Patents Issued the Week of June 26-30

7.11.23

Patent Protection & Registration

Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 15 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

U.S. Patent No. 11,686,158 entitled “Fluid Control Valve for Rotary Steerable Tool” issued June 27, 2023 to REME, LLC of Conroe, Texas. Invented by Richard Hutton of Avon, United Kingdom. Abstract: A downhole tool control system for a drill string rotary steerable tool that includes a body having an inner chamber, a piston gallery extending between the inner chamber and a piston port, and an exhaust gallery extending between the inner chamber and an exhaust port. A spool in the inner chamber is movable into a plurality of positions to direct and control the timing and duration of the flow of drilling fluid to energize pistons of the rotary steerable tool, and to de-energize the pistons. The spool includes a first passage in fluid communication with a drilling fluid inlet port but not the exhaust port, and a second passage in fluid communication with the exhaust port but not the drilling fluid inlet port.