Patents by Inventor Earl Schultz

Earl Schultz 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: 10370186
    Abstract: A subsea fluid storage system comprising a soft bladder disposed within a pressure balanced reservoir, a rotatable piston, and a piston rotator which rotates and twists the rotatable piston as it travels along a predetermined axis within the pressure balanced reservoir, predictably and repeatabley collapses the soft bladder when the rotating piston cooperatively travels about the piston rotator, twisting the soft bladder as the rotating piston moves along the predetermined axis, collapsing the bladder inward and thereby emptying the bladder of fluid within the bladder. The piston's rotation pulls the soft bladder away from the pressure balanced reservoir's interior, thereby preventing the bladder's binding or pinching the pressure balanced reservoir's interior. In configurations, fluid is allowed to enter the pressure balanced reservoir via a valve until a balance is achieved between an interior and an exterior of the pressure balanced reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Primm, Christopher Leon, Earl Schultz
  • Patent number: 10053365
    Abstract: A graphitization furnace has a furnace structure including a support part within a furnace chamber, and a gate valve. The gate valve in an open state thereof after a graphitization process dumps a pack material within the furnace chamber in a state in which carbon bodies are located within the furnace chamber, and the support part catches the carbon bodies as a level of the carbon bodies lowers with a decrease in an amount of the pack material remaining within the furnace chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignees: SHOWA DENKO CARBON INC., SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventors: Daniel Pascazio, Steve Shary, Earl Schultz, David Whichard, Bill Milfelt, Mutsushi Wada, Satoshi Hamada, Yasuhiro Arai
  • Patent number: 10024137
    Abstract: A subsea fluid distributor comprises a support framework removably mountable and hydraulically connectable to a subsea structure intermediate the subsea structure and an incoming flying lead's terminator; a plate attached to an upper section of the support framework; a fixed bucket and a valve attached to the support framework; a lower framework attached to a lower portion of the support framework; a first hydraulic tube, in fluid communication with the valve, attached to the lower framework; a flying lead junction plate support framework attached to the lower portion of the support framework; a second hydraulic tube, in fluid communication with various subsea equipment, disposed at least partially within the flying lead junction plate support framework; a first remotely operated vehicle (ROV) torque bucket attached to an upper portion of the flying lead junction plate support framework; and a second ROV torque bucket attached to the upper section of the support framework.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: OCEANEERING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Earl Schultz, Benjamin Primm, Matthew Smith
  • Publication number: 20180072494
    Abstract: Using a subsea fluid storage system 1 comprising a soft bladder (20) disposed within a pressure balanced reservoir (10), a rotatable piston (30) disposed at least partially within the pressure balanced reservoir where a top of the soft bladder is in communication with the rotatable piston, and a piston rotator (50) operative to rotate and twist the rotatable piston as the rotatable piston travels along a predetermined axis within the pressure balanced reservoir, a predictable and repeatable collapse of the soft bladder may be obtained by allowing the rotating piston (30) to cooperatively travel about the piston rotator (50) to twist the soft bladder (20) as the rotating piston moves along the predetermined axis in such a manner as to collapse the bladder inward, thereby emptying the bladder of fluid within the bladder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Primm, Christopher Leon, Earl Schultz
  • Publication number: 20170284172
    Abstract: A subsea fluid distributor comprises a support framework configured to be removably mounted to and hydraulically connected to a subsea structure intermediate the subsea structure and an incoming flying lead terminator of an incoming flying lead; a plate attached to an upper section of the support framework; a fixed bucket attached to the support framework; a valve attached to the support framework; a lower framework attached to a lower portion of the support framework; a first hydraulic tube attached to the lower framework and in fluid communication with the valve; a flying lead junction plate support framework attached to the lower portion of the support framework; a second hydraulic tube disposed at least partially within flying lead junction plate support framework and in fluid communication with various subsea equipment; a first remotely operated vehicle (ROV) torque bucket (62) attached to an upper portion of the flying lead junction plate support framework; a second ROV torque bucket (22) attached to th
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Schultz, Benjamin Primm, Matthew Smith
  • Publication number: 20160304349
    Abstract: A graphitization furnace has a furnace structure including a support part within a furnace chamber, and a gate valve. The gate valve in an open state thereof after a graphitization process dumps a pack material within the furnace chamber in a state in which carbon bodies are located within the furnace chamber, and the support part catches the carbon bodies as a level of the carbon bodies lowers with a decrease in an amount of the pack material remaining within the furnace chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel PASCAZIO, Steve SHARY, Earl SCHULTZ, David WHICHARD, Bill MILFELT, Mutsushi WADA, Satoshi HAMADA, Yasuhiro ARAI
  • Publication number: 20060083624
    Abstract: A system for delivering fluids to a subsea device comprises a first fluid pressurizer for pressurizing fluid at a first pressure in communication with a fluid pressure intensifier located subsea that is capable of increasing the fluid pressure of the fluid. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of meaning of the claims.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventors: Michael Cunningham, Chad Blanchard, Earl Schultz