Patents by Inventor Douglas G. Offin

Douglas G. Offin 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: 11426772
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a surface includes a body defining a cavity and terminating in a distal end that is adapted, in use, to be in the vicinity of a surface to be cleaned such that the surface forms an end wall of a chamber including the cavity; at least one cleaning liquid inlet for flow of a cleaning liquid into the chamber; a divider located in or at the end of the cavity that divides the chamber into first and second portions, the second portion, in use, being in fluid communication with the surface to be cleaned; and an acoustic transducer associated with the first portion to introduce acoustic energy into the chamber; wherein the divider is adapted to permit the passage of acoustic energy therethrough from the first portion to the second portion of the chamber to thereby allow pressure fluctuations to be generated at the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SLOAN WATER TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Peter Robert Birkin, Timothy Grant Leighton, Douglas G. Offin
  • Publication number: 20210139115
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for prevention and treatment of marine biofouling on a surface to be treated by the apparatus includes a body defining a cavity, the body terminating in a distal open end that is adapted, in use, to be in the vicinity of a surface to be treated such that the surface forms a first end wall of a chamber within the cavity; an acoustic transducer mounted within the cavity to form an opposite second end wall of the chamber, the acoustic transducer being adapted to cause acoustic pressure fluctuations; and a reservoir for a liquid, the reservoir including an inlet passage and a plurality of mutually spaced outlet passages for liquid flow from the reservoir into the chamber, the outlet passages at least partially surrounding the chamber in the vicinity of the distal open end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Robert Birkin, Timothy Grant Leighton, Douglas G. Offin
  • Publication number: 20210094081
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a surface includes a body defining a cavity and terminating in a distal end that is adapted, in use, to be in the vicinity of a surface to be cleaned such that the surface forms an end wall of a chamber including the cavity; at least one cleaning liquid inlet for flow of a cleaning liquid into the chamber; a divider located in or at the end of the cavity that divides the chamber into first and second portions, the second portion, in use, being in fluid communication with the surface to be cleaned; and an acoustic transducer associated with the first portion to introduce acoustic energy into the chamber; wherein the divider is adapted to permit the passage of acoustic energy therethrough from the first portion to the second portion of the chamber to thereby allow pressure fluctuations to be generated at the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Robert Birkin, Timothy Grant Leighton, Douglas G. Offin
  • Patent number: 10661314
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a surface, the apparatus comprising: a body defining a cavity, the body terminating in a distal end that is adapted, in use, to be in the vicinity of a surface to be cleaned such that the surface to be cleaned forms an end wall of a chamber including the cavity; at least one cleaning liquid inlet for flow of a cleaning liquid into the chamber; a divider located in or at the end of the cavity that divides the chamber into a first portion and a second portion, the second portion, in use, being in fluid communication with the surface to be cleaned; and an acoustic transducer associated with the first portion of the chamber to introduce acoustic energy into the chamber; wherein the divider is adapted to permit the passage of acoustic energy therethrough from the first portion of the chamber to the second portion of the chamber to thereby allow pressure fluctuations to be generated at the surface to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SLOAN WATER TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Peter Robert Birkin, Timothy Grant Leighton, Douglas G. Offin
  • Publication number: 20180147610
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a surface, the apparatus comprising: a body defining a cavity, the body terminating in a distal end that is adapted, in use, to be in the vicinity of a surface to be cleaned such that the surface to be cleaned forms an end wall of a chamber including the cavity; at least one cleaning liquid inlet for flow of a cleaning liquid into the chamber; a divider located in or at the end of the cavity that divides the chamber into a first portion and a second portion, the second portion, in use, being in fluid communication with the surface to be cleaned; and an acoustic transducer associated with the first portion of the chamber to introduce acoustic energy into the chamber; wherein the divider is adapted to permit the passage of acoustic energy therethrough from the first portion of the chamber to the second portion of the chamber to thereby allow pressure fluctuations to be generated at the surface to be cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Peter Robert Birkin, Timothy Grant Leighton, Douglas G. Offin