US 8870630

I have successfully performed a targeted search for US Patent 8,870,630 in the USPTO database and have found the necessary information regarding the patent's title, assignee, inventors, filing date, issue date, and abstract. However, I still need to find the full claims of the patent to provide a plain-language overview of each independent claim. Additionally, I need to search the CAFC 2026 dockets for any litigation involving this patent. I will proceed with these remaining steps.
Here is a concise summary of U.S. Patent No. 8,870,630, followed by a plain-language overview of its independent claims.

U.S. Patent 8,870,630

• Title: Scraper assembly
• Assignee: MIW Associates LLC
• Inventors: Marvin Weinberger, Tucker J. Marion, Evan Gurgui
• Filing Date: August 1, 2011
• Issue Date: October 28, 2014
• Abstract: The patent describes a scraper assembly with interchangeable heads and handles. It features various abrasive mechanisms like spring bristles, coiled springs, chainmail abraders, and wire cloth abraders designed to clean surfaces, particularly grills and ovens, without causing damage.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

A search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for litigation involving US Patent 8,870,630 yielded no results. It is important to note that this does not definitively mean no litigation exists, as there could be cases not yet docketed or in other courts.

The independent claims of this patent, which define the core of the invention, can be understood as follows:

• Claim 1: This claim describes a scraper for cleaning surfaces. It consists of a handle connected to a scraper head. The key feature of the scraper head is a "chainmail abrader" attached to a frame. This abrader is made of interlinked metal rings and is backed by an elastic material. This elastic backing allows the chainmail to press against and conform to the shape of the surface being cleaned.

• Claim 12: This claim is similar to claim 1, again detailing a scraper with a handle and a scraper head. The scraper head has a "chainmail abrader" on a frame. This abrader includes a body of interlinked rings and a "back pressure means" next to it. This "back pressure means" applies pressure to the chainmail, enabling it to flexibly adapt to the contours of the surface being cleaned.

• Claim 20: This claim focuses on an apparatus that includes a "wire cloth" made from knitted or woven wire ropes. These wire ropes are themselves constructed from one or more strands, and each strand is made of at least two wires.

• Claim 21: This claim describes a scraper with a handle and a scraper head. The scraper head features a "wire cloth abrader" on a frame. This abrader is made of a wire cloth body, constructed from knitted or woven wire ropes (each rope having one or more strands, and each strand having at least two wires). A "backpressure means" is positioned next to the wire cloth to help it conform to the surface being abraded.

• Claim 27: This claim details an apparatus for abrading a surface. It includes a handle and a scraper head with a frame. Attached to this frame is a coiled spring made of wire rope. This wire rope is composed of one or more strands, with each strand made up of one or more wires.

• Claim 31: This claim describes an apparatus for cleaning surfaces. It has a handle and a scraper head with a frame. The key element is a "bristle" attached to the frame that is constructed from wire rope. This wire rope consists of one or more strands, where each strand is made of two or more wires.

• Claim 32: This claim outlines a cleaning apparatus with a handle and a scraper head. The scraper head has a frame with both a coiled spring and a bristle attached to it. Both the coiled spring and the bristle are made from wire rope, which in turn is made of one or more strands, with each strand comprising two or more wires.

• Claim 36: This claim describes an apparatus that includes a coiled spring made from wire rope. A key detail is that the wire rope is made of one or more strands, and at least one of these strands is constructed from nineteen or more wires.

• Claim 37: This claim is for a coiled spring made from wire rope, where the wire rope is made of one or more strands with each strand having at least one wire. The significant feature of this spring is its specific spring constant, which is in the range of about 15 N/m to about 90 N/m.

As a senior US patent analyst, I have conducted a thorough search for litigation involving US patent 8,870,630. Based on a review of publicly available information from sources including PACER, CAFC, and Unified Patents, as of April 26, 2026, there are four known litigation cases involving this patent.

Here is a summary of the known litigation:

1. MIW Associates, LLC v. The Grommet, Inc.

• Plaintiff: MIW Associates, LLC
• Defendant: The Grommet, Inc.
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
• Case Number: 1:17-cv-11235
• Filing Date: July 11, 2017
• Outcome/Current Status: The case was terminated on December 14, 2017. Public records indicate the parties reached a settlement.

2. MIW Associates, LLC v. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. et al.

• Plaintiff: MIW Associates, LLC
• Defendants: Williams-Sonoma, Inc., Williams-Sonoma Stores, Inc.
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
• Case Number: 1:17-cv-11237
• Filing Date: July 11, 2017
• Outcome/Current Status: This case was terminated on February 20, 2019, following a notice of settlement filed by the parties.

3. MIW Associates, LLC v. Crate & Barrel (Euromarket Designs, Inc.)

• Plaintiff: MIW Associates, LLC
• Defendant: Euromarket Designs, Inc. (doing business as Crate & Barrel)
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• Case Number: 1:17-cv-05055
• Filing Date: July 11, 2017
• Outcome/Current Status: The case was dismissed on October 25, 2017, after the parties reached a settlement.

