Patents by Inventor Albert F. Stevens
Albert F. Stevens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7992803Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a nebulizer, and more particularly but not exclusively to a compact nebulizer that may include an angled impactor and/or siphon tube integrated into the impactor to increase the nebulizer efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Stevens Medical, LLCInventors: Derek D. Mahoney, George V. Muttathil, Kerry D. O'Mara, Albert F. Stevens
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Publication number: 20090272376Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a nebulizer, and more particularly but not exclusively to a compact nebulizer that may include an angled impactor and/or siphon tube integrated into the impactor to increase the nebulizer efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2008Publication date: November 5, 2009Inventors: Derek J. Mahoney, George V. Muttathil, Kerry D. O'Mara, Albert F. Stevens
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Publication number: 20080283049Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a nebulizer, and more particularly but not exclusively to a compact nebulizer that efficiently utilizes medication.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: Derek D Mahoney, George V. Muttathil, Kerry D. O'Mara, Albert F. Stevens
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Publication number: 20080202506Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a nebulizer, and more particularly but not exclusively to a compact nebulizer that efficiently utilizes medication.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: Derek D. Mahoney, George V. Muttathil, Kerry D. O'Mara, Albert F. Stevens
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Patent number: 6547078Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail in a continuous and automatic procedure includes an operative combination of processing stations including an input station for receiving incoming mail in bulk fashion and for separating the pieces of mail for individual delivery to the remainder of the apparatus a station for detecting irregularities in the contents of the envelopes, such as metal items, folded contents, or oversized items; a station for outsorting envelopes rejected in accordance with determinations made at the detection station; a station for opening the envelopes, preferably along multiple edges; a station for removing the contents from the opened envelopes, for subsequent processing of the contents; and a series of stations for handling and orienting the contents for subsequent delivery to a plurality of output stackers.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1999Date of Patent: April 15, 2003Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: William R. Lile, Albert F. Stevens, Mark A. Stevens, Robert R. Dewitt, Michael E. York, Roy E. Patterson
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Patent number: 6311846Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting a group of documents contained with an envelope into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. A system controller identifies the documents extracted from each respective envelope along with the respective envelope as a single transaction along the path of movement. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. An image acquisition device acquires an image of the envelopes and selected documents conveyed along the path of movement to enable the system controller to assign documents and the envelope from which it was extracted into selected transactions and batches.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2000Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: George L. Hayduchok, Robert R. Dewitt, Albert F. Stevens
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Patent number: 6112902Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting a group of documents contained with an envelope into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. A system controller identifies the documents extracted from each respective envelope along with the respective envelope as a single transaction along the path of movement. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. An image acquisition device acquires an image of the envelopes and selected documents conveyed along the path of movement to enable the system controller to assign documents and the envelope from which it was extracted into selected transactions and batches.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 1998Date of Patent: September 5, 2000Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: George L. Hayduchok, Robert R. DeWitt, Albert F. Stevens
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Patent number: 6064023Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail in a continuous and automatic procedure includes an operative combination of processing stations including an input station for receiving incoming mail in bulk fashion and for separating the pieces of mail for individual delivery to the remainder of the apparatus; a station for detecting irregularities in the contents of the envelopes, such as metal items, folded contents, or oversized items; a station for out-sorting envelopes rejected in accordance with determinations made at the detection station; a station for opening the envelopes, preferably along multiple edges; a station for removing the contents from the opened envelopes, for subsequent processing of the contents; and a series of stations for handling and orienting the contents for subsequent delivery to a plurality of output stackers.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 1997Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: William R. Lile, Albert F. Stevens, Mark A. Stevens, Robert R. Dewitt, Michael E. York, Roy E. Patterson
