Patents by Inventor Jeffrey R. Wheeler
Jeffrey R. Wheeler 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).
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Patent number: 10226851Abstract: Methods are disclosed for performing operations such as cleaning, inspection or data acquisition on an external surface of a hollow cylindrical tubular. Preferred embodiments include providing a fluid dispenser and an abrasion assembly on a buggy that travels up and down the length of the tubular as the tubular rotates. The fluid dispenser includes nozzles that dispense cleaning fluids onto the tubular's external surface. The abrasion assembly includes a swivel brush and a brush train providing different styles of abrasion cleaning of the tubular's external surface. Preferred embodiments include robotically monitoring abrader contact against the external surface of the tubular, and, in response, dynamically adjusting the distance between the external surface of the tubular and the abrasion assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2017Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: Thomas Engineering Solutions & Consulting, LLCInventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, Jr., Jeffrey R. Wheeler
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Patent number: 9939389Abstract: A data acquisition system for determining the state of a tubular while the tubular rotates about its cylindrical axis. The tubular remains otherwise substantially stationary. Sensors travel up and down the length of the rotating tubular, interrogating the inside and outside of the tubular for data regarding the tubular's state. Sensors may take samples which may be associated with rotational reference information tying the sample to its absolute position on the internal or external surface of the tubular. A data processor processes the samples and other sensor data to produce a wide array of output, including data signatures of the tubular, maps of contour data regarding the internal or external surface of the tubular, and dimensional data regarding the tubular. Data acquisition is advantageously done in real time, and may further be done concurrently with internal or external cleaning operations.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2013Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Thomas Engineering Solutions & Consulting, LLCInventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, Jr., Jeffrey R. Wheeler, Stuart J. Ford
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Publication number: 20170297162Abstract: Methods are disclosed for performing operations such as cleaning, inspection or data acquisition on an external surface of a hollow cylindrical tubular. Preferred embodiments include providing a fluid dispenser and an abrasion assembly on a buggy that travels up and down the length of the tubular as the tubular rotates. The fluid dispenser includes nozzles that dispense cleaning fluids onto the tubular's external surface. The abrasion assembly includes a swivel brush and a brush train providing different styles of abrasion cleaning of the tubular's external surface. Preferred embodiments include robotically monitoring abrader contact against the external surface of the tubular, and, in response, dynamically adjusting the distance between the external surface of the tubular and the abrasion assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, JR., Jeffrey R. Wheeler
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Patent number: 9669509Abstract: Methods are disclosed for performing operations such as cleaning, inspection or data acquisition on an external surface of a hollow cylindrical tubular. Preferred embodiments include providing a fluid dispenser and an abrasion assembly on a buggy that travels up and down the length of the tubular as the tubular rotates. The fluid dispenser includes nozzles that dispense cleaning fluids onto the tubular's external surface. The abrasion assembly includes a swivel brush and a brush train providing different styles of abrasion cleaning of the tubular's external surface. Preferred embodiments of the buggy also carry a range finding laser generating samples of the distance from the laser to a sampled point on the tubular's external surface. The laser samples are processed in real time into surface contour data. Cleaning and inspection variables such as tubular rotational speed, or buggy speed, may be adjusted responsive to measured surface contour data.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2013Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Thomas Engineering Solutions & Consulting, LLCInventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, Jr., Jeffrey R. Wheeler
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Patent number: 9156121Abstract: Enhanced methods are disclosed for performing operations such as cleaning, inspection or data acquisition on an external surface of a hollow cylindrical tubular. Preferred embodiments include providing a fluid dispenser and an abrasion assembly on a buggy that travels up and down the length of the tubular as the tubular rotates. The fluid dispenser includes nozzles that dispense cleaning fluids onto the tubular's external surface. The abrasion assembly includes a swivel brush and a brush train providing different styles of abrasion cleaning of the tubular's external surface. Preferred embodiments of the buggy also carry a range finding laser and an optical camera generating samples that may be processed in real time into data regarding the surface contours and the diameter variations on the tubular's external surface. Cleaning and inspection variables such as tubular rotational speed, or buggy speed, may be adjusted responsive to measured surface contour data.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Thomas Engineering Solutions & Consulting, LLCInventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, Jr., Jeffrey R. Wheeler, Kenny Perry, Jr.
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Publication number: 20140090666Abstract: Methods are disclosed for performing operations such as cleaning, inspection or data acquisition on an external surface of a hollow cylindrical tubular. Preferred embodiments include providing a fluid dispenser and an abrasion assembly on a buggy that travels up and down the length of the tubular as the tubular rotates. The fluid dispenser includes nozzles that dispense cleaning fluids onto the tubular's external surface. The abrasion assembly includes a swivel brush and a brush train providing different styles of abrasion cleaning of the tubular's external surface. Preferred embodiments of the buggy also carry a range finding laser generating samples of the distance from the laser to a sampled point on the tubular's external surface. The laser samples are processed in real time into surface contour data. Cleaning and inspection variables such as tubular rotational speed, or buggy speed, may be adjusted responsive to measured surface contour data.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: Extreme Hydro Solutions, L.L.C.Inventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, Jr., Jeffrey R. Wheeler
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Publication number: 20140094092Abstract: Enhanced methods are disclosed for performing operations such as cleaning, inspection or data acquisition on an external surface of a hollow cylindrical tubular. Preferred embodiments include providing a fluid dispenser and an abrasion assembly on a buggy that travels up and down the length of the tubular as the tubular rotates. The fluid dispenser includes nozzles that dispense cleaning fluids onto the tubular's external surface. The abrasion assembly includes a swivel brush and a brush train providing different styles of abrasion cleaning of the tubular's external surface. Preferred embodiments of the buggy also carry a range finding laser and an optical camera generating samples that may be processed in real time into data regarding the surface contours and the diameter variations on the tubular's external surface. Cleaning and inspection variables such as tubular rotational speed, or buggy speed, may be adjusted responsive to measured surface contour data.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: Extreme Hydro Solutions, L.L.C.Inventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, JR., Jeffrey R. Wheeler, Kenny Perry, JR.
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Publication number: 20140092234Abstract: A data acquisition system for determining the state of a tubular while the tubular rotates about its cylindrical axis. The tubular remains otherwise substantially stationary. Sensors travel up and down the length of the rotating tubular, interrogating the inside and outside of the tubular for data regarding the tubular's state. Sensors may take samples which may be associated with rotational reference information tying the sample to its absolute position on the internal or external surface of the tubular. A data processor processes the samples and other sensor data to produce a wide array of output, including data signatures of the tubular, maps of contour data regarding the internal or external surface of the tubular, and dimensional data regarding the tubular. Data acquisition is advantageously done in real time, and may further be done concurrently with internal or external cleaning operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: Extreme Hydro Solutions, L.L.C.Inventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, JR., Jeffrey R. Wheeler, Stuart J. Ford