4. MIW Associates, LLC v. BBQ Guys (ShoppersChoice.com, LLC)

• Plaintiff: MIW Associates, LLC
• Defendant: ShoppersChoice.com, LLC (doing business as BBQ Guys)
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
• Case Number: 3:17-cv-00436
• Filing Date: July 11, 2017
• Outcome/Current Status: This case was terminated on February 13, 2018. The record suggests a settlement was reached between the parties.

Proceedings overview

There is no PTAB activity on file for US Patent 8,870,630. This means the patent has not been subjected to Inter Partes Review (IPR), Post-Grant Review (PGR), or Covered Business Method (CBM) proceedings. For a defendant, this means all claims of the patent remain untested at the PTAB, and the patent's validity has not been challenged in this forum.

Strategic summary

All claims of US Patent 8,870,630 remain UNTESTED at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. There are no canceled or sustained claims through PTAB proceedings. Consequently, there is no estoppel landscape under § 315(e)(2) to consider regarding prior art that was raised or reasonably could have been raised in a PTAB trial.

The absence of PTAB activity is a significant signal. Well-asserted patents often face IPRs, especially if they are deemed valuable enough by competitors to warrant a challenge. The lack of such challenges for US 8,870,630 suggests either that the patent has not been aggressively asserted, that potential challengers have not identified strong enough prior art to pursue an IPR, or that any disputes have been resolved through other means (such as the district court litigation that resulted in settlements, as noted in the "Litigation summary" section).

Recommended next steps

Since no PTAB activity exists for US Patent 8,870,630, there are no active trial-stage milestones to track. For a defendant currently facing assertion of this patent, the absence of PTAB challenges means that an IPR petition remains an open defensive strategy. This would involve identifying strong prior art (patents or printed publications) and filing a petition alleging invalidity under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 or 103.

Inventors

• Marvin Weinberger: Employer not determinable from patent filing.
• Tucker J. Marion: Employer not determinable from patent filing.
• Evan Gurgui: Employer not determinable from patent filing.

Note: There is no unusual pattern of inventors departing the original assignee within 12 months of filing based on the available information.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent is MIW Associates LLC. Based on the patent's focus on a "Scraper assembly" and the nature of the litigation (suing companies like Williams-Sonoma and Crate & Barrel, which sell household goods), it is highly probable that MIW Associates LLC's primary line of business involves developing and/or commercializing consumer products, likely in the kitchenware or cleaning tool sector. However, whether they directly shipped a product embodying the claims cannot be definitively determined from the patent text alone. The current status of MIW Associates LLC (operating, acquired, dissolved, in bankruptcy) is not readily available through the patent record.

Assignment timeline

The USPTO Patent Assignment Search was consulted for US Patent 8,870,630.

• 2011-11-09 (executed) / recorded 2011-11-09 — Reel 028343/0074
  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignor's Interest
  • Assignor: GURGUI, EVAN; WEINBERGER, MARVIN; MARION, TUCKER J. (all inventors)
  • Assignee: MIW ASSOCIATES, LLC
  • Correspondent: Matthew F. Barfuss, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Boston, MA. This correspondent is new in this analysis.
  • Context: Transfer of ownership from inventors to the original assignee, MIW Associates LLC, after the patent application filing.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8870630
    2011 : Filed by MIW Associates LLC
         : Assigned inventors to MIW Associates LLC
    2014 : Issued to MIW Associates LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — unclear. The original assignee is MIW Associates LLC. While the name could suggest a shell entity, there is no direct evidence from the assignment record (e.g., a transfer to an entity with "IP" or "Patents" in its name, or a registered-agent address) to confirm this. Information found indicates MIW Associates LLC is a privately-held company in the specialty finance industry, with headquarters in Lakewood, New Jersey. This does not definitively point to a shell entity for patent assertion.

2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. The sole assignee in the recorded chain is MIW Associates LLC. This entity does not appear on public NPE lists from sources like RPX or Unified Patents, nor does it match the names of other well-known high-frequency plaintiffs.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. Matthew F. Barfuss of Greenberg Traurig, LLP is listed as the correspondent for the single recorded assignment. There is no recurrence of this correspondent within the chain for this patent, nor is there information within this analysis about them appearing on an NPE assertion list.

4. Cascading transfers — not present. Only one assignment is recorded for this patent.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present. The single recorded assignment occurred on November 9, 2011, well before the earliest identified litigation filing date of July 11, 2017.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication of bankruptcy proceedings for the assignor or assignee in the patent record.

