Patents by Inventor James O'Brien

James O'Brien 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: 20090110584
    Abstract: Rotary seals in a telescoping gear pump/motor a feature that allows the seal to shift radially relative to other components while maintaining the seal integrity and without compromising the function of the bearings or the bushings needed to bear the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventor: James A. O'Brien, II
  • Publication number: 20080311550
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring the movement of academic test materials and/or their shipping containers while providing a complete chain of custody of those test materials and shipping containers. Test materials include paper based and electronic based tests and related items such as answer keys, teacher notes, and study guides. The providers of the test materials include, but may not be limited to, test publishers, state and federal agencies, specialized test developers, and distributors of tests created by other parties. Users include, but are not limited to, school districts, individual schools, students, corporations, and other individuals, as well as the test publisher, state and federal agencies, and other test producers. The tracking is done through the scanning of bar codes or RFID devices printed on or otherwise affixed to test materials and the test material shipping containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Giambrone, Michael Arlas, James O'Brien, Andrew Bedno
  • Publication number: 20080308168
    Abstract: A lightweight, optimally efficient, easily serviced, piston-in-sleeve high pressure accumulator is provided. The accumulator includes one or more cylindrical composite pressure vessel separate end cap manifolds. A piston slidably disposed in a thin impermeable internal sleeve in the accumulator separates two chambers, one adapted for containing a working fluid and the other adapted for containing gas under pressure. Gas is provided in a volume between the impermeable internal sleeve and the composite pressure vessel wall. Additional gas is optionally provided in gas cylinders. Further components are provided for withstanding harmful effects of radial flexing of the composite vessel wall under high pressures, and from stresses present in use in mobile applications such as with a hydraulic power system for a hydraulic hybrid motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: James A. O'Brien, II, Gerald Roston, Ralph Hubbs
  • Publication number: 20080302252
    Abstract: A portable brewing device is provided for brewing a hot beverage such as espresso that includes a compressed gas container communicating with a pressure regulator that is configured to control the pressure of gas released from the compressed gas container. A release switch is configured to communicate with pressure regulator and configured to release pressure controlled gas when actuated by a user. A water vessel is configured to receive the pressure controlled gas when the switch is actuated by a user. A mixing vessel can hold a brew substance and is configured to communicate with the water vessel and also configured to receive water from the water vessel to pass through the brew substance when pressure is released from the gas container through the pressure regulator. An outlet is configured to release a brewed product produced from water flowing through the brew substance contained in the mixing vessel when brewing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: Espressi Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen James O'Brien, Carmel Ish-Shalom, David Richard Stevens
  • Patent number: 7429080
    Abstract: A sacral support assembly for use with a seat is provided. The seat includes a seat frame. An adjustable sacral support assembly is connected to the seat frame. The sacral support assembly includes a sacral support member adapted to support the sacrum of a seated user. A method is also provided for delivering adjustable, stabilizing support to a user's sacrum and sacral-pelvic anatomy to reduce fatigue, increase comfort, stability and posture for a user, and a system for adjusting and controlling the load distribution from the sacral anatomy to the anatomical structures adjacent to a user's sacrum, for example, the pelvis and lumbar regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Inventors: Brock M. Walker, James A. O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20080038136
    Abstract: A telescoping gear pump comprises a bolt, a Bellville washer, a wear plate, a seal housing, a seal spring, a spur gear including a wear lobe, a seal ring and a case drain path, a shaft, a ring gear including a wear lobe, seal ring, and a case drain path, seal, a bolt assembly including a Bellville washer and bolt, and a pressure plate. The assembly provides pressure to a fluid to maintain a seal within a telescoping pump/motor during operation. The wear lobe reduces wear while maintaining fluid pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventor: James O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20080031763
