Patents Examined by James M Hewitt, II
  • Patent number: 10907756
    Abstract: The disclosure of the invention provides a clamping apparatus and methods for joining segments of pipeline. The clamping apparatus includes first and second clamp assembly portions, each having at least two pivotable arms that clamp on to ends of two pipeline segments, respectively. The apparatus includes bridging members positioned within the gap connecting first and second clamp assembly portions. The bridging member has a central portion between and radially distal to first and second portions. The arrangement of the central portion provides a continuous open area around the circumference at the pipeline junction so a weld can be made with high precision and efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventor: John Anderson
  • Patent number: 10900596
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flange joint for joining a first pipe to a second pipe includes an adapter coupled to the first pipe. The adapter includes a convex surface. The flange joint also includes a gasket with a first concave surface and a second convex surface. The first concave surface of the gasket is matingly engageable with the convex surface of the adapter. The second convex surface is matingly engageable with the second pipe. The gasket is supported on the first pipe. The flange joint further includes a clamp that includes a concave surface that is matingly engageable with the second pipe to secure the gasket to the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Drost, Robert Schellin
  • Patent number: 10898412
    Abstract: A medical connector includes a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a sidewall extending between the distal end and the proximal end, a helical thread extending radially outward from a surface of the sidewall and comprising a crest portion, flank portions, and a root portion with the flank portions connecting the root portion to the crest portion, and at least one micro-thread extending radially outward from the surface of the sidewall. At least a portion of the micro-thread is spaced apart from the helical thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Becton Dickinson and Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher Carney, Paul Paia Marici
  • Patent number: 10900595
    Abstract: Provided is a threaded joint for an oil well tubing which possesses sufficient sealability when the external pressure is applied to the threaded joint by suppressing the plastic deformation of a nose portion and sufficient galling resistance. The sufficient galling resistance is provided by preventing the occurrence of galling at the time of making up the threaded joint during verification test performed in accordance with ISO13679:2002 even when the threaded joint for an oil well tubing has a small thickness. Parameters including sizes of the threaded joint at positions of a seal point and shoulder portions satisfy formula 1 ((Ds12?Ds02)/(D12?D02)?0.30), formula 2 (tan ?>(?D+?)/{2(Lt?Ls)}), and Ls/Ln is set to 0.2 to 0.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Takamasa Kawai, Taro Kanayama, Masaki Yoshikawa, Haruhiko Seki, Masateru Ueta, Jun Takano, Tsuyoshi Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 10883641
    Abstract: A coupling includes a socket housing that receives a plug. A plunger operates as a fluid valve and side orifices in the plunger allow fluid flow therethrough and is longitudinally movable from a forward sealed position where a sealing ring is in sealed engagement with a fluid channel to prevent fluid flow, and a retracted, unsealed position engaging a connected plug allowing fluid flow into the tubular plunger via the side orifices into the fluid channel. A plunger spring as a preferred wave spring engages the first end of the plunger and biases the plunger into the forward sealed position. First and second conical gaskets at the plunger spring allow the plunger spring as a preferred wave spring, plunger, and any connected plug to rotate within the socket housing and minimize torsion forces and stress on the plunger spring and within the socket housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Inventor: Vittorio Bonomi
  • Patent number: 10883631
    Abstract: Pipe connector for coupling a first-end pipe and a second-end pipe that includes intermediary attachment connectors for each of the first-end and second-end pipes. The attachment connectors include O-ring slots machined into an external perimeter surface and a movable sleeve that engages with the intermediary attachment connectors to form a seal between the O-ring slots and an internal perimeter surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Inventor: Peter Baruch Mueller
  • Patent number: 10876659
    Abstract: An arrangement for fluid-tight connecting of lines including a first and second connection element. The connection elements are aligned with each other and connected by a fastening mechanism. The arrangement includes an intermediate element between the connection elements and a holding element and a second sealing element. A first sealing element is arranged in the holding element between the sealing surfaces of the connection elements. The holding element has a hollow wall with a first and second edge. The second sealing element is connected to the holding element on the second edge. The intermediate element includes an indentation extending from a first end to a second end formed near the first sealing element. The first end has a conical shape, wherein oppositely arranged side walls of the indentation rest on one another on the outer side of the sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Stephan Köster, Ibrahim Jamaladin, Dominik Sernetz
  • Patent number: 10876664
