Patents Assigned to The University of Scranton
  • Patent number: 9881523
    Abstract: A hydraulic model of the cardiovascular system for illustrating a plurality of physiological concepts and relationships including arterial compliance, venous compliance, and peripheral resistance, said model comprising: a.) a cardiac subsystem for moving a fluid in a singular direction in a closed hydraulic system; b.) an arterial subsystem for modeling arterial compliance, the arterial subsystem fluidically coupled with the cardiac subsystem to receive the fluid discharged from the cardiac subsystem; c.) a peripheral resistance subsystem for modeling peripheral resistance, the peripheral resistance subsystem fluidically coupled with the arterial subsystem to receive the fluid discharged from arterial subsystem; d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: University of Scranton
    Inventor: Terrence E. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 9786204
    Abstract: An educational system for visualizing sound by a student in a laboratory. The system includes a speaker powered by an audio amplifier. A function generator or a microphone controls the amplitude and frequency of pressure waves originating from the speaker. A model of the ear canal is suspended over the speaker, the model having a plastic pipe with two open ends and a membrane stretched taut over one of the open ends with constant tension. A mirror is affixed to the membrane, creating a mass-loaded membrane. A laser pointer emits light directed toward the mirror. A screen receives a light reflection pattern created by the light reflected from the mirror, with the model ear canal, speaker, membrane, and mirror placed equidistant between the screen and the laser pointer. The system is adapted to demonstrate hearing sensitivity to a deaf or hearing-impaired person in an educational setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: The University of Scranton
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Truncale, Michelle Graham
  • Publication number: 20170186341
    Abstract: A hydraulic model of the cardiovascular system for illustrating a plurality of physiological concepts and relationships including arterial compliance, venous compliance, and peripheral resistance, said model comprising: a.) a cardiac subsystem for moving a fluid in a singular direction in a closed hydraulic system; b.) an arterial subsystem for modeling arterial compliance, the arterial subsystem fluidically coupled with the cardiac subsystem to receive the fluid discharged from the cardiac subsystem; c.) a peripheral resistance subsystem for modeling peripheral resistance, the peripheral resistance subsystem fluidically coupled with the arterial subsystem to receive the fluid discharged from arterial subsystem; d.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: The University of Scranton
    Inventor: Terrence E. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 9576504
    Abstract: A hydraulic model of the cardiovascular system for illustrating a plurality of physiological concepts and relationships including arterial compliance, venous compliance, and peripheral resistance, said model comprising: a.) a cardiac subsystem for moving a fluid in a singular direction in a closed hydraulic system; b.) an arterial subsystem for modeling arterial compliance, the arterial subsystem fluidically coupled with the cardiac subsystem to receive the fluid discharged from the cardiac subsystem; c.) a peripheral resistance subsystem for modeling peripheral resistance, the peripheral resistance subsystem fluidically coupled with the arterial subsystem to receive the fluid discharged from arterial subsystem; d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: University of Scranton
    Inventor: Terrence E. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 9293065
    Abstract: An apparatus for demonstrating the beneficial effects of elastic arteries comprising an input port connected to a one-way valve, the input port having an input cross sectional area; an expandable member having an input and an output, the input of the expandable member communicatively coupled with the input port and the one-way valve for allowing fluid to flow into the expandable member, and the expandable member capable of varying in volume based on a pressure exerted at the input port; and an output port communicatively coupled with the expandable member at the output for allowing fluid to flow out of the expandable member, the output port having an output cross sectional area that is smaller then the input port cross sectional area; and a method of demonstrating the beneficial effects of elastic arteries comprising providing an arterial elasticity simulator and analogizing concepts of cardiovascular physiology with the arterial elastic simulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: University of Scranton
    Inventor: Terrence E. Sweeney
  • Publication number: 20150229264
    Abstract: A control system and method for controlling a tracking device based on the position of a celestial object, such as the sun, the moon, or any heavenly body. The control system includes a tracking device configured to follow movement of the celestial object based on astronomical data for the celestial object, motor for moving the tracking device, and a computer for controlling the motor. The computer is configured to obtain the astronomical data; calculate an amount of movement for the tracking device; and reposition the tracking device in order to track the movement of the celestial object. The tracking device may include solar applications, cameras, antennae, satellite dishes, or any device envisioned to track celestial objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: The University of Scranton
