Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7037430 | System and method for desalination of brackish water from an underground water supply A system and method of desalinating brackish water from an inland, underground water supply is disclosed. The system includes a source of underground water, at least one distillation and/or non-distillation desalination stage, and a source of waste heat from a power... | 05/02/2006 |
| 6923090 | Device for temporarily locking a rotor, in particular a magnetically suspended rotor of an inertia wheel for space applications According to the invention, a “Geneva” movement mechanism is used which is turned in one direction or the other by an electric motor. The mechanism comprises a “Maltese” cross turning about the axis of rotation of the rotor and supporting an annular piece. T... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6916424 | Method and apparatus for a hemodiafiltration delivery module This invention provides a method and apparatus for a hemodiafiltration delivery module that is used in conjunction with a UF controlled dialysis machine to enable hemodiafiltration therapy to be performed. The advantage is that one can fully utilize a current functi... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6802961 | Dense fluid cleaning centrifugal phase shifting separation process and apparatus The present invention is an apparatus and process for cleaning substrates using dense fluids under the influence of centrifugal force and dense fluid phase changes. A perforated centrifuge drum operates within a pressure vessel having drains and fill ports. System c... | 10/12/2004 |
| 6773588 | Purified water supply system A system (11) for providing purified water comprises a plurality of individual modules, each of which includes a separable head (13) and a canister (17), which modules are joined one to another via these heads to create a composite manifold (... | 08/10/2004 |
| 6696963 | Method and system for anticipating salt depletion The present invention provides a method and system of anticipating salt depletion in a brine tank of a water softener system, the system including a controller having a user interface and display, the method comprising the steps of tracking salt usage; de... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6423230 | Method for improving the permeate flux of a cross-flow membrane filter A method for improving the permeate flux of a cross-flow membrane filter having at least two membrane ports through which the feed solution passes and at least two permeate outlets. The method includes the steps of establishing a first flow of a feed solu... | 07/23/2002 |
| 6355177 | Water filter cartridge replacement system for a refrigerator A water filtering system for a refrigerator determines a need for a filter change by timing the period of actuation of at least one valve used to regulate the flow of filtered water to both a water dispenser and an ice maker. Based on a known flow rate, a... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6120688 | Portable reverse osmosis unit for producing drinking water A method of purifying impure water to provide drinking water using an apparatus, the method comprising the steps of providing a microfiltration unit, a reverse osmosis unit and a CIP (clean-in-place) tank containing retentate interconnected to permit back... | 09/19/2000 |
| 6080313 | Point-of-use water purification system with a cascade ion exchange option A modular water treatment and purification system, suitable for home use, is connected to a water supply and contains a closed fluid treatment circuit extending to a water outlet. The closed fluid circuit flows through a plurality of replaceable water tre... | 06/27/2000 |
| 6001249 | Multi-stage water filter system A water filter system having a housing for a plurality of serial-flow connected filter cartridges with distinct filtering characteristic related to the direction of flow of water being filtered. Each filter cartridge has a membrane wrapped activated carbo... | 12/14/1999 |
| 5925240 | Water treatment system having dosing control A water treatment system having dosing control for providing treated water having very low organic and ionic contamination, that can be accurately dispensed. The water treatment system having dosing control includes a water inlet hydraulically connected t... | 07/20/1999 |
| 5690829 | Conditioning process and device for producing pure water The invention pertains to a process for the production of pure water, in which raw water, or feed water similarly, is fed to a treatment apparatus (1) that has at least one semi-permeable membrane (4), in conjunction with which a partial quantity of the r... | 11/25/1997 |
| 5544072 | Method for regeneration of a water softener A demand initiated method for regenerating a water softener which operates the softener ion exchange bed over a capacity range in which the resin is most efficiently restored by exposure to brine. The reserve capacity of the softener is adjusted in respon... | 08/06/1996 |
| 5540107 | Liquid flow meter An improved liquid flow meter for measuring moderate to low liquid flow rates with improved accuracy and minimal back pressure. The flow meter has a housing with two halves, a cover and a body, that fit together around a impeller so that liquid may flow a... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5522998 | Hemodialysis apparatus having a single balance chamber and method of dialyzing blood therewith In a dialysis apparatus having a dialyzer and a single balance chamber, the internal volume of the balance chamber is preferably at most 2/3 of the volume of the dialysis fluid chamber within the dialyzer. As a result, during the dialysis fluid recirculat... | 06/04/1996 |
| 5422014 | Automatic chemical monitor and control system An automatic system to precisely maintain bactericidal action in a reservoir of water equipped with a recirculation system, such as a swimming pool, decorative fountain, spa, cooling water reservoir or the like. The automatic system includes: a service lo... | 06/06/1995 |
| 5389254 | Water treatment system A method system for treating water in which the incoming effluent water is pre-filtered, passed through a reverse osmosis unit, post filtered to remove taste and odor and then passed to a holding tank. The holding tank is provided with a source of ultravi... | 02/14/1995 |
