Patents by Inventor Valentin Mercier

Valentin Mercier 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: 12698837
    Abstract: A plug assembly is configured for use in a valve. These configurations may include a plug with a sealing surface that can interface with a seat to regulate flow of fluid through the valve. A keyed shaft may insert into the plug. The keyed shaft can rotate to change location of key members in the plug. In one implementation, a technician can rotate the keyed shaft from a first position to a second position at which the key members couple the plug with the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2026
    Assignee: Dresser, LLC
    Inventors: Aurelien Thomas Jules Reau, Romain Francois Pierre Chenu, Valentin Mercier, Mickael Olaya
  • Publication number: 20260194147
    Abstract: A regulating assembly with a valve stem and a valve plug is configured for use in a valve. The configurations may optimize natural frequency to address concerns that operators have with vibrations in devices on their process lines. The valve plug may have a body that narrows from the top and the bottom towards its midline to form an hourglass shape. Reinforcing structure may find use to strengthen or stiffen the body without adding additional mass to the device. This reinforcing structure may include ribs, for example, that circumscribe the center axis. A matrix or lattice structure may prevail as the reinforcing structure as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2026
    Publication date: July 9, 2026
    Inventors: Aurelien Thomas Jules Reau, Romain Francois Pierre Chenu, Valentin Mercier, Arnaud Riviere, Mickael Olaya
  • Publication number: 20260078827
    Abstract: A plug assembly is configured for use in a valve. These configurations may include a plug with a sealing surface that can interface with a seat to regulate flow of fluid through the valve. A keyed shaft may insert into the plug. The keyed shaft can rotate to change location of key members in the plug. In one implementation, a technician can rotate the keyed shaft from a first position to a second position at which the key members couple the plug with the valve body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2024
    Publication date: March 19, 2026
    Inventors: Aurelien Thomas Jules Reau, Romain Francois Pierre Chenu, Valentin Mercier, Mickael Olaya
  • Publication number: 20260063222
    Abstract: A packing assembly is configured for use in a valve. These configurations may include a wear part that surrounds a valve stem. The wear part may prevent contact between the valve stem and a packing follower or other part in the valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2024
    Publication date: March 5, 2026
    Inventors: Aurelien Thomas Jules Reau, Romain Francois Pierre Chenu, Valentin Mercier, Arnaud Riviere, Mickael Olaya
  • Patent number: 12554271
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods of controlling valve actuation using an inertial sensor are provided. The system can include a valve including an inlet, an outlet, and a plug positioned between the inlet and the outlet. The plug can include a stem configured to translate or rotate in a first direction causing the plug to open the valve or to translate or rotate in a second direction causing the plug to close the valve. The system can also include an actuator coupled to the stem, an inertial sensor coupled to the stem, and a controller coupled to the inertial sensor and to the actuator. The controller can cause the controller to receive sensor data from the inertial sensor and to generate control signals provided to the actuator. The control signals can cause the actuator to translate or rotate the stem in the first direction or the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: Dresser, LLC
    Inventors: Mickael Olaya, Valentin Mercier, Romain Chenu, Aurelien Reau, Arnaud Riviere
  • Publication number: 20260009472
    Abstract: A regulating assembly with a valve stem and a valve plug is configured for use in a valve. The configurations may optimize natural frequency to address concerns that operators have with vibrations in devices on their process lines. The valve plug may have a body that narrows from the top and the bottom towards its midline to form an hourglass shape. Reinforcing structure may find use to strengthen or stiffen the body without adding additional mass to the device. This reinforcing structure may include ribs, for example, that circumscribe the center axis. A matrix or lattice structure may prevail as the reinforcing structure as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2024
    Publication date: January 8, 2026
    Inventors: Aurelien Thomas Jules Reau, Romain Francois Pierre Chenu, Valentin Mercier, Arnaud Riviere, Mickael Olaya
  • Publication number: 20240219934
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods of controlling valve actuation using an inertial sensor are provided. The system can include a valve including an inlet, an outlet, and a plug positioned between the inlet and the outlet. The plug can include a stem configured to translate or rotate in a first direction causing the plug to open the valve or to translate or rotate in a second direction causing the plug to close the valve. The system can also include an actuator coupled to the stem, an inertial sensor coupled to the stem, and a controller coupled to the inertial sensor and to the actuator. The controller can cause the controller to receive sensor data from the inertial sensor and to generate control signals provided to the actuator. The control signals can cause the actuator to translate or rotate the stem in the first direction or the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Mickael Olaya, Valentin Mercier, Romain Chenu, Aurelien Reau, Arnaud Riviere
  • Patent number: 11959562
    Abstract: Systems and devices for controlling flow of a fluid through a valve are provided. A valve plug can include a hub. The hub can include a hub body having a longitudinal axis extending through the hub body and a bore extending along the longitudinal axis extending through the hub body. The hub can also include at least one elliptically-shaped protrusion integrally formed within the hub body. The valve plug can also include a dome having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least one side wall extending between the first surface and the second surface around a circumference of the dome. The valve plug can also include at least one arm extending between the hub body and the second surface of the dome. The valve plug can be coupled to a drive shaft and a controller in a variety of non-limiting valve types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Dresser, LLC
    Inventors: Romain Chenu, Valentin Mercier
  • Patent number: 11898656
    Abstract: A valve bonnet defines a packing box having an inner surface Roughness Average (Ra) of 0.15 or less, for example, between 0.10 and 0.15. Multiple Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) packing rings are in a packing stack. A packer is bolted to the bonnet and extends into the packing box. The packer is configured to apply a packing pressure on the packing, for example, between 100 megapascals (MPa) and 200 MPa. Such arrangements can allow for high pressure valves, for example valves that can retain up to 10,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure or up to 15,000 PSI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Dresser, LLC
    Inventors: Aurelien Reau, Mickael Olaya, Arnaud Riviere, Romain Chenu, Valentin Mercier