Patents by Inventor Isaac J. Stephens

Isaac J. Stephens 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: 10519617
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a sand-boil filter includes a hollow, conical, water-porous structure made of a mesh material having spaced mesh holes. The filter is inserted narrow-end down into a sand boil to allow water to flow from the ground through the mesh material and out the top of the sand boil, while blocking solid matter larger than the mesh holes from passing through the mesh material. In some implementations, the filter is filled with gravel that holds the filter in place while allowing water to flow out of the sand boil. Such filters prevent sand boils from growing while relieving the underground hydrostatic pressure that created the sand boil in the first place and inhibiting subterranean erosion that can cause failure of a nearby levee. The conical shape provides relatively large surface area that inhibits clogging and allows each filter to be used for a range of different sand-boil sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
    Inventors: Isaac J Stephens, Bryant A Robbins
  • Publication number: 20190271129
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a sand-boil filter includes a hollow, conical, water-porous structure made of a mesh material having spaced mesh holes. The filter is inserted narrow-end down into a sand boil to allow water to flow from the ground through the mesh material and out the top of the sand boil, while blocking solid matter larger than the mesh holes from passing through the mesh material. In some implementations, the filter is filled with gravel that holds the filter in place while allowing water to flow out of the sand boil. Such filters prevent sand boils from growing while relieving the underground hydrostatic pressure that created the sand boil in the first place and inhibiting subterranean erosion that can cause failure of a nearby levee. The conical shape provides relatively large surface area that inhibits clogging and allows each filter to be used for a range of different sand-boil sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Isaac J. Stephens, Bryant A. Robbins