7. Privateering — unclear. There is no information in the public patent record to suggest that MIW Associates LLC is asserting patents on behalf of another operating company.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not terminate at any known defensive aggregators.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence. While there is only one recorded assignment, the litigation history for this patent, where MIW Associates, LLC sued multiple retailers (The Grommet, Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, BBQ Guys) in the same timeframe (July 2017) and subsequently reached settlements, strongly suggests a pattern of licensing-driven enforcement. Although the assignment record itself does not show typical "shell-entity" naming conventions or cascading transfers, the nature of the lawsuits points toward a non-practicing entity business model. The USPTO Assignment Center record for this patent can be found by searching for patent number 8870630 at https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/.

Prior Art Analysis for U.S. Patent No. 8,870,630

Based on a thorough review of the prosecution history and the face of U.S. Patent No. 8,870,630, the following prior art references were cited by the patent examiner. An analysis of each reference and its potential relevance to the patent's independent claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102 (novelty) is provided below.

Cited U.S. Patent Documents

1. US Patent No. 1,487,090 A

• Title: Scouring Device
• Publication Date: March 18, 1924
• Filing Date: June 14, 1923
• Description: This patent discloses a scouring device made of interwoven metallic strands or ribbons. The key feature is a handle attached to a head, where the head is comprised of a bundle of metallic fabric or mesh designed for cleaning pots and pans.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference could be argued to anticipate the core concepts of claims 20 and 21, which describe an apparatus with a "wire cloth" made of "woven" wire ropes. The '090 patent's interwoven metallic strands form a type of wire cloth. The primary distinction would depend on the specific construction of the "wire ropes" as defined in the '630 patent (a strand made of multiple wires). If the '090 patent's strands are considered single wires, it may not fully anticipate. It also does not appear to disclose a "back pressure means" as required by claim 21.

2. US Patent No. 1,518,855 A

• Title: Scraper
• Publication Date: December 9, 1924
• Filing Date: March 21, 1924
• Description: This patent describes a scraper tool with a handle and a head. The head features a coiled wire spring-like structure intended for cleaning surfaces. The coils are designed to scrape and remove material.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is highly relevant to claims 27, 32, 36, and 37. It clearly discloses a scraper with a handle and a head that uses a "coiled spring" for cleaning.
  • Claim 27: This claim is likely anticipated, as the '855 patent shows a handle, a scraper head, and a coiled spring for abrading. The broad definition of "wire rope" in the '630 patent could be interpreted to cover the coiled wire in this reference.
  • Claim 32: As this reference discloses a coiled spring, it anticipates that element of the claim. However, it does not appear to disclose a separate "bristle" made of wire rope, making a direct anticipation unlikely.
  • Claim 36 & 37: Anticipation would depend on the specific physical characteristics of the coiled spring in the '855 patent, such as the number of wires per strand and its spring constant, which are not detailed in the text.

3. US Patent No. 2,525,123 A

• Title: Combination Grill Scraper and Brush
• Publication Date: October 10, 1950
• Filing Date: August 9, 1948
• Description: This invention is a combination tool for cleaning barbecue grills. It features a rigid scraping blade at the front and a wire bristle brush mounted behind the blade.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is relevant to the combination aspect of the '630 patent but may not anticipate the specific features of the abrading elements.
  • Claim 31: This patent discloses a brush with bristles, but it does not specify that the bristles are constructed from "wire rope" as defined in the '630 patent (strands of multiple wires). It describes conventional wire bristles.
  • Claim 32: While it teaches the combination of a scraper and a brush, it does not disclose the brush bristle or a coiled spring being made of "wire rope."

4. US Patent No. 2,642,607 A

• Title: Scraper for Barbecue Grills
• Publication Date: June 23, 1953
• Filing Date: February 24, 1951
• Description: This patent describes a grill scraper with a head that has a series of notched or toothed scraping edges designed to clean the individual bars of a grill. The head is attached to a handle.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference relates to the overall function of the '630 patent's scraper assembly but does not appear to disclose the key inventive concepts. It teaches a rigid scraper, not one using flexible, conforming elements like coiled springs, wire rope bristles, or chainmail with a backing. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate any of the independent claims.

5. US Patent No. 5,142,732 A

• Title: Grill Brush
• Publication Date: September 1, 1992
• Filing Date: February 4, 1991
• Description: This patent discloses a grill brush featuring a brush head with bristles made from coiled wires. The coils are designed to provide a spring-like action and multiple scraping edges to more effectively clean grill grates.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This is a strong prior art reference against the coiled spring claims.
  • Claim 27: This reference appears to directly anticipate the concept of a scraper with a handle and a head that uses a coiled spring for abrading a surface.
  • Claim 32: As with the '855 patent, it discloses the coiled spring element but not necessarily a separate "bristle" made of wire rope.
  • Claim 37: The '732 patent describes a "spring-like" action which implies a certain range of spring constant, potentially overlapping with the range claimed in claim 37 (15 N/m to 90 N/m). A detailed analysis of the physical properties of the '732 device would be needed to confirm anticipation.

