Patents by Inventor Elvin D. Thomas, III

Elvin D. Thomas, III 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: 6902661
    Abstract: A system using tank corrosion sensors to provide for an overall assessment and monitoring of the electro-chemical corrosion and coatings condition in ships' tanks, and particularly in ships' seawater or compensated fuel tanks. The system includes reference half-cells mounted along a suspended cable and one instrumented sacrificial anode at the end of the cable to provide optimal sensing capability within a tank structure. The reference half-cells and the sacrificial anode measure a potential and current output, respectively. Together the measurements provide objective information that can be used to predict corrosion damage and coating deterioration occurring throughout the structure of the tank. The system may be used for an overall assessment and monitoring of the electrochemical corrosion and coatings condition. In a preferred embodiment, the measurements are stored in a datalogger that is optimally contained within an associated instrument housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Elvin D. Thomas, III, Keith E. Lucas, Paul Slebodnick, Elizabeth A. Hogan
  • Patent number: 6896779
    Abstract: A system using tank corrosion sensors to provide for an overall assessment and monitoring of the electro-chemical corrosion and coatings condition in ships' tanks, and particularly in ships' seawater or compensated fuel tanks. The system includes reference half-cells mounted along a suspended cable and one instrumented sacrificial anode at the end of the cable to provide optimal sensing capability within a tank structure. The reference half-cells and the sacrificial anode measure a potential and current output, respectively. Together the measurements provide objective information that can be used to predict corrosion damage and coating deterioration occurring throughout the structure of the tank. The system may be used for an overall assessment and monitoring of the electro-chemical corrosion and coatings condition. In a preferred embodiment, the measurements are stored in a datalogger that is optimally contained within an associated instrument housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Elvin D. Thomas, III, Keith E. Lucas, Paul Slebodnick, Elizabeth A. Hogan