Patents Represented by Attorney Kenneth H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8342347
    Abstract: A collapsible, portable container having a roof, a base, two foldable end walls and two removable side walls. The container is collapsed by removing the side walls and inwardly folding the end walls to draw the roof closer to the base. A slide lock feature is present which alternatively allows or prevents the inward folding of the container end walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventor: Henry F. Hay
  • Patent number: 8334020
    Abstract: In-mold labels comprise a printed sheet and a “cover stock” layer that covers the printed sheet and also provides adhesion of the label to the mold prior to the molding procedure. The cover stock is prepared from a blend of a major portion of polymer composition having a high melting point and a lesser amount of a polyolefin having a low melting point. The high melting point polymer composition must contain an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer having a melting point of greater than 85° C. The cover stock is characterized by having a non-homogeneous morphology in which discrete “islands” of the high melting point polymer are present in a continuous “sea” of the polyolefin. The labels of this invention are especially suitable for applying labels to a rotomolded part. The cover stock melts during the rotomolding process to provide a protective cover for the label graphics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: NOVA Chemicals (International)
    Inventor: John William Swabey
  • Patent number: 8304361
    Abstract: Fouling in a dispersed phase reactor in the presence of a phosphinimine catalyst and MAO may be reduced by reducing the loading of the phosphinimine catalyst to provide from 0.02 to 0.031 mmol of transition M per g of catalyst while still maintaining a productivity of not less than 2500 g of polymer/gram of catalyst. The catalyst may optionally be used in the presence of an antistatic agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: NOVA Chemical (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Gao, Benjamin Milton Shaw, Cliff Robert Baar
  • Patent number: 8298978
    Abstract: Single site reactor/catalyst continuity in a dispersed phase reaction in terms of initial activation and subsequent deactivation may be improved by treating the support with a metal salt. The activator and catalyst are then deposited on the treated support. The resulting catalyst has a lower consumption of ethylene during initiation and a lower rate of deactivation. Preferably the catalyst is used with an antistatic agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Gao, Billy Gaspar Santos, Peter Phung Minh Hoang, Amy Marie Jones, Benjamin Milton Shaw, Ian Ronald Jobe
  • Patent number: 8282709
    Abstract: ETS-10 type materials preferentially adsorb ethane and, if present, C3+ paraffins from mixtures comprising methane, ethane and optionally C3+ paraffins at pressures above 200 psia. A process in which ETS-10 type materials are used to separate ethane and C3+ paraffins from natural gas streams at over 200 psia is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Steven Mitchell Kuznicki, Adolfo Maria Avila, Meng Shi, Vernon Lindsay Strom, Patricio S. Herrera
  • Patent number: 8252956
    Abstract: A new P-N-P ligand in which each phosphorus atom is bonded to two ortho-fluorine substituted phenyl groups is useful in ethylene oligomerizations. In combination with i) a source of chromium and ii) an activator such as methalumoxane; the ligand of this invention may be used to prepare an oligomer product that contains a mixture of hexenes and octenes. The hexenes and octenes produced with this ligand contain very low levels of internal olefins when produced under preferred reaction conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Gao, Charles Ashton Garret Carter, Liangyou Fan, Lee Douglas Henderson
  • Patent number: 8252955
    Abstract: A new P—N—P ligand is useful in ethylene oligomerizations. In combination with i) a source of chromium and ii) an activator such as methylalumoxane; the ligand of this invention may be used to prepare an oligomer product that contains a mixture of hexenes and octenes. The hexenes and octenes produced with this ligand contain very low levels of internal olefins when produced under preferred reaction conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: NOVA Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Gao, Charles Ashton Garret Carter, Lee Douglas Henderson
  • Patent number: 8101693
    Abstract: This invention relates to the polymerization of ethylene polymers using a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) that is connected in series to a tubular reactor. The tubular reactor receives a polymer solution from the CSTR. Further polymerization in the tubular reactor improves production efficiencies, particularly with respect to lowering the amount of energy required to recover the polymer and residual comonomer from the solution. The use of tempered i.e. (heated) ethylene in the tubular reactor has been discovered to mitigate gel problems and lower/reduce levels of hexane extractables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: NOVA Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Lauwrence Martin Jozef Van Asseldonk, Stephen John Brown
  • Patent number: 8100671
    Abstract: Low pressure off gases such as from dry gas seals may be recompressed to a higher pressure using multiple tandem supersonic ejectors in which upstream ejectors operate at a higher nozzle exit Mach number than down stream ejectors and all ejectors are operated at exit Mach numbers greater than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: TransCanada Pipelines Limited
    Inventors: Kamal K. Botros, John Geerligs, Hasan Imran
  • Patent number: 8039167
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell in which electricity is generated and a paraffin is converted to an olefin. Between the anode and cathode compartment of the fuel cell is a ceramic membrane of the formula BaCe0.85-eLfY0.05-0.25O(3-?) wherein L is a lanthanide and f is from 0 to 0.25 and ? is the oxygen deficiency in the ceramic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Governors of The University of Alberta
    Inventors: Jingli Luo, Karl Chuang, Alan Rodney Sanger
  • Patent number: 8022143
