Patents by Inventor Lawrence Andrews

Lawrence Andrews 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: 20040187263
    Abstract: A multi-axis automobile door mount providing a combination of swing-out and vertical-lift motion suitable for retrofitting a conventional swing-out automobile door for vertical-lift operation. The door is opened from a closed position in the conventional swing-out movement about a swing-out hinge. At a predetermined swing-out angle of the door to the automobile body, the door is moved in an upward vertical direction about the vertical-lift hinge. The door is closed by lowering the door to the horizontal orientation and closed in the conventional swing-in manner. A vertical-lift door system is provided to substantially incorporate the movement of a vertical-lift door with an integrated system of one or more hinges and lift assist devices. The lift assist devices provide for, singularly or in combination, among other things, controlled and deliberate movement of the door, power-assisted door operation, and/or easier integration and assembly onto the automobile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Lawrence Andrew Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20040159531
    Abstract: A modular contact switch adapted to be readily assembled from a plurality of contact modules is provided. Both active contact modules and passive contact modules comprise coupling features, including but not limited to, engagement tabs and mating surfaces, to enable a removable coupling of multiple active contact modules to form active contact assemblies and passive contact modules of a passive contact assembly. The active contact modules provide a spring-biased contact that responds to the position of passive contacts of the passive contact modules. As the active and passive contact modules come into abutment and urging engagement, an electrical connection is made between the corresponding contacts. The spring-bias of the active contacts ensures that the electrical contact is made regardless of variations in tolerances and position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventor: Lawrence Andrew Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20040144082
    Abstract: A controller for controlling oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions from a combustion engine based on estimating a parameter for the engine. The controller capable of adjusting cylinder temperature based on the estimated parameter for controlling NOx emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Andrew Mianzo, Ibrahim Haskara
  • Publication number: 20040090081
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power assisted cover actuator for operating a tonneau cover for an open bed of a truck, such as a pickup truck. The cover is hingably coupled to a distal end of the truck bed adjacent the truck cab. The power assisted cover actuator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a track upon which a trolley is guided by a linear actuator. An end of an arm is pivotally coupled to the trolley and the cover. The linear actuator comprises a motor driven drive rod coupled to the trolley that extends to advance the trolley along the track from a lower position to a higher position which raises the arm to push the cover open. Retracting the drive rod reverses the direction of travel of the trolley from a higher position to a lower position lowering the arm and closing the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventor: Lawrence Andrew Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20040060967
    Abstract: A method of joining metal and metal, or metal and ceramic parts, wherein a first metal part is selected and then processed to form a bond coat that will effectively bond to a sealing material which in turn bonds to a second metal or ceramic part without degrading under the operating conditions of electrochemical devices. Preferred first metal parts include alumina forming alloys from the group consisting of ferritic stainless steels (such as Fecralloys), austinetic stainless steels, and superalloys, and chromia forming alloys formed of ferritic stainless steels. In the case of chromia forming ferritic stainless steels, this bond coat consists of a thin layer of alumina formed on the surface, with a diffusion layer between the first metal part and this thin layer. The bond coat provides a good bonding surface for a sealing layer of glass, braze or combinations thereof, while at the same time the diffusion layer provides a durable bond between the thin alumina layer and the first metal part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Zhenguo Yang, Christopher Andrew Coyle, Suresh Baskaran, Lawrence Andrew Chick
  • Patent number: 6701903
    Abstract: A method for determining valve timing events to optimize operating parameters of an engine having a variable valve timing system over an entire operating range of the engine. The method includes setting combinations of intake valve opening and closing timing events and exhaust valve opening and closing timing events for a given engine speed. For each combination, a fuel conversion efficiency measure and an emissions measure of the engine at the given engine speed is obtained. Combinations which optimize a weighted cost function of the fuel conversion efficiency measure and the emission measure for a range of engine output torque settings at the given engine speed are then selected. This is repeated for each given engine speed across a range of engine speeds. A feed-forward map based on the selected combinations for the entire operating range of the engine is then assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Denton Collins, Lawrence Andrew Mianzo
  • Publication number: 20040035402
