Patents by Inventor Michael Merwin

Michael Merwin 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: 11945929
    Abstract: A macroporous-structured polymeric aerogel, and methods for making and using the same, having a polymeric matrix that includes macropores is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: BLUESHIFT MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Garrett Poe, Alan Sakaguchi, Michael Merwin, Kenneth Koldan, David J. Irvin
  • Patent number: 11931999
    Abstract: A composite comprising a non-fibrous organic polymer aerogel layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface and a support layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface is disclosed. An interface can be formed between a portion of the first surface of the aerogel layer and a portion of the second surface of the support layer such that the aerogel and support layers are attached to one another. A majority of the volume of the aerogel layer does not have to include the support layer. The composite can have a thickness of 3 mils to 16 mils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: BLUESHIFT MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Alan Sakaguchi, Garrett Poe, Michael Merwin
  • Patent number: 11840659
    Abstract: A heat exchanging thermal liquid container system that comprises a main body at least partially defining a liquid reservoir structured and operable to retain a liquid, and a phase change material (PCM) liner comprising a PCM liner PCM having a selected melting temperature, and/or at least one PCM pod. Each of the at least one PCM pod(s) comprising a respective PCM pod PCM having a respective selected melting temperature. Wherein the PCM liner and/or the at least one PCM pod are disposable within the liquid reservoir such that when a liquid is disposed within the liquid reservoir the liquid will contact at least one of the PCM liner and the at least one PCM pod such that thermal energy can be exchanged between the liquid and the respective at least one of the PCM liner PCM and the at least one PCM pod PCM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Hongbin Ma, Michael Merwin, Hao Bai, Xiaoqin Liu, Robert L Riegler, Christopher J. Vincent
  • Patent number: 11672381
    Abstract: A drinking container system with multiple temperature zones, wherein the container system includes a main body having a sidewall and a bottom that define a phase change material (PCM) module receptacle, and a phase change material (PCM) module having a sidewall that defines a beverage chamber. The PCM module is disposable within the PCM module receptacle such that a beverage egress flow path is defined between the main body sidewall and the PCM module sidewall. The flow path formed in the container can make the beverage achieve the desired drinking temperature. The PCM module sidewall is at least partially filled with a phase change material and is structured and operable to provide a plurality temperature zones within the beverage chamber. Each temperature zone is operable to maintain a temperature of a respective portion of a liquid disposed within the beverage chamber within a respective temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
    Inventors: Hongbin Ma, Michael Merwin, Hao Bai, Robert Riegler, Christopher Vincent, Susan Liu
  • Patent number: 11603238
    Abstract: A beverage container lid comprising a body having drinking hole and an air hole, and a slide-seal automatic Open and Close retention mechanism that comprises a sealing arm pivotally connected to the body, a movement and position retention linkage structured and operable to move the sealing arm between an Opened and a Closed position, a control mechanism slidingly disposed within the body and operably connected to the movement and position retention linkage such that movement of the control mechanism will control movement of the sealing arm between the Opened and Closed positions, and a biasing device structured and operable to exert constant force on the sealing arm, such that force exerted by the biasing device in combination with the structure and operation of the movement and position retention linkage will selectively retain the sealing arm in the Opened position and in the Closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
    Inventors: Hongbin Ma, Hao Bai, Michael Merwin, Christopher Vincent
  • Publication number: 20220063240
    Abstract: A composite comprising a non-fibrous organic polymer aerogel layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface and a support layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface is disclosed. An interface can be formed between a portion of the first surface of the aerogel layer and a portion of the second surface of the support layer such that the aerogel and support layers are attached to one another. A majority of the volume of the aerogel layer does not have to include the support layer. The composite can have a thickness of 3 mils to 16 mils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Alan SAKAGUCHI, Garrett POE, Michael MERWIN
  • Publication number: 20220017801
    Abstract: A heat exchanging thermal liquid container system that comprises a main body at least partially defining a liquid reservoir structured and operable to retain a liquid, and a phase change material (PCM) liner comprising a PCM liner PCM having a selected melting temperature, and/or at least one PCM pod. Each of the at least one PCM pod(s) comprising a respective PCM pod PCM having a respective selected melting temperature. Wherein the PCM liner and/or the at least one PCM pod are disposable within the liquid reservoir such that when a liquid is disposed within the liquid reservoir the liquid will contact at least one of the PCM liner and the at least one PCM pod such that thermal energy can be exchanged between the liquid and the respective at least one of the PCM liner PCM and the at least one PCM pod PCM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: HONGBIN MA, MICHAEL MERWIN, HAO BAI, XIAOQIN LIU, ROBERT L. RIEGLER, CHRISTOPHER J. VINCENT
  • Patent number: 11192331
    Abstract: Internally reinforced aerogels, articles of manufacture and uses thereof are described. An internally reinforced aerogel includes an aerogel having a support at least partially penetrating the aerogel and having the aerogel penetrating the porous structure of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: BLUESHIFT MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Alan Sakaguchi, Garrett Poe, Michael Merwin
  • Publication number: 20210321688
