Patents by Inventor Charles C. Lawhead

Charles C. Lawhead 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).

  • Heater control with high-limit thermal safety shutdown
    Patent number: 8541716
    Abstract: A multiple heater control system includes cables, connectors, and junction boxes for user-friendly daisy chain connections of heater controllers and heaters in various configurations or combinations of individually controlled heater series and/or master and slave heater series. The heater controllers include process control of AC power to the heaters and upper-limit safety shutoff that is substantially independent from the process control. The heater controllers also have variable levels of control, adjustment, display, and communications functionality in a base module that is expandable to various levels with expansion modules that are attachable to and detachable from the base module. Connector, cable, and junction configurations, adapters, and latch features enhance user friendliness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignees: MKS Instruments, Inc, Watlow Electronic Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Youfan Gu, Jeffrey D. Kiernan, Charles C. Lawhead, William C. Bohlinger, Eric E. Ellis, Curtis A. Foster, James P. Hentges, Mark Louis-Gilmer Hoven, James H. Kreisel, Shawn Leininger, Robert O. Moran, Kurt W. Peterson, Jason R. Powell, Dale T. Wolfe
  • MULTIPLE HEATER CONTROL SYSTEM WITH EXPANDABLE MODULAR FUNCTIONALITY
    Publication number: 20120061369
    Abstract: A multiple heater control system includes cables, connectors, and junction boxes for user-friendly daisy chain connections of heater controllers and heaters in various configurations or combinations of individually controlled heater series and/or master and slave heater series. The heater controllers include process control of AC power to the heaters and upper-limit safety shutoff that is substantially independent from the process control. The heater controllers also have variable levels of control, adjustment, display, and communications functionality in a base module that is expandable to various levels with expansion modules that are attachable to and detachable from the base module. Connector, cable, and junction configurations, adapters, and latch features enhance user friendliness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicants: WATLOW ELECTRONIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, MKS INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Youfan Gu, Jeffrey D. Kiernan, Charles C. Lawhead, William C. Bohlinger, Eric E. Ellis, Curtis A. Foster, James P. Hentges, Mark Loius-Gilmer Hoven, James H. Kreisel, Shawn Leininger, Robert O. Moran, Kurt W. Peterson, Jason R. Powell, Dale T. Wolfe
  • Multiple heater control system with expandable modular functionality
    Patent number: 7932480
    Abstract: A multiple heater control system includes cables, connectors, and junction boxes for user-friendly daisy chain connections of heater controllers and heaters in various configurations or combinations of individually controlled heater series and/or master and slave heater series. The heater controllers include process control of AC power to the heaters and upper-limit safety shutoff that is substantially independent from the process control. The heater controllers also have variable levels of control, adjustment, display, and communications functionality in a base module that is expandable to various levels with expansion modules that are attachable to and detachable from the base module. Connector, cable, and junction configurations, adapters, and latch features enhance user friendliness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignees: MKS Instruments, Inc., Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Youfan Gu, Jeffrey D. Kiernan, Charles C. Lawhead, William C. Bohlinger, Eric E. Ellis, Curtis A. Foster, James P. Hentges, Mark Louis-Gilmer Hoven, James H. Kreisel, Shawn Leininger, Robert O. Moran, Kurt W. Peterson, Jason R. Powell, Dale T. Wolfe