Patents Examined by Stephen M. Hepperle
  • Patent number: 8291932
    Abstract: A valve means has a valve housing, in which an inlet duct for pressure fluid extends, the duct opening into a valve chamber, in which a valve member is held by spring means in a closed position engaging a valve seat, the valve member opening at a predetermined opening pressure of the pressure fluid present so that pressure fluid arrives by way of an opening cross section at a fluid outlet and flows from it, and the valve means comprises a control duct by way of which pressure fluid flows into a control chamber, in which a control member is held clear of a control seat by spring means in an open position, the control chamber being connected by way of a connecting duct with the valve chamber; and in which the control member so controls the exit flow of the pressure fluid that the control member is able to be shifted, prior to opening of the valve member at a control pressure below the opening pressure into engagement with its control seat so that the passage of fluid between the control chamber and the valve ch
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Steffen Ilmberger, Volker Quendt, Tobias Danner
  • Patent number: 8286658
    Abstract: A tank venting system is configured to regulate air and fuel vapor flow between a fuel tank and a fuel vapor recovery canister. A roll-over valve is included in the tank venting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Stant USA Corp.
    Inventor: Jeffrey E. Devall
  • Patent number: 8281810
    Abstract: A dry valve is provided for a sprinkler system, including a housing including a valve body having an inlet end and a valve cover having an outlet end. A prime chamber housing is disposed within the housing and defines a prime chamber. A prime piston is disposed within the prime chamber and is movable between a closed position seated against a valve seat and an open position received within the prime chamber. A check valve diaphragm assembly is disposed within the housing and disposed against the prime chamber housing in a closed position and spaced from the prime chamber housing in an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: The Viking Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn J. Feenstra, Vinh B. Hoa
  • Patent number: 8281802
    Abstract: A valve for an anti-lock brake system is capable of reducing the cost of production through structural improvement of a valve housing. The valve includes a valve core, an armature located below the valve core and having a ball, a cylindrical sleeve coupled to the valve core and armature and guiding the armature to move backward and forward, a first elastic member installed between the valve core and the armature, a valve housing coupled to the sleeve and having a longitudinal hollow space, a seat plunger movably installed in the hollow space and having a first orifice, a second elastic member installed between the seat plunger and the valve housing, a seat having an outlet and a second orifice that communicates with the first orifice, and a seat housing coupled to the valve housing and the seat, supporting the valve housing and the seat spaced apart from each other, and having an inlet between the valve housing and the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Chung Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 8281814
    Abstract: A water supply valve cartridge in which a flow rate control rotary disk has a reduced size, so that surface friction between the flow rate control rotary disk and a flow rate control fixed disk is minimized, thus improving manipulation efficiency of the water supply valve while opening or closing the valve, and which does not sensitively respond to flatness allowance due to the reduced size of the rotary disk, thus executing stable opening and closing operation. The flow rate control fixed disk (140) has water discharge holes (142). The flow rate control rotary disk (150) has a diameter to cover only the area around the water discharge holes (142), with a pair of flow rate control grooves (151) formed on the rotary disk (150) to open only the water discharge holes (142) during rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventor: Jong Koo Kim
  • Patent number: 8272396
    Abstract: The outdoor sillcock mounting kit is positioned around a pipe that is connected to a sillcock. The kit is utilized prior to adding finishing material to the outer wall of a home or building. The kit permits adjustments to the pipe and the sillcock when necessary due to a change in the dimensions of the finished material added to the outer wall, especially those outer finished walls that add brick, stucco, and other types of building materials. The kit has three components, two sleeves of the same basic shape and size except one sleeve is longer. The longer sleeve can be utilized with the third component, which is a block-shaped cover. The cover is utilized with rectangular-type finishing material on the outer wall, and fits over the longer sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Inventor: Gerard J. Brienza
  • Patent number: 8256460
    Abstract: A device for controlled operation of a surgical or dental drive unit driven by a compressed fluid source p available in the operating room and comprising A) a control valve attachable to the drive unit for controlling a flow rate of a compressed fluid flowing from a compressed fluid source p to a drive unit; B) a first control means by means of which the control valve is operable; and C) a second control means by means of which a flow rate of compressed fluid may be controlled. The device further comprises D) a control switch which is attached to the control valve and allowing to select between at least three positions (A;B;C): in position A the control valve is locked and closed; in position B the control valve is unlocked and a flow rate of the compressed fluid is controllable by means of the first control means; and in position C the control valve is unlocked and open permitting the control of a flow rate by means of the second control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Synthes USA, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Tanner, Arthur Meili
