Method and compositions for producing polymer blends
Patent No. 9,312,047
Methods for mixing nylon compounds and compositions useful in mixing nylon compounds are provided. The methods and compositions disclosed are useful in producing nylon for wire and cable jacketing. The disclosed methods provide nylon having a reduced heat history compared to traditional methods. The disclosed methods and composition provide additional mixing capacity by reducing the amount of nylon that must be incorporated with additives per unit of final nylon composition. The disclosed methods and compositions provide the ability to select from a plurality of additive concentration levels in the final product by varying the ratio of a masterbatch compound containing a high concentration of the additive to a resin containing a low concentration or no additive.
Inventors: John V. Facinelli (Morristown, N.J.), Clark V. Brown (White Plains, N.Y.), David J. Loy (Richmond), Robert A. Houck Jr. (Midlothian, Va.), Dana A. Germain (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc. (Morris Plains, N.J.)
April 12, 2016
Information management problem initiative system
Patent No. 9,311,629
A system and method manages information relating to a problem definition initiative in order to communicate some or all the information users. The method includes providing an interface users at workstations accessible by one or more of the users, receiving information comprising a plurality of messages from users communicating via the workstations during a problem definition initiative session, initiating display of at least one of the plurality of messages to the users via the interface, logging event data related to a plurality of events associated with the problem definition initiative session, and initiating display of at least some of the event data to the users via the interface.
Inventors: Timothy McClellan (Richmond), William Cather Steincamp, II (Cumberland, Va.), Kelley Hullett LeRow (Charlotte, N.C.)
Assignee: Bank of America Corp. (Charlotte, N.C.)
April 12, 2016
Information management change deployment system
Patent No. 9,311,610
A method for managing information relating to a change deployment in order to communicate some or all the information to a plurality of users includes providing an interface to users at workstations accessible by the users, receiving information comprising a plurality of messages from users communicating via the workstations during a change deployment session, initiating display of at least one of the messages to the users via the interface, initiating display of task data to the users via the interface, the task data corresponding to at least one task necessary for completing the change deployment, logging event data related to a plurality of events associated with the change deployment conference session, the event data comprising task status data indicating the status of the at least one task necessary for completing the change deployment, and initiating display of at least some of the event data to the users via the interface.
Inventors: William Cather Steincamp II (Cumberland, Va.), Timothy McClellan (Richmond), Shawn Maurice Abrams (Weddington, N.C.), Daniel Douglas Grace (Waxhaw, N.C.), Eric Nathaniel Hunsaker (Huntersville, N.C.), Jerome K. Licup (Hockessin, Del.), Selmer R. Peterson (Owatonna, Minn.), Christine Roche (Huntersville, N.C.)
Assignee: Bank of America Corp. (Charlotte, N.C.)
April 12, 2016
Enhanced stability of novel liquid compositions
Patent No. 9,308,166
The present invention relates to compositions of pharmaceutical agents in combination with additional pharmaceutical agents in a mixture of polyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and propylene glycol and a process of making the compositions.
Inventors: Gary Robert Agisim (Henrico, Va.), Robert Alan Friedline (Midlothian, Va.), Shivangi Akash Patel (Mechanicsville, Va.), Cesar Ivan Sertzen (Richmond), Vanessa Rose Shepperson (Powhatan, Va.)
Assignee: Pfizer Inc. (New York, N.Y.)
April 12, 2016
Systems and methods to monitor operating processes
Patent No. 9,310,288
Example methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for monitoring operating processes. An example method includes monitoring an equipment parameter associated with an asset in an operating process unit and monitoring a process parameter associated with the asset. The example method includes determining an asset health corresponding to the asset. The asset health is determined based on a potential state of corrosion associated with the asset by comparing a corrosivity index to a corrosion threshold. The corrosivity index is a function of at least one of current values or changes in the monitored equipment parameter or the monitored process parameter over time.
