Patents by Inventor James William MASTEN

James William MASTEN 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: 20240140814
    Abstract: A process for removing carbon dioxide from a material includes introducing the material onto a first segment of a conveyance system comprising the first segment and a second segment that is physically separated from the first segment, heating the material at the first segment for a first time using a first infrared emitter, conveying the material from the first segment to the second segment, and heating the material at the second segment for a second time using a second infrared emitter. The carbon dioxide removed from the material can be captured by a vacuum pump and stored, and the vacuum pump can maintain a partial pressure for the process. The process can be used to create lime and clinker with minimal CO2 emissions and to remove CO2 that is stored in various materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.
  • Patent number: 11969671
    Abstract: A means to exploit the Dean Vortices for dynamic filtering on a macro scale intended for application in utility and industrial processes is disclosed. This method relies on an apparatus of computed construction to optimize the centripetal force and minimize the effect of gravity on the separation and effectiveness of the Dean Vortices. The method is also supported by an apparatus of construction which results in an optimized elliptical flow channel that enhances the formation and persistence of the Dean Vortices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20240124342
    Abstract: A sheet of glass can be formed in a batch process by introducing molten glass onto a layer of molten tin within a tank. The tank may be outfitted with infrared emitters to control the amount of heat delivered to the tank while the sheet of glass is formed. A lower surface of the tank can have a three-dimensional shape, and the molten tin may be removed from the tank while the sheet of glass is ductile so that the sheet of glass is molded by the three-dimensional shape, thereby producing a shaped sheet of glass. The delivery of infrared energy to the tank may be facilitated by one or more ceramic glass surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20240110268
    Abstract: A system for heat treating a part includes an oven chamber, a first infrared (IR) emitter configured to deliver a first amount of IR energy to a first region of the part, a second IR emitter configured to deliver a second amount of IR energy different from the first amount of energy to a second region of the part, and a receiver with an outer surface configured to contact a second surface of the part and shield the second surface of the part from infrared radiation. The part can be heat treated by delivering different amounts of IR energy to the first and second regions of the part. The system can be used to heat treat different thicknesses of a part without overheating a thinner region, or to apply different heat treatments to the different regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20240076758
    Abstract: A metal casting is heated using infrared energy by introducing the metal casting into a heating system with infrared emitters directed towards the casting, and activating at least a portion of the emitters. The heating system includes a heating chamber, a plurality of directional infrared emitters in the heating chamber, an optical temperature sensor directed towards a part location in the interior of the heating chamber, and a thermal shield that is movable between a deployed position and a retracted position, the thermal shield comprising an observation duct. The observation duct provides a line-of-sight path between the optical temperature sensor and the part location when the thermal shield is in the deployed position, and the thermal shield is between the plurality of infrared emitters and the part location when the thermal shield is in the deployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.
  • Patent number: 11851357
    Abstract: A sheet of glass can be formed in a batch process by introducing molten glass onto a layer of molten tin within a tank. The tank may be outfitted with infrared emitters to control the amount of heat delivered to the tank while the sheet of glass is formed. A lower surface of the tank can have a three-dimensional shape, and the molten tin may be removed from the tank while the sheet of glass is ductile so that the sheet of glass is molded by the three-dimensional shape, thereby producing a shaped sheet of glass. The delivery of infrared energy to the tank may be facilitated by one or more ceramic glass surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11845669
    Abstract: A system has conveyance segments arranged in series. Each segment has an infrared emitter directed towards a material bearing surface, and outlets of the segments are above inlets of subsequent segments. The segments are coupled to vibrators which are configured to convey a material from the inlet end to the outlet end of the segments. A system of this disclosure can be used to create lime or clinker with a substantial increase in efficiency, and without emitting any carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11827966
    Abstract: A receiver is formed as the physical inverse or relief of at least a portion of a machined part or casting. The receiver has accommodations for sensor systems that monitor the temperature of the part during a radiant heating process which is placed on top of the casting receiver to move through the radiant heating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11796253
    Abstract: A furnace structure includes a roof assembly of at least one layer of refractory material, and a metal plate that covers the at least one layer of refractory material and is configured to dissipate heat from the furnace structure; a plurality of sidewalls fixed to the roof, each of the sidewalls comprising refractory material at an interior surface and a metal wall plate at an outer surface; and a plurality of infrared emitters disposed in an opening in at least one of the refractory material of the sidewalls or the refractory material of the roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11761055
    Abstract: A metal casting is heated using infrared energy by introducing the metal casting into a heating chamber with infrared emitters directed towards the casting, and activating at least a portion of the emitters. The infrared emitters may have a metal coil that is partially embedded in a refractory material, and be tunable to emit wavelengths from about 2 ?m to about 3.3 ?m. The infrared wavelength used to heat the metal casting may be selected based on a surface roughness of the casting. Surface roughness can be measured by measuring a roughness of a part cast from the same mold as the heated casting, which can be the casting that is being heated. Heating may be controlled by measuring the temperature of the casting while a shield is deployed that covers the emitters, which prevents radiations from the emitters from affecting the temperature measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20230286821
    Abstract: A system has conveyance segments arranged in series. Each segment has an infrared emitter directed towards a material bearing surface, and outlets of the segments are above inlets of subsequent segments. The segments are coupled to vibrators which are configured to convey a material from the inlet end to the outlet end of the segments. A system of this disclosure can be used to create lime or clinker with a substantial increase in efficiency, and without emitting any carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventor: James William MASTEN
  • Publication number: 20230204219
    Abstract: An infrared emitter includes a first refractory layer of a first refractory material, a coiled wire disposed over the first refractory material, and a second refractory layer of a second refractory material, and a portion of the second refractory layer is disposed within a void of the coiled wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventor: James William Masten, JR.
