ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 17 -- United States Patent no. 12,313,190, issued on May 27, was assigned to SHAWCOR LTD. (Toronto).

"Pressure equalization in composite pipes" was invented by Dilip Tailor (Toronto), Jacob Preston (Toronto), Mark Phillip Brandon (Toronto), Ronald J. Dunn (Toronto) and Pascal Laferriere (Toronto).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A flexible polymeric pipe for transportation of oil, gas or water, having an unbonded reinforcing intermediate layer between two polymeric layers. The pipe has a vent for the intermediate layer which allows venting of gas from the intermediate layer through to the exterior environment. The vent is generally impervious to water but pervious to air an...