Patents by Inventor Stephen Sapp

Stephen Sapp 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: 11808452
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments of a gas valve for an intermittent pilot ignition system. The gas valve includes features designed to address the buildup of negative pressure in a fuel line connected to the gas valve that could cause internal valve diaphragms to open, drawing fuel from the gas valve. In embodiments, the gas valve includes a system of check valves designed to seal off the gas valve when a negative pressure develops. In other embodiments, the gas valve includes a relief valve having a relief port so that air is able to enter the valve proximate to the inlet port so as to avoid building a negative pressure sufficient to open the diaphragms. In both cases, the valve remains primed with fuel for subsequent ignition. The gas valve is envisioned to be useful for a variety of pilot operated systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: James E. Pearson, Stephen Sapp, Tony Leeseberg, Brandon Cole, Moises Contreras Hernandez
  • Patent number: 11047501
    Abstract: Embodiments of a normally open gas valve are disclosed herein. The normally open gas valve includes a valve plug that gradually or partially disengages from the valve seat such that the actuation power required to open the valve is substantially reduced. The force required to open or close the valve is also reduced through the use of an off-center lever arm that multiplies the force applied by the armature of the actuation means. In this way, a less expensive actuation means, e.g., a less expensive solenoid, is able to be used to actuate the normally open gas valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Tony Leeseberg, Stephen Sapp, Curtis Phillips, James E. Pearson
  • Publication number: 20210018172
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments of a gas valve for an intermittent pilot ignition system. The gas valve includes features designed to address the buildup of negative pressure in a fuel line connected to the gas valve that could cause internal valve diaphragms to open, drawing fuel from the gas valve. In embodiments, the gas valve includes a system of check valves designed to seal off the gas valve when a negative pressure develops. In other embodiments, the gas valve includes a relief valve having a relief port so that air is able to enter the valve proximate to the inlet port so as to avoid building a negative pressure sufficient to open the diaphragms. In both cases, the valve remains primed with fuel for subsequent ignition. The gas valve is envisioned to be useful for a variety of pilot operated systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: James E. Pearson, Stephen Sapp, Tony Leeseberg, Brandon Cole, Moises Contreras
  • Patent number: 8869835
    Abstract: A dual valve construction partners first and second valve portions with a mechanical linkage such as gears to operably couple the control stems together. The gears need not be identical and in fact a first gear may have flats so that motion of the first gear need not always move the second gear proportionally. Furthermore, the gears may have differing gear ratios at different portion of the gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Burner Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Sapp, Timothy Frost