Patents by Inventor Charles Benton

Charles Benton 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).

  • Patent number: 10500544
    Abstract: An example water purification system for purifying high concentration feed solutions includes a high rejection forward osmosis module, one or more low rejection modules, and a high rejection reverse osmosis module. The low rejection modules may have different rejection levels. The system may be pressurized by one or more pumps. One or more of the low rejection modules may include one or more nanofiltration (NF) membranes. The draw solution may comprise a monovalent salt, a multivalent salt, or a combination of both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Olgica Bakajin, Carl Lundin
  • Patent number: 10464021
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and systems for dewatering solutions via forward osmosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Erik Desormeaux, Olgica Bakajin
  • Patent number: 10464023
    Abstract: An example separation system includes a stack of membrane plate assemblies. An example membrane plate assembly may include membranes bonded to opposite sides of a spacer plate. The spacer plate may include a first opening in fluid communication with a region between the membranes, and a second opening in fluid communication with a region between membrane plate assemblies. Adjacent membrane plate assemblies in the stack may have alternating orientations such that bonding areas for adjacent membranes in the stack may be staggered. Accordingly, two isolated flows may be provided which may be orthogonal from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Olgica Bakajin
  • Publication number: 20180311618
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and systems for dewatering alcoholic solutions via forward osmosis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicant: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles BENTON, Olgica BAKAJIN, Jennifer KLARE, Ravindra REVANUR
  • Publication number: 20180243693
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and systems for dewatering solutions via forward osmosis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles BENTON, Erik DESORMEAUX, Olgica BAKAJIN
  • Patent number: 9861937
    Abstract: An example water purification system includes a forward osmosis module, a reverse osmosis module, a pump powered by an electric motor, and a pressure sensor. The forward osmosis module may receive a feed stream and a draw stream, and may produce an intermediate product stream. The intermediate product stream may be pressurized by a pump and provided to the reverse osmosis module. The reverse osmosis module may generate a product stream and return the draw stream to the forward osmosis module. The pressure sensor may monitor the pressure of the intermediate product stream, and the pressure may be used to determine the speed of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Christopher Keith, Carl Lundin
  • Publication number: 20170232392
    Abstract: Separation systems are described that may include forward osmosis (FO) membranes for offshore desalination and sulfate removal. The system may use submerged FO elements (e.g. operating underwater in the ocean). The system may use FO elements in combination with high-pressure reverse osmosis (RO) elements and processes. The system may use FO elements in combination with membrane distillation elements and processes. The system may create a suction and pressurized flow from a submerged FO membrane process to a reverse osmosis system on a platform, ship, or other offshore or “along shore” structure. The product water may be used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Erik DESORMEAUX, Charles BENTON
  • Publication number: 20170197181
    Abstract: An example separation system includes a stack of membrane plate assemblies. An example membrane plate assembly may include membranes bonded to opposite sides of a spacer plate. The spacer plate may include a first opening in fluid communication with a region between the membranes, and a second opening in fluid communication with a region between membrane plate assemblies. Adjacent membrane plate assemblies in the stack may have alternating orientations such that bonding areas for adjacent membranes in the stack may be staggered. Accordingly, two isolated flows may be provided which may be orthogonal from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Olgica Bakajin
  • Patent number: 9636635
    Abstract: An example separation system includes a stack of membrane plate assemblies. An example membrane plate assembly may include membranes bonded to opposite sides of a spacer plate. The spacer plate may include a first opening in fluid communication with a region between the membranes, and a second opening in fluid communication with a region between membrane plate assemblies. Adjacent membrane plate assemblies in the stack may have alternating orientations such that bonding areas for adjacent membranes in the stack may be staggered. Accordingly, two isolated flows may be provided which may be orthogonal from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Olgica Bakajin
  • Publication number: 20160038880
    Abstract: An example water purification system includes a forward osmosis module, a reverse osmosis module, a pump powered by an electric motor, and a pressure sensor. The forward osmosis module may receive a feed stream and a draw stream, and may produce an intermediate product stream. The intermediate product stream may be pressurized by a pump and provided to the reverse osmosis module. The reverse osmosis module may generate a product stream and return the draw stream to the forward osmosis module. The pressure sensor may monitor the pressure of the intermediate product stream, and the pressure may be used to determine the speed of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Christopher Keith, Carl Lundin
  • Publication number: 20160002074
    Abstract: An example water purification system for purifying high concentration feed solutions includes a high rejection forward osmosis module, one or more low rejection modules, and a high rejection reverse osmosis module. The low rejection modules may have different rejection levels. The system may be pressurized by one or more pumps. One or more of the low rejection modules may include one or more nanofiltration (NF) membranes. The draw solution may comprise a monovalent salt, a multivalent salt, or a combination of both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Applicant: Porifera, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Olgica Bakajin, Carl Lundin
  • Publication number: 20140175011
    Abstract: An example separation system includes a stack of membrane plate assemblies. An example membrane plate assembly may include membranes bonded to opposite sides of a spacer plate. The spacer plate may include a first opening in fluid communication with a region between the membranes, and a second opening in fluid communication with a region between membrane plate assemblies. Adjacent membrane plate assemblies in the stack may have alternating orientations such that bonding areas for adjacent membranes in the stack may be staggered. Accordingly, two isolated flows may be provided which may be orthogonal from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: PORIFERA, INC.
