Patents by Inventor G. Stephen McGonigle

G. Stephen McGonigle 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: 7568498
    Abstract: A check valve is provided that includes a valve body, a stop mechanism, and a flapper. The valve body includes a flowpath extending therethrough and a pair of stop supports extending axially therefrom. The valve body includes an engineered composite. The stop mechanism is integrally formed with the valve body and extends between the pair of stop supports. The stop mechanism includes the engineered composite. The flapper rotationally is coupled to the valve body and configured to be selectively moveable between an open and closed position in response to a pressure differential thereacross. The flapper includes the engineered composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart K. Denike, Joseph J. Jira, G. Stephen McGonigle, Jeremiah J. Warriner
  • Patent number: 7562669
    Abstract: A check valve stop assembly and method of retaining the check valve stop assembly in a check valve flow body without external fixation means, wherein the check valve stop assembly includes a threaded check valve stop insert and a check valve stop housing including a threaded interior sidewall that defines a void space therein. The check valve stop insert is inserted within the void space of the check valve stop housing by mating the threads of the check valve stop insert with those of the check valve stop housing. The check valve stop housing further includes an opening formed in the sidewall through which at least a portion of the check valve stop insert is accessible. The check valve stop insert that is accessible via the opening formed in the sidewall is either coupled to the check valve stop housing or mechanically deformed to prevent removal of the check valve stop insert from within the check valve stop housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: G. Stephen McGonigle, Jeremiah J. Warriner, Joseph J. Jira
  • Patent number: 7527069
    Abstract: A pressure relief check valve system includes a valve body, a flapper, a magnet, an electromagnet, and a pressure sensor circuit. The flapper is rotationally mounted on the valve body and is movable between a closed position and an open position. The magnet is coupled to the flapper, and the electromagnet is coupled to the valve body. The pressure sensor circuit is adapted to sense one or more fluid pressures and is operable, based on the one or more sensed fluid pressures, to selectively supply or interrupt the electrical current to the electromagnet. The electromagnet is coupled to receive the electrical current and, upon receipt of the electrical current, either magnetically attracts or does not magnetically attract the magnet, to thereby hold the flapper in the closed position or allow flapper rotation to the open position, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart K. Denike, G. Stephen McGonigle, Robert D. Sleeper, Craig T. Dorste, Don J. Atkins, Joseph J. Jira
  • Patent number: 7422029
    Abstract: A damping system, for a valve with a flapper movable between an open position and a closed position, comprises a main body and a piston. The main body has at least an inner wall that defines a chamber having fluid therein. The main body is coupled to the flapper, and is configured to move therewith. The piston is disposed at least partially within the chamber. The piston is configured to move within the chamber in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the main body when the flapper approaches the open position or the closed position, to thereby compress the fluid in a section of the chamber and slow movement of the main body. Movement of the flapper is thereby slowed when approaching the open position or the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart K. Denike, Joseph J. Jira, G. Stephen McGonigle, Jeremiah J. Warriner
  • Publication number: 20080128033
    Abstract: A pressure relief check valve includes a valve body, a flapper, a magnet coupled to the flapper, and an adjustment mechanism. The valve body has an upstream side, a downstream side, and a flow channel that extends therebetween. The flapper is rotationally mounted on the valve body, and is movable between a closed position, in which the flapper at least substantially seals the flow channel, and an open position, in which the flapper unseals the flow channel. The adjustment mechanism comprises a magnetically permeable material, and is movably coupled to the valve body at a position in which the adjustment mechanism is magnetically attracted to the magnet with a magnetic closing force at least when the flapper is in the closed position, to thereby at least substantially inhibit flapper movement from the closed position. Movement of the adjustment mechanism varies the magnetic closing force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: G. Stephen McGonigle, Stuart K. Denike, Don J. Atkins, Joseph J. Jira, Robert D. Sleeper
  • Publication number: 20080078458
    Abstract: A damping system, for a valve with a flapper movable between an open position and a closed position, comprises a main body and a piston. The main body has at least an inner wall that defines a chamber having fluid therein. The main body is coupled to the flapper, and is configured to move therewith. The piston is disposed at least partially within the chamber. The piston is configured to move within the chamber in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the main body when the flapper approaches the open position or the closed position, to thereby compress the fluid in a section of the chamber and slow movement of the main body. Movement of the flapper is thereby slowed when approaching the open position or the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Stuart K. Denike, Joseph J. Jira, G. Stephen McGonigle, Jeremiah J. Warriner
