Patents by Inventor Ernest Peter Tovani

Ernest Peter Tovani 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: 10793043
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted table system includes a table portion that is movable from an expanded configuration to a storage configuration and vice versa. The table portion includes a first table element, a second table element, and a third table element. A first hinge couples the first table element to the second table element, and the first hinge facilitates pivoting motion of the second table element relative to the first table element about a first axis. A compound hinge assembly couples the second table element to the third table element. The compound hinge assembly includes a hinge table element, a second hinge, and a third hinge that facilitate pivoting the second table element relative to the hinge table element about a second axis and the third table element relative to the hinge table element about a third axis. The second and third axes are substantially parallel to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Inventor: Ernest Peter Tovani
  • Publication number: 20190202332
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted table system includes a table portion that is movable from an expanded configuration to a storage configuration and vice versa. The table portion includes a first table element, a second table element, and a third table element. A first hinge couples the first table element to the second table element, and the first hinge facilitates pivoting motion of the second table element relative to the first table element about a first axis. A compound hinge assembly couples the second table element to the third table element. The compound hinge assembly includes a hinge table element, a second hinge, and a third hinge that facilitate pivoting the second table element relative to the hinge table element about a second axis and the third table element relative to the hinge table element about a third axis. The second and third axes are substantially parallel to the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventor: Ernest Peter Tovani
  • Patent number: 8544827
    Abstract: A mixer designed to generate high mixing turbulence within the bottom zone of a liquid holding vessel while simultaneously entraining and transferring liquid from the upper surface down to the vessel bottom. Mixing action is accomplished through the incorporation of two jet nozzles, nested one inside the other, strategically located and powered by pressurized liquid drawn from the vessel being mixed. Mixer component dimensions are adaptable to multiple vessel types and configurations. Surface liquids are entrained using a weir section that is either a fixed or floating component of the mixer assembly. Liquid used for developing outlet velocity in primary jet is drawn from multiple locations including the vessel center zone, the vessel bottom and mixer annulus. Mixing in the vessel center zone can vary from gentle upward flow in tall tanks to complete turbulent mixing in shallow vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Nested Nozzle Mixers, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest Peter Tovani, Gary D. Matzen
  • Patent number: 8409439
    Abstract: A high pressure mixer is designed to generate high mixing turbulence within the bottom zone of a liquid holding vessel while simultaneously entraining and transferring liquid from the upper surface down to the vessel bottom. Mixing action is accomplished through the incorporation of two jet nozzles, nested one inside the other, strategically located and powered by pressurized liquid drawn from the vessel being mixed. Surface liquids are entrained using a weir section that is either a fixed or floating component of the mixer assembly. Liquid used for developing outlet velocity in primary jet is drawn from multiple locations including the vessel center zone, the vessel bottom and mixer annulus. Vessel pressure is maintained sufficiently high for a period to create a high concentration of dissolved gas in the slurry during digester operation. After shutting off the mixer pressure is lowered to release dissolved gas resulting in a three region segregation of slurry components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Nested Nozzle Mixers, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest Peter Tovani, Gary D. Matzen
  • Patent number: 8256818
    Abstract: An embodiment of a vehicle mounted table system comprises hardware adapted to attach to a cargo area of a vehicle by way of one or more coupling mechanisms. The embodiment has a slider assembly adapted to slide relative to the hardware whereby the slider assembly can be slid at least partially out of a tailgate of the vehicle while the hardware remains attached to the vehicle. Operatively coupled to the slider assembly is one or more platforms, the platforms folding out of the vehicle through a hinge-turntable assembly. The embodiment also includes a canopy assembly having a flexible covering and one or more associated canopy supports, the one or more canopy supports adapted for attachment to the table structure when the tailgating assembly is fully deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Inventor: Ernest Peter Tovani
  • Patent number: 7531148
    Abstract: A two-tube centrifuge separates light material and heavy material from an input mixture. A hollow drive shaft rotates a central body member about an axis of rotation. Two hollow arm assemblies, each having circular cross-section, are mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the central body. Each arm assembly includes an outer housing tube, an intermediate tube, and an inner tube that is longer than the intermediate tube. An end cap having a removable plug is mounted on the outer end of the housing-tube of each arm assembly. The inner ends of all three tubes are mechanically interlocked in a manner to cantilever mount the inner and intermediate tubes to the central-body with their outer ends spaced from the internal surface of the end cap. An input-mixture path extends through the hollow drive shaft, through the central-body, and into a cylindrical space between the inner and intermediate tubes of each arm assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: ERTH Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Cornay, Ernest Peter Tovani, Gary Matzen
