Patents by Inventor Brian L. Pal

Brian L. Pal 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).

  • Patent number: 11285079
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a medicinal carrier device includes: one or more sections of thermal insulation positioned to form an internal space with an adjacent first side region and an adjacent second side region; a first panel including a first phase change material positioned within the first side region of the internal space, the first side region of a size and shape to firmly contain an integral number of portable cold packs in thermal contact with the first panel; and a second panel including a second phase change material positioned within the second side region of the internal space, the second side region of a size and shape to firmly contain an integral number of portable cold packs in thermal contact with the second panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Tokitae, LLC
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Brian L. Pal, Matthew W. Peters, Nels R. Peterson, David J. Yager
  • Patent number: 10707683
    Abstract: Generally, this disclosure relates to methods of prioritizing or directing available power to a main device, such as a temperature-stabilized and/or temperature-controlled storage container. In an embodiment, the method may include measuring electrical power available from a solar photovoltaic module array that is electrically coupled to the main device, and modulating the electrical power drawn by the main device based on the available electrical power. Available power unused by the main device may be diverted to one or more secondary devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: TOKITAE LLC
    Inventors: Brian L. Pal, Roderick T. Hinman, Shieng Liu, Jennifer Ezu Hu, Fridrik Larusson, Fong-Li Chou, Nels R. Peterson, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10619916
    Abstract: A refrigeration device includes a thermal transfer unit with an evaporative region, an adiabatic region, and a condensing region with a reversible valve attached to the adiabatic region. The device includes a container sealed around PCM, with a set of refrigeration coils of a compressor unit in thermal contact with the PCM. A storage region is in thermal contact with the evaporative region of the thermal transfer unit. A controller is operably connected to the reversible valve and the refrigeration compressor unit. The storage region can be used to store cold packs within a predetermined temperature range for medical outreach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Tokitae LLC
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Roderick T. Hinman, Jennifer Ezu Hu, Fridrik Larusson, Shieng Liu, Brian L. Pal, Matthew W. Peters, Nels R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 10260819
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a thermosiphon configured for use within a temperature-regulated storage device includes: a condenser region, including a plurality of evenly spaced condenser channels with horizontally symmetrical bifurcated branches connected to an adiabatic channel, each of the plurality of condenser channels connected at a top position to an upper channel; an evaporator region, including a plurality of evaporator channels, wherein each of the plurality of evaporator channels has a flow channel formed in a serpentine channel pattern and each subunit of the serpentine channel pattern is attached to a vapor return channel at a top of the subunit, and wherein the evaporator region has at least one lowest position connected directly to a vapor return channel; and an adiabatic region including at least one adiabatic channel connecting the evaporator channels and the condenser channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Tokitae LLC
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Fridrik Larusson, Brian L. Pal, Nels R. Peterson, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20180353379
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a medicinal carrier device includes: one or more sections of thermal insulation positioned to form an internal space with an adjacent first side region and an adjacent second side region; a first panel including a first phase change material positioned within the first side region of the internal space, the first side region of a size and shape to firmly contain an integral number of portable cold packs in thermal contact with the first panel; and a second panel including a second phase change material positioned within the second side region of the internal space, the second side region of a size and shape to firmly contain an integral number of portable cold packs in thermal contact with the second panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Brian L. Pal, Matthew W. Peters, Nels R. Peterson, David J. Yager
  • Publication number: 20180087831
    Abstract: A refrigeration device includes a thermal transfer unit with an evaporative region, an adiabatic region, and a condensing region with a reversible valve attached to the adiabatic region. The device includes a container sealed around PCM, with a set of refrigeration coils of a compressor unit in thermal contact with the PCM. A storage region is in thermal contact with the evaporative region of the thermal transfer unit. A controller is operably connected to the reversible valve and the refrigeration compressor unit. The storage region can be used to store cold packs within a predetermined temperature range for medical outreach.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Roderick T. Hinman, Jennifer Ezu Hu, Fridrik Larusson, Shieng Liu, Brian L. Pal, Matthew W. Peters, Nels R. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20180090939
    Abstract: Generally, this disclosure relates to methods of prioritizing or directing available power to a main device, such as a temperature-stabilized and/or temperature-controlled storage container. In an embodiment, the method may include measuring electrical power available from a solar photovoltaic module array that is electrically coupled to the main device, and modulating the electrical power drawn by the main device based on the available electrical power. Available power unused by the main device may be diverted to one or more secondary devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Brian L. Pal, Roderick T. Hinman, Shieng Liu, Jennifer Ezu Hu, Fridrik Larusson, Fong-Li Chou, Nels R. Peterson, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180031327
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a thermosiphon configured for use within a temperature-regulated storage device includes: a condenser region, including a plurality of evenly spaced condenser channels with horizontally symmetrical bifurcated branches connected to an adiabatic channel, each of the plurality of condenser channels connected at a top position to an upper channel; an evaporator region, including a plurality of evaporator channels, wherein each of the plurality of evaporator channels has a flow channel formed in a serpentine channel pattern and each subunit of the serpentine channel pattern is attached to a vapor return channel at a top of the subunit, and wherein the evaporator region has at least one lowest position connected directly to a vapor return channel; and an adiabatic region including at least one adiabatic channel connecting the evaporator channels and the condenser channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Fridrik Larusson, Brian L. Pal, Nels R. Peterson, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Patent number: 9523522
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a refrigeration device includes: walls substantially forming a liquid-impermeable container configured to hold phase change material internal to a refrigeration device; at least one active refrigeration unit including a set of evaporator coils positioned within an interior of the liquid-impermeable container; walls substantially forming a storage region; and a heat transfer system including a first group of vapor-impermeable structures with a hollow interior connected to form a condenser in thermal contact with the walls substantially forming a liquid-impermeable container, a second group of vapor-impermeable structures with a hollow interior connected to form an evaporator in thermal contact with the walls substantially forming a storage region, and a connector with a hollow interior affixed to both the condenser and the evaporator, the connector forming a liquid and vapor flow path between the hollow interior of the condenser and the hollow interior of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Tokitae LLC
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Philip A. Eckhoff, Lawrence Morgan Fowler, William Gates, Jennifer Ezu Hu, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Fridrik Larusson, Shieng Liu, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Brian L. Pal, Nels R. Peterson, David Keith Piech, Maurizio Vecchione, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood, David J. Yager
  • Publication number: 20150233617
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a refrigeration device includes: walls substantially forming a liquid-impermeable container configured to hold phase change material internal to a refrigeration device; at least one active refrigeration unit including a set of evaporator coils positioned within an interior of the liquid-impermeable container; walls substantially forming a storage region; and a heat transfer system including a first group of vapor-impermeable structures with a hollow interior connected to form a condenser in thermal contact with the walls substantially forming a liquid-impermeable container, a second group of vapor-impermeable structures with a hollow interior connected to form an evaporator in thermal contact with the walls substantially forming a storage region, and a connector with a hollow interior affixed to both the condenser and the evaporator, the connector forming a liquid and vapor flow path between the hollow interior of the condenser and the hollow interior of the evaporator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Philip A. Eckhoff, Lawrence Morgan Fowler, William Gates, Jennifer Ezu Hu, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Fridrik Larusson, Shieng Liu, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Brian L. Pal, Nels R. Peterson, David Keith Piech, Maurizio Vecchione, Lowell L. Wood, JR., Victoria Y.H. Wood, David J. Yager