Patents by Inventor David A. Fischer

David A. Fischer 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: 11560786
    Abstract: A fluid level sensor system is disclosed for sensing a fluid level in a well. The system has a main body and an inlet housing coupled to the main body. The inlet housing has an internal chamber in communication with an ambient environment within the well. A bellows within the main body communicates with the internal chamber of the inlet housing. A movable element is responsive to movement of the bellows. A sensor detects when the movable element moves from a first position, indicating a first fluid level in the well, to a second position indicating a second fluid level within the well. An indicator is operably associated with the movable element and moves into a position to be viewable when the sensing element is moved to the second position, to provide a visual indication that the second fluid level has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Schaupp, David A. Fischer, Leonard Felton Stevens-Moman, William C. Allen, III
  • Patent number: 11448238
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a pneumatic landfill pump cycle counter comprising a spring located within a housing passage and a shuttle comprising a shuttle magnet, the shuttle located within the passage. The shuttle can be configured to move axially by the spring within the passage in an upstream direction to a home position, move axially by one or both of air pressure differential and airflow within the passage in a downstream direction away from the home position to a hold position. The cycle counter can further comprise a counter comprising an element responsive to a magnetic field of the shuttle magnet, the counter configured to increment a numeric count for each complete cycle of the shuttle moving from the home position to the hold position and then back to the home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventors: Steven R. Wells, William C. Allen, III, Matthew T. McKeown, Mark T. Weinberger, John F. Schaupp, David A. Fischer, Leonard Felton Stevens-Moman
  • Publication number: 20210199001
    Abstract: A fluid level sensor system is disclosed for sensing a fluid level in a well. The system has a main body and an inlet housing coupled to the main body. The inlet housing has an internal chamber in communication with an ambient environment within the well. A bellows within the main body communicates with the internal chamber of the inlet housing. A movable element is responsive to movement of the bellows. A sensor detects when the movable element moves from a first position, indicating a first fluid level in the well, to a second position indicating a second fluid level within the well. An indicator is operably associated with the movable element and moves into a position to be viewable when the sensing element is moved to the second position, to provide a visual indication that the second fluid level has been reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. SCHAUPP, David A. FISCHER, Leonard Felton STEVENS-MOMAN, William C. ALLEN, III
  • Publication number: 20200334515
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a cycle counter apparatus for use with an air-driven fluid pump. The apparatus may have a main housing having a bore in communication with a pressurized fluid signal being applied to remove a liquid from a location filling with the liquid. A magnet housing may be included which is moveable linearly within the bore of the main housing in response to the pressurized fluid signal entering the bore. A magnet may be secured to the magnet housing. A switch housing may be included which is operably associated with the main housing and which includes first and second longitudinally spaced apart sensing components. The sensing components are used to detect movement of the magnet in response to the pressurized fluid signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. SCHAUPP, David A. FISCHER, Leonard Felton STEVENS-MOMAN, William C. ALLEN, III
  • Publication number: 20200309114
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a pneumatically driven fluid pump apparatus having an outer pump housing for collecting liquid to be pumped, and a valve assembly in communication with liquid admitted through an inlet end of the outer pump housing and collecting within the outer pump housing. The valve assembly includes a housing assembly and a poppet valve assembly disposed within the housing assembly to act as a one-way check valve when pumping collected liquid out from the outer pump housing. The poppet valve assembly includes a poppet valve component including a relief area that helps to depressurize an interior area of the valve assembly, to facilitate rapid movement of the poppet valve element from an open position toward a closed position, when only a pressurized fluid flow being used to eject the collected liquid is flowing past the poppet valve component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicants: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc., Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. SCHAUPP, David A. FISCHER, Steven Richard WELLS, Donald Lee SCHULTZ, Matthew Thomas MCKEOWN, William C. ALLEN, III
  • Publication number: 20200263706