    Inventors: Charles Benton, Olgica Bakajin
  • Patent number: 7511736
    Abstract: A navigation system utilizing augmented reality is provided which utilizes captured images to generate orientation information, wherein the pitch, yaw and roll are periodically derived from an inexpensive sensor, and in-between the periodical update, the pitch, roll, and yaw information are derived by capturing and image of the observed scene, identifying reference image components (RIC's) in a images and comparing those RIC's with subsequently captured images, to derive orientation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Inventor: Charles Benton
  • Patent number: 7071970
    Abstract: An orientation sensor utilizing an inexpensive but relatively slow base orientation sensor, augmented by capture of a video images, identifying reference objects or regions therein, and calculating displacement of those objects to derive supplementary orientation information. Recurrent base orientation sensor results are used to correct drift of the video based technique. Augmenting the slow but accurate base orientation sensor with the consecutive images derived orientation data, provides a fast and inexpensive orientation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Inventor: Charles Benton
  • Patent number: 6917370
    Abstract: A combination of interacting virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) system is provided where the system automatically switches from VR to AR when the user selected viewpoint coincides, within tolerance, with the observable AR viewpoint. The invention discloses an apparatus adapted to provide easy access and automatic switching between AR and VR, and method thehrefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Inventor: Charles Benton
  • Patent number: 6820880
    Abstract: The present invention provides a spring powered wheelbarrow with a manually powered drive assembly. A foot crank winds a spring through a system of shafts and sprockets in a first direction. By releasing a brake upon a front wheel of a wheelbarrow, the wound spring transfers a rotational movement from a spring shaft to a freewheel sprocket adjacent to the front wheel, the rotational movement upon the front wheel assisting a user in pushing the wheelbarrow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Inventors: Nick Charles Benton, Michael Lee Gray
  • Publication number: 20040179107
    Abstract: An orientation sensor utilizing an inexpensive but relatively slow base orientation sensor, augmented by capture of a video images, identifying reference objects or regions therein, and calculating displacement of those objects to derive supplementary orientation information. Recurrent base orientation sensor results are used to correct drift of the video based technique. Augmenting the slow but accurate base orientation sensor with the consecutive images derived orientation data, provides a fast and inexpensive orientation sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Charles Benton
  • Publication number: 20040179104
    Abstract: A navigation system utilizing augmented reality is provided which utilizes captured images to generate orientation information, wherein the pitch, yaw and roll are periodically derived from an inexpensive sensor, and in-between the periodical update, the pitch, roll, and yaw information are derived by capturing and image of the observed scene, identifying reference image components (RIC's) in a images and comparing those RIC's with subsequently captured images, to derive orientation information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Charles Benton
  • Publication number: 20030217875
    Abstract: The present invention provides a spring powered wheelbarrow with a manually powered drive assembly. A foot crank winds a spring through a system of shafts and sprockets in a first direction. By releasing a brake upon a front wheel of a wheelbarrow, the wound spring transfers a rotational movement from a spring shaft to a freewheel sprocket adjacent to the front wheel, the rotational movement upon the front wheel assisting a user in pushing the wheelbarrow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventors: Nick Charles Benton, Michael Lee Gray
  • Publication number: 20030210832
    Abstract: A combination of interacting virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) system is provided where the system automatically switches from VR to AR when the user selected viewpoint coincides, within tolerance, with the observable AR viewpoint. The invention discloses an apparatus adapted to provide easy access and automatic switching between AR and VR, and method thehrefor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventor: Charles Benton