Patents by Inventor L. Robert Zifferer

L. Robert Zifferer 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: 8434207
    Abstract: Methods of forming a lined tubular member are described herein. A method includes forming at least one corrugated portion in a conduit having at least one substantially tapered end to form a corrugated conduit, providing the corrugated conduit to a tubular member; and expanding the corrugated conduit while the corrugated conduit is inside the tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Packless Industries
    Inventors: L. Robert Zifferer, Edward A. Reed
  • Publication number: 20110252624
    Abstract: Methods of forming a lined tubular member are described herein. A method includes forming at least one corrugated portion in a conduit having at least one substantially tapered end to form a corrugated conduit, providing the corrugated conduit to a tubular member; and expanding the corrugated conduit while the corrugated conduit is inside the tubular member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: Packless Industries
    Inventors: L. Robert Zifferer, Edward A. Reed
  • Patent number: 7926160
    Abstract: A corrugated conduit and method of expanding to form a lined tubular member are described. In some embodiments, a corrugated conduit may be expandable. The corrugated conduit may be inserted into a tubular member and hydraulically or otherwise expanded against walls of the tubular member to strengthen and/or seal the tubular member when the corrugated conduit is expanded in the tubular member. In certain embodiments, the tubular member is a drill stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Packless Industries
    Inventors: L. Robert Zifferer, Edward A. Reed
  • Publication number: 20100229996
    Abstract: A lined conduit formed by decorrugating a corrugated liner conduit inside a first conduit is described. A method and apparatus for forming the lined conduit are also described. The corrugated liner conduit may be positioned inside the first conduit. Each end portion of the corrugated liner conduit may be coupled to a hydraulic expander. Each hydraulic expander may include a hydraulic cylinder. Each hydraulic cylinder may include a piston rod with an opening along the length of the piston rod. The corrugated liner conduit may be evacuated through a valve assembly coupled to the passageway in one of the piston rods. The evacuated corrugated liner conduit may be pressurized with fluid from a fluid source coupled to the valve assembly. Pressurizing the corrugated liner conduit may expand corrugations in the corrugated liner conduit to form a decorrugated liner in the first conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: L. Robert Zifferer, Edward A. Reed
  • Patent number: 7694402
    Abstract: A lined conduit formed by decorrugating a corrugated liner conduit inside a first conduit is described. A method and apparatus for forming the lined conduit are also described. The corrugated liner conduit may be positioned inside the first conduit. Each end portion of the corrugated liner conduit may be coupled to a hydraulic expander. Each hydraulic expander may include a hydraulic cylinder. Each hydraulic cylinder may include a piston rod with an opening along the length of the piston rod. The corrugated liner conduit may be evacuated through a valve assembly coupled to the passageway in one of the piston rods. The evacuated corrugated liner conduit may be pressurized with fluid from a fluid source coupled to the valve assembly. Pressurizing the corrugated liner conduit may expand corrugations in the corrugated liner conduit to form a decorrugated liner in the first conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Packless Metal Hose, Inc.
    Inventors: L. Robert Zifferer, Edward A. Reed
  • Patent number: 6968719
    Abstract: A machine may produce a tube having textured internal and external surfaces in a single operation. Inner and outer knurling tools may form the textured surfaces. The texturing of the internal and external surfaces may be helical patterns of ribs and grooves. The height of the ribs formed in the internal and external surfaces may be less than about 35 mils. The angles of the patterns relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube may be less than about 45°. The angle of the helical pattern allows textured tubes to be used as heat exchanger elements wherein flow is directed substantially coaxial to the longitudinal axes of the tubes. The helical pattern formed in the external surface may be oriented in a right hand or left hand helical orientation. Similarly, the helical pattern formed in the internal surface may be oriented in a right hand or left hand orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Packless Metal Hose, Inc.
    Inventor: L. Robert Zifferer
  • Patent number: 6923035
    Abstract: A conduit modifier may be used to corrugate at least a portion of a conduit. The conduit modifier may include at least a first plurality of rollers arranged in a first pattern around a passageway. The first plurality of rollers may form ridges and grooves lengthwise along a conduit passing through the passageway. A second plurality of rollers arranged in a second pattern around the passageway may compress ridges formed by the first set of rollers. The ridges may be formed such that a distance from a central axis of the conduit to a highest portion of an outer surface of a ridge is substantially equal to a distance from the central axis of the conduit to an outer surface of the un-corrugated portion of the conduit. The corrugated portion of the modified conduit may be expandable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Packless Metal Hose, Inc.
    Inventors: L. Robert Zifferer, Edward A. Reed
  • Publication number: 20040250587
    Abstract: A machine may produce a tube having textured internal and external surfaces in a single operation. Inner and outer knurling tools may form the textured surfaces. The texturing of the internal and external surfaces may be helical patterns of ribs and grooves. The height of the ribs formed in the internal and external surfaces may be less than about 35 mils. The angles of the patterns relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube may be less than about 45°. The angle of the helical pattern allows textured tubes to be used as heat exchanger elements wherein flow is directed substantially coaxial to the longitudinal axes of the tubes. The helical pattern formed in the external surface may be oriented in a right hand or left hand helical orientation. Similarly, the helical pattern formed in the internal surface may be oriented in a right hand or left hand orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: Packless Metal Hose, Inc.
