Patents Assigned to The University of Maine
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Patent number: 10518846Abstract: A floating wind turbine farm 230 includes a plurality of anchors 20/202/204/206/208 fixed in or on a bed of a body of water. A plurality of floating wind turbine platforms 10 is deployed in the body of water, each of the floating wind turbine platforms 10 having one or more mooring lines 200/212 that extend between, and are attached to, the floating wind turbine platform 10 and one of the anchors 20/202/204/206/208. Each anchor 20/202/204/206/208 is configured to receive two or more mooring lines 200/212, wherein each of the mooring lines 200/212 are from a different one of the plurality of floating wind turbine platforms 10.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2015Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Habib J. Dagher, Anthony M. Viselli, John E. Halkyard
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Patent number: 10519685Abstract: A wind turbine tower includes a plurality of tower sections axially aligned and connected together. Each tower section includes an inner wall having a tapered cylindrical shape concentrically positioned within an outer wall having a tapered cylindrical shape. An annular space is defined between the inner wall and the outer wall, and a layer of concrete is disposed within the annular space. A plurality of post-tensioning cables extend longitudinally within the annular space or outside the outer wall, such that a first one of the tower sections is connected to a second one of the tower sections by a plurality of the post-tensioning cables.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2015Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Anthony M. Viselli, Habib J. Dagher
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Patent number: 10494779Abstract: An elongated girder for use in a bridge includes a girder body having a modified V-shaped cross section. The body includes longitudinally extending webs defining sides of the girder, a bottom flange extending between the webs, and top flanges extending outwardly from the webs.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2019Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Habib J. Dagher, James M. Anderson, William G. Davids, Joshua D. Clapp
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Patent number: 10467755Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, methods of identifying cancerous or pre-cancerous tissue including providing a first region of tissue from a subject, calculating a roughness exponent for the first region of tissue, and comparing the roughness exponent of the first region of tissue to 0.5, wherein a difference of less than 0.2 between the roughness exponent of the first region of tissue and 0.5 indicates that the tissue is cancerous or pre-cancerous. Additionally, the present invention provides methods including providing a first view of a region of tissue, providing a second view of a region of tissue, calculating a first fractal dimension for the first view of the region of tissue, and calculating a second fractal dimension for the second view of the region of tissue, wherein if the fractal dimension of at least one of the first fractal dimension and the second fractal dimension is in the fractal zone, the region of tissue is considered cancerous.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2014Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEESInventors: Andre Khalil, Kendra Ann Batchelder
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Publication number: 20190276994Abstract: An elongated girder for use in a bridge includes a girder body having a modified V-shaped cross section. The body includes longitudinally extending webs defining sides of the girder, a bottom flange extending between the webs, and top flanges extending outwardly from the webs.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Applicant: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Habib J. Dagher, James M. Anderson, William G. Davids, Joshua D. Clapp
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Publication number: 20190263477Abstract: A method of assembling a floating wind turbine platform includes forming a base assembly of the floating wind turbine platform in either a cofferdam or a graving dock built in water having a first depth. The base assembly includes a keystone and a plurality of buoyant bottom beams extending radially outward of the keystone, wherein longitudinal axes of each of the plurality of bottom beams are coplanar. The cofferdam or the graving dock is flooded and the assembled base assembly is floated to an assembly area in water having a second depth. A center column and a plurality of outer columns are assembled or formed on the base assembly, a tower is assembled or formed on the center column, and a wind turbine is assembled on the tower, thereby defining the floating wind turbine platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Applicant: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Habib J. Dagher, Anthony M. Viselli
