Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Armstrong Teasdale LLP
  • Patent number: 8348937
    Abstract: An irrigated ablation catheter includes a tubular catheter body having an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member. The catheter body has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The catheter also includes an electrode extending from the distal portion of the catheter body, a flow distributor positioned at least partially within distal portion of the catheter body and at least partially overlapping the electrode, and a flow path extending through the catheter body and the flow distributor. The flow path is configured to provide cooling fluid to an external surface of the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Huisun Wang, Harry A. Puryear, Stephen W. Evans
  • Patent number: 8347598
    Abstract: A method for assembling a combined cycle power generation system includes coupling a gas turbine in flow communication with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The method also includes coupling a steam turbine in flow communication with the HRSG via at least one steam conduit. The method further includes coupling at least one heating element to a portion of the at least one steam conduit. The method also includes operatively coupling at least one controller to the at least one heating element. The method further includes programming the at least one controller to vary a rate of temperature change in the portion of the at least one steam conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rahul Chillar, David L. Rogers, Vijay Nenmeni, Julio Mestroni
  • Patent number: 8347746
    Abstract: Apparatus for non-destructive inspection of structural elements or workpieces, in particular those having an airfoil configuration, that moves a scanning sensor across the width (span) of a structural element or workpiece for the purpose of detecting structural damage. In one embodiment, the apparatus simultaneously traverses the length (chord) of the structural element or workpiece. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a guide rail that encompasses the structural element or workpiece and the scanning sensor travels along the guide rail from a first location at an upper rear region, to the front, of the structural element or workpiece, and then around the leading edge toward the lower rear region. The apparatus includes a processor and a display device to display the processed, sensed, information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Joseph L. Hafenrichter, Gary E. Georgeson, Nancy L. Wood
  • Patent number: 8350581
    Abstract: Apparatus for non-destructively testing a polymeric cylindrical object to measure aging characteristics includes a source of electrical energy, a monitoring device, a probe for engaging an inner surface of the cylindrical object, and a conductor connecting at least the source of electrical energy and the probe, the probe comprising contact portions having object engaging surfaces including capacitor circuitry thereon. The probe further includes a nose portion having recesses disposed about the circumference within which the contact portions are housed, the nose portion being engagable with an inner surface of the cylindrical object and the object engaging surfaces being movable between a first position in which the object engaging surfaces are housed entirely within recesses and a second position in which the object engaging surfaces are deployed away from the nose portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Steven K. Brady, Selina Brownridge, Donald D. Palmer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8347740
    Abstract: A system for measuring the weight of an object while pulling the object upward includes a puller having a frame and a cable having a first end coupled to the object and a second end engaging a second cylinder. At least a portion of the cable engages the outer circumferential surface of a first cylinder and the second cylinder. The apparatus also includes an upper arm and an actuator. A force measurement device is coupled to the first cylinder and to the upper arm and measures the weight of the object. The actuator is operable to lower and raise the weight measurement device and the first cylinder. In some embodiments, the position of the cable with respect to the frame may be adjusted by a dampening system or a bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold Korb
  • Patent number: 8348901
    Abstract: A nasal device for positioning nasogastric tubing within a patient's nose. The nasal device comprises a nasal adapter having a lumen disposed there through for guiding the nasogastric tubing within the nasal adapter. The device further comprises an adhesive member that removeably surrounds a portion of the patient's nose. The body has a front side and a back side wherein the back side contacts against the patient's nose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Inventor: Reba Luhrs
  • Patent number: 8349036
    Abstract: A system for heating and drying a quantity of coal feedstock being channeled to a gasifier includes a first heat exchanger coupled in flow communication with the gasifier for transferring heat from an input stream to an output stream of heat transfer fluid, and a second heat exchanger positioned downstream from the first heat exchanger for receiving the output stream of heat transfer fluid from the first heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger transfers heat from the output stream of heat transfer fluid to a stream of heating gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Craig Russell, Judeth Brannon Corry
  • Patent number: 8343908
    Abstract: A cleansing product suitable for making the cleaning of both inanimate and animate surfaces more fun and effective for children is disclosed. Specifically, the cleansing product is capable of expanding in volume under certain temperature conditions, and in some embodiments, can additionally include a coloring agent, providing a color change to indicate when sufficient cleansing has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Stacy Averic Mundschau, Scott W. Wenzel, Michael Ralph Lostocco, William Clayton Bunyard, Jian Qin, Chris Uecker
  • Patent number: 8344844
    Abstract: Fuse state indicators for use with disconnect devices having a fuse are provided. Fuse state indicators include a housing having circuitry, a detecting means for detecting an open circuit condition, conductors adapted for electrical connection to a disconnect device so as to complete a circuit connecting the detecting means with a fuse of the disconnect device, and a signal transmitting means The detecting means is configured to transmit a signal to the signal transmitting means for determining an operational state of the fuse. The signal transmitting means, in turn, is configured to transmit a signal to a remote device the state of the fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventor: Matthew R. Darr
  • Patent number: 8346621
    Abstract: Methods and systems by which a consumer may select or specify coordinated features of an absorbent paper product and its packaging, such as a facial tissue or paper towel product, and then receive an absorbent paper product and packaging having the coordinated features selected or specified by the consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Kaufman, Timothy McFarland
  • Patent number: 8337388
    Abstract: A device for restricting a cross-sectional area of a cavity formed by a stomach wall includes a band defining a cylindrical wall and a plurality of retaining members formed within the wall. Each retaining member is movable between a retracted position substantially coplanar with an outer surface of the wall and an extended position extending radially outwardly from the wall to facilitate coupling the device to the stomach wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Gil Vardi
