Patents by Inventor Cliff P. Ungerecht

Cliff P. Ungerecht 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).

  • Patent number: 8678029
    Abstract: A pressure regulator includes a housing assembly defining a main fluid flow path from an inlet end to an outlet end. A tubular plunger body is supported within the housing assembly for linear movement toward and away from a valve seat in response to fluid pressure at said outlet end. An actuator sleeve is supported within the housing assembly and engaged with the tubular plunger body, and a pressure chamber defined in part by a shut-off diaphragm extends between the housing assembly and the actuator sleeve. A fluid port is arranged to supply pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber to thereby produce linear movement of the actuator sleeve and the tubular plunger body independent of the pressure at said outlet end, moving the tubular plunger body into engagement with the valve seat to shut off the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventors: Cliff P. Ungerecht, Lee A. Perkins
  • Patent number: 8567433
    Abstract: A pressure regulator includes a housing assembly defining a fluid flow path from an inlet end to an outlet end; a plunger having a tubular plunger body supported within the housing assembly for linear movement toward and away from a valve seat in response to fluid pressure at the outlet end. A sleeve is supported within the housing assembly and is engageable with the tubular plunger body, and an actuator collar is supported externally of the housing assembly and operatively attached to the sleeve such that rotation of the actuator collar in one direction from an open position to a closed position produces linear movement of the tubular plunger body, independent of the pressure at the outlet end, into engagement with the valve seat to thereby shut off the flow path within the regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventors: Cliff P. Ungerecht, Craig B. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20120285557
    Abstract: A pressure regulator includes a housing assembly defining a main fluid flow path from an inlet end to an outlet end. A tubular plunger body is supported within the housing assembly for linear movement toward and away from a valve seat in response to fluid pressure at said outlet end. An actuator sleeve is supported within the housing assembly and engaged with the tubular plunger body, and a pressure chamber defined in part by a shut-off diaphragm extends between the housing assembly and the actuator sleeve. A fluid port is arranged to supply pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber to thereby produce linear movement of the actuator sleeve and the tubular plunger body independent of the pressure at said outlet end, moving the tubular plunger body into engagement with the valve seat to shut off the flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cliff P. UNGERECHT, Lee A. PERKINS
  • Publication number: 20120227838
    Abstract: A pressure regulator includes a housing assembly defining a fluid flow path from an inlet end to an outlet end; a plunger having a tubular plunger body supported within the housing assembly for linear movement toward and away from a valve seat in response to fluid pressure at the outlet end. A sleeve is supported within the housing assembly and is engageable with the tubular plunger body, and an actuator collar is supported externally of the housing assembly and operatively attached to the sleeve such that rotation of the actuator collar in one direction from an open position to a closed position produces linear movement of the tubular plunger body, independent of the pressure at the outlet end, into engagement with the valve seat to thereby shut off the flow path within the regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cliff P. UNGERECHT, Craig B. NELSON
  • Publication number: 20110226347
    Abstract: A pressure regulator housing assembly includes a lower housing and an upper housing; a plunger and diaphragm assembly supported within the lower and upper housings, the plunger movable toward and away from a valve seat. The diaphragm has a radially inner edge fixed to one end of the plunger and a radially outer edge clamped between an annular surface within said upper housing and a surface of a clamp ring locked against rotation relative to said upper housing thereby isolating said diaphragm from any contact with the lower housing. Upon assembly of the upper and lower housings requiring relative rotation therebetween, an upper edge of the lower housing is engaged by a lower surface of the clamp ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATION
    Inventor: Cliff P. UNGERECHT
  • Patent number: 7370667
    Abstract: A fluid pressure regulator includes a regulator housing having an inlet end and an outlet end; a flexible flow tube extending between the inlet end and the outlet end; a hollow piston located at a downstream location relative to a mid-portion of the flow tube in a direction of flow of fluid through the regulator housing; a first chamber above the piston and a second chamber below the piston; a passage establishing fluid communication between the outlet end and the first chamber; and at least one pinch arm pivotally mounted at one end within the regulator housing and movable in response to movement of the piston by an increase in fluid pressure in the first chamber so that an opposite end of the at least one pinch arm will pinch a portion of the flow tube and thereby restrict flow through the flow tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventors: George L. Sesser, Craig Nelson, Cliff P. Ungerecht, Michael Youngberg
  • Publication number: 20070284004
    Abstract: A pressure regulator assembly comprising: a regulator body having a housing, an inlet portion at one end of the housing and a cap at an opposite end of the housing, the inlet portion and the cap in substantially coaxial alignment along a regulator body axis; a pressure regulator module received in the housing, interposed between the inlet portion and the cap, with a pressure regulator module center axis inclined at an angle to the regulator body axis; the pressure regulator module incorporating a plunger movable toward and away from a valve seat in axial alignment with the plunger; a flow path passing through the plunger and in communication with the inlet portion and the cap; and wherein the cap is removable from the regulator body housing to provide access to the pressure regulator module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventor: Cliff P. Ungerecht
  • Patent number: 7168444
    Abstract: A fluid pressure regulator includes a regulator housing having an inlet end and an outlet end; a flexible flow tube extending between the inlet end and the outlet end; a hollow piston located at a downstream location relative to a mid-portion of the flow tube in a direction of flow of fluid through the regulator housing; a first chamber above the piston and a second chamber below the piston; a passage establishing fluid communication between the outlet end and the first chamber; and at least one pinch arm pivotally mounted at one end within the regulator housing and movable in response to movement of the piston by an increase in fluid pressure in the first chamber so that an opposite end of the at least one pinch arm will pinch a portion of the flow tube and thereby restrict flow through the flow tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventors: George L. Sesser, Craig Nelson, Cliff P. Ungerecht, Michael Youngberg
  • Patent number: 6997406
    Abstract: A weight component for an irrigation drop tube includes an elongated, hollow core sleeve, the core sleeve having a radially outwardly directed shoulder at one end connected to a radially outer skirt. A weight sleeve is supported at one end by the shoulder, inside the outer skirt, such that a chamber is created between the core sleeve and the weight sleeve. This chamber is at least partially filled with ballast material, and a cap closes the chamber at an opposite end of the weight sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventors: Craig Nelson, Cliff P. Ungerecht
  • Patent number: 6554233
    Abstract: A drop weight and connector assembly for use with an irrigation component mounted at a lower end of a flexible hose includes a tubular connector component having a first end adapted for insertion into the lower end of the flexible hose and a second end that is threaded and adapted for receiving a corresponding threaded end of the irrigation component. A drop weight component includes a relatively heavy tubular sleeve having one end that cooperates with the barbed end of the connector component to thereby clamp the lower end of the hose between the connector and drop weight components, the sleeve being sufficiently heavy to provide stability to the flexible hose and irrigation component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventor: Cliff P. Ungerecht
  • Patent number: 5875815
    Abstract: A combination pressure regulator/drain check valve comprising a housing having an inlet, an outlet and a flowpath therebetween, the flowpath at least partially defined by a reciprocable plunger. One end of the plunger closest the inlet approaches a pressure regulator seat while the opposite end closest the outlet is engageable with a drain check valve seat. The plunger is normally biased toward the drain check seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventors: Cliff P. Ungerecht, George Sesser