Patents by Inventor Mark A. Gray

Mark A. Gray 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).

  • Patent number: 7597359
    Abstract: A guide loop assembly for a seat belt has a core body with spaced front and rear flanges and an arcuate bearing surface for the seat belt extending therebetween. An arcuate shell cover is provided and has a concave configuration relative to the arcuate bearing surface. The shell cover extends between the front and rear flanges thereof The shell cover includes a bushing portion integrally connected by a flexible hinge to the concave core configuration portion. The integral hinge is connected to an impact cover as by threading a flexible portion of the hinge through a hinge portion such as a split pin on the impact cover. In a method assembly, the impact cover and shell cover are hinged together and mounted on the core. After the fastener is inserted through the assembly, the impact cover is pivoted about the hinge to cover a fastener for the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: TK Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Gray
  • Publication number: 20080208378
    Abstract: A method and system for playing media are disclosed. The media play system comprises a media server comprising a plurality of outputs, wherein each of the plurality of outputs is connected to a playback station, wherein the media server is connected to at least one device that is configured to store digital content, and wherein the at least one device comprises either a mobile media player docked in a mobile media docking mechanism or a local network connected to a media track storage. The method comprises media retrieving a plurality of media tracks stored in a plurality of devices, wherein each of the plurality of devices comprises either a mobile media player docked in a mobile media docking mechanism or a local network connected to a media track storage and wherein the media tracks stored therein are seen as a single collection of tracks and substantially simultaneously outputting the plurality of media tracks to a plurality of playback stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: DigiFi Limited
    Inventors: John Booth, Amanda Davidson, Mark Gray, Matthew Simmons
  • Publication number: 20080179573
    Abstract: A material and method delivering to the skin therapeutic radiation and filtering a part of the sun spectrum causing skin damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Kreindel, Mark Gray, Christopher Hawthorne
  • Publication number: 20080171077
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making substantially uniformly sized liposomes and other small particles are provided. Droplets of a first liquid are ejected into a laminar flow of a second liquid, each droplet having a volume of from 0.97V to 1.03V, where V is the mean droplet volume and 1 fL?V?50 nL, wherein the first and second liquids are no more than sparingly soluble in one another, and wherein the first liquid contains a solute dissolved, dispersed, or suspended therein; and the first liquid is then removed to form a plurality of substantially uniformly sized particles. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes liquid inlet and outlet channels, a plurality of transverse liquid channels extending from the liquid inlet to the liquid outlet channel, a plurality of nozzles in liquid flow communication with the plurality of transverse liquid channels, one or more nozzle actuators coupled to the plurality of nozzles, and an evaporator coupled to the liquid outlet channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventor: Mark Gray
  • Publication number: 20080171078
    Abstract: Compositions suitable for use as site-specific biological vectors are provided and comprise substantially uniformly sized liposomes having very narrow size distributions. In particular, the compositions comprise a collection of liposomes sufficient in quantity to be administered as a pharmaceutical, wherein the liposomes have a mean outer diameter, D, of from 20 nm to 1000 nm, and at least 95% of the liposomes have an outer diameter of from 0.97 D to 1.03 D. Collections of liposomes with even narrower size distributions are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventor: Mark Gray
  • Patent number: 7370013
    Abstract: A novel approach for determining an amount to be billed to a customer for the use of resources is based upon usage data and value data. The usage data indicates usage, by the customer, of a set of one or more resources during a specified period of time. The set of one or more resources may be dynamically selected and de-selected from a plurality of resources at any time. For example, the set of one or more resources may comprise a VSF as described herein. The value data indicates generally value provided by each resource from the set of one or more resources used during the specified period of time. The value provided by each resource may be expressed in service units per unit time and a charge may be applied for each service unit consumed during a specified period of time. Example billing schemes to which the approach is applicable include, without limitation, basic billing, flex billing, event flex billing and open flex billing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashar Aziz, Thomas Markson, Martin Patterson, Mark Gray, Christopher J. Conway, Patrick A Tickle
  • Publication number: 20070298420
