Patents Examined by Walter D. Griffin
  • UV-C water purification device
    Patent number: 10501342
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for ultraviolet (UV) water purification, comprising UV-C LED modules having improved light extraction efficiency. UV-C LED dies (12) are solidly coupled to associated translucent output windows (14), such that light is transmitted directly from light-emitting surface(s) of the dies (12) to output window(s) (14) of the LED package—without propagation across interstitial air gaps. Gas-to-solid (and solid-to-gas) light transition boundaries are thus eliminated, significantly reducing the amount of light lost through inter-medium boundary reflection, and thereby increasing efficiency of light extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Daiyu Hayashi, Jianghong Yu, Paul Dijkstra, Michiel Van Der Meer, Arie Jan Hovestad
  • Liquid substance sterilizing method and apparatus
    Patent number: 10494274
    Abstract: Sterilization of a liquid substance is performed by causing cavitation in the liquid substance by stirring the liquid substance with a rotary blade of a suction stirring pump and generating plasma with a plasma generation mechanism in air bubbles generated in the liquid substance by the cavitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: NIHON SPINDLE MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., UNIVERSITY OF HYOGO
    Inventors: Keiichi Asami, Keiichiro Onishi, Yoshihiro Oka
  • Ozone converter leading edge protection
    Patent number: 10493405
    Abstract: A core to receive an air flow having foreign object debris (FOD) has an inlet plane at which the air flow can enter the core, a fin element having a fin configuration, and a first protective component. The first protective component is constructed of a material and has a first protective configuration sufficient to repel FOD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Jensen, Edgar Rene Crosswell Ochoa, Yung Oey
  • System and method for generating stabilized, gas infused liquids containing high and ultra-high concentrations of infused gas, and methods using the stabilized, gas infused liquids
    Patent number: 10486114
    Abstract: A method for producing stabilized, gas-infused liquids containing ultra high concentrations of infused gas, includes steps of: generating a gas-infused liquid in a sealed vessel under a high pressure of at least 20 psi; stabilizing the gas-infused liquid by passing the liquid while still under the high pressure through a tubular flow path arrangement which compresses the infused gas into nano bubbles in the liquid; infusing an additional amount of the gas into the stabilized liquid by injecting the same, while still under high pressure, back into the sealed pressure vessel along with more of the gas; and again stabilizing the liquid by again passing liquid, while still under the high pressure, through the tubular flow path arrangement to thereby form the additional amount of infused gas into nano bubbles in the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Gaps Technology LLC.
    Inventor: Cliffton Lee Roe
  • Device and method for treating a liquid containing an organic pollutant
    Patent number: 10486988
    Abstract: A device for treating a liquid including an organic pollutant, the device including: a device for injecting, into the liquid, microbubbles of an containing fluid containing an oxygenated constituent, the oxygenated constituent being capable of reacting with the ferrous cations Fe2+ so as to generate hydroxyl radicals OH° and hydrogen peroxide H2O2; a cavitation generator capable of generating bubbles in the liquid by cavitation; a bubble implosion chamber; a generator of ferrous cations Fe2+, the cavitation bubble implosion chamber being placed in a region in which the liquid contains the ferrous cations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ISB WATER
    Inventors: Grégoire Profit, Alexandre Profit
  • Method to separate an emulsion in a liquid lens
    Patent number: 10466468
    Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to systems and methods for separating an emulsion in a cavity of a device such as a liquid lens device. In one embodiment, the method comprises at least one of: applying a bias voltage to electrodes in the device, causing at least one of droplet migration, flattening of large droplets, and reduced droplet surface tension; applying an oscillating actuation voltage waveform comprising an actuation frequency to the electrodes, such that fluid pumping and turbulence is created within the device cavity; and applying an oscillating excitation voltage waveform comprising an excitation frequency to the electrodes, such that the varying electric field created by the oscillating voltage causes small droplets of the first liquid to coalesce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Raymond Miller Karam, Amy Renee Andersen
  • Single, thief-sampling, calibration and control of separator apparatus and method
    Patent number: 10456792
    Abstract: A centrifugal, liquid-liquid separator is controlled, first by automatic control of back pressure to position of the dispersion band and equalize the settling lengths of both heavy and light phases. In line testing of a parameter reflecting the BS&W content of output oil controls withdrawal from a tank, and throughput rate through the separator. Output always meets a predetermined specification established on a daily basis by a market price and quality (contamination limit, maximum BS&W) for oil. Control provides assurance that all of a particular load in a tank will meet specification, and that it cannot change significantly before refining. Once the adjustment of the separator system reaches its lowest flow limit, processing halts, to assure that the oil quality is optimized. The controller may be used on any tank of separated oil to assure that no oil is withdrawn “out of spec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventors: C. Michael Miller, D. Andrew Bell, Ngai Keung Tam
