Patents by Inventor Douglas J. Miller

Douglas J. Miller 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: 8007658
    Abstract: A reduced puffing needle coke is formed, which includes a lesser amount of nitrogen within the coke so that carbon articles produced from such coke experience minimal expansion upon heating to graphitization temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Ching-Feng Chang, Irwin C. Lewis, Aaron Tomasek, Richard L. Shao
  • Patent number: 8007660
    Abstract: A reduced puffing needle coke is formed from decant oil, which includes a lesser amount of nitrogen within the coke so that carbon articles produced from such coke experience minimal expansion upon heating to graphitization temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Ching-Feng Chang, Irwin C. Lewis, Aaron Tomasek, Richard L. Shao
  • Patent number: 8007659
    Abstract: A reduced puffing needle coke is formed, which includes a reduced nitrogen content within the coke so that the coke particles do not experience as much puffing during the formation of graphitized carbon articles produced from such coke upon heating to graphitization temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Ching-Feng Chang, Irwin C. Lewis, Richard T. Lewis, Aaron Tomasek, Richard L. Shao
  • Patent number: 7972698
    Abstract: The core panel includes a plurality of carbon foam blocks. One or more of the blocks have a cell volume wherein at least about 90% of the cells have a diameter of between at least about 10 microns and about 150 microns. Also at least about 1% of the cell volume of the block has cells having a diameter of about 0.8 microns to about 3.5 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Irwin C. Lewis, Richard L. Shao, Mark Segger
  • Publication number: 20110153470
    Abstract: A trailer transport system for tracking trains having a plurality of rail cars, wherein each rail car can transport a trailer, is described. The system includes a computer system having a trailer tracking program, wherein the trailer tracking program receives information regarding a trailer to be transported and stores the information in a record and a plurality of terminals, wherein each terminal includes a terminal management system communicatively connected to the computer system, wherein the terminal management system pulls up the record corresponding to the trailer to be transported when the trailer arrives at the terminal and modifies the record to reflect the trailer's transportation status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Canadian Pacific Railroad
    Inventors: Douglas J. MILLER, Alan O. PARRY, Philip C. LEUNG, Ed VENSLOVAITIS, Earl WEBTER, Dan LEFEBVRE, Hao TIEN
  • Publication number: 20110091713
    Abstract: A composite panel, which includes a heat spreading layer and a carbon foam core having desirable fire retardant properties, and resistance to environmental stress. The composite panel can also include a first layer and a second layer bound to a first surface and second surface of the carbon foam core. Applications of the panel include structural and fire retardant elements of residential and commercial buildings, aircraft and watercraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Mark Segger, Yevgeniy Pavlovich Griffin
  • Patent number: 7892636
    Abstract: A carbon foam composite including a carbon foam skeleton having a supplemental material therein, the composite useful for, inter alia, a variety of applications including applications requiring durability and water resistance. Also included is a method for making such carbon foam composite materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, David M. Kaschak, Richard L. Shao
  • Publication number: 20110020631
    Abstract: A carbon foam article useful for, inter alia, composite tooling or other high temperature applications, which includes a carbon foam substrate, an intermediate material on a surface of the carbon foam substrate, and a tool facing material on an outer surface of the article such that the intermediate material is positioned between the tool facing material and the carbon foam substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Douglas J Miller, Robert A. Mercuri, Irwin C. Lewis, Richard L. Shao, Gary Dale Shives, Gerald F. Hoffert, David M. Kaschak
  • Publication number: 20100314790
    Abstract: A graphite article having enhanced directional thermal conductivity is provided. The mesophase portions of a mesophase pitch are aligned with each other to create an oriented mesophase pitch which may be stabilized. The article may subject to further carbonization and graphitization as needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Peter G. Stansberry, Richard L. Shao, Douglas J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20100308280
