Patents Represented by Attorney Levy & Grandinetti
  • Patent number: 8342218
    Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing a tubular product comprising a tube forming means, a tube maintaining means, a drawing means and energy application means, in which the tube forming means comprises a formation aperture or series of apertures adapted to form a subject material drawn therethrough into a tubular shape, in which the tube maintaining means comprises a circular aperture or series of apertures adapted to maintain the subject material drawn therethrough in the tubular shape, in which the drawing means is adapted to draw the subject material through the tube forming means and the tube maintaining means, in which the energy application means is adapted to direct an energy to the subject material, or an energy absorbent component disposed thereon, such that the subject material is set in the tubular shape, and in which the tube maintaining means is adapted to maintain the subject material in the tubular shape during absorption of the energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Lamina Dielectrics Limited
    Inventors: Patrick Clayton, Patrick M. Hester
  • Patent number: 8287211
    Abstract: A method for pipelaying at sea from a vessel, wherein the length of each pipe string is less than the depth of the sea at the laying site, is described. The method includes attaching a string to a line on the vessel. The string is deployed and suspended by the vessel via the line substantially above the end of the pipeline to which it will be connected. The line is paid out until the lower end of the string is lowered to the end of the string to which it will be connected. With the string in a vertical configuration and the end of the pipeline substantially in its installed configuration, the end of the string is connected to the end of the pipeline. The vessel is moved in the lay direction and the line is paid out until the string is laid into its installed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Subsea 7 Contracting (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Jean Baptiste Pose
  • Patent number: 8282317
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for buoyancy distribution along a substantially vertical submarine structure (100), the structure being provided with multiple modules (110), slidably mounted to the structure such that when vertically deployed at sea the modules are may adjust their positions along the structure by sliding, the force of each module acting upon the module above it rather than locally along the structure, resulting in the cumulative force (460) from the modules acting substantially against the top of the structure. Forces between modules may be evenly distributed by use of compliant intermediaries (310).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Acergy France S.A.
    Inventor: Tegwen Bertrand Marie Miorcec de Kerdanet
  • Patent number: 8261765
    Abstract: A diaphragm for use in a valve assembly, comprising at least one sealing portion and a fixation portion, characterized in that the fixation portion and the at least one sealing portion are connected by a flexible portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A.
    Inventors: Albert Wauters, Iain McDerment
  • Patent number: 8261674
    Abstract: A skidding pallet (200) for use on the skid rails (110, 115) of a vessel is disclosed, the pallet comprising a supporting means such as a frame (230), a mounting means for the mounting of an object thereon, and at least one actuation means, such as a cylinder (240), attached to one of the supporting means or mounting means. In use, the supporting means interfaces with the skid rails and the actuation means are actuatable to cause the mounting means to rotate in relation to said supporting means and the skid rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Acergy Norway AS
    Inventors: Asbjorn Wathne, Gabriel Grodem
  • Patent number: 8256993
    Abstract: Disclosed is a riser tower structure including a plurality of elongate objects. The riser tower structure is provided with blocks, preferably of buoyant material, along at least part of its length. The blocks provide the riser tower with a substantially circular cross-sectional profile, wherein one or more strakes are provided on the outside of the blocks. The strakes in a main embodiment are helical. Also disclosed is a corresponding method of constructing such a riser tower structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Subsea 7 (COM) Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Branchut, Michael Middel
  • Patent number: 8231308
    Abstract: A method of installing a subsea structure, such as a hybrid riser tower, is disclosed. The riser tower includes a main portion and a buoyancy portion. When installed, the riser tower extends substantially from the seabed towards the surface with the buoyancy portion attached at a top end. The method includes taking the riser tower to an installation site in a substantially horizontal configuration with the main portion containing a first fluid and the buoyancy portion containing a second fluid, the second fluid being more dense than the first fluid. Then, tilting of the riser tower is performed such that it takes a substantially vertical configuration by allowing the first fluid in the elongate portion to interchange with the second fluid in the buoyancy portion. Also disclosed is a suitable apparatus for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Inventor: Vincent Marcel Ghislain Alliot
  • Patent number: 8186912
    Abstract: Disclosed is a riser comprising a plurality of pipelines. In one example there are three such pipelines, extending from the seabed toward the surface and having an upper end supported at a depth below the sea surface, wherein, in one embodiment a first of said pipelines acts as a central structural core, the other pipelines being arranged around said first pipeline. In another embodiment three pipelines are arranged around a structural core. In each case, the first of said pipelines may be a fluid injection line, said other pipelines being production lines. Also disclosed is a riser having buoyancy along at least a part of its length, said buoyancy resulting in said riser having a generally circular cross-section, the circumference of which being non-contiguous. Methods of installing such risers are also are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Acergy France SA
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Saint-Marcoux, Jean-Pierre Branchut, Gregoire De-Roux
  • Patent number: 8176866
    Abstract: The invention provides a tether connection apparatus for remotely interconnecting respective free ends of two portions of a mooring tether, such as that used to moor a floating production vessel to the seabed. The apparatus includes a frame, a winch mounted on the frame and operable to pull-in to the apparatus the free end of one of the portions of the mooring tether, subsequent to deployment of the apparatus. The apparatus also includes a connector mount on the frame for releasably mounting a connector. The connector is designed to interconnect the respective free ends of two portions of the mooring tether, once the winch has pulled into the apparatus the free end of a first of the portions of mooring tether. The mount is operable to release the connector subsequent to interconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Acergy Norway AS
    Inventors: Hallgeir Lenes, Christian Wathne, Marius Tungseth, Kenneth John Whyte
