Patents by Inventor Robert J. Newman

Robert J. Newman 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: 11991796
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
  • Publication number: 20240114605
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
  • Publication number: 20160233784
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Robert J. Newman, JR., Christopher J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
  • Patent number: 4816137
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for controlling movement of a vertically movable plug valve with respect to a bottom open end of a riser conduit of a catalytic conversion apparatus during startup and shutdown. The method involves sensing the pressure between the communicating surfaces of the plug valve and the riser conduit as the riser conduit expands or contracts due to thermal changes experienced during startup and shutdown. When the riser conduit expands and causes the pressure to exceed a preselected range, the position of the plug valve with respect to the riser conduit is lowered to reduce the pressure to within the range. When the riser conduit contracts and causes the pressure to fall below the preselected range, the position of the plug valve with respect to the riser conduit is raised to prevent catalyst flow through the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: Total Engineering and Research Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Swint, Robert J. Newman
  • Patent number: 4601814
    Abstract: A process is described for converting residual oil with fluid catalyst particles which comprises passing an upflowing suspension of fluid catalyst particles at an elevated temperature upwardy through a riser reaction zone/atomizing a residual oil feed to be converted to a particle size commensurate with the particle size of the catalyst particles in the upflowing suspension; discharging the atomized residual oil at a velocity in excess of 300 ft./sec. for contact with said upflowing catalyst particle suspension; maintaining the temperature of contact between said catalyst particles and said atomized residual oil feed suspension sufficiently elevated to obtain up to 50 percent thermal conversion of the atomized oil feed and catalytic conversion thereof by an order of magnitude greater than obtainable with a less atomized oil feed; and separating the suspension vaporous products of the previous step from catalyst particles in a time frame less than two seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1986
    Assignee: Total Engineering and Research Company
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Mauleon, Robert J. Newman
  • Patent number: 4556479
    Abstract: A process for the clean-up of particulate containing gases is provided wherein a difference in pressures between the pressure of particulate-containing gases in the inlet to cyclone separation means and the pressure in an underflow exit is maintained and controlled. In a preferred embodiment, the particulate-containing gases comprise flue gas from a catalyst regeneration process comprising two separate regeneration zones comprising a low temperature regeneration zone followed by a higher temperature regeneration zone. A CO rich flue gas is recovered from the low temperature regeneration zone and a CO.sub.2 rich flue gas is recovered from the higher temperature regeneration zone. The high temperature CO.sub.2 rich flue gas is passed through a heat exchanger to produce steam and cool the CO.sub.2 rich flue gas. The cooled CO.sub.2 rich flue gas is passed through cyclone separators to capture catalyst particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1985
    Assignee: Total Engineering and Research Company
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Mauleon, Robert J. Newman, Alan J. Black
  • Patent number: 4434049
    Abstract: The invention described is directed to the fluid catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons and is concerned particularly with the method and means for obtaining atomized-vaporized contact of residual oils and reduced crudes with high temperature dispersed phase fluid catalyst particles. More particularly, one embodiment of the invention is directed to atomizing an oil-water emulsion thereafter discharged into up-flowing dispersed phase catalyst particles at velocities up to sonic velocities to form a suspension under hydrocarbon conversion conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1984
    Inventors: Robert R. Dean, Jean L. Mauleon, Robert J. Newman
  • Patent number: 4427537
    Abstract: The invention described is concerned with atomizing an oil fraction of crude oil to provide a fog of oil droplets in diluent gaseous material which is sprayed into an upwardly flowing annular dense mass of catalyst particles to form a high temperature suspension therewith and conveyed through a riser conversion zone under selected hydrocarbon conversion conditions suitable for cracking the oil droplets to gasoline and light cycle oil boiling range products. The oil feed preparation and distribution arrangement to form a suspension with catalyst particles of desired elevated temperature is employed in combination with a two-stage catalyst regeneration operation designed and operated to achieve catalyst temperatures at least equal to the pseudo-critical temperature of the oil feed and at least above the end boiling point of gas oil boiling range material and resid product of vacuum distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1984
    Inventors: Robert R. Dean, Jean L. Mauleon, Robert J. Newman