Patents by Inventor Luc Gingras

Luc Gingras 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: 11905660
    Abstract: A deflaker plate for a deflaker machine may include a substrate and a plurality of teeth extending from the substrate, wherein a specified number of teeth of the plurality of teeth have a serrated face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Ismo Ihalainen
  • Publication number: 20240011221
    Abstract: A plate segment includes a substrate having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side is configured to be mounted to a support disc of a disperser; rows of teeth protruding from the front side of the substrate, wherein each of the rows are arranged along an arc extending from one side of the plate segment to an opposite side of the plate segment. In at least one of the rows of teeth, adjacent teeth are joined by a bridge spanning a gap between the adjacent teeth. The bridge is elevated above the front side of the substrate such that the bridge is separated from the front side by an open space in the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Patent number: 11859344
    Abstract: A plate segment includes: a substrate having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side is configured to be mounted to a support disc of a disperser; and rows of teeth protruding from the front side of the substrate. The rows of teeth are arranged along an arc extending from a first lateral side of the plate segment to an opposite lateral side of the plate segment. A first tooth in the rows of teeth has a first tooth face. A buttress extends from the first tooth face to a face of an adjacent tooth. The buttress has a concave profile at a height above the substrate less than a full height of the teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Patent number: 11851816
    Abstract: A plate segment includes a substrate having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side is configured to be mounted to a support disc of a disperser; rows of teeth protruding from the front side of the substrate, wherein each of the rows are arranged along an arc extending from one side of the plate segment to an opposite side of the plate segment. In at least one of the rows of teeth, adjacent teeth are joined by a bridge spanning a gap between the adjacent teeth. The bridge is elevated above the front side of the substrate such that the bridge is separated from the front side by an open space in the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Andritz Inc.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Publication number: 20230167605
    Abstract: A deflaker plate for a deflaker machine may include a substrate and a plurality of teeth extending from the substrate, wherein a specified number of teeth of the plurality of teeth have a serrated face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Ismo Ihalainen
  • Patent number: 11643778
    Abstract: A disperser apparatus includes: a first disperser assembly configured to rotate around an axis; and a second disperser assembly facing the first disperser assembly. The first and second disperser assemblies each have a plurality of disperser-refiner plate segments annularly arranged. Each of the disperser-refiner plate segments includes a substrate having teeth extending from the substrate and arranged in rows disposed at radial intervals defining a dispersion section. Each tooth has a tooth height; and walls; and edges at junctions of adjacent walls. Each of the disperser-refiner plate segments further includes a refining section of refiner bars extending from the substrate, wherein adjacent refiner bars and the substrate define a groove between the adjacent refiner bars; and a plurality transition bars disposed between radially outermost teeth and the refining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Andritz Inc.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Patent number: 11643779
    Abstract: A refiner disc including: a refining zone on a front face of the disc; refining bars in the refining zone; and grooves between the bars, wherein each of the grooves include a rotational inducement element arranged on at least one sidewall of the groove and the rotational inducement element is configured to impart at helical flow of feed material flowing through the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Marc Berger
  • Patent number: 11628446
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an apparatus for a counter-rotating mechanical refiner configured to mitigate the problems of feeding variations, load variations, high energy consumption due to poor feeding efficiency, low pulp quality, and reduced throughput capacity by positioning a flinger proximate to a rotor gap side of a first rotor, wherein the first rotor further comprises an inlet extending through the first rotor, such that a portion of the operational flinger deflects feed material from the inlet into the refiner gap while rotating in the direction of the first rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Marc Berger
  • Patent number: 11555273
    Abstract: Refiner plate elements for a conical mechanical refiner include: a rotor plate element including at least one rotor plate segment having a feedstock inlet opening disposed at a first end of the rotor plate segment; and a rotor plate segment refining area disposed between the feedstock inlet opening and a second end of the rotor plate segment. The refiner plate elements may further include: a stator plate element including at least one stator plate segment having a stator plate segment refining area; and first and second attaching rails configured to couple to the stator plate segment to a stator support frame of the conical mechanical refiner. A separation between the first attaching rail and the second attaching rail that is not covered by the stator plate segment is configured to form a feedstock outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Tom Berger, Yves Raymond, Long Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20220333304
    Abstract: Refiner plate elements for a conical mechanical refiner include: a rotor plate element including at least one rotor plate segment having a feedstock inlet opening disposed at a first end of the rotor plate segment; and a rotor plate segment refining area disposed between the feedstock inlet opening and a second end of the rotor plate segment. The refiner plate elements may further include: a stator plate element including at least one stator plate segment having a stator plate segment refining area; and first and second attaching rails configured to couple to the stator plate segment to a stator support frame of the conical mechanical refiner. A separation between the first attaching rail and the second attaching rail that is not covered by the stator plate segment is configured to form a feedstock outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Tom Berger, Yves Raymond, Long Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20220333303
