Patents by Inventor Sue Franz

Sue Franz 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: 20180157139
    Abstract: An energy storage device includes a cathodic material in an activated state; and an anodic material in an activated state; wherein: the cathodic material is a viologen covalently attached to, or confined within, a first polymer matrix, the first polymer matrix is configured to prevent or minimize substantial diffusion of the cathodic material in the activated state; and the anodic material is a phenazine, a phenothiazine, a triphenodithiazine, a carbazole, a indolocarbazole, a biscarbazole, or a ferrocene covalently attached to, or confined within, a second polymer matrix, the second polymer matrix is configured to prevent or minimize substantial diffusion of the anodic material in the activated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: David A. Theiste, Leroy J. Kloeppner, Sue Franz, Punam Giri, Rongguang Lin
  • Patent number: 9939701
    Abstract: Protic-soluble electrochromic materials, ion-paired electrochromic materials including protic-soluble electrochromic materials, as well as electrochromic media and electrochromic devices incorporating such materials, are provided. The use of protic solvent mixtures, especially mixtures incorporating water, allows for the use of a wider variety of substrate materials. For example, plastics that may be soluble in organic aprotic solvent systems may be used in water-based devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kelvin L. Baumann, Rongguang Lin, Punam Giri, Sue Franz
  • Publication number: 20170146880
    Abstract: Protic-soluble electrochromic materials, ion-paired electrochromic materials including protic-soluble electrochromic materials, as well as electrochromic media and electrochromic devices incorporating such materials, are provided. The use of protic solvent mixtures, especially mixtures incorporating water, allows for the use of a wider variety of substrate materials. For example, plastics that may be soluble in organic aprotic solvent systems may be used in water-based devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Kelvin L. BAUMANN, Rongguang LIN, Punam GIRI, Sue FRANZ
  • Publication number: 20150346573
    Abstract: An energy storage device includes a cathodic material in an activated state; and an anodic material in an activated state; wherein: the cathodic material is a viologen covalently attached to, or confined within, a first polymer matrix, the first polymer matrix is configured to prevent or minimize substantial diffusion of the cathodic material in the activated state; and the anodic material is a phenazine, a phenothiazine, a triphenodithiazine, a carbazole, a indolocarbazole, a biscarbazole, or a ferrocene covalently attached to, or confined within, a second polymer matrix, the second polymer matrix is configured to prevent or minimize substantial diffusion of the anodic material in the activated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: David A. Theiste, Leroy C. Kloeppner, Sue Franz, Punam Giri, Rongguang Lin
  • Publication number: 20060103911
    Abstract: An electrochromic device having an electrochromic medium comprising: a material represented by the following formula: wherein X comprises N—R10, O, or S; wherein R1-R10 are defined herein with the proviso that at least one of R5 and R10 comprises an alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl, and/or alkynyl group containing 4 to approximately 50 carbon atoms, wherein at least one of the carbon atoms may be a linking group to, or part of, a halogen, a N, O, and/or S containing moiety, and/or one or more functional groups comprising alcohols, esters, ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, and combinations thereof, and wherein at least one of R5 and R10 is void of any ? hydrogen atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Inventors: Kelvin Baumann, Thomas Guarr, Punam Giri, Mark Muyskens, Sue Franz