    Abstract: A reinforced carbon foam material is formed from carbon fibers incorporated within a carbon foam's structure. First, carbon fiber bundles are combined with a liquid resol resin. The carbon fiber bundles separate into individual carbon fiber filaments and disperse throughout the liquid resol resin. Second, the carbon fiber resin mixture is foamed thus fixing the carbon fibers in a permanent spatial arrangement within the phenolic foam. The foam is then carbonized to create a carbon fiber reinforced foam with improved graphitic characteristics as well as increased strength. Optionally, various additives can be introduced simultaneously with the addition of the carbon fiber bundles into the liquid resol, which can improve the graphitic nature of the final carbon foam material and/or increase the foam's resistance to oxidation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Irwin C. Lewis, Richard L. Shao, Mehmet Suha Yazici
  • Publication number: 20100291440
    Abstract: A material suitable for use as an electrode for a battery, comprising an article which comprises carbonized fabric having an impregnant therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Douglas J Miller, Gary Dale Shives, Terence A. Pirro
  • Patent number: 7785712
    Abstract: A structural insulated panel, which includes a carbon foam core having a high ratio of compressive strength to density, desirable fire retardant properties, and resistance to environmental stress. The carbon foam structural insulated panel also includes a first layer and a second layer bound to a first surface and second surface of the carbon foam core. Applications of the carbon foam structural insulated panel include structural and fire retardant elements of residential and commercial buildings, aircraft and also watercraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Irwin C. Lewis, Robert A. Mercuri
  • Patent number: 7758779
    Abstract: A reinforced carbon foam material is formed from carbon fibers incorporated within a carbon foam's structure. First, carbon fiber bundles are combined with a liquid resol resin. The carbon fiber bundles separate into individual carbon fiber filaments and disperse throughout the liquid resol resin. Second, the carbon fiber resin mixture is foamed thus fixing the carbon fibers in a permanent spatial arrangement within the phenolic foam. The foam is then carbonized to create a carbon fiber reinforced foam with improved graphitic characteristics as well as increased strength. Optionally, various additives can be introduced simultaneously with the addition of the carbon fiber bundles into the liquid resol, which can improve the graphitic nature of the final carbon foam material and/or increase the foam's resistance to oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Irwin C. Lewis, Richard L. Shao, Mehmet Suha Yazici
  • Publication number: 20100104496
    Abstract: A carbon foam article useful for, inter alfa, EMI shielding, sound attenuation, composite tooling or other high temperature applications, which includes a carbon foam having a ratio of compressive strength to density of at least about 7000 psi/g/cc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Irwin C. Lewis, Robert A. Mercuri
  • Patent number: 7658902
    Abstract: A process for producing a graphite article having a CTE of less than about 2.0 ppm/° C. over the temperature range of from 30° C. to 100° C. and an isotropy ratio of less than about 1.5 also advantageously having a thermal shock resistance parameter of greater than about 150×103 W/m in both the with-grain and against-grain directions, and the graphite so produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Tracy Albers, Douglas J. Miller, Irwin C. Lewis, David R. Ball
  • Patent number: 7658903
    Abstract: A highly isotropic graphite useful for, inter alia, nuclear applications is disclosed, which has a ash content of less than 300 ppm and a boron equivalence of less than about 2 ppm without requiring a post graphitization purification step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, David R. Ball
  • Publication number: 20090324485
    Abstract: A highly isotropic graphite useful for, inter alia, nuclear applications is disclosed, which has a ash content of less than 300 ppm and a boron equivalence of less than about 2 ppm without requiring a post graphitization purification step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, David R. Ball
  • Publication number: 20090294327
    Abstract: A reduced puffing needle coke is formed from decant oil, which includes a lesser amount of nitrogen within the coke so that carbon articles produced from such coke experience minimal expansion upon heating to graphitization temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Ching-Feng Chang, Irwin C. Lewis, Aaron Tomasek, Richard L. Shao
  • Publication number: 20090294326
    Abstract: A reduced puffing needle coke is formed, which includes a reduced nitrogen content within the coke so that the coke particles do not experience as much puffing during the formation of graphitized carbon articles produced from such coke upon heating to graphitization temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Ching-Feng Chang, Irwin C. Lewis, Richard T. Lewis, Aaron Tomasek, Richard L. Shao
  • Publication number: 20090294325
    Abstract: A reduced puffing needle coke is formed, which includes a lesser amount of nitrogen within the coke so that carbon articles produced from such coke experience minimal expansion upon heating to graphitization temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Ching-Feng Chang, Irwin C. Lewis, Aaron Tomasek, Richard L. Shao