Patents by Inventor Charles Francois-Albert Fernandez

Charles Francois-Albert Fernandez 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: 10605397
    Abstract: An intervention method for acting on a wall of a fluid pipeline using a tool includes moving the tool inside the pipeline until a pipe segment of the tool is positioned facing a zone of the wall of the pipeline. The method also includes creating sealing upstream and downstream from the zone using first and second seals of the tool so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around the zone. The method further includes acting on the zone of the wall. The sealing by the first and second seals occurs in two portions of the pipeline so as to define a sealing lock between the two portions of the pipeline. The tool further includes an adjustable propulsion system configured to make use of movement of the fluid in order to move the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: ENGIE
    Inventors: Benoit Acker, Maxime Lecchi, Charles Francois-Albert Fernandez, Roland Nierhoff
  • Patent number: 10605396
    Abstract: An intervention method for acting on a wall of a fluid pipeline using a tool includes moving the tool inside the pipeline until a pipe segment of the tool is positioned facing a zone of the wall of the pipeline. The method also includes creating sealing upstream and downstream from the zone using first and second seals of the tool so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around the zone. The method further includes acting on the zone of the wall. The sealing by the first and second seals occurs in two portions of the pipeline so as to define a sealing lock between the two portions of the pipeline. The first seal is in two portions, and the second seal is in two portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: ENGIE
    Inventors: Benoit Acker, Maxime Lecchi, Charles Francois-Albert Fernandez, Roland Nierhoff
  • Publication number: 20190072223
    Abstract: An intervention method for acting on a wall of a fluid pipeline using a tool includes moving the tool inside the pipeline until a pipe segment of the tool is positioned facing a zone of the wall of the pipeline. The method also includes creating sealing upstream and downstream from the zone using first and second seals of the tool so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around the zone. The method further includes acting on the zone of the wall. The sealing by the first and second seals occurs in two portions of the pipeline so as to define a sealing lock between the two portions of the pipeline. The first seal is in two portions, and the second seal is in two portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Benoit Acker, Maxime Lecchi, Charles Francois-Albert Fernandez, Roland Nierhoff
  • Publication number: 20190072224
    Abstract: An intervention method for acting on a wall of a fluid pipeline using a tool includes moving the tool inside the pipeline until a pipe segment of the tool is positioned facing a zone of the wall of the pipeline. The method also includes creating sealing upstream and downstream from the zone using first and second seals of the tool so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around the zone. The method further includes acting on the zone of the wall. The sealing by the first and second seals occurs in two portions of the pipeline so as to define a sealing lock between the two portions of the pipeline. The tool further includes an adjustable propulsion system configured to make use of movement of the fluid in order to move the tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Benoit Acker, Maxime Lecchi, Charles Francois-Albert Fernandez, Roland Nierhoff
  • Patent number: 10215323
    Abstract: The invention relates to an intervention method for acting on the wall of a fluid pipeline by using a tool comprising a pipe segment and at least first means for creating sealing and second means for creating sealing, the method comprising a step of moving the tool inside the pipeline until the pipe segment is positioned facing a zone of the wall of said pipeline, the method further comprising a step of creating sealing upstream and downstream from said zone respectively by using the first and second means for creating sealing so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around said zone, followed by a step of acting on said zone of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: ENGIE
    Inventors: Benoit Acker, Maxime Lecchi, Charles Francois-Albert Fernandez, Roland Nierhoff
  • Publication number: 20170009929
    Abstract: The invention relates to an intervention method for acting on the wall of a fluid pipeline by using a tool comprising a pipe segment and at least first means for creating sealing and second means for creating sealing, the method comprising a step of moving the tool inside the pipeline until the pipe segment is positioned facing a zone of the wall of said pipeline, the method further comprising a step of creating sealing upstream and downstream from said zone respectively by using the first and second means for creating sealing so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around said zone, followed by a step of acting on said zone of the wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Benoit Acker, Maxime Lecchi, Charles Francois-Albert Fernandez, Roland Nierhoff