Patents by Inventor Stephen D. Roche

Stephen D. Roche 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: 20250064031
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is biofilm enhancement comprising configuring a screen cage with an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the screen cage has a screen cage entry side for traversing the inner surface and the outer surface, configuring a pipe with a plurality of inlet apertures in fluid communication with a screen cage interior and an outlet through the screen cage entry side, suspending a biofilm enhancement structure (BES) adjacent to the plurality of inlet apertures within the screen cage interior, receiving an intake flow through the screen cage from an environment outside the screen cage and directing at least a portion of the intake flow through the BES, into the plurality of inlet apertures and through the outlet. An implementation may advantageously increase the biofilm inside the screen cage using the BES to increase surface area for the biofilm to form on, thereby increasing bacteria beneficial to the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Patent number: 12137676
    Abstract: An exemplary water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU) comprises a backwash pipe in fluid communication with an outer nozzle outside a screen cage and an inner nozzle within the screen cage. The PFU may simultaneously spray inside and outside the screen cage using an inner nozzle and an outer nozzle configured with an axial jet perpendicular to a plurality of radial jets. The inner nozzle may have a restriction chamber with diameter decreasing in flow direction to a full cone nozzle outlet, concentrating dual streams from a plurality of inlets swirled through a plurality of helical channels. Pairs of inner nozzles may be angled to each other, increasing the inner surface area cleaned. Exemplary implementations may simultaneously clean the screen cage bottom and top using the outer nozzle and inner nozzles in backwash mode and in a separate pre-filter mode ingest water through multiple filter pipe inlet apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Publication number: 20230345918
    Abstract: An exemplary water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU) comprises a backwash pipe in fluid communication with an outer nozzle outside a screen cage and an inner nozzle within the screen cage. The PFU may simultaneously spray inside and outside the screen cage using an inner nozzle and an outer nozzle configured with an axial jet perpendicular to a plurality of radial jets. The inner nozzle may have a restriction chamber with diameter decreasing in flow direction to a full cone nozzle outlet, concentrating dual streams from a plurality of inlets swirled through a plurality of helical channels. Pairs of inner nozzles may be angled to each other, increasing the inner surface area cleaned. Exemplary implementations may simultaneously clean the screen cage bottom and top using the outer nozzle and inner nozzles in backwash mode and in a separate pre-filter mode ingest water through multiple filter pipe inlet apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Patent number: 11730149
    Abstract: An exemplary water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU) comprises a backwash pipe in fluid communication with an outer nozzle outside a screen cage and an inner nozzle within the screen cage. The PFU may simultaneously spray inside and outside the screen cage using an inner nozzle and an outer nozzle configured with an axial jet perpendicular to a plurality of radial jets. The inner nozzle may have a restriction chamber with diameter decreasing in flow direction to a full cone nozzle outlet, concentrating dual streams from a plurality of inlets swirled through a plurality of helical channels. Pairs of inner nozzles may be angled to each other, increasing the inner surface area cleaned. Exemplary implementations may simultaneously clean the screen cage bottom and top using the outer nozzle and inner nozzles in backwash mode and in a separate pre-filter mode ingest water through multiple filter pipe inlet apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Publication number: 20220295763
    Abstract: An exemplary water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU) comprises a backwash pipe in fluid communication with an outer nozzle outside a screen cage and an inner nozzle within the screen cage. The PFU may simultaneously spray inside and outside the screen cage using an inner nozzle and an outer nozzle configured with an axial jet perpendicular to a plurality of radial jets. The inner nozzle may have a restriction chamber with diameter decreasing in flow direction to a full cone nozzle outlet, concentrating dual streams from a plurality of inlets swirled through a plurality of helical channels. Pairs of inner nozzles may be angled to each other, increasing the inner surface area cleaned. Exemplary implementations may simultaneously clean the screen cage bottom and top using the outer nozzle and inner nozzles in backwash mode and in a separate pre-filter mode ingest water through multiple filter pipe inlet apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Patent number: 11375698
