Patents by Inventor Stephen Sears

Stephen Sears 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: 11085885
    Abstract: A system for inspecting an interior surface of a girth weld region of a pipeline includes a robot that includes a scanner mounted on a carriage for scanning the interior surface of the girth weld region to generate surface profile data. A profile analyzer receives the surface profile data and outputs an indication of whether the interior surface of the girth weld region is suitable for being coated. In some embodiments, an imaging system captures images of the girth weld region as it is being scanned. In a method of coating the girth weld regions of a pipeline, the images of a girth weld region found to be unsuitable for being coated based on the scanning data are used to certify whether the girth weld region is suitable for being coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Aegion Coating Services, LLC
    Inventors: Renato Sanchez, Darrell Davis, Stephen Sears, Kirk Schmitz, Udaykiran Rokkam
  • Publication number: 20190289908
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control body, an aerosol delivery device, and a method of operating an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the aerosol delivery device comprises a control body having a housing, an electrical energy source located within the housing, a heating member operatively connected to the electrical energy source, an aerosol source member that includes an inhalable substance medium, and an indexing mechanism coupled to the heating member. The indexing mechanism is configured to move the heating member relative to the aerosol source member so as to sequentially heat one of two or more segments of the aerosol source member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Steve Worm, William Bryan Carr, Timothy Thomas, Kathryn Wilberding, Paul Braxton, Stephen Sears, Rajesh Sur, Billy Conner, Andries Sebastian
  • Publication number: 20180202944
    Abstract: A system for inspecting an interior surface of a girth weld region of a pipeline includes a robot that includes a scanner mounted on a carriage for scanning the interior surface of the girth weld region to generate surface profile data. A profile analyzer receives the surface profile data and outputs an indication of whether the interior surface of the girth weld region is suitable for being coated. In some embodiments, an imaging system captures images of the girth weld region as it is being scanned. In a method of coating the girth weld regions of a pipeline, the images of a girth weld region found to be unsuitable for being coated based on the scanning data are used to certify whether the girth weld region is suitable for being coated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: Aegion Coating Services, LLC
    Inventors: Renato Sanchez, Darrell Davis, Stephen Sears, Kirk Schmitz, Udaykiran Rokkam
  • Publication number: 20130333438
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Publication number: 20130333434
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Patent number: 8511123
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Publication number: 20110271734
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Publication number: 20070215168
    Abstract: A smoking article, such as a cigarette, includes a carbonaceous heat source. A mouth end piece segment is located at the mouth end of the smoking article, and the mouth end piece segment allows the smoking article to be placed in the mouth of the smoker to be drawn upon. The smoking article further incorporates an aerosol-generating segment located between the heat generation segment and the mouth end piece segment. The aerosol-generating segment incorporates an aerosol-forming material (e.g., glycerin and flavors). The heat generation segment is in a heat exchange relationship with the aerosol-generating region such that heat generated by the burning fuel element acts to volatilize aerosol-forming material for aerosol formation. The carbonaceous heat source is in intimate contact with coarse, fine or ultrafine particles of materials such as cerium oxide, or mixtures of cerium oxide and palladium chloride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Chandra Banerjee, Stephen Sears, JoAnne Taylor
  • Publication number: 20050274390
    Abstract: The present invention provides fuel elements comprising a carbonaceous material and a catalyst composition comprising ultrafine particles of a metal oxide and/or metal. The present invention additionally provides smoking articles demonstrating reduced amounts of carbon monoxide in the smoke-like aerosol produced by the smoking article. In a further aspect, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for the simultaneous resolution and quantification of a carbon monoxide content and a carbon dioxide content of a gaseous mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Inventors: Chandra Banerjee, Stephen Sears, Sheila Cash, Henry Chung
  • Publication number: 20050121044
    Abstract: The present invention provides catalyst compositions, articles of manufacture incorporating the catalyst compositions and methods for producing catalyst compositions. The catalyst compositions comprise a substrate and ultrafine particles. Disclosed articles of manufacture include filter apparatus, such as those utilized in gas masks or smoking articles. Also disclosed are smoking articles comprising the catalyst compositions of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Inventors: Chandra Banerjee, Stephen Sears, Stephen Cole, Sheila Cash
  • Patent number: 5306141
    Abstract: A hand-held and operated instrument suitable for removal of a molar or premolar tooth of an animal, in this particular application, a horse. The device includes the combination of a unique forcep design which articulates via a threaded communication with a drive unit contained within a housing, by which the operator, from outside the mouth, may cause with substantial increase in advantage, the forcep to move in a direction opposite that of the drive housing unit which will then act as a counter-bearing surface upon the teeth or other aspects of the mouth immediately adjacent to the tooth to be extracted. Thus removing or lifting the tooth grasped by the forceps vertically from its socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Inventor: Stephen A. Sears