Patents Examined by Robert James Popovics
  • Patent number: 8500997
    Abstract: A screening grid for discharging solids from a liquid flow. The grid includes a driveable screening strip that can be inserted into the liquid flow and includes two lateral link chains between which carrying rods extend, carrying groups of adjacent screening links. All screening links include projecting parts that extend respectively only in one direction from a group of screening grids, without being overlapped by the projecting parts of the adjacent group of screening links. All of the screening links of a group are provided with projecting hooks on the outer side of the screening strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventor: Axel Grammelsberger
  • Patent number: 8501019
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for separating fluid mixtures, in particular for separating oil and water in a vacuum container, into which the fluid mixture is injected by means of an adjustable truncated-cone round jet nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Urag-Industries GmbH
    Inventor: Joachim Schomburg
  • Patent number: 8496821
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a capsule configured to direct fuel flow within a fuel filter assembly housing. The capsule has a tubular element configured to define a flow path between the capsule and a fuel filter assembly housing. The tubular element defines an interior chamber, a proximal end, and a distal end defining a manifold. The tubular element is configured to be removably received by the fuel filter assembly housing. The interior chamber is configured to receive a fuel filter element. The capsule is configured to direct fuel flow from the proximal end of the capsule, around the tubular element, to a point beyond the distal end of the capsule, and to receive fuel flow from the point beyond the distal end of the capsule and direct the fuel flow via the manifold to the filter element, thereby providing at least two passes of the fuel flow through filter elements within the fuel filter assembly housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Rhett Dakota Ringenberger
  • Patent number: 8496811
    Abstract: A locking drain device for a floor drain comprises a top strainer, a cylindrical middle section having spreadable sides with slits in them, a frustoconical spreader, and a locking bolt, such that, when the spreader is drawn against the spreadable sides of the cylindrical middle section by tightening the locking bolt, the cylindrical sides will be spread to frictionally engage against the internal surface of a drain pipe to prevent inadvertent removal of the floor drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: TNT Products, LLC
    Inventor: Todd R. Cohen
  • Patent number: 8496810
    Abstract: A device for being received within a downspout of a rain gutter assembly is provided. The device is configured for being received in a downspout of the type having an inlet at a top portion thereof and an outlet at a bottom portion thereof. The device includes a housing defining a longitudinally extending passageway for allowing flow of uncollected water therethrough, at least one laterally extending collection aperture defined in the housing for allowing flow of collected water therethrough, a collection chamber in communication with the at least one drain for collecting water, and a drain outlet in communication with the chamber for allowing flow of collected water therethrough. A storage tank such as a flexible bladder may also be provided. The storage tank may be in communication with a siphon pump assembly. The storage tank may also be provided with a camouflaging pattern and ultraviolet and rot resistant materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Rainflex, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Bradley Forrest
  • Patent number: 8496812
    Abstract: An oil sump, preferably made of plastic or metal, is provided for engines or transmissions, the oil sump comprising a filter housing including a filter housing top shell, a filter housing bottom shell, a filter medium, a filter inlet, and the filter outlet, and having an oil drain opening in a floor area of the oil sump, implemented in such a way that it is closable using an oil drain screw having external thread, which comes from the oil sump outer side. The oil sump also includes a carrier unit having a frame, on which the filter housing is fastened and which is used as a seal upon fastening of the oil sump on the associated unit, in particular on an engine block or a transmission unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: IBS Filtran Kunststoff-/Metallerzeugnisse GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Beer, Dietmar Sahm, Wolfgang Stausberg, Andreas Piehlk
  • Patent number: 8486260
    Abstract: A drain assembly includes a receptacle body with a first end and a second end defining a cavity therebetween, an adjustable collar and a grate. The first end of the receptacle body forms an opening into the cavity and comprises a peripheral step with a connection flange extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom, and a peripheral flange with a substantially horizontal support portion extending away from the connection flange. The connection flange includes a series of vertical slots for accommodating horizontally-oriented fastening members, and the connection flange and the peripheral flange define a channel therebetween. The adjustable collar comprises a first flange positioned adjacent to the connection flange of the peripheral step, and a second flange extending substantially perpendicular from the first flange. The first flange includes a series of holes which align with the series of vertical slots in the connection flange. The grate is positioned over the opening of the receptacle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Zurn Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Tripodi, Doug Wroblewski, James T. Kloecker
