Patents Examined by Timothy S. Thorpe
  • Patent number: 7001154
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for controlling a linear compressor. The linear compressor control apparatus has a collision detection unit, a control unit, and a compressor driving unit. The collision detection unit detects a collision of a piston with a valve due to the operations of the linear compressor. The control unit determines whether the collision of the piston occurs on the basis of an output signal from the collision detection unit, and resets maximum amplitude data of the piston of the linear compressor when the collision occurs. The compressor driving unit controls the maximum amplitude of the piston of the linear compressor under the control of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-Duk Kim
  • Patent number: 7001156
    Abstract: An improved structure of an air inflation device is disclosed. External air is drawn to the motor and cylinder to provide rapid cooling so that the efficiency of the motor is maintained. In the present invention, a plurality of air filters is used to filter air. Thereby the air inflation device is useful and practical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: Chih-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 6986649
    Abstract: An exemplary system and method for manufacturing micropump systems having integrated piezoresistive sensors is disclosed as including inter alia: a substrate, an inlet channel, an outlet channel, a pumping cavity, a first valve for permitting fluid flow from the inlet channel to the pumping cavity and restricting backflow of purged fluid from the pumping cavity to the inlet channel; a second valve for permitting fluid flow from the pumping cavity to an outlet channel and restricting backflow of purged fluid from the outlet channel to the pumping cavity; a pump actuator element; a pressure sensing cavity surface capable of at least partial mechanical deformation; a plurality of piezoresistors disposed within the sensing cavity; a plurality of contact pads; a plurality of conductive pathways connecting the piezoresistors and the contact pads; and a substantially monolithic device package, wherein the sensing cavity is substantially contained within the micropump device package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Xunhu Dai, Chenggang Xie
  • Patent number: 6981849
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to microelectronic technology, and more specifically, to an apparatus used for the cooling of active electronic devices utilizing electro-osmotic pumps and micro-channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sarah E. Kim, R. Scott List, James Maveety, Alan Myers, Quat T. Vu, Ravi Prasher, Ravindranath V. Mahajan
  • Patent number: 6981848
    Abstract: A system for injecting an injection fluid into a pipeline includes an injection pump, a timer for initiating sequencing of the pump, a control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid to power the injection pump, a controller for controlling operation of the control valve, and an electric motor responsive to the controller for rotating a cam on the motor shaft to open and close the control valve. The injected fluid may be methanol, so that the system automatically injects methanol into a pipeline which transmits natural gas. In one embodiment, the system includes a temperature sensor and a flow sensor for inputting signals to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: PGI International, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kevin J. Cessac
  • Patent number: 6979181
    Abstract: A method for controlling a motor (11) driving a pump (10) using a microcomputer (14) includes repeatedly sampling a parameter representative of motor torque over one cycle of operation of the pump (10), determining at least one point of maximum motor torque during said one cycle of operation of the pump (FIG. 4); applying speed commands to the motor (11) from a table of stored speed values in memory (19), said values being selected to provide relatively greater speed commands at points of lower motor torque and relatively lesser speed commands at points of higher pump pressure corresponding to higher motor torque, while maintaining at least a base speed command to prevent stalling; and synchronizing the first value in the table of stored values to the point of maximum motor torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Aspen Motion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Howard Keith Kidd
  • Patent number: 6971859
    Abstract: A diaphragm unit includes a diaphragm and a diaphragm case. The diaphragm has a center point and an outer peripheral portion. The diaphragm case includes a fixing surface and a regulating surface. The fixing surface supports the diaphragm at the outer peripheral portion thereof, thereby defining a fluid chamber in the diaphragm case. The regulating surface forms an inner surface of the fluid chamber, thereby providing a limit of deformation of the diaphragm. The regulating surface has a convex surface region and a concave surface region. The convex surface region is formed continuously with the fixing surface for supporting the diaphragm at a portion thereof adjacent to the outer peripheral portion. The concave surface region is formed continuously with the convex surface region for supporting the diaphragm at a portion thereof adjacent to the center point. Curvatures of the convex and concave surface regions are the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Shinya Yamamoto, Satoru Kuramoto, Mamoru Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 6968688
    Abstract: A two-cycle hot-gas engine comprising an expansion piston in a heatable cylinder member and a compression piston in a coolable cylinder member. The expansion piston and the compression piston are disposed along a common axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Enerlyt Potsdam GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Gimsa
  • Patent number: 6966760
    Abstract: A reciprocating pump includes a drive section and a pump section. The drive section has a reciprocating coil assembly to which alternating polarity control signals are applied during operation. A permanent magnet structure of the drive section creates a magnetic flux field which interacts with an electromagnetic field produced during application of the control signals to the coil. Depending upon the polarity of the control signals applied to the coil, the coil is driven in one of two directions of movement. A drive member transfers movement of the coil to a pump element which reciprocates with the coil to draw fluid into a pump chamber and expel the fluid during each pump cycle. The pump is particularly well suited to cyclic pumping applications, such as fuel injection systems for internal combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: BRP US Inc.