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Truncale, Nathan Williams
  • Publication number: 20140261629
    Abstract: A solar energy system for collecting and converting solar energy to electricity using photovoltaic devices. The system further includes reflective panels to concentrate incident solar energy onto an array of solar panels, as well as an automated sun tracking system to rotate the solar and reflective panels to follow the sun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: University of Scranton
    Inventor: James Loven
  • Publication number: 20120077170
    Abstract: An apparatus for demonstrating the beneficial effects of elastic arteries comprising an input port connected to a one-way valve, the input port having an input cross sectional area; an expandable member having an input and an output, the input of the expandable member communicatively coupled with the input port and the one-way valve for allowing fluid to flow into the expandable member, and the expandable member capable of varying in volume based on a pressure exerted at the input port; and an output port communicatively coupled with the expandable member at the output for allowing fluid to flow out of the expandable member, the output port having an output cross sectional area that is smaller then the input port cross sectional area; and a method of demonstrating the beneficial effects of elastic arteries comprising providing an arterial elasticity simulator and analogizing concepts of cardiovascular physiology with the arterial elastic simulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
    Inventor: Terrence E. Sweeney
  • Publication number: 20120042938
    Abstract: A high efficiency solar cell for creating current from incident radiant energy, comprising a concentrator for concentrating the incident radiant energy into concentrated radiant energy, a refraction element for receiving the concentrated radiant energy and splitting the radiant energy into a plurality of bands of radiant energy, each band of the plurality of bands having a frequency range and impinging on an area, and a plurality of band solar cells, each band solar cell disposed to receive one of the plurality of bands impinging on an area and also tuned to absorb the frequency range of the one of the plurality bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
    Inventors: Argyrios C. Varonides, Robert A. Spalletta
  • Patent number: 7921938
    Abstract: A system having a number of land units [100, 4000, 5000] is disclosed which operates to efficiently find and create boreholes [5] to one or more underground targets [1]. Each of the land units [100, 4000, 5000] may be remotely controlled from a central command unit [6000]. The land unit also may be self-controlled, or partially controlled by the central command unit [6000]. The system [10] is reconfigurable to reallocate tasks to functional land units [100, 4000, 5000] which were originally allocated to land units which have been destroyed and are now non-functional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Scranton
    Inventors: W. Andrew Berger, Robert A. Spalletta, Jerry A. Carter, Richard M. Pell, Marian Mazurkiewicz
  • Patent number: 7925480
    Abstract: A simulation system [200] models and optimizes parameters for a pulsed liquid slug boring system employing an energetic fluid [7]. The simulation system [200] employs a fluid flow energy unit [251], an exhaust and retention energy unit [253] and a comminuting energy unit [255] to calculate energies of the system. Total energy unit [257] combines these energies. Fluid flow energy unit 251 receives fluid volume and calculates the fluid flow energy. Exhaust and retention energy unit 253 receives input from the exhaust energy volume unit [243] and mission duration unit [211] to determine the exhaust and retention energy. Comminuting energy unit 255 receives hole depth and hole diameter and specific energy of rock to determine the require comminuting energy. The simulation system [200] operates to determine optimum values of design parameters by searching for the minimum energy solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Scranton
    Inventors: W. Andrew Berger, Robert A. Spalletta, Jerry A. Carter
  • Patent number: 7828078
    Abstract: The present invention is a self-contained, high-energy liquid rock-boring system that will bore a small-diameter access hole [5] several hundred meters through hard granite and other obstacles within minutes of deployment. It employs a land unit [100] platform subsystem [1000] with an energetic fluid fuel reservoir [1300] and a boring subsystem [3000] having a plurality of pulsejets [3100]. Each pulsejet [3100] repeatedly ignites the energetic fluid [7] causing a plurality of rapidly-expanding gas bubbles [3250] which create and force a plurality liquid slugs [10] ahead of them rapidly out through a nozzle [3260] causing the slugs [10] to impact against materials ahead of the nozzles [3260], boring an access hole [5]. The system also employs an umbilical subsystem [2000] connecting the boring [3000] and the platform subsystems [1000]. The system can be used to rapidly bore an access hole [5] to provide air and resources to trapped miners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Scranton
