Patents by Inventor Frank Chang

Frank Chang 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: 11952449
    Abstract: The invention is related to a class of hydrophilic poly(meth)acrylamide-based copolymers each comprising dangling (i.e., pendant) reactive chains each terminated with a carboxyl group groups and at least 50% by mole of (meth)acrylamide repeating units relative to all repeating units of the hydrophilic poly(meth)acrylamide-based copolymer. The hydrophilic copolymers have a relatively high affinity to a base coating of a polyanionic polymer on a medical device or contact lens and are highly reactive towards azetidinium groups of an azetidinium-containing polymer upon heating. They can find particular use in producing water-soluble highly-branched hydrophilic polymeric material and in producing water gradient contact lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Chang, Feng Jing, Troy Vernon Holland, Chung-Yuan Chiang, John Dallas Pruitt
  • Patent number: 11939517
    Abstract: A method and a system for consolidating a subterranean formation are provided. An exemplary method includes injecting a water-in-oil emulsion into an unconsolidated subterranean formation, wherein the water-in-oil emulsion includes comonomers in an oil phase to form a polyurethane resin, and a catalyst in an aqueous phase. The method also includes allowing the polyurethane resin to cure to form a porous polymeric network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Wenwen Li, Fakuen Frank Chang, Feng Liang
  • Publication number: 20240093083
    Abstract: Well treatment fluids may include solid particles comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium chloride, barium hydroxide, and ammonium thiocyanate. These well treatment fluids may also include a carrier fluid, which may be an aqueous polymeric fluid, an oil, or combinations thereof. The aqueous polymeric fluid may include a polymer selected from the group consisting of guar gum, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar, cellulose, or polyacrylamide. The oil may include a material selected from the group consisting of diesel, mineral oil, and wax. Methods for reducing an acid carbonate reaction in a carbonate formation may include pumping a composition of solid particles into a formation; releasing the solid particles from the capsules or emulsion within the formation; and injecting an acid following the releasing step or during pumping, wherein the acid carbonate reaction is carried out at a reduced reaction rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
    Inventors: Fakuen Frank Chang, Wenwen Li
  • Publication number: 20240092043
    Abstract: The invention is related to a cost-effective method for making a coated contact lens having a hydrogel coating thereon. A method of the invention involves heating a contact lens precursor having carboxylic acid groups on and/or near its surface in an aqueous solution in the presence of a hydrophilic copolymer that comprises monomeric units of (a) at least one epoxy-containing vinylic monomer, (b) at least one amino-containing vinylic monomer having a primary or secondary amino group, (c) at least one polyethyleneglycol-containing vinylic monomer, and (d) at least one phosphorylcholine-containing vinylic monomer, at a temperature from about 100° C. to about 140° C. for at least 30 minutes, thereby forming a hydrogel coating on the contact lens precursor. Such a method can be advantageously implemented directly in a sealed lens package during autoclave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Frank Chang, Troy Vernon Holland, Thomas M. Moy
  • Patent number: 11932809
    Abstract: A treatment fluid composition includes a carrier fluid and a curable hybrid resin. The curable hybrid resin includes a first curable resin (A) including a reactive silyl group that reacts with water downhole, a second curable resin (B), and a curing agent for the second curable resin (B). A method of treating a subterranean formation includes injecting a treatment fluid including a curable hybrid resin into a target zone of the subterranean formation. The target zone may have unconsolidated or weakly consolidated sand. The method then includes maintaining the treatment fluid in the target zone for a period of time such that the curable hybrid resin cures and forming a consolidated formation in the target zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Wenwen Li, Fakuen Frank Chang, Feng Liang
  • Patent number: 11926689
    Abstract: The invention provides a hydrophilized polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinker which comprises (1) a polydiorganosiloxane polymer chain comprising dimethylsiloxane units and hydrophilized siloxane units each having one methyl substituent and one monovalent C4-C40 organic radical substituent having two to six hydroxyl groups, wherein the molar ratio of the hydrophilized siloxane units to the dimethylsiloxane units is from about 0.035 to about 0.15, and (2) two terminal (meth)acryloyl groups. The hydrophilized polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinker has a number average molecular weight of from about 3000 Daltons to about 80,000 Daltons. The present invention is also related to a silicone hydrogel contact lens, which comprises repeating units derived from a hydrophilized polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinker of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Jinyu Huang, Frank Chang, Steve Yun Zhang, Feng Jing
