Patents Issued the Week of April 13-17

4.20.26

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. 12,600,175 entitled “Tire Tread with Three Sipe Levels and Tire” issued April 14, 2026 to Bridgestone Europe NV/SA of Zaventem, Belgium. Invented by Antonio Trione, Guido Piscopo and Giuseppe Delli Castelli all of Rome, Italy. Abstract: The present invention relates to a tread for tires. In particular, it refers to a tread that has a sipe geometry with 3 levels.

U.S. Patent No. 12,600,176 entitled “Hydrophobic Patterns for Tire Tread Grooves” issued April 14, 2026 to Bridgestone Europe NV/SA of Zaventem, Belgium. Invented by Shimpei Maeda of Tokyo, Japan, Pasquale Agoretti, and Giuseppe Rodriquez both of Zaventem, Belgium. Abstract: A tread for a pneumatic tyre, the tread comprising a plurality of grooves, the grooves comprising: a groove surface (122); and a plurality of elements (410) spaced from one another in an arrangement on the groove surface (122). Each element (410) has a shape defining a volume, the shape including: a first cross-sectional shape (425) in a plane (420) parallel to the groove surface (122); and a second cross-sectional shape (435) in a plane (430) perpendicular to the groove surface (122). The arrangement comprises a void volume in the spaces between the elements (410) and a void ratio of between 0.5 to 0.75, wherein the void ratio is defined as a ratio of the void volume to the total volume of the elements (410) in the arrangement.

U.S. Patent No. 12,599,491 entitled “Biliary Stent” issued April 14, 2026 to BVW Holding AG, Cham, Switzerland. Invented by Lukas Bluecher of Eurasberg, Germany and Michael Milbocker of Holliston, Massachusetts. Abstract: The present disclosure provides an endoprosthesis where a preferably polymeric coating has a number of surface features such as protrusions or textures that are arranged in a micropattern. The endoprosthesis optionally has an expanded state and a contracted state, and in some cases includes a stent with a polymeric coating attached to an outer surface of the stent. The stent may have an inner surface defining a lumen, an outer surface, and a stent thickness defined between the inner surface and outer surface. The stent may comprise a plurality of surface textures extending from the stent surfaces, wherein the textures are arranged in a macropattern.

U.S. Patent No. 12,601,122 entitled “Adjustable String Line Sensors for Slip Form Paving” issued April 14, 2026 to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Michael Engels of Montabaur, Germany, Gunnar Ramseger of Borod, Germany and Christoph Weigel of Sankt Augustin, Germany. Abstract: A slip form paving machine includes a machine frame, a plurality of ground engaging wheels or tracks, and front and rear height adjustable lifting columns adjustable to adjust a longitudinal inclination of the machine frame in a paving direction. A slip form mold is supported from the machine frame. The machine further includes a front stringline sensor, a front sensor actuator arranged to adjust a vertical position of the front stringline sensor relative to the machine frame, a rear stringline sensor, and a rear sensor actuator arranged to adjust a vertical position of the rear stringline sensor relative to the machine frame. A controller is configured to send command signals to the front and rear sensor actuators to cause an adjustment in the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame.

U.S. Patent No. 12,601,687 entitled “Optoelectronic Device for the Detection of Substances Dispersed in a Fluid” issued April 14, 2026 to FTH S.R.L. of Rovereto, Italy. Invented by Carlo Guardiani of Verona, Italy; Lorenzo Pavesi of Trento, Italy, Francesco Ferraro of Villafranca di Verona, Italy, Niccoló Ardoijno of Bonassola, Italy and Mattia Mancinelli of Pergine Valsugana, Italy. Abstract: The present invention refers to an optoelectronic device for the detection of substances dispersed in a fluid. The optoelectronic device comprises: —a light source adapted to emit a light radiation; —an optical splitter comprising an optical input port optically coupled to said light source and a plurality of optical output ports, said optical splitter being adapted to receive a first light beam at said optical input port and to provide one or more second light beams, each transmissible from a corresponding optical output port; —a plurality of detection stages operatively coupled to said optical splitter and arranged in parallel with one other, —a plurality of control stages arranged in parallel to one another, each control stage being operatively coupled to a corresponding detection stage.