Inventors: Joseph Hiserodt Sharpe Jr. (Glen Allen, Va.), Hallgeir Jenssen (Trondheim, Norway)
Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. (Round Rock, Texas)
April 12, 2016
Ballistic helmets and method of manufacture thereof
Patent No. 9,307,803
A method for manufacturing a high performance thermoplastic matrix composite ballistic helmet includes forming/shaping a highly consolidated helmet preform free of wrinkles and with no cuts or seams from a flat stack of 0/90 uni-directional prepreg layers using a pressure forming process. The wrinkle free and no cuts pre-formed helmet shell is pre-heated and placed between match-metal dies in a compression molding press to be molded under constant pressure during heating at high temperature and cooling down below 200.degree. F. in less than 45 minutes. Or molded under constant pressure at high temperature for less than 20 minutes and then the molded helmet is removed from the compression molding press and placed in a hydroforming machine to be cooled down in less than two minutes under a very high pressure while the thermoplastic matrix solidify during cooling down.
Inventors: Francisco Folgar (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: Inter Materials, LLC (Midlothian, Va.)
April 12, 2016
Tobacco granules and method of producing tobacco granules
Patent No. 9,307,787
A smokeless tobacco product includes a plurality of orally disintegrable granules. Each granule has a core and at least one layer surrounding the core. The at least one layer includes tobacco particles and a binder. Also disclosed are methods of making tobacco granules that comprise a core and at least one layer having tobacco particles and a binder.
Inventors: Yan Helen Sun (Midlothian, Va.), Frank Scott Atchley (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (Richmond)
April 12, 2016
Consolidating and reusing portal information
Patent No. 9,311,062
An approach for consolidating and reusing portal information within different web applications. The approach includes a method that includes retrieving, by at least one computing device, code from an application. The method includes deconstructing, by the at least one computing device, the code into code fragments. The method includes validating, by the at least one computing device, each of the code fragments. The method includes matching, by the at least one computing device, each of the code fragments with server-side components. The method includes generating, by the at least one computing device, a portlet based on the matching.
Inventors: Stanley J. Braun (Tucson, Ariz.), Donald P. Defelice (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), Mark R. Ernstberger (Rochester, N.Y.), Susan A. Hearn (Toronto, Canada), Linwood E. Loving (Mechanicsville, Va.), Martin G. McLaughlin (Glasgow, Great Britain), Lindsey M. Mewse (Berks, Great Britain), Donald P. Muller (Highland, N.Y.), James S. K. Young (Oshawa, Canada)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp. (Armonk, N.Y.)
April 12, 2016
Elliptically based robotic gait trainer (EBRGT)
Patent No. 9,308,414
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.
Inventors: Peter E. Pidcoe (Mechanicsville, Va.), Jessica Cortney Bradford (Bel Air, Md.)
Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)
April 12, 2016
Nesting medication container with fixed cap
Patent No. 9,308,149
Referring to the invention, there is shown an assembled container for use in dispensing medicine, pharmaceutics, or similar-sized items. The multi-faceted two-part container is a novel truncated pyramidal shape and is an innovative solution to prior pill bottle designs, based on several factors: the container has better container stability over prior bottle shapes; it may be stacked at an angle in a user’s home; a hinged lid opening creates easier user access; and the container shape yields greater internal volume (over prior container designs). Further, the container has a large labeling surface area, possesses angled surfaces that allow for easy viewing of redundant labeling medication information on the container by a user, and has container parts that can be manufactured, shipped and assembled in novel ways and at lower costs than traditional pill bottles.
Inventors: Charles Jeffrey Niskey, Jr (San Diego, Calif.), Adam Jason Strichman (Mechanicsville, Va.)