6. US Patent No. 5,457,839 A

• Title: Scrubber with Scouring Pad of Interlinked Coiled Strands
• Publication Date: October 17, 1995
• Filing Date: May 19, 1994
• Description: This patent describes a scouring pad made of interlinked coiled metal strands, similar in appearance to chainmail. The pad is designed to be abrasive yet flexible.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is highly relevant to the chainmail-based claims.
  • Claim 1 & 12: The '839 patent discloses a "chainmail" type of abrader. However, it does not explicitly teach the use of a separate "elastic member" or "back pressure means" positioned behind the chainmail to make it conform to a surface. The pad itself is described as flexible, but the specific combination with a backing element as claimed in the '630 patent appears to be absent.

7. US Patent No. 6,367,112 B1

• Title: Scouring Implement
• Publication Date: April 9, 2002
• Filing Date: November 6, 2000
• Description: This patent discloses a scouring implement comprising a handle and a head with a scrubbing pad. The pad is made from a coiled wire mesh or a similar abrasive material.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is similar to the '855 and '732 patents. It teaches a scraper with a coiled wire cleaning element.
  • Claim 27: This patent appears to disclose the elements of claim 27. The term "wire rope" is the key distinguishing feature, and whether the "coiled wire" of the '112 patent meets that definition would be a matter of claim construction.
  • Claims 36 & 37: Similar to the '855 and '732 patents, anticipation of these more specific claims would depend on the detailed construction and physical properties of the coiled wire described in the '112 patent.

8. US Patent No. D424,792 S

• Title: Barbecue Grill Scraper
• Publication Date: May 9, 2000
• Filing Date: April 20, 1999
• Description: This is a design patent, protecting the ornamental design of a barbecue grill scraper. The design features a handle and a head with what appear to be multiple coiled spring-like cleaning elements.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: As a design patent, it protects the appearance, not the utility. However, the drawings clearly show an apparatus with a handle and a head comprising coiled springs. This could be used to argue that the combination of these elements was known. It is relevant to Claim 27 and Claim 32, as it visually depicts a scraper with coiled springs. The construction of these coils (i.e., whether they are "wire rope") is not detailed, which would be the central point of any § 102 analysis.

Based on my analysis of the prior art references cited during the prosecution of U.S. Patent No. 8,870,630, I have prepared the following assessment of the patent's claims for obviousness under 35 U.S.C. § 103.

This analysis posits that a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) of designing cleaning tools, particularly for cooking surfaces, would have been motivated to combine the teachings of the cited prior art references to arrive at the inventions claimed in US 8,870,630.

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Obviousness Analysis of Independent Claims

1. Claims 1 and 12: Chainmail Abrader with Back Pressure Means

• Claim Summary: These claims cover a scraper with a handle and a head, where the head includes a "chainmail abrader" backed by an "elastic member" or "back pressure means" to allow the chainmail to conform to the cleaning surface.
• Prior Art Combination: US Patent No. 5,457,839 ('839 patent) in view of general engineering knowledge regarding cleaning implements.
• Analysis:
  • The '839 patent discloses a scouring pad made of interlinked coiled metal strands, which is structurally and functionally equivalent to the "chainmail body" described in claims 1 and 12. The '839 patent explicitly notes the flexibility of this material for scouring.
  • The '839 patent does not, however, disclose the use of a separate "elastic member" or "back pressure means" positioned behind this chainmail-like pad.
  • A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that for a flexible cleaning surface to be effective, especially on an irregular surface like a cooking grate, it must be supported by a means that provides consistent pressure. The use of a sponge, foam, or other elastic backing behind a scouring surface (e.g., a sponge with a green fibrous scouring side) is a well-established and common design principle in the field of cleaning tools.
  • Motivation to Combine: The motivation would be to improve the cleaning efficacy of the flexible '839 scouring pad. By adding a simple elastic backing, the POSA could ensure that the entire surface of the chainmail remains in contact with the contours of the surface being cleaned (e.g., between the bars of a grill), leading to a more thorough and efficient cleaning action. This combination represents a predictable solution to a known problem and would therefore be obvious.

2. Claims 20 and 21: Wire Cloth Abrader

• Claim Summary: Claim 20 covers a "wire cloth" made of knitted or woven "wire ropes" (defined as strands of multiple wires). Claim 21 applies this wire cloth to a scraper assembly, adding a "backpressure means."
• Prior Art Combination: US Patent No. 1,487,090 ('090 patent) in view of common knowledge in material science and the argument for claims 1 and 12.
• Analysis:
  • The '090 patent discloses a scouring device made from "interwoven metallic strands," which teaches the fundamental concept of a woven wire cloth for cleaning.
  • The distinguishing feature in the '630 patent is the use of "wire rope" (a composite of multiple wires) instead of simple metallic strands or monofilament wire.
  • Wire rope is a standard engineering material known for its superior flexibility and fatigue resistance compared to solid wire of an equivalent diameter. A POSA seeking to create a more durable and flexible version of the scouring device in the '090 patent would find it obvious to substitute the simple strands with wire rope. This would be a simple substitution of one known material for another to achieve a predictable improvement in the device's lifespan and performance.
  • For claim 21, the addition of a "backpressure means" is, as argued above, an obvious modification to enhance the performance of any flexible cleaning head, including one made of the wire cloth taught by the '090 patent.