  • Recovering a hydrocarbon fluid
    Patent number: 10456712
    Abstract: Techniques for recovering a hydrocarbon fluid from a waste fluid include transmitting a plurality of wave energy pulses through a waste fluid, the waste fluid including a mixture of a hydrocarbon fluid and a non-hydrocarbon fluid; receiving a plurality of reflected wave energy pulses transmitted through the waste fluid; determining a level difference between a surface of a hydrocarbon fluid layer that includes the hydrocarbon fluid and a surface of a non-hydrocarbon fluid layer that includes a non-hydrocarbon fluid based, at least in part, on the plurality of reflected wave energy pulses; and operating a hydrocarbon fluid pumping assembly, based on the determined level difference, to circulate a portion of the hydrocarbon fluid in the hydrocarbon fluid layer from the waste fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: R3 Oil, LLC
    Inventor: Milton Morgan
  • Centrifuge having a compressor cooling device, and method for controlling a compressor cooling device of a centrifuge
    Patent number: 10449556
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a centrifuge having a compressor cooling device and it also relates to methods for controlling a compressor cooling device of a centrifuge. The centrifuge according to the invention has a controllable throttle device in the refrigeration cycle of the compressor cooling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Eppendorf AG
    Inventors: Heiko Mueller, Sven Fischer, Dieter Wolf
  • Method and device for creating turbulence by pulsating flow
    Patent number: 10449281
    Abstract: A method and a device use pulsed flow profiles in the addition of a solution to an extracorporeal circulation to improve the mixing of the added solution with the blood, in particular in regional anticoagulation with citrate. Extracorporeal blood treatment processes are usually carried out with anticoagulation of the blood. In regional anticoagulation with citrate, sometimes a clot is observed in the extracorporeal blood circulation at the point of addition of the calcium infusion solution. If the extracorporeal circulation becomes occluded, the treatment must be interrupted. To prevent this, the method and device add the calcium infusion solution with a pulsed flow profile, with which better mixing is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventor: Arne Peters
  • Apparatus and method for water treatment
    Patent number: 10442705
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in a liquid treatment process, and a method of use is described. The apparatus comprises an inlet configured to be connected to a source of liquid to be treated and an outlet for discharging liquid from the apparatus. At least one liquid treatment vessel or conduit is disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and is arranged to expose liquid in the vessel to ultraviolet radiation in an advanced oxidation process reaction. A source of ultraviolet radiation extending along the liquid treatment vessel or conduit, such that an annular flow volume is defined in the vessel or conduit around the source of ultraviolet radiation. A rotary device is disposed in the annular flow volume and a drive mechanism drives rotation of the rotary device. The rotary device is operable to induce cavitation in a liquid present in the annular flow volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Greenthread Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Henderson, Brian Nutley, Kim Nutley, Ross Clarke
  • Water treating method, water treating apparatus, and cavitation generation ring
    Patent number: 10442701
    Abstract: A water treating method includes a step of installing a cavitation generation ring in a part of a water communication pipe, and a step of passing water through the inside of the cylindrical portion at high pressure, thereby cavitation being generated in the cylindrical portion and clusters of molecules of water being fined. A cavitation generation ring is configured to be installed in a part of a water communication pipe. A water treating apparatus includes a cavitation generation ring, a water communication pipe and a pressurizing pump for water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Eco Prana Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaoru Uno
  • Fluid treatment systems and methods
    Patent number: 10435312
    Abstract: A multi-stage cavitation subassembly is described. The multi-stage cavitation subassembly includes: (i) a first cavitation-inducing feature for cavitating a fluid; (ii) a second cavitation-inducing feature that is located downstream from the first cavitation-inducing feature and is designed to cavitate the fluid after the fluid has undergone cavitation in the first cavitation-inducing feature; and (iii) a velocity-imparting component that, in a state of motion and when in contact with the fluid, imparts the fluid with sufficient velocity after the fluid has undergone cavitation in the first cavitation-inducing feature so that the fluid traverses from the first cavitation-inducing feature to the second cavitation-inducing feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: BURST ENERGIES INC.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Miller, Naresh Mahamuni
  • Set of containers for use on a blood component centrifugal separator
    Patent number: 10426886
