Patents Examined by William M McCalister
  • Patent number: 11320095
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a pipeline interchange flows a product through an upstream pipeline. An automated analyzer is connected to the upstream pipeline, wherein the automated analyzer analyzes a sample of the product, and wherein the analyzer is capable of analyzing different physical and/or chemical characteristics of the product and generating a data sample. An automatic splitter is then placed downstream of the automated slipstream analyzer. In this embodiment, the automatic splitter is capable of receiving and interpreting the data sample from the automated analyzer and directing the product into at least three different downstream pipelines, wherein at least one of the downstream pipelines is a transmix pipeline and wherein at least one of the downstream pipelines returns the product upstream of the automated analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Paul Rady, Marisa Purificato, Franklin Uba, Ayuba Fasasi
  • Patent number: 11320843
    Abstract: The air compression system includes an air compressor and a detection device. A first pressure transducer is provided to measure an air pressure at an output port of the air compressor. A second pressure transducer in the detection device measures an air pressure in a channel of the detection device. A conduit in the detection device regulates an air flow to be compatible with that flowing through the inlet of the aerated object. The measurements from the first pressure transducer and the second pressure transducer are transmitted to and compared by a first control circuit of the air compressor, and an internal pressure of the aerated object is estimated. When the estimated internal pressure of the aerated object is smaller than a desired pressure, the air compressor pumps air into the object through the conduit of the detection device in a linear manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: DONGGUAN HESHENG MACHINERY & ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chi-Wen Chen
  • Patent number: 11313489
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to microfluidic devices for controlling pneumatic microvalves. One embodiment includes a microfluidic device for independently controlling a plurality of pneumatic microvalves. The microfluidic device is couplable to a pressure source. The microfluidic device includes a first substrate. The microfluidic device also includes a flexible membrane covering the first substrate. Additionally, the microfluidic device includes a second substrate covering the flexible membrane. Further, the microfluidic device includes one or more fluidic channels at least partially defined in the first substrate. In addition, the microfluidic device includes a pressure couplable to the pressure source and branching into a plurality of pressure channels. Still further, the microfluidic device includes at least one pressure control switch per pressure channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Tim Stakenborg, Chengxun Liu, David Cheyns
  • Patent number: 11313389
    Abstract: A directly-controlled hydraulic directional valve includes a housing, control piston, first and second springs, double-stroke solenoid, spring plate, adjustment device, and electronics. The piston is longitudinally displaceable in a bore in the housing, either directly or via a control sleeve. The springs are positioned in a region of an end of the piston remote from the solenoid. One end of each spring is supported on the spring plate, which is clamped between the springs and the piston. The other end of the first spring is fixed to the housing, and the other end of the second spring is fixed to the adjustment device. The first spring exerts a force on the piston in a first direction, and the second spring exerts a force on the piston in a second opposite direction, so as to bias the piston into a preferred position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Hoefling
  • Patent number: 11306747
    Abstract: A single stage flapper type servovalve comprises a valve housing comprising a bore, a pair of opposed nozzles arranged in the bore and a flapper element arranged between the pair of nozzles. The valve housing further comprises a plurality of fluid ports for communicating a working fluid to and from the nozzles and in fluid communication with the housing bore. The valve housing and the nozzles are both made from a stainless steel material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maciej Bujewicz, Maciej Zak
  • Patent number: 11300982
    Abstract: A system for metering a liquid or gaseous medium comprises a pressure control valve and a flow sensor, the pressure control valve and the flow sensor forming a closed control circuit. The required metering quantity can be adjusted by controlling the metering pressure by means of the pressure control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: PROMIX SOLUTIONS AG
    Inventor: Christian Schlummer
  • Patent number: 11274850
