Patents by Inventor Donald R. Pettit

Donald R. Pettit 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: 9962024
    Abstract: A capillary beverage cup comprises a continuous interior corner extending from a lip interface into an inner cavity of the capillary beverage cup, the continuous interior corner comprising an acute included angle which tapers continuously as the interior corner approaches the lip interface. The capillary beverage cup provides a continuous capillary force on the liquid contained by the cup, allowing for complete withdrawal of fluid from the cup in low or near zero gravity environments, while enabling the cup to have an open top, allowing for aromatics to be experienced by a user while drinking with reduced concerns of spilling or release free-floating spheres of liquid in the low-gravity environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: IRPI LLC
    Inventors: Mark M. Weislogel, Donald R. Pettit, Andrew P. Wollman, Ryan M. Jenson
  • Publication number: 20160088959
    Abstract: A capillary beverage cup comprises a continuous interior corner extending from a lip interface into an inner cavity of the capillary beverage cup, the continuous interior corner comprising an acute included angle which tapers continuously as the interior corner approaches the lip interface. The capillary beverage cup provides a continuous capillary force on the liquid contained by the cup, allowing for complete withdrawal of fluid from the cup in low or near zero gravity environments, while enabling the cup to have an open top, allowing for aromatics to be experienced by a user while drinking with reduced concerns of spilling or release free-floating spheres of liquid in the low-gravity environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Mark M. Weislogel, Donald R. Pettit, Andrew P. Wollman, Ryan M. Jenson
  • Patent number: 7357606
    Abstract: Methods and tool for simultaneously forming a bore in a work piece and forming a series of threads in said bore. In an embodiment, the tool has a predetermined axial length, a proximal end, and a distal end, said tool comprising: a shank located at said proximal end; a pilot drill portion located at said distal end; and a mill portion intermediately disposed between said shank and said pilot drill portion. The mill portion is comprised of at least two drill-tap sections of predetermined axial lengths and at least one transition section of predetermined axial length, wherein each of said at least one transition section is sandwiched between a distinct set of two of said at least two drill-tap sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Donald R. Pettit, Ronald K. Penner, Larry D. Franklin, Charles J. Camarda
  • Patent number: 7040319
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring an oxygen partial pressure in an air mask and providing a tactile warning to the user. The oxygen partial pressure in the air mask is detected using an electrochemical sensor, the output signal from which is provided to a comparator. The comparator compares the output signal with a preset reference value or range of values representing acceptable oxygen partial pressures. If the output signal is different than the reference value or outside the range of values, the air mask is vibrated by a vibrating motor to alert the user to a potentially hypoxic condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Mark E. Kelly, Donald R. Pettit
  • Patent number: 4477187
    Abstract: The disclosed invention employs an optical heterodyne technique that depends upon coherent detection of phase modulated light from individual particles, and does not depend on measurement of light scattered at a specific angle from particles. A collimated coherent beam of light is generated and separated into a subject beam and a reference beam. The subject beam is focused at the inspection region and light is gathered from the inspection region. The gathered light and the reference beam are combined and a photodetector is responsive to the combined light for producing an electrical signal representative of the combined light. The phase shift of light scattered from an individual particle passing through the inspection region is then determined by measuring the power in the phase modulated sidebands of the electrical signal. The phase shift is indicative of the size of the particle passing through the inspection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Assignee: University Patents, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Pettit, Thomas W. Peterson