  • Patent number: 8162292
    Abstract: An animal barrier device comprising one or more rotating bodies and fixture structures, in which in use the fixture structures, rotatably support the one or more rotating bodies on a construction with which the animal barrier is used, in which each rotating body is an elongate body which rotates in use about a longitudinal axis, and in which the longitudinal axis is located at any point on a line between a center of the rotating body and a point below the rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Andrew Farmer
  • Patent number: 8152498
    Abstract: A peristaltic pump having a casing defining a tube race, a flexible tube disposed in the tube race, and a rotor with one or more rollers adapted to act against the flexible tube. The casing has a first section having the tube race and a first part of fitting means, and a second section having the rotor and a second part of the fitting means. The first and second parts of the fitting means are a releasable snap-fit together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Brightwell Dispensers Limited
    Inventor: Etienne Vincent Bunoz
  • Patent number: 8141643
    Abstract: A method of installing equipment subsea comprising the steps of: assembling the equipment within a frame; submerging in the sea at least a part of an assembly comprising the frame and the equipment; coupling the at least partially submerged assembly to a vessel; transporting the at least partially submerged assembly proximate a subsea installation site; coupling the assembly to an installation device; and installing the equipment at the installation site using the installation device. A frame for supporting equipment is also disclosed wherein the frame is shaped to match the dimensions of the equipment to be supported. The frame comprises at least one clamp having a first half clamp member for releasably engaging a second half clamp member of a second structure and a full clamp member for clamping around and supporting the equipment. The first half clamp member and the full clamp member can be integrally formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Subsea 7 Limited
    Inventor: Mick Fowkes
  • Patent number: 8109223
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of operating an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) may include receiving an AUV in a receptacle of a submersible station. The AUV and the submersible station may be launched to an underwater location. The AUV may engage with the submersible station before, after or during a mission, and may return to the same or a different submersible station after part, or all, of the mission has been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Subsea 7 Limited
    Inventor: James Andrew Jamieson
  • Patent number: 8052493
    Abstract: A rowing oar handle comprising a first portion and a second portion, in which the first portion and the second portion are axially rotatable to one another, and in which in use the point of rotation is located between a user's hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Inventor: Emily Webb
  • Patent number: 8052351
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that comprises the steps of preassembling the connector pipe in a support; coupling a frame to the pipeline at or towards an end thereof such that the location of at least one part of the frame is known with reference to the throughbore and the end of the pipeline; engaging the support with a portion of the frame; substantially aligning the connector pipe with the end of the pipeline; and connecting the connector pipe to the end of the pipeline. A cutting tool is also disclosed that can be coupled to a portion of a guide means and used to cut the pipeline at a predetermined distance from the guide means such that the end of the pipeline is created. A remotely operable vehicle can be used to remotely actuate and control the connection of the pipe and the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Subsea 7 Norway NUF
    Inventor: William Tobias Bird
  • Patent number: 8007220
    Abstract: A wheelchair lifting bay comprising base means, a lifting platform, lifting means and pivot means, in which the lifting platform is connected to the base means by the pivot means, in which the lifting platform comprises a bottom wall and a back wall, in which the pivot means is disposed rearward of said back wall and is spaced apart from it, in which the lifting means is mounted between the base means and the lifting platform forward of the pivot means, and in which the lifting means rotates the lifting platform about the pivot means in use such that the back wall follows a circumferential path about the pivot means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Inventors: David Vandyke, Philip Wickens, Stephen Campbell
  • Patent number: 7993688
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing a liquid, which contains proteins (esp. haze sensitive proteins), for subsequent separation of at least haze-forming material, when predetermined filter aids are used. The method includes the addition of protein-complexing agent to the liquid, which agent is capable of forming a complex with at least some sensitive proteins of the liquid, to result in a limitation of the residual haze of the liquid, obtained after the separation (e.g. filtration), step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Adam, Patrick Haselaars, Philippe Janssens
  • Patent number: 7993077
    Abstract: An elongate article (100) such as a prefabricated pipeline of several kilometers length is towed through water. The article is provided along its length with buoyancy adjusting material (102) fitted closely to the article. The buoyancy adjusting material is sufficient to give the article overall a positive buoyancy so that it will not sink to the seabed, and is distributed unevenly along the length of the article so as to create regions of negative buoyancy. This causes the article to adopt a wave profile with peaks (+) and troughs (?) along its length. The article is connected at its extremities to lead and trail tugs (104, 106) for controlling movement of the article through the water. Intermediate peaks are optionally coupled to intermediate tugs (108) or buoys (702) via self-adjusting ballast chains (110). The wave profile allows the towed structure to extend without undue tension on the article itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Acergy France S.A.
    Inventor: Vincent Marcel Ghislain Alliot
  • Patent number: 7934694
    Abstract: An actuator comprising a cylinder and a spring return piston provided with linkage means, in which one or more return springs are situated on the same side of the piston as the linkage means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Forac Limited
    Inventor: Alan Bunyard
  • Patent number: RE42707
    Abstract: A dispensing device comprising a base, a cover and a valve, in which the cover is releasably attached to the base by means of first hinge means, the movement of the cove defined by first hinge means operating the valve, and in which the cover is attached to the base by means of second hinge means, the movement of the cover defined by second hinge means exposing the base for loading or unloading a container of material to be dispensed, said movement defined by second hinge means only being possible when the cover is detached from the first hinge manes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Brightwell Dispensers Limited
    Inventor: Etienne Bunoz