Patents by Inventor Joseph Franklin Knight

Joseph Franklin Knight 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: 20070255020
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of high molecular weight polyesters by reacting one or more dicarboxylic acids directly with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and, optionally, one or more diols. The process uses an overall diol to dicarboxylic acid molar ratio of about 0.97 to about 1.2 and an incremental addition of either the diacid or diol components. The process provides a shorter total reaction time and, thus, lessens the thermal degradation of polyester which may result in high color and reduced molecular weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Daniel Lee Martin, Joseph Franklin Knight, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Patent number: 7211634
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of high molecular weight polyesters by reacting one or more dicarboxylic acids directly with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and, optionally, one or more diols. The process uses an overall diol to dicarboxylic acid molar ratio of about 0.97 to about 1.2 and an incremental addition of either the diacid or diol components. The process provides a shorter total reaction time and, thus, lessens the thermal degradation of polyester which may result in high color and reduced molecular weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Daniel Lee Martin, Joseph Franklin Knight, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Patent number: 7071361
    Abstract: Continuous single-step processes for producing higher molecular weight ketones are disclosed that involve a liquid-phase crossed condensation of an aldehyde with a ketone in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst and a small amount of a catalyst comprising a concentrated hydroxide or alkoxide of an alkali-metal (from Group 1 or Group IA of the Periodic Table of the Elements) or alkali-earth metal (from Group 2, or Group IIA of the Periodic Table of the Elements), wherein the amount of water provided to the reaction mixture, or reaction zone, is relatively low, with respect to the total initial weight of the reaction mixture. The reaction may be carried out in the absence of solubilizing agents or phase transfer agents. The product mixture is largely free of by-products resulting from further condensation reactions of the desired ketone product or intermediates, and free of the self-condensation products of the reactant aldehyde, that are afterward difficult to remove from the reaction mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Fastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Scott Donald Barnicki, Jennifer Ellen McCusker-Orth, Joseph Franklin Knight, Jerry Lynn Miller
  • Patent number: 6300462
    Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing poly(ethylene-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate) and copolymers thereof having high molecular weight, low methyl end-group content, low diethylene glycol content and low carboxyl end-group content in the presence of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael Duane Cliffton, Joseph Franklin Knight, Reed Lervik Christiansen
  • Patent number: 5856424
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a high molecular weight polyester having less than about 0.5 weight % diethylene glycol comprising adding at least one carbonate compound to the ester exchange reaction product produced from reaction of a glycol component comprising ethylene glycol and an ester component comprising dimethylterephthalate, dimethylnaphthalenedicarboxylate and mixtures thereof wherein said reaction product is formed without a Ti catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: David Taylor Bowers, Ronnie Jay Jones, Michael Duane Cliffton, Joseph Franklin Knight, Donna Rice Quillen
  • Patent number: 5663290
    Abstract: A novel process has been developed for the crystallization of poly(ethylenenaphthalenedicarboxylate) (PEN) and its copolymers. The process comprises the step of maintaining the amount of water in said poly(ethylenenaphthalenedicarboxylate) below a critical moisture content ceiling throughout processing such that a separate drying step is not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: William Herbert Heise, Joseph Franklin Knight, Michael Alan Williams, Earl Edmondson Howell, Jr.