Patents by Inventor Donald A. Norman

Donald A. Norman 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: 7556715
    Abstract: An inline bitumen froth steam heater system is comprised of steam injection and static mixing devices. The steam heater system heats and de-aerates an input bitumen froth without creating downstream processing problems with the bitumen froth such as emulsification or live steam entrainment. The inline bitumen froth steam heater is a multistage unit that injects and thoroughly mixes the steam with bitumen resulting in an output bitumen material having a homogenous temperature of about 190° F. The heating system conditions a superheated steam supply to obtain saturated steam at about 300° F. The saturated steam is contacted with a bitumen froth flow and mixed in a static mixer stage. The static mixers provide a surface area and rotating action that allows the injected steam to condense and transfer its heat to the bitumen froth. The mixing action and the increase in temperature of the bitumen froth results in reduction in bitumen viscosity and also allows the release of entrapped air from the bitumen froth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Suncor Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Les Gaston, Donald Norman Madge, William Lester Strand, Ian Noble, William Nicholas Garner, Mike Lam
  • Patent number: 7479531
    Abstract: This invention relates to copolymers produced by a polymerization method comprising contacting at least one olefin monomer, at least one polar monomer, an optional activator, and a catalyst compound represented by the formula: wherein M is selected from groups 3-11 of the periodic table; L1 represents a formal anionic ligand, L2 represents a formal neutral ligand, a is an integer greater than or equal to 1; b is greater than or equal to 0; c is greater than or equal to 1, E is nitrogen or phosphorus, Ar0 is arene, R1-R4 are, each independently, selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl or functional group, provided however that R3 and R4 do not form a naphthyl ring, N is nitrogen and O is oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa Saunders Baugh, Enock Berluche, Paul Veinbergs Hinkle, Francis Charles Rix, Donald Norman Schulz
  • Patent number: 7438189
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating bitumen from a bitumen froth output of a oil sands hot water extraction process comprises an inclined plate separator (IPS) for providing a first bitumen separation stage and a cyclone for providing a second bitumen separation stage. The cyclone overflow is recycled to the IPS inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Suncor Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: William Nicholas Garner, Donald Norman Madge, William Lester Strand
  • Patent number: 7438807
    Abstract: Discloses apparatus to perform a process to remove water and minerals from a bitumen froth output of a oil sands hot water extraction process. A bitumen froth feed stream is diluted with a solvent and supplied to a primary inclined plate separator stage, which separates the bitumen into an overflow stream providing a bitumen product output from the circuit and a bitumen depleted underflow stream. A primary cyclone state, a secondary inclined plate separator stage and a secondary cyclone stage further process the underflow stream to produce a secondary bitumen recovery product stream and a recycle stream. The secondary bitumen recovery product stream is incorporated into and becomes part of the circuit bitumen product output stream. The recycle stream is incorporated into the bitumen froth feed stream for reprocessing by the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Suncor Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: William Nicholas Garner, Donald Norman Madge, William Lester Strand
  • Publication number: 20080217212
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing bitumen froth comprising a cyclone body having an elongated conical inner surface defining a cyclone cavity extending from an upper inlet region with a diameter DC to a lower apex outlet with a diameter DU of not less than about 40 mm; an inlet means forming an inlet channel extending into the upper inlet region of said cyclone cavity; and a vortex finder forming an overflow outlet of a diameter DO extending into the upper inlet region of said cyclone cavity toward said lower apex outlet and having a lower end extending an excursion distance below said inlet channel, said excursion distance being operable to permit a portion of bitumen that passes through said inlet channel to exit said overflow outlet without having to make a spiral journey down said cyclone cavity, wherein a lower end of the vortex finder within the cyclone cavity is disposed a free vortex height (FVH) distance from said lower apex outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: WILLIAM NICHOLAS GARNER, DONALD NORMAN MADGE, WILLIAM LESTER STRAND
  • Patent number: 7329214
    Abstract: A stomach exercising method includes an elongated strap that has a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side. A coupler releasably couples the first end to the second end to define a loop. A grip is attached to the first side of the strap. The strap is wrapped around a person's leg above a knee of the leg and a loop is formed with the coupler. The grip is positioned adjacent to a thigh muscle of the leg and faced away from the leg. The person grips the handle while the person is positioned on their back. The person lifts their leg upwardly with the grip and performs sit-up movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Inventor: Donald Norman
