System and method for virtual queuing of calls
Patent No. 9,065,916
The present method and system provides a virtual queuing technique including the method and system providing for receiving a communication request from a user for telephonic communication with a communication agent, wherein the communication request includes user information. The method and system includes receiving a call back request from the user to avoid the on-hold wait time and based on the call back request, placing the communication request and the user information associated therewith into a queuing system. The method and system thereby meters the communication request in the queuing system for a metered wait time based at least on a queuing factor relating to at least one of: the on-hold wait time and the user information and after expiration of the metered wait time, bridges a communication connection with the user and the communication agent based on the communication request.
Inventors: Thomas M. Oristian (Richmond), Michael P. Oristian (Richmond)
Assignee: Callpromise LLC (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Volumetric toner cartridge having driven toner platform
Patent No. 9,063,460
A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft. An exit paddle is positioned adjacent the exit port and is rotatable by the drive shaft. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates the exit paddle. As the toner platform moves, toner within the reservoir moves toward the exit paddle and exit port and rotation of the exit paddle moves toner through the exit port.
Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler (Georgetown, Ky.), Jonathan Murray Hill (Richmond), Benjamin Erich Kant (Lexington, Ky.), Matthew Thomas Martinkovic (Lexington, Ky.), Robert Watson McAlpine (Lexington, Ky.)
Assignee: Lexmark International Inc. (Lexington, Ky.)
June 23, 2015
Oral pouch product with flavored wrapper
Patent No. 9,061,824
Provided is an oral pouch flavor product with a fibrous flavored wrapper that encloses an inner filling material. Preferably, the fibrous flavored wrapper includes embedded flavorants. The fibrous flavored wrapper may also include a softening agent, colorants, and/or browning inhibitors. The inner material may include non-tobacco, plant material fibers and preferably has a low moisture content so as to prevent the need for preservatives or refrigeration.
Inventors: Karen M. Torrence (Chester, Va.), Warren D. Winterson (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Vehicle windshield, wiper-bay and window external, reusable cover
Patent No. 9,061,575
An improved, reusable, protective, reflective, weather resistant cover for a vehicle windshield-wiper-bay region and also for front-side windows and for the rear window region is disclosed. The cover is easy and fast to deploy, the operator is not required to reenter the vehicle for deployment and no cover element extends inside the vehicle. Permanent magnets and/or hook and loop strips are used to removably affix the cover. No permanently attached fastener elements are observable from within or without the closed vehicle. The cover effectively reflects the sun’s rays reducing internal heating and material degradation and eases removal of frost, sleet or snow from covered regions.
Inventors: Ogle Ridout Singleton (Richmond)
Assignee: N/A
June 23, 2015
Tibiotalar arthrodesis guide
Patent No. 9,060,790
A Tibiotalar Arthrodesis Guide (TAG) used for fusion of the talus to the tibia is comprised of several basic components. The main component is a straight guide post upon which other components can slide. A curved arm is featured at the end of the straight guide post, featuring points at the ends which serve as indicators of the pins’ exit sites based upon the lines of action of the parallel pins. The parallel guide cylinders are positioned on a movable arm which translates superiorly and inferiorly on the guide post of the handle, allowing a surgeon to adjust the device for varying ankle sizes. A “home-run” pin guide cylinder for a home-run guide pin is oriented superiorly and at an angle to the parallel guide cylinders. Using a similar concept as the parallel guide cylinders, the “home-run” guide is also attached to a movable arm that can translate inferiorly and superiorly along the main guide post. A medial guide cylinder for a medial guide pin passes through one of a plurality of holes in a vertical guide arm. The surgeon has the flexibility to utilize either the “home-run” or medial pins, depending on the needs of the patient and preference of the surgeon and, in either case, the “home-run” and medial pin pass between the two parallel pins.
