Patents by Inventor John S. Betts
John S. Betts 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: 8177106Abstract: An adjustable garment hanger including an overhead suspension element and a pair of hanger arms extending outwardly from a central housing. Arm inclination is adjustable relative to fabric being supported so as to minimize wrinkling deformation. Arms may collapse immediately downwardly on pivots to a generally vertical mode releasing the garment via its neckline opening. A central, flexible spring element includes ledges latching arms in a first, garment supporting position. When the spring element is driven upwardly or downwardly by twisting the suspension element in a mutually threaded boss, the ledges slightly adjust the arms upward or downward. Quick release tabs may be provided at an upper end of the spring element such that, when manually pressed, the ledges instantly withdraw allowing the arms to collapse and release the garment. With garment weight removed, springs attached to the arms act to bias their return to garment supporting position each collapse.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Inventor: John S. Betts
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Publication number: 20120018462Abstract: An adjustable garment hanger including an overhead suspension element and a pair of hanger arms extending outwardly from a central housing. Arm inclination is adjustable relative to fabric being supported so as to minimize wrinkling deformation. Arms may collapse immediately downwardly on pivots to a generally vertical mode releasing the garment via its neckline opening. A central, flexible spring element includes ledges latching arms in a first, garment supporting position. When the spring element is driven upwardly or downwardly by twisting the suspension element in a mutually threaded boss, the ledges slightly adjust the arms upward or downward. Quick release tabs may be provided at an upper end of the spring element such that, when manually pressed, the ledges instantly withdraw allowing the arms to collapse and release the garment. With garment weight removed, springs attached to the arms act to bias their return to garment supporting position each collapse.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2011Publication date: January 26, 2012Inventor: John S. Betts
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Publication number: 20100324770Abstract: A method of assisting a driver in aligning a vehicle hitch with a trailer hitch and electronic trailer alignment system includes providing a stereoscopic-imaging system and positioning the imaging system at one of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch. The imaging system includes at least two image sensors. At least two different images of a surface at the other of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch are captured with the at least two image sensors. Position data is captured from the at least two different images of the surface at the other of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch. The position data defines a position of the other of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch with respect to the one of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch. Steering data that will cause the vehicle hitch to approach the position of the trailer hitch is determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2008Publication date: December 23, 2010Inventors: J. Edward Ramsey, John S. Betts, James D. Lark, Brian A. Mount, Robert J. Newton
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Patent number: 7309075Abstract: A trailer hitch alignment device which allows a user to easily align a hitch of a vehicle with a trailer hitch of a trailer. The trailer hitch alignment device includes a control unit with a display that is viewable by the driver of a vehicle, a sensor releasably positioned on a ball hitch of the vehicle, and another sensor releasably positioned over a socket hitch of the trailer. At least one of the sensor and the another sensor communicates with the control unit. The control unit display displays the relative position of the sensor to the another sensor.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2005Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Inventors: J. Edward Ramsey, John S. Betts
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Patent number: 6855453Abstract: The invention is a fuel cell (20) having a corrosion resistant and protected cathode catalyst layer (24). The cathode catalyst layer (24) includes a platinum oxygen reduction catalyst and an oxygen evolution catalyst selected from the group consisting of catalysts that are more active than platinum for oxygen evolution. The oxygen evolution catalyst may be uniformly applied within the cathode catalyst layer, or non-uniformly applied to identified high corrosion areas (82) (84) of the cathode catalyst layer (24). The cathode catalyst layer (24) may include heat-treated carbon support material, and/or a heat-treated carbon black within a diffusion layer (40) supporting the cathode catalyst layer (24). The fuel cell (20) may also include an anode catalyst layer (22) having a poor oxygen reduction catalyst having a greater oxygen reduction over potential than platinum.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2002Date of Patent: February 15, 2005Assignee: UTC Fuel Cells, LLCInventors: John A. S. Bett, Ned E. Cipollini, Thomas D. Jarvi, Richard D. Breault
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Publication number: 20040126644Abstract: The invention is a fuel cell (20) having a corrosion resistant and protected cathode catalyst layer (24). The cathode catalyst layer (24) includes a platinum oxygen reduction catalyst and an oxygen evolution catalyst selected from the group consisting of catalysts that are more active than platinum for oxygen evolution. The oxygen evolution catalyst may be uniformly applied within the cathode catalyst layer, or non-uniformly applied to identified high corrosion areas (82) (84) of the cathode catalyst layer (24). The cathode catalyst layer (24) may include heat-treated carbon support material, and/or a heat-treated carbon black within a diffusion layer (40) supporting the cathode catalyst layer (24). The fuel cell (20) may also include an anode catalyst layer (22) having a poor oxygen reduction catalyst having a greater oxygen reduction over potential than platinum.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2002Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventors: John A. S. Bett, Ned E. Cipollini, Thomas D. Jarvi, Richard D. Breault