  • Patent number: 7285609
    Abstract: This invention relates to a polymerization method comprising contacting at least one olefin monomer, at least one polar monomer, an optional activator, and a catalyst compound represented by the formula: wherein M is selected from groups 3-11 of the periodic table; L1 represents a formal anionic ligand, L2 represents a formal neutral ligand, a is an integer greater than or equal to 1; b is greater than or equal to 0; c is greater than or equal to 1, E is nitrogen or phosphorus, Ar0 is arene, R1-R4 are, each independently, selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl or functional group, provided however that R3 and R4 do not form a naphthyl ring, N is nitrogen and O is oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa Saunders Baugh, Enock Berluche, Paul Veinbergs Hinkle, Francis Charles Rix, Donald Norman Schulz
  • Patent number: 7247687
    Abstract: This invention relates to a transition metal compound represented by the formula LMX wherein M is a Group 3 to 11 metal L is a bulky bidentate or tridentate neutral ligand that is bonded to M by two or three heteroatoms and at least one heteroatom is nitrogen; X is a substituted or unsubstituted catecholate ligand provided that the substituted catecholate ligand does not contain a 1,2-diketone functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Kuzunich Cherkasov, Michael Paviovich Bubnov, Nikolay Olegovich Druzhkov, Valentina Nikolavena Glushakova, Irina Alexandrovna Teplova, Nina Aleksandrovna Skorodumova, Gleb Arsent′evich Abakumov, Cynthia A. Ballinger, Kevin R. Squire, Jo Ann Marie Canich, Enock Berluche, Lisa Saunders Baugh, Donald Norman Schulz, Baiyi Zhao
  • Patent number: 7141162
    Abstract: Discloses apparatus to perform a process to remove water and minerals from a bitumen froth output of a oil sands hot water extraction process. A bitumen froth feed stream is diluted with a solvent and supplied to a primary inclined plate separator stage, which separates the bitumen into an overflow stream providing a bitumen product output from the circuit and a bitumen depleted underflow stream. A primary cyclone stage, a secondary inclined plate separator stage and a secondary cyclone stage further process the underflow stream to produce a secondary bitumen recovery product stream and a recycle stream. The secondary bitumen recovery product steam is incorporated into and becomes part of the circuit bitumen product output stream. The recycle stream is incorporated into the bitumen froth feed stream for reprocessing by the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Suncor Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: William Nicholas Garner, Donald Norman Madge, William Lester Strand
  • Patent number: 6864334
    Abstract: The instant invention provides a late transition metal complex which can be used with an activating cocatalyst to produce polymers and copolymers. The invention also provides methods for polymerizing olefins, as well as copolymers having polar monomers incorporated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Lisa Saunders Baugh, Abhimanyu Onkar Patil, Donald Norman Schulz, Robert Timothy Stibrany, Joseph Anthony Sissano, Stephen Zushma
  • Patent number: 6846063
    Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a printhead and a maintenance station. The maintenance station includes a fixed support housing, a sled and a chimney. The sled is supported on the support housing and is movable relative to the support housing in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The chimney receives ink spit from the printhead. The chimney has a fixed vertical position relative to the printhead and is horizontally movable in response to movement of the sled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Norman Spitz, Ryan Timothy Ward, Yu-Feng Huang, Nai-Hsiang Ma
  • Patent number: 6834852
    Abstract: A printer exit tray assembly attachable to a printer housing and a computer printer including a printed paper exit tray assembly. The exit tray assembly has an exit tray and a pair of sheet supports attached to the exit tray. The exit tray is movable between a use position and a collapsed position. The exit tray is positioned generally horizontally in the use position. The exit tray projects horizontally further from the printer housing in the use position than in the collapsed position. When the exit tray is in the use position the supports are pivotable, with respect to the exit tray, between a support position for supporting a printed sheet above the exit tray and a release position for releasing the printed sheet to the exit tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Herman Anthony Smith, Donald Norman Spitz
  • Publication number: 20040260043
    Abstract: This invention relates to a polymerization method comprising contacting at least one olefin monomer, at least one polar monomer, an optional activator, and a catalyst compound represented by the formula: 1
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Lisa Saunders Baugh, Enock Berluche, Paul Veinbergs Hinkle, Francis Charles Rix, Donald Norman Schulz
  • Publication number: 20040254067
    Abstract: The instant invention provides a late transition metal complex which can be used with an activating cocatalyst to produce polymers and copolymers. The invention also provides methods for polymerizing olefins, as well as copolymers having polar monomers incorporated therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Lisa Saunders Boffa, Abhimanyu Onkar Patil, Donald Norman Schulz, Robert Timothy Stibrany, Joseph Anthony Sissano, Stephen Zushma
