Patents by Inventor Brent W. Mefford

Brent W. Mefford 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: 9930881
    Abstract: A fish screen is presented having a porous surface made of two or more corrugations (e.g., elongated convex shapes) having an at least partially porous surface. The incorporation of a porous area on the corrugations allows increasing the total porous surface area compared to an underlying diversion area. The porous area is a magnification of an underlying diversion area, which reduces the fluid pressure (e.g., impingement forces) acting on the porous area of the screen. The valley between each pair of corrugations is solid, not porous. The solid valley(s) provide two important functions; they provide multiple small solid surface flow channels over the screen surface. These solid channels protect small or weak swimming aquatic organisms from impingement on the screen. That is, once organisms reach the solid channel, they may move along the solid channel free of impingement until they reach the edge of the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventor: Brent W. Mefford
  • Publication number: 20160076213
    Abstract: A fish screen is presented having a porous surface made of two or more corrugations (e.g., elongated convex shapes) having an at least partially porous surface. The incorporation of a porous area on the corrugations allows increasing the total porous surface area compared to an underlying diversion area. The porous area is a magnification of an underlying diversion area, which reduces the fluid pressure (e.g., impingement forces) acting on the porous area of the screen. The valley between each pair of corrugations is solid, not porous. The solid valley(s) provide two important functions; they provide multiple small solid surface flow channels over the screen surface. These solid channels protect small or weak swimming aquatic organisms from impingement on the screen. That is, once organisms reach the solid channel, they may move along the solid channel free of impingement until they reach the edge of the screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Brent W. Mefford, Bryan Heiner
  • Patent number: 7192217
    Abstract: A baffle apparatus and method for directing fluid flow to reduce damage to an energy dissipating basin that includes an inlet, an outlet, a floor, a sidewall that extends upward from an edge of the floor, and an opposing sidewall that extends upward from an opposing edge of the floor defining a basin interior with a basin span between the sidewall and the opposing sidewall. The baffle apparatus includes a deflector structure that is generally planar and is fixedly or adjustably positioned substantially transverse to a downstream direction flow in the basin, the deflector structure spanning between the sidewall and the opposing sidewall above the floor. Also included, is a retaining structure for fixedly or adjustably positioning and securing the deflector structure to the sidewall. The deflector structure directs flow in the basin to flow in a downstream direction from a reverse upstream direction adjacent to the basin floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: United States of America Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
    Inventors: Leslie J. Hanna, Brent W. Mefford
  • Patent number: 6907779
    Abstract: A continuous flow measurement recorder is provided for making water flow measurements in an open channel. An ultrasonic sensor obtains pressure head measurements upstream from a flume or weir located in the open channel. A central processing unit receives the head measurements from the sensor and calculates the water flow rate and the total flow. A liquid crystal display device displays the water flow rate and the total water flow calculated by a central processing unit. A common, portable, easy to install housing is used to house and protect the sensor, central processing unit, and display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Interior
    Inventors: Blair Lewis Stringam, Kathleen H. Frizell, Brent W. Mefford
  • Publication number: 20040170475
    Abstract: A baffle apparatus and method for directing fluid flow to reduce damage to an energy dissipating basin that includes an inlet, an outlet, a floor, a sidewall that extends upward from an edge of the floor, and an opposing sidewall that extends upward from an opposing edge of the floor defining a basin interior with a basin span between the sidewall and the opposing sidewall. The baffle apparatus includes a deflector structure that is generally planar and is fixedly or adjustably positioned substantially transverse to a downstream direction flow in the basin, the deflector structure spanning between the sidewall and the opposing sidewall above the floor. Also included, is a retaining structure for fixedly or adjustably positioning and securing the deflector structure to the sidewall. The deflector structure directs flow in the basin to flow in a downstream direction from a reverse upstream direction adjacent to the basin floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Leslie J. Hanna, Brent W. Mefford
  • Patent number: 5544973
    Abstract: A dam spillway system for embankment dam overtopping protection comprising a layer of free-draining, angular, gravel filter material, a plurality of rows of overlapping, tapered, concrete blocks assembled over the filter material in shingle-fashion, from the toe of the dam, up the slope to the top of the dam, and a plurality of fixed concrete toe blocks located at the toe of the dam, usually beneath the tailwater, and supporting each of the rows of concrete blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Interior
    Inventors: Kathleen H. Frizell, Brent W. Mefford, Tracy B. Vermeyen, Douglas I. Morris