Vacuum System for Lifting Materials in Tall Industrial Towers
This patent describes a system that uses a vacuum to efficiently lift and move materials within tall structures like refinery towers, while also reducing the noise made by the vacuum equipment.
Original patent title: “Receiver, assemblies, and methods for loading and extracting product in elevated tower”
This patent describes a system that uses a vacuum to efficiently lift and move materials within tall structures like refinery towers, while also reducing the noise made by the vacuum equipment. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This system extracts or moves materials from a source, especially useful for moving materials to an elevated location, such as the top of a refinery tower. It includes a vacuum generation assembly that creates a vacuum flow to pull the material. A key part is a sound attenuation chamber, which is built into the vacuum system to quiet the noise produced by the vacuum source, as described in the abstractabstractA short summary at the front of the patent describing the invention. Not legally binding.Read more →. The system also features a material receiver at the elevated spot, designed to hold and precisely control the flow of the material as it's being moved, ensuring smooth operation.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover material conveyance systems that do not use a vacuum to move the material.
- Does not cover material handling systems that operate solely at ground level, without moving material to an elevated location.
- Does not cover vacuum conveyance systems that lack a dedicated sound attenuation chamber to reduce noise from the vacuum source.
- Does not cover systems that move materials in elevated towers but do not include a receiver capable of staging and metering the material flow.
- Does not cover methods of moving materials through a tower using mechanical lifts or conveyor belts.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in combining a vacuum system for elevated material transport with an integrated sound attenuation chamber and a material receiver designed for staging and metering. This ensures not only efficient lifting but also quieter operation and precise control over material flow at the destination.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Material loading in chemical processing plants
Product extraction in oil refinery towers
Conveyance systems in tall grain silos
Industrial vacuum transfer systems for powders or granules
Elevated material feed systems in manufacturing facilities
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Moving materials within large industrial facilities, especially vertically in tall structures like refinery towers, is a complex and often noisy task. This patent addresses these challenges by providing a system that can efficiently lift materials using a vacuum while significantly reducing operational noise. This can lead to safer working environments, improved operational efficiency, and potentially lower maintenance costs for industrial processes requiring vertical material transport.
Filed
January 7, 2025
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies specializing in industrial material handling and process engineering, such as those providing solutions for the oil and gas, chemical, and manufacturing sectors, would be interested in this technology. Major players like GEA Group, Coperion, and Schenck Process, which offer pneumatic conveying systems and industrial equipment, are likely to be active in this space, developing and integrating similar vacuum-based transport solutions.
Market impact
This type of technology can improve operational efficiency and safety in industries that rely on moving bulk materials vertically in tall structures. By offering a quieter and more controlled method of material transfer, it could influence design standards for new industrial facilities and upgrades for existing ones. It could also reduce the environmental impact of industrial operations by minimizing noise pollution and potentially improving material handling precision.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This system extracts or moves materials from a source, especially useful for moving materials to an elevated location, such as the top of a refinery tower. It includes a vacuum generation assembly that creates a vacuum flow to pull the material. A key part is a sound attenuation chamber, which is built into the vacuum system to quiet the noise produced by the vacuum source, as described in the abstract. The system also features a material receiver at the elevated spot, designed to hold and precisely control the flow of the material as it's being moved, ensuring smooth operation.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in combining a vacuum system for elevated material transport with an integrated sound attenuation chamber and a material receiver designed for staging and metering. This ensures not only efficient lifting but also quieter operation and precise control over material flow at the destination.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover material conveyance systems that do not use a vacuum to move the material.
- Does not cover material handling systems that operate solely at ground level, without moving material to an elevated location.
- Does not cover vacuum conveyance systems that lack a dedicated sound attenuation chamber to reduce noise from the vacuum source.
- Does not cover systems that move materials in elevated towers but do not include a receiver capable of staging and metering the material flow.
- Does not cover methods of moving materials through a tower using mechanical lifts or conveyor belts.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$11K – $35K
Midpoint $22K · 18.2 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). Vacuum System for Lifting Materials in Tall Industrial Towers (U.S. Patent No. 12,735,276). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12735276/receiver-assemblies-and-methods-for-loading-and-extracting-product-in
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Vacuum System for Lifting Materials in Tall Industrial Towers cover?
This patent describes a system that uses a vacuum to efficiently lift and move materials within tall structures like refinery towers, while also reducing the noise made by the vacuum equipment.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
Moving materials within large industrial facilities, especially vertically in tall structures like refinery towers, is a complex and often noisy task. This patent addresses these challenges by providing a system that can efficiently lift materials using a vacuum while significantly reducing operational noise. This can lead to safer working environments, improved operational efficiency, and potentially lower maintenance costs for industrial processes requiring vertical material transport.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover material conveyance systems that do not use a vacuum to move the material.
Patent monitoring