    Abstract: Methods and compounds are disclosed for lowering serum LDL levels or serum cholesterol levels, or for reducing the transport of cholesterol from the gut to the blood or the lymph, based on the observation that a gene known as ABC1 is necessary in order for cholesterol to be transported from the intestinal lumen into the bloodstream. A mutant chicken phenotype, known as the WHAM chicken, characterized by low levels of serum LDL and reduced transport of cholesterol, facilitated the discovery of this function of the ABC1 gene. Techniques which act to inhibit ABC1 activity in the cells of the intestinal wall will result in lower serum cholesterol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Alan Attie, Mark Cook, Mark Gray-Keller, Michael Hayden, Simon Pimstone, Angela Brooks-Wilson
  • Publication number: 20070245530
    Abstract: An occupant restraint system includes a belt, a tongue, and a buckle. The belt extends and retracts across a vehicle occupant to protect the occupant. The tongue is coupled to the belt. The tongue includes a striker portion and a tongue housing. The buckle includes a buckle housing and a latch nested therein. The latch is configured to attach the striker portion of the tongue inside the buckle housing. The tongue includes an illuminable portion configured to selectively exude light therefrom and/or a thermal source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Mark Gray, Paul Smith, Richard Jodts
  • Publication number: 20070238083
    Abstract: One provides (101) both a software-based learning management system that maintains and offers defined learning paths and auditable training histories that correspond to e-learning opportunities for specific learners as well as a software-based wikispace that is configured and arranged to permit substantially all visitors to create, edit, and publicly post candidate training content without preauthorization as to content. Specific learners are then allowed to access the wikispace to thereby facilitate development of wiki-based candidate training content, and incorporation of that wiki-based candidate training content is then automatically facilitated as at least one of these e-learning opportunities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: Trifus N.A., LLC
    Inventors: Adam Paul Zamora, Jonathan Mark Gray, Thomas John Reilly
  • Patent number: 7240924
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a spool for seat belt protraction and retraction. An energy absorption mechanism is provided for absorbing energy from the spool during seat belt protraction. The energy absorption mechanism has a first part for a relatively high rate of energy absorption and a second part for a relatively low rate of energy absorption. A shift mechanism for shifting between the first part and the second part is also provided. The shift mechanism is a link movable between a first link position wherein the first part is engaged with the spool and a second link position wherein the second part is engaged with the spool. The link is drivable between the first link position and the second link position by energy from seat belt protraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Kohlndorfer, Richard Koning, Mark Gray
  • Publication number: 20070120000
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprising: a first and a second energy absorption mechanism which are triggered into lock positions once a sensor for detecting a vehicle characteristic initiates. The second energy absorption mechanism can be placed in a locked position by the movement of the first energy absorption mechanism being locked into a position by a locking mechanism. The second energy absorption mechanism can also deactivated by a controller. The energy absorbing mechanisms can be a torsion bar and a pre-bent member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventor: Mark Gray
  • Publication number: 20070114777
    Abstract: A guide loop assembly for a seat belt has a core body with spaced front and rear flanges and an arcuate bearing surface for the seat belt extending therebetween. An arcuate shell cover is provided and has a concave configuration relative to the arcuate bearing surface. The shell cover extends between the front and rear flanges thereof The shell cover includes a bushing portion integrally connected by a flexible hinge to the concave core configuration portion. The integral hinge is connected to an impact cover as by threading a flexible portion of the hinge through a hinge portion such as a split pin on the impact cover. In a method assembly, the impact cover and shell cover are hinged together and mounted on the core. After the fastener is inserted through the assembly, the impact cover is pivoted about the hinge to cover a fastener for the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventor: Mark Gray
  • Publication number: 20070075539
    Abstract: A seat belt height adjuster for anchoring a seat belt is provided in a preferred form with three relatively simple component parts comprising a slider, a rail, and a bent spring. One end of the slider is biased by the bent spring so that a portion of the slider is spaced from the rail and to position locking protrusions on the slider body into at least one opening in the rail to lock the height adjuster at the desired height position. To adjust the location of the slider along the rail, a pushing force on the one end of the slider compresses the spring and removes the locking protrusions from the rail opening thereby allowing sliding of the slider along the rail. The slider pivots about its other end which is engaging the rail. Upon release of the pushing force, the spring expands and biases the locking protrusion into a rail opening. The spring may be a simple V or U-shaped, leaf spring and the slider may be a single, integral piece of metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventor: Mark Gray
