Patents by Inventor Christopher Grace

Christopher Grace 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).

  • Publication number: 20260078638
    Abstract: Provided is a whipstock and well system. The whipstock, in one aspect, includes a coupling section having a first radius of curvature, the coupling section configured to engage with a mill bit when running in hole. The whipstock, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a casing breakthrough section having a second radius of curvature, and a controlled exit section having a third radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the third radius of curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2025
    Publication date: March 19, 2026
    Inventors: Wesley P. Dietz, David Joe Steele, Christopher Grace
  • Publication number: 20260069856
    Abstract: Explant plug devices for attachment to a ventricular cuff during explantation of a ventricular assist device. An explant plug device includes a blood flow blocking component and a retention clip. The blood flow blocking component is configured to be mounted to the ventricular cuff to block flow of blood out of the ventricle via the ventricular cuff. The retention clip is coupled with the blood flow blocking component. The retention clip is repositionable relative to the blood flow blocking component from a retracted position that accommodates mounting of the blood flow blocking component to the ventricular cuff and a retention position that retains the blood flow blocking component to the ventricular cuff.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2025
    Publication date: March 12, 2026
    Applicant: TC1 LLC
    Inventors: Daniel I. Harjes, Rachel Keen, Rebecca Ramos, Stephen Franklin, Samantha Cashton, Elizabeth Afanasewicz, Grey Nagle, Christopher Grace
  • Patent number: 12497842
    Abstract: Provided is a whipstock and well system. The whipstock, in one aspect, includes a coupling section having a first radius of curvature, the coupling section configured to engage with a mill bit when running in hole. The whipstock, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a casing breakthrough section having a second radius of curvature, and a controlled exit section having a third radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the third radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley P. Dietz, David Joe Steele, Christopher Grace
  • Publication number: 20250213848
    Abstract: A ventricular assist device (VAD) includes an inlet cannula, a blood flow outlet, a blood pump assembly operable to pump blood from the inlet cannula to the blood flow outlet, and a coupling mechanism operable to secure the blood pump to a ventricular cuff attached to a heart. The coupling mechanism includes a coupling mechanism housing, a spring arm member attached to the coupling mechanism housing, and a cuff lock assembly including cuff lock arms slidably disposed within cuff lock passages defined by the coupling mechanism housing. The coupling mechanism is configured to accommodate repositioning of the cuff lock assembly from the retracted position to the engaged position when the blood pump is in the mounted configuration and block repositioning of the cuff lock assembly from the retracted position to the engaged position when the blood pump is not in the mounted configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2024
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Applicant: TC1 LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth Afanasewicz, Grey Nagle, Christopher Grace
  • Publication number: 20240376784
    Abstract: Provided is a whipstock and well system. The whipstock, in one aspect, includes a coupling section having a first radius of curvature, the coupling section configured to engage with a mill bit when running in hole. The whipstock, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a casing breakthrough section having a second radius of curvature, and a controlled exit section having a third radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the third radius of curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Wesley P. Dietz, David Joe Steele, Christopher Grace
  • Patent number: 12071815
    Abstract: Provided is a whipstock and well system. The whipstock, in one aspect, includes a coupling section having a first radius of curvature, the coupling section configured to engage with a mill bit when running in hole. The whipstock, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a casing breakthrough section having a second radius of curvature, and a controlled exit section having a third radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the third radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley P. Dietz, David Joe Steele, Christopher Grace
  • Patent number: 11939819
    Abstract: A mill bit and a well system are covered. The mill bit, in one aspect, includes a tubular having an uphole end and a downhole end. The mill bit, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a first cutting section having one or more first cutting surfaces disposed about the tubular, the first cutting section having a first material removal rate and configured to engage with wellbore casing disposed within a wellbore. The mill bit, in accordance with this disclosure, further includes a second cutting section having one or more second cutting surfaces disposed about the tubular, the second cutting section having a second material removal rate less than the first material removal rate and configured to engage with a whipstock disposed within the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley P. Dietz, David Joe Steele, Christopher Grace
  • Publication number: 20230015654
    Abstract: Provided is a whipstock and well system. The whipstock, in one aspect, includes a coupling section having a first radius of curvature, the coupling section configured to engage with a mill bit when running in hole. The whipstock, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a casing breakthrough section having a second radius of curvature, and a controlled exit section having a third radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the third radius of curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Wesley P. Dietz, David Joe Steele, Christopher Grace
  • Publication number: 20230008467
    Abstract: Provided is a mill bit and well system. The mill bit, in one aspect, includes a tubular having an uphole end and a downhole end. The mill bit, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a first cutting section having one or more first cutting surfaces disposed about the tubular, the first cutting section having a first material removal rate and configured to engage with wellbore casing disposed within a wellbore. The mill bit, in accordance with this disclosure, further includes a second cutting section having one or more second cutting surfaces disposed about the tubular, the second cutting section having a second material removal rate less than the first material removal rate and configured to engage with a whipstock disposed within the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Wesley P. Dietz, David Joe Steele, Christopher Grace
  • Patent number: 11497906
