Patents by Inventor Dawn E. Smith
Dawn E. Smith 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).
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Patent number: 8128872Abstract: Freeze indicators can include an indicator dispersion, a liquid medium, indicator particles dispersed in the liquid medium and a particulate inorganic nucleating agent to inhibit supercooling of the liquid medium. The inorganic nucleating agent can have an ionic surface coating which can help provide a sharp end point. Optionally, freeze indicators can include indicator particles comprising an organic material and a softener to soften the indicator particles and provide the freeze indication with an enhanced visual appearance. Another option is to provide a temperature-sensitive stabilizer to inhibit coagulation of the indicator dispersion at temperatures above the liquid medium frozen state melting point while permitting coagulation of the indicator dispersion at the liquid medium frozen state melting point.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2009Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Temptime CorporationInventors: Carl Lentz, Dawn E. Smith, Dene H. Taylor
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Patent number: 8122844Abstract: A freeze indicator can include an indicator dispersion having an aqueous liquid medium and organic material indicator particles dispersed in the aqueous liquid medium. The indicator dispersion can have an initial appearance before freezing and an irreversibly different appearance after freezing and can exhibit a freeze-onset temperature of about ?1.9° C. or higher. Some factors helpful to providing a relatively high freeze onset temperature are employment of a proteinaceous ice-nucleating agent, control of pH, use of a protein stabilizer and control of the ratio of protein stabilizer to ice-nucleating agent.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2010Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Temptime CorporationInventors: Dawn E. Smith, Carl M. Lentz, Dene H. Taylor, Yvonne Osunga, Brian Huffman
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Publication number: 20110209658Abstract: A freeze indicator can include an indicator dispersion having an aqueous liquid medium and organic material indicator particles dispersed in the aqueous liquid medium. The indicator dispersion can have an initial appearance before freezing and an irreversibly different appearance after freezing and can exhibit a freeze-onset temperature of about ?1.9° C. or higher. Some factors helpful to providing a relatively high freeze onset temperature are employment of a proteinaceous ice-nucleating agent, control of pH, use of a protein stabilizer and control of the ratio of protein stabilizer to ice-nucleating agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2010Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: Temptime CorporationInventors: Dawn E. SMITH, Carl M. LENTZ, Dene H. TAYLOR, Yvonne OSUNGA, Brian HUFFMAN
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Publication number: 20110086995Abstract: Solid polymerizable diacetylenic monomer compositions, including compositions co-crystallized from a diversity of solvent systems under diverse cooling conditions, can exhibit diffraction patterns associated with the color development reactivities of the compositions. High reactivity compositions are disclosed and high reactivity and low reactivity phases can be identified. A low angle powder X-ray diffraction peak can indicate the presence of one or more crystal phases in a composition. A fingerprint region can exhibit fingerprint patterns of diffraction peaks associated with different reactivities. Information about polymerization of the diacetylenic monomers is disclosed using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (“NMR”) characterization. Diacetylenic monomer compositions useful in ambient condition indicators, for example time-temperature indicators are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2010Publication date: April 14, 2011Applicant: Temptime CorporationInventors: Elizabeth CASTILLO MARTINEZ, Ray H. Baughman, Lee J. Hall, Mikhail Kozlov, Dawn E. Smith, Thaddeus Prusik, Carl M. Lentz
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Patent number: 7891310Abstract: Freeze indicators providing a visual indication of exposure of the freeze indicator to a freezing or near-freezing temperature and their manufacture are disclosed. The freeze indicators employ colloidal dispersions as active elements and include flexible freeze indicators, freeze indicators protected against drying out and freeze indicators employing core shell composites, for example gold coated pigments as active indicator elements. Also disclosed are: a combination freeze indicator and threshold temperature indicator; a combination threshold indicator and cumulative temperature indicator; and three-way combination indicators that can provide indications of cumulative past temperature exposure, exposure to freezing temperatures and exposure to a temperature above a threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2009Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Temptime CorporationInventors: Dene H. Taylor, Thaddeus Prusik, Dawn E. Smith, Ray H. Baughman