Inventors: Jennifer S. Wayne (Chesterfield, Va.), Hieu T. Ta (Potomac Falls, Va.), Bradley W. Zentgraf (Chesterfield, Va.), Robert S. Adelaar (Richmond)
Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Smoking article with a restrictor
Patent No. 9,060,546
A smoking article filter includes a flow restrictor and a cavity downstream of the flow restrictor. The flow restrictor includes an orifice or flow channel for directing smoke into the cavity. The filter is attached to the tobacco rod with tipping paper and includes an air-admissible ventilating zone at a location downstream of the restrictor.
Inventors: San Li (Midlothian, Va.), Raquel Olegario (Richmond), Mike Braunshteyn (Richmond), Rowland W. Dwyer (Richmond), Martin Garthaffner (Chesterfield, Va.), Dwight Williams (Powatan, Va.), Richard Jupe (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Systems and methods for securing data in the cloud
Patent No. 9,064,127
A secure data parser is provided that may be integrated into any suitable system for securely storing data in and communicating data with cloud computing resources. The secure data parser parses data and then splits the data into multiple portions that are stored or communicated distinctly. Encryption of the original data, the portions of data, or both may be employed for additional security.
Inventors: Mark S. O’Hare (Coto De Caza, Calif.), Rick L. Orsini (Flower Mound, Texas), Don Martin (Chesterfield, Va.)
Assignee: Security First Corp. (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
June 23, 2015
Bent capillary tube aerosol generator
Patent No. 9,061,300
An apparatus for generating aerosol having a capillary tube, which includes at least one bend, fluid inlets, regions of reduced wall thickness located between the fluid inlets and the at least one bend, and an outlet along the at least one bend. The capillary tube is heated to a temperature sufficient to volatilize fluid in the capillary tube, such that the volatilized fluid discharges from the outlet to form an aerosol.
Inventors: Marc D. Belcastro (Glen Allen, Va.), Jeffrey A. Swepston (Powhatan, Va.)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Spasticity reducing closed-loop force-feedback control for post-stroke gait training
Patent No. 9,060,914
A robotic module which can be attached to an exercise apparatus provides enhanced physical therapy for victims of stroke or other maladies or accidents by simulating normal or arbitrarily modified profiles of angular position of an extremity such as a foot in accordance with a position of that extremity along a locus of repetitive motion. A closed-loop control system which is included in the module provides regulation which reduces or avoids spastic responses often found in poststroke patients during gait rehabilitation.
Inventors: Peter E. Pidcoe (Mechanicsville, Va.), Jeffery A. Frankart (Mechanicsville, Va.), Jessica Cortney Bradford (Bel Air, Md.)
Applicant:
Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Quick change brush seal retaining arrangement
Patent No. 9,068,655
A quick change brush holder of a brush seal having a plurality of spaced apart deflectable brush retaining arrangements that include a tab that is bent into a brush receiving channel toward a brush engaging or retaining position to releasably retain a brush in the channel and that is bent away from the brush engaging or retaining position when it is desired to remove the brush or install a brush in the holder. Each tab has a brush abutment edge that abuts or stops a shoulder of a tape or spine of a brush in the channel preventing removal from the holder when disposed in a brush engaging or retaining position. The brush abutting edge extends generally parallel to the channel enabling a brush to be inserted transversely relative to a lengthwise extent of the holder tape or spine first into the holder.
Inventors: Roger Ferryman (Moseley, Va.), Patrick Fitzgerald (Richmond), David Chrisman (Sandston, Va.), Pavan Kumar Ravulaparthy (Glen Allen, Va.)
Assignee: Sealeze, A Unit of Jason Inc. (Richmond)
June 30, 2015
Plug space plug filter with flavor bead
Patent No. 9,066,541
A filter component for a smoking article includes an upstream segment of filter material, a downstream segment of filter material in a spaced apart relation to the upstream segment of filter material so as to define a cavity therebetween, and a flavor bead disposed in the cavity. The flavor bead has an outer diameter, which is at least 75% of the spaced apart relation of the upstream segment of filter material and the downstream segment of filter material. The outer diameter of the flavor bead does not exceed an outer diameter of either the upstream or downstream segments of filter material.
