Patents by Inventor Tod Jason Michael

Tod Jason Michael 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).

  • Drill head for a tunneling apparatus
    Patent number: 8684470
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tunneling apparatus including a drill head having a main body and a drive stem rotatably mounted within the main body. The main body defines a vacuum passage offset from the drive stem that extends through the main body from a proximal end to a distal end of the main body. The tunneling apparatus also includes an axial bearing structure for transferring axial load between the drive stem and the main body of the drill head. The axial bearing structure is proximally offset from the distal end of the main body of the drill head. The tunneling apparatus further includes a first radial bearing structure for transferring radial load between the drive stem and the main body of the drill head. The first radial bearing structure is positioned between the axial bearing structure and the distal end of the main body of the drill head and is distally offset from the axial bearing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stuart Harrison, Andis Normunds Salins, Matthew Arlen Mills, Matthew Stephen Vos, Tod Jason Michael, Robert Hoch Shuman, V
  • Drill Head for a Tunneling Apparatus
    Publication number: 20100230171
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tunneling apparatus including a drill head having a main body and a drive stem rotatably mounted within the main body. The main body defines a vacuum passage offset from the drive stem that extends through the main body from a proximal end to a distal end of the main body. The tunneling apparatus also includes an axial bearing structure for transferring axial load between the drive stem and the main body of the drill head. The axial bearing structure is proximally offset from the distal end of the main body of the drill head. The tunneling apparatus further includes a first radial bearing structure for transferring radial load between the drive stem and the main body of the drill head. The first radial bearing structure is positioned between the axial bearing structure and the distal end of the main body of the drill head and is distally offset from the axial bearing structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Stuart Harrison, Andis Normunos Salins, Matthew Arlen Mills, Matthew Stephen Vos, Tod Jason Michael, Robert Hoch Shuman, V