Patents by Inventor Mark A. Thomas

Mark A. Thomas 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: 11929595
    Abstract: A plasma assisted spark ignition system includes an ignitor and a power supply. The first ignitor includes: a casing having a first end, a second end that forms a first electrode, and a longitudinally extending passage, a second electrode which protrudes longitudinally outward from an opening at the second end of the casing and laterally spaced inwardly to form a spark gap, and an electrical insulator (dielectric) surrounding a portion of the second electrode, and which has a terminus that is at least closely spaced to an interior surface of the end of the casing. The power supply supplies a plurality of voltage pulses to the ignitor per ignition event to generate a flash over on the dielectric. Subsequent pulses in an ignition event may be at lower amplitude than an initial pulse in the ignition event. Pulses may, for example, have a duration on the order of a nanosecond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Transient Plasma Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph F. Fitzpatrick, Mark A. Thomas, Alonzo Gomez, Jason M. Sanders
  • Patent number: 11811199
    Abstract: A system and method for differentiating between different modes of pulsed electrical discharges via of an amplitude to time (ATC) conversion circuit is described. A bipolar ATC circuit is used to add together the positive and negative portions of an attenuated and filtered signal derived either from the voltage or current of a pulse. Alternatively, a unipolar ATC circuit may be employed. The resulting processed signal is compared against a reference voltage to generate an output signal that is active for the amount of time that the processed signal exceeds the reference voltage. Discharge mode is determined based on three factors: did a pulse occur, if a pulse occurred when did the pulse start relative to the original pulse event, and what is the duty cycle of the pulse. Subsequent pulse generated may be controlled accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSIENT PLASMA SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph F. Fitzpatrick, Mark A. Thomas, Alonzo Gomez, Jason M. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20230188068
    Abstract: A damping filter network includes a damping filter having a damping filter resistor and a damping filter capacitor connected in series and a tone decoder having an input arranged to be connected to a system input and an output connected to a damping switch. The tone decoder has a pass-band between a lower frequency threshold and an upper frequency threshold, the damping filter resistor and the damping filter capacitor selected to perform damping at frequencies within the pass-band; wherein the tone decoder is configured to detect the frequency of the system input voltage and to close the switch so as to connect the damping filter to ground when the frequency is within the tone decoder pass-band and to open the switch to disconnect the damping filter from ground when the frequency is outside the pass-band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Jaspreet Kaur MANN, Mark A. THOMAS
  • Patent number: 11662369
    Abstract: A split core current transformer (CT) includes a first CT core half and a first housing that houses the first CT core half. The split core CT includes a second core half and a housing that houses the second CT core half. The split core CT includes a first set of bushings configured to flexibly couple the first insulative body to the first housing to maintain contact between faces of the first CT core half and faces of the second CT core half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Ryan, Mark A. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20230110022
    Abstract: A split core current transformer (CT) includes a first CT core half and a first housing that houses the first CT core half. The split core CT includes a second core half and a housing that houses the second CT core half. The split core CT includes a first set of bushings configured to flexibly couple the first insulative body to the first housing to maintain contact between faces of the first CT core half and faces of the second CT core half.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Ryan, Mark A. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20220337036
    Abstract: A plasma assisted spark ignition system includes an ignitor and a power supply. The first ignitor includes: a casing having a first end, a second end that forms a first electrode, and a longitudinally extending passage, a second electrode which protrudes longitudinally outward from an opening at the second end of the casing and laterally spaced inwardly to form a spark gap, and an electrical insulator (dielectric) surrounding a portion of the second electrode, and which has a terminus that is at least closely spaced to an interior surface of the end of the casing. The power supply supplies a plurality of voltage pulses to the ignitor per ignition event to generate a flash over on the dielectric. Subsequent pulses in an ignition event may be at lower amplitude than an initial pulse in the ignition event. Pulses may, for example, have a duration on the order of a nanosecond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Joseph F. Fitzpatrick, Mark A. Thomas, Alonzo Gomez, Jason M. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20220285922
    Abstract: A system and method for differentiating between different modes of pulsed electrical discharges via of an amplitude to time (ATC) conversion circuit is described. A bipolar ATC circuit is used to add together the positive and negative portions of an attenuated and filtered signal derived either from the voltage or current of a pulse. Alternatively, a unipolar ATC circuit may be employed. The resulting processed signal is compared against a reference voltage to generate an output signal that is active for the amount of time that the processed signal exceeds the reference voltage. Discharge mode is determined based on three factors: did a pulse occur, if a pulse occurred when did the pulse start relative to the original pulse event, and what is the duty cycle of the pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Joseph F. Fitzpatrick, Mark A. Thomas, Alonzo Gomez, Jason M. Sanders
  • Patent number: 11152152
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fabrication process for a current transformer. For example, the process may include wrapping first windings around a first core half of a magnetic core of a current transformer. The process may include wrapping second windings around a second core half of the magnetic core. The magnetic core may be inserted into an overmold tool. The process may include overmolding a first overmold over the first core half of the magnetic core and a second overmold over the second core half of the magnetic core. After overmolding, the magnetic core may be cut in half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Thomas, Eric Ryan, David Kenny
  • Patent number: 10971295
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to ensuring contact between core halves of a current transformer. For example, a current transformer (CT) may include a split core comprising a first core half having a first plurality of faces and a second core half having a second plurality of faces. Each face of the first core half may contact a corresponding face of the second core half to allow magnetic flux to flow through the split core to induce current on windings of the CT. The CT may include a first housing that houses the first core half and a second housing that the second core half. The CT may include a biasing element that biases the second core half towards the first core half to ensure that each face of the second core half contacts the corresponding face of the first core half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Thomas, Eric Ryan