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Patent number: 6746982Abstract: The invention is a porous carbon body for a fuel cell having an electronically conductive hydrophilic agent and method of manufacture of the body. The porous carbon body comprises an electronically conductive graphite powder in an amount of between 60%-80% by weight of the body; a carbon fiber in an amount of between 5%-15% by weight of the body; a thermoset binder in an amount of between 6%-18% by weight of the body; and, a modified carbon black electronically conductive hydrophilic agent in an amount of between 2%-20% by weight of the body. The body provides for increased wettability without any decrease in electrical conductivity, and also provides for an efficient manufacture without any need for high temperature, costly steps to graphitize the body, or to incorporate post molding hydrophilic agents into pores of the body.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2001Date of Patent: June 8, 2004Assignee: UTC Fuel Cells, LLCInventors: Christopher J. Hertel, John A. S. Bett, Foster P. Lamm, Carl A. Reiser
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Publication number: 20030124414Abstract: The invention is a porous carbon body for a fuel cell having an electronically conductive hydrophilic agent and method of manufacture of the body. The porous carbon body comprises an electronically conductive graphite powder in an amount of between 60%-80% by weight of the body; a carbon fiber in an amount of between 5%-15% by weight of the body; a thermoset binder in an amount of between 6%-18% by weight of the body; and, a modified carbon black electronically conductive hydrophilic agent in an amount of between 2%-20% by weight of the body. The body provides for increased wettability without any decrease in electrical conductivity, and also provides for an efficient manufacture without any need for high temperature, costly steps to graphitize the body, or to incorporate post molding hydrophilic agents into pores of the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2001Publication date: July 3, 2003Inventors: Christopher J. Hertel, John A.S. Bett, Foster P. Lamm, Carl A. Reiser
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Patent number: 5840414Abstract: Solid polymer membrane fuel cell product water which forms on the oxidant side of the membrane is removed from the active area of the cells in a fuel cell power plant by being absorbed into and wicked away from the active area by a porous carbon body which contacts the membrane. The carbon body may be an oxidant reactant flow field plate. The pores in the carbon body are partially filled with metal oxide granules which impart increased wettability and water absorption capacity to the carbon body.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 1996Date of Patent: November 24, 1998Assignee: International Fuel Cells, Inc.Inventors: John A. S. Bett, Douglas J. Wheeler, Calvin Bushnell
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Patent number: 4755498Abstract: High activity sulfur tolerant steam reforming catalysts are described comprising iridium, palladium or platinum supported on lanthanum stabilized alumina or magnesium promoted lanthanum stabilized alumina. The catalysts have improved activity over conventionally used catalysts in the presence of sulfur containing hydrocarbon fuels, particularly in a steam reforming environment. The catalysts have utility in autothermal, tubular, cyclic and adiabatic steam reforming processes.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1987Date of Patent: July 5, 1988Assignee: International Fuel Cells CorporationInventors: Herbert J. Setzer, Sam Karavolis, John A. S. Bett
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Patent number: 4693882Abstract: High activity sulfur tolerant steam reforming catalysts are described comprising iridium, palladium or platinum supported on lanthanum stabilized alumina or magnesium promoted lanthanum stabilized alumina. The catalysts have improved activity over conventionally used catalysts in the presence of sulfur containing hydrocarbon fuels, particularly in a steam reforming environment. The catalysts have utility in autothermal, tubular, cyclic and adiabatic steam reforming processes.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 1986Date of Patent: September 15, 1987Assignee: International Fuel Cells CorporationInventors: Herbert J. Setzer, Sam Karavolis, John A. S. Bett
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Patent number: 4522802Abstract: High activity steam reforming iron oxide catalysts are described. Such catalysts can be unsupported utilizing at least 90% by weight iron oxide and various modifiers (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, K.sub.2 O, CaO, SiO.sub.2) or unmodified and supported on such things as alumina, CaO impregnated alumina, and lanthanum stabilized alumina. When used in steam reformers such as autothermal and tubular steam reformers, these catalysts demonstrate much improved resistance to carbon plugging.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1983Date of Patent: June 11, 1985Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Herbert J. Setzer, John A. S. Bett, Roger R. Lesieur
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Patent number: 4451578Abstract: High activity steam reforming iron oxide catalysts are described. Such catalysts can be unsupported utilizing at least 90% by weight iron oxide and various modifiers (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, K.sub.2 O, CaO, SiO.sub.2) or unmodified and supported on such things as alumina, CaO impregnated alumina, and lanthanum stabilized alumina. When used in steam reformers such as autothermal and tubular steam reformers, these catalysts demonstrate much improved resistance to carbon plugging.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1982Date of Patent: May 29, 1984Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Herbert J. Setzer, John A. S. Bett, Roger R. Lesieur