Patents by Inventor Nigel Burford
Nigel Burford 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).
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Publication number: 20230381694Abstract: A rotary vessel for a filter assembly is rotatably mountable in a housing of the filter assembly and has a body having an open end, a cover receivable on the body to close the open end, and a releasable locking device that is manually operable to selectively lock and unlock the cover relative to the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Anthony W. Fell, Robin Nash, Tiago Marques, Angus Rouse, Andy Collins, Matthew Slade, Thomas Rowlands, Nigel Burford
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Patent number: 11752457Abstract: A rotary vessel for a filter assembly is rotatably mountable in a housing of the filter assembly and has a body having an open end, a cover receivable on the body to close the open end, and a releasable locking device that is manually operable to selectively lock and unlock the cover relative to the body.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2022Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbHInventors: Anthony W. Fell, Robin Nash, Tiago Marques, Angus Rouse, Andy Collins, Matthew Slade, Thomas Rowlands, Nigel Burford
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Patent number: 11471800Abstract: A rotary vessel for a filter assembly is rotatably mountable in a housing of the filter assembly and has a body having an open end, a cover receivable on the body to close the open end, and a releasable locking device that is manually operable to selectively lock and unlock the cover relative to the body.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2018Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbHInventors: Anthony W. Fell, Robin Nash, Tiago Marques, Angus Rouse, Andy Collins, Matthew Slade, Thomas Rowlands, Nigel Burford
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Publication number: 20220219103Abstract: A rotary vessel for a filter assembly is rotatably mountable in a housing of the filter assembly and has a body having an open end, a cover receivable on the body to close the open end, and a releasable locking device that is manually operable to selectively lock and unlock the cover relative to the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2022Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventors: Anthony W. Fell, Robin Nash, Tiago Marques, Angus Rouse, Andy Collins, Matthew Slade, Thomas Rowlands, Nigel Burford
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Patent number: 10883397Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes a housing and a rotary vessel having an axis and being attached to the housing for rotation relative to the housing about the axis. Either: a) the rotary vessel has one or more magnetisable regions and the housing has one or more electromagnetic windings; or b) the rotary vessel has one or more electromagnetic windings and the housing has one or more magnetisable regions. The electromagnetic windings are selectively energisable to create a magnetic field to cause rotation of the rotary vessel.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbHInventor: Nigel Burford
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Patent number: 10357788Abstract: A rotor is mounted in a stationary casing of a centrifugal separator. An electrical rotation sensor with a first electric coil mounted on the rotor and a second electric coil, connectable to a power source and mounted on the casing, is provided. A processor associated with the second coil detects voltage oscillation induced in the second coil when the rotor rotates to calculate and display rotor speed. The first coil is connected in a circuit including electrodes exposed to the interior of the rotor at a predetermined position. The voltage across the second coil changes when the electrodes are contacted by accumulated material in the interior of the rotor. This change is detected to provide an indication that cleaning of the rotor is required. A permanent magnet is mounted on the rotor and causes automatic charging of the battery via the stator coil when the rotor rotates.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2017Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbHInventor: Nigel Burford
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Patent number: 10350614Abstract: A centrifugal separator is provided with a base and a substantially vertical spindle upstanding from the base. A rotary vessel is mounted on the spindle. A housing is connected to the base and encloses the rotary vessel. A liquid supply duct supplies a liquid to be filtered to the rotary vessel. The rotary vessel has an open top and an upper edge at the open top. The rotary vessel is provided with a filter material and has a weir arranged at the upper edge, wherein the filter material extends upwardly to the weir. The housing has a passageway adjacent to the weir and the passage way communicates with the weir to enable discharge of waste material that is contained in the liquid to be filtered and does not pass through the filter material during supply of liquid to be filtered to the rotary vessel and rotation of the rotary vessel.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2016Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbHInventors: Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Angus Rouse
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Publication number: 20190176067Abstract: A rotary vessel for a filter assembly is rotatably mountable in a housing of the filter assembly and has a body having an open end, a cover receivable on the body to close the open end, and a releasable locking device that is manually operable to selectively lock and unlock the cover relative to the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2018Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Anthony W. Fell, Robin Nash, Tiago Marques, Angus Rouse, Andy Collins, Matthew Slade, Thomas Rowlands, Nigel Burford
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Publication number: 20180195615Abstract: A centrifugal separator is provided with a stationary casing defining an enclosure. A rotor is rotatably mounted in the enclosure and has a drum body, a base separably connected to the drum body, and a cover separably connected to the drum body opposite the base. A first annular sealing element is disposed between the drum body and the base. A second annular sealing element is disposed between the drum body and the cover. A removable liner is disposed inside the drum body. The removable liner and at least one of the first and second annular sealing elements are formed together as a one-piece element comprised of a resilient material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2018Publication date: July 12, 2018Inventors: Nigel Burford, Jian Zou