Assignee: N/A
April 12, 2016
Process for preparing yarn derived from aramid copolymer fiber having low residual sulfur
Patent No. 9,315,923
The present invention concerns processes for producing a yarn comprising polymer comprising imidazole groups, the process having the following steps: (a) spinning a solution of polymer in sulfuric acid to give rise to a plurality of dope filaments; (b) coagulating the plurality of dope filaments into a multi-filament as-spun yarn; and (c) washing the as-spun multi-filament yarn with an aqueous acid comprising a halide or an aqueous salt comprising a halide or combination thereof.
Inventors: Steven R. Allen (Midlothian, Va.), Vlodek Gabara (Richmond), Joseph Lenning Lowery (Midlothian, Va.), Steven Raymond Lustig (Landenberg, Penn.), Christopher William Newton (Richmond), David J. Rodini (Midlothian, Va.), Andrew J. Sitter (Mechanicsville, Va.)
Assignee: E I Du Pont De Nemours and Co. (Wilmington, Del.)
April 19, 2016
Package standing feature utilizing blister and paperboard
Patent No. 9,315,310
A package is disclosed including a blister and a folded paperboard card, and having features that provide for the package to be displayed in a self-standing configuration.
Inventors: Ryan A. Bailey (Richmond)
Assignee: WestRock MWV, LLC (Norcross, Ga.)
April 19, 2016
Electrical fixture mounting system
Patent No. 9,318,886
A light fixture mounting system which aids in quickly, easily, and safely connecting a light fixture to a junction box. The light fixture mounting system generally includes a mounting plate adapted to be electrically and mechanically connected to a junction box. The mounting plate includes contacts comprised of metallic material such that an electrical fixture may be magnetically secured to the mounting plate. Magnets on the electrical fixture will magnetically engage with the contacts to magnetically secure the electrical fixture to the mounting plate. Current from the junction box will pass through the contacts and magnets to power the light source. A relay switch and reed switch are also utilized in combination with a central magnet on the electrical fixture to stop current flow if the electrical fixture becomes partially or fully dislodged from the mounting plate.
Inventors: Alford Roney Pate (Glen Allen, Va.)
Assignee: N/A
April 19, 2016
Sensors using high electron mobility transistors
Patent No. 9,316,637
Embodiments of the invention include sensors comprising high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with capture reagents on a gate region of the HEMTs. Example sensors include HEMTs with a thin gold layer on the gate region and bound antibodies; a thin gold layer on the gate region and chelating agents; a non-native gate dielectric on the gate region; and nanorods of a non-native dielectric with an immobilized enzyme on the gate region. Embodiments including antibodies or enzymes can have the antibodies or enzymes bound to the Au-gate via a binding group. Other embodiments of the invention are methods of using the sensors for detecting breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney injury, glucose, metals or pH where a signal is generated by the HEMT when a solution is contacted with the sensor. The solution can be blood, saliva, urine, breath condensate, or any solution suspected of containing any specific analyte for the sensor.
Inventors: Fan Ren (Gainesville, Fla.), Stephen John Pearton (Gainesville, Fla.), Tanmay Lele (Gainesville, Fla.), Hung-Ta Wang (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), Byoung-Sam Kang (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. (Gainesville, Fla.)
April 19, 2016
Multilayered sheet
Patent No. 9,316,342
This invention pertains to a layered sheet comprising a flame resistant wet-laid nonwoven carrier having a first and second surface and an inorganic refractory layer adjacent to at least one surface of the carrier wherein the refractory layer has a dry area weight of from 15 to 50 gsm, the bond strength between the refractory layer and the surface of the carrier is at least 0.25 lb/in, wherein the carrier comprises from 40 to 70 weight percent of aramid fibers and from 30 to 60 weight percent of polymeric binder, is hydrophilic, has a smoothness on at least one surface of no less than 250 Sheffield units, a thickness of from 0.025 to 0.175 mm and a density of from 0.25 to 0.60 g/cc. Preferably the carrier is in the form of a paper.
Inventors: Dariusz Wlodzimierz Kawka (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: E I Du Pont De Nemours and Co. (Wilmington, Del.)