  • Publication number: 20200176169
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to ensuring contact between core halves of a current transformer. For example, a current transformer (CT) may include a split core comprising a first core half having a first plurality of faces and a second core half having a second plurality of faces. Each face of the first core half may contact a corresponding face of the second core half to allow magnetic flux to flow through the split core to induce current on windings of the CT. The CT may include a first housing that houses the first core half and a second housing that the second core half. The CT may include a biasing element that biases the second core half towards the first core half to ensure that each face of the second core half contacts the corresponding face of the first core half.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Thomas, Eric Ryan
  • Publication number: 20200176182
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fabrication process for a current transformer. For example, the process may include wrapping first windings around a first core half of a magnetic core of a current transformer. The process may include wrapping second windings around a second core half of the magnetic core. The magnetic core may be inserted into an overmold tool. The process may include overmolding a first overmold over the first core half of the magnetic core and a second overmold over the second core half of the magnetic core. After overmolding, the magnetic core may be cut in half.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Thomas, Eric Ryan, David Kenny
  • Patent number: 10551415
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of locking a faulted circuit indicator (FCI). For example, the FCI may include a locking assembly. The locking assembly may include a lock plate that selectively moves between a locked position and an unlocked position. When in the locked position, the lock plate blocks a lock link of the FCI from moving in a first direction to prevent the FCI from opening. When in an unlocked position, the lock plate enables the lock link of the FCI to move in the first direction to allow the FCI to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Ryan, Mark A. Thomas, Mark F. Witczak
  • Patent number: 10429150
    Abstract: An improvement to an optical assembly that is adapted to accept light from a field of view in front of the optical assembly and create a first inverted image on a first image plane. Further the assembly includes an objective lens, a first prism adapted to receive light from the objective lens and a second prism, adapted to receive light from the first prism and emit light. The improvement is the addition of a negative lens interposed between the first prism and the second prism, thereby reducing the total optical pathway of the optical assembly, relative to a device performing the same optical function and lacking the negative lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: KRUGER OPTICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Mark A. Thomas, Mitchell Thomas
  • Publication number: 20190277892
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of locking a faulted circuit indicator (FCI). For example, the FCI may include a locking assembly. The locking assembly may include a lock plate that selectively moves between a locked position and an unlocked position. When in the locked position, the lock plate blocks a lock link of the FCI from moving in a first direction to prevent the FCI from opening. When in an unlocked position, the lock plate enables the lock link of the FCI to move in the first direction to allow the FCI to open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Ryan, Mark A. Thomas, Mark F. Witczak
  • Patent number: 10338108
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of locking a faulted circuit indicator (FCI). For example, the FCI may include a locking assembly. The locking assembly may include a lock plate that selectively moves between a locked position and an unlocked position. When in the locked position, the lock plate blocks a lock link of the FCI from moving in a first direction to prevent the FCI from opening. When in an unlocked position, the lock plate enables the lock link of the FCI to move in the first direction to allow the FCI to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Ryan, Mark A. Thomas, Mark F. Witczak
  • Publication number: 20190038295
    Abstract: A method of producing a coil for a flexible drive shaft includes: winding a roving into at least one helical groove of a mandrel; coating the roving with an uncured material; heating the coated roving to a curing temperature in the at least one helical groove of the mandrel to cure the uncured material and form a composite roving; and stripping the composite roving from the mandrel. A method of forming a flexible driveshaft for a surgical instrument is also provided and includes: feeding a plurality of flexible coils into a feeder such that each of the plurality of flexible coils are spaced from one another about a rod; rotating the rod to wind the plurality of flexible coils about the rod; and binding the wound plurality of flexible coils and rod together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Symmetry Medical Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Omohundro, Michael Devlin, C. Peter Darby, Mark A. Thomas, John P. Omohundro
  • Publication number: 20180258979
    Abstract: A flexible driveshaft includes a proximal coupler and a distal coupler each configured to couple to a respective component of an instrument, and a flexible shaft having a proximal end connected to the proximal coupler, a distal end connected to the distal coupler, and a longitudinal axis. The flexible shaft may include a sleeve, and a core having a first end and a second end. The core is housed within the sleeve. The flexible shaft also includes a plurality of coils arranged around the longitudinal axis in at least one layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: Symmetry Medical Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Omohundro, Michael Devlin, C. Peter Darby, Mark A. Thomas, John P. Omohundro
  • Patent number: 9766039
    Abstract: A method of producing a rifle scope having a body made in part of composite material. The method utilizes a composite material tubular housing element, having a rear and having an outer diameter and a metal eyepiece adapter in form of a tube having an inner diameter matching the outer diameter. In the method, the metal eyepiece adapter is adhered partially over the rear of the tubular housing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: KRUGER OPTICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Mark A. Thomas, Mitchell Thomas, Neil Mai
  • Patent number: D797879
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: KRUGER OPTICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Mark A. Thomas, Mitchell Thomas, Neil Mai
  • Patent number: D828478
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: KRUGER OPTICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Mark A. Thomas, Mitchell Thomas, Neil Mai