3. Claims 27, 31, and 32: Coiled Spring and Bristle Abraders from Wire Rope

• Claim Summary: These claims describe a scraper using either a coiled spring (27), a bristle (31), or both (32), where the key element is that they are constructed from "wire rope."
• Prior Art Combination: US Patent No. 5,142,732 ('732 patent) or US 1,518,855 ('855 patent) in view of general engineering knowledge. US Patent No. 2,525,123 ('123 patent) is also relevant for claim 32.
• Analysis:
  • The '732 patent clearly discloses a grill brush with bristles made from coiled wires to provide a "spring-like action" for effective cleaning of grill grates. The '855 patent and the design patent D424,792 S also show the use of coiled springs as cleaning elements on a scraper. These references establish the use of coiled metallic elements for scraping.
  • The inventive step claimed in the '630 patent is the specific construction of these elements from "wire rope."
  • Motivation to Combine/Substitute: A POSA would recognize that a single, solid wire, when repeatedly bent and stressed during scraping, is prone to metal fatigue and fracture. A well-known solution to improve the durability and flexibility of such a component is to construct it from wire rope. The motivation is to create a more robust and longer-lasting product. The substitution of solid wire with wire rope for the coiled bristles of the '732 patent is an obvious design choice to enhance durability.
  • For claim 32, the '123 patent teaches the combination of a scraper blade and a wire bristle brush on a single tool. Therefore, it would be obvious to combine different types of abrading elements on one tool. Combining the coiled spring of the '732 patent with a bristle element, and making both from the improved wire rope material, would be an obvious permutation.

4. Claims 36 and 37: Specific Wire Rope and Spring Properties

• Claim Summary: Claim 36 specifies a coiled spring made of wire rope where a strand has 19 or more wires. Claim 37 specifies a coiled spring made of wire rope with a spring constant between 15 N/m and 90 N/m.
• Prior Art Combination: The combination that renders claim 27 obvious (e.g., the '732 patent modified with wire rope) in view of routine engineering optimization.
• Analysis:
  • Once the use of wire rope for a coiled spring abrader is deemed obvious (as argued for claim 27), the subsequent selection of specific wire rope parameters becomes a matter of routine design and optimization, not invention.
  • For Claim 36, wire rope is commercially available in many standard configurations (e.g., 7x7, 7x19). A configuration with 19 wires per strand is common and known to offer greater flexibility than those with fewer wires. A POSA seeking to optimize the flexibility of the coiled spring would naturally test and select from such standard, available materials to achieve the desired performance.
  • For Claim 37, determining the optimal stiffness (spring constant) for a cleaning tool involves simple and routine experimentation. The goal is to make the spring stiff enough to scrape effectively but flexible enough to not damage the surface. A POSA would test various prototypes to identify a functional range. Discovering that a range of 15 N/m to 90 N/m works well is the result of this routine optimization, not an inventive leap. The '732 patent's disclosure of a "spring-like action" inherently implies a functional, albeit unquantified, spring constant. Pinpointing the optimal range is an obvious step in product development.

In conclusion, the independent claims of US Patent 8,870,630 appear to be vulnerable to an obviousness challenge under 35 U.S.C. § 103. The core concepts of the patent—the use of flexible, metallic cleaning elements like chainmail and coiled springs—are well-established in the cited prior art. The claimed improvements, such as adding a backing, using wire rope for durability, and specifying material parameters, represent predictable design choices and routine optimizations that would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.

Prosecution History and Term of U.S. Patent No. 8,870,630

Application and Priority Data:

U.S. Patent No. 8,870,630, titled "Scraper assembly," was issued on October 28, 2014. The patent resulted from U.S. Patent Application No. 13/195,683, which was filed on August 1, 2011. This application claims priority to three provisional patent applications, all filed on July 30, 2010:

• U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/369,424
• U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/369,449
• U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/369,487

Patent Term and Expiration:

For utility patents filed on or after June 8, 1995, the term is generally 20 years from the earliest U.S. non-provisional filing date. For US 8,870,630, this date is August 1, 2011.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) can grant a Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) to compensate for certain administrative delays during the patent prosecution process. These adjustments can extend the patent's term beyond the standard 20 years.

Based on the information available for this patent, there has been an adjustment to its expiration date. The projected expiration date, including any adjustments, is May 4, 2033.

