Patents by Inventor William E. Simpson

William E. Simpson 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: 20020096441
    Abstract: A card device including a front card portion and a back card portion hinged together in a manner which enables the card to be opened and closed. The back card portion includes spaced front, rear and side panels which define an interior space therebetween. The card further includes a tape cartridge, such as a VHS video or audio cassette tape, having a drive gear defining an open recess in the tape cartridge, and a carrier device including a carrier portion containing a novelty item, product sample, or other item of value or perceived value. The carrier device and the tape cartridge are positioned in nested relation within the interior space of the back card portion such that the carrier portion is received within the open recess in the tape cartridge. An alternative embodiment uses a compact disk case as the card and a recess in the disk carrier for receiving the novelty item, product sample, or other item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventor: William E. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20020083092
    Abstract: A method and system for automating a business's management of business information is provided that forms a network between an electronic document reception, storage, and distribution device and businesses across a geographically disperse area so as to enable the transfer of business information between them. Business information users may view and download prefabricated customized and noncustomized business documents, and may also upload their own business information which may be used in the creation of new customized business documents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventor: William E. Simpson
  • Patent number: 6357584
    Abstract: A card device including a front card portion and a back card portion hinged together in a manner which enables the card to be opened and closed. The back card portion includes spaced front, rear and side panels which define an interior space therebetween. The card further includes a tape cartridge, such as a VHS video or audio cassette tape, having a drive gear defining an open recess in the tape cartridge, and a carrier device including a carrier portion containing a novelty item, product sample, or other item of value or perceived value. The carrier device and the tape cartridge are positioned in nested relation within the interior space of the back card portion such that the carrier portion is received within the open recess in the tape cartridge. An alternative embodiment uses a compact disk case as the card and a recess in the disk carrier for receiving the novelty item, product sample, or other item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: CDcoupon, LLC
    Inventor: William E. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20010049627
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system enabling the electronic dissemination of electronic coupons combined with both coupon-related and coupon-unrelated information stored on a computer readable storage medium, and a control program limiting a user's access to only such coupons as have been authorized through user input of an access code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventor: William E. Simpson
  • Patent number: 6273249
    Abstract: A card device including a front card portion and a back card portion hinged together in a manner which enables the card to be opened and closed. The back card portion includes spaced front, rear and side panels which define an interior space therebetween. The card further includes a tape cartridge, such as a VHS video or audio cassette tape, having a drive gear defining an open recess in the tape cartridge, and a carrier device including a carrier portion containing a novelty item, product sample, or other item of value or perceived value. The carrier device and the tape cartridge are positioned in nested relation within the interior space of the back card portion such that the carrier portion is received within the open recess in the tape cartridge. An alternative embodiment uses a compact disk case as the card and a recess in the disk carrier for receiving the novelty item, product sample, or other item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: CDcoupon, LLC
    Inventor: William E. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20010005834
    Abstract: Method and system for enabling a first person to produce a customized gift for a second person, including: providing a computer-readable storage medium having a control program and non-customized information stored thereon; obtaining data from the first person which relates to the second person; using the data to generate a customization code; providing the gift and the customization code to the second person; causing the control program to request the customization code from the second person; and using the customization code to select information from the non-customized information to provide a customized display to the second person. The gift is preferably purchased and customized through an Internet web site or other electronic system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventor: William E. Simpson
  • Patent number: 5954194
    Abstract: A card device including a front card portion and a back card portion hinged together in a manner which enables the card to be opened and closed. The back card portion includes spaced front, rear and side panels which define an interior space therebetween. The card further includes a tape cartridge, such as a VHS video or audio cassette tape, having a drive gear defining an open recess in the tape cartridge, and a gift carrier device including a gift carrier portion containing a gift item, such as a gemstone. The gift carrier device and the tape cartridge are positioned in nested relation within the interior space of the back card portion such that the gift carrier portion is received within the open recess in the tape cartridge. An alternative embodiment uses a compact disk case as the card and a recess in the disk carrier for receiving the gift item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Inventor: William E. Simpson
  • Patent number: 5061007
    Abstract: A vehicle, such as a racing car, including at least one pair of opposite side support structures mounted relative to the body of the car for up and down movement relative thereto and from which at least a portion of the body is yieldingly supported is provided. An elongated wing extending at generally right angles to the center axis of the body also is provided and the wing is mounted from the body in position to be acted upon by air through which the vehicle moves and for angular displacement of the wing relative to the body about an axis generally paralleling the wing. Motion transmitting structure is operatively connected between the support structures and opposite ends of the wing to oscillatably angularly adjust the wing ends responsive to up and down oscillation of the corresponding support structures relative to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Inventor: William E. Simpson
  • Patent number: 4503886
    Abstract: A flow limiting, surge damping directional control valve (11) utilizes flow regulating and surge damping means (30) for limiting the rate of flow of an operating fluid in a fluid flow path so as to absorb surge irregularities during the operation of the valve (11). The flow regulating and surge damping means (30) is carried by a movable valve member (25) adapted to control the flow and direction of flow of the operating fluid of the fluid flow path. This arrangement includes a flow regulating piston (35) having metering ports (37) for regulating the rate of flow of the operating fluid across the piston (35) and means (29) for slidably mounting the flow regulating piston on the movable valve member (25) so that the flow regulating piston (35) is positioned adjacent a selected port of the valve (11) during the operation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Assignee: Lockheed Corporation
    Inventor: William E. Simpson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4446890
    Abstract: A hydraulic isolation valve (10) will not open if leaks are present in the associated utility subsystem (15). The continuity of the hydraulic fluid circuit actuates the valve (10) to the open position by an energized solenoid operated pilot valve (21) sending a small flow through a fuse (23) and one-way restrictor (24) to the utility function (15). If no leaks are present, the utility function (15) begins to actuate sending return flow through a two-way restrictor (31) and moving a continuity actuation piston (28) to push the shut off spool (16) to the open position so that full flow is admitted to actuate the utility function (15). If the continuity of the hydraulic circuit is broken by leaks, the return flow does not reach the continuity actuation piston and the shut off spool (16) remains in the shut off position, the fuse (23) closing to block further flow and then resetting by spring action when the solenoid operated pilot valve (21) is deenergized so that actuation may be attempted again, if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1984
    Assignee: Lockheed Corporation
    Inventor: William E. Simpson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4343059
    Abstract: Radioactive hot cell access hole decontamination machine. A mobile housing has an opening large enough to encircle the access hole and has a shielding door, with a door opening and closing mechanism, for uncovering and covering the opening. The housing contains a shaft which has an apparatus for rotating the shaft and a device for independently translating the shaft from the housing through the opening and access hole into the hot cell chamber. A properly sized cylindrical pig containing wire brushes and cloth or other disks, with an arrangement for releasably attaching it to the end of the shaft, circumferentially cleans the access hole wall of radioactive contamination and thereafter detaches from the shaft to fall into the hot cell chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1982
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: William E. Simpson