The Patent Finder
US

Spacecraft Multifunction Connecting Mechanisms Including Interchangeable Port Opening Docking Mechanisms, and Associated Systems and Methods

US 12,037,143 In force
OverviewFamilyAssignmentsSources & methods

Term ends Feb 22, 2039 · High confidence

Filed Dec 12, 2022 as application 18/079,819 · Granted Jul 16, 2024
Base term, 20 years from filing
Today
20 years from filing
2019 2039
Clock starts
Feb 22, 2019
Term ends
Feb 22, 2039
Granted
Jul 16, 2024
base term Updated Nov 14, 2026 · includes USPTO assignment & status data published Nov 14, 2026 and grant & fee data published Nov 10, 2026 (weekly) · how we know
None
Term adjustment
No prosecution delay on this record.
No effect
Terminal disclaimer
Resolved from the filed document, referencing US 11,560,243, to Feb 22, 2039. The term already ends on or before that date, so the cap shortened nothing.
0 of 3
Maintenance fees paid
Three maintenance fees fall due, at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years from grant. This counts the ones the record shows paid.
4
Family applications on record here
Applications sharing this one's continuity chain whose file history this site holds. The family may have others.

This patent's term is its 20-year base term, with no adjustment for prosecution delay. A terminal disclaimer is resolved from the filed document, and it ends no earlier than this term, so it shortens nothing. 0 of 3 maintenance fees are paid so far. Confidence: High. from the record

How we calculated this date

One row per rule, each showing its own input and what it did to the date. A step we could not verify says so instead of resolving itself.
StepInputDate after this stepConfidence
Base term, 20 years from filingClock starts Feb 22, 2019, when application 16/283,397, the earliest non-provisional in its chain, was filed (this one was filed Dec 12, 2022)Feb 22, 2039High confidence
Continuity chainEvery parent in the chain resolvedno changeHigh confidence
Patent term adjustmentNone on fileno changeHigh confidence
Terminal disclaimer capDisclaimer resolved from the filed document (refs US 11,560,243)resolves to Feb 22, 2039, no earlier than this term, so no changeHigh confidence
Patent term extensionNone on fileno changeHigh confidence
Fee events0 of 3 maintenance fees paidIn forceHigh confidence
Computed term endThe steps above, in orderFeb 22, 2039High confidence

This family

US 11,560,243In force
Jun 2041
Jun 2041
US 12,037,143this patent
Feb 2039
Feb 2039
US 12,515,825In force
Feb 2039
Feb 2039
Application 19/425,779Pending
not computed
not computed
The applications whose file history this site holds. The family may have others.

Assignments

Assignment documents as recorded at the USPTO, oldest first, with the reel and frame each was recorded at. A recorded assignment is a filed document, not a statement of current ownership, and the absence of a later one is not evidence that the last one still stands.
RecordedAssignorAssigneeConveyance
Dec 12, 2022
Reel 62203, frame 30
Johnson, Michael D.Blue Origin, LLCAssignment of Assignor's Interest
Mar 20, 2025
Reel 70585, frame 314
Blue Origin, LLCBlue Origin Manufacturing, LLCAssignment of Assignor's Interest

Sources

Google Patents · The patent document at USPTO · Assignment records at USPTO

USPTO account required: This application in Patent Center · USPTO's maintenance fee lookup

Maintenance fee events come from USPTO's own fee records. Its fee lookup asks for the patent number and the application number.

The Patent Finder CompaniesExpirationsCalculatorWatchlistPricing MethodologyCorrectionsLegalPrivacysupport@thepatentfinder.com Updated Nov 14, 2026 · includes USPTO assignment & status data published Nov 14, 2026 and grant & fee data published Nov 10, 2026 (weekly) Part of 137 Finder · © 2026 137 Finder LLC · Sources cited