Patents by Inventor Adrian Michael Woodward

Adrian Michael Woodward has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20200291835
    Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a dock for a replaceable fluid container for an engine, the fluid container having: a fluid reservoir; and at least one fluid port having a coupling adapted to couple with a fluid circulation system associated with the engine; the dock having: a fastening mechanism configured to cooperate with the container such that, as the container is inserted into the dock, the fastening mechanism acts first to seat the fluid container in the dock but in an undocked condition and then, as the container is inserted further into the dock, acts to bring the fluid container into an engaged condition in which the fluid container is docked with a docking interface of the dock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Dawson, Steven Paul Goodier, Gary Howard, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Patent number: 10697336
    Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a dock for a replaceable fluid container for an engine, the fluid container having: a fluid reservoir; and at least one fluid port having a coupling adapted to couple with a fluid circulation system associated with the engine; the dock having: a fastening mechanism configured to cooperate with the container such that, as the container is inserted into the dock, the fastening mechanism acts first to seat the fluid container in the dock but in an undocked condition and then, as the container is inserted further into the dock, acts to bring the fluid container into an engaged condition in which the fluid container is docked with a docking interface of the dock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Castrol Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Dawson, Steven Paul Goodier, Gary Howard, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Patent number: 10589884
    Abstract: Provided is a process for thermoforming a gas and liquid permeable layer (10) of thermoplastic material having an average thickness of less than 1.0 mm, the process comprising the steps of bringing the layer of thermoplastic material, at a temperature below that required for thermoforming, into contact with a mould (16) at a temperature above that of a thermoforming temperature of the thermoplastic material; pressing the mould into contact with the layer of thermoplastic material, the contact between mould and thermoplastic material causing heat to transfer from the mould to the thermoplastic material and raising the temperature of the thermoplastic material to a thermoformable temperature; such pressing thereby causing thermoforming of the thermoplastic material to conform to the shape of the mould.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: CONOPCO, INC.
    Inventor: Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Patent number: 10502104
    Abstract: This invention relates to an oil reservoir system for an engine comprising: an oil container which includes an oil reservoir, which is in fluidic communication with an oil circulation system of an engine, a ventilated headspace and an oil filter located at the interior of said oil container. The invention also relates to a method for deaeration of an oil of an oil reservoir which is in fluidic communication with an oil circulation system of an engine. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle comprising the oil reservoir system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Castrol Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Dawson, Steven Paul Goodier, Gary Howard, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Publication number: 20190000111
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device (1, 100) for dispensing a food composition (13) from a receptacle (8, 108) comprising a compressed gas inlet (9, 109), the device comprising: a compressed gas source (12); a gas conduit (11) extending from the compressed gas source to a compressed gas outlet (10, 110); a housing (2, 102) surrounding the receptacle and having a door (3, 103) allowing access to the receptacle; and a mechanism (16, 17, 18, 19, 115, 118) for adjusting the relative position of the receptacle and compressed gas outlet in response to movement of the door to urge the compressed gas outlet (10, 110) and the compressed gas inlet (9, 109) into sealing engagement as the door is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: Conopco, Inc., d/b/a UNILEVER
    Inventors: William John CRAMER, Gary Stephen HOWARD, Paul SCOTT, Andrew Julian STOCKDALE, Adrian Michael WOODWARD
  • Patent number: 10011070
    Abstract: A process for forming a sheet of thermoplastic material into a three-dimensional shape comprising at least one vertex, the process comprising the steps of (i) forming the sheet by means of a former having a profile such as to produce a first formed shape in the sheet, followed by (ii) positioning a male former within the first formed shape, the male former having a profile within the first formed shape comprising at least one vertex and (iii) raising the temperature of the first formed shape above that of forming in step (i), thereby causing the first formed shape to shrink back towards its original sheet form and thereby adopting the profile of the male former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: CONOPCO, INC.
