...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8151814 | Method for controlling flow and concentration of liquid precursor A method for controlling flow and concentration of a liquid precursor includes: supplying a carrier gas to a first auto-pressure regulator and outputting therefrom the carrier gas at a first pressure to a precursor reservoir; outputting the mixture of the vaporized ... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8132587 | Apparatus and method for introducing air into a hydropneumatic reservoir Apparatus for introducing air (3) into a hydropneumatic reservoir (1) connected to pipework (2) comprising a sensor (6) of the pressure in the reservoir, a valve (9) controlled by a signal from the sensor and opening into the open ... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8122901 | System and method for microfluidic flow control A system and method for controlling fluid flow within a microchannel includes a fluid circuit comprising a fluid outlet well and one or more fluid inlet wells, all in communication with a microchannel. A negative pressure differential is applied to the outlet well a... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8066023 | System and method for collecting and increasing the pressure of seal leak gas A system and a method for recovering and increasing the pressure of seal leak gas for recycle or passage to further processing. ... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8015989 | Method and apparatus for dampening pressure fluctuations in a fluid delivery system A method and apparatus are provided for a cost effective pressure dampening device used in a fluid delivery system for substrate processing. In one embodiment, the pressure dampening device is disposed between a mounting substrate and a control valve within a fluid ... | 09/13/2011 |
| 8011380 | Single component two-stage regulator Disclosed is a cylindrical, single-component two-stage regulator for controlling a pressure and a flow rate of a gas. The regulator includes a housing for holding the two stages having an ingress adapted for connection to a source of gas at a high input pressure and... | 09/06/2011 |
| 7950407 | Apparatus for rapid filling of a processing volume A method and apparatus for supplying greater fluid flow and/or fluid volume from a fluid provided from a facility source to a substrate processing chamber is provided. The apparatus couples to an existing facility fluid source and accumulates the fluid, and the flow... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7926501 | Subsea pressure systems for fluid recovery Systems and methods for recovering power fluid from a device under water and for pumping recovered power fluid to a surface of the water, the systems and methods, in certain aspects, including: flowing fluid from a subsurface apparatus to a subsurface recovery syste... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7909052 | Apparatus and method for controlling gas flow A gassing system includes a gassing device, a pressure regulator in communication with the gassing device and a gas source and a PLC electrically connected to the pressure regulator. In addition, the system includes a removable orifice in communication with the pres... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7849870 | Piezoelectric pressure control valve A pressure control valve having a common plenum formed by two flow control valves that each utilize electrically controlled piezoelectric actuators to generate a number of possible operating states and thus control an output pressure from the common plenum formed by... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7779853 | Proportional pressure control valve A proportional pressure control valve particularly for electro-hydraulic transmissions. The valve includes a cage having pump, clutch, and tank port openings. A spool is received within the cage for controlling flow between the clutch port and the pump and tank port... | 08/24/2010 |
| 7708023 | Solid product dispenser A dispenser (10) uses first and second flow controls (70, 73). The flow controls maintain first and second flow ranges independent of diluent pressure within a pressure range, wherein the use solution's concentration is maintained over the pressure ran... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7658200 | Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and control method thereof The present invention provides a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a slit valve control system including first and second process chambers disposed adjacent to each other, a slit aperture disposed between the first and second chambers, a slit valve to ope... | 02/09/2010 |
| 7640944 | Valve for prevention of low flow rates through flow meter A flow responsive valve for a flow metering system comprising a fluid meter having a minimum measuring flow threshold. The valve is shiftable between an open position at flow rates above the minimum measuring flow threshold, and a pressure pulsating position dependi... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7565911 | Two stage regulator method and apparatus A two stage air regulator is disclosed wherein both stages are contained in a single billet, extruded, or machined housing. The first stage receives an input pressure of about 5000 PSI from an air tank or other source. The first stage reduces the pressure which is r... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7543596 | Liquid flow controller and precision dispense apparatus and system Apparatus and a control system for monitoring (preferably digitally) and/or controlling pressure to a pneumatic load such as a proportional fluid control valve and using a measurement input from a fluid measurement device that responds to a flow rate, the liquid mea... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7537019 | Systems and methods to slowly reduce the pressure in a pressure chamber over time Systems and methods for performing a stepwise depressurization of a high-pressure fluid (liquid) filled chamber are shown and described. At least two valves are controllably opened and closed in a sequence to release a predetermined amount of pressure from the high-... | 05/26/2009 |
| 7484521 | Tank system including multiple tanks and control method thereof A tank system of the invention with multiple tanks makes a joint flow of a fluid released from the multiple tanks and supplies the joint flow to a downstream device, which is located downstream of the multiple tanks. The tank system includes: primary pressure measur... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7484522 | Method to control starter/generator cooling fuel flow during engine starting The present invention provides a relatively simple way to automatically turn on and off the fuel to a starter/generator cooling system during engine start. The present invention takes advantage of a fuel pressure rise provided by an engine fuel boost pump during the... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7469706 | Adjustable pressure double latching valve Methods and devices for maintaining a minimum pressure of calibration gas, such as in an emission testing system or a similar arrangement, using a double latching valve (DLV). The DLV comprises a body having specific internal passages; a two-way normally closed (blo... | 12/30/2008 |
| 7464721 | Process equipment validation A Safety Instrumented System for use with a process control system receives pressure of process fluid in the process piping. A valve positioner positions a valve which controls flow of process fluid through the process piping. The valve positioner is caused to perfo... | 12/16/2008 |
