Patents by Inventor Brent Ford

Brent Ford 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: 10439307
    Abstract: Examples herein relate to cuts in a circuit board. In some examples, a circuit board can include a signal connector located on the circuit board, and cuts extending through at least a body of the circuit board that are adjacent to the signal connector and extend from a perimeter of the circuit board to an inner portion of the circuit board, where the circuit board flexes relative to the signal connector responsive to the circuit board experiencing a force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: James D. Hensley, David G. Rohrer, Brent A. Ford
  • Publication number: 20190125096
    Abstract: Embodiments of a mattress and methods of manufacturing the same, wherein the mattress includes a body having one or more openings for removable inserts that a user can position within the openings to adjust the mechanical characteristics of the mattress, including the amount and location of support provided by the mattress to the user. Some embodiments of the mattress include one or more covers, such as a fire-retardant cover, that can encompass the mattress body while still allowing a user to access the openings of mattress body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: Brobard, LLC
    Inventors: John A. Robins, Brent Ford, Rosa Ortiz
  • Publication number: 20190106967
    Abstract: A screen filter assembly and method for filtering solids within a pump barrel of a pump system. The screen filter assembly is incorporated into a full-length plunger, which contains a screen to filter solids from dirty production fluid. By filtering dirty production fluid, the screen filter assembly keeps the solids off of the plunger and away from the pump barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Publication number: 20190036248
    Abstract: Examples herein relate to cuts in a circuit board. In some examples, a circuit board can include a signal connector located on the circuit board, and cuts extending through at least a body of the circuit board that are adjacent to the signal connector and extend from a perimeter of the circuit board to an inner portion of the circuit board, where the circuit board flexes relative to the signal connector responsive to the circuit board experiencing a force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: James D. Hensley, David G. Rohrer, Brent A. Ford
  • Patent number: 10190399
    Abstract: A traveling valve assembly adapted to be coupled to a southern end of a pump plunger wherein the traveling valve has an elongated body and two ball valves, one positioned at the northern end of the traveling valve and another positioned at the southern end of the traveling valve. The traveling valve prevents pumped fluid that has slipped downwardly past the pump plunger from continuing to slip further down into the pump barrel. The traveling valve captures that pumped fluid that has slipped downwardly so that it may be produced upwardly through the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Patent number: 10180047
    Abstract: A screen filter assembly has an upper screen housing and a lower screen housing, both of which contain screens to filter solids from dirty production fluid. The lower screen housing has a plurality of circular grooves that trap solids therein, thereby helping to prevent the solids from falling downward toward the plunger. In an embodiment, the lower screen housing may include a plurality of rings that seal off the area between the upper screen housing and the lower screen housing, thereby preventing any cleaned fluid produced by the lower screen housing from mixing with any contaminated fluid above it. In another embodiment, a screen filter assembly is incorporated into a full-length plunger, which contains a screen to filter solids from dirty production fluid. By filtering dirty production fluid, the screen filter assembly keeps the solids off of the plunger and away from the pump barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Patent number: 10104983
    Abstract: Embodiments of a mattress and methods of manufacturing the same, wherein the mattress includes a body having one or more openings for removable inserts that a user can position within the openings to adjust the mechanical characteristics of the mattress, including the amount and location of support provided by the mattress to the user. Some embodiments of the mattress include one or more covers, such as a fire-retardant cover, that can encompass the mattress body while still allowing a user to access the openings of mattress body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Brobard, LLC
    Inventors: John A. Robins, Brent Ford, Rosa Ortiz
  • Patent number: 10100829
    Abstract: A dump valve assembly is disclosed. The dump valve assembly has a seat plug, a spring, a standing valve, and a ball. The seat plug is anchored to the standing valve and has two prongs that engage two corresponding slots within the standing valve. By pressing downwardly upon the seat plug, the spring is compressed and the prongs slide downwardly until they engage the ball. By ceasing the downward pressure on the seat plug, the spring relaxes and expands, thereby lifting the ball off of the standing valve in order to open the standing valve for pump drainage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Patent number: 10100609
    Abstract: A dump valve assembly is disclosed. The dump valve assembly has a seat plug that couples to a southern end of a traveling valve, a standing valve, and a ball. The seat plug has two prongs with angled bottom edges that engage two corresponding slots within the standing valve and that lift the ball off of the standing valve in order to open the standing valve for pump drainage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Patent number: 10077629
    Abstract: A dump valve assembly is disclosed. The dump valve assembly has a seat plug that couples to a southern end of a traveling valve, a standing valve, and a ball. The seat plug has two prongs that engage two corresponding slots within the standing valve and that lift the ball off of the standing valve in order to open the standing valve for pump drainage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Publication number: 20180223636
