Patents by Inventor Mark Andrew Young
Mark Andrew Young 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: 7611792Abstract: Water vapor is introduced into an inlet air stream (16) of an engine (12), for example, by a pervaporation process through a non-porous hydrophilic membrane (18). A water reservoir (20), which can contain contaminated water, provides a vapor pressure gradient across the hydrophilic membrane (18) into the inlet air stream (16), while the rate of delivery of the water vapor to a cylinder (38-40) is self-regulated by the rate of flow of air across the membrane. The hydrophilic membrane (18) therefore also filters the water from the water reservoir (20) to an extent that pure water vapor is provided to the air inlet stream (16). Delivery of water vapor can nevertheless be controlled using a hood (26) that slides over the hydrophilic membrane to limit its exposed surface area.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2002Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: Design Technology and Innovation Ltd.Inventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Mark Elden Schuchardt
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Patent number: 7494572Abstract: A mechanical water still (10) includes an impervious dome-like upper surface (12) and a membrane base (14) that is coupled (26) to the impervious dome-like structure (12) to form, when inflated, a chamber (20). The membrane base (14) supports a water pervaporation process therethrough. A water collection well (16) has an opening into which water droplets condensed from the water pervaporation process collect. The water collection well (16) is sited within the membrane base (14) and generally extends outwardly and downwardly from the membrane base (14), as shown in FIG. 1. In use, a contaminated water source (24) is brought into, ideally, complete contact with the membrane base (14), with the water collection well (16) arranged both to act as a heat sink into the water source (24) and to provide stability to the water still (10) when floating and immersed in the water source (24).Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2003Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: Design Technology and Innovation Ltd.Inventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Neil David Eckert
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Patent number: 7285324Abstract: A substantially liquid impermeable moisture vapor permeable laminate structure comprising: (i) a substrate layer comprising a woven or non-woven material, (ii) a moisture vapor control layer attached to said substrate, (iii) a tie layer comprising one or more copolymers comprising from about 30 to about 90 weight percent ethylene co-monomer units and from about 10 to about 70 weight percent vinyl acetate co-monomer units, and (iv) a layer comprising one or more copolyetherester(s) in an amount of at least 50 weight percent based on the total amount of polymer in the layer. The moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) in the direction away from the copolyetherester-containing layer and tie layer and towards the substrate is preferably greater than the MVTR in the direction away from the substrate layer and towards the tie layer and copolyetherester-containing layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2000Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyInventors: Yannick Albertone, Mark Andrew Young, Jacques Gilbert, George Ostapchenko
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Patent number: 7166224Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2003Date of Patent: January 23, 2007Assignee: Design Technology and Innovation LimitedInventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner
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Patent number: 6887385Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2003Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignees: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Design Technology and IrrigationInventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner
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Patent number: 6793824Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2001Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignees: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Design Technology and InnovationInventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner
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Publication number: 20040124145Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2003Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner
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Publication number: 20040099601Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Inventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner
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Publication number: 20030209419Abstract: A mechanical water still (10) includes an impervious dome-like upper surface (12) and a membrane base (14) that is coupled (26) to the impervious dome-like structure (12) to form, when inflated, a chamber (20). The membrane base (14) supports a water pervaporation process therethrough. A water collection well (16) has an opening into which water droplets condensed from the water pervaporation process collect. The water collection well (16) is sited within the membrane base (14) and generally extends outwardly and downwardly from the membrane base (14), as shown in FIG. 1. In use, a contaminated water source (24) is brought into, ideally, complete contact with the membrane base (14), with the water collection well (16) arranged both to act as a heat sink into the water source (24) and to provide stability to the water still (10) when floating and immersed in the water source (24).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2003Publication date: November 13, 2003Inventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Neil David Eckert
