Patents by Inventor Robert B. Wilson

Robert B. Wilson 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: 6544919
    Abstract: Novel compounds are provided that are useful as catalysts, particularly in the polymerization of addition polymerizable monomers such as olefinic or vinyl monomers. The compounds are multinuclear complexes of transition metals coordinated to at least one unsaturated nitrogenous ligand. Catalyst systems containing the novel compounds in combination with a catalyst activator are provided as well, as are methods of using the novel compounds in the preparation of polyolefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Christopher D. Tagge, Robert B. Wilson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6534610
    Abstract: Hydrolytically degradable olefin copolymers, such as ethylene copolymers, contain a hydrolyzable component in the backbone that allows the copolymer to be broken down into dispersable fragments upon exposure to aqueous conditions. The copolymers are prepared by transition metal-catalyzed polymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Robert B. Wilson, Jr., Sigridur Jonasdottir
  • Patent number: 6509485
    Abstract: A process is provided for use in the conversion of alkanes into alkylene oxides, having particular utility in the conversion of propane to form propylene oxide, using a lanthanide-promoted, supported, silver catalyst prepared via precipitation. A preferred embodiment uses silver nitrate and lanthanum nitrate to form the catalyst on a BaCO3 support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Guido Mul, Marianna F. Asaro, Albert S. Hirschon, Robert B. Wilson, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20020161249
    Abstract: A process is provided for use in the conversion of alkanes into alkylene oxides, having particular utility in the conversion of propane to form propylene oxide, using a lanthanide-promoted, supported, silver catalyst prepared via precipitation. A preferred embodiment uses silver nitrate and lanthanum nitrate to form the catalyst on a BaCO3 support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Guido Mul, Marianna F. Asaro, Albert S. Hirschon, Robert B. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6451239
    Abstract: A method for forming hooks for a hook and loop fastener on an item extending from a portion of the item, forming the hooks with the item from material of the item that is melted into tubelets bent to an included angle of less than 90 degrees, by heat generated by the material in response to radio frequency energy passed into the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Inventor: Robert B. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6398748
    Abstract: A non-radio frequency energy sensitive sheet shaped to cover a palm and wrist is wrapped over a radio frequency energy sensitive sheet, a splint, attachment strap first ends, and a rod configured to receive the other ends of the attachment straps around the rod, and radio frequency energy is injected into the wrap by a mold having non-radio frequency energy sensitive press walls kept below sheet melting temperature until the second sheet is fused to itself around the splint and around the rod and bonded to the first sheet by the radio frequency generated heat provided by the second sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Inventor: Robert B. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6392066
    Abstract: A process is provided for use in the epoxidation of olefins, having particular utility in the epoxidation of propylene to form propylene oxide, using a lanthanide-promoted, supported, silver catalyst prepared via precipitation. A preferred embodiment uses silver nitrate and lanthanum nitrate to form the catalyst on a BaCO3 support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Guido Mul, Marianna F. Asaro, Albert S. Hirschon, Robert B. Wilson, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20020058583
    Abstract: Novel compounds are provided which are useful as catalysts, particularly in the polymerization of addition polymerizable monomers such as olefinic or vinyl monomers. The compounds are complexes of a mid-transition metal coordinated to at least two ligands, at least one of which is an unsaturated nitrogenous ligand. Depending on ligand substitution, stereospecific catalysts can be provided, including isospecific catalysts and syndiospecific catalysts. Catalyst systems containing the novel compounds in combination with a catalyst activator are provided as well, as are methods of using the novel compounds in the preparation of polyolefins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Christopher D. Tagge, Robert B. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20020045190
    Abstract: This invention relates to encoding methods using up-converting phosphors for high-throughput screening of catalysts. In particular, the invention relates to polymerization catalysts. In one embodiment of the invention, a monomer is combined with at least one labeled catalyst particle. The labeled catalyst particle comprises an up-converting phosphor label and a catalyst. The up-converting phosphor label identifies a particular catalyst. The monomer is polymerized to form a polymer bead surrounding the labeled catalyst particle. According to the invention, it is possible to combine two or more labeled catalyst particles in a commercially relevant large scale reactor to obtain direct comparison of different catalysts, and to avoid reactor effects that may occur when performed on the microscale. After the reaction, the resulting polymer beads are sorted, based on their size and/or phosphor labels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Robert B. Wilson, Christopher D. Tagge, Naheed Mufti
  • Patent number: 6369253
    Abstract: A method is provided for synthesizing metallocene compounds useful as polymerization catalysts and the like. The method involves (a) preparation of an amino alcohol-derived ligand by reacting a silane reactant with an amino alcohol in the presence of base, followed by (b) metallation of the ligand so provided. The metallocenes may be provided in chiral form when the amino alcohol contains an asymmetric center, and are thus useful in catalyzing stereospecific polymerization and other stereospecific bond formation reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Robert B. Wilson Jr., Gary A. Koolpe
