Patents by Inventor Geoffrey Dearnaley

Geoffrey Dearnaley 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: 7704546
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a prosthesis. At least a portion of the prosthesis is made from a ceramic that is treated with ion implantation, which causes a controllable, bilateral compressive stress of the ceramic. A diamond-like-coating (DLC) can be coated on the ceramic and in the same chamber as the ion implantation. After treating by ion implantation and coating with DLC, the ceramic will be strengthened and have a low coefficient of friction and thereby be made much less likely to fracture under load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventor: Geoffrey Dearnaley
  • Patent number: 7572345
    Abstract: Substrates comprising a surface comprising chromium, said surface being adapted to exhibit reduced coefficient of friction and/or increased hardness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Kevin C. Walter
  • Publication number: 20080213503
    Abstract: Substrates comprising a surface comprising chromium, said surface being adapted to exhibit reduced coefficient of friction and/or increased hardness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Geoffrey DEARNALEY, Kevin C. WALTER
  • Patent number: 7303834
    Abstract: Fuel cell electrodes comprising a minimal load of catalyst having maximum catalytic activity and a method of forming such fuel cell electrodes. The preferred method comprises vaporizing a catalyst, preferably platinum, in a vacuum to form a catalyst vapor. A catalytically effective amount of the catalyst vapor is deposited onto a carbon catalyst support on the fuel cell electrode. The electrode preferably is carbon cloth. The method reduces the amount of catalyst needed for a high performance fuel cell electrode to about 0.3 mg/cm2 or less, preferably to about 0.1 mg/cm2. The electrocatalytic layer formed comprises unique, rod-like structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, James H. Arps
  • Patent number: 7252684
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a prosthesis. At least a portion of the prosthesis is made from a ceramic that is treated with ion implantation, which causes a controllable, bilateral compressive stress of the ceramic. A diamond-like-coating (DLC) can be coated on the ceramic and in the same chamber as the ion implantation. After treating by ion implantation and coating with DLC, the ceramic will be strengthened and have a low coefficient of friction and thereby be made much less likely to fracture under load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventor: Geoffrey Dearnaley
  • Publication number: 20050287288
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a prosthesis. At least a portion of the prosthesis is made from a ceramic that is treated with ion implantation, which causes a controllable, bilateral compressive stress of the ceramic. A diamond-like-coating (DLC) can be coated on the ceramic and in the same chamber as the ion implantation. After treating by ion implantation and coating with DLC, the ceramic will be strengthened and have a low coefficient of friction and thereby be made much less likely to fracture under load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Inventor: Geoffrey Dearnaley
  • Publication number: 20040112476
    Abstract: Substrates comprising a surface comprising chromium, said surface being adapted to exhibit reduced coefficient of friction and/or increased hardness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Kevin C. Walter
  • Publication number: 20040088052
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a prosthesis. At least a portion of the prosthesis is made from a ceramic that is treated with ion implantation, which causes a controllable, bilateral compressive stress of the ceramic. A diamond-like-coating (DLC) can be coated on the ceramic and in the same chamber as the ion implantation. After treating by ion implantation and coating with DLC, the ceramic will be strengthened and have a low coefficient of friction and thereby be made much less likely to fracture under load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventor: Geoffrey Dearnaley
  • Patent number: 6723177
    Abstract: A process for treating a chromium coating and/or the surface of a chromium alloy to increase hardness, and/or to decrease coefficient of friction; chromium alloys and/or chromium coatings with surfaces having increased hardness and/or decreased coefficient of friction; and, components comprising chromium alloys and/or chromium coatings with surfaces having increased hardness and/or decreased coefficient of friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Kevin C. Walter
  • Patent number: 6610436
    Abstract: Fuel cell electrodes comprising a minimal load of catalyst having maximum catalytic activity and a method of forming such fuel cell electrodes. The preferred method comprises vaporizing a catalyst, preferably platinum, in a vacuum to form a catalyst vapor. A catalytically effective amount of the catalyst vapor is deposited onto a carbon catalyst support on the fuel cell electrode. The electrode preferably is carbon cloth. The method reduces the amount of catalyst needed of a high performance fuel cell electrode to about 0.3 mg/cm2 or less, preferably to about 0.1 mg/cm2. The electrocatalytic layer formed comprises unique, rod-like structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Gore Enterprise Holdings
