Patents by Inventor Brian Morin
Brian Morin 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).
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Publication number: 20240115455Abstract: A mobility device configurable in a first walk configuration and a second stair-climb configuration, including a frame with movable front leg portions, a leg-actuation system connected to the front leg portions and a safety-control device mounted to the frame. The safety-control device includes a configuration selector, and a lever connected to the leg-actuation system and configured to actuate the cable actuation system so as to cause the first and second movable leg portions to move from a first position to a second position. The lever remains locked in a first lever position such that the lever cannot be moved unless the configuration selector is in a depressed position, thereby preventing inadvertent movement of the leg portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2023Publication date: April 11, 2024Inventors: Joshua Sigsworth, Matthew Gingras, Eric Ankerud, Brian Morin, Dan Becker, Mark Brodie, Leland Ray Adams, Joseph Paul, Amy T. Potts, J. Derek Riemer
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Publication number: 20240106087Abstract: Disclosed herein are joining methods (e.g., methods of forming a joined material) and devices comprising materials joined by said methods. For example, the disclosed subject matter related to methods of joining one or more metallized polymer current collectors together and/or to a tab. For example, the methods can comprise: placing one or more metallized polymer current collector proximate a tab, such that at least a portion of the metallized polymer current collector(s) overlaps with at least a portion of the tab in an overlap region; placing a conductive material proximate the overlap region; inducing flow of the conductive material such that the conductive material flows at least between the portion of the metallized polymer current collector(s) and the portion of the tab; and subsequently solidifying the conductive material, thereby forming a joint that joins the metallized polymer current collector(s) to the tab.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Nathaniel Colvin, Avraham Benatar, Carl Hu, Drew Pereira, Brian Morin
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Patent number: 11759385Abstract: A mobility device configurable in a first walk configuration and a second stair-climb configuration, including a frame with movable front leg portions, a leg-actuation system connected to the front leg portions and a safety-control device mounted to the frame. The safety-control device includes a configuration selector, and a lever connected to the leg-actuation system and configured to actuate the cable actuation system so as to cause the first and second movable leg portions to move from a first position to a second position. The lever remains locked in a first lever position such that the lever cannot be moved unless the configuration selector is in a depressed position, thereby preventing inadvertent movement of the leg portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2022Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: STAIRASSIST WALKER, LLCInventors: Joshua Sigsworth, Matthew Gingras, Eric Ankerud, Brian Morin, Dan Becker, Mark Brodie, Leland Ray Adams, Joseph Paul, Amy T. Potts, J. Derek Riemer
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Publication number: 20220241134Abstract: A mobility device configurable in a first walk configuration and a second stair-climb configuration, including a frame with movable front leg portions, a leg-actuation system connected to the front leg portions and a safety-control device mounted to the frame. The safety-control device includes a configuration selector, and a lever connected to the leg-actuation system and configured to actuate the cable actuation system so as to cause the first and second movable leg portions to move from a first position to a second position. The lever remains locked in a first lever position such that the lever cannot be moved unless the configuration selector is in a depressed position, thereby preventing inadvertent movement of the leg portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2022Publication date: August 4, 2022Inventors: Joshua Sigsworth, Matthew Gingras, Eric Ankerud, Brian Morin, Dan Becker, Mark Brodie, Leland Ray Adams, Joseph Paul, Amy T. Potts, J. Derek Riemer
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Patent number: 9598796Abstract: A new class of high modulus polypropylene multifilament fiber and/or yarn is provided. Such a multifilament fiber and/or yarn exhibits an exceptional combination of high strength and toughness with low weight and density. The inventive fibers thus permit replacement of expensive polymeric fibers within certain applications with lower cost alternatives, or replacement of high density components with such low density fibers, without sacrificing strength or durability. Such multifilament fibers are produced through melt-spinning processes and exhibit highly unique microstructures therein, including significant void volumes, interspersed and crossed voids, and nanofilament bridges within such voids. Such microstructural characteristics appear to impart the exceptional properties noted above.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2012Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Innegra Technologies, LLCInventor: Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20140335752Abstract: This invention is a hybrid composite structure comprising: a laminate including two plies of fabric wherein the fabric includes a composite yarn; a first polyolefin yarn included in the composite yarn having about 80% crystallinity according to WAXS measuring techniques; a second yarn physically combined with the first polyolefin yarn and included in the composite yarn; and, wherein the laminate has the physical property of impact energy absorption more than 50% higher than a panel made with an equivalent weight of the second yarn alone as measured by the ASTM D5420 drop-impact testing method.