Patents by Inventor David B. McNeill

David B. McNeill 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: 20230143993
    Abstract: An architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The architectural-structure covering may include a covering moveable between retracted and extended positions, and between closed and open configurations. The covering may include front and rear sheets and a plurality of vanes extending therebetween. In the deployed position, the covering may be configured so that the vanes are positioned substantially perpendicular to the incoming light. The architectural-structure covering may also include a rotatable member including a scoop configured to create a pocket to secure a bottom rail of a rear covering so that the bottom rail does not prematurely deploy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Spray, David B. McNeill, Timothy Fries, Max W. Schroeder, Koop Kuperus
  • Patent number: 11299931
    Abstract: A wand assembly for use with an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The wand assembly may include a first operating element (e.g., an operating cord) for moving the covering between extended and retracted positions and a second operating element (e.g., a tilt wand) for adjusting rotation of the covering between open and closed configurations. The first and second operating elements are coupled to a handle assembly via separate and distinct coupling mechanisms so that manipulation of the second operating element does not affect the first operating element thereby preventing twisting of the first operating element about the second operating element. The wand assembly may include a first, inner rotatable wand and a second, stationary outer wand. The inner wand is rotatable relative to the outer wand so that rotation of the inner wand does not rotate the outer wand, and hence the first operating element coupled to the outer wand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Mcneill, Todd Michael Nelson, Charles Culver Gidden Cooper, Cameron Joseph Bennethum, Jeffrey L. Spray
  • Patent number: 11180951
    Abstract: An improved bottom rail for an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The bottom rail includes one or more channels. In use, a first channel may receive a bottom edge of the covering while a weight channel receives a weighted, longitudinal rod therein. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the bottom rail may include pucks for retaining the weighted, longitudinal rod within the weight channel. In use, the pucks are rotatable from a first unlocked position to a second locked position. In the first position, the pucks are slidably positionable along an outer surface of the longitudinal rod. In the second position, the pucks contact the longitudinal rod to thereby exert an additional downward force onto the longitudinal rod so that the longitudinal rod is retained within the weight channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: David B. McNeill, Nicholas E. Vanderkolk
  • Patent number: 11021908
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening has a dual cord operating system. The covering may include a head rail, blind panels depending from the head rail, and an operating system. The operating system may include a housing connected to the head rail, a first drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and a second drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between a closed configuration and an open configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: David B. McNeill, Ronald Holt, Stephen T. Wisecup, David Lynch, Christopher R. Mueller
  • Publication number: 20210071474
    Abstract: A wand assembly for use with an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The wand assembly may include a first operating element (e.g., an operating cord) for moving the covering between extended and retracted positions and a second operating element (e.g., a tilt wand) for adjusting rotation of the covering between open and closed configurations. The first and second operating elements are coupled to a handle assembly via separate and distinct coupling mechanisms so that manipulation of the second operating element does not affect the first operating element thereby preventing twisting of the first operating element about the second operating element. The wand assembly may include a first, inner rotatable wand and a second, stationary outer wand. The inner wand is rotatable relative to the outer wand so that rotation of the inner wand does not rotate the outer wand, and hence the first operating element coupled to the outer wand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Mcneill, Todd Michael Nelson, Charles Culver Gidden Cooper, Cameron Joseph Bennethum, Jeffrey L. Spray
  • Publication number: 20200240204
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening has a dual cord operating system. The covering may include a head rail, blind panels depending from the head rail, and an operating system. The operating system may include a housing connected to the head rail, a first drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and a second drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between a closed configuration and an open configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: Hunter Douglas, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. McNeill, Ronald Holt, Stephen T. Wisecup, David Lynch, Christopher R. Mueller
  • Patent number: 10655385
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening has a dual cord operating system. The covering may include a head rail, blind panels depending from the head rail, and an operating system. The operating system may include a housing connected to the head rail, a first drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and a second drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between a closed configuration and an open configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: David B. McNeill, Ronald Holt, Stephen T. Wisecup, David Lynch, Christopher R. Mueller
  • Patent number: 10604998
    Abstract: A shading display and sample may include a frame structure, a drive assembly operably connected to the frame structure, and a shade material associated with the drive assembly for corresponding movement thereof. Operation of the drive assembly may move the shade material between open and closed positions. The display may permit users to position and operate a covering sample near an architectural opening to assess the overall operation, appearance, translucence, texture, or other qualities of the covering based on the angular orientation and material of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Katherine E. Greene, Steffen Koury, Mary Lonergan, Paul K. Metaxatos, David B. McNeill, Stephen T. Wisecup, Ronald Holt, Michael Kritzer
  • Publication number: 20190264499
    Abstract: An improved bottom rail for an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The bottom rail includes one or more channels. In use, a first channel may receive a bottom edge of the covering while a weight channel receives a weighted, longitudinal rod therein. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the bottom rail may include pucks for retaining the weighted, longitudinal rod within the weight channel. In use, the pucks are rotatable from a first unlocked position to a second locked position. In the first position, the pucks are slidably positionable along an outer surface of the longitudinal rod. In the second position, the pucks contact the longitudinal rod to thereby exert an additional downward force onto the longitudinal rod so that the longitudinal rod is retained within the weight channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: David B. MCNEILL, Nicholas E. VANDERKOLK
  • Publication number: 20170241198
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening has a dual cord operating system. The covering may include a head rail, blind panels depending from the head rail, and an operating system. The operating system may include a housing connected to the head rail, a first drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and a second drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between a closed configuration and an open configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: David B. McNeill, Ronald Holt, Stephen T. Wisecup, David Lynch, Christopher R. Mueller