  • Patent number: 8251094
    Abstract: The water tap has a tap stand and a storage frame. The tap stand is has a flowing channel formed through the tap stand. The storage frame is mounted on the tap stand and has a flowing groove and a storage hole. The flowing groove is annular and formed in a top surface of the storage frame and communicates with the flowing channel of the tap stand. The storage hole is formed through the storage frame to provide a storage function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventor: Chen-Chang Lin
  • Patent number: 8235356
    Abstract: An air valve for a paint gun includes a closure member configured for fitting in a valve chamber of a paint gun, which valve chamber intersects an air flow chamber of the gun. The closure member having two sealing points which, in use, when the valve is in its closed configuration, seal against an inner surface of the valve chamber at opposing sides of the air flow chamber thereby closing the airflow chamber. The valve further includes a conduit passing through the closure member providing fluid communication between the first and second sealing surfaces, and a biasing element for biasing the closure member into the closed position when no external load is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: ITW Limited
    Inventor: John Rogers
  • Patent number: 8230883
    Abstract: There is provided a gas piping system for a fuel cell in which a gas pipe is made of stainless steel containing no nickel and is fixed at normal room temperature to a suspension member or a fixing portion through a fixing tool by means of bolts/nuts. The fixing tool is constituted to include a bracket member and an elastic member, and this elastic member is arranged between the bracket member and the gas pipe. Moreover, the fixing tool is equipped with a notched portion such that the fixing tool may be self-ruptured when an excessive external force is applied to a fuel cell stack constituting a fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Takeshita, Shigeyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8215331
    Abstract: A bi-directional pressurized system with devices for and configured to mitigate issues associated with leak and creep phenomena at various stages throughout the system, including valves and controls to distribute a leaked amount of fluid prior to delivery to a pressure-sensitive destination and a pressure relief valve to bring an initial pressure within an acceptable range for distribution to reach a target pressure. A startup method for mitigating leakage of the system during a rest phase, including selectively reducing the initial pressure upstream of a pressure-sensitive destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry Chen
  • Patent number: 8215327
    Abstract: A flush valve for a waste water system comprises a valve including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a main valve element adapted for movement to allow fluid flow between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet based on a pressure differential across a portion of the main valve element. The valve also includes a vent system comprising a control chamber in flow communication with the fluid inlet of the valve and a vent outlet in flow communication with the fluid outlet of the valve, and a solenoid for venting fluid venting fluid from the control chamber to the fluid outlet. A pressure sensor, such as an electronic pressure transducer, senses the fluid pressure of fluid within the vent system. When a predetermined pressure threshold is reached or exceeded, the solenoid can be energized to release fluid from the control chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: SDB IP Holdings, LLC.
    Inventor: Shawn D. Bush
  • Patent number: 8215329
    Abstract: A digitally controlled current to pressure converter (CPC) is provided. A digital CPC utilizes a digital controller and an onboard pressure transducer to accurately control the output pressure based upon an input analog control signal. The digital controller includes an anti-silting algorithm that provides an impulse movement of the three-way rotary valve of the CPC to loosen and flush away silt contamination from the valve. A redundant seal stack including an intermediate passage to the hydraulic drain ensures a low pressure drop across the outboard seal minimizing the potential for leakage and improving reliability of the CPC. The digital controller also includes redundancy and fault management algorithms that enable the use of multiple inputs and feedback signals for control of the CPC. Master/slave operation and transitioning is also provided by the digital controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin E. Greeb
  • Patent number: 8210196
    Abstract: A vacuum control system using a vacuum pump to control a vacuum pressure and a flow of a processing gas in a vacuum chamber. The vacuum control system includes: a plurality of vacuum control valves, each of the valves being connected between each of a plurality of gas discharge ports and the vacuum pump; a pressure measurement unit configured to measure the vacuum pressure of the processing gas supplied to the object; and a controller configured to manipulate respective openings of the valves in accordance with the measured vacuum pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Itafuji, Masayuki Kouketsu
  • Patent number: 8210206
    Abstract: A servovalve includes a single motor which actuates separate valve members of separate servovalve assemblies. Each of the valve members controls the flow of hydraulic fluid from separate hydraulic fluid sources. In order to provide each valve member with the ability to operate in the event that the other valve member becomes inoperable, such as caused by jamming of the valve member, each servovalve assembly includes a compression assembly that provides each servovalve assembly with a jam-override capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Woodward HRT, Inc.
