Patents Examined by John Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 11630090
    Abstract: A sample dispatcher for a fluid separation apparatus includes a sampling path including a sampling volume, a sampling unit, and a retaining unit. The sampling unit receives a fluidic sample, and the sampling volume temporarily stores an amount of the received sample. The retaining unit receives and retains from the sampling volume at least a portion of the stored sample, and has different retention characteristics for different components of the sample. A switching unit is coupled to the sampling path, a sampling fluid drive, a mobile phase drive, and a separating device. In a feed injection configuration of the switching unit, the mobile phase drive, the separating device, and the sampling path are coupled together in a coupling point for combining a flow from the sampling fluid drive containing the fluidic sample retained by the retaining unit with a flow of the mobile phase from the mobile phase drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Ortmann, Thomas Glauner
  • Patent number: 11630024
    Abstract: A method for testing a test specimen for the presence of a leak using a film chamber for accommodating the test specimen, wherein the film chamber comprises walls enclosing a film chamber volume, which walls include at least one flexible wall area, comprising the steps of: placing the test specimen into the film chamber, and closing the film chamber, characterized in that complete closing of the film chamber is determined on the basis of the signal of a position measuring device which detects the relative position of the film chamber walls with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: INFICON GmbH
    Inventor: Norbert Rolff
  • Patent number: 11624733
    Abstract: A system for separation of components of a natural gas product uses a first separation column to receive the natural gas product and to provide first stage components including a first component gas, uses a gas converter to provide second stage components that includes third component gas from at least a second component gas of such first stage components, and uses a second separation column to provide third stage components that includes the first component gas, the third component gas, and one or more additional carbon-based components provided in or over a period of time associated with the separation of the components of the natural gas product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Salar Azizi, Bastian Baecker, Ansgar Cartellieri
  • Patent number: 11624682
    Abstract: To sample cooling water from a discharge pipe under vacuum, with a simple structure and without using a large-scale device. Provided is a sampling system for sampling cooling water flowing through a discharge pipe extending from a condenser to a sea. The sampling system includes: a bypass pipe branched off from the discharge pipe and joining the discharge pipe; two shutoff valves provided in the bypass pipe; a sampling pipe branched off from the bypass pipe between the two shutoff valves; a vent pipe branched off from the bypass pipe between the two shutoff valves; a sampling valve provided in the sampling pipe; and a vent valve provided in the vent pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Tsunoda, Ryoichi Okura, Kazuhiko Sato
  • Patent number: 11624279
    Abstract: A method comprises flowing a mud into a wellbore, wherein the mud has a mud composition and has a weight in a defined range. The method includes introducing a fluid pill into the mud flowing into the wellbore, wherein the fluid pill has an injection fluid with an injection composition that is different from the mud composition. A particulate has been added to the injection fluid to increase the weight of the fluid pill. After flowing the mud into the wellbore such that the fluid pill is positioned in a zone of the wellbore: filtering out the particulate from the injection fluid; injecting, after the filtering, the injection fluid into the zone; measuring a downhole parameter that changes in response to injecting the injection fluid into the zone; and determining a property of the formation of the zone based on the measured downhole parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus Ray Hudson, Pramod Chamarthy, Michel Joseph LeBlanc, Christopher Michael Jones, Darren George Gascooke, Anthony Herman van Zuilekom, Jay Paul Deville, William W. Shumway, Dale E. Jamison
  • Patent number: 11619622
    Abstract: An automated batch sampling drilling mud management system (1) includes a portable mud measurement system (10) and a communications system (120). The portable mud measurement system (10) has one or more measurement devices (14) arranged to measure at least one property and/or characteristic of drilling mud; and a pumping system (16) arranged to pump a batch sample of drilling mud from a supply of drilling mud to the one or more measurement devices. The pumping system (16) is also able to subsequently flush the batch sample of drilling mud from the one or more measurement devices (14). The communications system (120) enables bidirectional communications between the mud management system (10) and a remote location to enable transfer of data therebetween and the exertion of control from the remote location to the mud management system (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Australian Mud Company Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Frans Christiaan Havenga, Storm Kyle Burnham, Shaun David Wilson