U.S. Patent No. 12,599,944 entitled “Dual Gate Outfeed for Hydrolyzer” issued April 14, 2026 to Bouldin Corporation, of Morrison, Tennessee. Invented by Rodrigo B. Vera of Leeds, Alabama, David C. Palmer of Franklin, Tennessee and Terry L. Moore of Brentwood, Tennessee. Abstract: A hydrolyzer outfeed system includes a hydrolyzer having a hydrolyzer outlet, an intermediate pressure chamber having a pressure chamber inlet and a pressure chamber outlet, and an expansion chamber. A pressure chamber inlet valve selectively communicates the hydrolyzer outlet with the pressure chamber inlet, the inlet valve having an inlet valve cross-sectional area in a fully open position. A pressure chamber outlet valve selectively communicates the pressure chamber outlet with the expansion chamber. The pressure chamber outlet valve has an outlet valve cross-sectional area in a fully open position. The outlet valve cross-sectional area is smaller than the inlet valve cross-sectional area.

U.S. Patent No. 12,599,912 entitled “Method for Controlling and/or Regulating the Feed of Material to be Processed to a Crushing and/or Screening Plant of a Material Processing Device” issued April 14, 2026 to Kleemann GmbH of Göppingen, Germany. Invented by Steffen Häberle of Herbrechtingen, Germany, Till Krauss of Rechberghausen, Germany and Jochen Meier of Hulben, Germany. Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling and/or regulating the feed of material to be processed, in particular rock material, to a crushing and/or screening plant of a material processing device, wherein a conveyor device is used to guide the material to be processed to the crushing and/or screening plant, wherein a characteristic of the material to be processed is determined, and/or wherein a volume flow of the material to be processed is determined, and wherein a conveying speed of the conveyor device is controlled and/or regulated taking into account the characteristic and/or the volume flow of the material to be processed. The invention also relates to a material processing device designed to perform such a method.

U.S. Patent No. 12,599,913 entitled “Rock Processing Machine with Wear Assessment and Qualitative Evaluation of the Wear Assessment” issued April 14, 2026 to Kleemann GmbH of Göppingen, Germany. Invented by Tobias Böckle of Weinstadt, Germany. Abstract: A rock processing machine comprises: a material feeding apparatus having a material buffer for loading starting material to be processed; at least one working apparatus of at least one crushing apparatus and/or at least one screening apparatus; at least one conveyor apparatus for conveying material; a data processor including a data memory; a display connected to the data processor in data-transmitting fashion. The data processor ascertains, from data retrievable from the data memory which are based on at least one data collection basis, wear information regarding the wear of a working tool configuration of the at least one working apparatus, ascertains for the wear information, starting from at least one data collection basis, on which at least a portion of the data used for ascertaining the wear information is based, quality information regarding the wear information, and output the wear information and quality information via the display.

U.S. Patent No. 12,599,404 entitled “Disposable Medical Device Introduction System” issued April 14, 2026 to Medtronic Minimed, Inc. of Northridge, California. Invented by Ellis Garai of Woodland Hills, California. Abstract: A disposable medical introduction system including a medical device and a disposable inserter. The disposable inserter includes a carrier to receive the medical device. The carrier includes at least one annular projection. The disposable inserter includes a retractor received within the at least one annular projection and movable relative to the at least one annular projection. The retractor has at least one retaining arm. The disposable inserter includes a needle cartridge coupled to the retractor that includes an insertion needle. The at least one retaining arm cooperates with the needle cartridge to maintain the insertion needle in a first, extended state. A movement of the retractor relative to the at least one annular projection releases the at least one retaining arm to move the insertion needle from the first, extended state to a second, retracted state.