Patents by Inventor Lee Alexander
Lee Alexander 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).
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Patent number: 10876685Abstract: A lubricator pump adjuster for use with a lubricator pump having a piston housed in a pump body and a rocker connected to the piston. The lubricator pump adjuster comprises a mounting fitting attachable to the pump body and a housing disposed on the mounting fitting. An actuator is disposed in the housing and connectable to the rocker, whereby activation of the actuator causes the rocker to move, thereby adjusting the stroke of the piston. The actuator is a rotary actuator with an output shaft. The lubricator pump adjuster includes a cam faced member attached to the output shaft, and a plunger in contact with the cam faced member that is connectable to the rocker. The cam faced member may include a spiral-ramped surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2016Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Compressor Products International, LLCInventor: Lee Alexander
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Publication number: 20180195667Abstract: A lubricator pump adjuster for use with a lubricator pump having a piston housed in a pump body and a rocker connected to the piston. The lubricator pump adjuster comprises a mounting fitting attachable to the pump body and a housing disposed on the mounting fitting. An actuator is disposed in the housing and connectable to the rocker, whereby activation of the actuator causes the rocker to move, thereby adjusting the stroke of the piston. The actuator is a rotary actuator with an output shaft. The lubricator pump adjuster includes a cam faced member attached to the output shaft, and a plunger in contact with the cam faced member that is connectable to the rocker. The cam faced member may include a spiral-ramped surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2016Publication date: July 12, 2018Inventor: Lee Alexander
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Patent number: 9506602Abstract: A lubricator pump adjuster for use with a lubricator pump having a piston housed in a pump body and a rocker connected to the piston. The lubricator pump adjuster comprises a mounting fitting attachable to the pump body and a housing disposed on the mounting fitting. An actuator is disposed in the housing and connectable to the rocker, whereby activation of the actuator causes the rocker to move, thereby adjusting the stroke of the piston. The actuator is a rotary actuator with an output shaft. The lubricator pump adjuster includes a cam faced member attached to the output shaft, and a plunger in contact with the cam faced member that is connectable to the rocker. The cam faced member may include a spiral-ramped surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2012Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: COMPRESSOR PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventor: Lee Alexander
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Publication number: 20130161130Abstract: A lubricator pump adjuster for use with a lubricator pump having a piston housed in a pump body and a rocker connected to the piston. The lubricator pump adjuster comprises a mounting fitting attachable to the pump body and a housing disposed on the mounting fitting. An actuator is disposed in the housing and connectable to the rocker, whereby activation of the actuator causes the rocker to move, thereby adjusting the stroke of the piston. The actuator is a rotary actuator with an output shaft. The lubricator pump adjuster includes a cam faced member attached to the output shaft, and a plunger in contact with the cam faced member that is connectable to the rocker. The cam faced member may include a spiral-ramped surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: June 27, 2013Inventor: Lee Alexander
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Patent number: 7990286Abstract: Vehicles driving on a roadway interrogate passive tags in or on lanes of the roadway. Codes in the tags represent locations along the highway and which lane the vehicle is traveling in. Units in the vehicles communicate longitudinal and lane positions derived from the codes among each other or with infrastructure units for purposes such as traffic management, alerts concerning other vehicles, alerts concerning external conditions, or traffic control. The units may also communicate vehicle lengths or other parameters or characteristics. Vehicle units may communicate with sensors and actuators in the vehicles for purposes such as updating the vehicles' positions between adjacent tags. Specific applications for intelligent transportation systems are described.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2006Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
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Publication number: 20090115638Abstract: Vehicles driving on a roadway interrogate passive tags in or on lanes of the roadway. Codes in the tags represent locations along the highway and which lane the vehicle is traveling in. Units in the vehicles communicate longitudinal and lane positions derived from the codes among each other or with infrastructure units for purposes such as traffic management, alerts concerning other vehicles, alerts concerning external conditions, or traffic control. The units may also communicate vehicle lengths or other parameters or characteristics. Vehicle units may communicate with sensors and actuators in the vehicles for purposes such as updating the vehicles' positions between adjacent tags. Specific applications for intelligent transportation systems are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2006Publication date: May 7, 2009
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Patent number: 7209051Abstract: An intersection assistance system includes at least one vehicle sensor and a gap estimator. The vehicle sensor is configured to obtain vehicle information on vehicles approaching the intersection along a main roadway. The gap estimator is configured to estimate gap information relating to a gap between the vehicles based on the vehicle information. The gap information includes a length of the gap, a location of the gap, and a velocity of the gap. In a method of obtaining information for use in assisting a driver of an entering vehicle to safely enter an intersection, vehicle information is obtained on vehicles traveling toward the intersection on a main roadway. Next, gap information is estimated relating to a gap between the vehicles based on the vehicle information. The gap information includes a length of the gap, a location of the gap, and a velocity of the gap.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2004Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: University of MinnesotaInventors: Craig R. Shankwitz, Lee Alexander, Pi-Ming Cheng, Max Donath, Alec Gorjestani, Arvind Menon, Bryan Newstrom, Nicholas J. Ward
