Patents by Inventor Ian Bennett

Ian Bennett 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: 20150318426
    Abstract: Mitigation techniques for photovoltaic (PV) module installation surface abrasion are described. According to one embodiment, a photovoltaic system includes first and second photovoltaic modules, each including a first coupling element (e.g., mounting leg) on a first end and a second coupling element on a second end opposite of the first end. The system also includes a connector assembly including a fastener adapted to engage the first coupling element of the first photovoltaic module with the second coupling element of the second photovoltaic module. The fastener is configured to provide an engagement state that enables movement of the second coupling element of the second photovoltaic module independent of the first photovoltaic module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Bryan Cusick, Matthew Danning, Ajay Friesen, Ian Bennett
  • Patent number: 9149304
    Abstract: Spinal implants for limiting flexion of the spine are implanted between a superior spinous process and an inferior spinous process or sacrum. The implants include upper straps which are placed over the upper spinous process, while the lower portions of the implant are attached to the adjacent vertebra or sacrum. The attachments may be fixed, for example using screws or other anchors, or may be non-fixed, for example by placing a loop strap through a hole in the spinous process or sacrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Sanford Junior University, Empirical Spine, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Alamin, Ian Bennett, Louis Fielding, Colin Cahill
  • Patent number: 9153968
    Abstract: An isolator circuit (25) for a unit of a safety system (10) includes a power control line (14) connectable to a first loop of a safety system and a power connection (16) connectable to a second loop of the safety system. A switch (26) is connected to the power control line (14), and the switch has a closed configuration and an open configuration. A controller (28) controls the configuration of the switch (26). If a voltage across the circuit (10) from the power connection (16) to the power control line (14) falls below a predetermined level, the controller (28) opens the switch (26), thereby causing a disconnection to occur in the first loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Thorn Security Limited
    Inventors: Faruk Meah, Andrew D. Naish, Steven Ian Bennett
  • Publication number: 20150134007
    Abstract: A system for restricting flexion of a spinal segment in a patient comprises a constraint device having a tether structure and a compliance member coupled with the tether structure. The tether structure is adapted to be coupled with a superior spinous process and a sacrum. The system also includes an anchor member that is anchored to the sacrum. The anchor member has an attachment feature that is adapted to couple with the constraint device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Todd Alamin, Louis Fielding, Darin Gittings, Hugues Malandain, Anand Parikh, Eller Torres, Ian Bennett
  • Patent number: 8998129
    Abstract: Aircraft landing gear including an axle pivotally connected to a bogie beam and a locking device. The locking couples the axle to the bogie beam, and has a movable member and a follower. The movable member is movable between first and second configurations. Movement of the movable member towards the second configuration causes corresponding movement of the follower so as to transfer a steering force to the axle through the follower which causes the axle to rotate in a first direction. With the movable member in the first configuration, the follower is in a first configuration that inhibits the movable member being moved by an external force applied to the axle. With the movable member in the second configuration, the follower in a second configuration that permits the movable member to be moved by an external force applied to the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Ian Bennett
  • Patent number: 8899517
    Abstract: A landing gear, including an elongate axle pivotally connected to a bogie beam, the landing gear further including a locking device for locking the axle at a substantially fixed orientation with respect to the bogie beam, the locking device including first and second barrier arms that are movable between a first configuration, in which they define a barrier so as to maintain the maintain the axle in the substantially fixed orientation with respect to the bogie beam, and a second configuration, in which the axle may pivot about the bogie beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Ian Bennett
  • Patent number: 8790372
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for constraining spinous processes to elastically limit flexion of two or more adjacent spinal segments rely on placing a tether structure over at least three adjacent vertebral bodies or two adjacent vertebral bodies and the sacrum. The tether structures may be continuous, for example in the form of a continuous loop, or may be discontinuous, for example in the form of a loop or elongate element having at least two anchor structures for securing in bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Simpirica Spine, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Alamin, Ian Bennett, Louis Fielding, Colin Cahill
  • Publication number: 20140180340
    Abstract: A device may be used to limit flexion of the spine without substantially limiting extension of the spine. Various accessories, instruments, and methods may be used to help deploy the flexion limiting device, manipulate, and adjust it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Simpirica Spine, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Fielding, Anand Parikh, Eller Torres, IV, Ian Bennett, Hugues Malandain, Jeffrey Schwardt
  • Patent number: 8762152
    Abstract: Methods and systems for performing speech recognition using an electronic interactive agent are disclosed. In embodiments of the invention, an electronic agent is presented in a form perceptible to a user. The electronic agent is used to solicit speech input from a user and to respond to the user's recognized speech, and mimics the behavior of a human agent in a natural language query session with the user. The electronic agent may be implemented in a distributed speech recognition system in which speech recognition tasks are divided between client and server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Bennett, Bandi Ramesh Babu, Kishor Morkhandikar, Pallaki Gururaj
  • Patent number: 8696710
    Abstract: A device may be used to limit flexion of the spine without substantially limiting extension of the spine. Various accessories, instruments, and methods may be used to help deploy the flexion limiting device, manipulate, and adjust it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Simpirica Spine, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Fielding, Anand Parikh, Eller Torres, IV, Ian Bennett, Hugues Malandain, Jeffrey Schwardt
  • Patent number: 8650967