    Abstract: A system for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a valve is provided. The system includes a valve and an actuator. An actuator drive device is driven by an actuator motor and is coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions. The system further includes a differential pressure sensor configured to measure a differential pressure across the valve and a controller that is communicably coupled with the differential pressure sensor and the motor. The controller is configured to receive a flow rate setpoint and the differential pressure measurement, determine an estimated flow rate based on the differential pressure measurement, determine an actuator position setpoint using the flow rate setpoint and the estimated flow rate, and operate the motor to drive the drive device to the actuator position setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Camille M. Aucoin, Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Homero L. Noboa, Duane S. Freimuth, Kirk H. Drees, Kenneth J. Sieth, Justin M. Salerno
  • Patent number: 11275393
    Abstract: In some examples, a pressure regulating valve comprising a pressure chamber, a compressor configured to establish fluid communication with the pressure chamber, a vent valve configured to establish fluid communication with the pressure chamber, a pressure sensor, and a controller. The controller may determine a pressure based on the signal generated by the pressure sensor, and compare a pressure setpoint and the pressure. The controller may be configured to alter the pressure in the pressure chamber based on the comparison between the pressure setpoint and the pressure. For example, the controller may control the compressor to increase the pressure in the pressure chamber and/or control the vent vale to decrease the pressure in the pressure chamber. The altered pressure of the pressure chamber may generate movement of a restricting element within the pressure regulating valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Pittway Sarl
    Inventor: Ralf Hilbers
  • Patent number: 11269363
    Abstract: A pressure regulator includes an outlet pressure sensor, loading and unloading electromagnetic valves, and a regulator control circuit operatively connected to the loading and unloading electromagnetic valves and configured to pilot the loading and unloading electromagnetic valves to cancel an error signal given by a difference between an inlet signal corresponding to a desired outlet pressure and a feedback signal provided by the outlet pressure sensor. The pressure regulator includes an engaging current analysis circuit to detect and store reference characteristics of the engaging current of the solenoid of the loading electromagnetic valve in a stable inlet pressure condition, monitor the engaging current to detect any variation of its characteristics with respect to the corresponding reference characteristics, and, in the event of variation, provide a pilot modulation signal to at least one of the loading or unloading electromagnetic valves or a pressure variation signal to the regulator control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CAMOZZI AUTOMATION S.P.A.
    Inventors: Dario Ferrarini, Andrea Camisani
  • Patent number: 11248749
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the method begins by flowing a product stream through an upstream pipeline comprising a first product stream. The product stream is then continuously analyzed with an automated analyze to produce data. The first product stream downstream is then directed downstream of the automated analyzer to a downstream first product stream pipeline. The method then changes the product stream flowing through the upstream pipeline from the first product stream to a second product stream without purging the first product stream from the upstream pipeline, thereby creating a transmix product stream within the upstream pipeline wherein the transmix product stream comprises a mixture of the first product stream and the second product stream. The data from the automated analyzer is then analyzed with an automatic splitter, wherein the product stream flowing through the upstream pipeline no longer matches the physical and/or chemical characteristics of the first product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Paul Rady, Marisa Purificato, Franklin Uba, Ayuba Fasasi
  • Patent number: 11242934
    Abstract: Provided is a valve device which can precisely adjust the flow rate while ensuring the flow rate of the fluid. A valve device includes a main actuator which receives a pressure of a supplied drive fluid and moves an operating member to an open position or closed position; an adjusting actuator arranged to receive at least a part of a force generated by the main actuator and for adjusting the position of the operating member positioned at the open position; and a pressure regulator provided in a feed path of the drive fluid to the main actuator and for regulating the pressure of the supplied drive fluid to suppress fluctuation of the pressure of the drive fluid supplied to the main actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kenta Kondo, Toshihide Yoshida, Masahiko Takimoto, Tsutomu Shinohara, Tomohiro Nakata, Takeru Miura, Masahiko Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 11243549
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to improve the accuracy of control of a material gas by providing a valve with simplified wiring and a fluid supply line equipped with the valve. A valve V includes a valve body 3 and a driving pressure control device 4 coupled to the valve body 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Fujikin Inc.