  • Patent number: 6820959
    Abstract: The invention described in the specification relates to an improved ink jet printer cartridge structure which includes a substrate carrier or nose piece upon which semiconductor devices for ink jet printheads are mounted. The substrate carrier has a top surface containing one or more substrate locator wells each well having well walls, a well base and at least one ink feed slot in each well base and side walls attached to the top surface along the perimeter thereof. One or more of the side walls contain fins for heat removal from the substrate carrier and at least two alignment devices attached adjacent at least one of the side walls for precisely aligning the substrate carrier in a printer carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Lexmark International, In.c
    Inventors: Donald Norman Spitz, Carl Edmond Sullivan, David Amos Ward, Benjamin Alan Askren, Michael David Lattuca, Ashok Murthy, Ronald Monroe Nowell, Jr., Darrin Wayne Oliver
  • Patent number: 6809058
    Abstract: The instant invention provides a late transition metal complex which can be used with an activating cocatalyst to produce polymers and copolymers. The invention also provides methods for polymerizing olefins, as well as copolymers having polar monomers incorporated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Lisa Saunders Boffa, Abhimanyu Onkar Patil, Donald Norman Schulz, Robert Timothy Stibrany, Joseph Anthony Sissano, Stephen Zushma
  • Patent number: 6800116
    Abstract: Discloses apparatus and method to deaerate and condition bitumen froth obtained from a primary tar sands bitumen extraction process comprising a vessel containing a plurality of inclined plates, called a static deaeration conditioner. The inclined plates of the static deaeration conditioner are substantially equidistantly spaced from each other and are inclined at an angle to the horizontal. The plates form a corresponding plurality of channels there between for the froth to be deaerated to flow along. The declination angle is selected to obtain a gravity induced froth flow rate in the channel that exhibits a lamella effect near laminar flow characteristics, which promotes the creation of a water-enriched froth region near the lower plate of the channel. A braking pump can be provided on an outlet port of the vessel to control the rate of flow through the vessel of the froth to be deaerated and conditioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Stewart Stevens, Donald Norman Madge, William Lester Strand
  • Publication number: 20040081505
    Abstract: A printer exit tray assembly attachable to a printer housing and a computer printer including a printed paper exit tray assembly. The exit tray assembly has an exit tray and a pair of sheet supports attached to the exit tray. The exit tray is movable between a use position and a collapsed position. The exit tray is positioned generally horizontally in the use position. The exit tray projects horizontally further from the printer housing in the use position than in the collapsed position. When the exit tray is in the use position the supports are pivotable, with respect to the exit tray, between a support position for supporting a printed sheet above the exit tray and a release position for releasing the printed sheet to the exit tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Herman Anthony Smith, Donald Norman Spitz
  • Publication number: 20040055972
    Abstract: Discloses apparatus to perform a process to remove water and minerals from a bitumen froth output of a oil sands hot water extraction process. A bitumen froth feed stream is diluted with a solvent and supplied to a primary inclined plate separator stage, which separates the bitumen into an overflow stream providing a bitumen product output from the circuit and a bitumen depleted underflow stream. A primary cyclone stage, a secondary inclined plate separator stage and a secondary cyclone stage further process the underflow stream to produce a secondary bitumen recovery product stream and a recycle stream. The secondary bitumen recovery product steam is incorporated into and becomes part of the circuit bitumen product output stream. The recycle stream is incorporated into the bitumen froth feed stream for reprocessing by the circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: William Nicholas Garner, Donald Norman Madge, William Lester Strand
  • Publication number: 20040011201
    Abstract: Discloses apparatus and method to deaerate and condition bitumen froth obtained from a primary tar sands bitumen extraction process comprising a vessel containing a plurality of inclined plates, called a static deaeration conditioner. The inclined plates of the static deaeration conditioner are substantially equidistantly spaced from each other and are inclined at an angle to the horizontal. The plates form a corresponding plurality of channels there between for the froth to be deaerated to flow along. The declination angle is selected to obtain a gravity induced froth flow rate in the channel that exhibits a lamella effect near laminar flow characteristics, which promotes the creation of a water-enriched froth region near the lower plate of the channel. A braking pump can be provided on an outlet port of the vessel to control the rate of flow through the vessel of the froth to be deaerated and conditioned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Geoffrey Stewart Stevens, Donald Norman Madge, William Lester Strand