Patents by Inventor Conor R. Thomas

Conor R. Thomas 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: 10912963
    Abstract: A system for explosively applying a fire-fighting foam is provided. The system includes a thermoelectric generator that is attached to a battery heat source. A temperature differential across the thermoelectric generator generates an electrical current having a temperature-dependent voltage. A detonator circuit is electrically connected to the thermoelectric generator. The detonator circuit measures the voltage of the electrical current. An explosive foam applicator is communicatively connected to the detonator circuit and includes a trigger mechanism that detonates a propelling charge in response to receiving a signal from the detonator circuit when the detonator circuit determines that the electrical current corresponds to temperature that is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature. The explosive foam applicator is oriented such that detonating the propelling the charge causes the explosive foam applicator to apply a foam to the battery heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Guoda Lian, James A. O'Connor, Madhana Sunder, Conor R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10722741
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically generating a fire-fighting foam at elevated temperatures is provided. The apparatus includes a container sized to hold at least one battery. Water is stored within the container. One or more cartridges made, at least in part, of a temperature-dependent breakdown material are stored within the container. The one or more cartridges contain a foaming agent. Heat generated by a failing battery causes the temperature-dependent breakdown material to fail such that the foaming agent is released from at least one cartridge to mix with the water stored within the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Guoda Lian, James A. O'Connor, Madhana Sunder, Conor R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10634626
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for inducing high-speed wobble motions to a sample of interest is provided. After the sample is securely attached to a sample mounting block, the sample is variably tilted by using a hexapod stage and simultaneously rotated at a high speed about a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to a planar top surface of the hexapod stage. The position of the sample is continuously adjusted during the wobble motion to align a surface center of the sample with a testing center of an X-ray diffractometer. The simultaneous variable tilting and high-speed rotation of the sample induces wobble motions to the sample for randomizing orientations of a sample material's crystallites relative to the source and detector of an X-ray diffractometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Madhana Sunder, Conor R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20200096459
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for inducing high-speed wobble motions to a sample of interest is provided. After the sample is securely attached to a sample mounting block, the sample is variably tilted by using a hexapod stage and simultaneously rotated at a high speed about a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to a planar top surface of the hexapod stage. The position of the sample is continuously adjusted during the wobble motion to align a surface center of the sample with a testing center of an X-ray diffractometer. The simultaneous variable tilting and high-speed rotation of the sample induces wobble motions to the sample for randomizing orientations of a sample material's crystallites relative to the source and detector of an X-ray diffractometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Madhana Sunder, Conor R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20190168037
    Abstract: A system for explosively applying a fire-fighting foam is provided. The system includes a thermoelectric generator that is attached to a battery heat source. A temperature differential across the thermoelectric generator generates an electrical current having a temperature-dependent voltage. A detonator circuit is electrically connected to the thermoelectric generator. The detonator circuit measures the voltage of the electrical current. An explosive foam applicator is communicatively connected to the detonator circuit and includes a trigger mechanism that detonates a propelling charge in response to receiving a signal from the detonator circuit when the detonator circuit determines that the electrical current corresponds to temperature that is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature. The explosive foam applicator is oriented such that detonating the propelling the charge causes the explosive foam applicator to apply a foam to the battery heat source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Guoda Lian, James A. O'Connor, Madhana Sunder, Conor R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20190168038
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically generating a fire-fighting foam at elevated temperatures is provided. The apparatus includes a container sized to hold at least one battery. Water is stored within the container. One or more cartridges made, at least in part, of a temperature-dependent breakdown material are stored within the container. The one or more cartridges contain a foaming agent. Heat generated by a failing battery causes the temperature-dependent breakdown material to fail such that the foaming agent is released from at least one cartridge to mix with the water stored within the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Guoda Lian, James A. O'Connor, Madhana Sunder, Conor R. Thomas