Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Dean

Thomas A. Dean 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: 20200156346
    Abstract: A machine for forming a container from a blank of sheet material is provided. The blank includes a reinforcing panel assembly for forming a reinforcing corner assembly. The machine includes a hopper station for storing the blank in a substantially flat configuration and a forming station for forming the blank into the container. The forming station includes an initial forming station that rotates a first portion of the reinforcing panel assembly with respect to a second portion of the reinforcing panel assembly, and a secondary forming station having male and female forming members with shapes corresponding to an interior shape and an exterior shape of the reinforcing corner assembly, respectively. The male and the female forming members are configured to form the reinforcing corner assembly by compressing together the first and second portions of the reinforcing panel assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Amer Aganovic, Thomas Dean Graham, Kenneth Charles Smith, John Hershcel Conley, Robert Bradley Teany, Gregory Scott Gulik, Paul Andrew Spurlock
  • Patent number: 10625309
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method. The method includes applying a fluid to a perforated upper layer. The perforated upper layer forms an exposed surface of a multi-layer structure. The method also includes allowing the fluid to pass through the perforated upper layer and contact a contaminant within a core layer of the multi-layer structure. The core layer is disposed beneath the perforated upper layer, opposite the expose surface, and is coupled to the perforated upper layer. The method also includes applying ultrasonic energy to the exposed surface of the multi-layer structure using an ultrasonic generator to loosen the contaminant into the fluid. The method also includes removing the fluid with the loosened contaminant from the multi-layer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Thomas A. Dean, David Michael Dembeck, Scot D. Fisher, Ieisha C. Hinson, Valerie R. Predmore
  • Patent number: 10597137
    Abstract: Thermal insulators having cold side flap seals are described. An example thermal insulator includes a first thermal blanket and a second thermal blanket to be coupled to the first thermal blanket. The first thermal blanket includes a first insulation section, a flap, and a second insulation section. The flap extends laterally from the first insulation section and has a first portion laterally adjacent the first insulation section and a second portion laterally adjacent the first portion. The second insulation section is located on the first portion. The second thermal blanket includes a third insulation section, a fourth insulation section, and a seal. The fourth insulation section has a third portion laterally adjacent the third insulation section and a fourth portion laterally adjacent the third portion. The seal is to be compressed between the third portion and the second portion when the second thermal blanket is coupled to the first thermal blanket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Brooke Gladstone, Thomas Dean
  • Patent number: 10562255
    Abstract: A machine for forming a container from a blank of sheet material is provided. The blank includes a reinforcing panel assembly for forming a reinforcing corner assembly. The machine includes a hopper station for storing the blank in a substantially flat configuration and a forming station for forming the blank into the container. The forming station includes an initial forming station that rotates a first portion of the reinforcing panel assembly with respect to a second portion of the reinforcing panel assembly, and a secondary forming station having male and female forming members with shapes corresponding to an interior shape and an exterior shape of the reinforcing corner assembly, respectively. The male and the female forming members are configured to form the reinforcing corner assembly by compressing together the first and second portions of the reinforcing panel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: Amer Aganovic, Thomas Dean Graham, Kenneth Charles Smith, John Hershcel Conley, Robert Bradley Teany, Gregory Scott Gulik, Paul Andrew Spurlock
  • Publication number: 20190329516
    Abstract: A machine for forming a joined blank assembly from first and second blanks of sheet material includes a deck coupled to a frame, and a first transfer assembly associated with the frame. The first transfer assembly is configured to position the first blank on the deck. The machine also includes a second transfer assembly associated with the frame. The second transfer assembly is configured to position the second blank in at least a partially overlying relationship to the first blank on the deck. The machine further includes at least one compression member configured to compress the second blank and the first blank together against the deck to form the joined blank assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Graham, Amer Aganovic, Kirk S. Kempnich, II
  • Publication number: 20190308381
