Patents by Inventor Dick Copeland

Dick Copeland 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: 7122216
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods for treating oil bearing vegetable material, especially oilseeds. Methods of the invention provide for the isolation of certain components of oil bearing vegetable material, including isoflavones, vegetable oil, and a phosphatide fraction substantially free of flatulence-promoting undigestable oligosaccharides and substantially lacking objectionable taste. Methods of the invention also provide for the production of various protein-containing fractions substantially free of flatulence-promoting undigestable oligosaccharides and substantially lacking objectionable taste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: I.P. holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, George L. Hoover, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Patent number: 6942809
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for treating soybean refinery wastewater. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for treating soybean refinery wastewater with an aqueous iron salt solution to produce purified water. An aqueous iron salt solution is admixed with soybean refinery wastewater, the resulting mixture is agitated and passed through at least one filter device to form a filtered effluent, and the pH of the filtered effluent is adjusted to a value below about 8 to form purified water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: IP Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Dick Copeland
  • Patent number: 6844458
    Abstract: The present invention relates to improved methods for refining vegetable oils. Vegetable oil is combined with organic acid and subjected to high shear to finely disperse the acid solution in the oil. The resulting acid-and-oil mixture is mixed at low shear for a time sufficient to sequester contaminants into a hydrated impurities phase, producing a purified vegetable oil phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: IP Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Publication number: 20040253354
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods for treating oil bearing vegetable material, especially oilseeds. Methods of the invention provide for the isolation of certain components of oil bearing vegetable material, including isoflavones, vegetable oil, and a phosphatide fraction substantially free of flatulence-promoting undigestable oligosaccharides and substantially lacking objectionable taste. Methods of the invention also provide for the production of various protein-containing fractions substantially free of flatulence-promoting undigestable oligosaccharides and substantially lacking objectionable taste.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, George L. Hoover, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Publication number: 20040251209
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for treating soybean refinery wastewater. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for treating soybean refinery wastewater with an aqueous iron salt solution to produce purified water. An aqueous iron salt solution is admixed with soybean refinery wastewater, the resulting mixture is agitated and passed through at least one filter device to form a filtered effluent, and the pH of the filtered effluent is adjusted to a value below about 8 to form purified water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Dick Copeland
  • Publication number: 20040253353
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods for treating edible oils to remove objectionable impurities. More particularly, this invention relates to methods for deodorizing edible oils at reduced pressure in the presence of non-condensible inert gas, wherein a non-steam vacuum source maintains the operating pressure, and wherein the non-condensible gas is recovered and recycled for use in one or more deodorizing steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, Roger Koch, Stan Loft
  • Patent number: 6750359
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods for treating distillates obtained during the process of deodorizing various oils. More particularly, this invention relates to methods for recovering fatty acids, tocopherols, and sterols from a distillate obtained from the deodorizing of various oils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: IP Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Publication number: 20040030166
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods for treating distillates obtained during the process of deodorizing various oils. More particularly, this invention relates to methods for recovering fatty acids, tocopherols, and sterols from a distillate obtained from the deodorizing of various oils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Publication number: 20030050492
    Abstract: The present invention relates to improved methods for refining vegetable oils. Vegetable oil is combined with organic acid and subjected to high shear to finely disperse the acid solution in the oil. The resulting acid-and-oil mixture is mixed at low shear for a time sufficient to sequester contaminants into a hydrated impurities phase, producing a purified vegetable oil phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: IP Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Patent number: 6441209
    Abstract: This invention relates to improved methods for treating organic acid-treated phosphatides. More particularly, this invention relates to improved methods comprising providing a phosphatide-containing material obtained from organic acid refining of vegetable oil, adjusting the pH of the phosphatide-containing material to form a neutralized phosphatide, and drying the neutralized phosphatide for a time sufficient to produce a dried phosphatide containing hydrolyzed lecithin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: IP Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Patent number: 6426423
    Abstract: This invention relates to improved methods for treating phosphatide-containing mixtures. More particularly, this invention relates to methods for recovering purified vegetable oil, aqueous organic acid, and organic acid-treated phosphatide from a phosphatide-containing mixture comprising an acid-and-oil mixture obtained from organic acid refining of vegetable oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: I.P. Holdings
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Patent number: 6423857
    Abstract: This invention relates to improved methods for recovering fatty acids during purification of vegetable oil. More particularly, this invention relates to improved methods for recovering fatty acids from a phosphatide-containing material obtained from organic acid refining of vegetable oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: I.P. Holdings
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Patent number: 6172248
    Abstract: The present invention relates to improved methods for refining vegetable oils and byproducts thereof. This invention also relates to an improved process for deodorizing lecithin. The invention additionally relates to deodorized lecithin and deodorized vegetable oil obtained by improved processes of the invention. In an organic acid refining process, vegetable oil is combined with a dilute aqueous organic acid solution and subjected to high shear to finely disperse the acid solution in the oil. The resulting acid-and-oil mixture is mixed at low shear for a time sufficient to sequester contaminants into a hydrated impurities phase, producing a purified vegetable oil phase. In a lecithin deodorizing process, a phosphatide concentrate is contacted with steam in a dryer operating at a pressure below 50 mm Hg and at a temperature of less than about 150° F. to form lecithin containing no more than about 0.5 percent by weight water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: IP Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher
  • Patent number: 6172247
    Abstract: The present invention relates to improved methods for refining vegetable oils and byproducts thereof. This invention also relates to an improved process for deodorizing lecithin. The invention additionally relates to deodorized lecithin and deodorized vegetable oil obtained by improved processes of the invention. In an organic acid refining process, vegetable oil is combined with a dilute aqueous organic acid solution and subjected to high shear to finely disperse the acid solution in the oil. The resulting acid-and-oil mixture is mixed at low shear for a time sufficient to sequester contaminants into a hydrated impurities phase, producing a purified vegetable oil phase. In a lecithin deodorizing process, a phosphatide concentrate is contacted with steam in a dryer operating at a pressure below 50 mm Hg and at a temperature of less than about 150° F. to form lecithin containing no more than about 0.5 percent by weight water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: IP Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dick Copeland, W. Maurice Belcher