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Publication number: 20100162941Abstract: Freeze indicators can include an indicator dispersion, a liquid medium, indicator particles dispersed in the liquid medium and a particulate inorganic nucleating agent to inhibit supercooling of the liquid medium. The inorganic nucleating agent can have an ionic surface coating which can help provide a sharp end point. Optionally, freeze indicators can include indicator particles comprising an organic material and a softener to soften the indicator particles and provide the freeze indication with an enhanced visual appearance. Another option is to provide a temperature-sensitive stabilizer to inhibit coagulation of the indicator dispersion at temperatures above the liquid medium frozen state melting point while permitting coagulation of the indicator dispersion at the liquid medium frozen state melting point.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2009Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicant: Temptime CorporationInventors: Carl Lentz, Dawn E. Smith, Dene H. Taylor
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Publication number: 20100024714Abstract: Freeze indicators providing a visual indication of exposure of the freeze indicator to a freezing or near-freezing temperature and their manufacture are disclosed. The freeze indicators employ colloidal dispersions as active elements and include flexible freeze indicators, freeze indicators protected against drying out and freeze indicators employing core shell composites, for example gold coated pigments as active indicator elements. Also disclosed are: a combination freeze indicator and threshold temperature indicator; a combination threshold indicator and cumulative temperature indicator; and three-way combination indicators that can provide indications of cumulative past temperature exposure, exposure to freezing temperatures and exposure to a temperature above a threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2009Publication date: February 4, 2010Inventors: Dene H. TAYLOR, Thaddeus Prusik, Dawn E. Smith, Ray H. Baughman
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Patent number: 7624698Abstract: A freeze indicator employs, as active indicator element, dispersion of solid particles in a liquid medium which can be water or aqueous and which coagulates to provide an irreversible appearance change when subject to freezing. The liquid dispersion can be contained in an indicator volume around which extends a vapor block layer. The vapor block layer can prevent loss of liquid vapor from the dispersion and consequent drying out and dysfunctionality of the freeze indicator. For containing an aqueous medium, bilayer and trilayer laminate materials can be used which have a low water vapor transmission rate. The active indicator element can be a dilute colloidal dispersion of a metal such as gold or silver or other inorganic pigment material in water or an aqueous medium. Some embodiments avoid use of dispersants and the like and employ an active indicator element consisting of inorganic pigment particles, water and optionally an ice nucleating agent.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2008Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: Temptime CorporationInventors: Dene H. Taylor, Thaddeus Prusik, Dawn E. Smith
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Patent number: 7571695Abstract: Freeze indicators providing a visual indication of exposure of the freeze indicator to a freezing or near-freezing temperature and their manufacture are disclosed. The freeze indicators employ colloidal dispersions as active elements and include flexible freeze indicators, freeze indicators protected against drying out and freeze indicators employing core shell composites, for example gold coated pigments as active indicator elements. Also disclosed are: a combination freeze indicator and threshold temperature indicator; a combination threshold indicator and cumulative temperature indicator; and three-way combination indicators that can provide indications of cumulative past temperature exposure, exposure to freezing temperatures and exposure to a temperature above a threshold.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2007Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Temptime CorporationInventors: Dene H. Taylor, Thaddeus Prusik, Dawn E. Smith, Ray H. Baughman
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Publication number: 20090131718Abstract: Crystallized diacetylenic compounds having certain crystallographic and other characteristics; diacetylenic compounds and mixtures crystallized from diacetylenic solutions; methods of preparing and identifying solvent systems for dissolving diacetylenic compounds; diacetylenic solutions; methods of recrystallizing diacetylenic compounds; crystals of 2,4-hexadiyn-1,6-bis(alkylurea) compounds; and ambient condition indicators and time-temperature condition indicators comprising crystallized diacetylenic compounds.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2008Publication date: May 21, 2009Inventors: Ray H. Baughman, Lee J. Hall, Mikhail Kozlov, Dawn E. Smith, Thaddeus Prusik
