Patents Examined by Terry K Cecil
  • Patent number: 10232290
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-alarm multi-stage complex screen filter for micro-irrigation and the assembly method thereof. The filter comprises a housing, an alarm, a multi-stage screen filtering element, and a segmented brush. The housing comprises a left housing, a middle housing, and a right housing. The multi-stage screen filtering element comprises a plurality of screen filter cylinders. The segmented brush comprises a plurality of bristle frames, a plurality of connecting rods, a connector and a power device. The middle housing is provided with a water inlet. The left housing is provided with a discharge pipe. The installation, disassembly, repair, maintenance of the filter of the present invention can be done more conveniently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Farmland Irrigation Research Institute, CAAS
    Inventors: Qibiao Han, Xiuqiao Huang, Hao Sun, Fuyi Duan, Junjie Feng, Hao Li
  • Patent number: 10207208
    Abstract: An apparatus for a switchable filter assembly includes a first conduit coupled to a second and a third conduit, where a liquid has the ability to flow through the first conduit to the second conduit and the third conduit, and where the second conduit and the third conduit are arranged in parallel. A first assembly is capable of sliding inside the first conduit, such that a position of the first assembly determines an amount of liquid flowing to the third conduit. The first assembly includes a compressible member coupled to a first structure, where the first structure prevents the liquid from passing through the first conduit to the third conduit. An amount of compression of the compressible member coupled to the first structure is dependent on a pressure of the liquid flowing from the first conduit to the second conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald W. Porter, Jacob T. Porter, Allan C. VanDeventer, Jason T. Wertz
  • Patent number: 10195320
    Abstract: An apparatus including a hollow body, an inlet fluidly coupled to the hollow body, a piston slidably engaged within the hollow body, and a filter module arranged within the hollow body between the inlet and piston. The piston and hollow body cooperatively generate a negative pressure, relative to ambient, within the hollow body during distal piston translation from a first position to a second position, thereby drawing a fluid, such as blood, through the filter module into the hollow body. The piston and hollow body cooperatively generate a positive pressure, relative to ambient, within the hollow body during piston translation from the second position to the first position to egress the filtered fluid from the hollow body. The filter module may include a filter housing, a filter medium disposed within the housing, and a body valve configured to seal an open distal face of the filter housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Sisu Global Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Theresa Fisher, Gene Parunak, Rick Routson, Steve Meines, Gillian Henker, Caitlin Winget, Rajen Kumar
  • Patent number: 10189722
    Abstract: Devices, processes, systems, and articles of manufacture adapted to treat contaminated fluid, such as organic wastewater, are described. These are described to include lifting contaminated fluids, treating contaminated fluids, or both, through gas application. In certain designs, gas, such as pressurized air, may be used to lift contaminated fluids, such as organic wastewater (i.e., water having contaminating organics of some kind, e.g. residential septic wastewater). In certain designs, gas, such as pressurized air, may also be used to treat fluids interfacing with the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Inventor: David A. Potts
  • Patent number: 10188969
    Abstract: A filter device has a filter housing (1) with a filter head (3), a filter pot (7) and a removable housing cover part (51) and has a filter element (13) separating a non-filtrate side (15) from a filtrate side (17) in the housing. A bypass valve device has a valve closure element (65) preloaded by a closing spring (69) into a closed position in which it bears against a valve seat part (74). If the filter element (13) is blocked, the closure element opens up a fluid path from the non-filtrate side (15) to the filtrate side (17), by passing the filter element (13). The valve closure element (65) and the closing spring (69) are on the cover part (51). The valve seat part (74) is on an element cap (43) of the filter element (13). The element cap has a receiving part (45) forming an enclosure for that end of the filter material (27) of the filter element (13) facing toward the cover part (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: HYDAC FILTERTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Sakraschinsky, Volkmar Klein
  • Patent number: 10179894
    Abstract: A beer filter and a method of brewing beer is disclosed, the beer filter including an outer sheath, an outer permeable sheath disposed in the outer sheath, and an inner permeable sheath disposed in the outer permeable sheath. The method includes steps of disposing an outer permeable sheath within an outer sheath, filling an outer permeable sheath with hops, disposing an inner permeable sheath within the outer permeable sheath, and causing beer to flow from a vessel through and out of the inner permeable sheath, through the hops in the outer permeable sheath, out of the outer permeable sheath and into the outer sheath, and from the outer sheath and back into the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: MOR-DALL ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron Morse
  • Patent number: 10174495