    Abstract: Refiner plate segments for a conical refiner may include a rotor plate segment having inlet openings disposed at one or more inlet locations on the rotor plate segment, and a stator plate segment having outlet openings disposed at one or more outlet locations on the stator plate segment. The rotor plate segment is disposed opposite the stator plate segment such that the one or more rotor plate segment refining areas and the one or more stator plate segment refining areas oppose each other, and the one or more inlet locations and the one or more outlet locations are separated by one or more refining zones formed by the rotor plate segment refining areas and the stator plate segment refining areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Tom Berger, Yves Raymond, Long Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20220034032
    Abstract: A plate segment includes a substrate having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side is configured to be mounted to a support disc of a disperser; rows of teeth protruding from the front side of the substrate, wherein each of the rows are arranged along an arc extending from one side of the plate segment to an opposite side of the plate segment. In at least one of the rows of teeth, adjacent teeth are joined by a bridge spanning a gap between the adjacent teeth. The bridge is elevated above the front side of the substrate such that the bridge is separated from the front side by an open space in the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Publication number: 20220034034
    Abstract: A disperser apparatus includes: a first disperser assembly configured to rotate around an axis; and a second disperser assembly facing the first disperser assembly. The first and second disperser assemblies each have a plurality of disperser-refiner plate segments annularly arranged. Each of the disperser-refiner plate segments includes a substrate having teeth extending from the substrate and arranged in rows disposed at radial intervals defining a dispersion section. Each tooth has a tooth height; and walls; and edges at junctions of adjacent walls. Each of the disperser-refiner plate segments further includes a refining section of refiner bars extending from the substrate, wherein adjacent refiner bars and the substrate define a groove between the adjacent refiner bars; and a plurality transition bars disposed between radially outermost teeth and the refining section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Publication number: 20220034031
    Abstract: A plate segment includes: a substrate having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side is configured to be mounted to a support disc of a disperser; and rows of teeth protruding from the front side of the substrate. The rows of teeth are arranged along an arc extending from a first lateral side of the plate segment to an opposite lateral side of the plate segment. A first tooth in the rows of teeth has a first tooth face. A buttress extends from the first tooth face to a face of an adjacent tooth. The buttress has a concave profile at a height above the substrate less than a full height of the teeth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Publication number: 20220034035
    Abstract: The problem of increased energy usage in refiners over the working life of a refining assembly is mitigated by the use of a refiner plate segment having a refiner side and a back side distally disposed from the refiner side, refiner bars engaged to a substrate of the refiner side, wherein the refiner bars have a refiner bar height, and wherein adjacent refiner bars and the substrate define grooves between the adjacent bars, and protrusions disposed in the grooves, wherein the protrusions have a protrusion height, wherein the protrusion height is 30% or less of the refiner bar height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Tobias Michel
  • Patent number: 11208763
    Abstract: Dispersers and disperser plate segments configured to be mounted in dispersers, wherein the disperser plate segments comprise rows of teeth and wherein bridges span gaps between adjacent teeth in at least one of the rows of teeth, wherein the bridges are separated from a substrate of the front face by an open space in the gap. In other exemplary embodiments, a buttress extends from at least one face of the tooth to support the tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Patent number: 11174592
    Abstract: A disperser-refiner plate segment includes a refining section disposed radially outward from a dispersion section. Teeth in the dispersion section have a height that exceeds a height of refining bars in the refining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventor: Luc Gingras
  • Publication number: 20210180253
    Abstract: A refiner disc including: a refining zone on a front face of the disc; refining bars in the refining zone; and grooves between the bars, wherein each of the grooves include a rotational inducement element arranged on at least one sidewall of the groove and the rotational inducement element is configured to impart at helical flow of feed material flowing through the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Luc GINGRAS, Marc Berger
  • Publication number: 20210153524
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid formulation for consumption by pets, particularly cats, for preventing and/or treating urinary disorders, and stimulating water consumption. The formulation comprises water that has less than 200 ppm of total minerals, and a pH between 5.9 and 7.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventor: Pierre Luc Gingras
  • Publication number: 20210086189
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an apparatus for a counter-rotating mechanical refiner configured to mitigate the problems of feeding variations, load variations, high energy consumption due to poor feeding efficiency, low pulp quality, and reduced throughput capacity by positioning a flinger proximate to a rotor gap side of a first rotor, wherein the first rotor further comprises an inlet extending through the first rotor, such that a portion of the operational flinger deflects feed material from the inlet into the refiner gap while rotating in the direction of the first rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Luc Gingras, Marc Berger