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: Jeffrey Ettin, Elizabeth Cates, Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20070290942Abstract: Disclosed are composite laminates that can exhibit high strength and/or low dielectric loss and can also be lightweight. The laminates include layers formed of high modulus polyolefin fiber. The fibers can be woven or knit to form a fabric or can be included in a nonwoven fabric that can be one or more layers of the composite structures. The layers including the high modulus polyolefin fibers can include other fibers, such as fiberglass. The composites can also include layers of other materials, for instance layers formed of polyaramids, fiberglass, or carbon fiber wovens or nonwovens. The composites can advantageously be utilized in low loss dielectric applications, such as in forming circuit board substrates, or in applications beneficially combining strength with low weight, such as automobile and boat materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2005Publication date: December 20, 2007Inventor: Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20070039683Abstract: Disclosed are composite laminates that can exhibit high strength and/or low dielectric loss and can also be lightweight. The laminates include layers formed of high modulus polyolefin fiber. The fibers can be woven or knit to form a fabric or can be included in a nonwoven fabric that can be one or more layers of the composite structures. The layers including the high modulus polyolefin fibers can include other fibers, such as fiberglass. The composites can also include layers of other materials, for instance layers formed of polyaramids, fiberglass, or carbon fiber wovens or nonwovens. The composites can advantageously be utilized in low loss dielectric applications, such as in forming circuit board substrates, or in applications beneficially combining strength with low weight, such as automobile and boat materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2005Publication date: February 22, 2007Inventor: Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20070042170Abstract: Disclosed are composite laminates that can exhibit high strength and/or low dielectric loss and can also be lightweight. The laminates include layers formed of high modulus polyolefin fiber. The fibers can be woven or knit to form a fabric or can be included in a nonwoven fabric that can be one or more layers of the composite structures. The layers including the high modulus polyolefin fibers can include other fibers, such as fiberglass. The composites can also include layers of other materials, for instance layers formed of polyaramids, fiberglass, or carbon fiber wovens or nonwovens. The composites can advantageously be utilized in low loss dielectric applications, such as in forming circuit board substrates, or in applications beneficially combining strength with low weight, such as automobile and boat materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2005Publication date: February 22, 2007Inventor: Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20060280924Abstract: Disclosed are structural materials including polymeric reinforcment fibers that can provide added strength and fracture toughness to the matrix. The polymeric reinforcement fibers are polypropylene-based monofilament fibers or tape fibers exhibiting extremely favorable mechanical characteristics for structural reinforcement including modulus greater than 12 MPa and elongation less than about 10%. The disclosed reinforced composite materials can exhibit desired average residual strength values with less total fiber loading necessary to attain the ARS values as compared to previously known polymer reinforced materials. Very high strength and fracture toughness can be attained in the disclosed composite materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2005Publication date: December 14, 2006Inventor: Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20060210795Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming multifilament polyolefin yarns and yarns formed according to the disclosed method. The yarns can be polypropylene yarns and can exhibit any of a high modulus, high tenacity, and a unique crystalline structure for multifilament polyolefin yarns. The process can generally include extruding a polymeric melt including the polyolefin at a relatively high throughput and low spinline tension and quenching the filaments in a liquid bath prior to drawing the fiber bundle at a relatively high draw ratio, for example greater than 10, in some embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2006Publication date: September 21, 2006Inventor: Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20060210796Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming multifilament polyolefin yarns and yarns formed according to the disclosed method. The yarns can be polypropylene yarns and can exhibit any of a high modulus, high tenacity, and a unique crystalline structure for multifilament polyolefin yarns. The process can generally include extruding a polymeric melt including the polyolefin at a relatively high throughput and low spinline tension and quenching the filaments in a liquid bath prior to drawing the fiber bundle at a relatively high draw ratio, for example greater than 10, in some embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2006Publication date: September 21, 2006Inventor: Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20060099415Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming multifilament polyolefin yarns and yarns formed according to the disclosed method. The yarns can be polypropylene yarns and can exhibit any of a high modulus, high tenacity, and a unique crystalline structure for multifilament polyolefin yarns. The process can generally include extruding a polymeric melt including the polyolefin at a relatively high throughput and low spinline tension and quenching the filaments in a liquid bath prior to drawing the fiber bundle at a relatively high draw ratio, for example greater than 10, in some embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2004Publication date: May 11, 2006Inventor: Brian Morin