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, James H. Arps
  • Publication number: 20030104266
    Abstract: Fuel cell electrodes comprising a minimal load of catalyst having maximum catalytic activity and a method of forming such fuel cell electrodes. The preferred method comprises vaporizing a catalyst, preferably platinum, in a vacuum to form a catalyst vapor. A catalytically effective amount of the catalyst vapor is deposited onto a carbon catalyst support on the fuel cell electrode. The electrode preferably is carbon cloth. The method reduces the amount of catalyst needed for a high performance fuel cell electrode to about 0.3 mg/cm2 or less, preferably to about 0.1 mg/cm2. The electrocatalytic layer formed comprises unique, rod-like structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, James H. Arps
  • Patent number: 6565913
    Abstract: An adherent antimicrobial coating and method of making same comprising hydrogenated amorphous carbon and a dispersion of antimicrobial metal ions adapted to maintain a therapeutically effective zone of inhibition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: James Arps, Geoffrey Dearnaley
  • Publication number: 20030041924
    Abstract: A process for treating a chromium coating and/or the surface of a chromium alloy to increase hardness, and/or to decrease coefficient of friction; chromium alloys and/or chromium coatings with surfaces having increased hardness and/or decreased coefficient of friction; and, components comprising chromium alloys and/or chromium coatings with surfaces having increased hardness and/or decreased coefficient of friction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Kevin C. Walter
  • Publication number: 20030031872
    Abstract: An adherent antimicrobial coating and method of making same comprising hydrogenated amorphous carbon and a dispersion of antimicrobial metal ions adapted to maintain a therapeutically effective zone of inhibition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: James Arps, Geoffrey Dearnaley
  • Patent number: 6514565
    Abstract: An amorphous carbon film, preferably disposed on and substantially filling the pores in a porous anodized aluminum outer surface, wherein the amorphous carbon film comprises as an integral component an effective amount of a lubricity-increasing agent, preferably sulfur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Mark Van Dyke
  • Patent number: 6410144
    Abstract: An amorphous carbon film, preferably disposed on and substantially filling the pores in a porous anodized aluminum outer surface, wherein the amorphous carbon film comprises as an integral component an effective amount of a lubricity-increasing agent, preferably sulfur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Mark Van Dyke
  • Patent number: 6361567
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process of forming an antimicrobial coating on a surface of a medical implant, the coating comprising an antimicrobially effective amount of antimicrobial metal atoms incorporated into a coating of amorphous carbonaceous material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventor: Geoffrey Dearnaley
  • Publication number: 20010051271
    Abstract: An amorphous carbon film, preferably disposed on and substantially filling the pores in a porous anodized aluminum outer surface, wherein the amorphous carbon film comprises as an integral component an effective amount of a lubricity-increasing agent, preferably sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Inventors: GEOFFREY DEARNALEY, MARK VAN DYKE
  • Publication number: 20010049018
    Abstract: An amorphous carbon film, preferably disposed on and substantially filling the pores in a porous anodized aluminum outer surface, wherein the amorphous carbon film comprises as an integral component an effective amount of a lubricity-increasing agent, preferably sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Mark Van Dyke
  • Patent number: RE37718
    Abstract: The present invention provides for faster and stronger tissue-implant bonding by treating a ceramic implant with an ion beam to modify the surface of the ceramic. The surface modification can give the ceramic improved ion-exchange properties depending upon the particular ceramic and the type of ions used. In a preferred embodiment, a bioactive ceramic orthopaedic, dental, or soft tissue implant is bombarded with a beam of cations. When implanted in the body, the surface modification causes an increase in the release of critical ions, such as calcium or phosphorus, from the surface of the ceramic implant, and thereby accelerates implant-tissue bond formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Cheryl Blanchard, Geoffrey Dearnaley, James Lankford, Jr.