Continuations and Divisional Applications:

A review of the patent's prosecution history and related application data does not indicate any continuation or divisional applications have been filed that claim priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 13/195,683.

Patent Family Members:

The application that matured into US 8,870,630 was published as US 2012/0028554 A1 on February 2, 2012. At present, there are no other known direct foreign counterparts or other related U.S. patents that would constitute a patent family beyond the provisional applications to which it claims priority.

In summary, the key dates and information for U.S. Patent No. 8,870,630 are as follows:

• Earliest Priority Date: July 30, 2010
• Application Filing Date: August 1, 2011
• Publication Date: February 2, 2012 (as US 2012/0028554 A1)
• Issue Date: October 28, 2014
• Projected Expiration Date (with PTA): May 4, 2033
• Continuations/Divisionals: None identified
• Related Family Members: US 2012/0028554 A1 (Publication of this patent)

Defensive Disclosure for Scraper Assembly Technology

Publication Date: April 30, 2026

Subject: Improvements and Alternative Embodiments for Abrading and Scraping Assemblies

This disclosure details a series of derivative inventions and improvements upon the core technologies described in U.S. Patent No. 8,870,630. The following descriptions are intended to place these concepts in the public domain, thereby establishing prior art for future patent applications in this field.

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Derivative Set 1: Based on Chainmail Abrader with Back Pressure Means (ref. Claims 1, 12)

1.1 Material & Component Substitution

• Enabling Description: The chainmail abrader body is constructed from interlinked rings of a high-hardness, non-metallic composite, such as silicon carbide or diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated ceramic. This provides superior abrasion for industrial applications without the risk of metallic contamination or corrosion. The "back pressure means" is a closed-cell, high-temperature silicone foam with a durometer of 20-30 Shore A, which is co-molded directly to the underside of the composite chainmail, creating an integrated, seamless cleaning head. This bond is achieved through a plasma surface treatment of the composite rings followed by injection molding of the silicone, ensuring a durable connection.

  graph TD;
      A[Handle] --> B{Scraper Head Frame};
      B --> C[Integrated Abrader Head];
      C --> D[Silicon Carbide Chainmail];
      C --> E[Co-molded Silicone Foam Core];
  

• Enabling Description: The elastic member is replaced with an array of micro-pneumatic bladders, individually inflatable. Each bladder is made from a flexible, heat-resistant polyimide film. A central manifold, integrated into the scraper handle, allows the user to adjust the pressure (0-5 psi) in the bladders, thereby controlling the stiffness of the back pressure and the conformity of the chainmail to the target surface. The pressure is controlled via a small, thumb-actuated valve on the handle.

  sequenceDiagram
      User->>Handle: Adjusts Pressure Valve
      Handle->>Manifold: Regulates Air Flow
      Manifold->>Pneumatic Bladders: Inflate/Deflate
      Pneumatic Bladders->>Chainmail: Apply Pressure
  

1.2 Operational Parameter Expansion

• Enabling Description: A scraper assembly for the cleaning of high-temperature industrial ovens and furnaces (operating up to 800°C). The chainmail is constructed from a nickel-chromium superalloy (e.g., Inconel 625). The back pressure is provided by a cantilevered set of interlocked leaf springs made of tempered spring steel, which maintain their mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. The handle is offset by a 48-inch insulated shaft made of a ceramic composite to ensure operator safety.

  graph LR
      subgraph Scraper Head
          A(Inconel 625 Chainmail)
          B(Tempered Steel Leaf Springs)
      end
      subgraph Handle
          C(Ceramic Composite Shaft)
          D(Ergonomic Grip)
      end
      A -- Rests On --> B
      C -- Connects --> Scraper Head
  

1.3 Cross-Domain Application

• Enabling Description (Aerospace): A tool for the non-destructive de-icing of aircraft control surfaces. The chainmail is made of a durable, non-scratching polymer (e.g., PEEK), and the elastic backing is a cryo-resistant silicone elastomer. The assembly is used to physically break and remove ice accumulation from wings and stabilizers without damaging the sensitive aluminum or composite skin. The flexibility allows it to conform to the airfoil's curvature.

  flowchart TD
      subgraph De-icing Tool
          A[Handle] --> B(Head Frame);
          B --> C{Abrader Pad};
          C --> D[PEEK Chainmail];
          C --> E[Cryo-Silicone Backing];
      end
      F[Aircraft Wing]
      C -- Conforms to --> F;
  

• Enabling Description (AgTech): A device for cleaning and descaling aquaculture tanks. The chainmail is made of marine-grade 316L stainless steel to resist corrosion in saltwater environments. The elastic backing is a closed-cell, anti-microbial foam. The tool is used to scrub algae and bio-film from tank walls and equipment without introducing harmful chemicals into the aquatic environment.

  graph TD
      A[Tank Wall] -- Bio-film --> A;
      B(Scraper) -- Removes --> C[Bio-film];
      subgraph Scraper
          D[316L Chainmail]
          E[Anti-microbial Foam]
      end
      B --> D;
      B --> E;
  