    Abstract: A screen filter assembly has an upper screen housing and a lower screen housing, both of which contain screens to filter solids from dirty production fluid. The lower screen housing has a plurality of circular grooves that trap solids therein, thereby helping to prevent the solids from falling downward toward the plunger. In an embodiment, the lower screen housing may include a plurality of rings that seal off the area between the upper screen housing and the lower screen housing, thereby preventing any cleaned fluid produced by the lower screen housing from mixing with any contaminated fluid above it. In another embodiment, a screen filter assembly is incorporated into a full-length plunger, which contains a screen to filter solids from dirty production fluid. By filtering dirty production fluid, the screen filter assembly keeps the solids off of the plunger and away from the pump barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Patent number: 10018000
    Abstract: A latch assembly comprises a top latch portion, a spring, and a valve rod guide. The top latch portion has two prongs with the spring positioned therebetween. The valve rod guide has two corresponding notches to receive the two prongs. When the top latch portion is lowered toward the valve rod guide, the spring compresses against the northern end of the valve rod guide and the prongs engage the notches on the valve rod guide, thus firmly coupling the top latch portion to the valve rod guide. The latch assembly may also have a stabilizer, such as a collet adapter, coupled to a northern end of the top latch portion. The latch assembly may be used with a valve rod or a hollow valve rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Publication number: 20180161538
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed that may be used to bond materials using thermoset and thermoplastic polymer materials arranged with a thermoplastic strike layer on a surface of the material. Apparatuses and methods are also disclosed for manufacturing and configuring catheters and other tubular devices with a bonding surface or layer. These apparatuses and devices may have a strike layer of thermoplastic polymer material that melts or softens upon application of heat and bonds to other polymer materials upon cooling, thus avoiding the use of externally-applied adhesives in the construction of a bond between two surfaces, such as between an inner surface of a tubular catheter and an outer surface of a tubular catheter tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC
    Inventors: Brent Ford, Timothy S. Marass, Nicholas Strom, John F. Arnold
  • Patent number: 9957782
    Abstract: A screen filter assembly is disclosed. The screen filter assembly has an upper screen housing and a lower screen housing, both of which contain screens to filter solids from dirty production fluid. The lower screen housing has a plurality of rings that seal off the area between the upper screen housing and the lower screen housing, thereby preventing any cleaned fluid produced by the lower screen housing from mixing with any contaminated fluid above it. The screen filter assembly filters dirty production fluid in order to keep the solids off of the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Publication number: 20180066652
    Abstract: A dump valve assembly is disclosed. The dump valve assembly has a seat plug, a spring, a standing valve, and a ball. The seat plug is anchored to the standing valve and has two prongs that engage two corresponding slots within the standing valve. By pressing downwardly upon the seat plug, the spring is compressed and the prongs slide downwardly until they engage the ball. By ceasing the downward pressure on the seat plug, the spring relaxes and expands, thereby lifting the ball off of the standing valve in order to open the standing valve for pump drainage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Publication number: 20170319269
    Abstract: An irrigated high density electrode catheter can comprise a catheter shaft. The catheter shaft can include a proximal end and a distal end and can define a catheter shaft longitudinal axis. A flexible tip portion can be located adjacent to the distal end of the catheter shaft. An irrigated coupler can be disposed on the distal end of the catheter shaft and can be configured to discharge fluid over the flexible tip portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew R. Oliverius, Ryan Kenneth Buesseler, John Hong, Jodee Wakefield, Brent Ford
  • Publication number: 20170248245
    Abstract: A latch assembly is disclosed. The latch assembly comprises a top latch portion, a spring, and a valve rod guide. The top latch portion has two prongs with the spring positioned therebetween. The valve rod guide has two corresponding notches to receive the two prongs. When the top latch portion is lowered toward the valve rod guide, the spring compresses against the northern end of the valve rod guide and the prongs engage the notches on the valve rod guide, thus firmly coupling the top latch portion to the valve rod guide. The latch assembly may also have a stabilizer, such as a collet adapter, coupled to a northern end of the top latch portion. The latch assembly may be used with a valve rod or a hollow valve rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Publication number: 20170175486
    Abstract: A dump valve assembly is disclosed. The dump valve assembly has a seat plug that couples to a southern end of a traveling valve, a standing valve, and a ball. The seat plug has two prongs with angled bottom edges that engage two corresponding slots within the standing valve and that lift the ball off of the standing valve in order to open the standing valve for pump drainage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford
  • Patent number: 9635486
    Abstract: A network usage manager in an operating system executing on a mobile device is configured to enable selection among different cellular data connections by application (“app”) or by app class so that end users can tailor cellular network allocation, app performance, and costs to meet their specific needs while mobile operators can improve network utilization and provide more comprehensive data plan offerings. The network usage manager applies app usage policies to select among different cellular data connections which may be supported on the mobile device using single or multiple SIM/UICC (Subscriber Identity Module/Universal Integrated Circuit Card) cards. The app usage policies can be set for a given app or class of app on the mobile device so that, for example, apps that implement background synchronization processes can use typically less expensive, lower bandwidth connections while typically more expensive, higher bandwidth connections are selected for data intensive apps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Ford, Issa Khoury
  • Patent number: D788197
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Brent Ford