    Abstract: A method for determining valve timing events to optimize operating parameters of an engine having a variable valve timing system over an entire operating range of the engine. The method includes setting combinations of intake valve opening and closing timing events and exhaust valve opening and closing timing events for a given engine speed. For each combination, a fuel conversion efficiency measure and an emissions measure of the engine at the given engine speed is obtained. Combinations which optimize a weighted cost function of the fuel conversion efficiency measure and the emission measure for a range of engine output torque settings at the given engine speed are then selected. This is repeated for each given engine speed across a range of engine speeds. A feed-forward map based on the selected combinations for the entire operating range of the engine is then assembled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Applicant: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Denton Collins, Lawrence Andrew Mianzo
  • Publication number: 20030107017
    Abstract: The electromagnetic valve actuator of the preferred embodiments include a valve head that moves between an open position, a middle position, and a closed position; a plunger coupled to the valve head; and a housing defining a cavity that surrounds the plunger and contains a fluid. The cavity cooperates with the plunger and the fluid to provide increasing resistance as the valve head moves from the middle position to the closed position. Because of the increased resistance, the valve head softly seats against a valve seat, which minimizes noise, vibration, and harshness within the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Lawrence Andrew Mianzo, Brett Collins, Ibrahim Haskara, Vladimir V. Kokotovic
  • Patent number: 6447037
    Abstract: Multiple handle-type bags, particularly plastic grocery bags, may be gathered for carrying and transportation by utilizing a flattened flexible strap with loop portions at its opposite ends. The strap is inserted through the collected handle openings of the bags to draw the handles together and, then, one end of the strap is inserted through the loop portion of the other strap end to close and cinch the other strap end about the handles. The bags may then be manually carried as a group by grasping the loop portion of the one strap end either within the fingers of user's hands or about the user's wrist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Inventor: Lawrence Andrew Crouch
  • Patent number: 6258497
    Abstract: A homogeneous marker is formed, possibly by the adsorption of trace amounts of an ambient material such as carbon monoxide gas, at a surface of a deposited material when the plasma in momentarily interrupted during plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition or other deposition processes involving the presence of a plasma. When the deposited material is etched, the resulting crystal dislocations or adsorbed gas is detected as a marker by optical emission spectroscopy techniques. The accuracy of an end point determination of the etching process can be increased by providing a sequence of such markers within the bulk or volume of the deposited material. The markers, being merely an interface such as a slight crystal dislocation in otherwise homogeneous material, do not affect the electrical, chemical or optical properties of the remainder of the predetermined deposited material and thus the homogeneity of the deposited material is not significantly affected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence Andrew Kropp, David Stanasolovich, Marc Jay Weiss, Dennis Sek-On Yee
  • Patent number: 5878240
    Abstract: A processing system comprising a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories, wherein each processor is connected to a memory by a primary bus. When one processor needs to access another processor's memory, it requests access to that particular memory. A bus control monitors memory transactions and causes the processor for this target memory to relinquish the memory. The bus controller then configures a transfer bus and forwards the memory access command to the target memory such that the processor can then access its target memory in addition to its own memory. This configuration remains stable until any processor requests a memory outside of the current configuration or the processor associated with the target memory requests its own memory again. Advantageously, the bus control uses an arbitration table which provides equitable access to all memories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence Andrew Tomko
  • Patent number: 5639568
    Abstract: A dual air electrode metal-air cell having a casing with an upper cathode mask wall, a lower cathode mask wall, and a side wall; an anode assembly having a layer of anode material positioned above and below an anode collector and means, that may be a membrane or a solid foil current collector, for inhibiting movement of anode material between the two layers; separator materials covering the anode assembly on at least its upper and lower sides; an upper air cathode positioned between the upper cathode mask wall and the separator materials on the upper side of the anode assembly; a lower air cathode positioned between the lower cathode mask wall and the separator materials on the lower side of the anode assembly; a gas vent positioned on one or more of the side walls of the casing; and a liquid electrolyte substantially trapped by the separator materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: AER Energy Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Pedicini, William Charles Thibault, Chris Anthony Turner, Lawrence Andrew Tinker