  • Patent number: 8486277
    Abstract: An internal bypass filtration circuit including a microfine depth filtration cartridge, which operates in combination with the sump filter of an automatic transmission is disclosed. The present depth filtration cartridge functions to remove particulate matter as small as five microns to improve fluid cleanliness level without restricting fluid flow to the pump ensuring its volumetric efficiency. In one embodiment transmission fluid passes through a calibrated orifice in the bypass circuit to regulate flow to the depth filtration cartridge. In an alternate embodiment the depth filter media itself regulates filtration below a predetermined fluid pressure. The internal bypass circuit is installed by accessing a pressurized fluid circuit in the transmission valve body. A hydraulic bypass line interconnects such pressurized fluid circuit with the depth filtration cartridge, which is mounted internally of the transmission housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sonnax Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregg A. Nader
  • Patent number: 8475659
    Abstract: A strainer wall structure that removes foreign substances from a fluid suctioned into a pipe and a re-circulation pump that is part of an emergency core cooling system (ECCS). The strainer wall structure has an inlet side and an outlet side through which cooling water is introduced and discharged, respectively, and includes a body having an opening in a direction of the inlet side, closed side surfaces, and an outlet port disposed at one of the closed side surfaces. The strainer includes a punched plate filter screen inserted into the opening. A modular cassette apparatus including grooved first filter plates is inserted into the body, and second filter plates having second grooves is inserted into the first grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignees: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., BHI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Jong Oh, Sang Yeol Kim, Hyeong Teak Kim, Chang Hyun Kim, Sang Won Lee, Jong In Woo
  • Patent number: 8470168
    Abstract: A heat exchanger system through which a liquid can flow, including a heat exchanger including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a bypass valve including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, and a self-cleaning filter including a liquid inlet and two liquid outlets, one being an outlet for filtered liquid and one being an outlet for non-filtered liquid. The outlet for filtered liquid is connected to the inlet of the exchanger and the outlet for non-filtered liquid is connected to the inlet of the valve. The outlet of the heat exchanger is connected downstream of the outlet of the valve. A fuel circuit of an airplane jet engine can include such a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Gilles Brun
  • Patent number: 8465654
    Abstract: An elongate mesh pack for filtering a fluid defines a mesh pack axial opening. The mesh pack comprises a filter medium for filtration of the fluid and has an end fitting securely fixed to the filter medium, the end fitting providing a first extremity of the mesh pack. The end fitting has an inner surface defining an end fitting opening through the end fitting, the end fitting opening being co-axial with the axial opening of the mesh pack. The end fitting comprises an annular recess encompassing the end fitting opening. A partition wall suitable to deform towards the recess under radial force is provided between the recess and the end fitting opening, the partition wall forming at least part of the inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Bekaert Advanced Filtration SA
    Inventors: Philippe Leonard, Stefan Vandendijk
  • Patent number: 8444862
    Abstract: A rotary disc filter device comprises a rotary drum and a plurality of disc-shaped filter members secured about the drum. Each disc-shaped filter member has a filtering material disposed on the outside thereof. A guide bar extends longitudinally across the disc-shaped filter members and has a movable carriage mounted thereon. One or more nozzles are operatively connected to the carriage for delivering cleaning fluid onto the filtering materials. The guide bar is rotates between a cleaning position and an adjustment position. When the guide bar is in the cleaning position, the nozzle is disposed adjacent to one of the disc-shaped filter members such that the nozzle is positioned to deliver cleaning fluid onto the filtering material. When the guide bar is in the adjustment position, the carriage is movable along the guide bar without interference from the disc-shaped filter members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support
    Inventor: Ake Ralvert
  • Patent number: 8440082
    Abstract: Method for the liquid solid separation of material mixtures and suspensions in which the material mixture under pressure is fed into a closed chamber having at least one filter surface and a hydrostatic pressure is generated within said chamber for separating the liquid phase. After separating the liquid phase the chamber is opened and the filter surface together with the filter cake is removed from said chamber. The material mixture firstly is treated by the means of hydrostatic pressure of about up to 0.2 bar, wherein 80 to 90% of the fed volume is removed as filtrate. Thereafter the concentrated remaining volume is drawn off and is further treated in the closed chamber with a pressure of up to 5 bar. By reducing the volume of the chamber finally with a pressure of up to 50 bar the remaining filtrate is separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Inventor: Albert Bahr
