Patents by Inventor Wade Helfer

Wade Helfer 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).

  • Publication number: 20240401717
    Abstract: A valve can include a valve body, a rotatable gate, a neck extending from the valve body, a shaft extending from the rotatable gate and through the neck, and a seal assembly configured to rotatably seal the shaft to the neck. The seal assembly can include a first stage seal having a first working temperature and coupled to the shaft at a first stage seal location, and a second stage seal having a second working temperature and coupled to the shaft at a second stage seal location farther from the valve body than the first stage seal location. The first working temperature can be higher than the second working temperature, and the seal locations and the first stage seal can be configured to prevent a second stage operating temperature at the second stage seal location from exceeding the second working temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventor: Wade Helfer
  • Publication number: 20240209960
    Abstract: A valve, such as a ball valve, can include a noise attenuation assembly to control fluid expansion through the valve and provide noise abatement. The valve can include a valve body and a valve stem and the noise attenuation assembly can include a flow control body and a trim body. The flow control body can be coupled to the valve stem and the flow control body can be configured to selectively permit fluid flow through the valve body in an axial direction. The trim body can include a plurality of channels to control fluid expansion during fluid flow through the valve body. The trim body can be engaged with the flow control body at first and second mounting structures of the flow control body to secure the trim within a fluid pathway of the flow control body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2024
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventor: Wade Helfer
  • Patent number: 11933426
    Abstract: A valve, such as a ball valve, can include a noise attenuation assembly to control fluid expansion through the valve and provide noise abatement. The valve can include a valve body and a valve stem and the noise attenuation assembly can include a flow control body and a trim body. The flow control body can be coupled to the valve stem and the flow control body can be configured to selectively permit fluid flow through the valve body in an axial direction. The trim body can include a plurality of channels to control fluid expansion during fluid flow through the valve body. The trim body can be engaged with the flow control body at first and second mounting structures of the flow control body to secure the trim within a fluid pathway of the flow control body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC
    Inventor: Wade Helfer
  • Publication number: 20070215834
    Abstract: Flexible seals for process control valves are disclosed. An example disclosed seal includes a seal for use with a butterfly valve. The example seal includes a substantially flexible ring-shaped carrier configured to be fixed within the butterfly valve and to surround a flow control aperture therein. Additionally, the seal includes a ring-shaped cartridge coupled to an inner diameter of the ring-shaped carrier. The cartridge includes a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion to define a circumferential opening to hold a seal ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Wade Helfer, David Koester, Benjamin Good, Paul Dalluge, Andrew Olson
  • Publication number: 20070138429
    Abstract: Flexible seals for process control valves are disclosed. An example disclosed seal includes a substantially flexible ring-shaped carrier configured to be fixed within the butterfly valve and to surround a flow control aperture therein. The seal also includes a substantially rigid seal ring that has an outer circumferential surface fixed to the substantially flexible carrier and an inner circumferential surface configured to sealingly engage a control member that operatively interacts with the flow control aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Wilbur Hutchens, Jason Olberding, Larry Weber, Wade Helfer, David Koester, Ted Grabau, Harry Champlin