Patents by Inventor Robert C. Alexander

Robert C. Alexander 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).

  • Publication number: 20240095650
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to the sortation of products using a conveyor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Robert J. Taylor, Matthew D. Alexander, William M. Propes, John C. Crecelius, JR., Jason D. Bellar
  • Patent number: 7998384
    Abstract: A spunbond nonwoven fabric useful as a topsheet is produced from polypropylene filaments including a high level of reclaimed polypropylene, while maintaining a product quality, including superior formation, comparable to that obtained when using 100 percent virgin polymer. The spunbond nonwoven fabric is made with multicomponent filaments having at least two different polymer components occupying different areas within the filament cross section, and wherein one of the polymer components comprises reclaimed polypropylene recovered from previously spun polypropylene fiber or webs comprised of previously spun polypropylene fiber. In a specific embodiment, the filaments are sheath-core bicomponent filaments and the reclaimed polypropylene is present in the core component. The core of the bicomponent filament can be comprised of up to 100% reclaimed polypropylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Fiberweb Simpsonville, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Darrell Gillespie, Daniel Deying Kong, Robert C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 7566067
    Abstract: The present invention is a trailer hitch that fits in a standard 2? receiver, which allows for the selection of three different sized balls or a tow hook in an almost instantaneous manner and consists of two main components. The first is a hitch insert that fits in the standard 2? receiver hitch and is secured in the conventional manner with a hitch pin. The insert protrudes from the receiver in a generally ā€œLā€-shaped manner. The second component is a square hitch plate with a support extending from the bottom, which is secured in the lower portion of the hitch insert. The support is drilled at regular intervals to allow hitch plate to be adjusted in height to match the height of the trailer. A series of three various sized tow balls is located in each of three corners of the hitch plate, with a tow hook located in the fourth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Inventor: Robert C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 6737009
    Abstract: A system and process for producing spunbond nonwoven fabric in which two or more polymeric components are separately melted and are separately directed through a distribution plate configured so that the separate molten polymer components combine at a multiplicity of spinnerette orifices to form filaments containing the two or more polymer components. Multicomponent filaments are extruded from the spinnerette orifices into a quench chamber where quench air is directed from a first independently controllable blower and into contact with the filaments to cool and solidify the filaments. The filaments and the quench air are directed into and through a filament attenuator and the filaments are pneumatically attenuated and stretched. The filaments are directed from the attenuator into and through a filament depositing unit and are deposited randomly upon a moving continuous air-permeable belt to form a nonwoven web of substantially continuous filaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: BBA Nonwovens Simpsonville, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas B. Taylor, Robert C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20030203698
    Abstract: A spunbond nonwoven fabric useful as a topsheet is produced from polypropylene filaments including a high level of reclaimed polypropylene, while maintaining a product quality, including superior formation, comparable to that obtained when using 100 percent virgin polymer. The spunbond nonwoven fabric is made with multicomponent filaments having at least two different polymer components occupying different areas within the filament cross section, and wherein one of the polymer components comprises reclaimed polypropylene recovered from previously spun polypropylene fiber or webs comprised of previously spun polypropylene fiber. In a specific embodiment, the filaments are sheath-core bicomponent filaments and the reclaimed polypropylene is present in the core component. The core of the bicomponent filament can be comprised of up to 100% reclaimed polypropylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: BBA Nonwoven Simpsonville, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Darrell Gillespie, Daniel Deying Kong, Robert C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20030032357
    Abstract: A spunbond nonwoven fabric useful as a topsheet is produced from polypropylene filaments including a high level of reclaimed polypropylene, while maintaining a product quality, including superior formation, comparable to that obtained when using 100 percent virgin polymer. The spunbond nonwoven fabric is made with multicomponent filaments having at least two different polymer components occupying different areas within the filament cross section, and wherein one of the polymer components comprises reclaimed polypropylene recovered from previously spun polypropylene fiber or webs comprised of previously spun polypropylene fiber. In a specific embodiment, the filaments are sheath-core bicomponent filaments and the reclaimed polypropylene is present in the core component. The core of the bicomponent filament can be comprised of up to 100% reclaimed polypropylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: BBA Nonwovens Simpsonville, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Darrell Gillespie, Daniel Deying Kong, Robert C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20020063364
    Abstract: A system and process is provided for producing spunbond nonwoven fabric. Two or more polymeric components are separately melted and are separately directed through a distribution plate configured so that the separate molten polymer components combine at a multiplicity of spinnerette orifices to form filaments containing the two or more polymer components. Multicomponent filaments are extruded from the spinnerette orifices into a quench chamber where quench air is directed from a first independently controllable blower and into contact with the filaments to cool and solidify the filaments. The filaments and the quench air are directed into and through a filament attenuator and the filaments are pneumatically attenuated and stretched. The filaments are directed from the attenuator into and through a filament depositing unit and are deposited randomly upon a moving continuous air-permeable belt to form a nonwoven web of substantially continuous filaments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: BBA Nonwovens Simpsonville, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas B. Taylor, Robert C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 5684868
    Abstract: One or more lines of a communication terminal are monitored to determine blocked calls by detecting times of incoming calls. A signal corresponding to the pattern of incoming calls is generated from the detected times. After detection of the starting time of an all lines are busy state, an estimate of blocked calls is formed from the incoming call pattern signal and the detected start of the all lines are busy state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: BTG USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 5230017
    Abstract: One or more lines of a communication terminal are monitored to determine blocked calls by detecting times of incoming calls. A signal corresponding to the pattern of incoming calls is generated from the detected times. After detection of the starting time of an all lines are busy state, an estimate of blocked calls is formed from the incoming call pattern signal and the detected start of the all lines are busy state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: British Technology Group USA
    Inventor: Robert C. Alexander