Patents Represented by Attorney Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
  • Patent number: 7966789
    Abstract: A carton for containing a plurality of articles. The carton has panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton. The panels comprise a top panel, a bottom panel and a first side panel and a second side panel. The carton has a dispenser for allowing access to the articles in the carton. The dispenser has a dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a tear line in the carton and is for being at least partially removed for at least further opening a dispenser opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham Hand, Andrea Coltri-Johnson, Raymond Rudolph Spivey, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7967018
    Abstract: A cigarette-making method is provided, comprising forming an elongate tobacco rod having a non-circular cross-sectional shape and opposed ends, by circumscribing a tobacco charge with a wrapping material. A filter element is formed having opposed ends and a non-circular cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the tobacco rod, by circumscribing a filter material with a plug wrap material. One end of the tobacco rod is axially aligned and abutted with one end of the filter element, and a tipping material is applied about the tobacco rod and the filter element, wherein the tipping material extends across the abutting ends thereof, so as to join the tobacco rod with the filter element and form a cigarette having a non-circular cross-sectional shape along a length thereof. Associated apparatuses and methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: John Larkin Nelson, Gary Lee Wood, Vernon Brent Barnes
  • Patent number: 7965630
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for dynamically routing query request messages to a database server resident on a computing system. A configurable port proxy service is created on the database server that listens on a particular port for query request messages. An administrator port is implemented on the database server that communicates with the port proxy service. The configurable port proxy service is pinged by a traffic manager application operating on the computing system to determine if a database server instance is available to send database traffic. Query requests are routed to the database server instance if the database server instance is available to accept query request messages. Each administrator command from a port console application is serialized to a configuration file as it issues that will return the port proxy service to a previous state if the database server fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R. Floyd, Alla Semenovna Zelikovskaya
  • Patent number: 7960163
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of detecting a malignancy or a pre-malignant lesion in breast or other tissue, or a pathologic condition, by detecting the presence of single-chain or two-chain forms of matriptase in the tissue. The invention is further directed to a method of treating malignancies, which have the phenotype of matriptase production by administering a tumor formation inhibiting effective amount of concentrate of Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBIC), or other matriptase inhibitor. The invention also is directed to nucleic acids encoding a matriptase protein or fragments thereof, and their use for structure elucidation and modeling to identify other inhibitors of matriptase, as well as to methods of identifying matriptase modulating agents, including activators and inhibitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Georgetown University School of Medicine
    Inventors: Robert B. Dickson, Chen-Yong Lin, Michael Johnson, Shaomeng Wang, Istvan Enyedy
  • Patent number: 7958691
    Abstract: A filler assembly for spanning, filling, and concealing a gap between an installed metal cabinet and an adjacent wall, or adjacent cabinet is disclosed. The assembly includes a bracket and a filler strip and the filler strip is formed with a projecting tongue. The bracket includes a narrow channel sized to receive the tongue of the filler strip in a sliding relationship. The tongue of the filler strip can slide into the channel to different depths so that the tongue and bracket span and fill the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Viking Range Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Newhouse, Troy McDaniel
  • Patent number: 7961935
    Abstract: A method of providing dental-related imaging data of a patient to a dental practitioner is provided, the dental-related imaging data being obtained by a third party imaging provider at a third-party imaging provider site using a three-dimensional digital imaging device. Three-dimensional image data of the maxillofacial complex of the patient is obtained with the imaging device and analyzed to form a diagnosis. A two-dimensional image associated with the diagnosis is formed from the three-dimensional image data, and the two-dimensional image and diagnosis are combined into a composite file as part of the dental-related imaging data. The dental-related imaging data is stored in encrypted read-only format executable by a standard multi-media player and made available to the dental provider in a secure arrangement. The composite file is thereby selectively viewable by the dental provider for determining an appropriate treatment for the patient. Associated methods and apparatuses are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Inventor: William Bruce Howerton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7959060
    Abstract: A carton is formed from an inner blank and an outer blank. The outer blank ply of the carton includes a pivoting, reclosable lid that allows a top end of the carton to be accessed and subsequently closed. A latch feature is included in the carton to allow the lid to be securely closed over the open top of the carton. The inner blank may form a closed and/or sealed liner vessel within the outer blank ply of the carton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventors: Weston R. Wilson, Robert L. Conatser, Kelly R. Fitzwater
  • Patent number: 7954224
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of joining edges of adjacent honeycomb core panel sections. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a first edge along a first cellular core panel section. The first edge includes a first plurality of edge cell walls along the first edge. The method further includes forming a second edge along a second cellular core panel section, wherein the second edge includes a second plurality of edge cell walls along the second edge. The first edge is positioned proximate to the second edge. At least a portion of at least one of the first plurality of edge cell walls is mechanically interlocked with at least a portion of at least one of the second plurality of edge cell walls to form a joint therebetween. The invention also includes a composite structure at least partially produced by such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Richard Douglas
  • Patent number: 7958008
    Abstract: A method of providing to a customer customized media at a physical point of sale (PPOS) of a good/service includes the steps of (a) receiving an identifier from the customer at the PPOS, (b) retrieving a media profile that is maintained in a database in association with the identifier, the media profile identifying at least one media content type, (c) generating a deliverable in accordance with the retrieved media profile by obtaining an item of the media content type identified in the retrieved media profile, and (d) communicating the generated deliverable to the customer at the PPOS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Inmar, Inc.