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an outflow graft assembly for an implantable blood pump. The outflow graft assembly includes a graft, a locking nut including a plurality of planar edges and a plurality of corners, and a U-shaped fixation clip. The U-shaped fixation clip includes a first flat segment including a first flexure including a first locking feature, a second flat segment including a second flexure including a second locking feature, an arcuate segment extending between the first flat segment and the second flat segment, and a lip including a first flat and a second flat. The U-shaped fixation clip is configured to engage the locking nut such that the first and second locking features contact associated corners of the plurality of corners and the first and second flats contact associated planar edges of the plurality of planar edges, thereby preventing rotation of the locking nut relative to the fixation clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TC1 LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Grace, Dustin S. West, Matthew Wagers
  • Publication number: 20200121836
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an outflow graft assembly for an implantable blood pump. The outflow graft assembly includes a graft, a locking nut including a plurality of planar edges and a plurality of corners, and a U-shaped fixation clip. The U-shaped fixation clip includes a first flat segment including a first flexure including a first locking feature, a second flat segment including a second flexure including a second locking feature, an arcuate segment extending between the first flat segment and the second flat segment, and a lip including a first flat and a second flat. The U-shaped fixation clip is configured to engage the locking nut such that the first and second locking features contact associated corners of the plurality of corners and the first and second flats contact associated planar edges of the plurality of planar edges, thereby preventing rotation of the locking nut relative to the fixation clip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Grace, Dustin S. West, Matthew Wagers
  • Publication number: 20100327535
    Abstract: A fiber brush seal attached with metallic structure, suitable for use with SiC-SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components. The fibers may be selected from oxides, carbides and nitrides of silicon, tungsten, chromium, iron, titanium, boron, zirconium and aluminum, and may optionally be coated with a boron nitride based coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Grace, Mark Stewart Schroder, Paul Stephen Dimascio
  • Patent number: 7434670
    Abstract: A shroud support method and apparatus for a ceramic component of a gas turbine having: an outer shroud block having a coupling to a casing of the gas turbine; a spring mass damper attached to the outer shroud block and including a spring biased piston extending through said outer shroud block, wherein the spring mass damper applies a load to the ceramic component; and the ceramic component has a forward flange and an aft flange each attachable to the outer shroud block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Randall Richard Good, Kevin Leon Bruce, Gregory Scot Corman, David Joseph Mitchell, Mark Stewart Schroder, Christopher Grace
  • Publication number: 20080202877
    Abstract: A shroud support method and apparatus for a ceramic component of a gas turbine having: an outer shroud block having a coupling to a casing of the gas turbine; a spring mass damper attached to the outer shroud block and including a spring biased piston extending through said outer shroud block, wherein the spring mass damper applies a load to the ceramic component; and the ceramic component has a forward flange and an aft flange each attachable to the outer shroud block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Randall Richard Good, Kevin Leon Bruce, Gregory Scot Corman, David Joseph Mitchell, Mark Stewart Schroder, Christopher Grace
  • Publication number: 20080128996
    Abstract: A silicon carbide fiber brush seal, suitable for use with SiC—SiC CMC components. The seal may be coated with a boron nitride based coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Grace, Mark Stewart Schroder, Paul Stephen Dimascio
  • Publication number: 20080091216
    Abstract: A device for the removal of unwanted excess skin from an area of the human body to be treated in which a carrier encases a planing blade. The blade body is formed from a blank and co planer uniform opposed cutting edges protrude upwardly in a uniform transition beyond the plane of the blank in order to contact the skin to be removed while the device is moved to and fro across the area of the skin to be treated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Christopher Grace, Louis Chalfant
  • Patent number: 7117983
    Abstract: A shroud support apparatus for a ceramic component of a gas turbine having: an outer shroud block having a coupling to a casing of the gas turbine; a spring mass damper attached to the outer shroud block and including a spring biased piston extending through said outer shroud block, wherein the spring mass damper applies a load to the ceramic component; and the ceramic component has a forward flange and an aft flange each attachable to the outer shroud block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Randall Richard Good, Kevin Leon Bruce, Gregory Scot Corman, David Joseph Mitchell, Mark Stewart Schroder, Christopher Grace
  • Publication number: 20060085217
    Abstract: According to the invention, a self-management system and method for organizing the key aspects of one's life is disclosed. The system and method include a core manager configured to allow central pooling of data and services that relate to common aspects of life. The system and method also include at least one peripheral manager configured to interrelate with the core manager and help an individual focus on one area of life. The data entered into the core manager is available while is using a peripheral manager and vice-versa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventor: Christopher Grace
  • Patent number: 6942203
    Abstract: The damper system includes a ceramic composite shroud in part defining the hot gas path of a turbine and a spring-biased piston and damper block which bears against the backside surface of the shroud to tune the vibratory response of the shroud relative to pressure pulses of the hot gas path in a manner to avoid near or resonant frequency response. The damper block has projections specifically located to bear against the shroud to dampen the frequency response of the shroud and provide a thermal insulating layer between the shroud and the damper block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Stewart Schroder, Ronald Ralph Cairo, Christopher Grace, Todd Garrett Wetzel, Kevin Leon Bruce, Andrew William Miller, Ronald Phillip Nimmer
  • Publication number: 20050140061
    Abstract: A nozzle for an injection molding machine is disclosed. The nozzle includes a nozzle body, an inner nozzle, and an outer nozzle. The nozzle defines two independent flow paths therethrough. The nozzle can simultaneously discharge two materials. A method of using the nozzle and a resulting golf ball product are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Paul Puniello, Christopher Cavallaro, Christopher Grace, David Crandall, Douglas Hepler