Patents by Inventor Vance Elliot Willis

Vance Elliot Willis 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: 11885344
    Abstract: A mount is for attaching an accessory to a fan including a downtube. The mount includes a receiver adapted for connecting to the downtube. A retainer is adapted to receive the accessory. The retainer is adapted to support and rotate about the receiver so as to position the accessory in a desired orientation. Related methods of attaching an accessory to a fan are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: DELTA T, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Willis Peterson, Vance Elliot Willis, David Matthew Ladnier, Richard Downey, Edmundo Monti Cortez, Brian Michael Borgel
  • Publication number: 20230250662
    Abstract: Swimming pool or spa gas heaters, cabinets, water header manifolds, and heat exchangers include: gas heaters having an air gap between a cabinet and combustion chamber to reduce heat transfer to sides of the cabinet; gas heaters having a user interface that is repositionable on a top panel; gas heater cabinets including a removable top panel that can be hung on a side panel; gas heaters having a built-in dual junction box; gas heaters having a top-accessible igniter and burner that are interlocked to maintain positioning thereof; adaptable water manifolds including connectable inlet and outlet fittings that adjust effective inlet and outlet positions; heat exchangers having a plurality of tube-and-fin subassemblies arranged in a semi-circular configuration; and water manifolds including internal cartridges that divide the water manifold into a plurality of chambers for improved circulation through a heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Isaac Corn, Michael Damion Mercer, Vance Elliot Willis
  • Patent number: 11649650
    Abstract: A gas heater for a swimming pool or spa includes a cabinet defining an interior, a combustion chamber enclosure, a heat exchanger positioned within the combustion chamber enclosure, a burner, a combustion blower configured to provide combustible gas to the burner, and electrical components positioned within the cabinet. The cabinet has a plurality of side panels and a top panel covering a top opening to the interior of the cabinet. The combustion chamber enclosure defines a combustion chamber, and is positioned within the interior of the cabinet. The combustion chamber enclosure also includes a burner opening in which the burner is positioned such that the burner is configured to dissipate combustible gas into the combustion chamber. At least one of the electrical components is configured to control the gas heater. The electrical components are accessible through the top opening when the top panel is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Isaac Corn, Vance Elliot Willis, Benoit Orban, Patrick Mainville
  • Publication number: 20220127870
    Abstract: Swimming pool or spa gas heaters, cabinets, water header manifolds, and heat exchangers include: gas heaters having an air gap between a cabinet and combustion chamber to reduce heat transfer to sides of the cabinet; gas heaters having a user interface that is repositionable on a top panel; gas heater cabinets including a removable top panel that can be hung on a side panel; gas heaters having a built-in dual junction box; gas heaters having a top-accessible igniter and burner that are interlocked to maintain positioning thereof; adaptable water manifolds including connectable inlet and outlet fittings that adjust effective inlet and outlet positions; heat exchangers having a plurality of tube-and-fin subassemblies arranged in a semi-circular configuration; and water manifolds including internal cartridges that divide the water manifold into a plurality of chambers for improved circulation through a heat exchanger are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Isaac Corn, Michael Damion Mercer, Vance Elliot Willis
  • Patent number: 11225807
    Abstract: Swimming pool or spa gas heaters, cabinets, water header manifolds, and heat exchangers include: gas heaters having an air gap between a cabinet and combustion chamber to reduce heat transfer to sides of the cabinet; gas heaters having a user interface that is repositionable on a top panel; gas heater cabinets including a removable top panel that can be hung on a side panel; gas heaters having a built-in dual junction box; gas heaters having a top-accessible igniter and burner that are interlocked to maintain positioning thereof; adaptable water manifolds including connectable inlet and outlet fittings that adjust effective inlet and outlet positions; heat exchangers having a plurality of tube-and-fin subassemblies arranged in a semi-circular configuration; and water manifolds including internal cartridges that divide the water manifold into a plurality of chambers for improved circulation through a heat exchanger are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Isaac Corn, Michael Damion Mercer, Norman Gregory Beaty, Vance Elliot Willis, William Julian Roy
  • Publication number: 20200032536
    Abstract: Swimming pool or spa gas heaters, cabinets, water header manifolds, and heat exchangers therefor are provided in accordance with the present disclosure, including: gas heaters having an air gap between a cabinet and combustion chamber to reduce heat transfer to sides of the cabinet; gas heaters having a user interface that is repositionable on a top panel; gas heater cabinets including a removable top panel that can be hung on a side panel; gas heaters having a built-in dual junction box; gas heaters having a top-accessible igniter and burner that are interlocked to maintain positioning thereof; adaptable water manifolds including connectable inlet and outlet fittings that adjust effective inlet and outlet positions; heat exchangers having a plurality of tube-and-fin subassemblies arranged in a semi-circular configuration; and water manifolds including internal cartridges that divide the water manifold into a plurality of chambers for improved circulation through a heat exchanger are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Isaac Corn, Michael Damion Mercer, Robert Thomas Lutz, Norman Gregory Beaty, Vance Elliot Willis, Benoit Orban, Patrick Mainville, William Julian Roy
  • Publication number: 20180038592
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a gas switching device including a body and a gas selector mechanism. The body includes an inlet and an outlet. The gas selector mechanism includes a first orifice in fluid communication with the inlet and a second orifice in fluid communication with the inlet. The gas selector mechanism includes a valve arm and a selector element. The selector element is configured to actuate the valve arm between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the selector element actuates the valve arm to close the second orifice for passage of a first type of gas through the first orifice. In the open position, the selector element actuates the valve arm to open the second orifice for passage of a second type of gas through both the first orifice and the second orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Michael Damion Mercer, Benjamin Isaac Corn