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Publication number: 20180066550Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes a housing and a rotary vessel having an axis and being attached to the housing for rotation relative to the housing about the axis. Either: a) the rotary vessel has one or more magnetisable regions and the housing has one or more electromagnetic windings; or b) the rotary vessel has one or more electromagnetic windings and the housing has one or more magnetisable regions. The electromagnetic windings are selectively energisable to create a magnetic field to cause rotation of the rotary vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventor: Nigel Burford
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Publication number: 20180029047Abstract: A rotor is mounted in a stationary casing of a centrifugal separator. An electrical rotation sensor with a first electric coil mounted on the rotor and a second electric coil, connectable to a power source and mounted on the casing, is provided. A processor associated with the second coil detects voltage oscillation induced in the second coil when the rotor rotates to calculate and display rotor speed. The first coil is connected in a circuit including electrodes exposed to the interior of the rotor at a predetermined position. The voltage across the second coil changes when the electrodes are contacted by accumulated material in the interior of the rotor. This change is detected to provide an indication that cleaning of the rotor is required. A permanent magnet is mounted on the rotor and causes automatic charging of the battery via the stator coil when the rotor rotates.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventor: Nigel Burford
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Publication number: 20170008011Abstract: A centrifugal separator is provided with a base and a substantially vertical spindle upstanding from the base. A rotary vessel is mounted on the spindle. A housing is connected to the base and encloses the rotary vessel. A liquid supply duct supplies a liquid to be filtered to the rotary vessel. The rotary vessel has an open top and an upper edge at the open top. The rotary vessel is provided with a filter material and has a weir arranged at the upper edge, wherein the filter material extends upwardly to the weir. The housing has a passageway adjacent to the weir and the passage way communicates with the weir to enable discharge of waste material that is contained in the liquid to be filtered and does not pass through the filter material during supply of liquid to be filtered to the rotary vessel and rotation of the rotary vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2016Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Angus Rouse
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Patent number: 9028389Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 9, 2011Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Mann+Hummel GmbHInventors: Klemens Dworatzek, John Lawrence Mills, Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Nicholas Foulkes
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Patent number: 8540613Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: Mann +Hummel GmbHInventors: Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Klemens Dworatzek, Nicholas Foulkes, John Lawrence Mills
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Patent number: 8376924Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 29, 2011Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Mann + Hummel GmbHInventors: Nigel Burford, Klemens Dworatzek, Anthony W. Fell, John Lawrence Mills, Nicholas Foulkes
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Publication number: 20130005559Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBHInventors: Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Klemens Dworatzek, Nicholas Foulkes, John Lawrence Mills
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Patent number: 8323168Abstract: The invention describes a self-powered centrifugal separator comprising a base, a rotor mounted on an operably substantially vertical axis for rotation thereabout by reaction to fluid emission from rotor nozzles therein, a housing mounted on the base and enclosing the rotor, a sump formed in the base below the rotor, a fluid passageway through the base extending from an inlet port to an outlet port and including a diversion port to supply fluid to the interior of the rotor by way of the rotation axis, a drain passage in the base for draining fluid from the sump to the fluid passageway, and a venturi arrangement provided in the fluid passageway in the base to develop suction pressure to draw fluid from the drainage passage into the fluid passageway, whereas a spring loaded valve body is provided in the fluid passageway, said body being configured and arranged to shut off supply of fluid to the interior of the rotor when pressure of fluid entering the inlet port falls below a predetermined minimum pressure valuType: GrantFiled: November 12, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Mann+Hummel GmbHInventors: Sebastian Naegelen, Klemens Dworatzek, Anthony W. Fell, John Lawrence Mills, Nigel Burford
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Publication number: 20110281715Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2011Publication date: November 17, 2011Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBHInventors: Nigel Burford, Klemens Dworatzek, Anthony W. Fell, John Lawrence Mills, Nicholas Foulkes
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Publication number: 20110263406Abstract: The invention describes a self-powered centrifugal separator comprising a base, a rotor mounted on an operably substantially vertical axis for rotation thereabout by reaction to fluid emission from rotor nozzles therein, a housing mounted on the base and enclosing the rotor, a sump formed in the base below the rotor, a fluid passageway through the base extending from an inlet port to an outlet port and including a diversion port to supply fluid to the interior of the rotor by way of the rotation axis, a drain passage in the base for draining fluid from the sump to the fluid passageway, and a venturi arrangement provided in the fluid passageway in the base to develop suction pressure to draw fluid from the drainage passage into the fluid passageway, whereas a spring loaded valve body is provided in the fluid passageway, said body being configured and arranged to shut off supply of fluid to the interior of the rotor when pressure of fluid entering the inlet port falls below a predetermined minimum pressure valuType: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2009Publication date: October 27, 2011Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBHInventors: Sebastian Naegelen, Klemens Dworatzek, Anthony W. Fell, John Lawrence Mills, Nigel Burford
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Publication number: 20110201488Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2011Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBHInventors: Klemens Dworatzek, John Lawrence Mills, Nigel Burford, Anthony W. Fell, Nicholas Foulkes