Patents by Inventor E. Finke

E. Finke 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).

  • Publication number: 20230339807
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include a method of producing a cement material comprising step of: first reacting a calcium-bearing starting material with a first acid to produce an aqueous first calcium salt; second reacting the aqueous first calcium salt with a second acid to produce a solid second calcium salt; wherein the second acid is different from the first acid and the second calcium salt is different from the first calcium salt; and thermally treating the second calcium salt to produce a first cement material. Preferably, but not necessarily, during the second reacting step, reaction between the first calcium salt and the second acid regenerates the first acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicants: California Institute of Technology, Brimstone Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Cody E. FINKE, Hugo F. LEANDRI
  • Patent number: 11739431
    Abstract: A method for producing a cement material wherein 1) a first acid is reacted with a first cement precursor to form a second cement precursor, and 2) the second cement precursor is converted to a cement material. The first cement precursor includes one or more of Ca, Si, or Al, and the reaction with the first acid produces a second cement precursor that includes one or more of Ca, Si, or Al, and the conjugate base of the first acid. The second step can be performed by thermally converting the second cement precursor to a cement material by sintering or thermally decomposing the second cement precursor at a temperature in the range of 500 to 2000° C. The first step can be performed in the presence of water as a wet slurry. The concentration of the first acid can be greater than 20% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Cody E. Finke
  • Patent number: 11718558
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include a method of producing a cement material comprising step of: first reacting a calcium-bearing starting material with a first acid to produce an aqueous first calcium salt; second reacting the aqueous first calcium salt with a second acid to produce a solid second calcium salt; wherein the second acid is different from the first acid and the second calcium salt is different from the first calcium salt; and thermally treating the second calcium salt to produce a first cement material. Preferably, but not necessarily, during the second reacting step, reaction between the first calcium salt and the second acid regenerates the first acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, Brimstone Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Cody E. Finke, Hugo F. Leandri
  • Publication number: 20220411940
    Abstract: In an aspect, provided herein are methods for producing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas, the methods comprising steps of: providing sulfur dioxide formed by thermal conversion of a sulfur-containing species; electrochemically oxidizing said sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid in the presence of water; and electrochemically forming hydrogen gas via a reduction reaction. In some embodiments, the methods comprise a step of thermally converting said sulfur-containing species to said sulfur dioxide. Systems configured to perform these methods are also disclosed herein. Also provided herein are methods and systems for producing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas by electrochemically forming the sulfuric acid and the hydrogen gas in a mixture comprising a sulfur material, a supporting acid, and water. Also provided herein are methods and systems for producing a cement material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Cody E. FINKE
  • Publication number: 20220411328
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include a method of producing a cement material comprising step of: first reacting a calcium-bearing starting material with a first acid to produce an aqueous first calcium salt; second reacting the aqueous first calcium salt with a second acid to produce a solid second calcium salt; wherein the second acid is different from the first acid and the second calcium salt is different from the first calcium salt; and thermally treating the second calcium salt to produce a first cement material. Preferably, but not necessarily, during the second reacting step, reaction between the first calcium salt and the second acid regenerates the first acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicants: California Institute of Technology, Brimstone Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Cody E. FINKE, Hugo F. LEANDRI
  • Publication number: 20220106691
    Abstract: In an aspect, provided herein are methods for producing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas, the methods comprising steps of: providing sulfur dioxide formed by thermal conversion of a sulfur-containing species; electrochemically oxidizing said sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid in the presence of water; and electrochemically forming hydrogen gas via a reduction reaction. In some embodiments, the methods comprise a step of thermally converting said sulfur-containing species to said sulfur dioxide. Systems configured to perform these methods are also disclosed herein. Also provided herein are methods and systems for producing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas by electrochemically forming the sulfuric acid and the hydrogen gas in a mixture comprising a sulfur material, a supporting acid, and water. Also provided herein are methods and systems for producing a cement material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Cody E. FINKE
