Patents by Inventor Brian Scarlett

Brian Scarlett 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).

  • Compression test method and apparatus for determining granule strength
    Patent number: 6460399
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the accurate monitoring of a granule during compression testing is provided and enables the study of breakage mechanisms that cause particle failure during compression. The method involves compressing a granule or particle with the apparatus and the apparatus is a spring device that combines a spring in parallel with the granule or particle and a spring in series with the granule or particle. Under failure conditions, sudden deformation of the granule or particle results in fast relaxation of the granule or particle during breakage and allows very careful granule breakage. Measuring or recording devices coupled to the apparatus provide for the detailed study of breakage conditions at the moment of failure and lend incite into the compression strength characteristics of the granule or particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Genencor International, Inc.
    Inventors: Willem Johan Beekman, Gabriel M. H. Meesters, Brian Scarlett
  • Repeated impact apparatus and method for characterizing granule strength
    Patent number: 6457345
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and devices for measuring granule impact strength and granule attrition rates by vibrating a small container of granules at a well-controlled amplitude in order to inflict reproducible damage to the granules. Damage to the granules is measured as a function of time and amplitude and attrition rates are measured in terms of dust generate per number of collisions versus mass of the granules. The measurements obtained yield a highly reproducible means for characterizing granule attrition, attrition rates, and fragmentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Genencor International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Gebert, Ramanan Pitchumani, Willem J. Beekman, Gabriel M. H. Meesters, Brian Scarlett
  • Method and device for characterizing granule strength
    Patent number: 6173601
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and device for measuring granule impact strength by vibrating a small container of granules at a well-controlled amplitude in order to inflict reproducible damage to the granules. Damage to the granules is measured as a function of time and amplitude. The measurements obtained yield a highly reproducible method and device for characterizing granule attrition and fragmentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Genecor International, Inc.
    Inventors: Willem Johan Beekman, Gabriel Marinus Henricus Meesters, Brian Scarlett
  • Method and device for characterizing granule strength
    Patent number: 6035716
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and device for measuring granule impact strength by vibrating a small container of granules at a well-controlled amplitude in order to inflict reproducible damage to the granules. Damage to the granules is measured as a function of time and amplitude. The measurements characterize granule attrition and fragmentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Genencor International, Inc.
    Inventors: Willem Johan Beekman, Gabriel Marinus Henricus Meesters, Brian Scarlett