    Abstract: A variable capacity pump/motor has a meshing internal and external gear set disposed between an upper mandrel and a lower mandrel, each including a flange extending towards the gears to divide a pump/motor chamber into suction and discharge chambers. The inner gear is fixed and the external gear is axially moveable with respect thereto. The external gear and the upper mandrel move in response to changing pressures in the casing, allowing the motor to vary displacement and the pump to vary its output based on supplied fluid pressure or based on the speed of the prime mover. An external configuration includes a pair of meshing gears mounted on separate shafts in a casing. One gear is fixed and the other is axially moveable with respect thereto and moves in response to changing pressures in the casing. Each of the gears is sealed by a seal/bushing on a free end thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventor: James O'Brien II
  • Publication number: 20080009413
    Abstract: A composite film useful for image supporting media, including: a first layer containing a thermoplastic polymer and optionally containing a whitening agent; a second layer containing a thermoplastic polymer and a whitening agent; a third layer containing a thermoplastic polymer and a cavitating agent, wherein the third layer is a cavitated layer; optionally a fourth layer containing a thermoplastic polymer and optionally a whitening agent; and optionally a fifth layer containing a thermoplastic polymer and optionally a whitening agent; wherein the second layer is between the first layer and the third layer, the third layer is between the second layer and the optional fourth layer, and the optional fourth layer is between the third layer and the optional fifth layer. Embodiments may have the advantage(s) of improved outer surface characteristics, compressibility, thermal insulation, whiteness, and/or stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Jeffrey James O'Brien, Robert M. Sheppard, Pang-Chia Lu
  • Patent number: 7281376
    Abstract: A hydraulic hybrid powertrain system includes a power plant generating a high pressure fluid at an output, at least one drive motor responsive to the high pressure fluid for generating rotary motion at an output, and a mode selection device connected to the power plant output and the drive motor for selecting a mode of operation from a plurality of drive motor modes of operation including at least two of a drive mode, a neutral mode, a reverse mode and a park mode. The system includes a control device connected to the power plant and the drive motor for controlling operation of the drive motor in the plurality of modes of operation, a selectively actuated brake device for interrupting high pressure fluid flow to the drive motor, and a check valve bridge circuit for connecting the drive motor to a low pressure fluid source when the brake device is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Hybra-Drive Systems, LLC
    Inventor: James A. O'Brien, II
  • Publication number: 20070237666
    Abstract: A low noise gear set for use generally and preferably with a power plant having an engine driving a pump connected to a low pressure fluid source, generating high pressure fluid at an output. The idle gear meshes with the drive gear along two points of the profile of the corresponding gears. The first point being the root of one gear tooth meshing with the tip of the opposite gear tooth creating an initial first contact point and a subsequent second point along the profile when the teeth are disengaging at the first point and engaging at the second point, forming a sealed area, allowing the fluid to hydrostatically escape between the points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Inventor: James O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20070227802
    Abstract: A hydraulic hybrid powertrain system for use with an earth mover of the present invention comprises a power plant generating a high pressure fluid at an output including a variable displacement pump and automated throttle control; an energy storage system; and a drive system. The power plant includes an engine driving a hydraulic pump/motor to generate the high pressure fluid. The hydraulic pump is preferably a variable displacement pump and the system includes an automated throttle control. Together these elements maintain the system fluid pressure. A cylinder is provided within the drive system for retarding the amount of the displacement within a displacement pump to maintain system pressure. The energy storage system is an accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventor: James O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20070165607
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for performing alternate routing of communications in a network. The system initiates a communication from an origination endpoint in a packet-switched network, such as a VOIP network, to a destination endpoint, and determining, according to selection criteria, whether to route the communication to the destination endpoint using at least a second circuit-switched network, such as the PSTN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Harry Mussman, James O'Brien, Eric Sporel, Robert Israel, Michael Baj
  • Publication number: 20070126345