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a pneumatic landfill pump cycle counter comprising a spring located within a housing passage and a shuttle comprising a shuttle magnet, the shuttle located within the passage. The shuttle can be configured to move axially by the spring within the passage in an upstream direction to a home position, move axially by one or both of air pressure differential and airflow within the passage in a downstream direction away from the home position to a hold position. The cycle counter can further comprise a counter comprising an element responsive to a magnetic field of the shuttle magnet, the counter configured to increment a numeric count for each complete cycle of the shuttle moving from the home position to the hold position and then back to the home position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Steven R. Wells, William C. Allen, III, Matthew T. McKeown, Mark T. Weinberger, John F. Schaupp, David A. Fischer, Leonard Felton Stevens-Moman
  • Patent number: 10307805
    Abstract: A well cap assembly is disclosed which is well suited for use with a wellhead. The well cap assembly has a port component and a cap element. The port component has a bore extending therethrough, an upper neck portion, and an upper threaded portion. The port component further has a lower threaded portion and a barb formed on the upper neck portion. The barb can receive an external flexible tube which is temporarily secured to the port component. The cap element has an internally threaded portion which engages with the upper threaded portion of the upper neck portion and seals the bore of the port component. The cap element also has a tether for securing it to the port component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Niehaus, David A. Fischer
  • Patent number: 10272356
    Abstract: An air stripper apparatus is disclosed which incorporates a plurality of trays that are removably supported within a cabinet. A plurality of downcomers are also fixedly disposed within the cabinet, rather than on the trays. Removing the downcomer from each tray enables a simpler, lighter and easier to clean tray to be constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Fischer, Bryan D. Spicer
  • Patent number: 10144043
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a self-regulating, landfill well control system for automatically controlling a flow of landfill gas (LFG) through a wellhead associated with a landfill well at a landfill. The system has a combination unit operably associated with the wellhead, with a valve actuator, a flow measurement element and a controller. The valve actuator controls a LFG flow control valve, to thus control an LFG flow through the wellhead. The flow measurement element produces differential pressures proportional to a LFG flow rate. The controller controls the valve actuator and, based on data obtained using the flow measurement element, adjusts a setting of the LFG flow control valve to obtain a specific control point setting, and automatically maintains the control point setting thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Fischer, David Mioduszewski
  • Patent number: 10053955
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for controlling an extraction of landfill gas flow (LFG) from a plurality of wellheads at a landfill. The system has a first wellhead located at the landfill, a first processor having a first rule set, and a first LFG flow control valve controllable by the first processor. A second wellhead is located at the landfill in a vicinity of the first wellhead and has a second processor and a second LFG flow control valve. The second processor has a second rule set and is operable to control the second LFG flow control valve. The first and second processors use their said rule sets to control the first and second LFG flow control valves, respectively, to control an LFG flow through their said first and second wellheads, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Fischer, David Mioduszewski
  • Patent number: 10029291
    Abstract: A landfill well control system is disclosed which provides the ability to input a user selected set point to control a flow related variable at a landfill wellhead. A flow control actuator controls movement of a landfill gas (LFG) flow control valve. A sensor may be used for sensing the flow related variable. A controller is operably associated with the flow control actuator and the sensor. A user interface has a set selection for enabling a set point associated with the flow related variable, which is to be controlled by the system, to be input by the user. The controller operates to control the LFG flow control valve as needed to maintain the set point in an autopilot-like fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Fischer, David Mioduszewski
  • Publication number: 20170304743
    Abstract: An air stripper apparatus is disclosed which incorporates a plurality of trays that are removably supported within a cabinet. A plurality of downcomers are also fixedly disposed within the cabinet, rather than on the trays. Removing the downcomer from each tray enables a simpler, lighter and easier to clean tray to be constructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: David A. FISCHER, Bryan D. SPICER
  • Publication number: 20170216894
    Abstract: A well cap assembly is disclosed which is well suited for use with a wellhead. The well cap assembly has a port component and a cap element. The port component has a bore extending therethrough, an upper neck portion, and an upper threaded portion. The port component further has a lower threaded portion and a barb formed on the upper neck portion. The barb can receive an external flexible tube which is temporarily secured to the port component. The cap element has an internally threaded portion which engages with the upper threaded portion of the upper neck portion and seals the bore of the port component. The cap element also has a tether for securing it to the port component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. NIEHAUS, David A. FISCHER
