Patents by Inventor Alberto A. Sagues

Alberto A. Sagues 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).

  • Patent number: 11692959
    Abstract: An exemplary method of indicating a condition of grout within a post-tensioned tendon involves positioning a magnet and a metallic sensing plate in close proximity to an outer surface of the post-tensioned tendon; rotating the magnet and the metallic sensing plate around the outer surface of the post-tensioned tendon; measuring an amount of magnetic forces applied to the magnet during rotation of the magnet around the post-tensioned tendon; measuring an impedance between the metallic sensing plate and metallic strands within the post-tensioned tendon during rotation of the metallic sensing plate around the post-tensioned tendon; and generating an image of a cross-section of the post-tensioned tendon indicating one or more grout conditions in spatial proximity to the metallic strands within the post-tensioned tendon based on measurement data using the magnet and the metallic sensing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
    Inventors: Alberto A. Sagues, Hani Freij, David Adam Dukeman, Christopher Lewis Alexander
  • Publication number: 20220390405
    Abstract: An exemplary method of indicating a condition of grout within a post-tensioned tendon involves positioning a magnet and a metallic sensing plate in close proximity to an outer surface of the post-tensioned tendon; rotating the magnet and the metallic sensing plate around the outer surface of the post-tensioned tendon; measuring an amount of magnetic forces applied to the magnet during rotation of the magnet around the post-tensioned tendon; measuring an impedance between the metallic sensing plate and metallic strands within the post-tensioned tendon during rotation of the metallic sensing plate around the post-tensioned tendon; and generating an image of a cross-section of the post-tensioned tendon indicating one or more grout conditions in spatial proximity to the metallic strands within the post-tensioned tendon based on measurement data using the magnet and the metallic sensing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Alberto A. SAGUES, Hani FREIJ, David Adam DUKEMAN, Christopher Lewis ALEXANDER
  • Patent number: 11448610
    Abstract: An exemplary method of indicating a condition of grout within a post-tensioned tendon involves positioning a magnet and a metallic sensing plate in close proximity to an outer surface of the post-tensioned tendon; rotating the magnet and the metallic sensing plate around the outer surface of the post-tensioned tendon; measuring an amount of magnetic forces applied to the magnet during rotation of the magnet around the post-tensioned tendon; measuring an impedance between the metallic sensing plate and metallic strands within the post-tensioned tendon during rotation of the metallic sensing plate around the post-tensioned tendon; and generating an image of a cross-section of the post-tensioned tendon indicating one or more grout conditions in spatial proximity to the metallic strands within the post-tensioned tendon based on measurement data using the magnet and the metallic sensing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
    Inventors: Alberto A. Sagues, Hani Freij, David Adam Dukeman, Christopher Lewis Alexander
  • Publication number: 20220214294
    Abstract: An exemplary method of indicating a condition of grout within a post-tensioned tendon involves positioning a magnet and a metallic sensing plate in close proximity to an outer surface of the post-tensioned tendon; rotating the magnet and the metallic sensing plate around the outer surface of the post-tensioned tendon; measuring an amount of magnetic forces applied to the magnet during rotation of the magnet around the post-tensioned tendon; measuring an impedance between the metallic sensing plate and metallic strands within the post-tensioned tendon during rotation of the metallic sensing plate around the post-tensioned tendon; and generating an image of a cross-section of the post-tensioned tendon indicating one or more grout conditions in spatial proximity to the metallic strands within the post-tensioned tendon based on measurement data using the magnet and the metallic sensing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Alberto A. SAGUES, Hani FREIJ, David Adam DUKEMAN, Christopher Lewis ALEXANDER
  • Patent number: 10317358
    Abstract: In one embodiment, reinforced soil is assessed using a non-contact method including positioning a reference electrode in close proximity to a surface of the soil without contacting the electrode to the soil surface, vibrating the electrode with a vibration generator, and measuring an electrical potential difference between the electrode and the soil surface, the potential difference being indicative of the condition of a portion of a reinforcement member positioned below the soil surface at the location of the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Alberto A. Sagues, William Clarence Ruth, Leonidas Philip Emmenegger, Enrique Alberto Paz Velasquez
  • Patent number: 9651357
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods for determining the positions of strands in a post-tensioned tendon involve positioning a magnet in close proximity to the outer surface of a tendon, moving the magnet around the periphery of the tendon, and measuring the force of attraction between the magnet and strands within the tendon at multiple angular positions of the tendon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventor: Alberto A. Sagüés
  • Patent number: 4514281
    Abstract: Tower material corrosion in an atmospheric or sub-atmospheric distillation tower in a coal liquefaction process is reduced or eliminated by subjecting chloride-containing tray contents to an appropriate ion-exchange resin to remove chloride from such tray contents materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignee: International Coal Refining Company
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Baumert, Alberto A. Sagues, Burtron H. Davis, Frank K. Schweighardt
  • Patent number: 4511460
    Abstract: In an atmospheric distillation tower of a coal liquefaction process, tower materials corrosion is reduced or eliminated by introduction of boiling point differentiated streams to boiling point differentiated tower regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: International Coal Refining Company
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Baumert, Alberto A. Sagues, Burtron H. Davis
  • Patent number: 4511453
    Abstract: Fractionation apparatus material corrosion in a coal liquefaction system is reduced by addition of compounds having a pK.sub.b <6 to tower feed streams or to the tower itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: International Coal Refining Company
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Baumert, Alberto A. Sagues, Burtron H. Davis