Patents by Inventor Tim W. Dittmer

Tim W. Dittmer 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).

  • RF antenna assembly with feed structure having dielectric tube and related methods
    Patent number: 9376897
    Abstract: An RF antenna assembly may be positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery. The RF antenna assembly includes first and second tubular conductors and a feed structure therebetween defining a dipole antenna to be positioned within the wellbore, and an RF transmission line extending within one of the tubular conductors. The feed structure includes a dielectric tube, a first connector coupling the RF transmission line to the first tubular conductor, and a second connector coupling the RF transmission line to the second tubular conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Schuyler R. Ayers, Tim W. Dittmer, Murray Hann, Verlin A. Hibner, Brian Wright
  • Method for producing hydrocarbon resources with RF and conductive heating and related apparatuses
    Patent number: 9115576
    Abstract: A method is for producing hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation having therein an injector well and a producer well adjacent the injector well. The method may include conductively heating the subterranean formation by causing a current flow between the injector and producer wells, RF heating the subterranean formation after conductive heating by supplying RF power from at least the injector well, and producing the hydrocarbon resources from the producer well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tim W. Dittmer
  • RF ANTENNA ASSEMBLY WITH FEED STRUCTURE HAVING DIELECTRIC TUBE AND RELATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20140262224
    Abstract: An RF antenna assembly may be positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery. The RF antenna assembly includes first and second tubular conductors and a feed structure therebetween defining a dipole antenna to be positioned within the wellbore, and an RF transmission line extending within one of the tubular conductors. The feed structure includes a dielectric tube, a first connector coupling the RF transmission line to the first tubular conductor, and a second connector coupling the RF transmission line to the second tubular conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Schuyler R. AYERS, Tim W. DITTMER, Murray HANN, Verlin A. HIBNER, Brian WRIGHT
  • METHOD FOR PRODUCING HYDROCARBON RESOURCES WITH RF AND CONDUCTIVE HEATING AND RELATED APPARATUSES
    Publication number: 20140131032
    Abstract: A method is for producing hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation having therein an injector well and a producer well adjacent the injector well. The method may include conductively heating the subterranean formation by causing a current flow between the injector and producer wells, RF heating the subterranean formation after conductive heating by supplying RF power from at least the injector well, and producing the hydrocarbon resources from the producer well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tim W. Dittmer