  • Patent number: 6355746
    Abstract: Novel compounds are provided which are useful as catalysts, particularly in the polymerization of addition polymerizable monomers such as olefinic or vinyl monomers. The compounds are complexes of a mid-transition metal coordinated to at least two ligands, at least one of which is an unsaturated nitrogenous ligand. Depending on ligand substitution, stereospecific catalysts can be provided, including isospecific catalysts and syndiospecific catalysts. Catalyst systems containing the novel compounds in combination with a catalyst activator are provided as well, as are methods of using the novel compounds in the preparation of polyolefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Christopher D. Tagge, Robert B. Wilson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6288184
    Abstract: Hydrolytically degradable olefin copolymers, such as ethylene copolymers, contain a hydrolyzable component in the backbone that allows the copolymer to be broken down into dispersable fragments upon exposure to aqueous conditions. The copolymers are prepared by transition metal-catalyzed polymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Robert B. Wilson, Jr., Sigridur Jonasdottir
  • Patent number: 6096677
    Abstract: Novel metallocene compounds are provided which are useful as polymerization catalysts, particularly in the polymerization of addition polymerizable monomers such as olefinic or vinyl monomers. Preferred polymer compositions prepared using the novel catalysts are bimodal or multimodal in nature, typically having a bimodal or multimodal molecular weight distribution. The metallocenes are binuclear or multinuclear, and contain two or more chemically distinct active sites. Methods for synthesizing the novel catalysts are also provided, as are methods for using the novel compounds as homogeneous or heterogeneous polymerization catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventor: Robert B. Wilson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6072014
    Abstract: A process is provided for preparing polymer compositions which are multimodal in nature. The process involves contacting, under polymerization conditions, a selected addition polymerizable monomer with a metallocene catalyst having two or more distinct and chemically different active sites, and a catalyst activator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventor: Robert B. Wilson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6048992
    Abstract: A method is provided for synthesizing metallocene compounds useful as polymerization catalysts and the like. The method involves (a) preparation of an amino alcohol-derived ligand by reacting a silane reactant with an amino alcohol in the presence of base, followed by (b) metallation of the ligand so provided. The metallocenes may be provided in chiral form when the amino alcohol contains an asymmetric center, and are thus useful in catalyzing stereospecific polymerization and other stereospecific bond formation reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Robert B. Wilson, Jr., Gary A. Koolpe
  • Patent number: 5986024
    Abstract: A process is provided for preparing polymer compositions which are multimodal in nature. The process involves contacting, under polymerization conditions, a selected addition polymerizable monomer with a metallocene catalyst having two or more distinct and chemically different active sites, and a catalyst activator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventor: Robert B. Wilson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5962364
    Abstract: A method for converting ?MoCp(CO).sub.3 !.sub.2, in which at least one of the Cp groups has a substitutent having a carbonyl or carboxyl group and the compound has a Mo--Mo single bond, into a resinous supported material having repeating units of the formula (MoCp).sub.2 S.sub.4. The repeating units have four bridging sulfido ligands between the two molybdenum atoms, and the repeating units are joined to each other by bridging-sulfide ligands. The method comprises reacting the molybdenum carbonyl dimer with elemental sulfur in a solvent for the starting material at a temperature between 110-120.degree. C. in the presence of a solid adsorbent support. The resinous material may be further hydrogenated, the hydrogenated material may be further reacted to form a material having a carboxyl-containing methanedithiolate ligand, and this latter material may be further hydrolyzed. The molybdenum sulfide dimers are useful for separation, purification, and recovery of unsaturated hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: BP Amoco Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Wilson, Jr., Yuhua Du, David Bomberger
  • Patent number: 5951190
    Abstract: A die-cut sheet of material is folded in three and clamped by a ring binder mechanism so that two panels formed by the folding are pressed to a third panel that is between the folds, forming a binder cover leaf on each side of the mechanism. The ends of the folded panels are spaced from the fold lines, and may be fastened together to form a horizontal pocket, a vertical pocket, or horizontal and vertical pockets in both leafs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Specialty Loose Leaf, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert B. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5941571
    Abstract: In an element for a book which includes a sheet having a slit configured for receiving an item through the sheet, the improvement includes the slit going to two folds of the sheet along fold lines that are transverse to the slit, the folds being at angles that are 90 degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Specialty Loose Leaf, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Wilson, Frederick Christian Schweitzer
  • Patent number: 5938241
    Abstract: A plurality of U-shaped springs are hingedly attached by the arms of the U to a pair of covers forming a hinge on each cover and a channel configured to receive an article in the channel through the hinges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Specialty Loose Leaf, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert B. Wilson