    Abstract: An overload detecting assembly comprises a first load bearing member (10) adapted to flex laterally in response to a load to be monitored, a second load bearing member (11) spaced from the first under normal load conditions and which is contacted and loaded by the first load bearing member (10) when it is loaded beyond a load limit. Preferably, the first load bearing member (10) has a yield point below the load limit and takes a permanent set once the yield point has been exceeded. A lateral probe (18) cooperates with the first load bearing member as it moves towards the second load bearing member and in turn deflects an indicator member (20) which takes a permanent set when a yield point is exceeded. Ready inspection of the indicator member then reveals whether or not it has been bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Ian Bennett
  • Patent number: 8651417
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly includes a bogie beam, a landing gear strut and a stop. The landing gear strut has a first end arranged to be pivotally coupled to an aircraft and a second end pivotally coupled to the bogie beam. The stop is arranged to limit pivotal movement of the bogie beam relative to the landing gear strut The stop includes an elongate member arranged to be deflectable in bending when the bogie beam reaches a pivotal limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Matthew Hilliard, Ian Bennett
  • Publication number: 20130331889
    Abstract: A system for restricting flexion of a spinal segment in a patient comprises a constraint device having a tether structure and a compliance member coupled with the tether structure. The tether structure is adapted to be coupled with a superior spinous process and a sacrum. The system also includes an anchor member that is anchored to the sacrum. The anchor member has an attachment feature that is adapted to couple with the constraint device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Simpirica Spine, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Alamin, Louis Fielding, Darin Gittings, Hugues Malandain, Anand Parikh, Eller Torres, Ian Bennett
  • Publication number: 20130325065
    Abstract: A system for fusing a spine comprises a flexion limiting tether having a superior portion, and an inferior portion. The superior portion of the device is coupled to a superior portion of the spine, and the inferior portion of the device is coupled to an inferior portion of the spine thereby constraining flexion of the spine. The system also includes bone graft for fusing the superior and inferior portions of the spine together. The bone graft is disposed between the superior and inferior portions of the spine, and the tether has a width suitable for holding the bone graft in a mass disposed between the superior and inferior portions of the spine. The tether also has a porosity suitable to allow body fluids to pass therethrough so that the graft material forms a solid mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Simpirica Spine, Inc.
    Inventors: Hugues Malandain, Jeffrey Schwardt, Austin F. Noll, III, Ian Bennett, Louis Fielding
  • Publication number: 20130317553
    Abstract: Spinal implants for limiting flexion of the spine are implanted between a superior spinous process and an inferior spinous process or sacrum. The implants include upper straps which are placed over the upper spinous process, while the lower portions of the implant are attached to the adjacent vertebra or sacrum. The attachments may be fixed, for example using screws or other anchors, or may be non-fixed, for example by placing a loop strap through a hole in the spinous process or sacrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Todd ALAMIN, Ian BENNETT, Louis FIELDING, Colin CAHILL
  • Publication number: 20130306365
    Abstract: A mounting unit (10) for mounting an electrical component (16) to a panel has a first member (12) arranged to engage a first side of said panel and a second member (14) arranged to engage the first member and a second, opposite side of said panel, so as to secure the first and second members to opposite sides of the panel through a hole in the panel. The first and second members define a space for receiving the electrical component. The mounting unit is particularly suitable for mounting the electrical component to a ceiling tile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Faruk Meah, Steven Ian Bennett, Josef Prokop, Paul Jon Taylor
  • Publication number: 20130300579
    Abstract: The system includes an active unit, such as a detector unit, which has a processor, a network port for connection to a central control unit, and an optical data input port. The processor is arranged to enable the optical data input port on receipt of an enable signal received by the active unit from the central control unit via a network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Faruk Meah, Steven Ian Bennett, Andrew D. Naish
  • Publication number: 20130274748
    Abstract: A surgical fastening mechanism for releasably locking an implantable tether includes a housing having a central channel. The housing has an entry aperture, an exit aperture and a side channel extending therebetween. A roller element has a sidewall with an aperture therethrough and the roller is slidably disposed at least partially in the central channel such that the entry and exit apertures are at least partially aligned with the roller aperture. This permits passage of the tether therethrough. Rotation of the roller element in a first direction winds the tether around the roller thereby creating a friction interface between the roller element, the housing and the tether. A locking mechanism is operably connected with either the housing or the roller element and is adapted to prevent rotation of the roller in the central channel and also adapted to prevent release of the tether from the roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Simpirica Spine, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian BENNETT, Louis FIELDING, Hugues MALANDAIN, Todd ALAMIN
  • Patent number: 8559006
    Abstract: A particulate detector (10) comprises a radiation source (12) arranged to emit radiation in at least first and second predetermined wavebands towards a sampling region (18) suspected of containing particulates, and a detection element (14), shielded from the radiation source (12), and arranged to detect radiation from the sampling region (18) at least first and second instances. The radiation source (12) is such that the emissions in the wavebands temporarily overlap. The detector is such that, at the instances at which the radiation is detected, the relative contributions from the emissions in each predetermined waveband are distinguishable, thereby allowing characteristics of the particulates to be determined. The radiation source (12) may comprise a light emitting diode (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Thorn Security Limited
    Inventors: Stephen John Penney, John E. A. Shaw, Paul J. Taylor, Steven Ian Bennett
  • Publication number: 20130253584
    Abstract: A spinal implant for limiting flexion of the spine includes a tether structure for encircling adjacent spinal processes. Usually, a pair of compliance members will be provided as part of the tether structure for elastically limiting flexion while permitting an extension. A cross-member is provided between the compliance member or other portions of the tether structure to stabilize the tether structure and prevent misalignment after implantation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Simpirica Spine, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Alamin, Ian Bennett, Colin Cahill, Louis Fielding, Manish Kothari, Jeffrey Schwardt