Patents by Inventor Charles A. Frank

Charles A. Frank 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: 20130169210
    Abstract: A solar powered hybrid power system including a solar charge collector; a charge storage system comprising at least a first charge storage device adapted to receive and store charge from said solar charge collector; wherein said charge storage system further comprises a power electronic circuit selectively connectable to at least a second charge storage device, said power electronic circuit adapted to transfer said stored charge to said at least a second charge storage device at a selectable voltage level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jay Louch, Donald Charles Franks
  • Patent number: 8473578
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems related to IP-addressable partitions are disclosed. In some embodiments an IP address is used to uniquely identify a selected subset of partitions. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Charles Frank, Thomas Ludwig, Thomas Hanan, William Babbitt
  • Patent number: 8354818
    Abstract: A solar powered hybrid power system including a solar charge collector; a charge storage system comprising at least a first charge storage device adapted to receive and store charge from said solar charge collector; wherein said charge storage system further comprises a power electronic circuit selectively connectable to at least a second charge storage device, said power electronic circuit adapted to transfer said stored charge to said at least a second charge storage device at a selectable voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jay Louch, Donald Charles Franks
  • Publication number: 20120311884
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for separating volatiles from particulates are provided. The apparatus includes a separator having an internal volume and a fluid discharge outlet, a particulate discharge outlet, a particulate inlet, and a fluid inlet disposed on the separator and in fluid communication with the internal volume. The particulate inlet is disposed toward a first end of the separator and the fluid inlet is disposed toward a second end of the separator. The fluid inlet includes one or more openings disposed through a sidewall of the separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVATION TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald S. Eisinger, Bruce S. Holden, Timothy Charles Frank
  • Patent number: 8132559
    Abstract: A filter assembly having: an air filter; an air filter compartment having the air filter disposed therein; and a cap covering the air filter compartment. The cap has ribs disposed along inner sidewalls of the cap. The ribs, outer sidewalls of the compartment, and inner sidewalls of the cap form a plurality of channels having inlets for receiving a mixture of air and water. The walls of the channels collect droplets of a water portion of the mixture entering the channels. The collected water portion is removed from the filter assembly by gravity. The air filter compartment receives the air portion of the mixture exiting outlets of the channels. The exiting air portion received by the compartment passes through the air filter and after passing through the air filter passes out of the filter assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mike Dong, Syed K Ali, Mohammad Usman, Charles Frank Bartus
  • Patent number: 8125182
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an electrical circuit capable of being electrically connected with an electrical grid, a propulsion electrical bus electrically connected with the circuit, a power conversion module electrically connected with the propulsion electrical bus, and a power storage unit electrically connected with the power conversion module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hasdi R. Hashim, Donald Charles Franks, Bruce Carvell Blakemore
  • Publication number: 20120030866
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide pedicure protectors and methods for preventing polished toenails from smudging, smearing and/or otherwise being damaged. The pedicure protector may include a main body for receiving toes and ball of a foot. The main body may include a plurality of toe loop separators for wrapping around individual toes to align, separate and inhibit upward movement of toes. The pedicure protector may also include an upper surface that is repeatedly detachable and attachable to the main body. The upper surface may include at least one ventilation hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Jennifer Snider-Tornetta, Charles Frank Tornetta
  • Publication number: 20120012080
    Abstract: A filter assembly having: an air filter; an air filter compartment having the air filter disposed therein; and a cap covering the air filter compartment. The cap has ribs disposed along inner sidewalls of the cap. The ribs, outer sidewalls of the compartment, and inner sidewalls of the cap form a plurality of channels having inlets for receiving a mixture of air and water. The walls of the channels collect droplets of a water portion of the mixture entering the channels. The collected water portion is removed from the filter assembly by gravity. The air filter compartment receives the air portion of the mixture exiting outlets of the channels. The exiting air portion received by the compartment passes through the air filter and after passing through the air filter passes out of the filter assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Mike Dong, Syed K. Ali, Mohammad Usman, Charles Frank Bartus
  • Publication number: 20110283452
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide a covering with pocket that provides a secure fit, for example, for a mattress. The covering may comprise a free end that is associated with a head of the mattress and a secured end that is associated with a foot of the mattress. The secured end of the covering having a pocket that includes a lower portion to be positioned under the foot of the mattress, a left side portion to be positioned along the left side of the mattress, and a right side portion to be positioned along the right side of the mattress. The pocket includes an expandable material that spans an opening along the lower portion of the pocket. The expandable material, which includes an elastic member and/or an elastic material, may or may not extend into the left side portion or into the right side portion of the pocket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Jennifer Kay Snider-Tornetta, Charles Frank Tornetta, Susan Mary Snider
  • Patent number: 8061848
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for Reveal. Reveal includes a lens and a light source mounted within a housing. The light source projects light through the lens onto a projection surface. A first slide, a second slide and a motion slide are mounted in the housing between the light source and the lens. The first slide causes light from the light source to project a first defined image upon the projection surface. The second slide, which is less focused than the first defined image, causes light from the light source to project a second defined image upon the projection surface. The motion slide includes motion elements movable in response to a stimulus, such as airflow. Movement by the motion elements introduce an interference in light cast by the light source onto the projection surface. The interference provides an appearance of movement of an image projected by the second slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Inventor: Adam Charles Frank
  • Publication number: 20110283084
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems related to IP-addressable partitions are disclosed. In some embodiments an IP address is used to uniquely identify a selected subset of partitions. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Charles Frank, Thomas Ludwig, Thomas Hanan, William Babbitt
  • Patent number: 8005918
    Abstract: A storage device (300) has partitions (310A, 310B, 310C, 320A, 320B, 320C, 330) that are separately addressed by distinct IP addresses (IP1, IP2, IP3, IP4, IP5, IP7, IP9). This allows direct access of the partitions (310A, 310B, 310C, 320A, 320B, 320C, 330), on a peer-to-peer basis, by any other device that can communicate using IP. Preferred storage devices support spanning between or among partitions of the same device, as well as between or among different storage devices. Both multicast and proxy spanning are contemplated. Combinations of the inventive storage devices with each other, and with prior art storage devices are contemplated, in all manner of mirroring and other arrangements. In still other aspects of the invention, a given storage device can comprise one or more types of media, including any combination of rotating and non-rotating media, magnetic and optical, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C.