    Inventor: Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Patent number: 9840047
    Abstract: There is described an apparatus and method for transporting contact lenses through dipping baths (2, 3, 4) for e.g. rinsing, extraction, coating or loading purposes. The lenses are individually accommodated in respective containers (5) which are capable of enabling a flow of treatment fluid (S) into and out of the container (5). During their automatic transport through the dipping baths (2, 3, 4) the containers (5) are held in carriers (6). Lifters (9) are provided for automatically lowering and raising the carriers (6) in a reciprocating manner along their travel through the dipping bath (2, 3, 4). The reciprocating lowering and raising of the containers (5) is accomplished such, that a portion of each container which accommodates a contact lens remains immersed in the treatment fluid (S) which is contained in the dipping bath (2, 3, 4) while the container (5) suspended from the carrier (6) is advanced through the dipping bath (2, 3, 4) from a starting end to a leaving end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: NOVARTIS AG
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Katrin Sylke Struckmeier, Adrian Michael Woodward, Stephen George Fleck
  • Publication number: 20170089234
    Abstract: This invention relates to an oil reservoir system for an engine comprising: an oil container which includes an oil reservoir, which is in fluidic communication with an oil circulation system of an engine, a ventilated headspace and an oil filter located at the interior of said oil container. The invention also relates to a method for deaeration of an oil of an oil reservoir which is in fluidic communication with an oil circulation system of an engine. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle comprising the oil reservoir system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher Dawson, Steven Paul Goodier, Gary Howard, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Publication number: 20170089235
    Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a dock for a replaceable fluid container for an engine, the fluid container having: a fluid reservoir; and at least one fluid port having a coupling adapted to couple with a fluid circulation system associated with the engine; the dock having: a fastening mechanism configured to cooperate with the container such that, as the container is inserted into the dock, the fastening mechanism acts first to seat the fluid container in the dock but in an undocked condition and then, as the container is inserted further into the dock, acts to bring the fluid container into an engaged condition in which the fluid container is docked with a docking interface of the dock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher Dawson, Steven Paul Goodier, Gary Howard, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Publication number: 20170008653
    Abstract: Provided is a process for thermoforming a gas and liquid permeable layer (10) of thermoplastic material having an average thickness of less than 1.0 mm, the process comprising the steps of bringing the layer of thermoplastic material, at a temperature below that required for thermoforming, into contact with a mould (16) at a temperature above that of a thermoforming temperature of the thermoplastic material; pressing the mould into contact with the layer of thermoplastic material, the contact between mould and thermoplastic material causing heat to transfer from the mould to the thermoplastic material and raising the temperature of the thermoplastic material to a thermoformable temperature; such pressing thereby causing thermoforming of the thermoplastic material to conform to the shape of the mould.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: Conopco, Inc., d/b/a UNILEVER
    Inventor: Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Patent number: 9469065
    Abstract: Provided is a process for forming a sheet of thermoplastic material into a three-dimensional shape, the process comprising the steps of (i) forming the sheet at a temperature below its glass transition temperature to produce a first formed shape in the sheet, followed by (ii) raising the temperature of the first formed shape (20) to above its glass transition temperature whilst a male former (12), having at least a portion of its profile being substantially the same as that of the first formed shape (20), is positioned to substantially align at least a portion of its profile with that of the first formed shape (20), thereby restricting the first formed shape from shrinking back towards its original sheet form, followed by (iii) further forming the first formed shape (20) at a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature, to form a second formed shape (24), followed by (iv) raising the temperature of the second formed shape (24) to above its glass transition temperature whilst a male former (16),
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Suzanne Emma Axe, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Patent number: 9346569
    Abstract: A process for sequentially forming a plurality of enclosed containers (32) comprising a product, the process involving passing a continuous web (10), comprising a strip of container material having two opposing edges (4, 6), to a folding station (12), whereupon each open container is sequentially formed by folding the web, to bring into contact two contiguous edge portions (9a, 9b) from only one edge of the web, then sealing the two edges together to form a portion of the web into an open container, depositing the product onto the web so that it is held within the open containers, and then sealing the open containers to form the enclosed containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas David Reid Ford, James Robert Stirling Howarth, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Patent number: 9108368
    Abstract: There is described an apparatus and method for transporting contact lenses through dipping baths (2, 3, 4) for e.g. rinsing, extraction, coating or loading purposes. The lenses are individually accommodated in respective containers (5) which are capable of enabling a flow of treatment fluid (S) into and out of the container (5). During their automatic transport through the dipping baths (2, 3, 4) the containers (5) are held in carriers (6). Lifters (9) are provided for automatically lowering and raising the carriers (6) in a reciprocating manner along their travel through the dipping bath (2, 3, 4). The reciprocating lowering and raising of the containers (5) is accomplished such, that a portion of each container which accommodates a contact lens remains immersed in the treatment fluid (S) which is contained in the dipping bath (2, 3, 4) while the container (5) suspended from the carrier (6) is advanced through the dipping bath (2, 3, 4) from a starting end to a leaving end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Katrin Sylke Lorenz, Adrian Michael Woodward, Stephen George Fleck
