Patents by Inventor Howard J. Walls
Howard J. Walls 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: 8884507Abstract: A fiber-based reflective lighting device and a lighting device. The fiber-based reflective lighting device includes a source configured to generate a primary light, a mat of reflective fibers which diffusely reflects light upon illumination with at least the primary light, and a light exit configured to emanate the reflected light. The lighting device includes a housing, a source configured to generate primary light and direct the primary light into the housing, a reflective mat of fibers disposed inside the housing at a position to reflect the primary light, and a light exit in the housing configured to emanate the reflected light from the housing.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2010Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: James Lynn Davis, Howard J. Walls, Karmann Mills, Vijay Gupta, Michael Kasper Lamvik
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Patent number: 8847487Abstract: A device for stimulable light emission that includes a fiber mat of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter in a range between 100 and 2000 nm, and includes plural stimulable particles disposed in association with the nanofibers. The stimulable particles produce secondary light emission upon receiving primary light at a wavelength ?. The average fiber diameter is comparable in size to the wavelength ? in order to provide scattering sites within the fiber mat for the primary light. Various methods for making suitable luminescent nanofiber mats include: electrospinning a polymer solution including or not including the stimulable particles and forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having an average fiber diameter between 100 and 2000 nm. Methods, which electrospin without the stimulable particles, introduce the stimulable particles during electrospinning or after electrospinning to the fibers and therefore to the resultant fiber mat.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2013Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Research Triangle InsituteInventors: James Lynn Davis, Anthony L. Andrady, David S. Ensor, Li Han, Howard J. Walls
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Publication number: 20140287230Abstract: A fiber media and a filter device. The fiber media has a plurality of nanofibers formed of a polymer material, having diameters less than 1 micron, and formed into a fiber mat. A barrier layer is disposed on the nanofibers to prevent dissolution of the nanofibers in the fiber mat upon exposure of the fiber mat to a solvent of the polymer material. The barrier layer coated nanofibers have a maximum strain before breakage of at least 2%. The filter device includes the fiber media and a support attached to the fiber mat.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2012Publication date: September 25, 2014Applicants: RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Howard J. Walls, David S. Ensor, Christopher J. Oldham, Gregory N. Parsons
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Patent number: 8652229Abstract: A filtration device including a filtration medium having a plurality of nanofibers of diameters less than 1 micron formed into a fiber mat in the presence of an abruptly varying electric field. The filtration device includes a support attached to the filtration medium and having openings for fluid flow therethrough. A device for making a filter material. The device includes an electrospinning element configured to electrospin a plurality of fibers from a tip of the electrospinning element, a collector opposed to the electrospinning element configured to collect electrospun fibers on a surface of the collector, and an electric field modulation device configured to abruptly vary an electric field at the collector at least once during electrospinning of the fibers. A method for making a filter material.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2009Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: David S. Ensor, Howard J. Walls, Anthony L. Andrady, Teri A. Walker
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Publication number: 20130308334Abstract: A device for stimulable light emission that includes a fiber mat of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter in a range between 100 and 2000 nm, and includes plural stimulable particles disposed in association with the nanofibers. The stimulable particles produce secondary light emission upon receiving primary light at a wavelength ?. The average fiber diameter is comparable in size to the wavelength ? in order to provide scattering sites within the fiber mat for the primary light. Various methods for making suitable luminescent nanofiber mats include: electrospinning a polymer solution including or not including the stimulable particles and forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having an average fiber diameter between 100 and 2000 nm. Methods, which electrospin without the stimulable particles, introduce the stimulable particles during electrospinning or after electrospinning to the fibers and therefore to the resultant fiber mat.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTEInventors: James Lynn DAVIS, Anthony L. Andrady, David S. Ensor, Li Han, Howard J. Walls
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Publication number: 20120281428Abstract: A fiber-based reflective lighting device and a lighting device. The fiber-based reflective lighting device includes a source configured to generate a primary light, a mat of reflective fibers which diffusely reflects light upon illumination with at least the primary light, and a light exit configured to emanate the reflected light. The lighting device includes a housing, a source configured to generate primary light and direct the primary light into the housing, a reflective mat of fibers disposed inside the housing at a position to reflect the primary light, and a light exit in the housing configured to emanate the reflected light from the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2010Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTEInventors: James Lynn Davis, Howard J. Walls, Karmann Mills, Vijay Gupta, Michael Kasper Lamvik
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Publication number: 20120045752Abstract: A bioparticle collection device and an aerosol collection system. The bioparticle collection device includes a collection medium including a plurality of fibers formed into a fiber mat and configured to collect bioparticles thereon, and includes a viability enhancing material provider disposed in a vicinity of the plurality of fibers and configured to provide a viability enhancing material to the collected bioparticles to maintain viability of the bioparticles collected by the fiber mat. The aerosol collection system includes an aerosol pumping device configured to entrain particles in an gas stream, an aerosol saturation device configured to saturate the particles in the gas stream with a biocompatible liquid, and an aerosol collection medium downstream from the aerosol saturation device and including a plurality of fibers formed into a fiber mat for collection of the saturated aerosol particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2011Publication date: February 23, 2012Applicant: Reseach Triangle InstituteInventors: David S. ENSOR, Howard J. Walls, Karin K. Foarde