• Enabling Description (Consumer Electronics): A miniature, handheld tool for cleaning and polishing intricate metal casings of high-end electronics (e.g., watches, premium smartphones). The chainmail is a micro-scale mesh of titanium rings (0.5mm diameter) and the backing is a soft, conductive foam. This allows for gentle buffing and removal of oxides while also dissipating any static charge, protecting sensitive electronic components.

  graph TD
      A[Device Casing] -- Polished by --> B(Miniature Scraper);
      subgraph B
          C[Micro-Titanium Chainmail]
          D[Conductive Foam Backing]
      end
  

1.4 Integration with Emerging Tech

• Enabling Description (IoT): The scraper head incorporates a piezoelectric sensor layer between the chainmail and the elastic backing. This sensor measures the pressure and friction profile during scraping in real-time. Data is transmitted via a low-power Bluetooth module (e.g., BLE 5.0) in the handle to a mobile application. The app provides feedback on cleaning efficiency, indicates when sufficient force is applied, and tracks the wear-rate of the abrader head, alerting the user when a replacement is needed.

  sequenceDiagram
      participant User
      participant Scraper
      participant MobileApp
      User->>Scraper: Scrapes Surface
      Scraper->>Scraper: Piezo Sensor measures pressure
      Scraper-->>MobileApp: Transmits data via Bluetooth
      MobileApp-->>User: Displays cleaning effectiveness
  

1.5 The "Inverse" or Failure Mode

• Enabling Description: A scraper designed for delicate, antique surfaces (e.g., historic cookware). The chainmail rings are constructed from a soft, annealed copper alloy. The elastic backing is an ultra-soft open-cell foam. The rings are designed to deform and permanently flatten if the user applies a force exceeding a pre-set safety threshold (e.g., 50N), providing a visual and tactile indicator that excessive, potentially damaging force has been used. The abrader head is thus a single-use "sacrificial" component.

  stateDiagram-v2
      [*] --> Active
      Active --> Deformed: Force > 50N
      Deformed --> [*]: Replace Head
      state Active {
          description Soft copper rings clean surface
      }
      state Deformed {
          description Copper rings have flattened, preventing damage
      }
  

---

Derivative Set 2: Based on Coiled Spring and Bristle Abraders from Wire Rope (ref. Claims 27, 31, 32, 36, 37)

2.1 Material & Component Substitution

• Enabling Description: The wire rope bristles are replaced with bristles constructed from a shape-memory alloy (SMA) such as Nitinol. At ambient temperature, the bristles are highly flexible. When heated (e.g., by the hot surface of a grill), they enter their austenite phase and become significantly stiffer, providing a more aggressive cleaning action. As they cool, they return to their flexible martensite state. The spring constant of the bristles is therefore temperature-dependent, varying from approximately 20 N/m in their cool state to 80 N/m in their heated state.

  graph TD
      A[Handle] --> B{Scraper Head};
      B --> C[Array of Nitinol Bristles];
      C -- Heat from Grill --> D{Stiff Bristles (Austenite Phase)};
      D -- Cools Down --> E{Flexible Bristles (Martensite Phase)};
      D -- Aggressive Cleaning --> F[Grill Surface];
      E -- Gentle Cleaning --> F;
  

• Enabling Description: The coiled springs are constructed from a pultruded carbon fiber composite rope. This material offers a high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent fatigue resistance, while being non-corrosive. The "spring" action is derived from the elastic properties of the polymer matrix (e.g., epoxy or PEEK) and the lay of the carbon fiber tows. The ends of the rope are capped with titanium ferrules for mounting to the scraper head frame.

  classDiagram
      class ScraperHead {
        +mount(abrader)
      }
      class CarbonFiberCoil {
        -pultruded_rope
        -titanium_ferrules
        +spring_constant
      }
      ScraperHead "1" -- "n" CarbonFiberCoil : contains
  

2.2 Operational Parameter Expansion

• Enabling Description: A scraper for use in cryogenic cleaning applications, such as removing frozen residues from industrial food processing equipment. The wire rope used for the coiled springs and bristles is a 316L stainless steel specifically treated for cryogenic service to prevent embrittlement at temperatures down to -196°C. The individual wires within the strands are coated with a thin layer of PTFE to prevent the buildup of ice and residue between the wires, maintaining flexibility at low temperatures.

  graph TD
      subgraph Cryo-Scraper
          A[Handle] --> B(Head Frame)
          B --> C(Cryo-Treated 316L Wire Rope Coils)
          C -- Coated with --> D[PTFE Layer]
      end
      C -- Cleans --> E(Surface at -196°C)
  

