Patents by Inventor Christopher R Towers
Christopher R Towers has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20160201827Abstract: A quick-mount/release, multi-position, micro-fluidic valve system including an actuator assembly and an interchangeable valve assembly. The actuator assembly includes an actuator housing providing a distal receiving cavity, and rotably supporting an actuator shaft therein. The valve assembly includes a POD housing rotably supporting a valve shaft, and a proximal insert portion formed and dimensioned for sliding axial receipt in the receiving cavity of the actuator assembly between an unmounted condition and a mounted condition. A quick mount/release mechanism cooperates between the proximal insert portion of the rotary valve assembly and the distal portion of the actuator housing to enable a releasable, quick operable mounting engagement of the rotary valve assembly to the actuator assembly, in the mounted condition, free of any threaded mounting structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2016Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventor: Christopher R. TOWER
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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: 9238281Abstract: A multi-position valve assembly including a valve housing, a stator element and a rotor element rotatably mounted about a rotational axis. The valve assembly further includes a pressure adjustment assembly movable between a release position and a stop position, hard stopped relative to the valve housing. The pressure adjustment assembly includes a pressure adjuster device configured to movably cooperate between the rotor element and the valve housing to adjustably generate an axial compression pressure at the rotor-stator interface at a calibrated operating pressure, PC. When the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the release position, the axial compression pressure is substantially removed from the rotor-stator interface. In contrast, when the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the stop position, the axial compression pressure is substantially reproduced at the calibrated operating pressure, PC.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2013Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: IDEX Health & Science LLCInventors: Christopher R. Tower, Mark J. Green
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Publication number: 20150114501Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2014Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventor: Christopher R. TOWER
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Patent number: 8905075Abstract: 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: July 9, 2010Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: IDEX Health & Science LLCInventor: Christopher R. Tower
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Patent number: 8876081Abstract: A multi-position rotary shear valve assembly having a metallic or ceramic stator device and a metallic or ceramic rotor device. The stator device defines a planar stator face and 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 and stator face. The valve assembly includes a polymer insert device defining an exposed contact face having an inner diameter less than that of the outer circumferential edge and an outer diameter more than the outer circumferential edge. The insert device is formed for press-fit insertion in a groove defined in the rotor face. The outer circumferential edge of the stator face contacts the insert exposed face during rotation between the two or more rotor positions.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2011Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: IDEX Health & Science LLCInventor: Christopher R. Tower
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Publication number: 20140090250Abstract: A multi-position valve assembly including a valve housing, a stator element and a rotor element rotatably mounted about a rotational axis. The valve assembly further includes a pressure adjustment assembly movable between a release position and a stop position, hard stopped relative to the valve housing. The pressure adjustment assembly includes a pressure adjuster device configured to movably cooperate between the rotor element and the valve housing to adjustably generate an axial compression pressure at the rotor-stator interface at a calibrated operating pressure, PC. When the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the release position, the axial compression pressure is substantially removed from the rotor-stator interface. In contrast, when the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the stop position, the axial compression pressure is substantially reproduced at the calibrated operating pressure, PC.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: IDEX Health & Science LLCInventors: Christopher R. TOWER, Mark J. GREEN
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Patent number: 8627851Abstract: A multi-position valve assembly including a valve housing, a stator element and a rotor element rotatably mounted about a rotational axis. The valve assembly further includes a pressure adjustment assembly movable between a release position and a stop position, hard stopped relative to the valve housing. The pressure adjustment assembly includes a pressure adjuster device configured to movably cooperate between the rotor element and the valve housing to adjustably generate an axial compression pressure at the rotor-stator interface at a calibrated operating pressure, PC. When the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the release position, the axial compression pressure is substantially removed from the rotor-stator interface. In contrast, when the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the stop position, the axial compression pressure is substantially reproduced at the calibrated operating pressure, PC.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2010Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Idex Health & Science LLCInventors: Christopher R. Tower, Mark J. Green
