Patents by Inventor Christopher A. Bean

Christopher A. Bean 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: 9685774
    Abstract: A lightning protection system for liquid storage tanks having floating roofs wherein lightning energy is not directed into the shell of the storage tank. The lightning protection system includes at least one low-resistance low-impedance bypass conductor cable configured for lightning related frequencies and for routing lightning energy and for bounding charges away from the shell of the storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Alltec LLC
    Inventors: Christopher A. Bean, James Stuart Grasty, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9166391
    Abstract: An early streamer emission terminal is disclosed. According to some embodiments, the early streamer emission terminal can create an upward propagating streamer earlier than conventional lightning protection systems and/or devices. In particular, the early streamer emission terminal can collect ground charges during an initial phase of thunderstorm development. When a thunderstorm begins to generate downward step leaders, the ambient electric field around a grounded lightning protection system can induce a current into the grounded lightning protection system. The induced current can include a flow of negative charge toward the ground, while a positive charge can be released to form an upward streamer. The construction of the early streamer emission terminal can trigger the flow of positive upward charge microseconds earlier than traditional lightning rods or other similar devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Alltec LLC
    Inventors: Christopher A. Bean, Woei Chiang Lee
  • Patent number: 8674216
    Abstract: An early streamer emission terminal is disclosed. According to some embodiments, the early streamer emission terminal can create an upward propagating streamer earlier than conventional lightning protection systems and/or devices. In particular, the early streamer emission terminal can collect ground charges during an initial phase of thunderstorm development. When a thunderstorm begins to generate downward step leaders, the ambient electric field around a grounded lightning protection system can induce a current into the grounded lightning protection system. The induced current can include a flow of negative charge toward the ground, while a positive charge can be released to form an upward streamer. The construction of the early streamer emission terminal can trigger the flow of positive upward charge microseconds earlier than traditional lightning rods or other similar devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Alltec LLC
    Inventors: Christopher A. Bean, Woei Chiang Lee
  • Patent number: 8232472
    Abstract: An early streamer emission terminal is disclosed. According to embodiments, the early streamer emission terminal creates an upward propagating streamer earlier than conventional lightning protection systems and/or devices. In particular, the early streamer emission terminal collects ground charges during an initial phase of thunderstorm development. When a thunderstorm begins to generate downward step leaders, the ambient electric field around a grounded lightning protection system induces current into the grounded lightning protection system. The induced current is a flow of negative charge toward the ground, while a positive charge is released to form an upward streamer. The construction of the early streamer emission terminal triggers the flow of positive upward charge microseconds earlier than traditional lightning rods or other similar devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Alltec Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher A. Bean, Woei Chiang Lee
  • Patent number: D670591
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Alltec Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher A. Bean, Woei Chiang Lee
  • Patent number: D750522
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Alltec, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher A. Bean, Woei Chiang Lee