  • Publication number: 20170356691
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to swimming pool heat exchangers including a housing and one or more tube assemblies disposed within the housing. Each of the tube assemblies includes an elongated titanium tube and at least one fin welded to an outer surface of the elongated titanium tube. The elongated titanium tube and the at least one welded fin allow for corrosion resistance to swimming pool water while simultaneously allowing for improved heat transfer from the heat exchanger to the swimming pool water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Benjamin Isaac Corn
  • Patent number: 9707499
    Abstract: Provided is a backwash valve comprising a body including a central tube extending along a length of the body, a first pool port and first filter port axially aligned at a first position along the body length, a second pool port and second filter port axially aligned at a second position along the body length, and a waste port; and a sliding gate including a stem connected to a gate body, the gate body including first and second chambers separated by an internal wall; the sliding gate movable between a filter position wherein fluid communication is provided among the first filter port, first chamber, and first pool port, and a backwash position wherein fluid communication is provided among the first filter port, second fluid chamber, and second pool port, and between the second filter port and waste port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Benjamin Isaac Corn, Kenneth Harvey Durham, Michael Damion Mercer
  • Patent number: 9353998
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a header for a heat exchanger that has an inflow side, an outflow side, a bypass port therebetween, and a pressure-sensitive flapper valve proximal the bypass port. As pressure increases at the inflow side of the header, the flapper valve opens proportionally, and, as pressure decreases at the inflow side, the flapper valve closes proportionally. The flapper valve is preferably included as part of a service cartridge assembly to facilitate easy repair and/or replacement of the flapper valve. In some embodiments of the invention, a differential pressure is measured between the inflow and outflow sides, and activation of the heat exchanger is initiated in response to the differential pressure having exceeded a set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Michael Damion Mercer
  • Publication number: 20140263003
    Abstract: Provided is a backwash valve comprising a body including a central tube extending along a length of the body, a first pool port and first filter port axially aligned at a first position along the body length, a second pool port and second filter port axially aligned at a second position along the body length, and a waste port; and a sliding gate including a stem connected to a gate body, the gate body including first and second chambers separated by an internal wall; the sliding gate movable between a filter position wherein fluid communication is provided among the first filter port, first chamber, and first pool port, and a backwash position wherein fluid communication is provided among the first filter port, second fluid chamber, and second pool port, and between the second filter port and waste port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Benjamin Isaac Corn, Kenneth Harvey Durham, Michael Damion Mercer
  • Publication number: 20110209851
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a header for a heat exchanger that has an inflow side, an outflow side, a bypass port therebetween, and a pressure-sensitive flapper valve proximal the bypass port. As pressure increases at the inflow side of the header, the flapper valve opens proportionally, and, as pressure decreases at the inflow side, the flapper valve closes proportionally. The flapper valve is preferably included as part of a service cartridge assembly to facilitate easy repair and/or replacement of the flapper valve. In some embodiments of the invention, a differential pressure is measured between the inflow and outflow sides, and activation of the heat exchanger is initiated in response to the differential pressure having exceeded a set point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Michael Damion Mercer
  • Patent number: 7971603
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a header for a heat exchanger that has an inflow side, an outflow side, a bypass port therebetween, and a pressure-sensitive flapper valve proximal the bypass port. As pressure increases at the inflow side of the header, the flapper valve opens proportionally, and, as pressure decreases at the inflow side, the flapper valve closes proportionally. The flapper valve is preferably included as part of a service cartridge assembly to facilitate easy repair and/or replacement of the flapper valve. In some embodiments of the invention, a differential pressure is measured between the inflow and outflow sides, and activation of the heat exchanger is initiated in response to the differential pressure having exceeded a set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Michael Damion Mercer
  • Publication number: 20080223561
    Abstract: In a first aspect of the present invention, a header for a heat exchanger is disclosed that has an inflow side, an outflow side, a bypass port therebetween, and a pressure-sensitive flapper valve proximal the bypass port. As pressure increases at the inflow side of the header, the flapper valve opens proportionally, and, as pressure decreases at the inflow side, the flapper valve closes proportionally. In a second aspect of the present invention, a tube-in-tube heat exchanger is disclosed that includes a helical tube-in-tube assembly adapted for flow therethrough of a plurality of fluids for heat transfer therebetween. In a third aspect of the present invention, a heat system is provided to include an embodiment of the header and an embodiment of the tube-in-tube heat exchanger, so as to provide a bypass of the tube-in-tube heat exchanger under a pressure condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Gang Li, Ronald H. Griffin, Carl Bennett Davidson, Vance Elliot Willis, Vitaly Shinkarev, David Martin, Michael Damion Mercer, David L. Schardt
  • Publication number: 20080179051
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a header for a heat exchanger that has an inflow side, an outflow side, a bypass port therebetween, and a pressure-sensitive flapper valve proximal the bypass port. As pressure increases at the inflow side of the header, the flapper valve opens proportionally, and, as pressure decreases at the inflow side, the flapper valve closes proportionally. The flapper valve is preferably included as part of a service cartridge assembly to facilitate easy repair and/or replacement of the flapper valve. In some embodiments of the invention, a differential pressure is measured between the inflow and outflow sides, and activation of the heat exchanger is initiated in response to the differential pressure having exceeded a set point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Michael Damion Mercer