Patents by Inventor Stephen Shields

Stephen Shields 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: 12330370
    Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system for preparing a three-dimensional object made at least partially of an expanded polymer includes a printing device configured to prepare an expandable polymer melt and deposit a strand of expandable, expanding or expanded polymer onto a surface and a three-dimensional movement device for to enable depositing of the strand of expandable, expanding or expanded polymer at a predetermined time at a precise position within the three-dimensional matrix. The printing device includes a feed section at an upstream end of the printing device, a heating section, a pressurizing section, a blowing agent supply line, a mixing section, a cooling section and a terminal printing head section at a downstream end of the printing device including a die configured to deposit the strand of the expandable, expanding or expanded polymer onto the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Sulzer Management AG
    Inventors: Stephen Shields, Daniele Tammaro, Ulla Trommsdorff, Claudio Walker
  • Patent number: 11958237
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing system for preparing an object made at least partially of an expanded polymer including: a printing device for transporting and depositing a strand of expanded polymer including a blowing agent onto a surface and a 3D movement device for adjusting the position of the printing device in a predefined matrix allowing deposit of the strand of expanded polymer at a predetermined time and precise position within the matrix, the printing device includes: a feed section, a transporting section, a surface melting section, and a terminal printing head section for depositing the expanded polymer strand onto the surface, and all of sections have the same inner diameter, and the surface melting section including a solid-state welding element, a laser beam, a generator of hot gas or liquid and/or a generator of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SULZER MANAGEMENT AG
    Inventors: Stephen Shields, Daniele Tammaro, Ulla Trommsdorff, Claudio Walker
  • Patent number: 10434438
    Abstract: A fluid contact tray (10) for a fractionation column (1), in particular a vapor-liquid contact tray suitable for the use in an offshore fractionation column, comprises: ?a tray deck (12) comprising an active mass transfer surface (20) suitable for contacting two fluids (l, g) of different densities, wherein the active mass transfer surface (20) comprises one or more orifices (18) for the passage of a fluid/gas (g), and wherein at least two at least partially radially extending separation walls (22-1, 22-2, 22-3, 22-4) and/or at least one separation weir (42) are arranged on the active mass transfer surface (20), which divides the active mass transfer surface (20) into at least two sections (24-1, 24-2, 24-3, 24-4), ?an annular channel (26) suitable for collecting fluids/liquids (l), which is arranged at the peripheral area of the active mass transfer surface (20) and at least partially embraces the mass transfer surface (20), ?a central downcomer (34) for collecting and discharging a fluid/liquid (l) from the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Sulzer Chemtech AG
    Inventors: Stephen Shields, Senthil Krishnamoorthy, Markus Duss
  • Publication number: 20170348609
    Abstract: A fluid contact tray (10) for a fractionation column (1), in particular a vapor-liquid contact tray suitable for the use in an offshore fractionation column, comprises: •a tray deck (12) comprising an active mass transfer surface (20) suitable for contacting two fluids (l, g) of different densities, wherein the active mass transfer surface (20) comprises one or more orifices (18) for the passage of a fluid/gas (g), and wherein at least two at least partially radially extending separation walls (22-1, 22-2, 22-3, 22-4) and/or at least one separation weir (42) are arranged on the active mass transfer surface (20), which divides the active mass transfer surface (20) into at least two sections (24-1, 24-2, 24-3, 24-4), •an annular channel (26) suitable for collecting fluids/liquids (l), which is arranged at the peripheral area of the active mass transfer surface (20) and at least partially embraces the mass transfer surface (20), •a central downcomer (34) for collecting and discharging a fluid/liquid (l) from the
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: Sulzer Chemtech Ag
    Inventors: Stephen Shields, Senthil Krishnamoorthy, Markus Duss