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Patent number: 7517146Abstract: An excess temperature indicator can provide a visual indication of past exposure of perishable, maturing and other host products to an elevated temperature exceeding a threshold temperature. The indicator can have an upper layer provided with a viewing window and a wick attached to the upper layer. A reservoir of heat-fusible indicator material can be disposed in contact with the wick, to fuse and move along the wick changing the visual appearance of a first portion of the wick viewable through the window, in response to an excess temperature event. Also, the indicator can have a region of fused upper layer material attaching the wick to the upper layer. Optionally, a window seal can extend around the viewing window to prevent migration of the indicator material. The indicator can be employed to monitor vaccines, foods and other products providing an enduring visual signal of exposure to potentially damaging temperature conditions.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2007Date of Patent: April 14, 2009Assignee: Temptime CorporationInventors: Dawn E. Smith, Thaddeus Prusik, Omar Abbassi
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Publication number: 20080110391Abstract: Freeze indicators providing a visual indication of exposure of the freeze indicator to a freezing or near-freezing temperature and their manufacture are disclosed. The freeze indicators employ colloidal dispersions as active elements and include flexible freeze indicators, freeze indicators protected against drying out and freeze indicators employing core shell composites, for example gold coated pigments as active indicator elements. Also disclosed are: a combination freeze indicator and threshold temperature indicator; a combination threshold indicator and cumulative temperature indicator; and three-way combination indicators that can provide indications of cumulative past temperature exposure, exposure to freezing temperatures and exposure to a temperature above a threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2007Publication date: May 15, 2008Inventors: Dene H. TAYLOR, Thaddeus PRUSIK, Dawn E. SMITH, Ray H. BAUGHMAN
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Publication number: 20080056329Abstract: An excess temperature indicator can provide a visual indication of past exposure of perishable, maturing and other host products to an elevated temperature exceeding a threshold temperature. The indicator can have an upper layer provided with a viewing window and a wick attached to the upper layer. A reservoir of heat-fusible indicator material can be disposed in contact with the wick, to fuse and move along the wick changing the visual appearance of a first portion of the wick viewable through the window, in response to an excess temperature event. Also, the indicator can have a region of fused upper layer material attaching the wick to the upper layer. Optionally, a window seal can extend around the viewing window to prevent migration of the indicator material. The indicator can be employed to monitor vaccines, foods and other products providing an enduring visual signal of exposure to potentially damaging temperature conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2007Publication date: March 6, 2008Inventors: Dawn E. SMITH, Thaddeus Prusik, Omar Abbassi
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Patent number: 7161023Abstract: A system for recovering a diacetylenic monomer shelf life monitoring compound of reduced particle size and narrow size distribution range which comprises quenching a solution of the monomer by mixing the solution in a lower temperature quenching fluid having a base temperature which is at least about 30° C. below the nominal temperature at which the monomer compound recrystallizes from solution, the mixing being effected in such a manner as to limit the resulting quenching mixture temperature to one which is not higher than a maximum of about 15° C. above the quenching fluid base temperature.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2004Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Temptime CorporationInventors: Thaddeus Prusik, Dawn E. Smith, Ingo H. Leubner, Wesley A. Olmsted
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Publication number: 20030109630Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising acrylic microspheres and at least two substantially different binders.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2001Publication date: June 12, 2003Inventors: Dawn E. Smith, Mark A. Conover
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Patent number: 5464932Abstract: Chalcone and cinnamate bearing polyphosphazenes are disclosed. The polyphusphazenes contain a sufficient number of chalcone or cinnamate groups, or a combination thereof, to achieve a photocrosslinkable material. The phosphazene backbone is transparent from the near and mid-UV to the near infrared region, minimizing degradation of the skeleton both under the high intensity UV irradiation required for the photo-crosslinking reaction and during subsequent exposure to light disclosed. These photosensitive polyphosphazenes are useful for a variety of purposes, including in photolithography, photocurable coatings, for the stabilization of certain non-linear optical properties, and for use in the construction of biocompatible semi-permeable membranes which can be used to encapsulate living cells or other substances of implantation.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 1994Date of Patent: November 7, 1995Assignee: The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Harry R. Allcock, Charles G. Cameron, Dawn E. Smith