Patents by Inventor William Alan Burris

William Alan Burris 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: 6277291
    Abstract: A batch liquid purifier uses a detachable container for a batch of liquid to be purified and flows the liquid from the container to a purified liquid dispenser while contacting the liquid with an ozone-containing gas. To ensure that a leading volume of the liquid flow is adequately contacted with ozone, the gas and liquid flow is mixed and directed to an upflow chamber in which gas bubbles overtake the leading liquid flow. Bubbles rising in the liquid flow are also displayed and illuminated to show that the purifier is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Inventor: William Alan Burris
  • Patent number: 6039884
    Abstract: A purifier treating a batch of liquid with ozone uses a reversible pump that directs liquid flow along different courses during forward and reverse pumping. In a forward mode, the pump directs ozonized liquid through a purification course that purifies the liquid; and in a reverse mode, the pump withdraws ozonized liquid from the purification course and redirects the withdrawn liquid to a reverse destination, which can be a purified liquid output or a return of the withdrawn liquid to a liquid container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Alab, LLC
    Inventors: William Alan Burris, Philip M. Prinsen
  • Patent number: 6013189
    Abstract: A purifier for a batch of liquid in a reservoir has a vent space and a pumping system for the vent space above the surface of liquid in the reservoir. This allows a closure lid giving easy access to the reservoir, and the pumping system is arranged so that ozone is exhausted from the vent space and reduced before entering the atmosphere. This allows a user early access to the reservoir after completing a purification cycle and protects the user from exposure to ozone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Inventor: William Alan Burris
  • Patent number: 5858283
    Abstract: A large area sparger has a gas-permeable diffuser bonded to a gas-impermeable underlying element so that inflowing gas is distributed throughout a gap between the sparger and the underlying element. Bonding regions interconnect the diffuser and the underlying element around the sparger perimeter and throughout a gap region within the perimeter in a pattern that keeps the diffuser flat during operation and allows gas to flow around the bonding regions to reach all of the unbonded area of the diffuser. By giving the diffuser a liquid interface surface with a high surface energy, the gas passing through a finely porous diffuser departs from the diffuser interface surface and enters the liquid as very fine bubbles having a large area of contact with the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: William Alan Burris
  • Patent number: 4019986
    Abstract: A portable water purifier includes a portable ozone generator and water container and a flexible tube conducting ozone from the generator to the container. A filter-bubbler is used to bubble ozone into water in the container and then to filter the purified water as it is drawn from the container with the flexible tube serving as a siphon. A vent for the container contains an ozone decomposition catalyst for decomposing any ozone in the vented gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1973
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1977
    Inventors: William Alan Burris, Charles A. Beaman