    Inventors: Wojciech Andrew Berger, Robert A. Spalletta, Jerry A. Carter, Richard M. Pell, Marian Mazurkiewicz, Christopher Davey
  • Patent number: 7681672
    Abstract: A cryogenic system is described for boring a small-diameter hole through various materials including rock, soil and stone. It employs a valveless technique in a borehead [3000] where cryogenic fluid [7] fills at least one pulsejet [3100] which has proximal [3001] and distal [3003] ends. The cryogenic fluid [7] is frozen into a plug [8] near the distal end [3003], acting as a valve. Cryogenic fluid [7] just distal to the frozen plug [8] is rapidly heated by thermal units [3510, 3530] causing it to become a rapidly-expanding gas bubble. The rapidly-expanding gas bubble forces any liquid [7] distal to the expanding gas out of the distal end [3003] of each pulsejet [3100] causing it to impact the material [I]. Rapidly repeating this process causes the system to bore a hole through the material [I].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Scranton
    Inventor: Robert A. Spalletta
  • Patent number: 7584807
    Abstract: A method and device for boring a hole [5] through a material along a desired path includes an umbilical subsystem [2000] connected to a boring subsystem [3000] having a plurality of pulsejets [3100]. These pulsejets [3100] repeatedly receive and ignite a combustible fluid [7] in a combustion chamber [3230] causing a portion of the fluid [7] to be forced out of a nozzle [3260] at high speeds as a fluid slug [10] that impacts materials ahead of the pulsejet [3100]. A controller [3310] controls the amount of fluid provided to each pulsejet [3100], and the firing timing, thereby controlling the intensity in which each slug [10] impacts the material. By modulating the intensity and firing sequence of each of the pulsejets [3100], material ahead of the boring subsystem [3000] is differentially bored thereby allowing steering of the boring subsystem [3000].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: The University of Scranton
    Inventors: W. Andrew Berger, Robert A. Spalletta, Jerry A. Carter, Richard M. Pell, Marian Mazurkiewicz
  • Publication number: 20090071713
    Abstract: The present invention is a self-contained, high-energy liquid rock-boring system that will bore a small-diameter access hole [5] several hundred meters through hard granite and other obstacles within minutes of deployment. It employs a land unit [100] platform subsystem [1000] with an energetic fluid fuel reservoir [1300] and a boring subsystem [3000] having a plurality of pulsejets [3100]. Each pulsejet [3100] repeatedly ignites the energetic fluid [7] causing a plurality of rapidly-expanding gas bubbles [3250] which create and force a plurality liquid slugs [10] ahead of them rapidly out through a nozzle [3260] causing the slugs [10] to impact against materials ahead of the nozzles [3260], boring an access hole [5]. The system also employs an umbilical subsystem [2000] connecting the boring [3000] and the platform subsystems [1000]. The system can be used to rapidly bore an access hole [5] to provide air and resources to trapped miners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
    Inventors: Wojciech Andrew Berger, Robert A. Spalletta, Jerry A. Carter, Richard M. Pell, Marian Mazurkiewicz, Christopher Davey
  • Patent number: 5595871
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rapid and sensitive method for detecting Mycoplasma hominis using M. hominis-specific probes, oligonucleotides or antibodies. In particular a target sequence can be amplified by in vitro nucleic acid amplification techniques, detected by nucleic acid hybridization using the subject probes and oligonucleotides or detected by immunoassay using M. hominis-specific antibodies. M. hominis-specific nucleic acids which do not recognize or hybridize to genomic nucleic acid of other Mycoplasma species are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignees: University of Scranton, Research Corporation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vito G. DelVecchio, Gary L. Gallia, Ferne K. McCleskey
  • Patent number: 4558690
    Abstract: An improved method of administration of microspheres of cytotoxic chemicals to tumor sites without effect on non tumor tissue is disclosed. The method comprises injection of chemotherapeutic agents coated with a thermoplastic polymer having a melting point above normal body temperature (in a melting point range of about 40.degree.-46.degree. C.) accompanied by dielectric radio-frequency localized heating of the tumor to elevate its interior temperature above the melting point of the encapsulating thermoplastic polymer. The tumor is partially necrosed and sensitized by the R.F. nonionizing radiation bombardment and the entry of the chemotherapy agent triggered by the removal of the protective coat of thermoplastic polymer.A preferred embodiment of the invention is a dose of 30 mg of methotrexate (A-methopterin) in the form of spherical microscapsules having an average of 200-800 microns diameter and a polymer of polystearyl acrylate encapsulating coating of an average thickness of 1-50 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1985
    Assignee: University of Scranton
    Inventor: Patrick J. Joyce