Patents by Inventor Tom Berger

Tom Berger 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: 11555273
    Abstract: Refiner plate elements for a conical mechanical refiner include: a rotor plate element including at least one rotor plate segment having a feedstock inlet opening disposed at a first end of the rotor plate segment; and a rotor plate segment refining area disposed between the feedstock inlet opening and a second end of the rotor plate segment. The refiner plate elements may further include: a stator plate element including at least one stator plate segment having a stator plate segment refining area; and first and second attaching rails configured to couple to the stator plate segment to a stator support frame of the conical mechanical refiner. A separation between the first attaching rail and the second attaching rail that is not covered by the stator plate segment is configured to form a feedstock outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Tom Berger, Yves Raymond, Long Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20220333303
    Abstract: Refiner plate segments for a conical refiner may include a rotor plate segment having inlet openings disposed at one or more inlet locations on the rotor plate segment, and a stator plate segment having outlet openings disposed at one or more outlet locations on the stator plate segment. The rotor plate segment is disposed opposite the stator plate segment such that the one or more rotor plate segment refining areas and the one or more stator plate segment refining areas oppose each other, and the one or more inlet locations and the one or more outlet locations are separated by one or more refining zones formed by the rotor plate segment refining areas and the stator plate segment refining areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Tom Berger, Yves Raymond, Long Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20220333304
    Abstract: Refiner plate elements for a conical mechanical refiner include: a rotor plate element including at least one rotor plate segment having a feedstock inlet opening disposed at a first end of the rotor plate segment; and a rotor plate segment refining area disposed between the feedstock inlet opening and a second end of the rotor plate segment. The refiner plate elements may further include: a stator plate element including at least one stator plate segment having a stator plate segment refining area; and first and second attaching rails configured to couple to the stator plate segment to a stator support frame of the conical mechanical refiner. A separation between the first attaching rail and the second attaching rail that is not covered by the stator plate segment is configured to form a feedstock outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Tom Berger, Yves Raymond, Long Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11428130
    Abstract: A pressure-limiting valve for use in a gas line conveying a gas that includes aerosols. The pressure-limiting valve has a movable valve body, a valve seat, and a compressible coalescing medium placed therebetween. The valve body has passages and nozzle openings and the valve seat has through-holes. In the closed position, the valve functions in separator mode and in the fully open position, in impactor mode. The pressure-limiting valve according to the invention provides a more sensitive response to varying flow conditions, due to deviating surface profiles of the valve seat and coalescing medium, which provide intermediate stages of separator and impactor modes as a function of the volume of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventors: Simon Berger, Tom Berger
  • Publication number: 20200200058
    Abstract: A pressure-limiting valve for use in a gas line conveying a gas that includes aerosols. The pressure-limiting valve has a movable valve body, a valve seat, and a compressible coalescing medium placed therebetween. The valve body has passages and nozzle openings and the valve seat has through-holes. In the closed position, the valve functions in separator mode and in the fully open position, in impactor mode. The pressure-limiting valve according to the invention provides a more sensitive response to varying flow conditions, due to deviating surface profiles of the valve seat and coalescing medium, which provide intermediate stages of separator and impactor modes as a function of the volume of flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Simon Berger, Tom Berger