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Patent number: 5842577Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting a group of documents contained with an envelope into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. A system controller identifies the documents extracted from each respective envelope as a single transaction along the path of movement. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. A document feeder is positioned downstream from the envelope feeder to selectively feed batch identification pieces into the path of movement.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1996Date of Patent: December 1, 1998Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Mark A. Stevens, Robert R. DeWitt, George L. Hayduchok, Edward Cohen
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Patent number: 5842693Abstract: In a method for the automated processing of bulk mail, envelopes are transferred to a receiving apparatus in bulk fashion (from incoming mail trays or the like) for the extraction of documents contained by the envelopes, and the extracted documents are delivered to a remittance processing device, preferably both automatically and without the need for human intervention. Subsequent processing of the extracted documents within the remittance processing device then proceeds in usual fashion, completing the acquisition of information which is necessary to ready such documents for deposit into the banking system. Also disclosed are various presorting functions so that only envelopes containing documents of a specified type will be fully processed, other sorting functions such as the identification of specific types of documents (invoices or checks) for separate processing, and the use of a single extraction device to deliver extracted documents to either one, or a series of remittance processing devices.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1997Date of Patent: December 1, 1998Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Mark A. Stevens, Robert R. Dewitt, William R. Lile, Michael E. York, Jeffrey L. Chodack, Roy E. Patterson
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Patent number: 5810173Abstract: A system for processing documents is provided for use in remittance processing of bulk mail. An extraction unit opens envelopes and extracts the envelope contents, typically in the form of a pair of documents such as an invoice stub and an accompanying check. The extraction unit discards the opened envelopes and feeds the pair of documents in parallel disposition to a document sorting apparatus. The paired, parallel documents are conveyed through a document shifter in the form of nip rollers wherein one document of each pair is at least partially shifted relative to the other document of the pair to expose at least a portion of the covered document to an operator. The documents are then conveyed to a viewing area where the operator visually inspects each pair of documents and manually designates a selected path of movement using a manual input device.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 1995Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F.. Stevens, Robert R. Dewitt, James G. Robertson, Jeffrey L. Chodack, Ilya Chachkes, Marjory A. McCahill, George L. Hayduchok
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Patent number: 5651445Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail which incorporates a number of operating stations that serve to accomplish the various aspects of mail extraction, as well as the subsequent processing of extracted documents, and which are operatively associated with one another to serially process envelopes and extracted documents in continuous fashion and substantially independent of their characteristic features. To this end, the operating stations of the apparatus are configured to be as independent as possible of the characteristics of the envelopes and their contents so that envelopes and contents of varied characteristics can be effectively handled by the apparatus without requiring any significant adjustments.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: July 29, 1997Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Robert R. DeWitt, Michael E. York, David Keller, William R. Lile
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Patent number: 5558232Abstract: An apparatus and method for sorting documents is provided. A document transport on the apparatus conveys documents along a selected path of movement from an input bin to a series of output bins. An optical scanner, such as a video camera, is positioned along the selected path to capture images of the documents. The captured images are displayed on a display monitor to permit an operator to inspect portions of the documents for a desired characteristic. The operator activates a push button on a selector switch depending on the presence of the desired characteristic. Bins are provided for stacking and separating documents having the desired characteristic from those documents lacking the desired characteristic. Gates are provided for directing the documents to the appropriate output bin.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 1994Date of Patent: September 24, 1996Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Jeffrey L. Chodack, Russell M. Lange, Robert R. Dewitt, John D. Coleman, Peter W. Bressler, Keith W. Forsyth
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Patent number: 5518121Abstract: In a method for the automated processing of bulk mail, envelopes are transferred to a receiving apparatus in bulk fashion (from incoming mail trays or the like) for the extraction of documents contained by the envelopes, and the extracted documents are delivered to a remittance processing device, preferably both automatically and without the need for human intervention. Subsequent processing of the extracted documents within the remittance processing device then proceeds in usual fashion, completing the acquisition of information which is necessary to ready such documents for deposit into the banking system. Also disclosed are various presorting functions so that only envelopes containing documents of a specified type will be fully processed, other sorting functions such as the identification of specific types of documents (invoices or checks) for separate processing, and the use of a single extraction device to deliver extracted documents to either one, or a series of remittance processing devices.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1994Date of Patent: May 21, 1996Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Mark A. Stevens, Robert R. DeWitt, William R. Lile, Michael E. York, Jeffrey L. Chodack, Roy E. Patterson