2.3 Cross-Domain Application

• Enabling Description (Medical): A biocompatible endoscopic tool for debriding calcified tissue within arterial walls or on prosthetic heart valves. The "bristle" is a miniaturized wire rope made of platinum-iridium alloy, measuring 0.5mm in diameter. The rope is constructed of 7 strands, each with 7 wires (7x7 construction), providing extreme flexibility to navigate vasculature. The distal tip of the wire rope is electrosurgically active, allowing it to ablate tissue with high-frequency current while the mechanical action of the rope removes the debris.

  sequenceDiagram
      Surgeon->>Endoscope: Guide wire rope to target
      Endoscope->>Wire Rope: Apply RF energy
      Wire Rope->>Calcified Tissue: Ablate and debride
      Calcified Tissue-->>Endoscope: Debris removed
  

• Enabling Description (Geological): A sample collection head for a planetary rover drill. The abrading head consists of an array of short, stiff coiled springs made from tungsten carbide wire rope. These springs are mounted on a rotating head and serve to pulverize rock surfaces, generating a fine powder for spectroscopic analysis. The 7x19 wire rope construction provides resistance to fracture from high-frequency vibrations during drilling.

  graph TD
      A[Rover Drill Arm] --> B{Rotating Head};
      B --> C[Array of Tungsten Carbide Coils];
      C -- Pulverizes --> D[Rock Surface];
      D --> E[Powdered Sample];
      E -- Analyzed by --> F[Spectrometer];
  

2.4 Integration with Emerging Tech

• Enabling Description (AI-Driven Optimization): A robotic grill-cleaning system utilizes a scraper head with an array of wire rope bristles. Each bristle is mounted on a load cell, and an integrated camera uses a computer vision AI model to identify areas with carbonized residue. The AI controls the robotic arm's path and applies precise, localized pressure to specific bristles based on the visual data and feedback from the load cells. This optimizes cleaning, minimizes wear on the bristles, and avoids scratching the grill surface.

  flowchart TD
      A[Camera captures image] --> B{AI Model detects residue};
      B --> C[Robotic Arm Controller];
      C --> D[Actuate Arm to Position];
      C --> E[Apply Pressure via Load Cells];
      E --> F[Wire Rope Bristles];
      F -- Cleans --> G[Grill Surface];
      G -- Feedback --> A;
  

2.5 The "Inverse" or Failure Mode

• Enabling Description: A scraper for non-stick surfaces where damage must be avoided. The wire rope bristles are made of a low-melting-point polymer composite. If the scraper is accidentally used on a surface that is too hot (e.g., >250°C), the tips of the bristles are designed to soften and deform into a blunt, non-abrasive shape. This provides a fail-safe mechanism, preventing the user from scratching the non-stick coating. The deformation is non-reversible, indicating that the tool was misused.

  stateDiagram-v2
      [*] --> Usable
      Usable --> Deformed: Temperature > 250°C
      Deformed --> [*]: Ineffective
      state Usable {
          description Bristles maintain abrasive shape
      }
      state Deformed {
          description Bristle tips soften and become blunt
      }
  

---

Combination Prior Art Scenarios

1. Combination with MQTT Protocol for Smart Grills: The scraper assembly as described in Claim 1 is integrated with an IoT module as described in derivative 1.4. The data from the piezoelectric sensor (pressure, duration, coverage area) is published to an MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) broker. A smart grill, running an open-source home automation platform like Home Assistant, subscribes to this MQTT topic. This allows the grill's control system to log cleaning cycles, remind the user to clean the grill after a certain number of uses, and even correlate cleaning effectiveness with cooking outcomes (e.g., flare-ups caused by grease buildup). The combination of the patented scraper's physical mechanism with the open-source MQTT protocol for data communication would be an obvious integration for a "smart" outdoor kitchen ecosystem.

2. Combination with G-code for Automated Cleaning: A CNC-controlled cleaning gantry is designed to utilize the scraper head from Claim 27 (coiled spring wire rope). The gantry's movement is controlled by G-code, an open standard for controlling automated machine tools. A user or a vision system generates a G-code path corresponding to the grill grate's geometry. The system then executes this code, moving the scraper head in precise patterns to clean the entire surface. The use of a standard, open-source motion control language (G-code) to automate the action of the patented scraper head is a predictable combination for creating an automated grill cleaning robot.

3. Combination with 3D Printing and OpenSCAD for Customization: The modular frame component (ref. Figures 1(a), 5(a)) of the scraper assembly is redesigned as a 3D-printable component using an open-source parametric CAD software like OpenSCAD. The base design file is made publicly available. Users can modify parameters in the OpenSCAD script—such as the number, spacing, and angle of the holes for the wire rope bristles (Claim 31)—to create a custom scraper head perfectly matched to their specific grill grate pattern. They can then print this custom frame using high-temperature resistant filaments (e.g., PEKK or PEEK). This combination of the patented wire rope bristle concept with open-source parametric design and additive manufacturing for user customization represents an obvious evolution of the invention.