  • Publication number: 20070065839
    Abstract: The invention provides an assay for identifying agents that can prevent and treat diabetes. Specifically, the assay is a novel tool for identifying agents that can up regulate cholecystokinin (CCK) expression in pancreatic islets of mammals. The increased expression of CCK triggers an increase in pancreatic ?-cell mass and plasma insulin levels, which have been found to protect against the onset of diabetes. Also, disclosed are representative therapeutic agents identified through the assay of the invention. The methods of the invention are efficient and readily amenable to high-throughput drug screening protocols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Alan Attie, Mark Gray-Keller, Hong Lan, Philipp Raess
  • Publication number: 20070016173
    Abstract: A material and method delivering to the skin therapeutic radiation and filtering a part of the sun spectrum causing skin damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Kreindel, Mark Gray, Christopher Hawthorne
  • Publication number: 20070001435
    Abstract: A seat belt system, in one form, includes a buckle anchored along the side of the seat, a tongue slidably mounted on the seat belt for being latched in the buckle to define the shoulder and lap belt portions, and a retractor for pay in and pay out of the seat belt into and out from the retractor. The airbag is fixed to the tongue and configured for sliding along the seat belt so that with the tongue latched in the buckle the airbag extends along the same position irrespective of the size of the occupant. Alternatively, the airbag is fixed to a guide loop adjacent to the shoulder of the occupant and configured to allow for sliding of the seat belt relative thereto so that with the tongue latched in the buckle the airbag extends from the same position and across the occupant's torso irrespective of the size of the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Mark Gray, Ahad Zadeh, Chris Hall, Robert Rogers
  • Patent number: 7146233
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus providing, controlling and managing a dynamically sized, highly scalable and available server farm are disclosed. A Virtual Server Farm (VSF) is created out of a wide scale computing fabric (“Computing Grid”) which is physically constructed once and then logically divided up into VSFs for various organizations on demand. Each organization retains independent administrative control of a VSF. A VSF is dynamically firewalled within the Computing Grid. Allocation and control of the elements in the VSF is performed by a control plane connected to all computing, networking, and storage elements in the computing grid through special control ports. The internal topology of each VSF is under control of the control plane. A request queue architecture is also provided for processing work requests that allows selected requests to be blocked until required human intervention is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashar Aziz, Thomas Markson, Martin Patterson, Mark Gray, Osman Ismael
  • Publication number: 20060236891
    Abstract: A porcine collagen film is made from an extrudable collagen gel. The porcine collagen is essentially sow collagen. The ratio of collagen to fat is usually above 10:1, for example in the range 25:1 to 50:1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Trevor Morgan, Derek Norwood, Mark Gray
  • Publication number: 20060220369
    Abstract: A low cost pretensioner is provided by using an ignitable charge and initiator integrated with a piston which is disposed in a cylindrical metal tube that has a common straight gas generation and piston travel bore so that a inexpensive metal tube rather than a complex casting can be used. A cable is connected at one end to the piston and passes through a cable deflection device having a locking device for locking the cable against travel in a reverse direction after tightening the seat belt system. The locking device may be an inexpensive, one-piece wedge-shaped clamping or gripping device which transfers the high tensile forces from the passenger's body pulling on the cable through the deflection device to a vehicle anchorage rather than through a locking device which is disposed within the cylinder tube which must have tube walls sufficiently strong to withstand such high tensile forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Mark Gray, Chris Hall
  • Publication number: 20060022447
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a spool for seat belt protraction and retraction. An energy absorption mechanism is provided for absorbing energy from the spool during seat belt protraction. The energy absorption mechanism has a first part for a relatively high rate of energy absorption and a second part for a relatively low rate of energy absorption. A shift mechanism for shifting between the first part and the second part is also provided. The shift mechanism is a link movable between a first link position wherein the first part is engaged with the spool and a second link position wherein the second part is engaged with the spool. The link is drivable between the first link position and the second link position by energy from seat belt protraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Kenneth Kohlndorfer, Richard Koning, Mark Gray