    Abstract: A dual reactor solution process gives high density polyethylene compositions containing a first ethylene polymer and a second ethylene polymer which have a good balance of processability, toughness, and environmental stress crack resistance combined with good organoleptic properties. The polyethylene compositions are suitable for compression molding or injection molding applications and are particularly useful in the manufacture of caps and closures for bottles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A
    Inventor: XiaoChuan Wang
  • Patent number: 8017825
    Abstract: An as prepared Na-ETS-10 zeolite was modified by ion exchange with a mono-, di-, or tri-valent cation and mixtures thereof. Several of the modified ETS-10 zeolites showed improved pressure swing capacity during the selective adsorption of ethylene from an ethylene/ethane mixture, relative to Na-ETS-10, although the selectivity of adsorption decreased. Modification with Ba2+ and Ba2+/H+ provided modified ETS-10 zeolite adsorbents having a good balance of selectivity and pressure swing capacity for the separation of ethylene/ethane mixtures, making them useful adsorbents for PSA processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Steven M. Kuznicki, Alejandro Anson, Tetyana Segin, Christopher C. H. Lin
  • Patent number: 7994363
    Abstract: A new P-N-P ligand in which each phosphorus atom is bonded to two ortho-fluorine substituted phenyl groups is useful in ethylene oligomerizations. In combination with i) a source of chromium and ii) an activator such as methalumoxane; the ligand of this invention may be used to prepare an oligomer product that contains a mixture of hexenes and octenes. The hexenes and octenes produced with this ligand contain very low levels of internal olefins when produced under preferred reaction conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Gao, Charles Ashton Garret Carter, Liangyou Fan, Lee Douglas Henderson
  • Patent number: 7977006
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell in which electricity is generated and a paraffin is converted to an olefin. Between the anode and cathode compartment of the fuel cell is a ceramic membrane of the formula BaCe0.85-eAeLfY0.05-0.25O(3-?) wherein A is selected from the group consisting of Hf and Zr and mixtures thereof, e is from 0.1 to 0.5, L is a lanthanide and f is from 0 to 0.25 and ? is the oxygen deficiency in the ceramic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Jingli Luo, Karl Chuang, Alan Rodney Sanger
  • Patent number: 7919568
    Abstract: The current invention provides a method of improving the efficiency of one or more heat exchangers used in cooperation with a high temperature solution polymerization process. Addition of surface active agents, such as C6 to C22 carboxylic acids, to a two phase liquid-liquid polymer solution downstream of a reactor system and upstream of a heat exchanger system can increase the efficiency of heat exchange by more than 10%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: NOVA Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Eric Cheluget, Arun Sood
  • Patent number: 7906681
    Abstract: A new P—N—P ligand is useful in ethylene oligomerizations. In combination with i) a source of chromium and ii) an activator such as methylalumoxane; the ligand of this invention may be used to prepare an oligomer product that contains a mixture of hexenes and octenes. The hexenes and octenes produced with this ligand contain very low levels of internal olefins when produced under preferred reaction conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Gao, Charles Ashton Garret Carter, Lee Douglas Henderson
  • Patent number: 7863213
    Abstract: A supported catalyst for olefin polymerization comprises a selected ionic activator, a selected organometallic catalyst and a support material. The selected activator must contain an active hydrogen moeity. The organometallic catalyst is characterized by having a phosphinimine ligand and a substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand (which contains from 7 to 30 carbon atoms). The supported catalyst exhibits excellent activity in gas phase olefin polymerizations and may be used under substantially “non-fouling” polymerization conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Ian McKay, Dusan Jeremic, Grant Berent Jacobsen, Sergio Mastroianni
  • Patent number: 7829749
    Abstract: A new P-N-P ligand is useful in ethylene oligomerizations. In combination with i) a source of chromium and ii) an activator such as methylalumoxane; the ligand of this invention may be used to prepare an oligomer product that contains a mixture of hexenes and octenes. The hexenes and octenes produced with this ligand contain very low levels of internal olefins when produced under preferred reaction conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Gao, Charles Ashton Garret Carter, Lee Douglas Henderson
  • Patent number: 7816488
    Abstract: The PENT value for a resin may be estimated within ±10% by determining the % of heat flow to melt a fraction of a polymer above or below a set point and comparing it to a graph or algorithm of PENT values related to the % of heat flow to melt entire sample for a number of resins made using the same catalyst system. In a similar manner one may estimate the process conditions to prepare a polymer having a target PENT value based on the conditions used to prepare the samples for the graph or algorithms. The invention provides a simple procedure that may be used at a manufacturing site to estimate PENT values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Joo Wooi Teh, Joyce Lai-Ching Chau, Victoria Ker, Gary Yim
  • Patent number: 7741414
    Abstract: A process for transitioning between Ziegler Natta (Z/N) polymerization catalysts and Second Polymerization catalysts in a polymerization system which includes at least two polymerization reactors. During the transition, the Z/N catalyst is used in the “downstream” reactor, thereby providing a flow of polymer to finishing operations. This eliminates the need for lengthy shutdowns of finishing equipment and thereby improves the efficiency of the plant operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Nova Chemicals (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Stephen John Brown, Kenneth Edward Taylor, Bobbi Leigh Liebrecht