  • Patent number: 8435405
    Abstract: A sealing grommet for a fluid filter is provided. The sealing grommet includes a central portion defining an aperture; a flange portion integrally formed with the central portion, the flange portion extending outwardly from an outer periphery of the central portion, wherein a first portion of the central portion extends away from the flange portion in a first direction and a second portion of the central portion extends away from the flange portion in a second direction, the first direction being opposite to the second direction; and a first protrusion disposed on the first portion, the first protrusion being disposed on an inner surface of the central portion defining the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Fram Group IP LLC
    Inventor: Zafar Hussain
  • Patent number: 8414778
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a filtration method, a filter-incorporated tip and a filtration device, and its object is to perform efficient and swift isolation of a target substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Universal Bio Research Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideji Tajima, Tomoyuki Hatano, Masataka Fumoto, Yoshinori Koh, Tomomi Saegusa
  • Patent number: 8413309
    Abstract: A fluid filtration device includes a tubular external shell assembled with first and second end plates. A cartridge plate is secured to the shell between the first and second end plates, such that the first end plate and the cartridge plate define a filtration chamber, and the second end plate and the cartridge plate define an outlet chamber. The cartridge plate includes a plurality of apertures configured to receive a plurality of filter elements assembled thereto. An inlet port intersects the filtration chamber, and an outlet port intersects the outlet chamber. The cartridge plate is secured to the shell by a laterally split, outwardly resilient retaining band received in interlocking engagement with a corresponding inner circumferential groove in the shell, the inner circumferential groove being positioned adjacent to the cartridge plate, such that the installed retaining band prevents longitudinal movement of the cartridge plate toward the second end plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Enceladus Water Group
    Inventors: Kevin Goodge, John Larmon
  • Patent number: 8409448
    Abstract: An immiscible lipophilic or hydrophilic liquid phase separated respectively from a continuous hydrophilic phase or a lipophilic phase liquid. Fibers having hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties are mixed, layered, etc., and formed into a filter. The separation mechanism involves capture of small droplets of the immiscible phase, coalescence of the small droplets into larger droplets as the immiscible liquid flows through the fiber filter, and release of the large immiscible droplets from the filter. With respect to separation of a hydrophilic immiscible fluid such as water in a lipophilic continuous fluid such as oil, the hydrophobic fibers will cause small water droplets to migrate towards the hydrophilic fibers whereby large droplets are formed on hydrophilic surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: The University of Akron
    Inventors: George Chase, Prashant Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 8409429
    Abstract: In order to provide a filter device for filtering a fluid medium containing solids, comprising a backflushing filter and a flushing line, by means of which fluid backflushed during a backflushing phase from the backflushing filter can be supplied to a further treatment mechanism, in which the discharging of dirt from the backflushing filter is simplified, it is proposed that the backflushing filter should have a coarse dirt outlet which is connected to the flushing line so that coarse dirt which has arrived through the coarse dirt outlet into the flushing line can be supplied to the further treatment mechanism together with the backflushed fluid during the backflushing phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Durr Ecoclean GmbH
    Inventor: Egon Käske
  • Patent number: 8404110
    Abstract: An apparatus for diverting rainwater includes a body having a top portion, a bottom portion, and a central portion. A diverter is disposed within the central portion, and has a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion of the diverter, together with one or more walls of the body, defines a containment configured to capture rainwater that enters through the top portion. An opening in at least one of the walls of the body is configured to divert rainwater from the containment. The body also includes a bypass flow area extending through the central portion adjacent to, and separate from, the containment, where the bypass flow area has a cross-sectional area that is substantially equal to or greater than a cross sectional area of the top and bottom portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Fiskars Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew P. Block
  • Patent number: 8394279
    Abstract: Methods for regenerating filter aids which comprise inorganic, natural or semisynthetic filter aids. The method comprises subjecting the filter aid to a first treatment with an aqueous alkaline solution, treating the filter aid with enzymes, treating the filter aid with a surfactant, and subjecting the filter aid a second treatment with the aqueous alkaline solution. The enzyme treatment and the surfactant treatment steps may be carried out simultaneously or in any order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Helmut Meffert, Marianna Pierobon, Tobias Petsch, Julia Brodersen, Hermann Josef Feise, Ates Erk, Jörg Kreβ, Ralf Mar, Ralf Lachmuth, Robert Bayer