    Inventors: Ryutaro Tanno, Kenji Aikawa, Akihiro Harada, Yuya Suzuki, Takahiro Matsuda, Katsunori Komehana, Masahiko Ochiishi, Tsutomu Shinohara
  • Patent number: 11242874
    Abstract: A pneumatic control device includes a functional assembly that has an interruption valve device for the selective opening or interruption of at least one main working channel used for the pneumatic control of a pneumatic actuator. The functional assembly also contains a manually actuatable valve device that is connected to the interruption valve device by means of at least one auxiliary working channel and which enables manual pneumatic control of the connected actuator, if the at least one main working channel is interrupted by the interruption valve device at the same time. A process control device can also be equipped with a control device of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: FESTO SE & CO. KG
    Inventors: Bodo Neef, Christoph Maile
  • Patent number: 11231055
    Abstract: In some examples, a device includes a first fluidic amplifier stage, configured to receive a fluidic input and provide a first stage fluidic output, and a second fluidic amplifier stage, configured to receive the first stage fluidic output and provide a second stage fluidic output. The first fluidic amplifier stage may include a fluidic valve, for example having a source, a gate, and a drain. The fluidic input may be connected to the gate of the fluidic valve through a fluid channel, and a fluid flow between the source and the drain of the fluidic valve may be controlled by the fluidic input. An example device may be configured to provide a fluidic output, wherein the fluidic output is based on the fluidic input, and the fluidic output may be provided to a fluidic load such as an actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Jason Keller, Andrew Arthur Stanley, Jack Lindsay, Casey Glick, Erik Roby
  • Patent number: 11231121
    Abstract: A first lever portion includes a first point-of-effort portion, a first fulcrum portion, and a first point-of-load portion. A second lever portion has a second point-of-effort portion, a second fulcrum portion, and a second point-of-load portion. A first point-of-effort portion is located between a first fulcrum portion and a first point-of-load portion in a direction orthogonal to an axis of a stem. A second fulcrum portion is located between a second point-of-effort portion and a second point-of-load portion in the direction orthogonal to the axis. A distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-load portion is configured longer than a distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-effort portion. The second point-of-load portion of the second lever portion is displaced toward the stem and moves the stem toward the piezoelectric element by means of displacement of the intermediate member to the second lever portion side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Takashi Hirose, Masahiko Nakazawa, Nobuo Nakamura, Tomoko Yuhara
  • Patent number: 11225986
    Abstract: A pneumatic control device includes a base seat unit, a cylinder unit and a time-delay unit. The cylinder unit is mounted the base seat unit, and is able to drive rotational movement. The time-delay unit is mounted to the base seat unit, and includes sequentially interconnected delay switch, flow-limiting valve, pressure accumulator and a control valve. The delay switch is operable to move between an action position whereat the cylinder unit drives the rotational movement, and a non-action position. When the delay switch is moved to the non-action position, the cylinder unit keeps driving the rotational movement for a period of time and then stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Hold Well Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Pin Chen
  • Patent number: 11225962
    Abstract: A capacity control valve V includes a valve housing, a primary valve opened and closed by a driving force of a solenoid, a pressure-sensitive valve disposed in a pressure-sensitive chamber, and a differential pressure valve opened and closed by a differential pressure valve body moved by a pressure. A control port and a suction port communicate with each other through an intermediate communication path by opening and closing the pressure-sensitive valve. An adapter is provided with an accommodation portion accommodating a differential pressure valve body, and first urging member and a second urging member are interposed in the accommodation portion on both sides of the differential pressure valve in an opening and closing direction with the differential pressure valve body interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Inventors: Daichi Kurihara, Yoshihiro Ogawa, Keigo Shirafuji, Kohei Fukudome, Masahiro Hayama, Takahiro Ejima, Wataru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11220348
    Abstract: An inerting and venting system for an aircraft. The inerting and venting system includes a tank containing fluid to be inerted, a mixer including an operating flow path and a mixing flow path, a vent line fluidly connecting ambient atmosphere to the operating flow path of the mixer, and an inert gas line fluidly connecting an inert gas source to the mixing flow path of the mixer. The mixing flow path and the operating flow path are arranged in a coflowing configuration such that ambient air communicated by the operating flow path mixes in a coflowing manner with inert gas communicated by the mixing flow path and the coflowed mixture is directed into the tank. The inerting and venting system may include a first valve for controlling flow of vent air from ambient atmosphere to the tank, and a second valve for controlling flow of inert gas from an inert gas source to the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Ashok G. Zopey, Carsten Mehring
  • Patent number: 11216018
    Abstract: A valve device includes an operating unit, a first pushing member, a plate-like member, a second pushing member, and a valve. The plate-like member includes a plurality of the moment arms arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction. A force point of each of the plurality of the moment arms is pushed by a front end of the first pushing member. The second pushing member has an acted surface receiving a force from an action point of each of the plurality of the moment arms. The plurality of the moment arms are integrally connected by an annular frame portion of the plate-like member where the fulcrum is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Murakami, Yosuke Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 11209841
    Abstract: A pressure regulator for a fuel cell system may include: a housing having an inlet port into which gas is introduced, an outlet port through which gas is discharged, and an regulated pressure chamber connected to an outside through the outlet port; a piston moving up and down in the housing, having a main flow path penetrating through an inside of the housing and a pressure acting portion applying a pressure of gas in the regulated pressure chamber of the housing, and selectively communicating between the inlet port and the regulated pressure chamber of the housing through the main flow path as the piston moves up and down; and a spring provided in the housing to elastically support the pressure acting portion of the piston on an opposite side of the regulated pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Se Kwon Jung