Patents by Inventor Anthony ERICKSON

Anthony ERICKSON 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).

  • Publication number: 20240100597
    Abstract: A powder bed material can include from 80 wt % to 100 wt % metal particles having a D50 particle size distribution value from 4 ?m to 150 ?m. From 10 wt % to 100 wt % of the metal particles can be surface-activated metal particles having in intact inner volume and an outer volume with structural defects. The structural defects can exhibit an average surface grain density of 50,000 to 5,000,000 per mm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: John Samuel Dilip Jangam, Thomas Anthony, Krzysztof Nauka, Kristopher J. Erickson
  • Patent number: 11241723
    Abstract: A clean-in-place process may begin with a pre-rinse step in which soil (e.g., contaminants, residual product) is flushed from industrial equipment prior to circulating a cleaning agent through the equipment. To determine when the equipment has been suitably flushed, pre-rinse fluid exiting the industrial equipment and containing soil may be fluorometrically analyzed. A concentration of the soil is determined from fluorescent emissions emitted by the soil itself. Based on this information, the pre-rinse flushing process can be controlled, for example, to minimize water usage, maximize pre-rinse cleaning, or based on any other suitable metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Erickson, Peter J. Fernholz
  • Patent number: 11226070
    Abstract: During the production of consumable liquids such as milk, soup, and juice, the liquid consumable may be transferred from one location to another location through a fluid conduit. For example, a consumable liquid may be transferred from a storage tank to another destination through piping. At the end of the process, the piping may be purged with a flushing fluid to push the liquid consumable remaining in the piping to the end destination, thus preventing the volume of liquid remaining in the piping from being wasted. To control the flushing processing, fluid flowing through the piping may be fluorometrically analyzed to determine a concentration of product in the fluid. The flushing liquid can then be controlled based on the determined concentration. For example, the supply of flushing liquid may be terminated when the concentration of product falls below a threshold, indicating the flushing liquid is diluting the liquid consumable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Fernholz, Anthony Erickson, Rodney H. Banks
  • Publication number: 20200316657
    Abstract: A clean-in-place (CIP) process can utilize ultrasoft water during one or more steps of the process to improve overall cleaning efficacy. Ultrasoft water can exhibit extremely low levels of calcium and magnesium. Performing a CIP process with ultrasoft water may provide cleaning improvements as compared to merely using soft water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Anthony Erickson, Lawrence Grab
  • Publication number: 20190285230
    Abstract: During the production of consumable liquids such as milk, soup, and juice, the liquid consumable may be transferred from one location to another location through a fluid conduit. For example, a consumable liquid may be transferred from a storage tank to another destination through piping. At the end of the process, the piping may be purged with a flushing fluid to push the liquid consumable remaining in the piping to the end destination, thus preventing the volume of liquid remaining in the piping from being wasted. To control the flushing processing, fluid flowing through the piping may be fluorometrically analyzed to determine a concentration of product in the fluid. The flushing liquid can then be controlled based on the determined concentration. For example, the supply of flushing liquid may be terminated when the concentration of product falls below a threshold, indicating the flushing liquid is diluting the liquid consumable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Peter J. FERNHOLZ, Anthony ERICKSON, Rodney H. BANKS
  • Patent number: 10323797
    Abstract: During the production of consumable liquids such as milk, soup, and juice, the liquid consumable may be transferred from one location to another location through a fluid conduit. For example, a consumable liquid may be transferred from a storage tank to another destination through piping. At the end of the process, the piping may be purged with a flushing fluid to push the liquid consumable remaining in the piping to the end destination, thus preventing the volume of liquid remaining in the piping from being wasted. To control the flushing processing, fluid flowing through the piping may be fluorometrically analyzed to determine a concentration of product in the fluid. The flushing liquid can then be controlled based on the determined concentration. For example, the supply of flushing liquid may be terminated when the concentration of product falls below a threshold, indicating the flushing liquid is diluting the liquid consumable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Fernholz, Anthony Erickson, Rodney H. Banks
