Patents by Inventor Michael D. Wilkis

Michael D. Wilkis 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).

  • Publication number: 20240035245
    Abstract: A coupled shaft assembly for a foundation support system includes inner and outer couplers with mating helical ribs and grooves, and spring element that resiliently interlocks the inner and outer couplers in an axial direction. Built-in anti-reverse rotation elements in each coupler accommodates a limited degree of relative rotation of the couplers and thereafter precludes further relative rotation that could otherwise negatively impact the spring element and lead to an undesirable disengagement of the inner and outer couplers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20240026627
    Abstract: A coupled shaft assembly for a foundation support system includes conical-shaped inner and outer couplers with mating helical ribs and grooves, and an anti-reverse element extending through different shaped openings in the inner and outer couplers that accommodates a limited degree of relative rotation of the couplers and thereafter precludes further relative rotation and an undesirable disengagement of the inner and outer couplers when subjected to reverse rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20240018734
    Abstract: Coupled shaft assemblies for a foundation support system include shafts provided with profiled distal end edges that may be directly engaged to one another to realize an interlocking torque transmitting relationship with one another along a curved engagement surface. A coupler sleeve may snugly receive the distal ends of the directly engaged shafts and may fasten the shafts to one another through the coupler sleeve with ease in an economical manufacture that does not require non-uniform wall thickness in the shafts to establish torque transmission capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20230235523
    Abstract: A modular foundation support system includes modular foundation support components including shafts provided with integrally formed coupler features on their respective distal ends. The coupler features are configured with a non-uniform wall thickness defining a plurality of sections of respectively different diameter to matingly couple the shafts to one another in a torque transmitting relationship. The coupler features may be integrally formed and fabricated on the distal end of each respective shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20230175226
    Abstract: A modular foundation support system includes modular foundation support components including self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler features wherein a plurality of\elongated ribs are aligned with a plurality of elongated grooves to rotationally interlock the modular foundation support components to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Patent number: 11525232
    Abstract: A modular foundation support system includes modular foundation support components including self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler features wherein a plurality of axially elongated ribs are aligned with a plurality of axially elongated ribs to rotationally interlocke the modular foundation support components to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20210254298
    Abstract: Improved couplers for a building foundation support system include helical ribs and helical grooves in combination with an integrated spring retainer element that automatically snaps into place as the couplers are engaged. Rotational and axial interlocking attachment of support piles is therefore possible without utilizing separately provided fasteners such as bolts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20210071381
    Abstract: A modular foundation support system includes modular foundation support components including self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler features wherein a plurality of axially elongated ribs are aligned with a plurality of axially elongated ribs to rotationally interlocke the modular foundation support components to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Patent number: 10844569
    Abstract: A modular foundation support system includes modular foundation support components including self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler features wherein a plurality of axially elongated ribs are aligned with a plurality of axially elongated ribs on a second distal end to rotationally interlocked the modular foundation support components to one another. First and second pair of fastener holes are self-aligning with one another to receive a fastener therethrough such that the fastener is mechanically isolated from rotational torque transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Patent number: 10294623
    Abstract: A self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler assembly includes an outer coupler coupled to a first shaft of and an inner coupler coupled to a second shaft. The outer coupler comprises an inner surface having primary and secondary alignment and torque transmitting features, and the inner coupler comprises an outer surface having primary and secondary alignment features. The primary and secondary alignment features are configured to interlock and facilitate alignment of the first and second shafts along a common axis in an exemplary application of a foundation support system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: PIER TECH SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20190127940
    Abstract: A modular foundation support system includes modular foundation support components including self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler features wherein a plurality of axially elongated ribs are aligned with a plurality of axially elongated ribs on a second distal end to rotationally interlocked the modular foundation support components to one another. First and second pair of fastener holes are self-aligning with one another to receive a fastener therethrough such that the fastener is mechanically isolated from rotational torque transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20180155891
    Abstract: A self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler assembly includes an outer coupler coupled to a first shaft of and an inner coupler coupled to a second shaft. The outer coupler comprises an inner surface having primary and secondary alignment and torque transmitting features, and the inner coupler comprises an outer surface having primary and secondary alignment features. The primary and secondary alignment features are configured to interlock and facilitate alignment of the first and second shafts along a common axis in an exemplary application of a foundation support system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Patent number: 9863114
    Abstract: A self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler assembly includes an outer coupler coupled to a first shaft of and an inner coupler coupled to a second shaft. The outer coupler comprises an inner surface having primary and secondary alignment and torque transmitting features, and the inner coupler comprises an outer surface having primary and secondary alignment features. The primary and secondary alignment features are configured to interlock and facilitate alignment of the first and second shafts along a common axis in an exemplary application of a foundation support system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: PIER TECH SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20170037590
    Abstract: A self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler assembly includes an outer coupler coupled to a first shaft of and an inner coupler coupled to a second shaft. The outer coupler comprises an inner surface having primary and secondary alignment and torque transmitting features, and the inner coupler comprises an outer surface having primary and secondary alignment features. The primary and secondary alignment features are configured to interlock and facilitate alignment of the first and second shafts along a common axis in an exemplary application of a foundation support system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Patent number: 9506214
    Abstract: A self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler assembly includes an outer coupler coupled to a first shaft of and an inner coupler coupled to a second shaft. The outer coupler comprises an inner surface having primary and secondary alignment and torque transmitting features, and the inner coupler comprises an outer surface having primary and secondary alignment features. The primary and secondary alignment features are configured to interlock and facilitate alignment of the first and second shafts along a common axis in an exemplary application of a foundation support system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Pier Tech Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis
  • Publication number: 20160333540
    Abstract: A self-aligning and torque transmitting coupler assembly includes an outer coupler coupled to a first shaft of and an inner coupler coupled to a second shaft. The outer coupler comprises an inner surface having primary and secondary alignment and torque transmitting features, and the inner coupler comprises an outer surface having primary and secondary alignment features. The primary and secondary alignment features are configured to interlock and facilitate alignment of the first and second shafts along a common axis in an exemplary application of a foundation support system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin Kaufman, Michael D. Wilkis