Patents by Inventor Steven Plain

Steven Plain 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: 9476264
    Abstract: A coiled tubing lift frame assembly for use as a back-up heave compensator on a floating vessel is described. The assembly includes a frame having an upper frame section adapted for attachment to a top drive system and a lower frame section adapted to interface with a flowhead assembly. The assembly also includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders spaced apart from one another, the hydraulic cylinders having a respective cylinder barrel and a piston rod translatable therein with free end of the piston rods being fixed to the upper frame section. The assembly also includes a piston accumulator disposed adjacent to a first of the hydraulic cylinders and in fluid communication therewith via a hydraulic fluid line and an air accumulator disposed adjacent to a second of the hydraulic cylinders and in fluid communication with the piston accumulator via a pneumatic fluid line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: ICON ENGINEERING PTY LTD
    Inventor: Steven Plain
  • Patent number: 9422791
    Abstract: A heave compensation and tensioning apparatus for use on a floating vessel during “locked-to-bottom” operations is provided. The apparatus includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders that are fixed to a lower section of a frame. Respective free ends of piston rods of the hydraulic cylinders are operatively associated with an upper section of the frame. A pair of accumulators are in communication with pressure vessels and the cylinders using a pneumatic fluid line and a primary hydraulic fluid line, respectively. A control valve assembly allows the piston rods to retract or extend in response to, and to compensate for, heave of the floating vessel. An isolation valve can hydraulically lock the piston rods. In this way, the heave compensation and tensioning apparatus forms a rigid link and can be employed as a secondary or back-up heave compensator for a primary heave compensator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: ICON Engineering Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Steven Plain
  • Patent number: 9410381
    Abstract: A riser tension protector and coiled tubing lift frame assembly including same for use as a backup heave compensator is described. The assembly includes a frame having an upper frame section adapted for attachment to a top drive system and a lower frame section adapted to interface with a flowhead assembly; and a pair of pneumatic cylinders spaced apart from one another. The pneumatic cylinders have a respective cylinder barrel and a piston rod translatable therein, a free end of the piston rods being fixed to the upper frame section and a lower end of the cylinder barrels being fixed relative to the lower frame section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: ICON ENGINEERING PTY LTD
    Inventor: Steven Plain
  • Publication number: 20160060976
    Abstract: A riser tension protector and coiled tubing lift frame assembly including same for use as a backup heave compensator is described. The assembly includes a frame having an upper frame section adapted for attachment to a top drive system and a lower frame section adapted to interface with a flowhead assembly; and a pair of pneumatic cylinders spaced apart from one another. The pneumatic cylinders have a respective cylinder barrel and a piston rod translatable therein, a free end of the piston rods being fixed to the upper frame section and a lower end of the cylinder barrels being fixed relative to the lower frame section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: ICON ENGINEERING PTY LTD
    Inventor: Steven Plain
  • Publication number: 20160060977
    Abstract: A coiled tubing lift frame assembly for use as a back-up heave compensator on a floating vessel is described. The assembly includes a frame having an upper frame section adapted for attachment to a top drive system and a lower frame section adapted to interface with a flowhead assembly. The assembly also includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders spaced apart from one another, the hydraulic cylinders having a respective cylinder barrel and a piston rod translatable therein with free end of the piston rods being fixed to the upper frame section. The assembly also includes a piston accumulator disposed adjacent to a first of the hydraulic cylinders and in fluid communication therewith via a hydraulic fluid line and an air accumulator disposed adjacent to a second of the hydraulic cylinders and in fluid communication with the piston accumulator via a pneumatic fluid line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: Icon Engineering Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Steven Plain
  • Publication number: 20140331908
    Abstract: A heave compensation and tensioning apparatus for use on a floating vessel during “locked-to-bottom” operations is provided. The apparatus includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders that are fixed to a lower section of a frame. Respective free ends of piston rods of the hydraulic cylinders are operatively associated with an upper section of the frame. A pair of accumulators are in communication with pressure vessels and the cylinders using a pneumatic fluid line and a primary hydraulic fluid line, respectively. A control valve assembly allows the piston rods to retract or extend in response to, and to compensate for, heave of the floating vessel. An isolation valve can hydraulically lock the piston rods. In this way, the heave compensation and tensioning apparatus forms a rigid link and can be employed as a secondary or back-up heave compensator for a primary heave compensator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: ICON Engineering Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Steven Plain