    Inventors: Charles Frank, Thomas Ludwig, Thomas Hanan, William Babbitt
  • Publication number: 20110163710
    Abstract: A vehicle may include an electric machine, a traction battery, and a solar panel array. The vehicle may further include circuitry electrically connected with the battery and array. The circuitry may include at least one switch configured to close when activated by a calibrated maximum holding power to permit energy to flow from the array to the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Fazal Urrahman Syed, Venkatapathi Raju Nallapa, Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar, Michael Edward Loftus, Shane Schulze, Robert K. Taenaka, Donald Charles Franks, Ming Lang Kuang, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran
  • Publication number: 20110138057
    Abstract: Communication protocols, systems, and methods that facilitate communication between disaggregated elements, and also to devices adapted to function as such disaggregated elements, particularly across peer-to-peer (masterless) and include one or more unique features such as packet atomicity, blind ACKs, NAT bridging, locking, multicast spanning and mirroring, and authentication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Charles Frank, Thomas Ludwig, Thomas Hanan, William Babbitt
  • Publication number: 20110083449
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an air conditioning system configured to selectively cool a cabin of the vehicle and at least one electrical component of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes one or more controllers configured to determine whether the air conditioning system is operating to cool the at least one electrical component, to determine whether cabin cooling is requested, and to enable the air conditioning system to cool the cabin if the air conditioning system is operating to cool the at least one electrical component and if cabin cooling is requested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jay Louch, Donald Charles Franks, Brian C. Moorhead, Hasdi R. Hashim
  • Patent number: 7916727
    Abstract: Communication protocols, systems, and methods that facilitate communication between disaggregated elements, and also to devices adapted to function as such disaggregated elements, particularly across peer-to-peer (masterless) and include one or more unique features such as packet atomicity, blind ACKs, NAT bridging, locking, multicast spanning and mirroring, and authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C.
    Inventors: Charles Frank, Thomas Ludwig, Thomas Hanan, William Babbitt
  • Patent number: 7914901
    Abstract: Structures and methods for hindering molded part deformation during densification are discussed. Such devices and techniques can help alleviate stresses that tend to result in part deformation during firing, sintering, or other densification processes, and thus reduce the need for secondary straightening operations post-densification. In some instances, a support structure is utilized to orient a molded greenbody in a preferred direction to reduce deformation during firing (e.g., orienting a thin tail section is a plane parallel to the direction of gravity). The support structure can also be part of, or the entirety of, a thermal mass to help alleviate stresses that lead to part deformation. Though such structures and methods can be used for any molded piece, it can be particularly used to create a portion, or an entirety of, a medical device such as a jaw of an surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Nabeel Mark Jadeed, Charles Frank Benjey, Donald F. Heaney
  • Publication number: 20110059143
    Abstract: Included are polymer compositions such as polyurethaneureas, polyamides and polyesters. The compositions may be in a variety of forms such as dispersions, powders, fibers, and beads. The compositions are useful in the preparation of many products including health and beauty products such as cosmetics, paint, household products such as fabric care compositions, apparel/footwear and textiles/furnishings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: INVISTA North Americ S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Charles Frank Iavarone, James Michael Lambert, Hong Liu, Sonia Menot, Federica Marla Roberta Stoppa
  • Patent number: 7882252
    Abstract: A storage device has partitions that are separately addressed by distinct IP addresses. This allows direct access of the partitions, on a peer-to-peer basis, by any other device that can communicate using IP. Preferred storage devices support spanning between or among partitions of the same device, as well as between or among different storage devices. Both multicast and proxy spanning are contemplated. Combinations of the inventive storage devices with each other, and with prior art storage devices are contemplated, in all manner of mirroring and other arrangements. In still other aspects of the invention, a given storage device can include one or more types of media, including any combination of rotating and non-rotating media, magnetic and optical, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventors: Charles Frank, Thomas Ludwig, Thomas Hanan, William Babbitt
  • Patent number: 7870271
    Abstract: A storage device has partitions that are separately addressed by distinct IP addresses. This allows direct access of the partitions, on a peer-to-peer basis, by any other device that can communicate using IP. Preferred storage devices support spanning between or among partitions of the same device, as well as between or among different storage devices. Both multicast and proxy spanning are contemplated. Combinations of the inventive storage devices with each other, and with prior art storage devices are contemplated, in all manner of mirroring and other arrangements. In still other aspects of the invention, a given storage device can comprise one or more types of media, including any combination of rotating and non-rotating media, magnetic and optical, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Inventors: Charles Frank, Thomas Ludwig, Thomas Hanan, William Babbitt