Patents by Inventor Darrell L. Sparks

Darrell L. Sparks 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: 7816000
    Abstract: A plastic sheet product having a matte finish comprises a core layer of a thermoplastic polymer and at least one layer of a capstock composition which overlies, and is bonded to, at least one face of the core layer. The capstock composition comprises the same or different thermoplastic polymer and contains a plurality of discrete particles immiscible with and dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer of the capstock composition. The sheet product may be prepared by the co-extrusion of the thermoplastic polymer and the capstock composition, and in a particular embodiment, such co-extrusion may be conducted by means of a feedblock. In a particular embodiment, the thermoplastic polymer of the core layer and that of the capstock composition may be the same, such as in the instance of a methylmethacrylate-methylacrylate copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Evonik Cyro, LLC
    Inventors: Darrell L. Sparks, Grant B. LaFontaine, Jennifer A. Litke, Robert E. Smith
  • Patent number: 7638314
    Abstract: A process for producing biodiesel has been invented by first extracting lipids from the sludges generated during primary and/or biological treatment of municipal, agricultural, and industrial wastewaters using primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments followed by the transesterification of the extracted lipids using transesterification conversion into alcohol-based esters. The resulting products from this process include biodiesel, glycerol, lipid-free proteins, various other useful chemicals and an aqueous-based substrate well suited for optimized digestion within subsequent biological digestion (either aerobic or anaerobic). The lipids extracted from the sludges containing high levels of microorganisms are phospholipids which can also be directly used as lecithin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Mississippi State University
    Inventors: Mark E. Zappi, William Todd French, Rafael Hernandez, Stephen Thomas Dufreche, Darrell L. Sparks, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20080226872
    Abstract: A plastic sheet product having a matte finish comprises a core layer of a thermoplastic polymer and at least one layer of a capstock composition which overlies, and is bonded to, at least one face of the core layer. The capstock composition comprises the same or different thermoplastic polymer and contains a plurality of discrete particles immiscible with and dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer of the capstock composition. The sheet product may be prepared by the co-extrusion of the thermoplastic polymer and the capstock composition, and in a particular embodiment, such co-extrusion may be conducted by means of a feedblock. In a particular embodiment, the thermoplastic polymer of the core layer and that of the capstock composition may be the same, such as in the instance of a methylmethacrylate-methylacrylate copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Darrell L. Sparks, Grant B. LaFontaine, Jennifer A. Litke, Robert E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20040099369
    Abstract: A method for producing a polymer mirror by continuously manufacturing a polymeric substrate, applying a reflective layer or layers which may be a polymer whose surface has been metallized so as to make it reflective or a multilayer film wherein the combined refractive indices of the layers give the quality of a mirror surface. An optional coating may be applied to a surface of the reflective layer to promote adhesion to the underlying substrate. A composite is the formed by heat lamination using a calendar roll assembly to fuse the layers into a rigid final article having a reflective surface having the character of a silver mirror, a highly reflective mirror, or a colored mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventors: Darrell L. Sparks, Grant B. LaFontaine
  • Publication number: 20010036543
    Abstract: A plastic sheet product having a matte finish comprises a core layer of a thermoplastic polymer and at least one layer of a capstock composition which overlies, and is bonded to, at least one face of the core layer. The capstock composition comprises the same or different thermoplastic polymer and contains a plurality of discrete particles immiscible with and dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer of the capstock composition. The sheet product may be prepared by the co-extrusion of the thermoplastic polymer and the capstock composition, and in a particular embodiment, such co-extrusion may be conducted by means of a feedblock. In a particular embodiment, the thermoplastic polymer of the core layer and that of the capstock composition may be the same, such as in the instance of a methylmethacrylate-methylacrylate copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Inventors: Darrell L. Sparks, Grant B. LaFontaine, Jennifer A. Hay, Robert E. Smith