Patents by Inventor Richard Asplund

Richard Asplund 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: 11698073
    Abstract: Disclosed are pumps designed to make priming more efficient and therefore reduce priming time. The disclosed pumps include one or more deflection structures that prevent fluid moving through a diffuser of the pump from continuing in a circular path and instead divert the fluid in a different direction that leads directly to an outlet of the pump. This deflection reduces air bubble accumulation inside the pump while priming and makes it easier for air to escape through the pump outlet. Making it easier for air to escape the pump outlet ultimately allows air to escape the pump faster during priming, reducing back pressure caused by trapped air pockets inside the pump and improving priming performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: James Hohn, Richard Asplund
  • Publication number: 20220064027
    Abstract: Assemblies designed to facilitate detection of water flow in low water flow situations. In some embodiments, the assembly includes a channel that narrows from an inlet end of the assembly to an outlet end of the assembly to increase the velocity of water flowing through the channel. In some embodiments, the assembly may also include a water delivery mechanism that delivers water flowing through the channel to a flow sensor and enables the detection of water flow, even in low flow situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Hwa Leung Heng, Richard Asplund
  • Publication number: 20220056907
    Abstract: Disclosed are improved locking mechanisms for vessels, including both pressure and vacuum/suction vessels, used in swimming pool and spa equipment. These improved locking mechanisms provide a more robust, reliable seal between the lid and the body of the vessel, and include features that make moving the vessel between its sealed and unsealed positions easier. More specifically, the locking mechanisms include features that allow the lid to move into its sealed position when the locking ring is rotated relative to the vessel in a first direction, and that allow the lid to release from its sealed position and lift off the body when the locking ring is rotated relative to the vessel in a second direction opposite the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: James Hohn, Richard Asplund, Jesse Bolane, Mark Bauckman
  • Patent number: 11192807
    Abstract: Assemblies designed to facilitate detection of water flow in low water flow situations. In some embodiments, the assembly includes a channel that narrows from an inlet end of the assembly to an outlet end of the assembly to increase the velocity of water flowing through the channel. In some embodiments, the assembly may also include a water delivery mechanism that delivers water flowing through the channel to a flow sensor and enables the detection of water flow, even in low flow situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Hwa Leung Heng, Richard Asplund
  • Publication number: 20210310490
    Abstract: Disclosed are pumps designed to make priming more efficient and therefore reduce priming time. The disclosed pumps include one or more deflection structures that prevent fluid moving through a diffuser of the pump from continuing in a circular path and instead divert the fluid in a different direction that leads directly to an outlet of the pump. This deflection reduces air bubble accumulation inside the pump while priming and makes it easier for air to escape through the pump outlet. Making it easier for air to escape the pump outlet ultimately allows air to escape the pump faster during priming, reducing back pressure caused by trapped air pockets inside the pump and improving priming performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: James Hohn, Richard Asplund
  • Publication number: 20200247692
    Abstract: Assemblies designed to facilitate detection of water flow in low water flow situations. In some embodiments, the assembly includes a channel that narrows from an inlet end of the assembly to an outlet end of the assembly to increase the velocity of water flowing through the channel. In some embodiments, the assembly may also include a water delivery mechanism that delivers water flowing through the channel to a flow sensor and enables the detection of water flow, even in low flow situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Hwa Leung Heng, Richard Asplund
  • Patent number: 10669171
    Abstract: Assemblies designed to facilitate detection of water flow in low water flow situations. In some embodiments, the assembly includes a channel that narrows from an inlet end of the assembly to an outlet end of the assembly to increase the velocity of water flowing through the channel. In some embodiments, the assembly may also include a water delivery mechanism that delivers water flowing through the channel to a flow sensor and enables the detection of water flow, even in low flow situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Hwa Leung Heng, Richard Asplund
  • Publication number: 20180127289
    Abstract: Assemblies designed to facilitate detection of water flow in low water flow situations. In some embodiments, the assembly includes a channel that narrows from an inlet end of the assembly to an outlet end of the assembly to increase the velocity of water flowing through the channel. In some embodiments, the assembly may also include a water delivery mechanism that delivers water flowing through the channel to a flow sensor and enables the detection of water flow, even in low flow situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Hwa Leung Heng, Richard Asplund
  • Patent number: 9878926
    Abstract: Assemblies designed to facilitate detection of water flow in low water flow situations. In some embodiments, the assembly includes a channel that narrows from an inlet end of the assembly to an outlet end of the assembly to increase the velocity of water flowing through the channel. In some embodiments, the assembly may also include a water delivery mechanism that delivers water flowing through the channel to a flow sensor and enables the detection of water flow, even in low flow situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Hwa Leung Heng, Richard Asplund
  • Publication number: 20150203376
    Abstract: Assemblies designed to facilitate detection of water flow in low water flow situations. In some embodiments, the assembly includes a channel that narrows from an inlet end of the assembly to an outlet end of the assembly to increase the velocity of water flowing through the channel. In some embodiments, the assembly may also include a water delivery mechanism that delivers water flowing through the channel to a flow sensor and enables the detection of water flow, even in low flow situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Hwa Leung Heng, Richard Asplund
  • Patent number: 8246055
    Abstract: A seal member for creating an adequate sealing engagement between two bodies. The seal member may have a closed loop shape, a plurality of engagement surfaces and a plurality of lobes formed on the engagement surfaces. The lobes may contact a sealing surface on a body to aid in creating an adequate seal between two bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Asplund, David Varnon, Richard Spratling, Chad Hamilton
  • Patent number: 8152128
    Abstract: A pump mount base for a filter/pump assembly in a pool or spa fluid handling system allows a user to adjust the height of the filter/pump assembly and thus its fluid inlets and fluid outlets. This adjustability allows the user to choose from a variety of replacement assemblies rather than being forced to select the same filter/pump assembly previously or originally used in the system. The height of the filter/pump assembly may be further altered by the engagement of shims, which may be positioned by pins in the bottom surface of the shim that engage corresponding apertures formed in an upper support surface of the pump mount base. The shims may be formed integrally with the pump mount base in the molding process by which the base is formed, and/or the shims may be provided separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Asplund, David Varnon
  • Publication number: 20100019121
    Abstract: A pump mount base for a filter/pump assembly in a pool or spa fluid handling system allows a user to adjust the height of the filter/pump assembly and thus its fluid inlets and fluid outlets. This adjustability allows the user to choose from a variety of replacement assemblies rather than being forced to select the same filter/pump assembly previously or originally used in the system. The height of the filter/pump assembly may be further altered by the engagement of shims, which may be positioned by pins in the bottom surface of the shim that engage corresponding apertures formed in an upper support surface of the pump mount base. The shims may be formed integrally with the pump mount base in the molding process by which the base is formed, and/or the shims may be provided separately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Zodiac Pool Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Asplund, David Varnon
  • Publication number: 20090218772
    Abstract: A seal member for creating an adequate sealing engagement between two bodies. The seal member may have a closed loop shape, a plurality of engagement surfaces and a plurality of lobes formed on the engagement surfaces. The lobes may contact a sealing surface on a body to aid in creating an adequate seal between two bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: Zodiac Pool Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Asplund, David Varnon, Richard Spratling, Chad Hamilton