Patents Examined by William McCalister
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Patent number: 9464422Abstract: A flush valve system is provided having an inlet and an outlet, and a main valve element adapted for transition between a closed position and an open position is disclosed. The flush valve further includes a control chamber in communication with the inlet, and a vent outlet in communication with the outlet. The system includes a solenoid for establishing communication between the control chamber and the vent outlet to establish a pressure differential across a portion of the main valve element. The system also includes a power supply for energizing the solenoid, a deployable actuator in communication with the power supply, and a microprocessor in electrical communication with the main valve element. The microprocessor is adapted to determine a valve opening time, calculate fluid pressure based on the valve opening time, and deliver a predetermined quantity of fluid through the valve based on fluid pressure.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: SDB IP Holdings, LLCInventor: Shawn D. Bush
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Patent number: 9464414Abstract: A household electronic mixing-valve faucet for controlling a temperature of a mixed stream discharging from the faucet, including: (a) a faucet body; (b) a controller; (c) a first powered valve fluidly connected to the hot water flowpath; (d) a second powered valve fluidly connected to the cold water flowpath; (e) an arrangement adapted to determine extents of opening of the valves; (f) temperature sensors, operative to sense a temperature of fluids within the hot and cold water flowpaths; and pressure sensors; the controller adapted to maintain a difference between an actual temperature of the mixed stream and a setpoint temperature thereof within a particular range.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2013Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: SMARTAP A.Y LTD.Inventor: Yuval Shapira
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Patent number: 9453583Abstract: An improved vent for a fuel tank is disclosed for a fuel tank having a tank top wall defining an access aperture. The improved vent comprises a canister defining an internal volume having an open top secured to an interior surface of the tank top wall adjacent to the access aperture defined in the tank top wall. A vent aperture is defined in a sidewall of the canister with a proximal end of a vent pipe secured to the vent aperture. A hanger interposed between the interior surface of the tank top wall and the vent pipe for spacing the distal end of the vent pipe from the interior surface of the tank top wall to enable fuel entering the distal end of the vent pipe to close the float valve. The improved vent permits the canister to be located at a first preferred location for servicing of the float valve while permitting the distal end of the vent pipe to be located at a second preferred location for enabling venting upon the tilting of the fuel tank.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Best Fabrications Inc.Inventor: Barry E. Boucher, II
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Patent number: 9441453Abstract: A safety valve control system may include a remotely operable control assembly, a first transducer, a valve assembly, and a compressor assembly in communication with the control assembly. The control assembly is operable to actuate the pump and valve assemblies to supply fluid to actuate the safety valve into open and closed positions, in response to one or more signals received from the first transducer. A method of operation may include maintaining the safety valve in an open or closed position while sensing a physical property with the control system; communicating a signal corresponding to the sensed physical property to the control system; and automatically closing or opening the safety valve in response to a comparison of the sensed physical property to a pre-set condition.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2012Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: SAFOCO, INC.Inventors: David Lymberopoulos, Benjamin R. Matthews
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Patent number: 9429956Abstract: A modular check valve system for providing back pressure to a fluid flow having a housing with a seating end, a receiving end, a housing annulus, and a housing sealing surface. The modular check valve system can also have at least one cartridge insert fluidly connected to the housing. The cartridge insert can have a poppet engaging a cartridge housing sealing surface, a pair of O-rings positioned on the cartridge housing, and a rod secured to the poppet. The rod is configured to move the poppet from a sealed position to an open position. A spring guide with spring is disposed around the rod. A compression adjustment device is connected to the first rod opposite the spring guide to apply force to the rod sealing the poppet against the cartridge housing sealing surface and creating fluid back pressure in the housing annulus when the spring is decompressed.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2016Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: PETROTECHNOLOGIES, INCInventor: David Baer Levy
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Patent number: 9422850Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for urea dosing of an exhaust after treatment system are disclosed. Exemplary apparatuses include a chamber configured to receive pressurized gas at a first inlet, receive urea solution at a second inlet, and provide a combined flow of pressurized gas and urea to an outlet, a flow passage extending from the first inlet to a seating surface, and a valve member configured to move between an open position in which the valve member is spaced apart from the seating surface and a closed position in which the valve member contacts the seating surface. As the valve member moves from the open position to the closed position the valve member contacts the seating surface at a first location and wipes an area of the seating surface extending from the first location in a direction toward the flow passage.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2012Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Myer, Chetan Ponnathpur, John Heichelbech, George Muntean, Stephen Holl, James F. Burke, John Anthis, Joydeep Chakrabarti, Brandon Simmons, Niklas Schmidt, Yogesh V. Birari