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Patent number: 5464099Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail in a continuous and automatic procedure includes an operative combination of processing stations including an input station for receiving incoming mail in bulk fashion and for separating the pieces of mail for individual delivery to the remainder of the apparatus; a station for detecting irregularities in the contents of the envelopes, such as metal items, folded contents, or oversized items; a station for out-sorting envelopes rejected in accordance with the determinations made at the detection station; a station for opening the envelopes, preferably along multiple edges; a station for removing the contents from the opened envelopes, for subsequent processing of the contents; and a series of stations for handling and orienting the contents for subsequent delivery to a plurality of output stackers.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 1994Date of Patent: November 7, 1995Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Robert R. DeWitt, William R. Lile, Paul R. Mitchell, Stephen Tentarelli
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Patent number: 5460273Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail which incorporates a number of operating stations that serve to accomplish the various aspects of mail extraction, as well as the subsequent processing of extracted documents, and which are operatively associated with one another to serially process envelopes and extracted documents in continuous fashion and substantially independent of their characteristic features. To this end, the operating stations of the apparatus are configured to be as independent as possible of the characteristics of the envelopes and their contents so that envelopes and contents of varied characteristics can be effectively handled by the apparatus without requiring any significant adjustments.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 1993Date of Patent: October 24, 1995Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Robert R. DeWitt, Michael E. York, David Keller, William R. Lile
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Patent number: 5310062Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail, wherein envelopes are transferred to the apparatus in bulk fashion (from incoming mail trays or the like) for the extraction of documents contained by the envelopes, communicates with a remittance processing device, preferably both automatically and without the need for human intervention. Subsequent processing of the extracted documents within the remittance processing device then proceeds in usual fashion, completing the acquisition of information which is necessary to ready such documents for deposit into the banking system.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 1992Date of Patent: May 10, 1994Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Mark A. Stevens, Robert R. DeWitt, William R. Lile, Michael E. York, Jeffrey L. Chodack, Roy E. Patterson
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Patent number: 5054620Abstract: An apparatus for extracting contents from a plurality of envelopes comprises a device for severing edge portions of the envelopes and for discharging the edge-severed envelopes serially and one at a time, and a device for extracting the contents from the edge-severed envelopes including a pair of conveyor belts which diverge from a nip for receiving the edge-severed envelopes from the severing device, and vacuum ports cooperating with the conveyor belts to separate faces of the envelopes from one another, and a device for separating contents from the separated faces of the envelopes, for discharge from the apparatus. Also a device for receiving the separated contents and envelope faces, and for testing them to verify that only effectively extracted contents are passed on for further processing.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 1989Date of Patent: October 8, 1991Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Robert R. DeWitt, William R. Lile, Paul Mitchell, Albert F. Stevens
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Patent number: 4863037Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail in a continuous and automatic procedure includes an operative combination of processing stations including an input station for receiving incoming mail in bulk fashion and for separting the pieces of mail for individual delivery to the remainder of the apparatus; a station for detecting irregularities in the contents of the envelopes, such as metal items, folded contents, or oversized items; a station for out-sorting envelopes rejected in accordance with the determinations made at the detection station; a station for opening the envelopes, preferably along multiple edges; a station for removing the contents from the opened envelopes, for subsequent processing of the contents; and a series of stations for handling and orienting the contents for subsequent delivery to a plurality of output stackers.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1986Date of Patent: September 5, 1989Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Robert R. DeWitt, William R. Lile, Paul Mitchell, Stephen Tentarelli
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Patent number: D277624Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 1981Date of Patent: February 19, 1985Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: Albert F. Stevens, Paul E. Haley