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Publication number: 20050266752Abstract: A textile fabric wiper is provided having a polymer coating applied to enhance the attraction of the wiper to particulate contaminants, especially particles in the range of 0.5 to 20 microns.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2005Publication date: December 1, 2005Inventors: Brian Morin, Daniel McBride, Loren Chambers
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Publication number: 20050249913Abstract: Improvements in preventing heat- and moisture-shrink problems in specific polypropylene tape fibers are provided. Such fibers are basically manufactured through the initial production of polypropylene films or tubes which are then slit into very thin, though flat (and having very high cross sectional aspect ratios) tape fibers thereafter. Such fibers (and thus the initial films and/or tubes) require the presence of certain compounds that quickly and effectively provide rigidity to the target polypropylene tape fiber after heat-setting. Generally, these compounds include any structure that nucleates polymer crystals within the target polypropylene after exposure to sufficient heat to melt the initial pelletized polymer and upon allowing such a melt to cool. The compounds must nucleate polymer crystals at a higher temperature than the target polypropylene without the nucleating agent during cooling.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2005Publication date: November 10, 2005Inventors: Brian Morin, Martin Cowan, Kenneth Higgins
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Publication number: 20050108362Abstract: Resources are partitioned via a virtual partitioning system to distribute the resources over a plurality of resource servers. A virtual partition table can be kept at each of a set of resource managers handling requests for resources in tandem. When a resource is requested, a virtual partition value is calculated algorithmically, and the value is mapped to a resource component via the virtual partition table. The resource component encapsulates information indicating on which of the resource servers the resource resides and can provide a component for performing operations on the resource even though the requester does not have information about where the resource resides. The resources can be repartitioned by modifying the virtual partition table, thus allowing the addition of additional resource servers to the system while the resources remain available. Additional resource types can be added without reengineering the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2004Publication date: May 19, 2005Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Alexander Weinert, Daniel Caiafa, Brian Morin
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Patent number: 6849330Abstract: Improvements in permitting brighter colorations within polypropylene fibers and/or yarns while simultaneously providing more efficient production methods of manufacturing of such colored fibers as well are provided. Generally, such fibers and/or yarns have been colored with pigments, which exhibit dulled results, or dyes, which exhibit high degrees of extraction and low levels of lightfastness. Such dull appearances, high extraction levels, and less than stellar lightfastness properties negatively impact the provision of such desirable colored polypropylene fibers and/or yarns which, in turn, prevents the widespread utilization of such fibers and yarns in various end-use applications. Thus, it has surprisingly been determined that brighter colorations, excellent extraction, and more-than-acceptable lightfastness characteristics can be provided, preferably, through manufacture with certain polymeric colorants that include poly(oxyalkylene) groups thereon.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2003Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Milliken & CompanyInventors: Brian Morin, Martin Cowan
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Publication number: 20050019565Abstract: Unique thermoplastic (polypropylene, specifically) monofilament and/or tape fibers and yarns that exhibit heretofore unattained physical properties are provided. Such fibers are basically manufactured through the extrusion of thermoplastic resins that include a certain class of nucleating agent therein, and are able to be drawn at high ratios with such nucleating agents present, that the tenacity and modulus strength are much higher than other previously produced thermoplastic fibers (particularly those produced under commercial conditions), particularly those that also simultaneously exhibit extremely low shrinkage rates. Thus, such fibers require the presence of certain compounds that quickly and effectively provide rigidity to the target thermoplastic (for example, polypropylene), particularly after heat-setting.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2004Publication date: January 27, 2005Inventors: Brian Morin, Joe Royer, Brian Burkhart