Patents by Inventor Francis G. Defalco

Francis G. Defalco 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: 9657251
    Abstract: A wear and/or friction reducing additive for a lubricating fluid in which the additive is a combination of a moderately hydrophilic single-phase compound and an anti-wear and/or anti-friction aqueous salt solution. The aqueous salt solution produces a coating on boundary layer surfaces. The lubricating fluid can be an emulsion-free hydrophobic oil, hydraulic fluid, antifreeze, water, or a water-based lubricant. Preferably, the moderately hydrophilic single-phase compound is sulfonated castor oil and the aqueous salt solution additionally contains boric acid and zinc oxide. The emulsions produced by the aqueous salt solutions, the moderately hydrophilic single-phase compounds, or the combination thereof provide targeted boundary layer organizers that significantly enhance the anti-wear and/or anti-friction properties of the base lubricant by decreasing wear and/or friction of sliding and/or rolling surfaces at boundary layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Robert Chaffee Richmond, Harry F. Schramm, Jr., Francis G. Defalco
  • Patent number: 9296972
    Abstract: A wear and/or friction reducing additive for a lubricating fluid in which the additive is a combination of a moderately hydrophilic single-phase compound and an anti-wear and/or anti-friction aqueous salt solution. The aqueous salt solution produces a coating on boundary layer surfaces. The lubricating fluid can be an emulsion-free hydrophobic oil, hydraulic fluid, antifreeze, or water. Preferably, the moderately hydrophilic single-phase compound is sulfonated castor oil and the aqueous salt solution additionally contains boric acid and zinc oxide. The emulsions produced by the aqueous salt solutions, the moderately hydrophilic single-phase compounds, or the combination thereof provide targeted boundary layer organizers that significantly enhance the anti-wear and/or anti-friction properties of the base lubricant by decreasing wear and/or friction of sliding and/or rolling surfaces at boundary layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Robert Chaffee Richmond, Harry F. Schramm, Jr., Francis G. Defalco
  • Patent number: 9023773
    Abstract: Lubrication additives of the current invention require formation of emulsions in base lubricants, created with an aqueous salt solution plus a single-phase compound such that partitioning within the resulting emulsion provides thermodynamically targeted compounds for boundary layer organization thus establishing anti-friction and/or anti-wear. The single-phase compound is termed “boundary layer organizer”, abbreviated BLO. These emulsion-contained compounds energetically favor association with tribologic surfaces in accord with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and will organize boundary layers on those surfaces in ways specific to the chemistry of the salt and BLO additives. In this way friction modifications may be provided by BLOs targeted to boundary layers via emulsions within lubricating fluids, wherein those lubricating fluids may be water-based or oil-based.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Robert Chaffee Richmond, Harry F. Schramm, Jr., Francis G. Defalco
  • Patent number: 8563487
    Abstract: A process for creating conversion coatings and spin, drawing, and extrusion finishes for surfaces, wherein the conversion coatings and spin, drawing, and extrusion finishes contain potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and one or more non-alkaline metals and/or one or more metalloids. The process comprises forming an aqueous solution of water, phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid, ammonium hydroxide, an alkali metal hydroxide, and one or more non-alkaline metals and/or one or more metalloids. The aqueous solution forms an anti-friction multilayer conversion and/or mixed element coating or a spin, drawing, and extrusion finish on a surface when applied to the surface, either directly without the use of applied external electromotive force, or as an additive in lubricating fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Harry F. Schramm, Francis G. Defalco, Lloyd L. Starks, Sr.
  • Patent number: 8420582
    Abstract: A wear and/or friction reducing additive for a lubricating fluid in which the additive is a combination of a moderately hydrophilic single-phase compound and an anti-wear and/or anti-friction aqueous salt solution. The aqueous salt solution produces a coating on boundary layer surfaces. The lubricating fluid can be an emulsion-free hydrophobic oil, hydraulic fluid, antifreeze, or water. Preferably, the moderately hydrophilic single-phase compound is sulfonated castor oil and the aqueous salt solution additionally contains boric acid and zinc oxide. The emulsions produced by the aqueous salt solutions, the moderately hydrophilic single-phase compounds, or the combination thereof provide targeted boundary layer organizers that significantly enhance the anti-wear and/or anti-friction properties of the base lubricant by decreasing wear and/or friction of sliding and/or rolling surfaces at boundary layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Robert Chafee Richmond, Harry F. Schramm, Jr., Francis G. Defalco
  • Publication number: 20120208730
    Abstract: A wear and/or friction reducing additive for a lubricating fluid in which the additive is a combination of a moderately hydrophilic single-phase compound and an anti-wear and/or anti-friction aqueous salt solution. The aqueous salt solution produces a coating on boundary layer surfaces. The lubricating fluid can be an emulsion-free hydrophobic oil, hydraulic fluid, antifreeze, or water. Preferably, the moderately hydrophilic single-phase compound is sulfonated castor oil and the aqueous salt solution additionally contains boric acid and zinc oxide. The emulsions produced by the aqueous salt solutions, the moderately hydrophilic single-phase compounds, or the combination thereof provide targeted boundary layer organizers that significantly enhance the anti-wear and/or anti-friction properties of the base lubricant by decreasing wear and/or friction of sliding and/or rolling surfaces at boundary layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Chaffee Richmond, Harry F. Schramm, JR., Francis G. Defalco
  • Patent number: 8182842
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the use of compounds from the Hofmeister series coupled with specific pH and temperature to provide rapid physico-chemical-managed killing of penicillin-resistant static and growing Gram-positive and Gram-negative vegetative bacteria. The systems and methods represent the more general physico-chemical enhancement of susceptibility for a wide range of pathological macromolecular targets to clinical management by establishing the reactivity of those targets to topically applied drugs or anti-toxins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Robert Chaffee Richmond, Harry F. Schramm, Jr., Francis G. Defalco, Alex F. Farris, III
  • Publication number: 20120114762
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the use of compounds from the Hofmeister series coupled with specific pH and temperature to provide rapid physico-chemical-managed killing of penicillin-resistant static and growing Gram-positive and Gram-negative vegetative bacteria. The systems and methods represent the more general physico-chemical enhancement of susceptibility for a wide range of pathological macromolecular targets to clinical management by establishing the reactivity of those targets to topically applied drugs or anti-toxins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Chaffee Richmond, Harry F. Schramm, JR., Francis G. Defalco, Alex F. Farris, III