Patents by Inventor Charles A. Costa

Charles A. Costa 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: 8616380
    Abstract: Improved methods for reducing boron concentration in seawater or brackish water, while simultaneously maintaining or improving the salt rejection of membrane and flow performance of polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes include contacting the water with a composite membrane comprising moieties derived from an aromatic sulfonyl halide, a heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide, a sulfinyl halide; a sulfenyl halide; a sulfuryl halide; a phosphoryl halide; a phosphonyl halide; a phosphinyl halide; a thiophosphoryl halide; a thiophosphonyl halide, an isocyanate, a urea, a cyanate, an aromatic carbonyl halide, an epoxide or a mixture thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Wang, David Allen Olson, Jiang Ji, Michael Todd Luttrell, Gary William Yeager, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Lawrence Charles Costa
  • Patent number: 8580341
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite membrane comprising a porous base membrane and a polyamide coating disposed on said porous base membrane, said polyamide coating comprising a C3-C8 cyclic carbonyl compound and a C1-C8 amide compound, said amide compound comprising at least one N—H moiety. In addition the present invention provides a method of preparing a composite membrane comprising contacting under interfacial polymerization conditions an organic solution comprising a polyacid halide with an aqueous solution comprising a polyamine, said contacting being carried out on a surface of a porous base membrane, said organic solution further comprising a C3-C8 cyclic carbonyl compound, said aqueous solution comprising a C1-C8 amide compound, said amide compound comprising at least one N—H moiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Wang, Su Lu, Hua Li, Steven Thomas Rice, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Bing Zhang, Chen Wang, Lawrence Charles Costa, Steven John Harrold, David Allen Olson, Wenqing Peng
  • Publication number: 20120292249
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite membrane comprising a porous base membrane and a polyamide coating disposed on said porous base membrane, said polyamide coating comprising a C3-C8 cyclic carbonyl compound and a C1-C8 amide compound, said amide compound comprising at least one N—H moiety. In addition the present invention provides a method of preparing a composite membrane comprising contacting under interfacial polymerization conditions an organic solution comprising a polyacid halide with an aqueous solution comprising a polyamine, said contacting being carried out on a surface of a porous base membrane, said organic solution further comprising a C3-C8 cyclic carbonyl compound, said aqueous solution comprising a C1-C8 amide compound, said amide compound comprising at least one N—H moiety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hua Wang, Su Lu, Hua Li, Steven Thomas Rice, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Bing Zhang, Chen Wang, Lawrence Charles Costa, Steven John Harrold, David Allen Olson, Wenqing Peng
  • Publication number: 20120255909
    Abstract: Improved methods for reducing boron concentration in seawater or brackish water, while simultaneously maintaining or improving the salt rejection of membrane and flow performance of polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes include contacting the water with a composite membrane comprising moieties derived from an aromatic sulfonyl halide, a heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide, a sulfinyl halide; a sulfenyl halide; a sulfuryl halide; a phosphoryl halide; a phosphonyl halide; a phosphinyl halide; a thiophosphoryl halide; a thiophosphonyl halide, an isocyanate, a urea, a cyanate, an aromatic carbonyl halide, an epoxide or a mixture thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hua Wang, David Allen Olson, Jiang Ji, Michael Todd Luttrell, Gary William Yeager, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Lawrence Charles Costa
  • Publication number: 20110240822
    Abstract: A sliding support assembly includes a sliding rail assembly and an attachment. The sliding rail assembly includes a fixed member, a sliding arm, and a hinge. The hinge has a positioning extension and a second portion, wherein the second portion is pivotally engaged to the positioning extension. The positioning extension is slidably engaged to the fixed member. The sliding rail assembly has a non-pivoted state and a pivoted state, wherein in the non-pivoted state the second portion is positioned substantially parallel to the fixed member, and in the pivoted state the second portion defines an angle with the fixed member. The attachment is engaged to at least a portion of the second portion and in the pivoted state is positioned a desired distance beyond the exterior edge of the partition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SIDELINES, INC.