April 19, 2016
Method and compositions for producing polymer blends
Patent No. 9,312,047
Methods for mixing nylon compounds and compositions useful in mixing nylon compounds are provided. The methods and compositions disclosed are useful in producing nylon for wire and cable jacketing. The disclosed methods provide nylon having a reduced heat history compared to traditional methods. The disclosed methods and composition provide additional mixing capacity by reducing the amount of nylon that must be incorporated with additives per unit of final nylon composition. The disclosed methods and compositions provide the ability to select from a plurality of additive concentration levels in the final product by varying the ratio of a masterbatch compound containing a high concentration of the additive to a resin containing a low concentration or no additive.
Inventors: John V. Facinelli (Morristown, N.J.), Clark V. Brown (White Plains, N.Y.), David J. Loy (Richmond), Robert A. Houck Jr. (Midlothian, Va.), Dana A. Germain (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc. (Morris Plains, N.J.)
April 12, 2016
Information management problem initiative system
Patent No. 9,311,629
A system and method manages information relating to a problem definition initiative in order to communicate some or all the information users. The method includes providing an interface users at workstations accessible by one or more of the users, receiving information comprising a plurality of messages from users communicating via the workstations during a problem definition initiative session, initiating display of at least one of the plurality of messages to the users via the interface, logging event data related to a plurality of events associated with the problem definition initiative session, and initiating display of at least some of the event data to the users via the interface.
Inventors: Timothy McClellan (Richmond), William Cather Steincamp, II (Cumberland, Va.), Kelley Hullett LeRow (Charlotte, N.C.)
Assignee: Bank of America Corp. (Charlotte, N.C.)
April 12, 2016
Information management change deployment system
Patent No. 9,311,610
A method for managing information relating to a change deployment in order to communicate some or all the information to a plurality of users includes providing an interface to users at workstations accessible by the users, receiving information comprising a plurality of messages from users communicating via the workstations during a change deployment session, initiating display of at least one of the messages to the users via the interface, initiating display of task data to the users via the interface, the task data corresponding to at least one task necessary for completing the change deployment, logging event data related to a plurality of events associated with the change deployment conference session, the event data comprising task status data indicating the status of the at least one task necessary for completing the change deployment, and initiating display of at least some of the event data to the users via the interface.
Inventors: William Cather Steincamp II (Cumberland, Va.), Timothy McClellan (Richmond), Shawn Maurice Abrams (Weddington, N.C.), Daniel Douglas Grace (Waxhaw, N.C.), Eric Nathaniel Hunsaker (Huntersville, N.C.), Jerome K. Licup (Hockessin, Del.), Selmer R. Peterson (Owatonna, Minn.), Christine Roche (Huntersville, N.C.)
Assignee: Bank of America Corp. (Charlotte, N.C.)
April 12, 2016
Enhanced stability of novel liquid compositions
Patent No. 9,308,166
The present invention relates to compositions of pharmaceutical agents in combination with additional pharmaceutical agents in a mixture of polyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and propylene glycol and a process of making the compositions.
Inventors: Gary Robert Agisim (Henrico, Va.), Robert Alan Friedline (Midlothian, Va.), Shivangi Akash Patel (Mechanicsville, Va.), Cesar Ivan Sertzen (Richmond), Vanessa Rose Shepperson (Powhatan, Va.)
Assignee: Pfizer Inc. (New York, N.Y.)
April 12, 2016
Systems and methods to monitor operating processes
Patent No. 9,310,288
Example methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for monitoring operating processes. An example method includes monitoring an equipment parameter associated with an asset in an operating process unit and monitoring a process parameter associated with the asset. The example method includes determining an asset health corresponding to the asset. The asset health is determined based on a potential state of corrosion associated with the asset by comparing a corrosivity index to a corrosion threshold. The corrosivity index is a function of at least one of current values or changes in the monitored equipment parameter or the monitored process parameter over time.