  • Publication number: 20150209819
    Abstract: There is described an apparatus and method for transporting contact lenses through dipping baths (2, 3, 4) for e.g. rinsing, extraction, coating or loading purposes. The lenses are individually accommodated in respective containers (5) which are capable of enabling a flow of treatment fluid (S) into and out of the container (5). During their automatic transport through the dipping baths (2, 3, 4) the containers (5) are held in carriers (6). Lifters (9) are provided for automatically lowering and raising the carriers (6) in a reciprocating manner along their travel through the dipping bath (2, 3, 4). The reciprocating lowering and raising of the containers (5) is accomplished such, that a portion of each container which accommodates a contact lens remains immersed in the treatment fluid (S) which is contained in the dipping bath (2, 3, 4) while the container (5) suspended from the carrier (6) is advanced through the dipping bath (2, 3, 4) from a starting end to a leaving end thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Katrin Sylke Struckmeier, Adrian Michael Woodward, Stephen George Fleck
  • Publication number: 20150151902
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of infusion packets, the process comprising: • (a) providing a first sheet of thermoplastic material (2) which is porous or non- porous; • (b) thermoforming portions of the first sheet into a three-dimensional shape; • (c) providing a second sheet of material; • (d) dosing an infusible substance into the thermoformed portions of the first sheet or onto the second sheet; • (e) sealing the first and second sheets together to form pockets containing the infusible substance such that each pocket includes at least one thermoformed portion of the first sheet; • (f) severing the pockets at the seals to form infusion packets each having a chamber containing the infusible substance,
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: CONOPCO, INC., D/B/A UNILEVER
    Inventor: Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Publication number: 20140048979
    Abstract: A process for forming a sheet of thermoplastic material into a three-dimensional shape comprising at least one vertex, the process comprising the steps of (i) forming the sheet by means of a former having a profile such as to produce a first formed shape in the sheet, followed by (ii) positioning a male former within the first formed shape, the male former having a profile within the first formed shape comprising at least one vertex and (iii) raising the temperature of the first formed shape above that of forming in step (i), thereby causing the first formed shape to shrink back towards its original sheet form and thereby adopting the profile of the male former.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventor: Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Publication number: 20140042667
    Abstract: Provided is a process for forming a sheet of thermoplastic material into a three-dimensional shape, the process comprising the steps of (i) forming the sheet at a temperature below its glass transition temperature to produce a first formed shape in the sheet, followed by (ii) raising the temperature of the first formed shape (20) to above its glass transition temperature whilst a male former (12), having at least a portion of its profile being substantially the same as that of the first formed shape (20), is positioned to substantially align at least a portion of its profile with that of the first formed shape (20), thereby restricting the first formed shape from shrinking back towards its original sheet form, followed by (iii) further forming the first formed shape (20) at a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature, to form a second formed shape (24), followed by (iv) raising the temperature of the second formed shape (24) to above its glass transition temperature whilst a male former (16),
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventors: Suzanne Emma Axe, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Publication number: 20130277887
    Abstract: Provided is a process for thermoforming a gas and liquid permeable layer of thermoplastic material (12, 32) having an average thickness of less than 0.50 mm, the process comprising the steps of bringing the layer into contact with a layer of deformable non-gas permeable material (10, 30) to form a separable laminate of the two materials, arranging for the thermoplastic material to be at a thermoformable temperature and thermoforming the separable laminate, thereby thermoforming the thermoplastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: James Robert Stirling Howarth, Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Publication number: 20130277888
    Abstract: Provided is a process for thermoforming a gas and liquid permeable layer (10) of thermoplastic material having an average thickness of less than 1.0 mm, the process comprising the steps of bringing the layer of thermoplastic material, at a temperature below that required for thermoforming, into contact with a mould (16) at a temperature above that of a thermoforming temperature of the thermoplastic material; pressing the mould into contact with the layer of thermoplastic material, the contact between mould and thermoplastic material causing heat to transfer from the mould to the thermoplastic material and raising the temperature of the thermoplastic material to a thermoformable temperature; such pressing thereby causing thermoforming of the thermoplastic material to conform to the shape of the mould.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Adrian Michael Woodward
  • Publication number: 20130133292
    Abstract: A process for sequentially forming a plurality of enclosed containers (32) comprising a product, the process involving passing a continuous web (10), comprising a strip of container material having two opposing edges (4, 6), to a folding station (12), whereupon each open container is sequentially formed by folding the web, to bring into contact two contiguous edge portions (9a, 9b) from only one edge of the web, then sealing the two edges together to form a portion of the web into an open container, depositing the product onto the web so that it is held within the open containers, and then sealing the open containers to form the enclosed containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas David Reid Ford, James Robert Stirling Howarth, Adrian Michael Woodward