Patents by Inventor Donald Charles

Donald Charles 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).

  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING STOPPING AND STARTING OF A TURBOCHARGED ENGINE
    Publication number: 20140067238
    Abstract: A system and method for improving engine starting and stopping is described. In one example, turbine vanes are adjusted to increase engine exhaust backpressure to reduce engine stopping time and to limit engine speed overshoot during engine starting. The system and method may reduce engine emissions and improve a vehicle driving experience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Joe F. Stanek, John A. Lockwood, Sam Hashemi, Donald Charles Franks
  • COMPONENT HOLE TREATMENT PROCESS AND AEROSPACE COMPONENT WITH TREATED HOLES
    Publication number: 20130260168
    Abstract: A method of treating a hole in a metallic component includes the following steps in sequence: forming an hole having a first diameter in the component; expanding the hole to a second diameter using a cold expansion process, so as to induce residual compressive stresses in the material surrounding the hole; shot peening the hole; and final machining the hole to a finished diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Charles Slavik, Bernard Harold Lawless, Robert Hugh Van Stone, Gerald Roger Geverdt
  • Liquid desiccant chiller
    Patent number: 8490427
    Abstract: A thermally activated air conditioning system is disclosed that both dries and chills the air being conditioned. Drying is by a liquid desiccant subsystem, and chilling is by an absorption chilling subsystem. A very high COP (1.25) is obtainable owing to the use of reject heat from the absorption subsystem to power the desiccant subsystem. The overall system (or cycle) is powered by relatively low temperature input heat (e.g. 245° F.). That heat can be obtained from flat plate or evacuated tube solar collectors, or other sources. The low driving temperature is made possible by the disclosed integration between the two subcycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Inventor: Donald Charles Erickson
  • Lignocellulosic products and methods of forming the same
    Patent number: 8486523
    Abstract: A lignocellulosic product comprises a plurality of lignocellulosic pieces, and an isocyanate component and a processing aid disposed on the pieces. The processing aid is reactive with the isocyanate component, comprises a graft polyol having a continuous and discontinuous phase, and can be used to form a lignocellulosic composite article. The processing aid is useful for imparting the composite article with moisture resistance, swelling resistance, and toughness, as well as providing cold-tack during manufacture of the composite article from the product. The continuous phase comprises an isocyanate-reactive component. The discontinuous phase comprises polymeric particles. The isocyanate component and the processing aid are present in the product a combined amount of from about (1) to about (25) parts by weight based on (100) parts by weight of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventor: Donald Charles Mente
  • Solar Charged Hybrid Power System
    Publication number: 20130169210
    Abstract: A solar powered hybrid power system including a solar charge collector; a charge storage system comprising at least a first charge storage device adapted to receive and store charge from said solar charge collector; wherein said charge storage system further comprises a power electronic circuit selectively connectable to at least a second charge storage device, said power electronic circuit adapted to transfer said stored charge to said at least a second charge storage device at a selectable voltage level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jay Louch, Donald Charles Franks
  • Asymmetric flow extraction system
    Patent number: 8388308
    Abstract: A system for asymmetric flow extraction is described and claimed, the system comprising a flow path, a bleed slot in the flow path, a bleed cavity for receiving at least a portion of the fluid extracted from the flow path and a bleed passage in flow communication with the bleed slot and the bleed cavity wherein the bleed passage has at least one deflector having a shape such that the width of the bleed passage cross section varies in a direction normal to the direction of fluid flow in the bleed passage. In another embodiment, the deflector has an aerodynamic surface having a shape such that the flow passage between the aerodynamic surface and a surface located away from it has a cross sectional shape that is non-axisymmetric. In another embodiment, the bleed passage comprises an assembly of a plurality deflectors, arranged circumferentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Apostolos Pavlos Karafillis, Kalyanasundaram Muruganathan, Samuel Rulli, David Cory Kirk, Donald Charles Slavik, Erich Alois Krammer, Manish Kumar
  • Solar charged hybrid power system
    Patent number: 8354818
    Abstract: A solar powered hybrid power system including a solar charge collector; a charge storage system comprising at least a first charge storage device adapted to receive and store charge from said solar charge collector; wherein said charge storage system further comprises a power electronic circuit selectively connectable to at least a second charge storage device, said power electronic circuit adapted to transfer said stored charge to said at least a second charge storage device at a selectable voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jay Louch, Donald Charles Franks
  • Dense twisted bundle heat exchanger
    Publication number: 20120312514
    Abstract: A shell and tube heat exchanger is disclosed that is comprised of a dense hexagonal bundle of tubes with tube spacing maintained by spacers on the individual tubes. Exchanger performance is enhanced by any or all of three types of bends of the tubes: bundle twisting; bundle enlargement at the tubesheets; and shell bending. Referring to FIG. 7, the spacing enlargement bending is illustrated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventor: Donald Charles Erickson
  • GUIDANCE ASSEMBLY TIP FOR A LIQUID DROPLET SPRAY TEETH CLEAING APPLIANCE
    Publication number: 20120270178
    Abstract: The guidance assembly is used for precise cleaning of interproximal spaces of teeth. The guidance assembly includes a base portion (30) for contacting the surfaces of teeth and gum region, adjacent the interproximal space, the base portion being approximately 12 mm in diameter to provide stable contact with the teeth and gum region. The guidance assembly also includes a tip portion (28) which extends forward of the base portion and includes an opening (31) through which the droplet spray is directed coincident with the plane of the interproximal space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Craig Kortick Black, Dainia Edwards, Donald Charles Baumgarten, Ahren Karl Johnson, Tyler G. Kloster, Wolter F. Benning
  • TOUCH SWITCHES AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS THEREFOR
    Publication number: 20120267964
