Patents by Inventor Earl Ball

Earl Ball 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: 11305227
    Abstract: Systems including a moisture pump for removing moisture from an inside environment to an outside environment. The moisture pump includes a housing defining a chamber with a heater, a heat spreader, and a desiccant for selectively adsorbing water vapor in the heating chamber when the heater is off and desorbing water vapor into the heating chamber when the heater is on. A valve assembly is also maintained by the housing transitionable between an adsorption position and desorption position. The adsorption position allows water vapor to be selectively transmitted into the heating chamber from the inside environment. The desorption position allows water vapor to be transmitted from the heating chamber for transmission into the outside environment. The adsorption and desorption ports can have asymmetric adsorption and desorption areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Ball, Michael Keough, David T DeGuiseppi
  • Publication number: 20190255482
    Abstract: Systems including a moisture pump for removing moisture from an inside environment to an outside environment. The moisture pump includes a housing defining a chamber with a heater, a heat spreader, and a desiccant for selectively adsorbing water vapor in the heating chamber when the heater is off and desorbing water vapor into the heating chamber when the heater is on. A valve assembly is also maintained by the housing transitionable between an adsorption position and desorption position. The adsorption position allows water vapor to be selectively transmitted into the heating chamber from the inside environment. The desorption position allows water vapor to be transmitted from the heating chamber for transmission into the outside environment. The adsorption and desorption ports can have asymmetric adsorption and desorption areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Earl Ball, Michael Keough, David DeGuiseppi
  • Patent number: 10156372
    Abstract: Systems including a moisture pump for removing moisture from an inside environment to an outside environment. The moisture pump includes a housing defining a heating chamber and a condensation chamber. Maintained by the housing is a desiccant, a heater, and a heat sink for selectively adsorbing water vapor in the heating chamber when the heater is off and desorbing water vapor into the heating chamber when the heater is on. A valve assembly is also maintained by the housing transitionable between an adsorption position and desorption position. The adsorption position allows water vapor to be selectively transmitted into the heating chamber from the inside environment. The desorption position allows water vapor to be transmitted from the heating chamber into the condensation chamber for transmission into the outside environment, respectively. Insulation is optionally used around the heating chamber to increase desiccant desorption efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Keough, Earl Ball, Jeffrey C Williams
  • Publication number: 20160363331
    Abstract: Systems including a moisture pump for removing moisture from an inside environment to an outside environment. The moisture pump includes a housing defining a heating chamber and a condensation chamber. Maintained by the housing is a desiccant, a heater, and a heat sink for selectively adsorbing water vapor in the heating chamber when the heater is off and desorbing water vapor into the heating chamber when the heater is on. A valve assembly is also maintained by the housing transitionable between an adsorption position and desorption position. The adsorption position allows water vapor to be selectively transmitted into the heating chamber from the inside environment. The desorption position allows water vapor to be transmitted from the heating chamber into the condensation chamber for transmission into the outside environment, respectively. Insulation is optionally used around the heating chamber to increase desiccant desorption efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Keough, Earl Ball, Jeffrey C. Williams
  • Publication number: 20090268475
    Abstract: A vent for a lamp enclosure comprises a passageway between the interior and exterior of the enclosure, a non-planar vent element covers the passageway. The vent has improved air flow and offers splash protection against liquids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Earl Ball, David T. DeGuiseppi, Robert Lavertu
  • Publication number: 20060081128
    Abstract: A compact sorbent filter for selectively sorbing contaminants and method of removing contamination from an enclosure with a filter is disclosed. Filters of the present invention comprise two or more modular adsorbent units that can be foldably connected and possibly symmetric about one or more axis. In another aspect, the invention provides a laminar support, having at least one edge, a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the article is folded along the fold line about the at least one edge of the laminar support such that the first adsorbent assembly is adjacent to the first side of the laminar support and the second adsorbent assembly is adjacent to the second side of the laminar support. In this aspect, the laminar support may be exposed or covered by the adjacent adsorbent assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventors: Earl Ball, Edwin Dauber, Darlene Gorton, Rajan Gidumal
  • Publication number: 20060032371
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for filtering contaminants, such as particulates and vapor phase contaminants, from a confined environment such as electronic or optical devices susceptible to contamination (e.g. computer disk drives) by improving performance and possibly incorporating multiple filtration functions into a unitary filter. The filter includes flow layers which improve filter performance. Filtration functions include a passive adsorbent assembly and can include a combination of inlet, or breather filter and adsorbent filter. Moreover, recirculation filter, diffusion tube and outside mount functions can be added to the filter depending on desired functionality within the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventors: Edwin Dauber, Earl Ball, Darlene Gorton
  • Publication number: 20060032372
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for filtering contaminants, such as particulates and vapor phase contaminants, from a confined environment such as electronic or optical devices susceptible to contamination (e.g. computer disk drives) by improving performance and possibly incorporating multiple filtration functions into a unitary filter. Filtration functions include a passive adsorbent assembly and can include a combination of inlet, or breather filter and adsorbent filter. Moreover, recirculation filter, diffusion tube, and outside mount functions can be added to the filter depending on desired functionality within the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventors: Edwin Dauber, Earl Ball, Thomas Finan, Darlene Gorton