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a blood separation device that can reduce the total time for drawing blood to obtain high-concentration platelet liquid, thereby reducing the binding time of the blood donor. The device includes a temporary storage bag (Y2) (also serves as a buffy coat bag) which is a whole blood bag for storing whole blood drawn from a blood donor. The controlling unit of the device controls the device to draw whole blood from the blood donor in parallel with at least either a circulation flow step or an acceleration step, thereby storing the drawn whole blood in the temporary storage bag (Y2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Kimura, Takemi Kobayashi
  • Centrifugal separation method
    Patent number: 10420876
    Abstract: A storage portion forming a storage space 10, includes an inclined inner wall portion 20 that is connected to a base portion so that the diameter of the inclined inner wall portion gradually decreases; a concave portion 22 is formed at a part of the inclined inner wall portion; and the concave portion 22 includes a concave portion side surface 22b that is connected to a concave portion bottom surface 22a. The concave portion 22 is formed at a position, where the concave portion crosses an interface S between the specimen centrifuged during rotation and air, in a radial direction with respect to the central axis; and the maximum width of the concave portion 22 in a circumferential direction around the central axis is included in a range of 2 mm to a length of 20% of the whole circumference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Nishio, Kazuteru Nishijima
  • Centrifuge with vector-seeking linkage
    Patent number: 10421081
    Abstract: Technologies pertaining to a centrifuge that comprises a vector-seeking linkage are disclosed herein. In a general embodiment, the centrifuge comprises a spindle that is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The centrifuge also has an arm that is coupled to the spindle, and a vector-seeking linkage that is coupled to the arm. The vector-seeking linkage provides two rotational degrees of freedom with respect to a load coupled to the vector-seeking linkage. The centrifuge is well-suited for a variety of applications, including sensor testing, solution separation, and producing accelerations expected to be experienced during flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Michael N. Rector
  • Method of forming a photocatalyst and disinfecting a fluid
    Patent number: 10421672
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of disinfecting a fluid comprising at least one live microbial organism. The method includes contacting the fluid comprising the at least one microbial organism with an effective amount of a photo-catalyst while exposing the fluid and the photo-catalyst to light from at least one light source with a wavelength of about 300-550 nm to reduce the number of the at least one live microbial organism to a predetermined level. The photo-catalyst comprises tungsten trioxide nanoparticles doped with palladium nanoparticles, and the palladium nanoparticles are present in an amount of about 0.1-5% of the total weight of the tungsten trioxide nanoparticles and the palladium nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Muhammad Ashraf Gondal, Mohamed A. Dastageer, Amjad B. Khalil, Rashid Gulam Siddique, Umair Baig
  • System for cleansing organisms from water
    Patent number: 10407320
    Abstract: Techniques for depleting target organisms in water include a waterproof transducer configured for ensonifying a container of water with low intensity sound at one or more ultrasound frequencies for a duration sufficient to prevent maturation of at least 90% of the target organism. In some cases the target organism is mosquito larvae. For example, a portable system for depleting target organisms in water includes a control system and a plurality of waterproof transducers. The system is configured for ensonifying a surface layer of water in an acoustic frequency range from about 40 kilohertz to about 100 kilohertz and in a power concentration range from about 35 milliwatts per milliliter to 100 milliwatts per milliliter for a duration in a range from about 1 to about 100 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
    Inventors: Szabolcs Marka, Imre Bartos, Zsuzsanna Marka
  • Photocatalytic filter, purification device, and purification method
    Patent number: 10407319
    Abstract: A photocatalytic filter including first photocatalytic particles each of which is a composite of an adsorbent and titanium apatite, second photocatalytic particles each of which is glass coated with titanium apatite, a light source configured to emit ultraviolet rays, and a container accommodating the first photocatalytic particles, the second photocatalytic particles, and the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masato Wakamura, Mineharu Tsukada, Toshihisa Anazawa
  • Mixing unit for flushing solutions
    Patent number: 10406489
    Abstract: A mixing unit for ready-to-use flushing solutions with a mixing chamber, with which conduits for ultrapure water and for concentrate communicate, in order to form a ready-to use flushing solution therein is characterized in that the concentrate is filled into a concentrate bag, which is provided with a concentrate bag connector, which is connectable to a connector on the mixing unit, that the connector on the mixing unit is covered by a pivotal concentrate valve in its closed state so that a sealed flushing space is defined around the connector and that a flushing liquid conduit communicates with the connector on the mixing unit so that flushing liquid is conveyable into the flushing space, which can completely clean the connector internally and externally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Inventor: Manfred Volker