Inventors: Jeffrey Lynn Allen (Midlothian, Va.), Dwight D. Williams (Powhatan, Va.), Herbert Carrington Longest Jr. (Midlothian, VA), Robert E. Lee (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 30, 2015
Lubricating oil composition and additive therefor having improved piston deposit control and emulsion stability
Patent No. 9,068,135
A lubricant additive composition, a method for reducing engine deposit formation and a method for improving emulsion stability of a lubricant composition. The lubricant additive composition includes (a) an organomolybdenum compound contributing from about 20 to no greater than 300 ppm by weight molybdenum to the lubricant composition based on a total weight of the lubricant composition containing the additive composition; (b) a boronated hydrocarbyl substituted succinimide dispersant; and (c) a reaction product of (i) a hydrocarbyl-dicarboxylic acid or anhydride, (ii) a polyamine, (iii) a dicarboxyl-containing fused aromatic compound, and (iv) a non-aromatic dicarboxylic acid or anhydride. The hydocarbyl group of the hydrocarbyl-dicarboxylic acid or anhydride has a number average molecular weight of greater than 1800 Daltons as determined by gel permeation chromatography. A weight ratio of (b) to (c) ranges from about 1:1 to about 4:1.
Inventors: Kongsheng Yang (Glen Allen, Va.), William Y. Lam (Glen Allen, Va.)
Assignee: Afton Chemical Corp. (Richmond)
June 30, 2015
Fabric having tobacco entangled with structural fibers
Patent No. 9,066,540
A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.
Inventors: Frank Scott Atchley (Midlothian, Va.), James M. Rossman (Tampa, Fla.), Munmaya K. Mishra (Manakin Sabot, Va.)
Assignee: Altria Client Services Inc. (Richmond)
June 30, 2015
System and method for virtual queuing of calls
Patent No. 9,065,916
The present method and system provides a virtual queuing technique including the method and system providing for receiving a communication request from a user for telephonic communication with a communication agent, wherein the communication request includes user information. The method and system includes receiving a call back request from the user to avoid the on-hold wait time and based on the call back request, placing the communication request and the user information associated therewith into a queuing system. The method and system thereby meters the communication request in the queuing system for a metered wait time based at least on a queuing factor relating to at least one of: the on-hold wait time and the user information and after expiration of the metered wait time, bridges a communication connection with the user and the communication agent based on the communication request.
Inventors: Thomas M. Oristian (Richmond), Michael P. Oristian (Richmond)
Assignee: Callpromise LLC (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Volumetric toner cartridge having driven toner platform
Patent No. 9,063,460
A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft. An exit paddle is positioned adjacent the exit port and is rotatable by the drive shaft. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates the exit paddle. As the toner platform moves, toner within the reservoir moves toward the exit paddle and exit port and rotation of the exit paddle moves toner through the exit port.
Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler (Georgetown, Ky.), Jonathan Murray Hill (Richmond), Benjamin Erich Kant (Lexington, Ky.), Matthew Thomas Martinkovic (Lexington, Ky.), Robert Watson McAlpine (Lexington, Ky.)
Assignee: Lexmark International Inc. (Lexington, Ky.)
June 23, 2015
Oral pouch product with flavored wrapper
Patent No. 9,061,824
Provided is an oral pouch flavor product with a fibrous flavored wrapper that encloses an inner filling material. Preferably, the fibrous flavored wrapper includes embedded flavorants. The fibrous flavored wrapper may also include a softening agent, colorants, and/or browning inhibitors. The inner material may include non-tobacco, plant material fibers and preferably has a low moisture content so as to prevent the need for preservatives or refrigeration.