  • Publication number: 20240067864
    Abstract: A treatment fluid composition includes a carrier fluid and a curable hybrid resin. The curable hybrid resin includes a first curable resin (A) including a reactive silyl group that reacts with water downhole, a second curable resin (B), and a curing agent for the second curable resin (B). A method of treating a subterranean formation includes injecting a treatment fluid including a curable hybrid resin into a target zone of the subterranean formation. The target zone may have unconsolidated or weakly consolidated sand. The method then includes maintaining the treatment fluid in the target zone for a period of time such that the curable hybrid resin cures and forming a consolidated formation in the target zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
    Inventors: Wenwen Li, Fakuen Frank Chang, Feng Liang
  • Publication number: 20240052109
    Abstract: The invention provides a polysiloxane vinylic monomer which comprises (1) a polysiloxane polymer chain comprising at least 5 dimethylsiloxane units in a consecutive sequence, (2) one sole terminal (meth)acryloyl or styrenyl group, and (3) a quaternary ammonium moiety. Due to presence of the quaternary ammonium moiety, a polysiloxane vinylic monomer of the invention is relatively compatible with hydrophilic vinylic monomers used in a silicone hydrogel lens formulation for making silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The present invention is also related to a silicone hydrogel contact lens, which comprises repeating units of a polysiloxane vinylic monomer of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Frank Chang, Adam K. Sniady
  • Publication number: 20240018309
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus. The present invention is also related to a method for making such inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang, Ying Zheng, Feng Jing, Frank Chang
  • Patent number: 11866639
    Abstract: Well treatment fluids may include solid particles comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium chloride, barium hydroxide, and ammonium thiocyanate. These well treatment fluids may also include a carrier fluid, which may be an aqueous polymeric fluid, an oil, or combinations thereof. The aqueous polymeric fluid may include a polymer selected from the group consisting of guar gum, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar, cellulose, or polyacrylamide. The oil may include a material selected from the group consisting of diesel, mineral oil, and wax. Methods for reducing an acid carbonate reaction in a carbonate formation may include pumping a composition of solid particles into a formation; releasing the solid particles from the capsules or emulsion within the formation; and injecting an acid following the releasing step or during pumping, wherein the acid carbonate reaction is carried out at a reduced reaction rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Fakuen Frank Chang, Wenwen Li
  • Publication number: 20230416600
    Abstract: Compositions containing a diverting material, and related methods and systems for diverting a fluid from a high permeability zone in an underground formation to a low permeability zone in the underground formation. The diverter material contains a polyurethane and a second polymer. The compositions, methods and systems may be used to achieve more homogeneous stimulation during a well stimulation treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Wenwen Li, Fakuen Frank Chang, Nam Mai
  • Patent number: 11840666
    Abstract: A formation treatment composition that includes an aqueous fluid, at least omniphobic fluorochemical, and an acid is described. A method of attenuating acid reactivity of a formation rock is also described. The method includes injecting a formation treatment composition into a reservoir, contacting the omniphobic fluorochemical of the formation treatment composition with the rock, and mitigating a reaction between the acid of the formation treatment composition and the rock surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Mohammed Sayed, Rajesh Saini, Fakuen Frank Chang, Amy J. Cairns
  • Patent number: 11834948
    Abstract: A system and method of testing diverting agents may include injecting a diverting agent into a testing device. The system may be configured to inject a diverting agent into a testing device configured to receive a fluid through a flow channel and, change the flow channel in a transverse direction relative to the direction of the fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Fakuen Frank Chang, Wenwen Li, Nam Mai