  • Patent number: 11180860
    Abstract: In an aspect, provided herein are methods for producing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas, the methods comprising steps of: providing sulfur dioxide formed by thermal conversion of a sulfur-containing species; electrochemically oxidizing said sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid in the presence of water; and electrochemically forming hydrogen gas via a reduction reaction. In some embodiments, the methods comprise a step of thermally converting said sulfur-containing species to said sulfur dioxide. Systems configured to perform these methods are also disclosed herein. Also provided herein are methods and systems for producing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas by electrochemically forming the sulfuric acid and the hydrogen gas in a mixture comprising a sulfur material, a supporting acid, and water. Also provided herein are methods and systems for producing a cement material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Cody E. Finke
  • Publication number: 20210070656
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include a method of producing a cement material comprising step of: first reacting a calcium-bearing starting material with a first acid to produce an aqueous first calcium salt; second reacting the aqueous first calcium salt with a second acid to produce a solid second calcium salt; wherein the second acid is different from the first acid and the second calcium salt is different from the first calcium salt; and thermally treating the second calcium salt to produce a first cement material. Preferably, but not necessarily, during the second reacting step, reaction between the first calcium salt and the second acid regenerates the first acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Cody E. FINKE, Hugo F. LEANDRI
  • Patent number: 10894724
    Abstract: A self-diagnostic maintenance system for wastewater treatment employs unique environmental sensor configurations to link operational states of a water treatment system with unique failure modes of the system. Upon detection of failure modes, the maintenance system alerts users and operators via a short messaging service (SMS) of the problem, and can display step-by-step pictorial repair instructions for the operator to replace broken or malfunctioning parts, without the operator needing to diagnosis the problem or understand the detailed workings of the wastewater treatment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Cody E. Finke, Clement A. Cid, Michael R. Hoffmann, Anastasia K. Hanan, Donald Harvey Pinkston, III, Michael Christopher Vanier
  • Publication number: 20190376191
    Abstract: In an aspect, provided herein are methods for producing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas, the methods comprising steps of: providing sulfur dioxide formed by thermal conversion of a sulfur-containing species; electrochemically oxidizing said sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid in the presence of water; and electrochemically forming hydrogen gas via a reduction reaction. In some embodiments, the methods comprise a step of thermally converting said sulfur-containing species to said sulfur dioxide. Systems configured to perform these methods are also disclosed herein. Also provided herein are methods and systems for producing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas by electrochemically forming the sulfuric acid and the hydrogen gas in a mixture comprising a sulfur material, a supporting acid, and water. Also provided herein are methods and systems for producing a cement material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventor: Cody E. FINKE
  • Patent number: 10100042
    Abstract: Novel compounds of the structural formula (I), and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are agonists of G-protein coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) and may be useful in the treatment, prevention and suppression of diseases mediated by the G-protein-coupled receptor 40. The compounds of the present invention may be useful in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and of conditions that are often associated with this disease, including obesity and lipid disorders, such as mixed or diabetic dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Helen Chen, Duane DeMong, Paul E. Finke, Christopher W. Plummer
  • Publication number: 20180087164
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for thin films that can be used to tune the catalytic characteristics of heterogeneous electrocatalysts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Cody E. Finke, Michael R. Hoffmann, Justin Jasper, Laleh Majari Kasmaee, Stefan Omelchenko
  • Publication number: 20170210727