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Patent number: 6615537Abstract: A method of modifying the growth of plant roots is provided in which the roots are grown in proximity to a membrane from which water is released during the growth of the roots, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane. The method may also be used to collect materials exuded from plant roots by growing the plant roots in a growing medium that is surrounded by a membrane such that moisture is released into the growing medium from the membrane whilst materials exuded from the plant roots are retained within the growing medium by the membrane, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2002Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignees: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Design Technology and InnovationInventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner
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Publication number: 20030025219Abstract: Water vapor is introduced into an inlet air stream (16) of an engine (12), for example, by a pervaporation process through a non-porous hydrophilic membrane (18). A water reservoir (20), which can contain contaminated water, provides a vapor pressure gradient across the hydrophilic membrane (18) into the inlet air stream (16), while the rate of delivery of the water vapor to a cylinder (38-40) is self-regulated by the rate of flow of air across the membrane. The hydrophilic membrane (18) therefore also filters the water from the water reservoir (20) to an extent that pure water vapor is provided to the air inlet stream (16). Delivery of water vapor can nevertheless be controlled using a hood (26) that slides over the hydrophilic membrane to limit its exposed surface area.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2002Publication date: February 6, 2003Inventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Mark Elden Schuchardt
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Publication number: 20030019153Abstract: A method of modifying the growth of plant roots is provided in which the roots are grown in proximity to a membrane from which water is released during the growth of the roots, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane. The method may also be used to collect materials exuded from plant roots by growing the plant roots in a growing medium that is surrounded by a membrane such that moisture is released into the growing medium from the membrane whilst materials exuded from the plant roots are retained within the growing medium by the membrane, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2002Publication date: January 30, 2003Inventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner
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Patent number: 6511052Abstract: Water vapor is introduced into an inlet air stream (16) of an engine (12), for example, by a pervaporation process through a non-porous hydrophilic membrane (18). A water reservoir (20), which can contain contaminated water, provides a vapor pressure gradient across the hydrophilic membrane (18) into the inlet air stream (16), while the rate of delivery of the water vapor to a cylinder (38-40) is self-regulated by the rate of flow of air across the membrane. The hydrophilic membrane (18) therefore also filters the water from the water reservoir (20) to an extent that pure water vapor is provided to the air inlet stream (16). Delivery of water vapor can nevertheless be controlled using a hood (26) that slides over the hydrophilic membrane to limit its exposed surface area.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1999Date of Patent: January 28, 2003Assignees: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Design Technology & InnovationInventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Mark Elden Schuchardt
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Patent number: 6484439Abstract: An irrigation device is provided, the device comprising a container for water consisting of a plurality of surfaces, each surface substantially being either a hydrophilic membrane or impervious to water in all forms, and wherein at least one of the surfaces is substantially a hydrophilic membrane and at least one of the surfaces is substantially impervious to water in all forms.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1999Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignees: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Design Technology & Innovations LTDInventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner, Charles William Cahill
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Patent number: 6453610Abstract: A method of modifying the growth of plant roots is provided in which the roots are grown in proximity to a membrane from which water is released during the growth of the roots, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane. The method may also be used to collect materials exuded from plant roots by growing the plant roots in a growing medium that is surrounded by a membrane so that moisture is released into the growing medium from the membrane while materials exuded from the plant roots are retained within the growing medium by the membrane, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1999Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignees: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Design Technology & InnovationInventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner, Charles William Cahill
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Publication number: 20020130078Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2001Publication date: September 19, 2002Inventors: Mark Christopher Tonkin, Mark Andrew Young, Olaf Norbert Kirchner
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Publication number: 20020007588Abstract: A method of modifying the growth of plant roots is provided in which the roots are grown in proximity to a membrane from which water is released during the growth of the roots, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane. The method may also be used to collect materials exuded from plant roots by growing the plant roots in a growing medium that is surrounded by a membrane such that moisture is released into the growing medium from the membrane whilst materials exuded from the plant roots are retained within the growing medium by the membrane, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 1999Publication date: January 24, 2002Inventors: MARK CHISTOPHER TONKIN, MARK ANDREW YOUNG, OLAF NORBERT KIRCHNER, CHARLES WILLIAM CAHILL