Patents Represented by Attorney Dority & Manning
  • Patent number: 8264058
    Abstract: A MOSFET driver compatible JFET device is disclosed. The JFET device can include a gate contact, a drain contact, and a source contact. The JFET device can further include a first gate region of semiconductor material adjacent the gate contact and a second region of semiconductor material adjacent the first gate region. The first gate region and the second gate region can form a first p-n junction between the first gate region and the second gate region. The JFET device can further include a channel region of semiconductor material adjacent the source contact. The channel region and the second gate region can form a second p-n junction between the second gate region and the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventors: Enrico Santi, Zhiyang Chen, Alexander Grekov
  • Patent number: 8262405
    Abstract: A wire-to-wire electrical connector includes an insulative body member and an internal connector position. A wire insertion opening is defined in each end wall of the body member at the connector position. A first contact element is disposed in the connector position coaxial with the wire insertion openings and includes opposite end portions with a respective contact tab configured thereon. The contact tabs are biased to a closed position across the respective wire insertion opening. An actuator is configured with each wire insertion opening. The actuators are movably displaceable through an opening in a wall of the body member and include an engagement end in contact with a respective end portion of the first contact element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: AVX Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Bishop
  • Patent number: 8262453
    Abstract: Various embodiments of system and method for implementing a combination lottery and raffle game are provided. One embodiment comprises a method for a progressive lottery game that establishes an initial amount for a lottery jackpot and a raffle-triggering jackpot amount for a progressive lottery game, performing a first lottery draw for the progressive lottery game, and if there is not a jackpot winner based on the first lottery draw, increasing the lottery jackpot to a new amount. Otherwise, if the new amount exceeds the raffle-triggering jackpot amount, combining a raffle game with the progressive lottery game for a subsequent lottery draw. Alternately, the method includes adding a raffle-style game to a progressive lottery game when a winning jackpot reaches a predetermined raffle-triggering jackpot amount, and awarding at least one raffle prize when a draw for the progressive lottery game produces a winning jackpot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Scientific Games International, Inc.
    Inventors: Chantal Jubinville, Victor Marinelli
  • Patent number: 8262362
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade has upper and lower shell members with a respective spar cap configured on an internal face of the shell members. A shear web extends between the spar caps along a longitudinal length of the blade. A connection assembly is configured between the transverse ends of the shear web and the spar caps. The connection assembly includes spring flange members that extend distally beyond the transverse ends of the shear web at opposite sides of the shear web so as to define a laterally extending float section. A bond paste layer is between the float sections and the spar cap and between the transverse end of the shear web and the spar cap as a result of compression of the spring flanges against the spar cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Aaron Yarbrough
  • Patent number: 8259435
    Abstract: A wet electrolytic capacitor that contains a hermetically sealed lid assembly is disclosed. More specifically, the lid assembly contains a lid (e.g., titanium) that defines an internal orifice. A conductive tube may extend through the orifice that is of a size and shape sufficient to accommodate an anode lead. An insulative material is also provided within the orifice to form a hermetic seal (e.g., glass-to-metal seal), such as between the conductive tube and the lid. The lid assembly also includes a liquid seal that is formed from a sealant material. The liquid seal coats a substantial portion of the lower surface of the lid and hermetic seal to limit contact with any electrolyte that may leak from the casing. To help achieve such surface coverage, the sealant material is generally flowable so that it can be heated during production of the capacitor and flow into small crevices that would otherwise remains uncoated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: AVX Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Millman, Ed Jackson, James Steven Bates, John Galvagni
  • Patent number: 8259436
    Abstract: An integrated capacitor assembly that contains at least two solid electrolytic capacitor elements electrically connected to common anode and cathode terminations is provided. The capacitor elements contain an anode, a dielectric coating overlying the anode that is formed by anodic oxidation, and a conductive polymer solid electrolyte overlying the dielectric layer. The capacitor elements are spaced apart from each other a certain distance such that a resinous material can fill the space between the elements. In this manner, the present inventors believe that the resinous material can limit the expansion of the conductive polymer layer to such an extent that it does not substantially delaminate from the capacitor element. In addition to possessing mechanical stability, the capacitor assembly also possesses a combination of good electrical properties, such as low ESR, high capacitance, and a high dielectric breakdown voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: AVX Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Petrzilek, Miloslav Uher, Lotfi Djebara