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Patent number: 9416452Abstract: A method comprises transporting a first stream of a carrier gas to a delivery device that contains a solid precursor compound. The first stream of carrier gas is at a temperature greater than or equal to 20° C. The method further comprises transporting a second stream of the carrier gas to a point downstream of the delivery device. The first stream and the second stream are combined to form a third stream, such that the dewpoint of the vapor of the solid precursor compound in the third stream is lower than the ambient temperature. The flow direction of the first stream, the flow direction of the second stream and the flow direction of the third stream are unidirectional and are not opposed to each other.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: ROHM AND HAAS ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LLCInventors: Egbert Woelk, Ronald L. DiCarlo
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Patent number: 9416883Abstract: The present invention relates to a valve device (10) comprising a substrate (12) and an elastic membrane (13), the membrane being joined at least around a valve area to the substrate. The substrate comprises a first channel (16) and a second channel (17), both ending in the valve area, the first channel having in the valve area a first channel end surface (19) and the second channel having in the valve area a second channel end surface (21), wherein the area of the first channel end surface is substantially larger than the area of the second channel end surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2006Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.Inventors: Adrianus Wilhelmus Dionisius Maria Van Den Bijgaart, Ronald Cornelis De Gier
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Patent number: 9410457Abstract: A flow control valve may include a case and a valve body axially movably disposed within a fluid passage defined in the case. The valve body may have an outer circumferential surface with a flow control surface. The valve body may further include a flange portion positioned on an upstream side of the flow control surface. The flange portion may include a sliding surface and a reference surface. The sliding surface may slidably contact a passage wall surface of the fluid passage. The reference surface may serve as a reference when performing configuration measurement of the flow control surface. The reference surface may extend within a first circumferential range about the axis of the valve body, and the flow control surface may extend within a second circumferential range about the axis of the valve body. The first circumferential range and the second circumferential range may at least partly overlap with each other.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2012Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroshi Fujiki, Takashi Masuda
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Patent number: 9410636Abstract: A flow valve assembly includes a valve operable between an open position and a closed position and a controller operatively coupled to the valve to operate the valve between the open position and the closed position. A mechanically or electrically operated assembly is provided to determine an amount of fluid flow through the valve when the valve is in the open position. A mechanically or electrically operated mechanism moves the valve from the open position to the closed position when the amount of fluid flow exceeds a predetermined value. A method of operating the valve is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Drexel UniversityInventor: John Older
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Patent number: 9405298Abstract: A system and method for dividing the flow of one or more process fluids in a predetermined flow ratio is provided herein. In one embodiment, a system for dividing flow of one or more process fluids in a predetermined flow ratio includes a process chamber having a plurality of inlets for delivering one or more process fluids into the process chamber; a plurality of modulating valves coupled to the plurality of inlets, wherein each inlet of the plurality of inlets is coupled to at least one modulating valve; and a controller coupled to the plurality of modulating valves, the controller configured to control the operation of the plurality of modulating valves to divide the flow of one or more process fluids in the predetermined flow ratio.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2006Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Bruno Geoffrion, Mark Adam Crocket
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Patent number: 9404601Abstract: A solenoid valve is arranged in a flow path in which a fluid flows in both directions, and is constituted from a solenoid valve mounting portion, in which a first port and a second port are formed, and a single solenoid valve portion. A first flow rate stabilizing orifice is disposed between the first port and a valve body of the solenoid valve portion, and a second flow rate stabilizing orifice is disposed between the second port and the valve body. A bypass orifice is disposed in a bypass flow path that bypasses the first flow rate stabilizing orifice and the second flow rate stabilizing orifice.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Masami Yoshida, Hideaki Yashiro, Takashi Hirano
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Patent number: 9400506Abstract: A pressure reducer includes a piston slidably accommodated in a cylinder to define a decompression chamber and a pressure adjusting chamber. A seal member includes an elastic member and a sliding portion. The sliding portion is pressed by the elastic member such that the sliding portion slides on an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. An annular member is located on an outer circumferential surface of the piston and between the seal member and the pressure adjusting surface. The annular member is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder with a force that is less than a force with which the sliding portion is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. Thus, the pressure reducer prevents the piston from being moved by an excessive amount with highly accurately adjusting pressure.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2005Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshihiko Shima, Hidetoshi Fujiwara, Munetoshi Kuroyanagi, Takuya Suzuki, Tsukuo Ishitoya, Akira Yamashita
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Patent number: 9394897Abstract: The pumps and pressure controllers described herein aim to pump fluid in two directions, such as from a first port to a second port and vice versa. The pressure controllers aim to control pressure in a system or device, such as a test device, accurately and precisely at a variety of different pressure levels. Generally described, the pumps and pressure controllers described herein may include two or more control valves, which may be actuatable in such a manner so that the pump or pressure controller can switch between operating as a vacuum pump and operating as a compressor. In some embodiments, the pressure controllers may be able to adjust a pressure in the device by small increments thereby providing increased control of the pressure in the device over the prior art. Furthermore, the pressure controllers may be able to control the pressure of a system having low pressure levels.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: Fluke CorporationInventors: Tom Lohkamp, Bill Stephens, Martin Gotch
