Patents by Inventor Kenneth Lane Rice

Kenneth Lane Rice 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: 10107418
    Abstract: The disclosed subsea clamp tensioning system includes predictability of gasket pre-load to input closure and allows a subsea clamp tensioning system to be closed and made-up without the hindrance of frictional loads that will cause a loss of tension in a drive screw. In an embodiment, the subsea clamp tensioning system tensions the drive screw by applying a set torque load into an API class torque bucket which translates into an applied tension at the drive screw. The tension load on the drive screw applies the gasket pre-load required to create a metal-to-metal seal between the two clamp hubs. Once complete and tested, the subsea clamp tensioning system may be removed and mounted onto a connector tool for retrieval to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Lane Rice
  • Publication number: 20160273677
    Abstract: The disclosed subsea clamp tensioning system includes predictability of gasket pre-load to input closure and allows a subsea clamp tensioning system to be closed and made-up without the hindrance of frictional loads that will cause a loss of tension in a drive screw. In an embodiment, the subsea clamp tensioning system tensions the drive screw by applying a set torque load into an API class torque bucket which translates into an applied tension at the drive screw. The tension load on the drive screw applies the gasket pre-load required to create a metal-to-metal seal between the two clamp hubs. Once complete and tested, the subsea clamp tensioning system may be removed and mounted onto a connector tool for retrieval to the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Lane Rice