  • Publication number: 20230374225
    Abstract: Described herein is a method for producing HEVL-filtering contact lenses in a relatively efficient and consistent manner from a polymerizable composition under a controlled thermal curing scheme. The polymerizable composition comprises at least one N-vinyl amide monomer and at least one Cu(II)-meso-aryl-substituted porphyrin free of any ethylenically unsaturated group. The resultant HEVL-filtering contact lenses each comprise a polymer matrix to which the Cu(II)-meso-aryl-substituted porphyrin is grafted or covalently attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Houliang Tang, Adam K. Sniady, Frank Chang, Troy Vernon Holland
  • Publication number: 20230374306
    Abstract: Described herein is UV/HEVL-absorbing contact lens of the invention comprises a bulk hydrogel material that comprises repeating units of at least one UV-absorbing vinylic monomer, repeating units of at least one UV/HEVL-absorbing vinylic monomer, and derivatives of a reactive Cu(II)-porphyrin present in selected amounts and at a selected ratio. A UV/HEVL-filtering contact lens of the invention not only can provide Class I UV protection against UVA and UVB rays (i.e., filtering more than 90% of UVA and 99% of UVB rays) but also can mimics the natural crystalline lens of a human eye in providing HEVL protection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Frank Chang, Troy Vernon Holland, Adam K. Sniady, Houliang Tang
  • Publication number: 20230364832
    Abstract: Described herein is a cost-effective and time-efficient method for producing UV- and HEVL-absorbing silicone hydrogel contact lenses capable of blocking ultra-violet (“UV”) radiation and high-energy-violet light (HEVL) with wavelengths from 380 nm to 440 nm, thereby protecting eyes to some extent from damages caused by UV and HEVL radiation. This invention also provides UV- and HEVL-absorbing absorbing contact lenses made according to a method of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Frank Chang, Troy Vernon Holland, Houliang Tang, Adam K. Sniady
  • Patent number: 11814583
    Abstract: The present application provides expandable chemical diverting agents, such as flexible polyurethanes and swellable hydrogels, or chemical precursors thereof. Methods of using these expandable diverting agents for treating a subterranean formation are also provided. An example of subterranean formation treatment process described in the present application is wellbore stimulation, such as hydraulic fracturing or matrix acid treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Fakuen Frank Chang, Wenwen Li
  • Patent number: 11802182
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus. The present invention is also related to a method for making such inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang, Ying Zheng, Feng Jing, Frank Chang
  • Publication number: 20230242758
    Abstract: A composition that includes porous polyurethane particles is provided. The porous particles are formed by curing an isocyanate component with water in the presence of a polyester filler and a hydrocarbon phase. A method for the preparation of porous polyurethane particles is also provided. The method includes providing a dispersed medium that contains a hydrocarbon phase, water, and a polyester filler. Then, an isocyanate component that is immiscible with the hydrocarbon phase may be added to the dispersed medium to form polyurethane prepolymer droplets, that may be cured by the water in the medium. An additional method for porous polymer particle preparation that includes providing a dispersed medium comprising a hydrocarbon phase, an isocyanate component that is immiscible in the hydrocarbon phase, and a polyester filler is provided. The dispersed medium may be agitated to form polyurethane prepolymer droplets, that may be cured by adding water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
    Inventors: Wenwen Li, Fakuen Frank Chang, Feng Liang
  • Publication number: 20230234680
    Abstract: A towed array ballasting unit includes a canister, an internal bladder, an external bladder, a motor valve, fluid, a shroud, and printed circuit boards. The canister includes a head endcap and an aft endcap with the internal bladder located within and attached to an internal end of a fluid channel. An external bladder is located outside the canister and attached to an external end of the fluid channel. The motor valve is attached to the aft endcap of the canister and the internal end of fluid channel. The fluid moves between the internal bladder and external bladder via the fluid channel. The shroud forms a shell around the canister, external bladder, and a connector that connects the towed array ballasting system to an array tail. The printed circuit boards execute instructions provided by a computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
    Inventors: Peter Sullivan, W Wayne Husband, III, Kelly Moorleghem, Frank Chang, Brian Granger