Inventors: Karen M. Torrence (Chester, Va.), Warren D. Winterson (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Vehicle windshield, wiper-bay and window external, reusable cover
Patent No. 9,061,575
An improved, reusable, protective, reflective, weather resistant cover for a vehicle windshield-wiper-bay region and also for front-side windows and for the rear window region is disclosed. The cover is easy and fast to deploy, the operator is not required to reenter the vehicle for deployment and no cover element extends inside the vehicle. Permanent magnets and/or hook and loop strips are used to removably affix the cover. No permanently attached fastener elements are observable from within or without the closed vehicle. The cover effectively reflects the sun’s rays reducing internal heating and material degradation and eases removal of frost, sleet or snow from covered regions.
Inventors: Ogle Ridout Singleton (Richmond)
Assignee: N/A
June 23, 2015
Tibiotalar arthrodesis guide
Patent No. 9,060,790
A Tibiotalar Arthrodesis Guide (TAG) used for fusion of the talus to the tibia is comprised of several basic components. The main component is a straight guide post upon which other components can slide. A curved arm is featured at the end of the straight guide post, featuring points at the ends which serve as indicators of the pins’ exit sites based upon the lines of action of the parallel pins. The parallel guide cylinders are positioned on a movable arm which translates superiorly and inferiorly on the guide post of the handle, allowing a surgeon to adjust the device for varying ankle sizes. A “home-run” pin guide cylinder for a home-run guide pin is oriented superiorly and at an angle to the parallel guide cylinders. Using a similar concept as the parallel guide cylinders, the “home-run” guide is also attached to a movable arm that can translate inferiorly and superiorly along the main guide post. A medial guide cylinder for a medial guide pin passes through one of a plurality of holes in a vertical guide arm. The surgeon has the flexibility to utilize either the “home-run” or medial pins, depending on the needs of the patient and preference of the surgeon and, in either case, the “home-run” and medial pin pass between the two parallel pins.
Inventors: Jennifer S. Wayne (Chesterfield, Va.), Hieu T. Ta (Potomac Falls, Va.), Bradley W. Zentgraf (Chesterfield, Va.), Robert S. Adelaar (Richmond)
Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Smoking article with a restrictor
Patent No. 9,060,546
A smoking article filter includes a flow restrictor and a cavity downstream of the flow restrictor. The flow restrictor includes an orifice or flow channel for directing smoke into the cavity. The filter is attached to the tobacco rod with tipping paper and includes an air-admissible ventilating zone at a location downstream of the restrictor.
Inventors: San Li (Midlothian, Va.), Raquel Olegario (Richmond), Mike Braunshteyn (Richmond), Rowland W. Dwyer (Richmond), Martin Garthaffner (Chesterfield, Va.), Dwight Williams (Powatan, Va.), Richard Jupe (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Systems and methods for securing data in the cloud
Patent No. 9,064,127
A secure data parser is provided that may be integrated into any suitable system for securely storing data in and communicating data with cloud computing resources. The secure data parser parses data and then splits the data into multiple portions that are stored or communicated distinctly. Encryption of the original data, the portions of data, or both may be employed for additional security.
Inventors: Mark S. O’Hare (Coto De Caza, Calif.), Rick L. Orsini (Flower Mound, Texas), Don Martin (Chesterfield, Va.)
Assignee: Security First Corp. (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
June 23, 2015
Bent capillary tube aerosol generator
Patent No. 9,061,300
An apparatus for generating aerosol having a capillary tube, which includes at least one bend, fluid inlets, regions of reduced wall thickness located between the fluid inlets and the at least one bend, and an outlet along the at least one bend. The capillary tube is heated to a temperature sufficient to volatilize fluid in the capillary tube, such that the volatilized fluid discharges from the outlet to form an aerosol.