Inventors: Joseph Hiserodt Sharpe Jr. (Glen Allen, Va.), Hallgeir Jenssen (Trondheim, Norway)
Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. (Round Rock, Texas)
April 12, 2016
Ballistic helmets and method of manufacture thereof
Patent No. 9,307,803
A method for manufacturing a high performance thermoplastic matrix composite ballistic helmet includes forming/shaping a highly consolidated helmet preform free of wrinkles and with no cuts or seams from a flat stack of 0/90 uni-directional prepreg layers using a pressure forming process. The wrinkle free and no cuts pre-formed helmet shell is pre-heated and placed between match-metal dies in a compression molding press to be molded under constant pressure during heating at high temperature and cooling down below 200.degree. F. in less than 45 minutes. Or molded under constant pressure at high temperature for less than 20 minutes and then the molded helmet is removed from the compression molding press and placed in a hydroforming machine to be cooled down in less than two minutes under a very high pressure while the thermoplastic matrix solidify during cooling down.
Inventors: Francisco Folgar (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: Inter Materials, LLC (Midlothian, Va.)
April 12, 2016
Tobacco granules and method of producing tobacco granules
Patent No. 9,307,787
A smokeless tobacco product includes a plurality of orally disintegrable granules. Each granule has a core and at least one layer surrounding the core. The at least one layer includes tobacco particles and a binder. Also disclosed are methods of making tobacco granules that comprise a core and at least one layer having tobacco particles and a binder.
Inventors: Yan Helen Sun (Midlothian, Va.), Frank Scott Atchley (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (Richmond)
April 12, 2016
Consolidating and reusing portal information
Patent No. 9,311,062
An approach for consolidating and reusing portal information within different web applications. The approach includes a method that includes retrieving, by at least one computing device, code from an application. The method includes deconstructing, by the at least one computing device, the code into code fragments. The method includes validating, by the at least one computing device, each of the code fragments. The method includes matching, by the at least one computing device, each of the code fragments with server-side components. The method includes generating, by the at least one computing device, a portlet based on the matching.
Inventors: Stanley J. Braun (Tucson, Ariz.), Donald P. Defelice (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), Mark R. Ernstberger (Rochester, N.Y.), Susan A. Hearn (Toronto, Canada), Linwood E. Loving (Mechanicsville, Va.), Martin G. McLaughlin (Glasgow, Great Britain), Lindsey M. Mewse (Berks, Great Britain), Donald P. Muller (Highland, N.Y.), James S. K. Young (Oshawa, Canada)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp. (Armonk, N.Y.)
April 12, 2016
Elliptically based robotic gait trainer (EBRGT)
Patent No. 9,308,414
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.
Inventors: Peter E. Pidcoe (Mechanicsville, Va.), Jessica Cortney Bradford (Bel Air, Md.)
Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)
April 12, 2016
Nesting medication container with fixed cap
Patent No. 9,308,149
Referring to the invention, there is shown an assembled container for use in dispensing medicine, pharmaceutics, or similar-sized items. The multi-faceted two-part container is a novel truncated pyramidal shape and is an innovative solution to prior pill bottle designs, based on several factors: the container has better container stability over prior bottle shapes; it may be stacked at an angle in a user’s home; a hinged lid opening creates easier user access; and the container shape yields greater internal volume (over prior container designs). Further, the container has a large labeling surface area, possesses angled surfaces that allow for easy viewing of redundant labeling medication information on the container by a user, and has container parts that can be manufactured, shipped and assembled in novel ways and at lower costs than traditional pill bottles.
Inventors: Charles Jeffrey Niskey, Jr (San Diego, Calif.), Adam Jason Strichman (Mechanicsville, Va.)
