Patents by Inventor James Pfau

James Pfau 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: 20120325399
    Abstract: An impact resistant door skin, a door including the same, and a method of manufacturing an impact resistant door skin from a pre-formed door skin are provided. The method includes the steps of providing at least one preformed door skin and applying adhesive to a rear side of the at least one preformed door skin. A fiberglass mesh mat is pressed onto the rear side of the at least one preformed door skin. Then, chopped glass fibers coated with adhesive are sprayed onto the rear side of the at least one preformed door skin using a chopper gun to form a layer of chopped glass fibers on the fiberglass mesh mat. The performed door skin may be a molded door skin having at least one recessed panel formed therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: James PFAU, Stephen Hart, James Bryant
  • Patent number: 8256177
    Abstract: An impact resistant door skin, a door including the same, and a method of manufacturing an impact resistant door skin from a pre-formed door skin are provided. The method includes the steps of providing at least one preformed door skin and applying adhesive to a rear side of the at least one preformed door skin. A fiberglass mesh mat is pressed onto the rear side of the at least one preformed door skin. Then, chopped glass fibers coated with adhesive are sprayed onto the rear side of the at least one preformed door skin using a chopper gun to form a layer of chopped glass fibers on the fiberglass mesh mat. The performed door skin may be a molded door skin having at least one recessed panel formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Masonite Corporation
    Inventors: James Pfau, Stephen Hart, James Bryant
  • Publication number: 20120159855
    Abstract: A method is provided for making an annealed door skin or composite door assembly. At least the door skin is formed of a composition comprising a thermoset binder and fiberglass. The door skin, alone or in combination with other parts of a door assembly, is subjected to annealing to make the annealed door skin. The process of annealing comprises the step of heating the door skin, alone or in combination with other parts of the door assembly, above the glass transition temperature yet below the thermal degradation temperature of the thermoset binder for a sufficient amount of time to cause release internal stresses in the door skin, then the step of cooling the door skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: James PFAU, James Bryant, Liqun Xu, Elizalde Exconde
  • Publication number: 20110223411
    Abstract: A method of surface sealing a porous fibrous substrate is provided. According to the method, a porous fibrous substrate possessing a moisture content and a surface with pores is provided. A sealant composition is applied to a surface of the porous fibrous substrate and permitted to penetrate the surface pores of the porous fibrous substrate and undergo cure while participating in a foaming reaction with the moisture content to establish a water-resistant polymeric foam sealant impregnated into the porous fibrous substrate. The water-resistant polymeric foam sealant contains a polyurethane and/or polyurea.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: James Pfau, Steven Hart
  • Publication number: 20110049766
    Abstract: Methods, articles, and systems for forming a graphic on a substrate and laser-active coatings are provided. One method comprises applying a laser beam to a laser-active coating on a surface of an article to mark a graphic in the laser-active coating, the laser active coating comprising a polymer binder and a pigment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Bonifacio M. Del Mundo, James Pfau, Henry Coghlan
  • Publication number: 20100175346
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a door facing formed from a polymeric composite material. The door facing has a first major surface intended to be interiorly disposed and a second major surface intended to be exteriorly disposed. At least a portion of the first major surface is to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses during door assembly. The first major surface has a textured pattern in the portion to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses. The textured pattern includes a plurality of spaced grooves extending into the first major surface and minimizing thermal and mechanical stresses. A door formed with the disclosed polymeric door facing and a method of forming a door facing are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: David McMahan, James Pfau, Tamra Williams, Liqun Xu, Thomas Ruffin
  • Patent number: 7690163
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a door facing formed from a polymeric composite material. The door facing has a first major surface intended to be interiorly disposed and a second major surface intended to be exteriorly disposed. At least a portion of the first major surface is to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses during door assembly. The first major surface has a textured pattern in the portion to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses. The textured pattern includes a plurality of spaced grooves extending into the first major surface and minimizing thermal and mechanical stresses. A door formed with the disclosed polymeric door facing and a method of forming a door facing are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Masonite Corporation
    Inventors: David McMahan, James Pfau, Tamra Williams, Liqun Xu, Thomas Ruffin
  • Publication number: 20100047536
    Abstract: A laser-markable polyvinylchloride composition is provided which is adapted to undergo reduced or no color change in response to irradiation with a laser beam. The composition contains polyvinylchloride and a discoloration control additive present in an effective amount to reduce or eliminate discoloration caused by laser marking of the polyvinylchloride composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Bonifacio Del Mundo, James Pfau, Henry Coghlan
  • Publication number: 20090249716
    Abstract: An impact resistant door skin, a door including the same, and a method of manufacturing an impact resistant door skin from a pre-formed door skin are provided. The method includes the steps of providing at least one preformed door skin and applying adhesive to a rear side of the at least one preformed door skin. A fiberglass mesh mat is pressed onto the rear side of the at least one preformed door skin. Then, chopped glass fibers coated with adhesive are sprayed onto the rear side of the at least one preformed door skin using a chopper gun to form a layer of chopped glass fibers on the fiberglass mesh mat. The performed door skin may be a molded door skin having at least one recessed panel formed therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: James PFAU, Stephen Hart, James Bryant
  • Publication number: 20070082997
    Abstract: A composite door structure especially suitable for use as a door facing is provided. The structure comprises about 40 weight percent to about 80 weight percent thermoplastic polymer; up to about 30 weight percent glass fibers; and a filler selected from (a) about 5 weight percent to about 40 weight percent mineral filler and (b) about 10 weight percent to about 50 weight percent organic fibrous additive. A composite door comprising the door facing, and methods of making the same are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Inventors: James Pfau, Dilpreet Bajwa, Manish Gupta, Michael MacDonald, Steven Lynch, Gary Fagan, Richard Kon
  • Publication number: 20060272278
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a door facing formed from a polymeric composite material. The door facing has a first major surface intended to be interiorly disposed and a second major surface intended to be exteriorly disposed. At least a portion of the first major surface is to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses during door assembly. The first major surface has a textured pattern in the portion to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses. The textured pattern includes a plurality of spaced grooves extending into the first major surface and minimizing thermal and mechanical stresses. A door formed with the disclosed polymeric door facing and a method of forming a door facing are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Inventors: David McMahan, James Pfau, Tamra Williams, Liqun Xu, Thomas Ruffin
  • Publication number: 20040214306
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel rapid growing microorganisms and methods for their use in cloning or subcloning nucleic acid molecules. The rapid growing microorganisms of the present invention form colonies more rapidly than microorganisms typically used in molecular biology and thus provide a significant improvement in in vitro cloning methods used extensively in molecular biology. The rapid growing microorganisms of the invention preferably do not contain detectable levels of bacteriophage genetic material from at least one bacteriophage or in the alternative are resistant to infection by one or more bacteriophage types. The invention also relates to kits and compositions used in the methods of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Fredric R. Bloom, James Pfau, Harry Yim