    Abstract: A device for detecting the presence of hydrocarbon fluid in runoff water includes an outer canister and a cartridge situated within the outer canister. The cartridge includes a pre-filter, at least one containment vessel, a diffuser/separator member situated within the containment vessel, a hydrocarbon fluid accumulator and an electronic circuit. The diffuser/separator member slows the flow of runoff water entering the containment vessel so that oil in the runoff water separates from and rises to the surface of the water where it accumulates in the hydrocarbon fluid accumulator. A sensor situated in the hydrocarbon fluid accumulator detects the accumulated oil and sends a signal to the electronic circuit which, in turn, closes a valve and prevents water from flowing through an egress opening in the outer canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Fabco Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Charles Peters
  • Patent number: 10173153
    Abstract: A liquid filter assembly includes a porous tubular support member and a filter element removably and replaceably oriented in the interior volume of the support member. A bypass valve arrangement is provided to permit at least some unfiltered liquid to bypass media in the filter element. A dynamic seal can help to seal the bypass valve arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Enrico Greco, Francesco Marangoni
  • Patent number: 10167214
    Abstract: Control over the wastewater purification can be achieved through controlling delivery of gas-dispersion return sludge solely to an aerobic reaction vessel. The gas-dispersion return sludge is created using pure oxygen or oxygen containing trace amounts of ozone as a reactive gas, which is blended with return sludge to create a mixture of gas and liquid, which is pressurized with an atomizer pump, and then at a pressure of not more than approximately 5.5 MPa, the mixture is passed through an atomizer which uses cavitation or ultrasound at a frequency of less than 12,000 KHz to instantly render the reactive gas in the mixture to an ultra-fine bubble state. A portion of the gas is placed into a dissolved state, reaching a state of supersaturation with a high DO value of 20-40 mg/l, and causing the remaining ultra-fine bubbles to create an ultra-fine bubble condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Ohki, Kousuke Chiba, Whitney Rich
  • Patent number: 10159939
    Abstract: A method is provided for sanitizing a reverse osmosis system to supply high-purity permeate. Included in the method is supplying raw water to a feed tank and to a filter module using a raw-water inlet line having an inlet valve. A primary circuit is provided, and has a first pump connected to the filter module. A secondary circuit is provided, and has a second pump and a heater, both of which are connected to the filter module. The primary circuit is separated from the secondary circuit using a semipermeable membrane disposed in the filter module. The secondary circuit of the reverse osmosis system is cleaned or disinfected while the raw-water inlet line is in a disconnected state and the inlet valve is in a closed state using the second pump and the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Vivonic GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Volker
  • Patent number: 10150064
    Abstract: A filter apparatus includes a filter housing having a filter head (3) and a filter bowl (7). The housing accommodates a filter element that separates a non-filtrate side (15) from a filtrate side (17). A differential pressure measurement device (59) indicates at least a blockage of the filter element during filtration operation and has a measurement piston (91) that is guided in a measurement housing (88) in a longitudinally displaceable manner. An end face (90) of that piston is subjected to the instantaneous pressure of the non-filtrate side (15). The opposite end face of the piston is subjected to the instantaneous pressure of the filtrate side (17). Each instantaneous pressure passes into the measurement housing (88) via at least one conduit (57, 61, 65, 89). At least a section (57, 61) of the conduit is arranged in an element cap (43) of the filter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: HYDAC FILTERTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Volkmar Klein, Michael Sakraschinsky
  • Patent number: 10150068
    Abstract: A water separator element (14) for a fuel filter (10) having two water level electrodes (34, 36) for detecting backed-up water in a water collection chamber (32) of the fuel filter (10). The water level electrodes (34, 36) can be electrically contacted by means of two contact electrodes (40, 42), said contact electrodes (40, 42) being connected in an electrically conductive manner to the water level electrodes (34, 36). The disclosure further relates to a fuel filter comprising a water separator element of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Wildermuth, Helen Neubauer, Sven Weidinger, Gunther Kraft, Marco Goedecke
  • Patent number: 10138853
    Abstract: A fuel filtration system configured to separate water from fuel is described. The system includes a housing having an inlet for receiving fuel to be filtered, an outlet for supplying filtered fuel to a device, and an internal compartment having a drain. A filter media is positioned within the internal compartment of the housing, the filter media configured to separate the water from the fuel, the separated water routed out of the internal compartment through the drain. A solenoid valve is configured to provide both the separated water and fuel to an exhaust after-treatment device in fluid communication with the fuel filtration system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc.
