Patents by Inventor Nicholas Foulkes

Nicholas Foulkes 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: 9474993
    Abstract: A filtration apparatus has a housing that has a main housing body and a base closure member. The base closure member is releasably attached to the main housing body, wherein the housing defines an enclosed space. A filter element is disposed in the enclosed space. The housing has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The base closure member has a peripheral channel extending about an entire periphery of the base closure member, wherein the peripheral channel is in communication with the fluid inlet or the fluid outlet of the housing. The base closure member has a fluid inlet passage and/or a fluid outlet passage communicating with the peripheral channel and communicating with the filter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
    Inventors: Anthony Fell, Nicholas Foulkes, Alfred Madden, Glen McGrail, Robin Nash, Angus Rouse
  • Patent number: 9028389
    Abstract: A separation cone (30) is mounted into the interior chamber of a centrifugal separator rotor (10), which comprises a cover (14) releasably connected to a base (16), in order to provide a frusto-conical wall subdividing the chamber into upper and lower regions. This slows the passage of fluid from the upper to the lower region, which takes place via openings (24) and/or via a gap between the inner rim (32) of the cone (30) and the axial inlet tube (12). The separation cone (30) is connected to the cover (14) by a releasable snap fit arrangement, such as by deflectable tabs (38) around the periphery of the separation cone (30) engaging into a groove (15) around the interior surface adjacent a lower edge of the cover (14). This allows there to be a predetermined sequence of servicing operations and ensures that the separation cone (30) will reliably stay with the cover (14) when the cover is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Mann+Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Klemens Dworatzek, John Lawrence Mills, Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Nicholas Foulkes
  • Publication number: 20150053603
    Abstract: A filtration apparatus has a housing that has a main housing body and a base closure member. The base closure member is releasably attached to the main housing body, wherein the housing defines an enclosed space. A filter element is disposed in the enclosed space. The housing has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The base closure member has a peripheral channel extending about an entire periphery of the base closure member, wherein the peripheral channel is in communication with the fluid inlet or the fluid outlet of the housing. The base closure member has a fluid inlet passage and/or a fluid outlet passage communicating with the peripheral channel and communicating with the filter element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Anthony Fell, Nicholas Foulkes, Alfred Madden, Glen McGrail, Robin Nash, Angus Rouse
  • Patent number: 8540613
    Abstract: To enable centrifugal filtration of fluids which contain abrasive contaminant particles the rotor bearings (3) must be isolated from the fluid which passes into and through the rotor chamber (21). This is achieved by a design in which the spindle (4) is connected to the rotor so as to rotate in unison with the rotor (5, 6, 7) relative to the base (1). The bearings (3) for the spindle (4) are provided in a bearing housing (2) which is fixedly mounted to the base (1) and a sealing arrangement, preferably a spring-loaded axial seal (14, 15), is provided between the spindle (4) and the base (1) at a location below the bearings (3) in the bearing housing (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Mann +Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Klemens Dworatzek, Nicholas Foulkes, John Lawrence Mills
  • Patent number: 8376924
    Abstract: A shuttle valve (30) is provided in the axial bore (19) of a stationary spindle (11) through which fluid is supplied to a rotor (12) of a centrifugal separator to close off the fluid outlets (23, 24) to the rotor (12) automatically upon removal of the cap (27) or cover assembly (20) in the event that fluid supply has not been switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Mann + Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Nigel Burford, Klemens Dworatzek, Anthony W. Fell, John Lawrence Mills, Nicholas Foulkes
  • Publication number: 20130005559
    Abstract: To enable centrifugal filtration of fluids which contain abrasive contaminant particles the rotor bearings (3) must be isolated from the fluid which passes into and through the rotor chamber (21). This is achieved by a design in which the spindle (4) is connected to the rotor so as to rotate in unison with the rotor (5, 6, 7) relative to the base (1). The bearings (3) for the spindle (4) are provided in a bearing housing (2) which is fixedly mounted to the base (1) and a sealing arrangement, preferably a spring-loaded axial seal (14, 15), is provided between the spindle (4) and the base (1) at a location below the bearings (3) in the bearing housing (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
    Inventors: Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Klemens Dworatzek, Nicholas Foulkes, John Lawrence Mills
  • Publication number: 20110281715
    Abstract: A shuttle valve (30) is provided in the axial bore (19) of a stationary spindle (11) through which fluid is supplied to a rotor (12) of a centrifugal separator to close off the fluid outlets (23, 24) to the rotor (12) automatically upon removal of the cap (27) or cover assembly (20) in the event that fluid supply has not been switched off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
    Inventors: Nigel Burford, Klemens Dworatzek, Anthony W. Fell, John Lawrence Mills, Nicholas Foulkes
  • Publication number: 20110201488
    Abstract: A separation cone (30) is mounted into the interior chamber of a centrifugal separator rotor (10), which comprises a cover (14) releasably connected to a base (16), in order to provide a frusto-conical wall subdividing the chamber into upper and lower regions. This slows the passage of fluid from the upper to the lower region, which takes place via openings (24) and/or via a gap between the inner rim (32) of the cone (30) and the axial inlet tube (12). The separation cone (30) is connected to the cover (14) by a releasable snap fit arrangement, such as by deflectable tabs (38) around the periphery of the separation cone (30) engaging into a groove (15) around the interior surface adjacent a lower edge of the cover (14). This allows there to be a predetermined sequence of servicing operations and ensures that the separation cone (30) will reliably stay with the cover (14) when the cover is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
    Inventors: Klemens Dworatzek, John Lawrence Mills, Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Nicholas Foulkes