Patents by Inventor Bradley K. Shepard

Bradley K. Shepard 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: 20110311692
    Abstract: A portable container is described for use in consuming a mixture of cereal and milk. The container includes an open-top receptacle divided into a cereal side and a milk side by an angled divider wall that includes an opening to permit milk to flow between the receptacle's cereal and milk sides, and a lid with a discharge opening in communication with the receptacle cereal side. A spoon-shaped mouthpiece is attached to the outer surface of the lid along the inner side of the discharge opening. In use, cereal and milk are mixed together in the receptacle with the wetted cereal being held on the cereal side of the divider wall. When the container is tilted, excess milk flows to the milk side of the receptacle and wetted cereal slides along the divider wall through the discharge opening and onto the mouthpiece for consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Bradley K. Shepard, Melinda W. Shepard
  • Patent number: 8074474
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a glass supply and treating the fiber by maintaining the optical fiber in a treatment zone wherein the fiber is cooled at a specified cooling rate. The optical fiber treatment reduces the tendency of the optical fiber to increase in attenuation due to Rayleigh scattering, and/or over time following formation of the optical fiber due to heat aging. Methods for producing optical fibers along nonlinear paths incorporating fluid bearings are also provided thereby allowing for increased vertical space for the fiber treatment zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrey V Filippov, Hazel B Matthews, III, Bruce Warren Reding, Bradley K Shepard, David Andrew Tucker
  • Patent number: 7726509
    Abstract: A container includes a bowl having a bowl interior space for holding solid material and a bowl opening for accessing the interior space of the bowl from an exterior of the bowl. The container also includes a bowl support having a bowl support interior space within which the bowl is located and a bowl support opening for accessing the interior space of the bowl support from an exterior of the container. The bowl is biased toward an upright orientation of the bowl independent of the rotational orientation of the bowl support. The bowl support opening overlies the bowl opening when both the bowl and the bowl support are in respective upright orientations, and the bowl support covers the bowl openings when the bowl support is tilted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Edison Nation, LLC
    Inventor: Bradley K. Shepard
  • Publication number: 20090139270
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a glass supply and treating the fiber by maintaining the optical fiber in a treatment zone wherein the fiber is cooled at a specified cooling rate. The optical fiber treatment reduces the tendency of the optical fiber to increase in attenuation due to Rayleigh scattering, and/or over time following formation of the optical fiber due to heat aging. Methods for producing optical fibers along nonlinear paths incorporating fluid bearings are also provided thereby allowing for increased vertical space for the fiber treatment zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Andrey V. Filippov, Hazel B. Matthews, III, Bruce Warren Reding, Bradley K. Shepard, David Andrew Tucker
  • Patent number: 7306112
    Abstract: A spill-proof container is constructed of a bowl with an access opening for holding particulate material that is freely rotatable within the chamber of a bowl support having an access opening. The access openings of the bowl and support are aligned when the bowl and support are both in their upright orientation. When the support is tipped, the bowl, which is heavier at its bottom, remains upright. As a result, the chamber access opening rotates out of alignment with the bowl access opening, which is then covered with a part of the chamber wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Loopa, LLC
    Inventor: Bradley K. Shepard