  • Publication number: 20080078459
    Abstract: A damping system for a valve with a flapper comprises a main body having at least an inner wall defining a chamber having fluid therein, a paddle disposed within the chamber, and a fluid channel. The paddle is coupled to the flapper and moved thereby between a first and second position when the flapper is in a closed and an open position, respectively, and is configured to force fluid from at least a section of the chamber when approaching the first or second position. The fluid channel is coupled to the chamber section, and is configured to allow fluid egress out of the chamber section at a first egress rate when the paddle moves from the first position to a predetermined intermediate position between the first and second positions, and at a second, lower egress rate when the paddle moves from the predetermined intermediate position to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Jeremiah J. Warriner, Joseph J. Jira, G. Stephen McGonigle, Stuart K. Denike
  • Publication number: 20080072973
    Abstract: A damping system for a valve with a flapper comprises a main body having at least an inner wall defining a pneumatic chamber, a paddle disposed within the pneumatic chamber, and a plurality of orifices extending through the main body. The paddle is coupled to the flapper and moved thereby between a first position and a second position when the flapper is in a closed and an open position, respectively, and is configured to force gas out of the pneumatic chamber when moving to the first position or the second position. The plurality of orifices allow gas egress out of the pneumatic chamber at least at a first egress rate when the paddle moves from the first position to an intermediate position between the first and second positions, and at least at a second, lower egress rate when the paddle moves from the intermediate position to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: G. Stephen McGonigle, Joseph J. Jira, Stuart K. Denike, Jeremiah J. Warriner
  • Publication number: 20080072974
    Abstract: A check valve is provided that includes a valve body, a stop mechanism, and a flapper. The valve body includes a flowpath extending therethrough and a pair of stop supports extending axially therefrom. The valve body includes an engineered composite. The stop mechanism is integrally formed with the valve body and extends between the pair of stop supports. The stop mechanism includes the engineered composite. The flapper rotationally is coupled to the valve body and configured to be selectively moveable between an open and closed position in response to a pressure differential thereacross. The flapper includes the engineered composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Stuart K. Denike, Joseph J. Jira, G. Stephen McGonigle, Jeremiah J. Warriner
  • Publication number: 20080053537
    Abstract: A check valve assembly including a position indicator and method of operation, wherein the position indicator indicates the position of at least one of a plurality of flappers. The valve assembly including at least one bridge conductor and at least one pair of spaced apart mating conductors formed on at least one of a fluid flow opening and/or on a flapper stop. During operation, the bridge conductor bridges the pairs of conductors formed about at least one fluid flow opening thereby generating a signal to alert a controller that the flapper is in a closed position. Alternatively, or in addition to, the bridge conductor bridges the pair of conductors on the flapper stop thereby generating a signal to alert a controller that the flapper is in a full-open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: G. Stephen McGonigle, Joseph J. Jira, Jeremiah J. Warriner, Stuart K. Denike
  • Publication number: 20080047610
    Abstract: A pressure relief check valve system includes a valve body, a flapper, a magnet, an electromagnet, and a pressure sensor circuit. The flapper is rotationally mounted on the valve body and is movable between a closed position and an open position. The magnet is coupled to the flapper, and the electromagnet is coupled to the valve body. The pressure sensor circuit is adapted to sense one or more fluid pressures and is operable, based on the one or more sensed fluid pressures, to selectively supply or interrupt the electrical current to the electromagnet. The electromagnet is coupled to receive the electrical current and, upon receipt of the electrical current, either magnetically attracts or does not magnetically attract the magnet, to thereby hold the flapper in the closed position or allow flapper rotation to the open position, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Stuart K. Denike, G. Stephen McGonigle, Robert D. Sleeper, Craig T. Dorste, Don J. Atkins, Joseph J. Jira
  • Publication number: 20080023080
    Abstract: A check valve stop assembly and method of retaining the check valve stop assembly in a check valve flow body without external fixation means, wherein the check valve stop assembly includes a threaded check valve stop insert and a check valve stop housing including a threaded interior sidewall that defines a void space therein. The check valve stop insert is inserted within the void space of the check valve stop housing by mating the threads of the check valve stop insert with those of the check valve stop housing. The check valve stop housing further includes an opening formed in the sidewall through which at least a portion of the check valve stop insert is accessible. The check valve stop insert that is accessible via the opening formed in the sidewall is either coupled to the check valve stop housing or mechanically deformed to prevent removal of the check valve stop insert from within the check valve stop housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: G. Stephen McGonigle, Jeremiah J. Warriner, Joseph J. Jira