Assignee: N/A
April 12, 2016
Process for preparing yarn derived from aramid copolymer fiber having low residual sulfur
Patent No. 9,315,923
The present invention concerns processes for producing a yarn comprising polymer comprising imidazole groups, the process having the following steps: (a) spinning a solution of polymer in sulfuric acid to give rise to a plurality of dope filaments; (b) coagulating the plurality of dope filaments into a multi-filament as-spun yarn; and (c) washing the as-spun multi-filament yarn with an aqueous acid comprising a halide or an aqueous salt comprising a halide or combination thereof.
Inventors: Steven R. Allen (Midlothian, Va.), Vlodek Gabara (Richmond), Joseph Lenning Lowery (Midlothian, Va.), Steven Raymond Lustig (Landenberg, Penn.), Christopher William Newton (Richmond), David J. Rodini (Midlothian, Va.), Andrew J. Sitter (Mechanicsville, Va.)
Assignee: E I Du Pont De Nemours and Co. (Wilmington, Del.)
April 19, 2016
Package standing feature utilizing blister and paperboard
Patent No. 9,315,310
A package is disclosed including a blister and a folded paperboard card, and having features that provide for the package to be displayed in a self-standing configuration.
Inventors: Ryan A. Bailey (Richmond)
Assignee: WestRock MWV, LLC (Norcross, Ga.)
April 19, 2016
Electrical fixture mounting system
Patent No. 9,318,886
A light fixture mounting system which aids in quickly, easily, and safely connecting a light fixture to a junction box. The light fixture mounting system generally includes a mounting plate adapted to be electrically and mechanically connected to a junction box. The mounting plate includes contacts comprised of metallic material such that an electrical fixture may be magnetically secured to the mounting plate. Magnets on the electrical fixture will magnetically engage with the contacts to magnetically secure the electrical fixture to the mounting plate. Current from the junction box will pass through the contacts and magnets to power the light source. A relay switch and reed switch are also utilized in combination with a central magnet on the electrical fixture to stop current flow if the electrical fixture becomes partially or fully dislodged from the mounting plate.
Inventors: Alford Roney Pate (Glen Allen, Va.)
Assignee: N/A
April 19, 2016
Sensors using high electron mobility transistors
Patent No. 9,316,637
Embodiments of the invention include sensors comprising high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with capture reagents on a gate region of the HEMTs. Example sensors include HEMTs with a thin gold layer on the gate region and bound antibodies; a thin gold layer on the gate region and chelating agents; a non-native gate dielectric on the gate region; and nanorods of a non-native dielectric with an immobilized enzyme on the gate region. Embodiments including antibodies or enzymes can have the antibodies or enzymes bound to the Au-gate via a binding group. Other embodiments of the invention are methods of using the sensors for detecting breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney injury, glucose, metals or pH where a signal is generated by the HEMT when a solution is contacted with the sensor. The solution can be blood, saliva, urine, breath condensate, or any solution suspected of containing any specific analyte for the sensor.
Inventors: Fan Ren (Gainesville, Fla.), Stephen John Pearton (Gainesville, Fla.), Tanmay Lele (Gainesville, Fla.), Hung-Ta Wang (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), Byoung-Sam Kang (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. (Gainesville, Fla.)
April 19, 2016
Multilayered sheet
Patent No. 9,316,342
This invention pertains to a layered sheet comprising a flame resistant wet-laid nonwoven carrier having a first and second surface and an inorganic refractory layer adjacent to at least one surface of the carrier wherein the refractory layer has a dry area weight of from 15 to 50 gsm, the bond strength between the refractory layer and the surface of the carrier is at least 0.25 lb/in, wherein the carrier comprises from 40 to 70 weight percent of aramid fibers and from 30 to 60 weight percent of polymeric binder, is hydrophilic, has a smoothness on at least one surface of no less than 250 Sheffield units, a thickness of from 0.025 to 0.175 mm and a density of from 0.25 to 0.60 g/cc. Preferably the carrier is in the form of a paper.
Inventors: Dariusz Wlodzimierz Kawka (Midlothian, Va.)
Assignee: E I Du Pont De Nemours and Co. (Wilmington, Del.)
April 19, 2016