of a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: JIANGSU HENGLI HYDRAULIC CO., LTD
    Inventors: Liping Wang, Caifu Yuan, Qiang Lu, Zhan Chen, Hongguang Liu
  • Fuel pressure regulator
    Patent number: 9745933
    Abstract: A fuel pressure regulator includes a housing defining a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet; a valve seat located between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, the valve seat being centered about a valve seat axis; a valve member centered about a valve member axis, the valve member being moveable between 1) a closed position where the valve member engages the valve seat to prevent fuel flow from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet and 2) an open position where the valve member is disengaged from the valve seat to permit fuel flow from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet; and a grounding member grounded to the housing which engages the valve member to cause the valve member axis to tip relative to the valve seat axis when the valve member moves from the closed position to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Luis M. Porras, Isai Chavez, Jamie A. Puente, Salvador Sanchez, Michael J. McHale
  • Automatic excess water flow saving system
    Patent number: 9733648
    Abstract: An automatic excess water flow saving system reduces the water loss by water outlets in houses and other water consuming installations. The system controls the water flow through an outlet by toggling the water flow rate. An actuator activates a timer which opens and closes a valve intermittently and continuously while a water outlet is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventor: Rene Frontera-Mariani
  • System and method for multi-component mixture control
    Patent number: 9726168
    Abstract: A system for controlling the mixing ratio of a multi-component mixture including a first pump connectable to a source of a first component and a second pump connectable to a source of a second component. The first and second pump being associated with at least one linear sensor for generating an output indicative of actual pump speed or shaft displacement of the pump. The system further includes a control circuit operative to utilize the output of the linear sensor of one of the pumps to generate a control signal for controlling the output of the other pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Epic Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Arnold Wilkens, Timothy John Marthe, Justin D. Almen
  • Forging apparatus
    Patent number: 9718118
    Abstract: A forging apparatus and method is disclosed in which an extrusion punch is held between an upper press and a lower press and propelled towards a billet by a ram to form an extruded shaped component. The extrusion punch has a striking face in which a recess is formed. During the extrusion process, material from the billet enters the recess so as to lock the extrusion punch and the shaped component together. Accordingly the shaped component is not lifted up with the upper press when it is separated from the lower press and so the position of the shaped component after the forging extrusion operation is known accurately and reliably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: John McBain
  • Pressure and temperature compensated control valve assembly
    Patent number: 9718319
    Abstract: A pressure and temperature compensated valve assembly includes a flow valve allowing inflation flow from a control port to a tire port and controlling deflation flow from the tire port to the control port. A throttle valve restricts deflation flow between the tire port and the control port when deflating the tire at high flow rates or when tire pressure is high, thus enabling the flow valve to be closed. The throttle valve includes a throttle diaphragm that throttles in response to flow from the tire port and which does not restrict inflation flow from the control port. The valve assembly further includes a temperature responsive member engaging the flow valve, and which deforms in response to a change in temperature in the valve assembly, thus negating temperature effects on the flow valve, allowing the flow valve to close at a consistent force across a range of operating temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Parker Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Knepple, James Beverly, Leonard Jabcon
  • Method and apparatus for bringing under control an uncontrolled flow through a flow device
    Patent number: 9719331
    Abstract: A machine includes a spindle for storing wire, a wire passage structure having an interface coupline, a controllable drive system, a control system, and a pressure-resistant housing. The drive system is configured to feed the wire through the wire passage structure and through the interface coupling, under the control of the control system. The housing encloses the wire passage structure, the controllable drive system, and at least a portion of the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander H. Slocum, Folkers Eduardo Rojas
  • Wind turbine apparatus
    Patent number: 9714640
    Abstract: A wind turbine shaft includes tubes that are centered on a longitudinal axis, coupled to rotate together about the axis, and movable telescopically along the axis between a retracted condition and an extended condition. A mounting structure is configured to mount wind turbine vanes on the tubular structure when the tubes are in the extended condition. A generator has a pair of parts including a rotor and a stator, and is configured for coupling with the tubular structure for one of the parts to rotate about the axis with the tubular structure while the other part is stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: WindPax LLC
    Inventors: Justin R. Chambers, James E. Smith, Chad C. Panther, Andrew D. Lowery