    Inventor: L. Robert Zifferer
  • Publication number: 20040226334
    Abstract: A conduit modifier may be used to corrugate at least a portion of a conduit. The conduit modifier may include at least a first plurality of rollers arranged in a first pattern around a passageway. The first plurality of rollers may form ridges and grooves lengthwise along a conduit passing through the passageway. A second plurality of rollers arranged in a second pattern around the passageway may compress ridges formed by the first set of rollers. The ridges may be formed such that a distance from a central axis of the conduit to a highest portion of an outer surface of a ridge is substantially equal to a distance from the central axis of the conduit to an outer surface of the un-corrugated portion of the conduit. The corrugated portion of the modified conduit may be expandable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: L. Robert Zifferer, Edward A. Reed
  • Patent number: 6760972
    Abstract: A machine may produce a tube having textured internal and external surfaces in a single operation. Inner and outer knurling tools may form the textured surfaces. The texturing of the internal and external surfaces may be helical patterns of ribs and grooves. The height of the ribs formed in the internal and external surfaces may be less than about 35 mils. The angles of the patterns relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube may be less than about 45°. The angle of the helical pattern allows textured tubes to be used as heat exchanger elements wherein flow is directed substantially coaxial to the longitudinal axes of the tubes. The helical pattern formed in the external surface may be oriented in a right hand or left hand helical orientation. Similarly, the helical pattern formed in the internal surface may be oriented in a right hand or left hand orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Packless Metal Hose, Inc.
    Inventor: L. Robert Zifferer
  • Patent number: 6488079
    Abstract: A corrugated heat exchanger element may have grooves and ribs on the interior and exterior surfaces of the tube. The corrugations on the tube may be linear corrugations or helical corrugations. The texturing of the interior and exterior surfaces of the tube, and the corrugations in the tube may provide a heat exchanger element that has a large surface area. The surface texturing and corrugations may also provide a heat exchanger element that promotes internal mixing of fluids that flow by and through the element. Increased internal mixing and increased surface area of an element may allow the heat exchanger element to have a high heat transfer coefficient. A heat exchanger element or heat exchanger elements may be assembled into a heat exchanger that has a high overall heat transfer coefficient. Ends of the heat exchanger element may be pointed to facilitate attachment of the element to a support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Packless Metal Hose, Inc.
    Inventor: L. Robert Zifferer
  • Publication number: 20020121361
    Abstract: A corrugated heat exchanger element may have grooves and ribs on the interior and exterior surfaces of the tube. The corrugations on the tube may be linear corrugations or helical corrugations. The texturing of the interior and exterior surfaces of the tube, and the corrugations in the tube may provide a heat exchanger element that has a large surface area. The surface texturing and corrugations may also provide a heat exchanger element that promotes internal mixing of fluids that flow by and through the element. Increased internal mixing and increased surface area of an element may allow the heat exchanger element to have a high heat transfer coefficient. A heat exchanger element or heat exchanger elements may be assembled into a heat exchanger that has a high overall heat transfer coefficient. Ends of the heat exchanger element may be pointed to facilitate attachment of the element to a support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventor: L. Robert Zifferer
  • Publication number: 20020033035
    Abstract: A machine may produce a tube having textured internal and external surfaces in a single operation. Inner and outer knurling tools may form the textured surfaces. The texturing of the internal and external surfaces may be helical patterns of ribs and grooves. The height of the ribs formed in the internal and external surfaces may be less than about 35 mils. The angles of the patterns relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube may be less than about 45°. The angle of the helical pattern allows textured tubes to be used as heat exchanger elements wherein flow is directed substantially coaxial to the longitudinal axes of the tubes. The helical pattern formed in the external surface may be oriented in a right hand or left hand helical orientation. Similarly, the helical pattern formed in the internal surface may be oriented in a right hand or left hand orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Inventor: L. Robert Zifferer
  • Patent number: 5551504
    Abstract: Multi-passage heat exchange element which includes an elongated central first fluid passage for passage of a first fluid of a heat exchanger, a plurality of substantially helically convoluted second fluid passages for a second fluid of a heat exchanger, the second fluid passages substantially helically surrounding at least a portion of the elongated central passage, and a plurality of substantially helically convoluted first fluid passages for passage of the first fluid of a heat exchanger, the first fluid passages substantially surrounding at least a portion of the second fluid passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Packless Metal Hose, Inc.
    Inventor: L. Robert Zifferer
  • Patent number: 5409057
    Abstract: Multi-passage heat exchange element which includes an elongated central first fluid passage for passage of a first fluid of a heat exchanger, a plurality of substantially helically convoluted second fluid passages for a second fluid of a heat exchanger, the second fluid passages substantially helically surrounding at least a portion of the elongated central passage, and a plurality of substantially helically convoluted first fluid passages for passage of the first fluid of a heat exchanger, the first fluid passages substantially surrounding at least a portion of the second fluid passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Packless Metal Hose, Inc.
    Inventor: L. Robert Zifferer