Patents by Inventor Dennis W. O'Brien

Dennis W. O'Brien 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: 6244290
    Abstract: A containment bag for installation over a fluid control valve is provided. The valve containment bag is configured to contain leaks emanating from fluid control valves connected in line between an associated first inlet pipe and a second outlet pipe. The inlet pipe and the valve form a first junction and the outlet pipe form a second junction which are to be housed, along with the valve itself, within said bag so that fluid leaking from the junctions leaks into the containment bag. The containment bag is formed of an impermeable fabric which encloses an internal volume sufficient to accommodate the control valve and the associated junctions. The impermeable fabric defines first and second openings between the internal volume and the external environment, the first opening has a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the inlet pipe, and the second opening has a diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of the outlet pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: MPC Containment Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Edward E. Reicin, Dennis W. O'Brien, James A. Parker
  • Patent number: 5731538
    Abstract: A slapper detonator comprises a solid-state high-voltage capacitor, a low-jitter dielectric breakdown switch and trigger circuitry, a detonator transmission line, an exploding foil bridge, and a flier material. All these components are fabricated in a single solid-state device using thin film deposition techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Dennis W. O'Brien, Robert L. Druce, Gary W. Johnson, George E. Vogtlin, Troy W. Barbee, Jr., Ronald S. Lee
  • Patent number: 5554926
    Abstract: A tomographic technique for measuring the current density distribution in electron beams using electron beam profile data acquired from a modified Faraday cup to create an image of the current density in high and low power beams. The modified Faraday cup includes a narrow slit and is rotated by a stepper motor and can be moved in the x, y and z directions. The beam is swept across the slit perpendicular thereto and controlled by deflection coils, and the slit rotated such that waveforms are taken every few degrees form 0.degree. to 360.degree. and the waveforms are recorded by a digitizing storage oscilloscope. Two-din-tensional and three-dimensional images of the current density distribution in the beam can be reconstructed by computer tomography from this information, providing quantitative information about the beam focus and alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John W. Elmer, Alan T. Teruya, Dennis W. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5534677
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for electron beam (EB) machining (drilling, cutting and welding) that uses conventional EB guns, power supplies, and welding machine technology without the need for fast bias pulsing technology. The invention involves a magnetic lensing (EB optics) system and electronic controls to: 1) concurrently bend, focus, shape, scan, and rotate the beam to protect the EB gun and to create a desired effective power-density distribution, and 2) rotate or scan this shaped beam in a controlled way. The shaped beam power-density distribution can be measured using a tomographic imaging system. For example, the EB apparatus of this invention has the ability to drill holes in metal having a diameter up to 1000 .mu.m (1 mm or larger), compared to the 250 .mu.m diameter of laser drilling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John W. Elmer, Dennis W. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5486277
    Abstract: A high performance capacitor fabricated from nano-structure multilayer materials, such as by controlled, reactive sputtering, and having very high energy-density, high specific energy and high voltage breakdown. The multilayer capacitors, for example, may be fabricated in a "notepad" configuration composed of 200-300 alternating layers of conductive and dielectric materials so as to have a thickness of 1 mm, width of 200 mm, and length of 300 mm, with terminals at each end of the layers suitable for brazing, thereby guaranteeing low contact resistance and high durability. The "notepad" capacitors may be stacked in single or multiple rows (series-parallel banks) to increase the voltage and energy density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Troy W. Barbee, Jr., Gary W. Johnson, Dennis W. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5468966
    Abstract: A tomographic technique for measuring the current density distribution in electron beams using electron beam profile data acquired from a modified Faraday cup to create an image of the current density in high and low power beams. The modified Faraday cup includes a narrow slit and is rotated by a stepper motor and can be moved in the x, y and z directions. The beam is swept across the slit perpendicular thereto and controlled by deflection coils, and the slit rotated such that waveforms are taken every few degrees form 0.degree. to 360.degree. and the waveforms are recorded by a digitizing storage oscilloscope. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the current density distribution in the beam can be reconstructed by computer tomography from this information, providing quantitative information about the beam focus and alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John W. Elmer, Alan T. Teruya, Dennis W. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5414588
    Abstract: A high performance capacitor fabricated from nano-structure multilayer materials, such as by controlled, reactive sputtering, and having very high energy-density, high specific energy and high voltage breakdown. The multilayer capacitors, for example, may be fabricated in a "notepad" configuration composed of 200-300 alternating layers of conductive and dielectric materials so as to have a thickness of 1 mm, width of 200 mm, and length of 300 mm, with terminals at each end of the layers suitable for brazing, thereby guaranteeing low contact resistance and high durability. The "notepad" capacitors may be stacked in single or multiple rows (series-parallel banks) to increase the voltage and energy density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Troy W. Barbee, Jr., Gary W. Johnson, Dennis W. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5382895
    Abstract: A tomographic technique for measuring the current density distribution in electron beams using electron beam profile data acquired from a modified Faraday cup to create an image of the current density in high and low power beams. The modified Faraday cup includes a narrow slit and is rotated by a stepper motor and can be moved in the x, y and z directions. The beam is swept across the slit perpendicular thereto and controlled by deflection coils, and the slit rotated such that waveforms are taken every few degrees form 0.degree. to 360.degree. and the waveforms are recorded by a digitizing storage oscilloscope. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the current density distribution in the beam can be reconstructed by computer tomography from this information, providing quantitative information about the beam focus and alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John W. Elmer, Alan T. Teruya, Dennis W. O'Brien
  • Patent number: D252019
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Inventor: Dennis W. O'Brien