Patents by Inventor Jeffrey R. Hoffmann

Jeffrey R. Hoffmann 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: 8182409
    Abstract: Embodiments of a centrifuge comprise a housing, a rotatable shaft extending upwardly into the housing and comprising a rare earth metal magnet disposed adjacent an upper surface of the rotatable shaft and a centrifuge basket configured to rotate with the rotatable shaft and magnetically coupled to the rare earth metal magnet of the rotatable shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: The Western States Machine Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 8038870
    Abstract: A centrifuge includes a rotational mechanism, a housing, a rotating feed pipe and a basket. The housing includes at least one side and defines an interior volume. The basket is positioned in the interior volume of the housing and is operatively coupled to the rotational mechanism such that rotation of the rotational mechanism is imparted to the basket. The rotating feed pipe extends into the basket through a pipe support positioned over the basket. The rotating feed pipe includes a nozzle operable to direct a flow of liquids, solids or combinations thereof onto a sidewall of the basket. The rotating feed pipe is operable to rotate from a first position towards a second position thereby increasing the distance between the nozzle and the sidewall and varying an angular orientation of the nozzle with respect to a normal to the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: The Western States Machine Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20100059458
    Abstract: A centrifuge includes a rotational mechanism, a housing, a rotating feed pipe and a basket. The housing includes at least one side and defines an interior volume. The basket is positioned in the interior volume of the housing and is operatively coupled to the rotational mechanism such that rotation of the rotational mechanism is imparted to the basket. The rotating feed pipe extends into the basket through a pipe support positioned over the basket. The rotating feed pipe includes a nozzle operable to direct a flow of liquids, solids or combinations thereof onto a sidewall of the basket. The rotating feed pipe is operable to rotate from a first position towards a second position thereby increasing the distance between the nozzle and the sidewall and varying an angular orientation of the nozzle with respect to a normal to the sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20100062922
    Abstract: Embodiments of a centrifuge comprise a housing, a rotatable shaft extending upwardly into the housing and comprising a rare earth metal magnet disposed adjacent an upper surface of the rotatable shaft and a centrifuge basket configured to rotate with the rotatable shaft and magnetically coupled to the rare earth metal magnet of the rotatable shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 7588631
    Abstract: Vacuum deaerators and methods of using for deaeration comprise a vessel having side walls and a cover. The vacuum deaerator further comprises at least one vacuum source coupled to the vessel, and an open-ended distributor plate comprising outer edges spaced from the walls of the vessel. Additionally, the vacuum deaerator comprises a drive shaft configured to rotate the distributor plate, and at least one feed port configured to provide a liquid comprising entrained gases to a surface of the distributor plate. The distributor plate is configured to deaerate the liquid by substantially removing entrained gases from the liquid through the application of centrifugal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: The Western States Machine Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 6076702
    Abstract: A bulk bag discharger is disclosed having an inner product tube for receiving the discharge spout on the bottom of the bulk bag, the tube being housed within an outer chamber that traps and retains foreign material and contaminants that could otherwise fall into the clean product zone. The result is discharge of product from within the bulk bag with minimal contamination from the outer bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Spiroflow-Orthos Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Hoffmann, David F. Hesketh, Andrew M. Davis
  • Patent number: 5947333
    Abstract: A bulk bag discharger is disclosed having an inner product tube for receiving the discharge spout on the bottom of the bulk bag, the tube being housed within an outer chamber that traps and retains foreign material and contaminants that could otherwise fall into the clean product zone. The result is discharge of product from within the bulk bag with minimal contamination from the outer bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Hoffman
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Hoffmann, David F. Hesketh, Andrew M. Davis