| 5288398 | Filter bed backwashing devices and methods Methods and systems of the prior art for cleansing a plurality of seriate filter cells in automatic backwash filters by backwashing the cells one at a time with backwash liquid wherein the cleansing operation on the active cell is prevented from moving to... | 02/22/1994 |
| 5277828 | Steam regenerable filter and method A filter assembly for fluids such as air and water employs a cleanable filter. The filter is located within a housing having a reservoir, and a steam generator which can be selectively operated to clean the filter.... | 01/11/1994 |
| 5215657 | Water treatment system Water treatment apparatus includes a housing, and at least one canister disposed within the housing. Inside the canister are disposed a first water treatment material and a second water treatment material, the first material being different from the secon... | 06/01/1993 |
| 5173178 | Water purifying apparatus with timed discharge after non-use periods An under-sink type water purifier with a water-tap portion connected to a purified-water outlet of the purifier having a sensor for sensing an object to issue a signal, and a solenoid valve for starting and stopping the discharge of purified water from th... | 12/22/1992 |
| 5152895 | Method for cleaning filter elements and filter for implementing it In relation to time intervals or pressure loss, the successive flushing via the same flushing channel (10) of several filter elements (7) is brought about by the direct sweeping of the internal surface of said elements (7) by the fluid to be filtered. It ... | 10/06/1992 |
| 5026476 | Antivibration cover for rotary machine A rotary machine having a machine body and a cover covering an opening of the body. The cover is fixed to the body by an improved vibration-absorbent structure. A peripheral edge of the cover which is adjacent to the body has plate-spring-shaped mounting ... | 06/25/1991 |
| 4961845 | Apparatus and method for filtering particulate matter from dielectric fluids The present invention is an apparatus and method for filtering particulate matter from dielectric fluids, and for maintaining and monitoring of the purity of said fluids. The invention operates by imparting an electrostatic charge, via a pair of convolute... | 10/09/1990 |
| 4918426 | Method and apparatus for sensing fluid flow volume to indicate end of filter life A method and solid-state electronic flowmeter with no moving parts is provided for monitoring instantaneous and/or accumulated fluid flow. A preferred application for the method and flowmeter is the measurement of the total volume of filtered fluid in a f... | 04/17/1990 |
| 4911832 | Automatic drain system treatment apparatus An apparatus for automatically treating a drain system to prevent or at least minimize clogging problems particularly in grease traps of the type provided in restaurants and other food preparation establishments. The apparatus includes a valve for directi... | 03/27/1990 |
| 4797208 | Automatic drain system treatment process A process for automatically treating a drain system to prevent or at least minimize clogging problems particularly in grease traps of the type provided in restaurants and other food preparation establishments. The process employs an apparatus which includ... | 01/10/1989 |
| 4771801 | Protective cover assembly with reverse buckling disc A protective cover assembly for a fluid end of a plunger-type pump or other positive displacement pump. The protective cover assembly includes a cover adapted to fit in an open end of the fluid end of the pump. The cover comprises a convex or domed center... | 09/20/1988 |
| 4490249 | Microcomputer controlled demand/scheduled water softener An improved control for a resin bed water softener includes a microcomputer which is supplied with input data from a flowmeter indicative of the quantity of soft water leaving the softener. In accordance with the flow data, the microcomputer determines th... | 12/25/1984 |
| 4470911 | Microcomputer controlled demand/scheduled water softener with variable capacity An improved control for a particle bed water treatment device includes a microcomputer which is supplied with input data from a flowmeter indicative of the quantity of treated water leaving the water treatment device. In accordance with the flow data, the... | 09/11/1984 |
| 4469602 | Microcomputer controlled demand/scheduled water softener having automatic resin bed sensing An improved control for a water softener includes a resin bed sensor for sensing when the resin bed has been depleted to a predetermined percentage of the total resin bed treating capacity. The resin bed sensor is connected to a microcomputer which is als... | 09/04/1984 |
| 4426294 | Microcomputer controlled demand/scheduled water softener An improved control for a resin bed water softener includes a microcomputer which is supplied with input data from a flowmeter indicative of the quantity of soft water leaving the softener. In accordance with the flow data, the microcomputer determines th... | 01/17/1984 |
| 4379057 | Method for the cyclic regeneration of water-softening systems and programmed water-softening system for applying the method Ion exchange medium in a water softening system is regenerated cyclically, in response to both a preset timer and a metering device responsive to the degree of hardness of the untreated water and the degree of exhaustion of the ion exchange medium, by slo... | 04/05/1983 |
| 4313825 | Control system for meter actuated regeneration in a water treatment system This invention relates to a control system for regeneration of a water treatment system in which a water meter monitors water usage and mechanically drives a water volume wheel to an operative position to call for regeneration when a predetermined volume ... | 02/02/1982 |
| 4063554 | Single needle alternating flow blood pump system A blood pump system, typically employed in dialysis, includes a blood pump for withdrawing blood via a single hypodermic needle and valve means operated in synchronism therewith for returning treated blood via the same hypodermic needle. The operation of ... | 12/20/1977 |
| 4032443 | Removal of grease and oil from particulate bed granules by backwashing with a detergent Filtering solids from waste water liquids and cleaning, degreasing and restoring the filtering media through the use of cleaning compounds forced up through the filtering substances.... | 06/28/1977 |