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Patent number: 7072764Abstract: A geospatial database management system is mounted on a host vehicle and manages geospatial data relating to a travel path for the host vehicle, the travel path having one or more lanes. A geospatial database stores data elements indicative of objects and a location of the objects in three-dimensional space. The objects have a lane-level resolution and the location is accurate to within an order of one decimeter or better. A database manager component is configured to maintain the data elements in the geospatial database and receive database queries from a driver assist subsystem configured to assist a driver of the host vehicle. A query processor is coupled to the database manager component and to the geospatial database and is configured to receive the database query from the database manager component. The query processor queries the geospatial database and returns query results to the database manager component. This can be done in real time.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2002Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: University of MinnesotaInventors: Max Donath, Bryan Newstrom, Craig R. Shankwitz, Alec Gorjestani, Heonmin Lim, Lee Alexander
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Patent number: 6977630Abstract: The present invention is directed to a visual mobility assist device which provides a conformal, augmented display to assist a moving body. When the moving body is a motor vehicle, for instance (although it can be substantially any other body), the present invention assists the driver in either lane keeping or collision avoidance, or both. The system can display objects such as lane boundaries, targets, other navigational and guidance elements or objects, or a variety of other indicators, in proper perspective, to assist the driver.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2000Date of Patent: December 20, 2005Assignee: University of MinnesotaInventors: Max Donath, Craig R. Shankwitz, Heon Min Lim, Bryan Newstrom, Alec Gorjestani, Sameer Pardy, Lee Alexander, Pi-Ming Cheng
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Publication number: 20050174257Abstract: An intersection assistance system includes at least one vehicle sensor and a gap estimator. The vehicle sensor is configured to obtain vehicle information on vehicles approaching the intersection along a main roadway. The gap estimator is configured to estimate gap information relating to a gap between the vehicles based on the vehicle information. The gap information includes a length of the gap, a location of the gap, and a velocity of the gap. In a method of obtaining information for use in assisting a driver of an entering vehicle to safely enter an intersection, vehicle information is obtained on vehicles traveling toward the intersection on a main roadway. Next, gap information is estimated relating to a gap between the vehicles based on the vehicle information. The gap information includes a length of the gap, a location of the gap, and a velocity of the gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2004Publication date: August 11, 2005Applicant: The University of MinnesotaInventors: Craig Shankwitz, Lee Alexander, Pi-Ming Cheng, Max Donath, Alec Gorjestani, Arvind Menon, Bryan Newstrom, Nicholas Ward
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Publication number: 20050149251Abstract: A geospatial database management system includes a geospatial database containing data elements that identify locations of a plurality of road features of a tangible road. The road features are displaced from each other in a widthwise direction that is transverse to the road.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2004Publication date: July 7, 2005Applicant: University of MinnesotaInventors: Max Donath, Bryan Newstrom, Craig Shankwitz, Alec Gorjestani, Heonmin Lim, Lee Alexander
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Publication number: 20050000332Abstract: A process for forming and trimming a part comprises providing a continuous web of polymeric material, thermoforming the continuous web of polymeric material into the desired part, providing a cutter arrangement comprising a blade, providing a platen assembly comprising a closed groove that generally corresponds to the outer shape of the blade and a vacuum system, wherein at least one of the cutter arrangement and the platen assembly is moveable with respect to the at least one other assembly, trimming the part of the continuous web of polymeric material from the remainder of the continuous web of polymeric material via the blade, and removing undesirable trim material formed during the trimming of the part via the vacuum system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2004Publication date: January 6, 2005Inventors: Gary Ennis, Ming Ho, David Claudius, Lee Alexander
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Publication number: 20040066376Abstract: The present invention is directed to a visual mobility assist device which provides a conformal, augmented display to assist a moving body. When the moving body is a motor vehicle, for instance (although it can be substantially any other body), the present invention assists the driver in either lane keeping or collision avoidance, or both. The system can display objects such as lane boundaries, targets, other navigational and guidance elements or objects, or a variety of other indicators, in proper perspective, to assist the driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2003Publication date: April 8, 2004Inventors: Max Donath, Craig R. Shankwitz, Heon Min Lim, Bryan Newstrom, Alec Gorjestani, Sameer Pardhy, Lee Alexander, Pi-Ming Cheng
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Patent number: 5030218Abstract: An electrosurgical blade to which eschar is less adherent, and which therefore requires less interruption during the operation for cleaning of the blade. The blade is of niobium covered by coating of niobium oxide.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 1989Date of Patent: July 9, 1991Inventor: Lee Alexander