    Abstract: A halogenated bisdiarylaminopolycyclic aromatic compound, polymers made therefrom, and polymeric light emitting diode devices using the polymers are described. The halogenated compound is represented by formula (I), wherein Ar and Ar? are each independently substituted or unsubstituted aryl groups and Z is a polycyclic arylene group, wherein at least one of the Ar? groups is a haloaryl group. Devices using polymers prepared from the halogenated compound exhibit improved performance and longer lifetime, presumably as a result of the presence of the geometrically constrained diarylaminopolycyclic aromatic groups in the polymer backbone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Inventors: Michelle Hudack, Wanglin Yu, Michael Inbasekaran, Weishi Wu, Dean Welsh, James O'Brien
  • Patent number: 7215643
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for performing alternate routing of communications in a network. The system initiates a communication from an origination endpoint in a packet-switched network, such as a VoIP network, to a destination endpoint, and determining, according to selection criteria, whether to route the communication to the destination endpoint using at least a second circuit-switched network, such as the PSTN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Harry Mussman, James O'Brien, Eric R. Sporel, Robert K. Israel, Michael Baj
  • Publication number: 20070096082
    Abstract: Crosslinkable arylamine compounds; oligomers and polymers prepared from such crosslinkable arylamine compounds; films and coatings; and multilayer electronic devices comprising such films are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Scott Gaynor, Michael Inbasekaran, James O'Brien, Dean Welsh
  • Patent number: 7179070
    Abstract: A variable capacity pump/motor has a meshing internal and external gear set disposed between an upper mandrel and a lower mandrel, each including a flange extending towards the gears to divide a pump/motor chamber into suction and discharge chambers. The outer gear is fixed and the internal gear is axially moveable with respect thereto. The inner gear and the upper mandrel move in response to changing pressures in the casing, allowing the motor to vary displacement and the pump to vary its output based on supplied fluid pressure or based on the speed of the prime mover. An external configuration includes a pair of meshing gears mounted on separate shafts in a casing. One gear is fixed and the other is axially moveable with respect thereto and moves in response to changing pressures in the casing. Each of the gears is sealed by a seal/bushing on a free end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Hybra-Drive Systems, LLC
    Inventor: James A. O'Brien, II
  • Publication number: 20060293920
    Abstract: A method and computer program collects hospital patient and administrative information and presents the information to a user via an interactive user interface (34) that includes a plurality of activity windows. The activity windows list patients according to admission to a hospital department (36), scheduled surgical procedures (38), scheduled clinical appointments (40), rounds (44), consults (46), and scheduled catheterization conference (48). A daily schedule activity window (42) lists presents the user's schedule for a given day, and a personal notes activity window (50) presents notes previously submitted by the user. The patient lists can be presented according to service, team, or attending physician. The user can drill down to acquire more detailed information by selecting a patient from a list and requesting the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Richard Stroup, Marcy Tarrants, Garry Lofland, James O'Brien, Gary Grist, Pamela Dennis
  • Publication number: 20060221943
    Abstract: A call is received over a packet network, and multiple devices are notified of that call over the packet network. A response is received from a first of the devices and in response a first connection of the call is established to the first of the devices. A message is then received from a second of the devices and in response a second connection of the call is established to the second of the devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Justin Aborn, James O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20060197059
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising a blend of a luminescent polymer and a low molecular weight (<5000 amu) viscosity modifier, which has an emission maximum in the range of 350-480 nm, contains no exocyclic double bonds, and modifies the viscosity of the polymer without substantially altering emissive properties of the neat polymer. Modification of viscosity without concomitant modification of emissive properties is desirable where the polymer is already tuned to emit at the desired wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Inventors: Shari KRAM, William Marshall, James O'Brien, Todd Pickering, Weishi Wu
  • Publication number: 20060195739
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for emulating individual JTAG devices in a multiple device boundary scan chain. The method includes coupling an emulator to the scan chain, and obtaining the topology of the scan chain. One device within the scan chain is then selected, and at least one other device within the scan chain is placed into bypass mode. Emulation instructions are sent to the scan chain, so that the emulation instructions bypass the at least one other device and are executed by the one device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Inventor: James O'Brien