    Inventor: Wassem Abdalla
  • Patent number: 10138138
    Abstract: A greywater recovery and reuse system is shown, including a body for collecting, conditioning and discharging greywater. The body has an inlet connection to a source of greywater; a filter for filtering the greywater; a tank for receiving the filtered greywater; a disinfector for disinfecting the filtered greywater; a pump for discharging the conditioned greywater from said tank to a toilet that needs flushing water; a discharge connection to a sanitary sewer system; a fresh water connection and a control system for controlling the operation of the greywater recovery and reuse system. The system includes a controller for operating the system and dealing with certain alarm and status conditions. Methods of operating the system are also comprehended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Inventors: Carl L. Robb, N. Scott Baldwin, James Brian Mantyla, Michael F. Wilson, Stacey Charleen Gay, Timothy James Hendrie Poupore, Leo Peter Van Kampen
  • Patent number: 10132445
    Abstract: A lubricant additive dispensing apparatus comprising a tubular housing having a fluid supply passageway and a fluid discharge passageway; a filtration element; a fluid additive element (containing a volume of fluid additive); and a biasing element. The filtration element, fluid additive element and biasing element are assembled in a linear arrangement parallel to a central axis of the dispenser main body. The arrangement is such where the biasing element applies a compression force to each of the filtration element and the fluid additive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Inventor: Debra Jacobs
  • Patent number: 10125027
    Abstract: The invention relates to lid bodies configured to be used in filter-as-you-pour systems, where filtering is achieved as the user pours water from the container. Such lid bodies may be releasably attachable to the filter assembly through complementary locking structures of the lid body and the filter assembly so that the lid body may be selectively and releasably attached to the filter assembly. The lid bodies may also comprise a locking structure that is configured to releasably engage with a complementary locking structure of a container body. The lid bodies may also be configured to be directly connected to filter assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Brita LP
    Inventors: Nikhil P. Dani, Jonathan McDonald, Nicole Doan, Jonathan Taylor Wiegele
  • Patent number: 10112855
    Abstract: A water treatment system including a media filter having a filter chamber with a volume to accommodate filter media and a sludge outlet and a charge chamber for storing air. The charge chamber is fluidly connected to the filter chamber and has: (i) an air outlet for admitting air into the filter chamber; and (ii) an air inlet. The system also includes a trigger for selectively allowing the passage of air from the charge chamber air outlet into the filter chamber upon reaching a trigger release point and a sludge concentration/storage volume having at least one wall extending upward to form an upper opening. This wall has a height substantially above the trigger release point and substantially isolates the sludge volume from the charge chamber, except for the upper opening. Finally, an inlet to the sludge volume is at a height which allows pressure within the media filter during a filtration stage to move water above the wall height and into the sludge volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Inventor: Ronald F. Malone
  • Patent number: 10112134
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for filtering a liquid utilize a filter apparatus including a bypass filter, a full flow filter, and a flow balancing element for dividing a total inlet flow of fluid to the filter apparatus into a bypass portion, passing through the bypass filter, and a full flow portion, passing through the full flow filter. The bypass filter has a lower filtering efficiency than the full flow filter element, so that a venturi tube is not required for causing the bypass portion to pass through the bypass filter. The flow balancing element divides the flow into a desired bypass portion and a desired full flow portion, at a predetermined operating temperature. Below the operating temperature, the bypass portion increases and the full flow portion decreases, the bypass portion becoming greater than the full flow portion at a second predetermined temperature below the operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Baldwin Filters, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Fisher
  • Patent number: 10099179
    Abstract: A reverse osmosis system comprises a permeate collection tube which is connected at one end to a distribution system for permeate which comprises at least one device for cleaning and/or disinfection. The permeate collection tube, the cleaning and/or disinfection device and a circulation pump are arranged in a circulation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Vivonic GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Volker
  • Patent number: 10094096
    Abstract: A water storage tank built for a reverse osmosis water purifying system deploys multi water flow passages of purified water and drainage water, allocated a soft bladder unit receiving purified water encompassed by the waste water in the tank. When the water tank unit is fully filled with water, the water pressure activates the auto-shut-off valve or solenoid valve to stop operation of the reverse osmosis water purifying system. When the dispensing faucet is turned on, the drainage water swells to squeeze the soft bladder unit to deliver the purified water out from the soft bladder unit to the dispensing faucet, and the drainage water flushes the reverse osmosis membrane as well. The technique enables the tank to take the least water pressure resistance to hold water and drain water which results in energy saving and water saving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Maxtec Plastics, Inc.
    Inventor: Shih Ping Lee