  • Patent number: 8340801
    Abstract: Systems and computer-readable media having computer-executable components are disclosed for generating a representation of flatness defects on a wafer. Data is received describing the thickness of the wafer at a plurality of points on a wafer divided into a plurality of sites. A reference plane is defined for each of the plurality of sites. For each of the sites, an upper plane and a lower plane are defined relative to the reference plane. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of points on the wafer represents a flatness defect by identifying which points are not disposed between the upper plane and lower plane. A representation is then generated depicting a location of each of the flatness defects on the wafer. In some embodiments, a single representation is generated depicting the location of flatness defects on a plurality of wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Pitney
  • Patent number: 8340384
    Abstract: An apparatus for segmenting a cerebral hemorrhage site in a medical image of a head comprises a means for segmenting an internal region of a skull bone in the medical image of the head, a means for segmenting a possible region in which a cerebral hemorrhage site is contained, out of the region segmented by the means for segmenting the internal region of the skull bone, and a means for determining a cerebral hemorrhage site out of the region segmented by the means for segmenting the possible region in which the cerebral hemorrhage site is contained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Xueli Wang, Qi Zhao
  • Patent number: 8336207
    Abstract: A method for supplying a plurality of capacitance values to a plurality of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) components is provided. The method includes configuring a first set of terminals of a connection device to couple a first capacitor to the connection device and configuring the connection device to couple the first capacitor to at least one of the plurality of HVAC/R components. The method further includes configuring a second set of terminals of the connection device to couple a second capacitor to the connection device and configuring the connection device to selectively couple the second capacitor to at least one of the plurality of HVAC/R components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: RBC Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: James Ryan Johnson, Francisco Javier Curiel
  • Patent number: 8340837
    Abstract: Methods and systems for displaying an en-route visible terrain display for an aircraft are provided. The method includes representing each pixel of a terrain display using a geographical location and an elevation above the location, each pixel further represented using at least one of a color value and a grayscale value, receiving a minimum elevation value, setting the at least one of a color value and a grayscale value of the pixels represented by an elevation value less than the received minimum elevation value to a uniform value, and displaying the en-route visible terrain display such that pixels representing terrain that includes an elevation value less than the minimum elevation value are displayed with the uniform value such that non-terrain-impacted, primary-navigation areas of the display are more easily readable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Sven D. Aspen
  • Patent number: 8340854
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing maintenance of a fleet of aircraft are provided. The method includes collecting data from at least one aircraft in each of the fleets related to the operation of the aircraft, determining a range of acceptable values of performance parameters associated with the collected data and based on the collected data, analyzing the collected data having values outside the range of acceptable values, and modifying at least one of a maintenance requirement and an interval between maintenance actions to facilitate reducing the number of performance parameters values that are outside the range of acceptable values during future operation of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Farshad T. Doulatshahi, Blake Gibbons, Charles K. Bautz, Jr., Anbessie A. Yitbarek
  • Patent number: 8339601
    Abstract: A method for detecting and counting particles suspended in fluids, such as bacteria suspended in urine, utilizing dynamic features of the suspended particles and employing light scattering measurements. The disclosed method is suitable for determining the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics. A cuvette for detecting bacteria in fluids, which is especially suited for the light scattering measurements, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Bacterioscan Ltd.
    Inventors: Amnon Weichselbaum, Jaime De La Zerda
  • Patent number: 8340948
    Abstract: A computer-based method for simulating an overall effect of a component replacement on the reliability of a platform is described. The method includes determining a scheduled reliability for a platform based on a reliability associated with each of the removable components of the platform, selecting, via a user interface, at least one removable component of the platform for which replacement is to be simulated, determining, using a computer-based model, an effect the one or more replacements would have on the forecasted reliability for the platform, and providing a comparison of the forecasted reliability and the scheduled reliability to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Shuguang Song, Peter James Lake, Jay Kevin McCullough
  • Patent number: 8333299
    Abstract: A leak resistant drinking cup has a container with an open top and a lid assembly for removable attachment to the container for selectively closing the open top. The lid assembly includes a liquid discharge member for allowing liquid in the container to exit the cup. A closure member is adapted for placement adjacent the open top of the container when the lid assembly is attached to the container. A flexible diaphragm is moveable between a sealed position and an unsealed position. The diaphragm is moveable from the sealed position to the unsealed portion by a vacuum being applied to the diaphragm by a user sucking on the liquid discharge member. The vacuum causes the diaphragm to flex toward the container and at least in part away from the closure member and thereby move the diaphragm from the sealed position to the unsealed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Handi-Craft Company
    Inventors: Bernard J. Kemper, Charles H. Miller
  • Patent number: 8333115
    Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection apparatus operable within a channel associated with a structure is described. The apparatus includes at least one transducer and a holder. The holder includes a material having a flexibility and tensile strength such that a spring force is provided for maintaining a position of said holder within the channel of the structure. The holder includes a plurality of transducer indexing nodes therein for mounting of the transducers, and each node provides a single point of contact between the holder and the transducer. The transducer indexing nodes are fabricated having a material flexibility and tensile strength with respect to a remainder of the holder for positioning of the transducers along surface variances that define the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jeffry James Garvey, Patrick L. Anderson, Barry A. Fetzer