    Inventor: Kim Lige Coakley
  • Patent number: 8205633
    Abstract: Collets for coupling rotary actuators to valves are disclosed. An example collet includes a plurality of flexible members configured to be coupled to an elongated member and each having an inner surface that forms at least a portion of a substantially rectangular bore configured to receive a rectangular shaft. The plurality of flexible members form an involute outer surface for engaging an involute inner surface of an opening of a lever. The opening of the lever is configured to cause the plurality of flexible members to be displaced toward an axis of the elongated member to cause the inner surface of each of the plurality of flexible members to engage one or more surfaces of the rectangular shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Russell Dalluge, Larry Joseph Weber
  • Patent number: 8201575
    Abstract: A combination air regulator and sensor assembly includes a head including a first chamber having an inlet and an outlet. A regulator dome including a second chamber is linked with the first chamber through a bore. The second chamber includes at least one outlet. A valve assembly is housed within the bore and moveable between closed and open positions sealing and allowing flow in the bore. A first diaphragm is positioned in the second chamber and linked with the valve assembly. The valve assembly moves in response to a pressure applied to the first diaphragm. A spring contacts the first diaphragm and applies a biasing force to the first diaphragm. A sensor dome including a third chamber is linked with the outlet of the second chamber. The sensor chamber includes a discharge outlet. A second diaphragm is positioned in the sensor chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Master Pneumatic-Detroit, Inc.
    Inventors: Julia Anderson, Larry Brice, Anton Kristi
  • Patent number: 8196893
    Abstract: An isolation valve includes a shield that surrounds and protects the valve closure actuator components from exposure to corrosive fluids that flow through the valve when the valve is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Grout, Jeffrey D. Kiernan, David Neumeister, Matthew C. Grout
  • Patent number: 8191568
    Abstract: A fuel tank capable of attaching functional parts and tubes in an interior thereof. In a fuel tank for a motor vehicle, which is formed by blow molding for attachment of a built-in part in an interior thereof, and of which an outer wall composed of a synthetic resin has an opening, a functional part adapted to discharge fluid from the interior of the fuel tank or feed fluid therein is attached to the built-in part, a tube adapted to discharge fluid from the interior of the fuel tank or feed fluid therein is connected to the functional part, and a tube connector is attached to an end of the tube. A temporal holding connector is formed integrally with the built-in part, the tube connector is attached to the temporal holding connector, and after blow molding, the tube connector is detached from the temporal holding connector and is attached to a tank cap adapted to close the opening of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignees: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., FTS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiharu Takeuchi, Norihiro Yamada, Hideyuki Tsuzuki, Tomohide Aoki
  • Patent number: 8176935
    Abstract: A fuel vapor control valve comprising a housing fitted with an inlet port connectable to a fuel tank and an outlet port connectable to a fuel vapor recovery device. The inlet port and the outlet port are in flow communication via a first valve controlled passage admitting fuel vapor flow in a direction from the inlet port to the outlet port only when pressure within the fuel tank exceeds a threshold. A second valve controlled passage admits vapor flow in an opposite direction from the outlet port to the inlet port only when pressure within the fuel tank drops below pressure at the fuel vapor recovery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Raval A.C.S. Ltd.
    Inventors: Moshe Ehrman, Ilan Akian, Omer Vulkan