| 7445017 | Mesovalve modulator A mesovalve having a diaphragm situated between a first chamber and a second chamber. There may be an inlet and an outlet in the first chamber. The diaphragm may provide an orifice between the first and second chambers. There may be a first electrode on the diaphrag... | 11/04/2008 |
| 7424346 | Apparatus and method for pressure fluctuation insensitive mass flow control A mass flow controller includes a thermal mass flow sensor in combination with a pressure sensor to provide a mass flow controller that is relatively insensitive to fluctuations in input pressure. The pressure sensor and thermal sensor respectively provide signals t... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7383851 | Closed loop pressure control system and electrically operated pressure control valve with integral pressure sensor and method of making same A solenoid operated valve has a pressure transducer sensing valve outlet pressure integrally formed in the valve body, such as by overmolding. Upon connection of the transducer and solenoid to an electronic controller, the controller generates a valve energization s... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7373943 | Self-contained breathing apparatus facepiece pressure control method An electro mechanically-assisted control system for use in a second-stage regulator. Regulator control assembly (20′), also referred to as all-electronic (AE) assembly (20′), includes an electromechanical actuator (EMA) sub-assembly (22) for... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7367349 | Method for opening tank shut-off valves in gas feeding systems with connected tanks A method for opening tank shut-off valves in a fuel cell system that includes multiple pressurized tanks. A flow control device is positioned in a supply line downstream of the tank shut-off valves. When the system is started up, only one of the tank shut-off valves... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7367473 | Circuit for dispensing fluid products, in particular colouring agents, paints or similar fluid products A circuit for dispensing fluid products, in particular coloring agents, paints and the like, comprises a pump (12) for delivering a fluid product, which pump can be activated selectively to send the fluid product to a dispensing duct (16) and a valve (... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7361315 | Micro-reactor for biological substance inspection and biological substance inspection device The object of the present invention is to provide a micro-reactor, equipped with a high-precision liquid feed system of simple structure, capable of high-precision analysis of at least one item. The present invention provides a micro-reactor for biological substance... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7357143 | Regulator and gas supply method using the same A regulator comprises a body including an inflow line, an outflow line, and a buffer space, the buffer space being provided between the inflow line and the outflow line, and a switch for opening and closing a flow path of a fluid flowing from the inflow line to the ... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7353834 | Variable rate pressure regulator A pressure regulator valve including a valve seat separating a fluid flowpath into an upstream region and a downstream region. A valve closure member is mounted on a valve stem, the valve stem operable to vary a separation between the valve seat and the valve closur... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7354190 | Two-stage mixing system, apparatus, and method A two-stage mixing system, apparatus, and method produces a solution including a first substance and a second substance in a predetermined ratio by first mixing the first substance with a first liquid to produce a first solution and then mixing the first solution wi... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7354008 | Fluidic nozzle for trigger spray applications A fluidic nozzle, for use with a trigger spray applicator that issues a desired spray pattern of fluid droplets, and wherein the applicator has a liquid delivering orifice and an exterior surface proximate the orifice that is configured to receive a spray nozzle, in... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7353841 | Relative pressure control system and relative flow control system Provided is a relative pressure control system has a simple configuration, but enables accurate regulation of a division ratio of an operation gas, and concurrently makes it possible to securely drain the operation gas from an operation gas pipeline in case of emerg... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7350571 | Methods of preparing and using coated particulates The present invention involves methods of preparing coated particulates and using such coated particulates in subterranean applications such as production enhancement and sand control. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of preparing coated par... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7350539 | Electromagnetic controlled fuel injection apparatus with poppet valve An electromagnetic controlled fuel injection apparatus has a poppet valve which controls the beginning and end of fuel injection by reciprocation. Inertia force and friction force arising from the reciprocating motion of the poppet valve are utilized effectively to ... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7347301 | Lubricant supply system and operating method of multisystem lubrication screw compressor An oil refrigeration screw compressor being applied to a refrigeration system etc., in which the problem of strength reduction of a bearing material under high temperatures and that of lifetime reduction of the bearing material due to viscosity lowering of lubricant... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7334635 | Methods for fracturing subterranean wells A method of forming a propped fracture comprising: providing a fracture having a far-well bore area and a near-well bore area; placing first proppant particulates at least partially coated with an adhesive substance; placing a portion of second proppant particulates... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7334636 | Methods of creating high-porosity propped fractures using reticulated foam One embodiment of the prevent invention provides a method of creating a high porosity propped fracture comprising creating a slurry comprising a treatment fluid, proppant particulates, pieces of reticulated foam having cells, and an adhesive substance such that the ... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7335396 | Methods for controlling mass flow rates and pressures in passageways coupled to reaction chambers and systems for depositing material onto microfeature workpieces in reaction chambers Methods, apparatuses, and systems for controlling mass flow rates and pressures in passageways coupled to reaction chambers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes controlling a mass flow rate in a passageway in response to a first condition by mo... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7331564 | Normally open high flow hydraulic pressure control actuator A solenoid-operated valve includes a valve body defining a valving bore for providing a path of communication between axially spaced inlet and outlet ports. A solenoid assembly is attached to the valve body and includes an inductor coil, a fixed flux guide and an ar... | 02/19/2008 |