Patents by Inventor James A. Thole

James A. Thole 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: 6434782
    Abstract: A paint apparatus is disclosed having a plurality of trays for use with a paint roller. A paint reservoir within each tray retains the paint. A grid portion is integrally formed in a lower surface of the paint apparatus, and has a plurality of channels and/or projections. The channels are curved, thereby providing increased surface area for the paint roller. The paint apparatus is also included in a kit containing paint application devices, practice paper, and instructional materials. The paint apparatus is further provided with a metering system which includes a plurality of grids and a mesh structure. The stackable grids are placed within the paint reservoir and permit the paint to wick up to a top surface of the stackable grids. During use of the apparatus, a user fills the paint reservoir with paint to a point below the top surface of the stackable grids. The user the rolls the rolling device over the grids, thereby loading the nap portion with paint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: George H. Wakat, James A. Thole
  • Publication number: 20020059688
    Abstract: A paint apparatus kit is disclosed having a painting application device that includes a paint roller and a paint apparatus. The paint apparatus includes a plurality of walls and a lower surface contiguous with the walls forming an open box. Also included is at least one divider disposed within the walls forming a plurality of individual trays. Further, the paint apparatus includes a paint unloading section integrally formed with the lower surface, the paint unloading section including at least one channel for returning excess paint in the direction of gravity, and a paint distribution section integrally formed with the lower surface, the paint distribution section separate from the paint unloading section and including a plurality of projections extending from the lower surface for distributing paint on the painting application device. The paint apparatus kit also may contain additional paint application devices, practice paper, and instructional materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Applicant: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: George H. Wakat, James A. Thole
  • Publication number: 20020004966
    Abstract: In a multi-processor system, each processor has a respective hard affinity queue and soft affinity queue. For execution of a thread, a queue loader places an instance of the thread upon the hard or soft affinity queue of a selected processor. The selection may use an affinity attribute, processor attribute, accessor function, or a respective program of code threads for each processor. A thread instance on a processor's hard affinity queue is executed only by that processor. A thread instance on a processor's soft affinity queue is executed by that processor unless another processor has a soft affinity queue empty of thread instances ready for execution. Each processor alternates service priority between its hard and soft affinity queues. When a thread has a soft affinity it is initially bound to the processor it is started from. It will, then, be bound to the last processor it has been run on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Applicant: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: George H. Wakat, James A. Thole
  • Patent number: 6279194
    Abstract: A paint apparatus is disclosed having a plurality of trays for use with a paint roller. A paint reservoir within each tray retains the paint. A grid portion is integrally formed in a lower surface of the paint apparatus, and has a plurality of channels and/or projections. The channels are curved, thereby providing increased surface area for the paint roller. The paint apparatus is also included in a kit containing paint application devices, practice paper, and instructional materials. The paint apparatus is further provided with a metering system which includes a plurality of grids and a mesh structure. The stackable grids are placed within the paint reservoir and permit the paint to wick up to a top surface of the stackable grids. During use of the apparatus, a user fills the paint reservoir with paint to a point below the top surface of the stackable grids. The user the rolls the rolling device over the grids, thereby loading the nap portion with paint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: George H. Wakat, James A. Thole
  • Patent number: 6145158
    Abstract: A paint apparatus is disclosed having a plurality of trays for use with a paint roller. A paint reservoir within each tray retains the paint. A grid portion is integrally formed in a lower surface of the paint apparatus, and has a plurality of channels and/or projections. The channels are curved, thereby providing increased surface area for the paint roller. The paint apparatus is also included in a kit containing paint application devices, practice paper, and instructional materials. The paint apparatus is further provided with a metering system which includes a plurality of grids and a mesh structure. The stackable grids are placed within the paint reservoir and permit the paint to wick up to a top surface of the stackable grids. During use of the apparatus, a user fills the paint reservoir with paint to a point below the top surface of the stackable grids. The user the rolls the rolling device over the grids, thereby loading the nap portion with paint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: George H. Wakat, James A. Thole
  • Patent number: 6012198
    Abstract: A paint apparatus is disclosed having a plurality of trays for use with a paint roller. A paint reservoir within each tray retains the paint. A grid portion is integrally formed in a lower surface of the paint apparatus, and has a plurality of channels and/or projections. The channels are curved, thereby providing increased surface area for the paint roller. The paint apparatus is also included in a kit containing paint application devices, practice paper, and instructional materials. The paint apparatus is further provided with a metering system which includes a plurality of grids and a mesh structure. The stackable grids are placed within the paint reservoir and permit the paint to wick up to a top surface of the stackable grids. During use of the apparatus, a user fills the paint reservoir with paint to a point below the top surface of the stackable grids. The user the rolls the rolling device over the grids, thereby loading the nap portion with paint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Thole
  • Patent number: 5956802
    Abstract: A paint apparatus is disclosed having a plurality of trays for use with a paint roller. A paint reservoir within each tray retains the paint. A grid portion is integrally formed in a lower surface of the paint apparatus, and has a plurality of channels and/or projections. The channels are curved, thereby providing increased surface area for the paint roller. The paint apparatus is also included in a kit containing paint application devices, practice paper, and instructional materials. The paint apparatus is further provided with a metering system which includes a plurality of grids and a mesh structure. The stackable grids are placed within the paint reservoir and permit the paint to wick up to a top surface of the stackable grids. During use of the apparatus, a user fills the paint reservoir with paint to a point below the top surface of the stackable grids. The user the rolls the rolling device over the grids, thereby loading the nap portion with paint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: George H. Wakat, James A. Thole