    Abstract: A single use disposable respirator fit test hood includes front and rear panels joined together along a left and right side edges, and a top edge with an adhesive, particularly a Pressure Sensitive Adhesive. The front panel is provided with an aperture through which test substances are introduced into interior cavity defined by the front and back panels. The test subject inserts their head through an opening defined by the bottom edges of the front and rear panels. During fabrication, shoulder pieces are cut off the front and rear panels to give the bottom edges a generally truncated V-shape. A portion of each shaped bottom edge rests on the test subject's shoulders. The hood is able to remain upright because of the thickness of the film used for the front and rear panels and the presence of the strips of pressure sensitive adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: FLEXcon Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Merwin
  • Patent number: 11142675
    Abstract: A heat exchanging thermal liquid container system that comprises a main body at least partially defining a liquid reservoir structured and operable to retain a liquid, and a phase change material (PCM) liner comprising a PCM liner PCM having a selected melting temperature, and/or at least one PCM pod. Each of the at least one PCM pod(s) comprising a respective PCM pod PCM having a respective selected melting temperature. Wherein the PCM liner and/or the at least one PCM pod are disposable within the liquid reservoir such that when a liquid is disposed within the liquid reservoir the liquid will contact at least one of the PCM liner and the at least one PCM pod such that thermal energy can be exchanged between the liquid and the respective at least one of the PCM liner PCM and the at least one PCM pod PCM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Hongbin Ma, Michael Merwin, Hao Bai, Xiaoqin Liu, Robert Riegler, Chris Vincent
  • Publication number: 20200400380
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides an oscillating heat pipe, wherein the oscillating heat pipe comprises a 3-phase working fluid that includes at least one liquid phase portion, at least one vapor phase portion, and at least one solid phase portion, wherein in addition to a phase change between liquid and vapor, there is also a phase change from solid to liquid during a heat transfer process involving the oscillating heat pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Hongbin Ma, Michael Merwin, Adalberto Aviles, Tingting Hao
  • Publication number: 20200377272
    Abstract: A beverage container lid comprising a body having drinking hole and an air hole, and a slide-seal automatic Open and Close retention mechanism that comprises a sealing arm pivotally connected to the body, a movement and position retention linkage structured and operable to move the sealing arm between an Opened and a Closed position, a control mechanism slidingly disposed within the body and operably connected to the movement and position retention linkage such that movement of the control mechanism will control movement of the sealing arm between the Opened and Closed positions, and a biasing device structured and operable to exert constant force on the sealing arm, such that force exerted by the biasing device in combination with the structure and operation of the movement and position retention linkage will selectively retain the sealing arm in the Opened position and in the Closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Hongbin Ma, Hao Bai, Michael Merwin, Christopher Vincent
  • Publication number: 20200199323
    Abstract: A macroporous-structured polymeric aerogel, and methods for making and using the same, having a polymeric matrix that includes macropores is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Garrett POE, Alan SAKAGUCHI, Michael MERWIN, Kenneth KOLDAN, David J. IRVIN
  • Publication number: 20200164330
    Abstract: Internally reinforced aerogels, articles of manufacture and uses thereof are described. An internally reinforced aerogel includes an aerogel having a support at least partially penetrating the aerogel and having the aerogel penetrating the porous structure of the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Alan SAKAGUCHI, Garrett POE, Michael MERWIN
  • Publication number: 20200008623
    Abstract: A drinking container system with multiple temperature zones, wherein the container system includes a main body having a sidewall and a bottom that define a phase change material (PCM) module receptacle, and a phase change material (PCM) module having a sidewall that defines a beverage chamber. The PCM module is disposable within the PCM module receptacle such that a beverage egress flow path is defined between the main body sidewall and the PCM module sidewall. The flow path formed in the container can make the beverage achieve the desired drinking temperature. The PCM module sidewall is at least partially filled with a phase change material and is structured and operable to provide a plurality temperature zones within the beverage chamber. Each temperature zone is operable to maintain a temperature of a respective portion of a liquid disposed within the beverage chamber within a respective temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Hongbin Ma, Michael Merwin, Hao Bai, Robert Riegler, Christopher Vincent, Susan Liu
  • Patent number: 10500557
    Abstract: Internally reinforced aerogels, articles of manufacture and uses thereof are described. An internally reinforced aerogel includes an aerogel having a support at least partially penetrating the aerogel and having the aerogel penetrating the porous structure of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: BLUESHIFT MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Alan Sakaguchi, Garrett Poe, Michael Merwin
  • Publication number: 20180290118
    Abstract: Internally reinforced aerogels, articles of manufacture and uses thereof are described. An internally reinforced aerogel includes an aerogel having a support at least partially penetrating the aerogel and having the aerogel penetrating the porous structure of the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Sakaguchi, Garrett Poe, Michael Merwin
  • Publication number: 20180171197
    Abstract: A heat exchanging thermal liquid container system that comprises a main body at least partially defining a liquid reservoir structured and operable to retain a liquid, and a phase change material (PCM) liner comprising a PCM liner PCM having a selected melting temperature, and/or at least one PCM pod. Each of the at least one PCM pod(s) comprising a respective PCM pod PCM having a respective selected melting temperature. Wherein the PCM liner and/or the at least one PCM pod are disposable within the liquid reservoir such that when a liquid is disposed within the liquid reservoir the liquid will contact at least one of the PCM liner and the at least one PCM pod such that thermal energy can be exchanged between the liquid and the respective at least one of the PCM liner PCM and the at least one PCM pod PCM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Hongbin Ma, Michael Merwin, Hao Bai, Xiaoqin Liu, Robert Riegler, Chris Vincent
  • Patent number: D496399
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Societe Bic
    Inventors: Gregory Hoffmann, Michael Kent, Michael Merwin