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Publication number: 20190211797Abstract: A wave energy converter (10) is capable of floating on a body of water (BW), moving in response to waves (W) occurring in the body of water (BW), and includes a hull (12) connected to a heave plate (14). The wave energy converter (10) is characterized in that the hull (12) is formed from reinforced concrete, a plurality of connecting tendons (16) extend between the hull (12) and the heave plate (14), and a power take off (66) is attached to each connecting tendon (16).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2017Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicant: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Anthony M. Viselli, Habib J. Dagher
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Patent number: 10336404Abstract: A method of assembling a floating wind turbine platform includes assembling a keystone having a hollow central cavity from pre-formed concrete sections, and assembling a plurality of buoyant bottom beams from pre-formed concrete sections. Each bottom beam is attached to, and extends radially outward of the keystone to define a base assembly. Each buoyant bottom beam includes a ballast chamber therein. The keystone is post-tensioned to each bottom beam along a longitudinal axis thereof. A center column is assembled upwardly and perpendicularly on the base assembly from pre-formed sections of the center column, the outer columns are assembled on a distal end of each bottom beam from pre-formed sections of the outer columns, and the center column and the outer columns are longitudinally post-tensioned to the base assembly. A tower is assembled on the center column from pre-formed sections, and a wind turbine is assembled on the tower.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Habib J. Dagher, Anthony M. Viselli
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Publication number: 20190136566Abstract: A wind turbine tower includes a plurality of tower sections axially aligned and connected together. Each tower section includes an inner wall having a tapered cylindrical shape concentrically positioned within an outer wall having a tapered cylindrical shape. An annular space is defined between the inner wall and the outer wall, and a layer of concrete is disposed within the annular space. A plurality of post-tensioning cables extend longitudinally within the annular space or outside the outer wall, such that a first one of the tower sections is connected to a second one of the tower sections by a plurality of the post-tensioning cables.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2015Publication date: May 9, 2019Applicant: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Anthony M. Viselli, Habib J. Dagher
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Patent number: 10280294Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, compositions comprising nanofibrils, at least one maleic-anhydride (MA) copolymer and at least one matrix polymer, and methods of making such compositions. The provided methods and compositions allow for the production of composites with unexpectedly superior properties including improved impact resistance, tensile modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, and flexural modulus of elasticity as compared to previously known composites. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods including the steps of providing cellulose nanofibrils, associating the cellulose nanofibrils with a maleic-anhydride (MA) copolymer to form a nanofibril-MA copolymer blend, preparing the nanofibril-MA copolymer blend for addition to a matrix polymer, and forming a composite by associating the nanofibril-MA copolymer blend with the matrix polymer, wherein the amount of cellulose nanofibrils in the composite is between 3% and 50% by weight of the composite.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2014Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Douglas J. Gardner, Yousoo Han, Yucheng Peng
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Publication number: 20190123212Abstract: A fabric comprising a plurality of photovoltaic filaments includes a conductive bus structure woven into the selvage edge of the fabric, providing a robust and flexible electrical connection from the positive and negative electrode leads of the photovoltaic filaments. The bus structure may be formed in segments which can include any combination of series and parallel configurations to accommodate loads requiring specified voltage and current.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2017Publication date: April 25, 2019Applicant: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventor: Karl A. Pepin
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Publication number: 20190099319Abstract: An adaptive mobility device enables disabled users to ambulate with more security. The device includes a frame including two rear forks for a pair of rear wheels, and a pivotable front fork and wheel, steerable with a steering mechanism that alters the front wheel angle in response to pivoting of the forearms support bar. The support bar may optionally contain forearm rests on which the user may support his or her weight while reaching the handgrips for steering the device. The steering mechanism may provide for adjustment of the steering ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2017Publication date: April 4, 2019Applicant: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Vincent Caccese, Elizabeth Depoy, Stephen Gilson, Ryan Michael Beaumont, James Everett Alexander, Jr.