    Abstract: Novel compounds of the structural formula (I), and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are agonists of G-protein coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) and may be useful in the treatment, prevention and suppression of diseases mediated by the G-protein-coupled receptor 40. The compounds of the present invention may be useful in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and of conditions that are often associated with this disease, including obesity and lipid disorders, such as mixed or diabetic dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Helen Chen, Duane DeMong, Paul E. Finke, Christopher W. Plummer
  • Publication number: 20170008775
    Abstract: A self-diagnostic maintenance system for wastewater treatment employs unique environmental sensor configurations to link operational states of a water treatment system with unique failure modes of the system. Upon detection of failure modes, the maintenance system alerts users and operators via a short messaging service (SMS) of the problem, and can display step-by-step pictorial repair instructions for the operator to replace broken or malfunctioning parts, without the operator needing to diagnosis the problem or understand the detailed workings of the wastewater treatment system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Cody E. Finke, Clement A. Cid, Michael R. Hoffmann, Anastasia K. Hanan, Donald Harvey Pinkston, III, Michael Christopher Vanier
  • Patent number: 9527830
    Abstract: This invention relates to compounds having structural Formula I: and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which are inhibitors of the Renal Outer Medullary Potassium (ROMK) channel (Kir1.1). The compounds of Formula I are useful as diuretics and natriuretics and therefore are useful for the therapy and prophylaxis of disorders resulting from excessive salt and water retention, including cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and chronic and acute heart failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Shawn Walsh, Alexander Pasternak, Brian Cato, Paul E. Finke, Jessica Frie, Qinghong Fu, Dooseop Kim, Barbara Pio, Aurash Shahripour, Zhi-Cai Shi, Haifeng Tang
  • Publication number: 20140235628
    Abstract: This invention relates to compounds having structural Formula I: and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which are inhibitors of the Renal Outer Medullary Potassium (ROMK) channel (Kir1.1). The compounds of Formula I are useful as diuretics and natriuretics and therefore are useful for the therapy and prophylaxis of disorders resulting from excessive salt and water retention, including cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and chronic and acute heart failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Shawn Walsh, Alexander Pasternak, Brian Cato, Paul E. Finke, Jessica Frie, Qinghong Fu, Dooseop Kim, Barbara Pio, Aurash Shahripour, Zhi-Cai Shi, Haifeng Tang
  • Patent number: 8742110
    Abstract: Substituted spirocyclic amines of structural formula (I) are selective antagonists of the somatostatin subtype receptor 5 (SSTR5) and are useful for the treatment, control or prevention of disorders responsive to antagonism of SSTR5, such as Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, lipid disorders, obesity, atherosclerosis, Metabolic Syndrome, depression, and anxiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Duffy, Jianming Bao, Debra L. Ondeyka, Sriram Tyagarajan, Patrick Shao, Feng Ye, Revathi Katipally, Aaron Zwicker, Edward C. Sherer, Michael A. Plotkin, Remond Moningka, Zahid Hussain, Harold B. Wood, Feroze Ujjainwalla, F. Anthony Romero, Paul E. Finke, Yi Zang, Weiguo Liu
  • Publication number: 20130131042
    Abstract: Substituted spirocyclic amines of structural formula (I) are selective antagonists of the somatostatin subtype receptor 5 (SSTR5) and are useful for the treatment, control or prevention of disorders responsive to antagonism of SSTR5, such as Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, lipid disorders, obesity, atherosclerosis, Metabolic Syndrome, depression, and anxiety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Duffy, Jianming Bao, Debra L. Ondeyka, Sriram Tyagarajan, Patrick Shao, Feng Ye, Revathi Katipally, Aaron Zwicker, Edward C. Sherer, Michael A. Plotkin, Remond Moningka, Zahid Hussain, Harold B. Wood, Feroze Ujjainwalla, F. Anthony Romero, Paul E. Finke, Yi Zang, Weiguo Liu
  • Patent number: 8399507
    Abstract: Tricyclic compounds containing a cyclopropanecarboxylic acid fused to a bicyclic ring, including pharmaceutically acceptable salts, are agonists of G-protein coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) and are useful as therapeutic compounds, particularly in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, and of conditions that are often associated with this disease, including obesity and lipid disorders, such as mixed or diabetic dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Gui-Bai Liang, Xibin Liao, Weiguo Liu, Paul E. Finke, Dooseop Kim, Lihu Yang, Songnian Lin
  • Publication number: 20130040978
    Abstract: Substituted spirocyclic amines of structural formula (I) are selective antagonists of the somatostatin subtype receptor 5 (SSTR5) and are useful for the treatment, control or prevention of disorders responsive to antagonism of SSTR5, such as Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, lipid disorders, obesity, atherosclerosis, Metabolic Syndrome, depression, and anxiety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Joseph L. Duffy, Jianming Bao, Debra L. Ondeyka, Sriram Tyagarajan, Patrick Shao, Feng Ye, Revathi Katipally, Paul E. Finke, Yi Zang, Michael A. Plotkin, F. Anthony Romero, Remond Moningka, Zahid Hussain