    Inventor: Martin L. Radue
  • Patent number: 6960066
    Abstract: A water pump includes a rotation member, a hollow shaft portion having an opening on one end and connected to the rotation member for unitary rotating with the rotation member, an impeller connected to the shaft portion for unitary rotating with the shaft portion, a body defining a fluid chamber in which the impeller is rotated, a bearing for rotatably supporting the shaft portion on the body, a sealing member provided between the shaft portion and the body for sealing the fluid chamber and a cover portion for substantively closing the opening of the shaft portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yojiro Koga, Itsuro Hashiguchi, Masaki Chujo, Akihiro Katsumata, Takumi Hattori
  • Patent number: 6960068
    Abstract: A pump (10) includes an impeller (12) positioned in a housing (11). A valve assembly (13) is positioned within a valve sleeve (25) which is carried by the impeller (12). The impeller (12) is carried by an armature (27), and a pocket (28) is formed between the impeller (12) and the armature (27) adjacent to the valve sleeve (25). One or more elastomeric members (29) are positioned in the pocket (28) to surround the impeller (12) at the area of the valve sleeve (25) to provide a retaining force on the valve sleeve (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: The Gorman-Rupp Company
    Inventor: Michael H. McNaull
  • Patent number: 6955526
    Abstract: The vacuum generator is capable of quickly and securely holding and releasing a work piece and capable of reducing amount of consuming compressed air. In the vacuum generator, a first nozzle and a second nozzle jet compressed air toward a diffuser nozzle. The second nozzle has a diameter greater than that of the first nozzle. Switching means switches a state of the vacuum generator between a first state, in which a small amount of air sucked from the vacuum port, and a second state, in which a large amount of air is sucked from the vacuum port. The first nozzle, the second nozzle and the diffuser nozzle are serially arranged in that order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Nihon Pisco Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoyasu Yamazaki, Toshimasa Kitahara, Suminori Masuzawa, Masataka Funahashi
  • Patent number: 6955527
    Abstract: A two-way mounting mode air pump is constructed to include a housing affixed to an inflatable object, a battery case mounted in the housing, the battery case having a female coupling device and power output contacts in the female coupling device, and a motor pump selectively mounted in the housing in either of two directions to selectively pump air into or out of the inflatable object, the motor pump having a male coupling device for coupling to the female coupling device and power input contacts in the male coupling device for contacting the power output contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Inventor: Stanley Yen
  • Patent number: 6948914
    Abstract: The metering pump comprises a synchronous motor which is stepped down via a mechanical gear and the rotation movement of the motor is converted into a stroke movement which drives the membrane pump. To the motor there is allocated an electronic control which may be activated by external impulses with regard to the delivery quantity. At the same time the control operates such that one always passes through a complete operating cycle of the pump if the nominal delivery quantity resulting on account of the received impulses is as large or larger than the quantity which the pump delivers in an operating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Grundfos A/S
    Inventors: Bo Kragelund, Michael Christian Byskov, Hans Henrik Jochumsen
  • Patent number: 6948916
    Abstract: A multiple hermetic compressor assembly comprising a first compressor and an adjacent, second compressor interconnected by a hot gas pressure discharge manifold, a suction gas pressure equalization manifold, a suction manifold and an oil equalization manifold, the manifolds including a plurality of the turns extending at right angles that minimizes vibrational-associated manifold stress failures by providing for adequate vibrational absorption in the manifolds and reduces hot gas discharge interference between the compressors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Global Energy Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Hebert