    Abstract: The pipe coupling member has a female pipe coupling body, and a cylindrical front and rear cover members fitted to the female pipe coupling body. The front cover member includes a communication assembly including a communication terminal, a communication cable extending rearward from the communication terminal inside the front cover member and further extending rearward from the rear end of the female pipe coupling body, and a connector terminal at the rear end of the communication cable. The rear cover member is configured to allow the connector terminal to be passed forward inside the rear cover member along a hose attached to the rear end of the female pipe coupling body when the rear cover member is displaced rearward in a state where the hose and the communication cable are allowed to pass inside the rear cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshito Kamimura
  • Patent number: 10865556
    Abstract: A sewer extender useful with recreational vehicles to connect vehicle sewer discharge connectors to ground connectors comprises, in one embodiment, a tubular main body having a proximal end and a distal end; the distal end having a plurality of external threads comprising a plurality of thread segments that are defined by a plurality of spaced-apart relief cuts; a tubular telescoping body adapted to slide into the tubular main body via the distal end; a compression nut having tapered internal threads that are configured to threadedly attach to the plurality of thread segments, and when tightened, to compress the thread segments against the telescoping body to fix the telescoping body in a fixed position with respect to the main body accommodating multiple heights of recreational vehicles. The main body can be configured to articulate at different degrees to allow for multiple connections at different ground level sewer connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventor: Jeffery Wright
  • Patent number: 10851923
    Abstract: A ball joint includes a suspension house comprising an inner side, a house neck and upper flange, wherein a bearing ring, having a liner fastened to its inner surface, and an upper mating surface fastened to the corresponding mating surface on the lower side of the house; a suspension ball, complementary to the inner side of the house, comprising a ball neck and lower flange, the ball having a recess on the inside of the ball, the recess comprising an inner seal ring positioned on a bias ring in the recess; the seal ring providing a seal contacting the inside of the house and a piston seal contacting the inner surface of the recess wherein the bias ring biases the seal ring parallel to the axis of the neck and away from the bias ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: APL Technology AS
    Inventor: Sigmund Askestad
  • Patent number: 10851922
    Abstract: An adjustable collar for inserting a pipe therein, in particular for positioning and securing a pipe to an apparatus. The adjustable collar accepts pipes of any diameter within a pre-determined range instead of only accepting pipes of certain standard diameters. Furthermore, pipes can be secured into the adjustable collar according to the invention without the need for hand tools, adapters, or other accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: CENTROTHERM ECO SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Shaw, Ralf Liese
  • Patent number: 10850249
    Abstract: A sealing assembly creating a sealed flow path between fluid ducts. The seal assembly comprises a housing and a tubular element within the housing providing a fluid conduit between the fluid ducts. Two sealing elements each have an internal sealing face sealably engaged with the tube and an external face for sealing, in use, with a respective fluid duct. At least one of the sealing elements is slidable with respect to the tubes. A support is slidably retained by the housing, surrounds one end of the tube and supports one of the slidable sealing elements on the side of the sealing element opposite to its external face. A resilient element within the housing biases the support so as to urge the two sealing elements apart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: BLACKTRACE HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: Philip Homewood, Hannah Kenyon
  • Patent number: 10844983
    Abstract: A top bar coupling includes a coupling body defining a first body end and a second body end; a first end ring attached to the first body end, the first end ring including a first gasket and a first split ring, the first gasket disposed within the first split ring, the first split ring configured to compress the first gasket radially inward in a tensioned state; a second end ring attached to the second body end, the second end ring including a second gasket and a second split ring, the second gasket disposed within the second split ring, the second split ring configured to compress the second gasket radially inward in a tensioned state; and a bar linkage attached to the first end ring and the second end ring, the bar linkage including a first bar; a second bar; and a attaching the first bar to the second bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Mueller International, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy J. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10844669
    Abstract: A threaded joint for joining tubes used especially in the field of OCTG (Oil Country Tubular Goods), such as pipes in gas or oil production and/or casings when drilling wells can include a pin and a coupling, or box, having an end surface not facing against any surface of the pin when the joint is made-up. Following make-up of the joint, first sealing surfaces of the pin and box mate to form an internal metal-to-metal seal, and second sealing surfaces of the pin and box mate to form an external metal-to-metal seal, where the internal and external seals are defined by contact between one toroidal surface and one frusto-conical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TENARIS CONNECTIONS B.V.
