Patents by Inventor Richard R. Sobota

Richard R. Sobota 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: 6854342
    Abstract: A lower cost turbine flow meter comprised of an inner housing constructed out of a high permeable material surrounded by an outer housing constructed out of a lower cost, lower permeable material. A port is placed in the outer housing that runs down to the surface of the inner housing to detect the rotation of turbine rotors that rotate inside the meter as fluid or gas flows through the meter. A pickoff coil is placed in the port to generate a magnetic signal to penetrate through the inner housing wherein the turbine rotor vanes superimpose a pulse signal on the magnetic signal. The lower cost turbine flow meter can be used for any application for measuring fluid or gas, and may be used in a service station environment for measuring fuel or vapor in vapor recovery applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Gilbarco, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward A. Payne, Richard R. Sobota, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Brent K. Price
  • Publication number: 20040035220
    Abstract: A lower cost turbine flow meter comprised of an inner housing constructed out of a high permeable material surrounded by an outer housing constructed out of a lower cost, lower permeable material. A port is placed in the outer housing that runs down to the surface of the inner housing to detect the rotation of turbine rotors that rotate inside the meter as fluid or gas flows through the meter. A pickoff coil is placed in the port to generate a magnetic signal to penetrate through the inner housing wherein the turbine rotor vanes superimpose a pulse signal on the magnetic signal. The lower cost turbine flow meter can be used for any application for measuring fluid or gas, and may be used in a service station environment for measuring fuel or vapor in vapor recovery applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Edward A. Payne, Richard R. Sobota, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Brent K. Price
  • Patent number: 6644360
    Abstract: A fueling environment having a vent on an underground fuel storage tank may be improved by adding a mass flow meter in conjunction with a vapor recovery membrane in a tank vent. The mass flow meter measures an amount of vapor that passes through the vent and thus allows alarms to be generated if the vapors passing through the vent exceed a predetermined level or an efficiency of the membrane drops below a predetermined threshold. Measurements from the mass flow meter may be provided to a site controller or a remote location for further analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Gilbarco Inc.
    Inventors: Richard R. Sobota, William P. Shermer, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Edward A. Payne
  • Publication number: 20030205287
    Abstract: A fueling environment having a vent on an underground fuel storage tank may be improved by adding a mass flow meter in conjunction with a vapor recovery membrane in a tank vent. The mass flow meter measures an amount of vapor that passes through the vent and thus allows alarms to be generated if the vapors passing through the vent exceed a predetermined level or an efficiency of the membrane drops below a predetermined threshold. Measurements from the mass flow meter may be provided to a site controller or a remote location for further analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Richard R. Sobota, William P. Shermer, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Edward A. Payne
  • Patent number: 6499516
    Abstract: A fuel dispenser includes vapor and hydrocarbon concentration sensors positioned in the vapor recovery line to provide accurate feedback relating to the speed and concentration of hydrocarbon laden vapor recovered by a vapor recovery system. The sensors provide diagnostic information about the vapor recovery process as well as insuring that the vapor recovery process is carried out in an efficient manner. Additionally, the sensors may be positioned in an underground storage tank vent apparatus to monitor fugitive emissions from the underground storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Gilbarco Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Pope, Richard R. Sobota, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Edward A. Payne
  • Patent number: 6418983
    Abstract: A fuel dispenser includes vapor and hydrocarbon concentration sensors positioned in the vapor recovery line to provide accurate feedback relating to the speed and concentration of hydrocarbon laden vapor recovered by a vapor recovery system. The sensors provide diagnostic information about the vapor recovery process as well as insuring that the vapor recovery process is carried out in an efficient manner. Additionally, the sensors may be positioned in an underground storage tank vent apparatus to monitor fugitive emissions from the underground storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Gilbasco Inc.
    Inventors: Edward A. Payne, Richard R. Sobota, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Kenneth L. Pope
  • Patent number: 6386246
    Abstract: A fuel dispenser includes vapor and hydrocarbon concentration sensors positioned in the vapor recovery line to provide accurate feedback relating to the speed and concentration of hydrocarbon laden vapor recovered by a vapor recovery system. The sensors provide diagnostic information about the vapor recovery process as well as insuring that the vapor recovery process is carried out in an efficient manner. Additionally, the sensors may be positioned in an underground storage tank vent apparatus to monitor fugitive emissions from the underground storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Marconi Commerce Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Pope, Richard R. Sobota, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Edward A. Payne
  • Publication number: 20020043292
    Abstract: A fuel dispenser includes vapor and hydrocarbon concentration sensors positioned in the vapor recovery line to provide accurate feedback relating to the speed and concentration of hydrocarbon laden vapor recovered by a vapor recovery system. The sensors provide diagnostic information about the vapor recovery process as well as insuring that the vapor recovery process is carried out in an efficient manner. Additionally, the sensors may be positioned in an underground storage tank vent apparatus to monitor fugitive emissions from the underground storage tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Pope, Richard R. Sobota, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Edward A. Payne
  • Publication number: 20010004909
    Abstract: A fuel dispenser includes vapor and hydrocarbon concentration sensors positioned in the vapor recovery line to provide accurate feedback relating to the speed and concentration of hydrocarbon laden vapor recovered by a vapor recovery system. The sensors provide diagnostic information about the vapor recovery process as well as insuring that the vapor recovery process is carried out in an efficient manner. Additionally, the sensors may be positioned in an underground storage tank vent apparatus to monitor fugitive emissions from the underground storage tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Pope, Richard R. Sobota, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Edward A. Payne
  • Patent number: 6170539
    Abstract: A vapor recovery system includes an anemometer positioned in the vapor return line to calculate the volume of returning vapor in the vapor return line. The anemometer is connected to a control system which compares the volume of returning vapor to the volume of fuel being dispensed and adjusts the speed at which vapor is recovered so that the two volumes approximately equal one another. The anemometer may be a Wheatstone bridge arrangement or a pair of thermometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Mokori Commerce Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Pope, Richard R. Sobota, Seifollah S. Nanaji, Edward A. Payne
  • Patent number: 6092410
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for compensating for predicted meter drift is a positive displacement meter comprising a pulser connected to the meter for generating a pulse stream indicative of a current volume delivered through the meter; and a pulse processor in electronic communication with the pulse generator. The pulse processor adds or subtracts pulses indicative of the inverse of the predicted meter drift to or from the pulse stream to create a corrected pulse stream. The amount of inverse applied is determined by the value of the current cumulative volume passed by the meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Marconi Commerce Systems Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Kaehler, Richard R. Sobota, Edward A. Payne
  • Patent number: 5464466
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for maintaining a desired pressure within a fuel storage tank or tanks while minimizing or eliminating the amount of pollutants discharged from the fuel storage tank(s). A fuel storage tank is provided with a conduit and a chamber interfaced along the path of the conduit such that all fluid passing through the conduit must pass through the chamber. A fractionating membrane is housed within the chamber for capturing pollutants while allowing air to pass through. As pollutants are collected on the fractionating membrane, they permeate, thereby reducing the pressure in the tank and associated conduit. A vapor pump is provided for drawing vapor through the conduit and the membrane, and for drawing pollutants off of the membrane. A pressure transducer located in the tank or associated piping makes the vapor pump responsive to the pressure therein. A vent is further provided for allowing air into the tank and piping and for depressurizing the tank and piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: Gilbarco, Inc.
    Inventors: Seifollah S. Nanaji, Kenneth L. Pope, Richard R. Sobota