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Patent number: 9388908Abstract: A multi-position rotary shear valve assembly having a substantially metallic or ceramic stator device and a substantially metallic or ceramic rotor device. The stator device defines a substantially planar stator face and at least two or more stator channels in fluid communication with the stator face at corresponding stator ports, while the rotor device includes a substantially planar rotor face defining one or more rotor channels. A tribological coating is disposed atop at least one of the rotor face and the stator face, which enables a substantially fluid-tight, selective relative rotation between the rotor face and the stator face, at a rotor-stator interface, between two or more rotor positions.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2014Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: IDEX Health & Science LLCInventor: Christopher R. Tower
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Patent number: 9387522Abstract: A digitally controlled current to pressure converter (CPC) and method of controlling same is provided. The method of controlling includes the step of periodically imparting symmetrically-opposed movement of a control valve of the CPC to loosen and flush accumulated silt therefrom. More particularly, the method may include the step of periodically introducing a small-amplitude symmetrically-opposed impulse to a controller that actuates a hydraulic control shaft of a three-way rotary valve. Also provided is a method of preventing malfunction due to faulty input or feedback signals received by the CPC, and a method of detecting the health status of multiple CPCs when used in a redundant configuration.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2014Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventor: Kevin E. Greeb
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Patent number: 9388930Abstract: A tubing interface having an elongated tube, an elastomeric ferrule and a support ring device disposed around the ferrule. The ferrule includes a bore which is sized for receipt of the tube. The tubing interface further includes a cap member having an exterior surface, an opposed interior surface, and a tube receiving passage extending therethrough. The receiving passage is formed and dimensioned for axial sliding receipt of the tube member therethrough. The cap member further includes a cup-shaped receiving recess extending proximally from the interior surface, and is formed and dimensioned for axial receipt of the proximal end of the ferrule body member and the support ring. When the cap member is mounted to a valve apparatus, the support ring and the elastomeric ferrule device compressively cooperate with the cup-shaped recess to form a fluid-tight seal between the tube port and a communication port of the valve apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2013Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: IDEX Health & Science LLCInventor: Carl M. Servin
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Patent number: 9389157Abstract: A system for detecting wear in a flush valve includes at least one pressure sensor adapted to measure a water pressure within the flush valve and at least one microprocessor in communication with the at least one pressure sensor. The at least one microprocessor is configured to determine the water pressure within the flush valve measured by the at least one pressure sensor at or after a predetermined time following operation of the flush valve that is equal to or exceeding a known time required to reseal the flush valve during normal operation, compare the determined water pressure with a pressure value sufficient to reseal the flush valve during normal operation, and determine if the flush valve is worn based at least partially on the comparison. A method and apparatus is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2014Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: SDB IP Holdings, LLCInventor: Shawn D. Bush
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Patent number: 9383035Abstract: In one embodiment, a constant-flow valve assembly is provided that comprises a first fluid passageway carrying fluid at a first fluid pressure, a piston chamber, and a second fluid passageway connected to the chamber and carrying fluid at a second fluid pressure. A third fluid passageway is configured to carry fluid at a third fluid pressure. An adjustable valve member is provided between the chamber and the third passageway to provide constant fluid flow to the third passageway. An adjustable restrictor assembly is positioned between the first and second fluid passageways. An inlet portion of the restrictor assembly receives fluid at the first fluid pressure and directs the fluid to a restrictor. An outlet portion receives fluid from the restrictor and directs the fluid to the second fluid passageway at the second fluid pressure.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2013Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: SKO FLO Industries, Inc.Inventors: Mark W. Kirchner, John D. Tomlinson
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Patent number: 9383758Abstract: A pressure type flow rate control apparatus is provided wherein flow rate of fluid passing through an orifice is computed as Qc=KP1 (where K is a proportionality constant) or as Qc=KP2m(P1?P2)n (where K is a proportionality constant, m and n constants) by using orifice upstream side pressure P1 and/or orifice downstream side pressure P2. A fluid passage between the downstream side of a control valve and a fluid supply pipe of the pressure type flow rate control apparatus comprises at least 2 fluid passages in parallel, and orifices having different flow rate characteristics are provided for each of these fluid passages, wherein fluid in a small flow quantity area flows to one orifice for flow control of fluid in the small flow quantity area, while fluid in a large flow quantity area flows to the other orifice for flow control of fluid in the large flow quantity area.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2015Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignees: Fujikin Incorporated, National University Corporation Tohoku University, Tokyo Electron Ltd.Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Masahito Saito, Shoichi Hino, Tsuyoshi Shimazu, Kazuyuki Miura, Kouji Nishino, Masaaki Nagase, Katsuyuki Sugita, Kaoru Hirata, Ryousuke Dohi, Takashi Hirose, Tsutomu Shinohara, Nobukazu Ikeda, Tomokazu Imai, Toshihide Yoshida, Hisashi Tanaka