  • Patent number: 6948917
    Abstract: An engine for actuating a hydraulic downhole pump having a piston vertically reciprocated in a cylinder includes a reversing valve carried with the power piston and serving, when in a first position, to direct fluid flow to force the piston upwardly and in a second position to provide bypass fluid flow to cause the piston to move downwardly. A pilot valve carried by the power piston and serving, when in a lower position, to direct fluid flow to move the reversing valve from the first to the second position. A probe is configured to move the pilot valve to the lower position when the piston reaches an upper limit of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Inventor: Donald Carrens
  • Patent number: 6942471
    Abstract: A fan has a hub and a fan housing connected to the hub. The fan housing delimits an air passage of the fan outwardly. A fan wheel is connected to the hub and rotatably arranged in the air passage. A motor is arranged on the hub for driving the fan wheel. An electrical connection with at least one flexible line is connected to the motor and extends from the motor to the fan housing. A recess is provided within the fan housing and the flexible line extends from the motor to the recess. A holding member locks in place in the recess and deflects the flexible line at least at one deflection location about a predetermined minimum angle to thereby effect strain relief on the portion of the flexible line extending from the deflection location to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Norbert Weisser
  • Patent number: 6939114
    Abstract: A dynamotor capable of operating as either a motor or a generator is used with both the armature portion and the field portion thereof capable of being rotated. In the case where a pulley operatively interlocked with the output shaft of the prime mover is mounted on the rotary shaft of the armature portion, the drive shaft of the compressor is mounted on the rotating field portion. Once the dynamotor is operated in motor mode, the rotational speed of the compressor is increased to the sum of the input rotational speed and the rotational speed of the dynamotor. The compressor is stopped by disconnecting a power feed circuit. When the input rotational speed is too high, the dynamotor is operated in generator mode. In this way, the rotational speed is reduced in accordance with the generated electric energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeki Iwanami, Yukio Ogawa, Takashi Inoue, Hironori Asa
  • Patent number: 6659727
    Abstract: An improved control method for a dual mode compressor drive arrangement selectively operates an electric machine coupled to the compressor as a motor or a generator during operation of an engine coupled to the compressor for improved efficiency and performance. The machine is operated as a generator to increase the available power for vehicle electrical loads when compressor operation is not needed or when the engine is driving the compressor. Conversely, the machine is operated as a motor to drive the compressor under heavy engine loading or when the engine speed is outside a desired operating range defined in terms of compressor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Major, George M. Claypole, Lawrence Ziehr, Mark D. Nemesh, Michael J. Miller
  • Patent number: 6626653
    Abstract: Disclosed is a backup heat-dissipating system having a serial fan which can be assembled easily, fastly and conveniently, and can effectively eliminate the interference between fans and prevent the air leakage resulting from the failed fan unit. The backup heat-dissipating system includes a main frame, a first rotor device disposed in the main frame and including a first control device, and a second rotor device disposed in the main frame to be coupled with the first rotor device in series along an axial direction of the main frame and including a second control device. When the first rotor device fails, the first control device will output a signal to the second control device for driving the second rotor device to rotate at a relatively higher speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Delta Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Lin, Shun-Chen Chang, Chih-Yuan Lin, Chun-Lung Chiu