  • Patent number: 11613992
    Abstract: Methods and systems for designing, monitoring, and/or performing acidizing treatments in subterranean formations are provided. A method comprises: determining a wellbore pressure and a fluid flow distribution for an acidizing fluid introduced into an interval of a well bore penetrating a portion of a subterranean formation; determining an optimum interstitial velocity for the acidizing fluid in the subterranean formation and an interstitial velocity of the acidizing fluid at a tip of a wormhole in the subterranean formation at a first flow rate at each of a plurality of depths; and if the interstitial velocity of the acidizing fluid at the tip of the wormhole is less than the optimum interstitial velocity at one or more of the plurality of depths, identifying a second flow rate for introducing the acidizing fluid into the interval of the well bore that is greater than the first flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Mallikarjun Karale, Mohammed Monsur Alam
  • Patent number: 11613950
    Abstract: A coring tool includes a coring bit to cut and detach a core sample from a subsurface formation formed in a borehole. The coring tool includes a pressure vessel that includes a core chamber to store the core sample at a pressure and a piston positioned adjacent to the core chamber. The pressure vessel includes a chamber adjacent to the piston and a gas reservoir to store a gas that expands as the gas is moved to a surface of the borehole. The pressure vessel includes a valve coupled to an inlet of the chamber and an outlet of the gas reservoir, wherein the gas is to flow into the chamber when the valve is open to move the piston to cause an increase in the pressure of the core chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Clifford Westacott, Christopher Michael Jones, Anthony Herman van Zuilekom
  • Patent number: 11613333
    Abstract: A watercraft safety flag assembly comprising a flexible planar visibility-enhancing element having a forward edge and a rear edge spaced from the forward edge by a width, and a rigid planar stiffening element secured to the flexible planar visibility-enhancing element, where the planar stiffening element substantially spans the width of the flexible planar visibility-enhancing element and is configured to provide maximum stiffening proximate the forward edge, minimal stiffening proximate the rear edge, and decreasing stiffening with increasing distance from the forward edge. There is also provided a header element joined to the forward edge of the flexible planar visibility-enhancing element and which forms a cylindrical sleeve for receiving a mast, where the rigid planar stiffening element extends into the cylindrical sleeve formed by the header element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Inventor: Albert Beom Joon Hong
  • Patent number: 11608741
    Abstract: A yield estimation device for a low-yield shale gas reservoir includes: a separation tank, a pulse gas detector, and a methane concentration detector; wherein a liquid inlet is provided at an upper portion of the separation tank; an exhaust pipe is provided on a top of the separation tank, and the pulse gas detector is installed at a middle section of the exhaust pipe; the methane concentration detector is installed at a tail end of the exhaust; a valve is installed in a liquid outlet; a float is arranged in the separation tank, which is connected to the valve through a telescopic float rod. A yield estimation method includes steps of: inputting flowback fluid into the separation tank through the liquid inlet; discharging the air in the separation tank; performing gas-liquid separation; detecting and displaying the shale gas in real time with the pulse gas detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: China University of Geosciences (Beijing)
    Inventors: Yuanfu Zhang, Xiaodong Yuan, Min Wang, Jianguo Zhang, Jie Xu, Xiangxin Kong, Yancui Huo
  • Patent number: 11609158
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for treating the tail gas stream of a sulfur recovery plant. The methods including generating a tail gas stream from a sulfur recovery plant, treating the tail gas stream with a hydrogen sulfide absorption unit and a hydrogen selective membrane unit, generating a stream low in hydrogen sulfide and a stream rich in hydrogen. The hydrogen sulfide rich stream is recycled to the sulfur recovery unit. The hydrogen selective membrane unit includes a glassy polymer membrane selective for hydrogen over hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Inventors: Nawaf Al-Rwaily, Ahmad Akkas
  • Patent number: 11607168
    Abstract: A method for assessing the state of hair by releasably engaging a first end (5) of hair fibres (3) with a holder (1) so that an opposite, second end (4) of said hair fibres (3) hangs free and applying sufficient force to the first end (5) of the hair fibres (3) such that the hair fibres (3) at the second end (4) are pulled across the holder (1), wherein the force is in an upwards direction and applied by action of an encapsulated gas having a density of less than that of air (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: CONOPCO, INC.