  • Publication number: 20180221923
    Abstract: A clean-in-place process may begin with a pre-rinse step in which soil (e.g., contaminants, residual product) is flushed from industrial equipment prior to circulating a cleaning agent through the equipment. To determine when the equipment has been suitably flushed, pre-rinse fluid exiting the industrial equipment and containing soil may be fluorometrically analyzed. A concentration of the soil is determined from fluorescent emissions emitted by the soil itself. Based on this information, the pre-rinse flushing process can be controlled, for example, to minimize water usage, maximize pre-rinse cleaning, or based on any other suitable metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Anthony Erickson, Peter J. Fernholz
  • Patent number: 9937535
    Abstract: A clean-in-place process may begin with a pre-rinse step in which soil (e.g., contaminants, residual product) is flushed from industrial equipment prior to circulating a cleaning agent through the equipment. To determine when the equipment has been suitably flushed, pre-rinse fluid exiting the industrial equipment and containing soil may be fluorometrically analyzed. A concentration of the soil is determined from fluorescent emissions emitted by the soil itself. Based on this information, the pre-rinse flushing process can be controlled, for example, to minimize water usage, maximize pre-rinse cleaning, or based on any other suitable metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Erickson, Peter J. Fernholz
  • Patent number: 9458413
    Abstract: A drain cleaner may be used on a periodic basis to clean soil residues from residential and commercial waste drains. The drain cleaner may chemically self-foam to fill a waste drain with the foam. For example, the drain cleaner may be provided in two or more parts that are physically intermixed during use of the drain cleaner. One part may include hydrogen peroxide and water while another part may include a catalase, an amylase, a protease, and an enzyme stabilizer. The drain cleaner may also include a surfactant present in at least one of the first part and the second part. Additionally, in some examples, the drain cleaner includes a sanitizing agent present in either of the two parts or in yet a third physically separate part. During use, the different drain cleaner parts can be dispensed simultaneously into a drain to generate a cleaning and/or sanitizing foam in-situ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: ECOLAB USA INC.
    Inventors: Nathan R. Ortmann, Anthony Erickson, Thomas R. Mohs
  • Publication number: 20150338026
    Abstract: During the production of consumable liquids such as milk, soup, and juice, the liquid consumable may be transferred from one location to another location through a fluid conduit. For example, a consumable liquid may be transferred from a storage tank to another destination through piping. At the end of the process, the piping may be purged with a flushing fluid to push the liquid consumable remaining in the piping to the end destination, thus preventing the volume of liquid remaining in the piping from being wasted. To control the flushing processing, fluid flowing through the piping may be fluorometrically analyzed to determine a concentration of product in the fluid. The flushing liquid can then be controlled based on the determined concentration. For example, the supply of flushing liquid may be terminated when the concentration of product falls below a threshold, indicating the flushing liquid is diluting the liquid consumable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Peter J. FERNHOLZ, Anthony ERICKSON, Rodney H. BANKS
  • Publication number: 20150065409
    Abstract: A drain cleaner may be used on a periodic basis to clean soil residues from residential and commercial waste drains. The drain cleaner may chemically self-foam to fill a waste drain with the foam. For example, the drain cleaner may be provided in two or more parts that are physically intermixed during use of the drain cleaner. One part may include hydrogen peroxide and water while another part may include a catalase, an amylase, a protease, and an enzyme stabilizer. The drain cleaner may also include a surfactant present in at least one of the first part and the second part. Additionally, in some examples, the drain cleaner includes a sanitizing agent present in either of the two parts or in yet a third physically separate part. During use, the different drain cleaner parts can be dispensed simultaneously into a drain to generate a cleaning and/or sanitizing foam in-situ.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Nathan R. ORTMANN, Anthony ERICKSON, Thomas R. MOHS
  • Patent number: 8888922