  • Publication number: 20080083352
    Abstract: An embodiment of a vehicle mounted table system comprises hardware adapted to attach to a cargo area of a vehicle by way of one or more coupling mechanisms. The embodiment has a slider assembly adapted to slide relative to the hardware whereby the slider assembly can be slid at least partially out of a tailgate of the vehicle while the hardware remains attached to the vehicle. Operatively coupled to the slider assembly is one or more platforms, the platforms folding out of the vehicle through a hinge-turntable assembly. The embodiment also includes a canopy assembly having a flexible covering and one or more associated canopy supports, the one or more canopy supports adapted for attachment to the table structure when the tailgating assembly is fully deployed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventor: Ernest Peter Tovani
  • Patent number: 7189196
    Abstract: A two-tube centrifuge separates light material and heavy material from an input mixture. A hollow drive shaft rotates a central body member about an axis of rotation. Two hollow arm assemblies, each having circular cross-section, are mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the central body. Each arm assembly includes an outer housing tube, an intermediate tube, and an inner tube that is longer than the intermediate tube. An end cap having a removable plug is mounted on the outer end of the housing-tube of each arm assembly. The inner ends of all three tubes are mechanically interlocked in a manner to cantilever mount the inner and intermediate tubes to the central-body with their outer ends spaced from the internal surface of the end cap. An input-mixture path extends through the hollow drive shaft, through the central-body, and into a cylindrical space between the inner and intermediate tubes of each arm assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: ERTH Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Cornay, Ernest Peter Tovani, Gary Matzen
  • Patent number: 6966874
    Abstract: A two-tube centrifuge separates light material and heavy material from an input mixture. A hollow drive shaft rotates a central body member about an axis of rotation. Two hollow arm assemblies, each having circular cross-section, are mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the central body. Each arm assembly includes an outer housing tube, an intermediate tube, and an inner tube that is longer than the intermediate tube. An end cap having a removable plug is mounted on the outer end of the housing-tube of each arm assembly. The inner ends of all three tubes are mechanically interlocked in a manner to cantilever mount the inner and intermediate tubes to the central-body with their outer ends spaced from the internal surface of the end cap. An input-mixture path extends through the hollow drive shaft, through the central-body, and into a cylindrical space between the inner and intermediate tubes of each arm assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Erth Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Cornay, Ernest Peter Tovani, Gary Matzen
  • Publication number: 20040142807
    Abstract: A two-tube centrifuge separates light material and heavy material from an input mixture. A hollow drive shaft rotates a central body member about an axis of rotation. Two hollow arm assemblies, each having circular cross-section, are mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the central body. Each arm assembly includes an outer housing tube, an intermediate tube, and an inner tube that is longer than the intermediate tube. An end cap having a removable plug is mounted on the outer end of the housing-tube of each arm assembly. The inner ends of all three tubes are mechanically interlocked in a manner to cantilever mount the inner and intermediate tubes to the central-body with their outer ends spaced from the internal surface of the end cap. An input-mixture path extends through the hollow drive shaft, through the central-body, and into a cylindrical space between the inner and intermediate tubes of each arm assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Paul J. Cornay, Ernest Peter Tovani, Gary Matzen
  • Publication number: 20020032111
    Abstract: A two-tube centrifuge separates light material and heavy material from an input mixture. A hollow drive shaft rotates a central body member about an axis of rotation. Two hollow arm assemblies, each having circular cross-section, are mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the central body. Each arm assembly includes an outer housing tube, an intermediate tube, and an inner tube that is longer than the intermediate tube. An end cap having a removable plug is mounted on the outer end of the housing-tube of each arm assembly. The inner ends of all three tubes are mechanically interlocked in a manner to cantilever mount the inner and intermediate tubes to the central-body with their outer ends spaced from the internal surface of the end cap. An input-mixture path extends through the hollow drive shaft, through the central-body, and into a cylindrical space between the inner and intermediate tubes of each arm assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Paul J. Cornay, Ernest Peter Tovani, Gary Matzen
  • Patent number: 5827022
    Abstract: A flooring system positionable in an aircraft is disclosed. In one embodiment, the flooring system includes a floor platform and at least three tracks positioned about a top surface of the floor platform, the tracks being adapted to receive support members. In particular, three parallel tracks form two track pairs which are capable of receiving one of a first and second support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Air Methods Corporation
    Inventor: Ernest Peter Tovani