    Inventor: Charles A. Costa
  • Patent number: 8028844
    Abstract: A hanger assembly includes a sliding rail assembly and a hanger attachment. The sliding rail assembly includes a fixed member, a sliding arm, and a hinge. The hinge has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is pivotally engaged to the second portion. The first portion is slidably engaged to the fixed member and the second portion is fixedly engaged to the sliding arm. The sliding rail assembly has a non-pivoted state and a pivoted state, wherein in the non-pivoted state the sliding arm is positioned substantially parallel to the fixed member, and in the pivoted state the sliding arm defines an angle with the fixed member. The hanger attachment is engaged to at least a portion of the sliding arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Inventors: Charles A. Costa, Kristine Costa
  • Publication number: 20110049055
    Abstract: Improved methods for reducing boron concentration in seawater or brackish water, while simultaneously maintaining or improving the salt rejection of membrane and flow performance of polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes include contacting the water with a composite membrane comprising moieties derived from an aromatic sulfonyl halide, a heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide, a sulfinyl halide; a sulfenyl halide; a sulfuryl halide; a phosphoryl halide; a phosphonyl halide; a phosphinyl halide; a thiophosphoryl halide; a thiophosphonyl halide, an isocyanate, a urea, a cyanate, an aromatic carbonyl halide, an epoxide or a mixture thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hua Wang, David Allen Olson, Jiang Ji, Michael Todd Luttrell, Gary William Yeager, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Lawrence Charles Costa
  • Publication number: 20100297429
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite membrane comprising a porous base membrane and a polyamide coating disposed on said porous base membrane, said polyamide coating comprising a C3-C8 cyclic carbonyl compound and a C1-C8 amide compound, said amide compound comprising at least one N—H moiety. In addition the present invention provides a method of preparing a composite membrane comprising contacting under interfacial polymerization conditions an organic solution comprising a polyacid halide with an aqueous solution comprising a polyamine, said contacting being carried out on a surface of a porous base membrane, said organic solution further comprising a C3-C8 cyclic carbonyl compound, said aqueous solution comprising a C1-C8 amide compound, said amide compound comprising at least one N—H moiety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hua Wang, Su Lu, Hua Li, Steven Thomas Rice, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Bing Zhang, Chen Wang, Lawrence Charles Costa, Steven John Harrold, David Allen Olson, Wenqing Peng
  • Publication number: 20100122963
    Abstract: A hanger assembly includes a sliding rail assembly and a hanger attachment. The sliding rail assembly includes a fixed member, a sliding arm, and a hinge. The hinge has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is pivotally engaged to the second portion. The first portion is slidably engaged to the fixed member and the second portion is fixedly engaged to the sliding arm. The sliding rail assembly has a non-pivoted state and a pivoted state, wherein in the non-pivoted state the sliding arm is positioned substantially parallel to the fixed member, and in the pivoted state the sliding arm defines an angle with the fixed member. The hanger attachment is engaged to at least a portion of the sliding arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: Charles A. Costa, Kristine Costa
  • Patent number: 7562831
    Abstract: The invention relates to artificial snowmaking and specifically to the discovery that by introducing an effective amount of organo-modified polysiloxane material to the water being supplied to the snow guns, the quality of the snow thus made is significantly enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Aquatrols Corporation of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic Charles Costa, Stanley J Kostka
  • Publication number: 20080099419
    Abstract: A closet rod assembly to protect the outer surface of the rod from scratches which comprises a rod, a cover, and two rod end members, the cover and two rod end members being connected to the rod. The rod has two ends and an outer surface, and at least one channel that runs along the rod's outer surface. The channel allows a user to attach a cover, thereby protecting the rod from being contacted by clothes hangers. The cover has two ends and at least one ridge, the ridge being designed to fit within the channel in the rod. The inner surface of the cover is disposed about a portion of the rod's outer surface adjacent to the channel. Additionally, the present closet rod assembly includes two rod end members, each end of the rod being engaged to a rod end member, thereby preventing the rod from rotating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Charles A. Costa, Kristine Costa
  • Patent number: 7310899
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ironing board assembly which includes an ironing board and a sliding rail assembly for attachment with a partition in a closet system. The sliding rail assembly includes at least one fixed member slidingly and pivotally engaged to at least one sliding arm. At least a portion of an ironing board is pivotally engaged to a sliding arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Inventors: Charles A. Costa, Kristine Costa
  • Publication number: 20070235401
    Abstract: A storage organizing system comprises a basket and a pair of slide rail assemblies. A wrap is engaged about some of the surfaces of the basket. The wrap includes a plurality of panels each of which are configured to substantially cover a side of the basket. One or more of the panels include fixation mechanisms, such as ties, clips, clasps, buttons, snaps, hooks, hook and loop material, etc, to affix the wrap to the basket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Inventors: Charles Costa, Kristine Costa
  • Patent number: 6679392
    Abstract: A hanger assembly comprises a housing, an outer rail, an inner rail and a slide member. The housing defines a chamber with at least one longitudinal opening. Within the chamber, the outer rail is fixedly mounted in a substantially parallel position relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The inner rail is slidingly engaged to the outer rail. The slide member is slidingly engaged to the inner rail. At least a portion of the slide member extends from the chamber through the at least one opening in the housing. The slide member is constructed and arranged to be moveable relative to the inner rail and the inner rail is constructed and arranged to be moveable relative to the outer rail, such that when the slide member is moved relative to the inner rail, the inner rail is simultaneously moved relative to the outer rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sidelines, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles A. Costa
  • Publication number: 20030006291
    Abstract: The invention relates to artificial snowmaking and specifically to the discovery that by introducing an effective amount of organo-modified polysiloxane material to the water being supplied to the snow guns, the quality of the snow thus made is significantly enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Dominic Charles Costa, Stanley J. Kostka
  • Patent number: 6464148
    Abstract: The invention relates to artificial snowmaking and specifically to the discovery that by introducing an effective amount of organo-modified polysiloxane material to the water being supplied to the snow guns, the quality of the snow thus made is significantly enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Aquatrols Holding Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic Charles Costa, Stanley J. Kostka