  • Patent number: 8257463
    Abstract: A capacitor anode that is formed from flake powder is provided. The anodes are formed from low density flake powder (e.g., relatively large in size), which is believed to provide a short transmission line between the outer surface and interior of the anode. This may result in a low equivalent series resistance (“ESR”) and improved volumetric efficiency for capacitors made from such anodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: AVX Corporation
    Inventors: James Allen Fife, Zebbie Lynn Sebald
  • Patent number: 8257048
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade has upper and lower shell members with a respective spar cap configured on an internal face of the shell members. A shear web extends between the spar caps along a longitudinal length of the blade and includes first and second components extending from a respective spar cap. An intermediate connection assembly is provided between facing transverse ends of the first and second components, and includes bond paste retaining structure configured relative to the transverse ends to achieve a bond between the transverse ends having desired width and thickness dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Aaron Yarbrough
  • Patent number: 8257333
    Abstract: An absorbent article, such as a disposable diaper, includes a chassis having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region extending between the front and back waist regions. An outer cover member and a bodyside liner extend longitudinally between the front and back waist regions. An absorbent body structure is sandwiched between the outer cover member and the bodyside liner. A waistband portion includes at least one elastomeric portion. The waistband portion has a relaxed circumference wherein between about 45% to about 70% of the circumference is defined by the elastomeric portion. The waistband portion has an extended circumference for a target wearer wherein, at the extended circumference, the elastomeric portion is extended between about 10% to about 40% of its relaxed circumferential length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Catherine M. Hancock-Cooke, Mark G. Everson, Paul J. Datta, John E. Kerins
  • Patent number: 8258197
    Abstract: Porous networks are described linked by boronates. Also described are processes for producing the porous networks. The porous networks are formed by reacting a polyboronic acid with itself or with a polydiol, a polydiamine, or a polyamino alcohol. The resulting boronate linkage is covalently bonded. The characteristics and properties of the resulting porous material can be varied and altered by changing the reactants and by incorporating functional groups into the reactants. Of particular advantage, the porous materials can be formed at or near atmospheric pressure and at low temperature in the presence of one or more solvents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventors: John J. Lavigne, R. William Tilford
  • Patent number: 8257561
    Abstract: Methods are generally provided for forming a conductive oxide layer on a substrate. In one particular embodiment, the method can include sputtering a transparent conductive oxide layer on a substrate at a sputtering temperature from about 10° C. to about 100° C. A cap layer including cadmium sulfide can be deposited directly on the transparent conductive oxide layer. The transparent conductive oxide layer can be annealed at an anneal temperature from about 450° C. to about 650° C. Methods are also generally provided for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device. An intermediate substrate is also generally provided for use to manufacture a thin film photovoltaic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Primestar Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Jennifer Ann Drayton, Robert Dwayne Gossman, Mehran Sadeghi
  • Patent number: 8258773
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting lightning strikes on a wind turbine includes detecting and measuring a parameter that is indicative of a lightning strike, which may be current induced in a conductor as a result of the lightning strike. A current receptor may be located on a component of the wind turbine and electrically coupled to a ground conductor. A current sensor is disposed on the ground conductor and generates a primary current I(p) that is proportional to a lightning strike current flowing through the ground conductor upon a lighting strike on the receptor. A signal converter sub-system is configured to convert the primary current I(p) into a processing signal. A processing sub-system is configured to receive and use the processing signal to determine an actual lightning strike on the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Josip Brnada
  • Patent number: 8250758
    Abstract: A method for removing and replacing an article of wind turbine equipment, such as a yaw drive, internal to a nacelle of a wind turbine tower without use of an external windfarm site crane or external rigging on the wind tower. External rigging of wind turbine tower components may expose workers and the equipment inside the nacelle to outside weather and hazardous wind conditions. The yaw drive is internally rigged with an internal support crane within the nacelle to an internal winch capable of supporting the yaw drive during a lift to the base of the wind turbine tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey M. Daniels