    Inventors: Gaston Mazzaferro, Gabriel E. Carcagno, Tatsuo Ono, Nestor J. Santi
  • Patent number: 10828402
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a connector system may include at least two connectors and a collar configured to detachably align the at least two connectors for coupling to a mating collar with at least two mating connectors. The collar may also be configured to at least partially disengage from the at least two connectors to allow movement of the connectors relative to each other. The relative movement may allow the connectors to couple to mating connectors that are in different configurations (than the mating collar configurations). In some embodiments, the connectors and/or mating connectors may include complementary male/female connectors. In some embodiments, the collar/mating collar may circumscribe their respective connectors and/or a perimeter of the other of the collar/mating collar. In some embodiments, the collar/mating collar may include interfacing features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lee, Robert Balsamo
  • Patent number: 10823323
    Abstract: A fluid connector comprising a body having a through-bore, a plurality of radially inwardly facing surfaces comprising a first cylindrical surface having a first diameter, a frusto-conical surface adjacent the first cylindrical surface, and a second cylindrical surface adjacent the frusto-conical surface, the second cylindrical surface having a second diameter, wherein the frusto-conical surface is arranged between the first and second cylindrical surfaces, and a plurality of outwardly facing surfaces comprising a first cylindrical surface having a first diameter, and a second cylindrical surface adjacent the first cylindrical surface, the second cylindrical surface having a second diameter, and a deformable tab integrally connected to the body and extending axially from the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Oetiker NY, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley C. Fremont, Steven R. Zillig
  • Patent number: 10823325
    Abstract: A connector assembly for connection to a preconditioned air port on an aircraft that includes a rotatable coupling, a retractable latch, and a protective cage. The retractable latch is actuated by rotation of the protective cage relative to the upper coupling section of the coupling. The protective cage surrounds the coupling and includes at least a first and second protective bumper at opposite ends of the protective cage. The protective cage protects the connection from coming in contact with the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: SAGE PARTS PLUS, INC.
    Inventors: Ruddy Castillo, Nehara Gulce Demir, Sohaib Hameed, Michael K. Bloomfield
  • Patent number: 10822979
    Abstract: A curvic seal for a gas turbine engine includes a cylindrical seal with a retention feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Julian Partyka, Scott D Virkler, Jonathan P Sandoval
  • Patent number: 10814121
    Abstract: A simply lockable quick coupling for releasably connecting a hose to an implantable apparatus, comprises a first attachment piece that can be connected to the hose and a second attachment piece that can be connected to the apparatus, wherein the attachment pieces can be rotated relative to each other in the locked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: ABIOMED EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Thorsten Siess, Gerd Spanier
  • Patent number: 10808873
    Abstract: The invention relates to a female quick coupling element (200) comprising a hollow female body (204) defining a central axis (X200), locking members (208), each locking member being radially movable inside a corresponding radial opening (204.1) of the female body between a locked position and an unlocked position, at least one memory element (206), movable along a movement axis (D206) between a distal position, in which it opposes the movement of a locking member from the unlocked position to the locked position, and a proximal position, and a locking ring (218), which is axially movable between a forward position, in which it keeps the locking members in the locked position, and a withdrawn position. Each memory element (206) is received in a housing defined in the thickness of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: STAUBLI FAVERGES
    Inventors: Alain-Christophe Tiberghien, Christophe Durieux, Frederic Morel