Patents by Inventor Nicholas Ruff

Nicholas Ruff 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).

  • Publication number: 20260201768
    Abstract: A wellhead includes a wellhead housing, a passage formed in or along the wellhead housing, and a hanger configured to support a casing. The wellhead also includes a seal assembly configured to provide an annular seal across an annular space between the hanger and the wellhead housing. In operation, a movable seal component or the seal assembly is configured to move relative to the passage to selectively enable a flow of fluid across the seal assembly via the passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Publication date: July 16, 2026
    Inventors: Andrew SANDERS, Kyle SOMMERFELD, Leonard VOGEL, Nicholas RUFF, Dennis NGUYEN
  • Patent number: 11421508
    Abstract: Fracturing systems with frac valves having gates for controlling flow of fracturing fluid are provided. In one embodiment, a fracturing apparatus includes a frac valve having a housing with a cavity transverse to a bore. A gate is positioned in the cavity and is movable between open and closed positions to selectively block flow through the bore. The gate includes a seal assembly positioned to seal against a sidewall of the cavity to surround the bore and block flow through the frac valve when the gate is in the closed position. The seal assembly can be actuated between a less-energized state and a more-energized state following movement of the gate within the cavity from the open position to the closed position. Additional systems, devices, and methods for fracturing are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Christopherson, Michael Krejci, Pawan Malli, Leonard Vogel, Nicholas Ruff, Delbert Vanderford, Stuart Robinson, Dennis P. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20210332666
    Abstract: Fracturing systems with frac valves having gates for controlling flow of fracturing fluid are provided. In one embodiment, a fracturing apparatus includes a frac valve having a housing with a cavity transverse to a bore. A gate is positioned in the cavity and is movable between open and closed positions to selectively block flow through the bore. The gate includes a seal assembly positioned to seal against a sidewall of the cavity to surround the bore and block flow through the frac valve when the gate is in the closed position. The seal assembly can be actuated between a less-energized state and a more-energized state following movement of the gate within the cavity from the open position to the closed position. Additional systems, devices, and methods for fracturing are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Adam Christopherson, Michael Krejci, Pawan Malli, Leonard Vogel, Nicholas Ruff, Delbert Vanderford, Stuart Robinson, Dennis P. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10961801
    Abstract: Fracturing systems having rams for controlling flow through fracturing trees are provided. In one embodiment, a fracturing system includes a frac stack mounted on a wellhead. The frac stack can include a flow control device having a housing and a single ram for opening and closing a bore of the housing. The single ram can form a seal with the housing around the bore without seats. Additional systems, devices, and methods for fracturing are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Christopherson, Nicholas Ruff, Michael Krejci, Leonard Vogel, Gary Schaeper, Kirk P. Guidry, Stuart Robinson
  • Publication number: 20200032608
    Abstract: Fracturing systems having rams for controlling flow through fracturing trees are provided. In one embodiment, a fracturing system includes a frac stack mounted on a wellhead. The frac stack can include a flow control device having a housing and a single ram for opening and closing a bore of the housing. The single ram can form a seal with the housing around the bore without seats. Additional systems, devices, and methods for fracturing are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Adam Christopherson, Nicholas Ruff, Michael Krejci, Leonard Vogel, Gary Schaeper, Kirk P. Guidry, Stuart Robinson