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Patent number: 8261773Abstract: A micro-fluidic valve actuator assembly is provided for controlling a multi-position micro-fluidic valve device for switching between a plurality of discrete fluid distribution positions. The actuator assembly includes a housing having an exterior wall and an interior wall defining an interior through-chamber. A drive assembly is rotatably positioned within the chamber, having a drive axis of rotation positioned substantially co-axial with the chamber axis. A removable, stand alone, self contained encoder assembly is positioned within the actuator housing. The encoder assembly includes an encoder shaft rotatably mounted to a support structure for rotation about an encoder shaft axis. The encoder assembly further includes an encoder wheel mounted to the encoder shaft for rotation about the encoder shaft axis, and an encoder module mounted to the support structure.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2009Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: IDEX Health & Science LLCInventor: Christopher R. Tower
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Publication number: 20120119127Abstract: A multi-position rotary shear valve assembly having a metallic or ceramic stator device and a metallic or ceramic rotor device. The stator device defines a planar stator face and 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 and stator face. The valve assembly includes a polymer insert device defining an exposed contact face having an inner diameter less than that of the outer circumferential edge and an outer diameter more than the outer circumferential edge. The insert device is formed for press-fit insertion in a groove defined in the rotor face. The outer circumferential edge of the stator face contacts the insert exposed face during rotation between the two or more rotor positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: IDEX HEALTH & SCIENCE LLCInventor: Christopher R. Tower
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Publication number: 20110303304Abstract: A multi-position valve assembly including a valve housing, a stator element and a rotor element rotatably mounted about a rotational axis. The valve assembly further includes a pressure adjustment assembly movable between a release position and a stop position, hard stopped relative to the valve housing. The pressure adjustment assembly includes a pressure adjuster device configured to movably cooperate between the rotor element and the valve housing to adjustably generate an axial compression pressure at the rotor-stator interface at a calibrated operating pressure, PC. When the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the release position, the axial compression pressure is substantially removed from the rotor-stator interface. In contrast, when the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the stop position, the axial compression pressure is substantially reproduced at the calibrated operating pressure, PC.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2010Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: IDEX HEALTH & SCIENCE LLCInventors: Christopher R. Tower, Mark J. Green
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Publication number: 20110024657Abstract: A micro-fluidic valve actuator assembly is provided for controlling a multi-position micro-fluidic valve device for switching between a plurality of discrete fluid distribution positions. The actuator assembly includes a housing having an exterior wall and an interior wall defining an interior through-chamber. A drive assembly is rotatably positioned within the chamber, having a drive axis of rotation positioned substantially co-axial with the chamber axis. A removable, stand alone, self contained encoder assembly is positioned within the actuator housing. The encoder assembly includes an encoder shaft rotatably mounted to a support structure for rotation about an encoder shaft axis. The encoder assembly further includes an encoder wheel mounted to the encoder shaft for rotation about the encoder shaft axis, and an encoder module mounted to the support structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2009Publication date: February 3, 2011Applicant: IDEX Health & Science LLCInventor: Christopher R. Tower
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Publication number: 20110006237Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2010Publication date: January 13, 2011Applicant: IDEX HEALTH & SCIENCE LLCInventor: Christopher R. Tower
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Patent number: 6837407Abstract: A storage container intended for placement into standard water bottle holders often found on bicycles. The container has a door, which can be rotated open on a hinge. This can be done without removing the container from the water bottle holder. The container has a retention feature for keeping the door closed. The container provides the user with a storage space for such articles including, but not limited to sunglasses, personal identification, emergency information, money, credit cards, patch kits, tools, writing tools, computers, cell phones, food and first aid kits. The container's shape properly orients the container in the water bottle holder and prevents the container from rotating axially in the water bottle holder or from falling out under vibration. The container may be locked closed and may also be locked to the bottle holder. The container's shape is such that it can stand vertically or horizontally, opened or closed on a flat surface, such as the ground or a tabletop.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2002Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Inventors: Christopher R Towers, William P. Stiles