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Patent number: 7999455Abstract: A device for stimulable light emission that includes a fiber mat of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter in a range between 100 and 2000 nm, and includes plural stimulable particles disposed in association with the nanofibers. The stimulable particles produce secondary light emission upon receiving primary light at a wavelength ?. The average fiber diameter is comparable in size to the wavelength ? in order to provide scattering sites within the fiber mat for the primary light. Various methods for making suitable luminescent nanofiber mats include: electrospinning a polymer solution including or not including the stimulable particles and forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having an average fiber diameter between 100 and 2000 nm. Methods, which electrospin without the stimulable particles, introduce the stimulable particles during electrospinning or after electrospinning to the fibers and therefore to the resultant fiber mat.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2006Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: James Lynn Davis, Anthony L. Andrady, David S. Ensor, Li Han, Howard J. Walls
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Publication number: 20110174158Abstract: A filtration device including a filtration medium having a plurality of nanofibers of diameters less than 1 micron formed into a fiber mat in the presence of an abruptly varying electric field during electrospinning of the plurality of nanofibers. The nanofibers retain charge in the filtration medium from the electrospinning. The filtration device includes a support attached to the filtration medium and having openings for fluid flow therethrough. A method for making a filter material. The method provides a support having openings for fluid flow therethrough, electrospins nanofibers across an entirety of the openings, abruptly varies an electric field at the collector at least once during electrospinning of the fibers, and retains charge on the nanofibers after formation of the filtration medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2009Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: Howard J. Walls, David S. Ensor, Anthony L. Andrady, Teri A. Walker
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Patent number: 7789930Abstract: A filtration device including a filtration medium having a plurality of nanofibers of diameters less than 1 micron formed into a fiber mat in the presence of an abruptly varying electric field. The filtration device includes a support attached to the filtration medium and having openings for fluid flow therethrough. A device for making a filter material. The device includes an electrospinning element configured to electrospin a plurality of fibers from a tip of the electrospinning element, a collector opposed to the electrospinning element configured to collect electrospun fibers on a surface of the collector, and an electric field modulation device configured to abruptly vary an electric field at the collector at least once during electrospinning of the fibers. A method for making a filter material.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2006Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: David S. Ensor, Howard J. Walls, Anthony L. Andrady, Teri A. Walker
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Publication number: 20100209602Abstract: A device for stimulable light emission that includes a fiber mat of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter in a range between 100 and 2000 nm, and includes plural stimulable particles disposed in association with the nanofibers. The stimulable particles produce secondary light emission upon receiving primary light at a wavelength ?. The average fiber diameter is comparable in size to the wavelength ? in order to provide scattering sites within the fiber mat for the primary light. Various methods for making suitable luminescent nanofiber mats include: electrospinning a polymer solution including or not including the stimulable particles and forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having an average fiber diameter between 100 and 2000 nm. Methods, which electrospin without the stimulable particles, introduce the stimulable particles during electrospinning or after electrospinning to the fibers and therefore to the resultant fiber mat.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2010Publication date: August 19, 2010Applicant: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: James Lynn Davis, Anthony L. Adrady, David S. Ensor, Li Han, Howard J. Walls
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Publication number: 20100177518Abstract: An optical device having a mat including plural nanofibers configured to transmit light having wavelengths above a cutoff wavelength and to reject light at wavelengths below the cutoff wavelength. The nanofibers have an average fiber diameter comparable in size to the cutoff wavelength.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2008Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTEInventors: Howard J. Walls, James Lynn Davis, David S. Ensor
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Publication number: 20100031617Abstract: A filtration device including a filtration medium having a plurality of nanofibers of diameters less than 1 micron formed into a fiber mat in the presence of an abruptly varying electric field. The filtration device includes a support attached to the filtration medium and having openings for fluid flow therethrough. A device for making a filter material. The device includes an electrospinning element configured to electrospin a plurality of fibers from a tip of the electrospinning element, a collector opposed to the electrospinning element configured to collect electrospun fibers on a surface of the collector, and an electric field modulation device configured to abruptly vary an electric field at the collector at least once during electrospinning of the fibers. A method for making a filter material.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2009Publication date: February 11, 2010Applicant: Research Triangle InsituteInventors: DAVID S. ENSOR, Howard J. Walls, Anthony L. Andrady, Teri A. Walker
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Publication number: 20080110342Abstract: A filtration device including a filtration medium having a plurality of nanofibers of diameters less than 1 micron formed into a fiber mat in the presence of an abruptly varying electric field. The filtration device includes a support attached to the filtration medium and having openings for fluid flow therethrough. A device for making a filter material. The device includes an electrospinning element configured to electrospin a plurality of fibers from a tip of the electrospinning element, a collector opposed to the electrospinning element configured to collect electrospun fibers on a surface of the collector, and an electric field modulation device configured to abruptly vary an electric field at the collector at least once during electrospinning of the fibers. A method for making a filter material.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2006Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: David S. Ensor, Howard J. Walls, Anthony L. Andrady, Teri A. Walker
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Publication number: 20080113214Abstract: A device for stimulable light emission that includes a fiber mat of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter in a range between 100 and 2000 nm, and includes plural stimulable particles disposed in association with the nanofibers. The stimulable particles produce secondary light emission upon receiving primary light at a wavelength ?. The average fiber diameter is comparable in size to the wavelength ? in order to provide scattering sites within the fiber mat for the primary light. Various methods for making suitable luminescent nanofiber mats include: electrospinning a polymer solution including or not including the stimulable particles and forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having an average fiber diameter between 100 and 2000 nm. Methods, which electrospin without the stimulable particles, introduce the stimulable particles during electrospinning or after electrospinning to the fibers and therefore to the resultant fiber mat.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2006Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: James Lynn Davis, Anthony L. Adrady, David S. Ensor, Li Han, Howard J. Walls