    Abstract: A machine including a first deck, a second deck, a first blank transfer assembly, and a second blank transfer assembly is provided. The first and second decks are coupled to a frame. The first blank transfer assembly extends from a first end to a second end and includes a first pick-up assembly moveable between the first end, proximate the second deck, and the second end, proximate the first deck. The second blank transfer assembly extends from a third end to a fourth end and includes a second pick-up assembly moveable between the third end, proximate the second deck, and the fourth end, proximate the first deck. The first blank transfer assembly and the second blank transfer assembly are operationally offset when moving between the first and second ends and the third and fourth ends, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Graham, Amer Aganovic, Greg Gulik
  • Publication number: 20190310374
    Abstract: An optical system for automated vision and detection. The system includes a light source configured to emit a beam into an environment and a first diffractive optical element. The beam passes through the first diffractive optical element, resulting in a plurality of beams. One or more of the plurality of beams are reflected by the environment, resulting in reflected beams. A second diffractive optical element of the optical system is configured to receive the reflected beams. A detector in alignment with the second diffractive optical element receives the reflected beams. The detector is configured to determine wave data from the reflected beams and generate a plurality of phasorgrams in a single image representing the wave data. The optical system also includes a processor configured to receive the single image and generate a representation of the environment. A control computer is configured to receive the representation of the environment from the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicant: Wavefront Analysis, Inc.
    Inventors: Rolf Jon Gerchberg, Thomas Dean Milster
  • Publication number: 20190308382
    Abstract: A machine including a deck, a first platform, a second platform, a first web transfer assembly, and a second web transfer assembly is provided. The deck and first and second platforms are coupled to a frame. The first web transfer assembly extends from a first end to a second end and includes a first pick-up assembly moveable between the first end, proximate the first platform, and the second end, proximate the deck. The second web transfer assembly extends from a third end to a fourth end and includes a second pick-up assembly moveable between the third end, proximate the second platform, and the fourth end, proximate the deck. The first web transfer assembly and the second web transfer assembly are operationally offset when moving between the first and second end and the third and fourth ends, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Graham, Amer Aganovic, Greg Gulik
  • Publication number: 20190292751
    Abstract: A movable machine including a chassis, a tool coupled to the chassis, an operator control carried by the chassis and a controller. The controller is communicatively coupled to the operator control. The controller being configured to send a force feedback and/or a vibration feedback to the operator control thereby conveying information to the operator. The information is not related to a load encountered by the tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Gary R. Kassen, Duqiang Wu, Aditya Singh, Uli Melchinger, Navneet Gulati, Patrick Thomas Dean
  • Patent number: 10389755
    Abstract: Techniques for distributed and secure content delivery are provided. Requests for content are routed to a centralized service where the requestors are authenticated for access to the content. The centralized service generates access statements for the requestors. The requestors are redirected to particular distributed content services having access to the desired content. The distributed content services verify the access statements and vend the desired content to the requestors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Christopher Layton, Luke Terry Hallett, Thomas Dean Maynard, Matthew Frank Magleby
  • Patent number: 10385541
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a control method for controlling the operation of a lift assembly of a work vehicle, wherein the lift assembly includes an implement and at least one loader arm coupled to the implement. As such, the method may generally include transmitting at least one first command signal in order to simultaneously move the loader arm and the implement towards a return position. The first command signal(s) are associated with moving the loader arms at a movement velocity. The method also includes monitoring a height of the implement relative to a driving surface of the work vehicle during simultaneous movement of the loader arm and the implement. As such, the method may also include reducing the movement velocity of the loader arm when the height is below a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Patrick Thomas Dean
  • Publication number: 20190225365