  • Publication number: 20170122065
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for controlling an extraction of landfill gas flow (LFG) from a plurality of wellheads at a landfill. The system has a first wellhead located at the landfill, a first processor having a first rule set, and a first LFG flow control valve controllable by the first processor. A second wellhead is located at the landfill in a vicinity of the first wellhead and has a second processor and a second LFG flow control valve. The second processor has a second rule set and is operable to control the second LFG flow control valve. The first and second processors use their said rule sets to control the first and second LFG flow control valves, respectively, to control an LFG flow through their said first and second wellheads, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. FISCHER, David MIODUSZEWSKI
  • Publication number: 20150275632
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a self-regulating, landfill well control system for automatically controlling a flow of landfill gas (LFG) through a wellhead associated with a landfill well at a landfill. The system has a combination unit operably associated with the wellhead, with a valve actuator, a flow measurement element and a controller. The valve actuator controls a LFG flow control valve, to thus control an LFG flow through the wellhead. The flow measurement element produces differential pressures proportional to a LFG flow rate. The controller controls the valve actuator and, based on data obtained using the flow measurement element, adjusts a setting of the LFG flow control valve to obtain a specific control point setting, and automatically maintains the control point setting thereafter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: David A. FISCHER, David MIODUSZEWSKI
  • Publication number: 20150226045
    Abstract: A landfill well control system is disclosed which provides the ability to input a user selected set point to control a flow related variable at a landfill wellhead. A flow control actuator controls movement of a landfill gas (LFG) flow control valve. A sensor may be used for sensing the flow related variable. A controller is operably associated with the flow control actuator and the sensor. A user interface has a set selection for enabling a set point associated with the flow related variable, which is to be controlled by the system, to be input by the user. The controller operates to control the LFG flow control valve as needed to maintain the set point in an autopilot-like fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: David A. FISCHER, David MIODUSZEWSKI
  • Patent number: 9062536
    Abstract: A landfill well control system includes a mobile hand-held device provided with a software monitoring application including a table having data related to determination of a desired methane gas output flow rate. A landfill gas (LFG) wellhead gas control valve includes: an electronically controlled, powered flow control device actuator; a flow measurement element producing differential pressures proportional to a gas flow rate; a pressure sensor/transducer; and a microprocessor having control logic capability and the ability to communicate via a local wireless signal to the mobile hand-held device. The powered flow control device actuator using data from the table of the mobile hand-held device or remotely stored data provides automatic valve positioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Fischer, David Mioduszewski
  • Publication number: 20140182846
    Abstract: A landfill well control system includes a mobile hand-held device provided with a software monitoring application including a table having data related to determination of a desired methane gas output flow rate. A landfill gas (LFG) wellhead gas control valve includes: an electronically controlled, powered flow control device actuator; a flow measurement element producing differential pressures proportional to a gas flow rate; a pressure sensor/transducer; and a microprocessor having control logic capability and the ability to communicate via a local wireless signal to the mobile hand-held device. The powered flow control device actuator using data from the table of the mobile hand-held device or remotely stored data provides automatic valve positioning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc
    Inventors: David A. Fischer, David Mioduszewski
  • Patent number: 7347255
    Abstract: A device for detecting the presence of water in a product-only hydrocarbon pump system particularly used for the removal of subterraneous hydrocarbons from a remediation site through a well. The device comprises a sealed float switch chamber, positioned either upstream or downstream from the hydrocarbon pump, wherein when a threshold amount of water is present in the hydrocarbon product being pumped through the float chamber, a switch is actuated by the float mechanism, electrically signaling an alarm, shutting off the power supply to the pump, or further activating a system controller or log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: QED Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Fischer, Craig A. Bamm
  • Patent number: 7128780
    Abstract: A process for producing building materials, such as asphalt, cement, concrete, mortar, or plaster board from liquid paint sludge containing water and paint solids produced from overspray in commercial paint booth operations. The preferred embodiment comprises adding the liquid paint sludge as the hydrating agent directly to the building material mix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Robert R. Matheson, Dennis M. Dixon, John R. Moore, David A. Fischer