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Patent number: 10244977Abstract: A wireless system and methods for non-invasive detection of brain injury that includes a detection device for reliable monitoring and analyzing of sleep movement in comparison with normal sleep movement architecture to identify dampened sleep movement patterns indicative of brain injury.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2015Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Marie J. Hayes, Ali Abedi
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Patent number: 10215161Abstract: A method of constructing and assembling a floating wind turbine platform includes constructing pre-stressed concrete sections of a floating wind turbine platform base, assembling the floating wind turbine platform base sections to form the base at a first location in a floating wind turbine platform assembly area, and moving the base to a second location in the floating wind turbine platform assembly area. Pre-stressed concrete sections of floating wind turbine platform columns are constructed, and the column sections are assembled to form a center column and a plurality of outer columns on the base to define a hull at the second location in the floating wind turbine platform assembly area. The hull is then moved to a third location in the floating wind turbine platform assembly area. Secondary structures are mounted on and within the hull, and the hull is moved to a fourth location in the floating wind turbine platform assembly area.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2016Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Anthony M. Viselli, Habib J. Dagher
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Patent number: 10202170Abstract: A hull for a semi-submersible wind turbine platform capable of floating on a body of water and supporting a wind turbine includes a keystone and at least three bottom beams extending radially outward of the keystone. Each bottom beam has a primary beam portion and a column base portion, wherein the column base portion is configured to support an outer column of the hull thereon, and wherein the primary beam portion defines a first ballast compartment therein. The first ballast compartment is in fluid communication with water in the body of water in which the hull is floating.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2016Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Habib J. Dagher, Anthony M. Viselli, Mark Dwyer
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Patent number: 10202174Abstract: A floating buoy includes a buoy hull having a tower that extends outwardly from the hull. A plurality of sensors are mounted either on the buoy hull, within the buoy hull, and/or on the tower. The plurality of sensors includes at least one met-ocean sensor, at least one ecological sensor, and at least one wind speed measurement sensor. The floating buoy further includes an autonomous power system that is configured to provide electrical power to each of the plurality of sensors. The wind speed measurement sensor may be a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) wind speed measurement sensor, a surface level wind speed sensor, an ultrasonic wind speed sensor, or SODAR.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2015Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: University Of Maine System Board Of TrusteesInventors: Habib J. Dagher, Neal Pettigrew, Anthony M. Viselli, Rachael Joyce, John Wallinga, Patrick Fikes, Neil R. Fisher
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Patent number: 10117431Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and compositions for increasing a growth characteristic of a plant, increasing nutrient use efficiency of a plant, or improving a plant's ability to overcome stress comprising applying a composition comprising ketosuccinamate, a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof, to the plant or to a propagation material of the plant.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2016Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignees: Los Alamos National Security, LLC, University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Pat J. Unkefer, Thomas Joseph Knight
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Patent number: 10119127Abstract: Glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) proteins, nucleic acid molecules encoding GPT proteins, and uses thereof are disclosed. Provided herein are various GPT proteins and GPT gene coding sequences isolated from a number of plant species. As disclosed herein, GPT proteins share remarkable structural similarity within plant species, and are active in catalyzing the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline (2-oxoglutaramate), a powerful signal metabolite which regulates the function of a large number of genes involved in the photosynthesis apparatus, carbon fixation and nitrogen metabolism.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2016Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignees: Los Alamos National Security, LLC, University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Pat J Unkefer, Penelope S Anderson, Thomas J Knight
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Publication number: 20180313039Abstract: The present disclosure relates to paperboard having an improved basis weight to bending strength relationship and methods of making paperboard having an improved basis weight to bending strength relationship. In particular, a paperboard provided herein includes a refined cellulose in at least 1 ply.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2015Publication date: November 1, 2018Applicants: General Mills, Inc., University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: George Tuszkiewicz, Matthew W Lorence, Mark Paradis, Michael A Bilodeau
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Publication number: 20180265665Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making a foamed cellulosic fiber-thermoplastic composite article. The method includes the steps of providing a copolymer composition, combining the copolymer composition and cellulosic fibers, applying heat, mixing energy and pressure to form a foamable mixture, and forming the foamable article in a molding or extruding operation. The method is characterized in that at least 10% of the cellulosic fibers have been thermally modified prior to being combined with the copolymer composition.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2016Publication date: September 20, 2018Applicants: Stora Enso OYJ, University of Maine System Board of TrusteesInventors: Duncan Mayes, Janne Pynnonen, Christopher H West, Douglas J Gardner, Yousoo Han