    Abstract: A drain cleaner may be used on a periodic basis to clean soil residues from residential and commercial waste drains. The drain cleaner may chemically self-foam to fill a waste drain with the foam. For example, the drain cleaner may be provided in two or more parts that are physically intermixed during use of the drain cleaner. One part may include hydrogen peroxide and water while another part may include a catalase, an amylase, a protease, and an enzyme stabilizer. The drain cleaner may also include a surfactant present in at least one of the first part and the second part. Additionally, in some examples, the drain cleaner includes a sanitizing agent present in either of the two parts or in yet a third physically separate part. During use, the different drain cleaner parts can be dispensed simultaneously into a drain to generate a cleaning and/or sanitizing foam in-situ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan R. Ortmann, Anthony Erickson, Thomas R. Mohs
  • Patent number: 8858721
    Abstract: A drain cleaner may be used on a periodic basis to clean soil residues from residential and commercial waste drains. The drain cleaner may chemically self-foam to fill a waste drain with the foam. For example, the drain cleaner may be provided in two or more parts that are physically intermixed during use of the drain cleaner. One part may include hydrogen peroxide and water while another part may include a catalase, an amylase, a protease, and an enzyme stabilizer. The drain cleaner may also include a surfactant present in at least one of the first part and the second part. Additionally, in some examples, the drain cleaner includes a sanitizing agent present in either of the two parts or in yet a third physically separate part. During use, the different drain cleaner parts can be dispensed simultaneously into a drain to generate a cleaning and/or sanitizing foam in-situ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan R. Ortmann, Anthony Erickson, Thomas R. Mohs
  • Publication number: 20140274854
    Abstract: A drain cleaner may be used on a periodic basis to clean soil residues from residential and commercial waste drains. The drain cleaner may chemically self-foam to fill a waste drain with the foam. For example, the drain cleaner may be provided in two or more parts that are physically intermixed during use of the drain cleaner. One part may include hydrogen peroxide and water while another part may include a catalase, an amylase, a protease, and an enzyme stabilizer. The drain cleaner may also include a surfactant present in at least one of the first part and the second part. Additionally, in some examples, the drain cleaner includes a sanitizing agent present in either of the two parts or in yet a third physically separate part. During use, the different drain cleaner parts can be dispensed simultaneously into a drain to generate a cleaning and/or sanitizing foam in-situ.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ECOLAB USA INC.
    Inventors: Nathan R. ORTMANN, Anthony ERICKSON, Thomas R. MOHS
  • Publication number: 20140274853
    Abstract: A drain cleaner may be used on a periodic basis to clean soil residues from residential and commercial waste drains. The drain cleaner may chemically self-foam to fill a waste drain with the foam. For example, the drain cleaner may be provided in two or more parts that are physically intermixed during use of the drain cleaner. One part may include hydrogen peroxide and water while another part may include a catalase, an amylase, a protease, and an enzyme stabilizer. The drain cleaner may also include a surfactant present in at least one of the first part and the second part. Additionally, in some examples, the drain cleaner includes a sanitizing agent present in either of the two parts or in yet a third physically separate part. During use, the different drain cleaner parts can be dispensed simultaneously into a drain to generate a cleaning and/or sanitizing foam in-situ.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ECOLAB USA INC.
    Inventors: Nathan R. ORTMANN, Anthony ERICKSON, Thomas R. MOHS
  • Publication number: 20140261550
    Abstract: A clean-in-place process may begin with a pre-rinse step in which soil (e.g., contaminants, residual product) is flushed from industrial equipment prior to circulating a cleaning agent through the equipment. To determine when the equipment has been suitably flushed, pre-rinse fluid exiting the industrial equipment and containing soil may be fluorometrically analyzed. A concentration of the soil is determined from fluorescent emissions emitted by the soil itself. Based on this information, the pre-rinse flushing process can be controlled, for example, to minimize water usage, maximize pre-rinse cleaning, or based on any other suitable metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ECOLAB USA INC.
    Inventors: Anthony ERICKSON, Peter J. FERNHOLZ