    Inventors: Gita Coenen, Deborah Kirsten Lunt, Stephen Paul Maguire, Scott Robson, Shona Elizabeth Simmons, Geraldine Bridget Griffith
  • Patent number: 11604208
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes: a substrate as a base including a support portion and a detection electrode as a fixed electrode; a movable body supported to the support portion with a major surface of the movable body facing the fixed electrode; and an abutment portion facing at least a portion of an outer edge of the movable body and restricting rotational displacement in an in-plane direction of the major surface. The abutment portion includes an abutment surface including an abutment position at which the movable body abuts against the abutment portion due to the rotational displacement of the movable body, and a hollow portion provided opposing the abutment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Inventor: Fumiya Ito
  • Patent number: 11604130
    Abstract: A cabin air state sensing system for a vehicle may include a divergence structure facilitating measurement of cabin air temperature and dust concentration in a cabin through suction of air using an air suction device and an operation method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ji Min Park, Yong Chul Kim
  • Patent number: 11604179
    Abstract: A system and method for testing a gas sensor with a test gas and that recovers the test gas after testing. The test gas is stored in a test gas source, and delivered to the gas sensor through a supply circuit. After the test is completed, gas is withdrawn from the supply circuit into a recycle circuit. A compressor in the recycle circuit pulls the test gas into the recycle circuit, pressurizes the test gas and discharges the pressurized test gas back into the test gas source. Valves are in the supply and recycle circuits, which when selectively opened and closed changes between testing and recycle configurations. The recycle flow is filtered to prevent air and other non-test gas substances from being introduced into the test gas source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Ala'A Alsalman, Adam Alawwami, Abdulaziz Hudaifah, Faisal Al-Oufi, Reem Alnoaimi, Saad Almughairah
  • Patent number: 11598661
    Abstract: A residual gas volume measuring device for measuring volume of residual gas in a container filled with liquid. The device includes: a puncture member having a first communication path and a second communication path formed therein and connecting a penetrating portion and a coupling portion together, the penetrating portion being located inside the container and the coupling portion being located outside the container when the puncture member is in a penetrating position where an end of the puncture member penetrates into the container; an injection section coupled to the first communication path at the coupling portion and configured to inject a liquid into the container; a discharging section coupled to the second communication path at the coupling portion and configured to discharge the residual gas purged by the injected liquid; and a measurement section configured to measure the volume of the residual gas discharged by the discharging section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: KYOTO ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Aoyama, Ryoma Naruko, Yutaka Sato
  • Patent number: 11592326
    Abstract: A filling level indicator for determining a filling level in a tank, having a resistor network, a contact element, and a magnetic element. The contact element is spaced apart from the resistor network and the magnetic element is movable relative to the resistor network and the contact element. The contact element has a contact region deflectable by the magnetic element. An electrically conductive connection between the contact region and the resistor network is produced by deflection of the contact region. The contact region is formed by a planar tape-shaped element and the contact region has contact portions that are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction. The contact portions are separated from one another by separation regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Cezanne, Hans-Guenter Benner, Matthias Kadler
  • Patent number: 11584948
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of chemical analysis and quantitative detection, in particular to a quantitative detection method for snake venom thrombin-like enzyme (SVTLE) from Agkistrodon halys pallas. The quantitative detection method for the SVTLE includes the following steps of taking a reference substance of marker peptide for the SVTLE from Agkistrodon halys pallas with an amino acid sequence of LDSPVSNSAHIAPLSLPSSAPSVGSVCR, and preparing a series of reference solutions with different concentrations; adding the reference solutions in test solutions respectively for enzymolysis, and then taking a supernatant after enzymolysis as a series of solutions to be detected; and adding the solutions to be detected in a liquid chromatogram-mass spectrometer, and then selecting a qualitative ion pair and a quantitative ion pair to detect contents of marker peptide in the solutions to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignees: Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong University, Avanc Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Feng Shi, Liping Gong, Ruiqing Xian, Lianli Chi, Weijian Wang, Baojian Hang, Congcong Wang, Pengfei You, Hongming Du
  • Patent number: 11585690
    Abstract: A multi-path acoustic signal apparatus, system, and apparatus for use in material detection are provided. The apparatus has a plurality of acoustic sensors positioned along a first portion of a fluid container. At least one acoustic signal is transmitted into the fluid container by each of the plurality of acoustic sensors. At least one additional acoustic sensor is positioned along a second portion of the fluid container, wherein the second portion is substantially opposite the first portion. The at least one additional acoustic sensor receives at least a portion of the acoustic signals from the plurality of acoustic sensors. A reflected acoustic signal is generated from an impedance barrier between the fluid container and a fluid therein. A characteristic of a material of the fluid container and/or the fluid therein are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: PERCEPTIVE SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Lazar Bivolarsky, Joel D. Burcham, James M. Heim
  • Patent number: 11585743
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for using downhole plasma discharge effects to determine porosity and/or permeability of formation material. In some embodiments, a method includes determining a concentration of at least one chemical reaction product in a drilling fluid that has interacted with a plasma discharge proximate formation material. A relation between arc and spark of the plasma discharge is determined based, at least in part, on the at least one chemical reaction product, and at least one of porosity and permeability of the formation material is determined based, at least in part, on the relation between arc and spark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Mathew Dennis Rowe