Patents by Inventor Ludovic LEFRANC

Ludovic LEFRANC 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: 10858189
    Abstract: The invention relates to a feeding and positioning device (5) for straws (2) for packing animal semen on a support (4), with a feeding hopper (20) having an inner space (21) which receives the straws and is partially delimited by an inclined and electrically conductive bottom wall (38), an evacuation chute (22) with an inlet orifice, which opens into said inner space, and with an outlet orifice opposite said support, a disentangling system (25) having an electrically conductive and movable part configured to come into contact with said straws and to set them in motion in said inner space, an electrically conductive support, and a mechanical connection interface of said movable part on said support, and electrical connection elements which are directly connected, respectively, to said bottom wall and said support and to said movable part and said support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: IMV TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Christian Beau, Ludovic LeFranc
  • Patent number: 10806555
    Abstract: The invention relates to a storage receptacle (1) with a longitudinal opening (5) through which straws (2) for packing liquid-based substance are passed in a predetermined orientation of the straws, a housing (3) provided for the straws and configured to be inserted slidably in a cover (4) of the receptacle, the latter having an open configuration, in which the housing is partially inserted in the cover and the opening is free for the passage of the straws, and a closure configuration, in which the housing is inserted in the cover and the opening is closed by the cover in order to prohibit the passage of the straws. The housing has a parallelepipedal shape, a first front wall in which the opening is formed, a first bottom wall, two first longitudinal wails extending parallel to the opening, and two first side walls which each have two diagonals of a length less than or equal to the length of the straws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: IMV TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Eric Schmitt, Jean-Charles Gorges, Christian Beau, Ludovic Lefranc
  • Patent number: 10709535
    Abstract: The installation (1) comprises a treatment machine (12) and a supply and positioning device (16) configured to receive the straws (2) and dispose them one by one in a predetermined orientation for their treatment by said machine. The device (16) comprises a curved ramp (52) having a reception portion (64) for the straws (2) and an ejection portion (65) for the straws, the ramp being configured to convey, to the ejection portion (65), a straw (2) received on the reception portion (64) and sliding on the ramp (52), the ramp having a concave profile such that said profile has an orientation closer to the vertical in the reception portion (64) than in the ejection portion (65), such that a straw received on the reception portion (64) is accelerated to the ejection portion (65) at which the straw is guided and ejected with a predetermined orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: IMV TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Eric Schmitt, Christian Beau, Joël Grosos, Ludovic Lefranc
  • Publication number: 20180346248
    Abstract: The invention relates to a feeding and positioning device (5) for straws (2) for packing animal semen on a support (4), with a feeding hopper (20) having an inner space (21) which receives the straws and is partially delimited by an inclined and electrically conductive bottom wall (38), an evacuation chute (22) with an inlet orifice, which opens into said inner space, and with an outlet orifice opposite said support, a disentangling system (25) having an electrically conductive and movable part configured to come into contact with said straws and to set them in motion in said inner space, an electrically conductive support, and a mechanical connection interface of said movable part on said support, and electrical connection elements which are directly connected, respectively, to said bottom wall and said support and to said movable part and said support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Christian BEAU, Ludovic LEFRANC
  • Publication number: 20180325642
    Abstract: The invention relates to a storage receptacle (1) with a longitudinal opening (5) through which straws (2) for packing liquid-based substance are passed in a predetermined orientation of the straws, a housing (3) provided for the straws and configured to be inserted slidably in a cover (4) of the receptacle, the latter having an open configuration, in which the housing is partially inserted in the cover and the opening is free for the passage of the straws, and a closure configuration, in which the housing is inserted in the cover and the opening is closed by the cover in order to prohibit the passage of the straws. The housing has a parallelepipedal shape, a first front wall in which the opening is formed, a first bottom wall, two first longitudinal wails extending parallel to the opening, and two first side walls which each have two diagonals of a length less than or equal to the length of the straws.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Eric SCHMITT, Jean-Charles GORGES, Christian BEAU, Ludovic LEFRANC
  • Publication number: 20180271633
    Abstract: The installation (1) comprises a treatment machine (12) and a supply and positioning device (16) configured to receive the straws (2) and dispose them one by one in a predetermined orientation for their treatment by said machine. The device (16) comprises a curved ramp (52) having a reception portion (64) for the straws (2) and an ejection portion (65) for the straws, the ramp being configured to convey, to the ejection portion (65), a straw (2) received on the reception portion (64) and sliding on the ramp (52), the ramp having a concave profile such that said profile has an orientation closer to the vertical in the reception portion (64) than in the ejection portion (65), such that a straw received on the reception portion (64) is accelerated to the ejection portion (65) at which the straw is guided and ejected with a predetermined orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Eric SCHMITT, Christian BEAU, Joël GROSOS, Ludovic LEFRANC