Patents by Inventor Jeffrey W. Brunson

Jeffrey W. Brunson 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: 6408864
    Abstract: A silo type storage tank includes a clean-in-place system comprising a flush opening having an edge transition located at about four and one half inches below the weld seam joining the tank top to the sidewall and fed by an upwardly angled channel in the tank sidewall arranged at approximately 23 degrees from the interior surface of the tank sidewall. The edge transition comprises a chamfer along most of the circumference with an undercut formed along the upper portion of said edge transition. Alternately, a second spray or “helper” tube may be provided that has its opening aligned to spray cleaning fluid immediately beneath the flush opening so that cleaning fluid flowing through the tank sidewall opening and the helper tube washes the entire interior surfaces of the tank. In still another embodiment, a spike may be provided in the spray path instead of a helper tube to divert the spray so that a complete clean-in-place function is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Paul Mueller Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Brunson, Kevin W. Bartholomaus
  • Patent number: 6345631
    Abstract: A silo type storage tank includes a clean-in-place system comprising a flush opening located at about four and one half inches below the weld seam joining the tank top to the sidewall and fed by an upwardly angled channel in the tank sidewall arranged at approximately 17 degrees from the interior surface of the tank sidewall, and a generally vertically extending overflow tube that has its opening aligned with the lower lip of the tank sidewall opening so that cleaning fluid flowing through the tank sidewall opening and the overflow tube washes the entire interior surfaces of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Inventor: Jeffrey W. Brunson
  • Patent number: 6193409
    Abstract: An agitator assembly includes a dynamic or rotary seal which has a pusher for mechanically separating the seal members as the agitator is moved into a clean-in-place orientation. There are three embodiments of the invention, with all embodiments including a pusher mounted on the drive shaft so that as the seal is moved with respect to the drive shaft by either moving the drive shaft or the seal, the pusher engages one of the seal members to mechanically separate it from the other seal member. The pusher preferably comprises a shaft mounted “O” ring in two of the embodiments, and a ring shaped and tapered structure in the other embodiment. The embodiments provide for a seal that has springs located within the tank, a seal with an elastomer to provide the spring sealing force, and a seal with springs located outside the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Paul Mueller Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Brunson, Ira O. Fees, Mikell K. Mills, Gregory M. Posten