  • Publication number: 20160237741
    Abstract: A shading display and sample is provided. The display may include a frame structure, a drive assembly operably connected to the frame structure, and a shade material associated with the drive assembly for corresponding movement thereof. Operation of the drive assembly may move the shade material between open and closed positions. The display may permit users to position and operate a covering sample near an architectural opening to assess the overall operation, appearance, translucence, texture, or other qualities of the covering based on the angular orientation and material of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Katherine E. Greene, Steffen Koury, Mary Lonergan, Paul K. Metaxatos, David B. McNeill, Stephen T. Wisecup, Ronald Holt, Michael Kritzer
  • Patent number: 9120246
    Abstract: A method of making a composite core can include configuring a plurality of mandrels to have a desired thermal expansion characteristic, placing a composite material around each mandrel, placing the plurality of mandrels in a tool, the tool being configured to constrain the plurality of mandrels as the mandrels experience a thermal expansion, heating the mandrels so that the mandrels thermally expand, thereby applying a pressure to the composite material during a cure cycle, and then cooling and separating the mandrels from the composite core. The mandrel is configured as an internal form for making a tube member of a composite core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, James D. Hethcock, Jr., David B. McNeill
  • Patent number: 8972897
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for assisting a presentation owner in creating and presenting information to audience users in a virtual 3D cyclorama-like environment. A presentation object tool provides behavior in the cyclorama object to assist the presentation owner in resolving graphic objects into the cyclorama and in placing information onto the graphic objects. The presenter object tool also provides behavior in the graphic objects to allow the presentation owner to expand a graphic object into a larger viewing size, to increment and decrement the placement of graphic objects within the cyclorama's presentation space, and to place an expanded graphic object into a home viewing position for presentation to audience users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: David B. McNeill
  • Publication number: 20140246141
    Abstract: A method of making a composite core can include configuring a plurality of mandrels to have a desired thermal expansion characteristic, placing a composite material around each mandrel, placing the plurality of mandrels in a tool, the tool being configured to constrain the plurality of mandrels as the mandrels experience a thermal expansion, heating the mandrels so that the mandrels thermally expand, thereby applying a pressure to the composite material during a cure cycle, and then cooling and separating the mandrels from the composite core. The mandrel is configured as an internal form for making a tube member of a composite core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, James D. Hethcock, JR., David B. McNeill
  • Publication number: 20120304127
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for assisting a presentation owner in creating and presenting information to audience users in a virtual 3D cyclorama-like environment. A presentation object tool provides behavior in the cyclorama object to assist the presentation owner in resolving graphic objects into the cyclorama and in placing information onto the graphic objects. The presenter object tool also provides behavior in the graphic objects to allow the presentation owner to expand a graphic object into a larger viewing size, to increment and decrement the placement of graphic objects within the cyclorama's presentation space, and to place an expanded graphic object into a home viewing position for presentation to audience users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: David B. McNeill
  • Patent number: 8271905
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for assisting a presentation owner in creating and presenting information to audience users in a virtual 3D cyclorama-like environment. A presentation object tool provides behavior in the cyclorama object to assist the presentation owner in resolving graphic objects into the cyclorama and in placing information onto the graphic objects. The presenter object tool also provides behavior in the graphic objects to allow the presentation owner to expand a graphic object into a larger viewing size, to increment and decrement the placement of graphic objects within the cyclorama's presentation space, and to place an expanded graphic object into a home viewing position for presentation to audience users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: David B McNeill
  • Publication number: 20110063287
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for assisting a presentation owner in creating and presenting information to audience users in a virtual 3D cyclorama-like environment. A presentation object tool provides behavior in the cyclorama object to assist the presentation owner in resolving graphic objects into the cyclorama and in placing information onto the graphic objects. The presenter object tool also provides behavior in the graphic objects to allow the presentation owner to expand a graphic object into a larger viewing size, to increment and decrement the placement of graphic objects within the cyclorama's presentation space, and to place an expanded graphic object into a home viewing position for presentation to audience users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventor: David B. McNeill
  • Patent number: 6968312
    Abstract: An IT measurement system is aligned with the IT organization's business goals by examining the IT organization's current state-of-affairs with respect to measurement and analyzing how it maps to a proposed measurement model. To ensure the viability of the proposed measurement model, the IT organization and measurement processes it employs are structured to naturally support the collection, analysis, reporting, and use of the measurements in the proposed model. The measurement model and associated techniques work from a top-down approach, starting with the goals of the organization, identifying appropriate behaviors and finally associating measures that will empirically demonstrate achievement of the behaviors. In addition, algorithms for prioritization are executed to ensure that the best fitting measures are selected in the final measurement model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Suzanne M. Jordan, Patrick W. McMahon, David B. McNeill, Nora M. Panlilio-Yap
  • Patent number: 5399813
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a high performance electrical telecommunication transmission cable, particularly for undercarpet applications. More precisely, this invention is directed to a low-profile, high performance flat cable, where the cable may be subjected to potentially damaging compressive forces from walking on an overlying carpet. The cable comprises a plurality of conductors arranged as plural sets of twisted pairs, with each conductor consisting of an inner conductive core surrounded by insulation, an outer dielectric member having plural longitudinally extending chambers, where each chamber includes two sets of the twisted pairs, spaced-apart and arranged in side-by-side fashion and generally parallel. The height of the chamber is dimensioned to exceed the wrap diameter of a set of a twisted pair of conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: David B. McNeill, Jerry B. Kilpatrick
  • Patent number: D950976
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Mcneill, Stephen T. Wisecup, Jessica Decker, Kate Greene, Fred Bould, Kwan Hon Anson Cheung, Teddy Luong