    Abstract: A water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU). The PFU is submerged and provides structure to camouflage the system to give a natural and aesthetic look. The PFU comprises at least two cleaning systems: (1) biological cleaning mechanism; and (2) an internal self-cleaning mechanism. Specifically, the PFU comprises several filtering surfaces that form a repository for pond debris on which fish and other aquatic creatures feed, i.e., the biological cleaning mechanism. These filtering surfaces of the PFU also provide a protective barrier that prevents large debris from entering the circulation pump. The internal self-cleaning mechanism is a spray wash water source mechanism used to clean the PFU without removing the PFU or fish from the pond or entering the water. Together these features improve the quality of the water in the pond and extend the life of a pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Publication number: 20190239489
    Abstract: A water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU). The PFU is submerged and provides structure to camouflage the system to give a natural and aesthetic look. The PFU comprises at least two cleaning systems: (1) biological cleaning mechanism; and (2) an internal self-cleaning mechanism. Specifically, the PFU comprises several filtering surfaces that form a repository for pond debris on which fish and other aquatic creatures feed, i.e., the biological cleaning mechanism. These filtering surfaces of the PFU also provide a protective barrier that prevents large debris from entering the circulation pump. The internal self-cleaning mechanism is a spray wash water source mechanism used to clean the PFU without removing the PFU or fish from the pond or entering the water. Together these features improve the quality of the water in the pond and extend the life of a pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Publication number: 20190216061
    Abstract: A water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU). The PFU is submerged and provides structure to camouflage the system to give a natural and aesthetic look. The PFU comprises at least two cleaning systems: (1) biological cleaning mechanism; and (2) an internal self-cleaning mechanism. Specifically, the PFU comprises several filtering surfaces that form a repository for pond debris on which fish and other aquatic creatures feed, i.e., the biological cleaning mechanism. These filtering surfaces of the PFU also provide a protective barrier that prevents large debris from entering the circulation pump. The internal self-cleaning mechanism is a spray wash water source mechanism used to clean the PFU without removing the PFU or fish from the pond or entering the water. Together these features improve the quality of the water in the pond and extend the life of a pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Patent number: 10070629
    Abstract: A water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU). The PFU is submerged and provides structure to camouflage the system to give a natural and aesthetic look. The PFU comprises at least two cleaning systems: (1) biological cleaning mechanism; and (2) an internal self-cleaning mechanism. Specifically, the PFU comprises several filtering surfaces that form a repository for pond debris on which fish and other aquatic creatures feed, i.e., the biological cleaning mechanism. These filtering surfaces of the PFU also provide a protective barrier that prevents large debris from entering the circulation pump. The internal self-cleaning mechanism is a spray wash water source mechanism used to clean the PFU without removing the PFU or fish from the pond or entering the water. Together these features improve the quality of the water in the pond and extend the life of a pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Publication number: 20140305880
    Abstract: A water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU). The PFU is submerged and provides structure to camouflage the system to give a natural and aesthetic look. The PFU comprises at least two cleaning systems: (1) biological cleaning mechanism; and (2) an internal self-cleaning mechanism. Specifically, the PFU comprises several filtering surfaces that form a repository for pond debris on which fish and other aquatic creatures feed, i.e., the biological cleaning mechanism. These filtering surfaces of the PFU also provide a protective barrier that prevents large debris from entering the circulation pump. The internal self-cleaning mechanism is a spray wash water source mechanism used to clean the PFU without removing the PFU or fish from the pond or entering the water. Together these features improve the quality of the water in the pond and extend the life of a pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche
  • Patent number: 8800496
    Abstract: A water circulation pump pre-filter unit (PFU). The PFU is submerged and provides structure to camouflage the system to give a natural and aesthetic look. The PFU comprises at least two cleaning systems: (1) biological cleaning mechanism; and (2) an internal self-cleaning mechanism. Specifically, the PFU comprises several filtering surfaces that form a repository for pond debris on which fish and other aquatic creatures feed, i.e., the biological cleaning mechanism. These filtering surfaces of the PFU also provide a protective barrier that prevents large debris from entering the circulation pump. The internal self-cleaning mechanism is a spray wash water source mechanism used to clean the PFU without removing the PFU or fish from the pond or entering the water. Together these features improve the quality of the water in the pond and extend the life of a pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventor: Stephen D. Roche