    Abstract: A container and blanks and a blank assembly for forming the container are provided herein. The container includes a tray, the tray including a pair of tray side walls, a pair of tray end walls, and a first glue panel coupled to one of the tray end walls. The container also includes a cover releasably coupled to the tray to transition the container from a shipping to a display configuration, the cover including a pair of cover side walls aligned with the pair of tray side walls, a pair of cover end walls aligned with the pair of tray end walls, and a second glue panel coupled to one of the cover end walls. At least a portion of the tray overlaps with at least a portion of the cover, and the first and second glue panels are vertically aligned with and uncoupled from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: David G. Couture, Amer Aganovic, Thomas Dean Graham
  • Patent number: 10350849
    Abstract: A machine for forming a joined blank assembly from first and second blanks of sheet material includes a deck coupled to a frame, and a first transfer assembly associated with the frame. The first transfer assembly is configured to position the first blank on the deck. The machine also includes a second transfer assembly associated with the frame. The second transfer assembly is configured to position the second blank in at least a partially overlying relationship to the first blank on the deck. The machine further includes at least one compression member configured to compress the second blank and the first blank together against the deck to form the joined blank assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Graham, Amer Aganovic, Kirk Steven Kempnich, II
  • Publication number: 20190211409
    Abstract: A formed sandwich structure manufactured by a pressure-based forming method that includes steps of (1) positioning a sandwich structure into a cavity of a die assembly, the sandwich structure including a core positioned between a first liner sheet and a second liner sheet, the core including a honeycomb structure having a plurality of cells, and (2) after the positioning, pressurizing the core to expand the sandwich structure into engagement with the die assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Thomas A. Dean
  • Publication number: 20190175772
    Abstract: An antimicrobial catheter assembly having a catheter tube axially and translatably disposed within a tubular sheath, the sheath penetrating a patient. Embedded within the sheath are anode and cathode wires that may be electrified to generate a sterilizing coronal discharge plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Alexander Donald Blaty, Thomas Dean Goslinga
  • Publication number: 20190126327
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method. The method includes applying a fluid to a perforated upper layer. The perforated upper layer forms an exposed surface of a multi-layer structure. The method also includes allowing the fluid to pass through the perforated upper layer and contact a contaminant within a core layer of the multi-layer structure. The core layer is disposed beneath the perforated upper layer, opposite the expose surface, and is coupled to the perforated upper layer. The method also includes applying ultrasonic energy to the exposed surface of the multi-layer structure using an ultrasonic generator to loosen the contaminant into the fluid. The method also includes removing the fluid with the loosened contaminant from the multi-layer structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas A. Dean, David Michael Dembeck, Scot D. Fisher, Ieisha C. Hinson, Valerie R. Predmore
  • Publication number: 20190100298
    Abstract: Thermal insulators having cold side flap seals are described. An example thermal insulator includes a first thermal blanket and a second thermal blanket to be coupled to the first thermal blanket. The first thermal blanket includes a first insulation section, a flap, and a second insulation section. The flap extends laterally from the first insulation section and has a first portion laterally adjacent the first insulation section and a second portion laterally adjacent the first portion. The second insulation section is located on the first portion. The second thermal blanket includes a third insulation section, a fourth insulation section, and a seal. The fourth insulation section has a third portion laterally adjacent the third insulation section and a fourth portion laterally adjacent the third portion. The seal is to be compressed between the third portion and the second portion when the second thermal blanket is coupled to the first thermal blanket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Brooke Gladstone, Thomas Dean
  • Publication number: 20190030849
    Abstract: A machine for forming and sealing a top of a container is provided. The machine includes a conveyor configured to transport the container through the machine, a forming section including at least one bullet arm configured to fold a trailing centering tab of the container, and a compression section downstream from the forming section and including a compression device configured to fold a leading centering tab of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Amer AGANOVIC, Thomas Dean GRAHAM
  • Patent number: D864068
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: N-Fab, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Fichter, Brandon Mitchell Schwarzburg, Justin Daniel Fuller
  • Patent number: D864069
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: N-Fab, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Fichter, Brandon Mitchell Schwarzburg, Justin Daniel Fuller