    Abstract: A touch switch apparatus emulating a mechanical switch includes a field effect sensor and an electric field stimulator mechanically associated with the field effect sensor. A field generation signal applied to the field effect sensor causes an electric field to be generated thereabout. The electric field stimulator can be moved between first and second positions with respect to the field effect sensor. When moved into proximity with the field effect sensor, the electric field stimulator disturbs the electric field. A detection circuit coupled to the field effect sensor detects and responds to the disturbance to the electric field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: TOUCHSENSOR TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David W. Caldwell, Rick L. Oppor, Anthony V. Gioiosa, Robert B. Campbell, Thomas M. Schreiber, Bahar N. Wadia, Mark R. Mathews, Donald Charles Mueller, Daniel Eavenson
  • INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE COMPRISES AN INTERFACE TO TRANSMIT A FIRST CODE, A STROBE SIGNAL AFTER A DELAY AND DATA TO A DYNAMIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (DRAM)
    Publication number: 20120201089
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device comprises an interface to transmit a first code, a strobe signal after a delay and data to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The first code indicates that data is to be written to the DRAM. The first code is registered by the DRAM on one or more edges of an external clock signal received by the DRAM. The strobe signal specifies one or more discrete points in time synchronous with the external clock signal at which the data is registered by the DRAM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventors: Richard Maurice Barth, Frederick Abbott Ware, John Bradly Dillon, Donald Charles Stark, Craig Edward Hampel, Matthew Murdy Griffin
  • Apparatus And Method For Anonymously Presenting Targeted Advertisements And Desirable Media Content In Association With A Virtual Currency
    Publication number: 20120191518
    Abstract: An electronic advertising system anonymously directs the attention of a user to content provided by an advertiser, in exchange for subsequently permitting the same user to access otherwise restricted desirable content of another part. Such desirable content may include online entertainment media, digital video content, social media, news media, and other privileged services or data. The user accumulates points, or virtual currency, in exchange for viewing the advertisements of vendor affiliates of the present system. The user may then spend previously accumulated points, or virtual currency, in order to access desirable content of redeemer affiliates of the present system. The present system further facilitates financial transactions between the system operator, vendor affiliates, and redeemer affiliates, relative to the movement of virtual currency amongst the various parties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph D. Nix, Michael Wallace Verhulst, Christopher Warren Smith, Thomas Nathaniel Supple, Donald Charles Ganiere, Matthew Wayne Cox
  • Touch switches and practical applications therefor
    Patent number: 8227940
    Abstract: A touch switch apparatus emulating a mechanical switch includes a field effect sensor and an electric field stimulator mechanically associated with the field effect sensor. A field generation signal applied to the field effect sensor causes an electric field to be generated thereabout. The electric field stimulator can be moved between first and second positions with respect to the field effect sensor. When moved into proximity with the field effect sensor, the electric field stimulator disturbs the electric field. A detection circuit coupled to the field effect sensor detects and responds to the disturbance to the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: TouchSensor Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David W. Caldwell, Rick L. Oppor, Anthony V. Gioiosa, Robert B. Campbell, Thomas M. Schreiber, Bahar N. Wadia, Mark R. Mathews, Donald Charles Mueller, Daniel Eavenson
  • Flue Gas Scrubbing with Aqueous Ammonia
    Publication number: 20120180521
    Abstract: A system for scrubbing acid gases from a gas stream, and particularly adapted for scrubbing CO2 from flue gas and recovering the CO2 at high pressure and good purity using an aqueous scrubbing medium such as aqueous ammonia scrubbing solution. A scrubber, regenerator, and stripper are provided, with each having two parts that are each multistage countercurrent vapor-liquid contactors. The required compression energy is minimized by providing necessary refrigeration from an ammonia absorption refrigeration plant that is powered by heat extracted from the gas being scrubbed. The amount of reboil required for the regenerator and stripper is minimized by providing internal heat exchangers (non-adiabatic distillation) in those components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventor: Donald Charles Erickson
  • Reinforced elevator door guide
    Patent number: 8181394
    Abstract: This invention claims a steel elevator door guide, which contains a reinforcement beam, an attachment beam, a guide carrier and a glide. The attachment beam connects at the bottom end of a elevator cab or corridor door. The invention is held securely clamped together by fasteners, welding or glue. To further protect against any lateral movement imposed onto an elevator door, one or more frictional surfaces is engraved at contact points between individual components and safety rail(s) are provided. A noise reducing, nylon glide is attached to the guide carrier using the same fasteners as those supporting the reinforcement beam. These components are intended to prevent lateral motion of an elevator cab or corridor door even if a severe lateral pressure on the elevator doors has caused the glide to severely flex or fail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Inventor: Donald Charles Michaels
  • Automotive vehicle and method for charging/discharging a power storage unit therein
    Patent number: 8125182
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an electrical circuit capable of being electrically connected with an electrical grid, a propulsion electrical bus electrically connected with the circuit, a power conversion module electrically connected with the propulsion electrical bus, and a power storage unit electrically connected with the power conversion module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hasdi R. Hashim, Donald Charles Franks, Bruce Carvell Blakemore
  • Articulated MRI device
    Patent number: D685479
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Inventor: Donald Charles
  • Articulated imaging device
    Patent number: D692139
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventor: Donald Charles
  • Portable imaging device
    Patent number: D701961
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Inventor: Donald Charles
  • Articulated MRI device
    Patent number: D690421
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Inventor: Donald Charles