  • Patent number: 8251667
    Abstract: A retaining system is provided for circumferential entry rotor dovetails inserted into dovetail slot in a rotor. A plurality of rotor blade dovetails are circumferentially slidable into and along the dovetail slot, with each rotor blade dovetail having a neck and a pair of oppositely oriented lobes. A plurality of rail segments are circumferentially slid into channels in the dovetail slot between the dovetail lobes and the respective disk hoops. The rail segments define a first pressure face that engages against an outward pressure face of the dovetail lobes, and a second pressure face that engages against an inward pressure face of the respective disk hoop component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ian David Wilson, Kenneth Damon Black, Bradley Scott Carter
  • Patent number: 8250907
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the atomization characteristics of fluids is disclosed. In one embodiment, a fluid is emitted through a nozzle at controlled conditions. Vibrations occurring within the nozzle are sensed while the fluid is being emitted. An atomization characteristic of the fluid is predicted using the sensed vibrations. In one embodiment, the sensed vibrations are converted into a spectral density that is used to calculate a vibration power spectrum. In one embodiment, the atomization characteristic is the droplet size of the fluid with respect to the controlled conditions, and the droplet size is predicted based on a relationship between a descriptive attribute of the fluid and the vibration power spectrum of the fluid. In one embodiment, the descriptive attribute is the volume median diameter of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventor: Durham Kenimer Giles
  • Patent number: 8250761
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rotor blade for a wind turbine and a rotor blade manufactured in accordance with such method are disclosed. The method generally comprises providing a blade blank formed at least partially from a filler material, shaping the blade blank to form a profile of the rotor blade and positioning a skin around an outer perimeter of the shaped blade blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Robert Tobin
  • Patent number: 8255188
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and related methodology for providing fast low frequency jitter rejection in the measurement of signals under test. A signal under test may be sampled alternately with a reference signal under similar conditions. The resulting sampled signal blocks may then be processed to subtract the known calibrated value of the reference signal from the average signal under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: GuideTech, Inc.
    Inventor: Sassan Tabatabaei
  • Patent number: 8252117
    Abstract: A feed system and related process are configured to continuously feed measured doses of source material to a vapor deposition apparatus wherein the source material is sublimated and deposited as a thin film on a substrate. The system includes a bulk material hopper, and an upper dose cup disposed to receive source material from the hopper. A lower dose cup is disposed in a vacuum lock chamber to receive a measured dose of source material from the upper dose cup. A transfer mechanism is disposed below the vacuum lock chamber to receive the measured dose of source material from the lower dose cup and to transfer the source material to a downstream deposition head while isolating the deposition conditions and sublimated source material within the deposition head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: PrimeStar Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Jackson Little, Max William Reed, Christopher Rathweg, Mark Jeffrey Pavol
  • Patent number: 8251436
    Abstract: A vehicle trailer is provided. The vehicle trailer includes a pair of side wall fairings having a leading edge and trailing edge. Each side wall fairing is positioned on a different wall from the other adjacent to the rear edges of each of the walls such that the leading edge of each side wall fairing contacts the wall and the trailing edge of each side wall fairing does not contact the wall. Each side wall fairing has an upward incline and downward incline. The side wall fairings can be utilized with one or more other components that are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Henderson Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Lorenzo Henderson, Stephen Alfred Wulff
  • Patent number: 8252251
    Abstract: The present subject matter discloses a fluid cooled reformer for gas turbine systems and a method for cooling both a fuel reformer and a heated reformate stream produced by such fuel reformer. The fluid cooled reformer may include a pressure vessel and a reactor assembly disposed within the pressure vessel. The reactor assembly may include a reactor and may be configured to receive and reform an oxygen/fuel mixture to produce a heated reformate stream. Additionally, the fluid cooled reformer may include an inlet configured to direct a fluid stream into the pressure vessel. At least a portion of the fluid stream may be used to cool the reactor assembly. A reformate cooling section may be disposed downstream of the reactor of the reactor assembly and may be configured to cool the heated reformate stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Hasan Karim, Abdul Rafey Khan