    Inventor: Chad D. Tillman
  • Patent number: 7956006
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to zinc oxide-based sorbents, and processes for preparing and using them. The sorbents are preferably used to remove one or more reduced sulfur species from gas streams. The sorbents comprise an active zinc component, optionally in combination with one or more promoter components and/or one or more substantially inert components. The active zinc component is a two phase material, consisting essentially of a zinc oxide (ZnO) phase and a zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) phase. Each of the two phases is characterized by a relatively small crystallite size of typically less than about 500 Angstroms. Preferably the sorbents are prepared by converting a precursor mixture, comprising a precipitated zinc oxide precursor and a precipitated aluminum oxide precursor, to the two-phase, active zinc oxide containing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Research Triangle Institute
    Inventors: Santosh Kumar Gangwal, Brian Scott Turk, Raghubir Prasad Gupta
  • Patent number: 7954757
    Abstract: A landing gear noise attenuator mitigates noise generated by airframe deployable landing gear. The noise attenuator can have a first position when the landing gear is in its deployed or down position, and a second position when the landing gear is in its up or stowed position. The noise attenuator may be an inflatable fairing that does not compromise limited space constraints associated with landing gear retraction and stowage. A truck fairing mounted under a truck beam can have a compliant edge to allow for non-destructive impingement of a deflected fire during certain conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Moe, Julia Whitmire, Hwa-Wan Kwan, Amal Abeysinghe
  • Patent number: 7951812
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to antifolate compounds having the structure wherein: X is CHR9 or NR9; Y1, Y2, and Y3 independently are O or S; V1 and V2 independently are O, S, or NZ; Z is H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, or alkaryl; R1 and R2 independently are H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, or alkaryl; R3 is H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, hydroxyl, or halo; and R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 independently are H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, acyl, —C(O)-alkyl, —C(O)-alkenyl, or —C(O)—alkynyl; as well as pharmaceutically acceptable esters, amides, salts, solvates, and prodrugs thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Chelsea Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Roberts, Simon Pedder
  • Patent number: 7950199
    Abstract: A filler assembly for spanning, filling, and concealing a gap between an installed metal cabinet and an adjacent wall, or adjacent cabinet is disclosed. The assembly includes a bracket, a backing strip and a filler strip and the filler strip is formed with a projecting tongue. The bracket includes a narrow channel sized to receive the tongue of the filler strip in a sliding relationship. The tongue of the filler strip can slide into the channel to different depths so that the tongue and bracket span and fill the gap and the position of the backing strip can be adjusted by an adjustment feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Viking Range Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Newhouse, Troy McDaniel
  • Patent number: 7949475
    Abstract: The present invention generates a visual display of metabolomic data compiled by a database and associated processor. More particularly, the present invention provides a database for automatically receiving a three-dimensional spectrometry data set for a group of samples. The present invention also provides a processor device for manipulating the data sets to produce plots that are directly comparable to a plurality of characteristic plots corresponding to a plurality of selected metabolites. Furthermore, the processor device may generate a visual display indicating the presence of the selected metabolites across the group of samples. Thus, the present invention enables a user to analyze a series of complex data sets in a visual display that may indicate the presence of the selected metabolites across the group of samples. Furthermore, the visual display generated by embodiments of the present invention also expedites the subjective analysis of the spectrometry data sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Metabolon Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Henry Barrett, Jr., Corey Donald DeHaven, Danny C. Alexander, Sarada Tanikella
  • Patent number: 7946295
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparing a tobacco composition suitable for use as a smokeless tobacco composition, including: providing a moist tobacco material; heating the moist tobacco to a temperature of at least about 85° C. for a time sufficient to pasteurize the tobacco material while maintaining the moisture content at a relatively constant level; adding an amount of a base and water to the moist tobacco material sufficient to raise the pH of the slurry to at least about 8.7 and raise the moisture content to at least about 40% by weight, thereby forming a pH-adjusted moist tobacco material; and continuing to heat the pH-adjusted moist tobacco material to a temperature of at least about 55° C. for a time sufficient for the pH of the moist tobacco material to drop to less than about 8.5 while maintaining the moisture content at a relatively constant level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Brinkley, David Neil McClanahan, Jack Gray Flinchum, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7946652
    Abstract: In the case of a fitting (10) for a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, having a first fitting part (11), a second fitting part (12) in geared connection with the first fitting part (11), and a rotatably mounted eccentric (27) driven by a driver (21) to cause relative rolling between the first fitting part (11) and the second fitting part (12), a securing-ring (43) is clipped on a hub (22) of the driver (21) and surrounds a bead (22b) of the hub (22), wherein the bead (22b) has a non-constant radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Stilleke, Dirk Brassat, Bill Thaens, Tony Ferenc
  • Patent number: D638297
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: John A. Gelardi, Ryan A. Bailey
  • Patent number: D638958
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Endura Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Van Camp, Bruce Procton
  • Patent number: D639162
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: John A. Gelardi, Ryan A. Bailey
  • Patent number: D639163
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: John A. Gelardi, Ryan A. Bailey