Inventors: Marc D. Belcastro (Glen Allen, Va.), Jeffrey A. Swepston (Powhatan, Va.)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Spasticity reducing closed-loop force-feedback control for post-stroke gait training
Patent No. 9,060,914
A robotic module which can be attached to an exercise apparatus provides enhanced physical therapy for victims of stroke or other maladies or accidents by simulating normal or arbitrarily modified profiles of angular position of an extremity such as a foot in accordance with a position of that extremity along a locus of repetitive motion. A closed-loop control system which is included in the module provides regulation which reduces or avoids spastic responses often found in poststroke patients during gait rehabilitation.
Inventors: Peter E. Pidcoe (Mechanicsville, Va.), Jeffery A. Frankart (Mechanicsville, Va.), Jessica Cortney Bradford (Bel Air, Md.)
Applicant:
Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)
June 23, 2015
Quick change brush seal retaining arrangement
Patent No. 9,068,655
A quick change brush holder of a brush seal having a plurality of spaced apart deflectable brush retaining arrangements that include a tab that is bent into a brush receiving channel toward a brush engaging or retaining position to releasably retain a brush in the channel and that is bent away from the brush engaging or retaining position when it is desired to remove the brush or install a brush in the holder. Each tab has a brush abutment edge that abuts or stops a shoulder of a tape or spine of a brush in the channel preventing removal from the holder when disposed in a brush engaging or retaining position. The brush abutting edge extends generally parallel to the channel enabling a brush to be inserted transversely relative to a lengthwise extent of the holder tape or spine first into the holder.
Inventors: Roger Ferryman (Moseley, Va.), Patrick Fitzgerald (Richmond), David Chrisman (Sandston, Va.), Pavan Kumar Ravulaparthy (Glen Allen, Va.)
Assignee: Sealeze, A Unit of Jason Inc. (Richmond)
June 30, 2015
Plug space plug filter with flavor bead
Patent No. 9,066,541
A filter component for a smoking article includes an upstream segment of filter material, a downstream segment of filter material in a spaced apart relation to the upstream segment of filter material so as to define a cavity therebetween, and a flavor bead disposed in the cavity. The flavor bead has an outer diameter, which is at least 75% of the spaced apart relation of the upstream segment of filter material and the downstream segment of filter material. The outer diameter of the flavor bead does not exceed an outer diameter of either the upstream or downstream segments of filter material.
Inventors: Jeffrey Lynn Allen (Midlothian, Va.), Dwight D. Williams (Powhatan, Va.), Herbert Carrington Longest Jr. (Midlothian, VA), Robert E. Lee (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 30, 2015
Lubricating oil composition and additive therefor having improved piston deposit control and emulsion stability
Patent No. 9,068,135
A lubricant additive composition, a method for reducing engine deposit formation and a method for improving emulsion stability of a lubricant composition. The lubricant additive composition includes (a) an organomolybdenum compound contributing from about 20 to no greater than 300 ppm by weight molybdenum to the lubricant composition based on a total weight of the lubricant composition containing the additive composition; (b) a boronated hydrocarbyl substituted succinimide dispersant; and (c) a reaction product of (i) a hydrocarbyl-dicarboxylic acid or anhydride, (ii) a polyamine, (iii) a dicarboxyl-containing fused aromatic compound, and (iv) a non-aromatic dicarboxylic acid or anhydride. The hydocarbyl group of the hydrocarbyl-dicarboxylic acid or anhydride has a number average molecular weight of greater than 1800 Daltons as determined by gel permeation chromatography. A weight ratio of (b) to (c) ranges from about 1:1 to about 4:1.
Inventors: Kongsheng Yang (Glen Allen, Va.), William Y. Lam (Glen Allen, Va.)
Assignee: Afton Chemical Corp. (Richmond)
June 30, 2015
Fabric having tobacco entangled with structural fibers
Patent No. 9,066,540
A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.
Inventors: Frank Scott Atchley (Midlothian, Va.), James M. Rossman (Tampa, Fla.), Munmaya K. Mishra (Manakin Sabot, Va.)
Assignee: Altria Client Services Inc. (Richmond)
June 30, 2015