  • Publication number: 20230152653
    Abstract: A smart glass window that receives power and control signals without physical wiring connections to the window simplifies the installation procedure, reduces wiring and labor costs and enables moving windows or movable glass curtain walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.
  • Patent number: 11623888
    Abstract: A glass laminate is produced using infrared emitters to deliver thermal energy to an unbonded glass laminate assembly. Heat may be conducted to the glass laminate by at least one ceramic glass substrate that absorbs at least a portion of the infrared radiation from the emitters, thereby bonding the glass laminate assembly more quickly and efficiently than a conventional vacuum bag process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20230084167
    Abstract: A sheet of glass can be formed in a batch process by introducing molten glass onto a layer of molten tin within a tank. The tank may be outfitted with infrared emitters to control the amount of heat delivered to the tank while the sheet of glass is formed. A lower surface of the tank can have a three-dimensional shape, and the molten tin may be removed from the tank while the sheet of glass is ductile so that the sheet of glass is molded by the three-dimensional shape, thereby producing a shaped sheet of glass. The delivery of infrared energy to the tank may be facilitated by one or more ceramic glass surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20230066471
    Abstract: A glass laminate is produced using infrared emitters to deliver thermal energy to an unbonded glass laminate assembly. Heat may be conducted to the glass laminate by at least one ceramic glass substrate that absorbs at least a portion of the infrared radiation from the emitters, thereby bonding the glass laminate assembly more quickly and efficiently than a conventional vacuum bag process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.
  • Patent number: 11549969
    Abstract: A low-noise current sensor enables large dynamic range current measurements of alternating and direct current flows. The current sensor includes a first substrate, a first conductor, a magnetic flux conductor comprising a first portion orthogonal to the first conductor and a second portion, the second portion penetrating the first substrate, an inductive sensor comprising a first plurality of loops around the second portion of the magnetic flux conductor on the first substrate, wherein the first plurality of loops is orthogonal to the second portion of the magnetic flux conductor, and a Faraday cage that encloses the first plurality of loops and separates the first plurality of loops from the first conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11536460
    Abstract: An infrared heating apparatus includes a sheet of ceramic glass having a passband in the infrared spectrum, a metal resistive element having a first portion that is covered by a ceramic refractory material and a second portion that is exposed by the ceramic refractory material, and a controller that controls the metal resistive element to emit infrared radiation in a wavelength corresponding to the passband of the ceramic glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: James William Masten, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20220290280
    Abstract: A receiver is formed as the physical inverse or relief of at least a portion of a machined part or casting. The receiver has accommodations for sensor systems that monitor the temperature of the part during a radiant heating process which is placed on top of the casting receiver to move through the radiant heating process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20220249984
    Abstract: A means to exploit the Dean Vortices for dynamic filtering on a macro scale intended for application in utility and industrial processes is disclosed. This method relies on an apparatus of computed construction to optimize the centripetal force and minimize the effect of gravity on the separation and effectiveness of the Dean Vortices. The method is also supported by an apparatus of construction which results in an optimized elliptical flow channel that enhances the formation and persistence of the Dean Vortices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventor: James William MASTEN, JR.