Patents by Inventor Maurice J. Fitzgerald

Maurice J. Fitzgerald 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: 6148260
    Abstract: The present invention provides a network accessible service which integrates both a business directory and a map database. A user can search the business directory in a variety of methods, including using aspects of the map database (i.e., a radius) to quantify the search. The user can then obtain directions from a specified user location to a selected search result. All of this is conveniently accomplished through a single website access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Zip2
    Inventors: Elon Musk, Maurice J. Fitzgerald, II
  • Patent number: 5944769
    Abstract: The present invention provides a network accessible service which integrates both a business directory and a map database. A user can search the business directory in a variety of methods, including using aspects of the map database (i.e., a radius) to quantify the search. The user can then obtain directions from a specified user location to a selected search result. All of this is conveniently accomplished through a single website access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Zip2 Corporation
    Inventors: Elon Musk, Maurice J. Fitzgerald, II
  • Patent number: 5795698
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a lithographic printing plate developable on a lithographic printing press equipped with means for delivering lithographic ink and aqueous fountain solutions to the printing plate, the lithographic printing plate having in order (a) a printing plate substrate; and (b) a photoresist photohardenable upon imagewise exposure to actinic radiation, the photoresist comprising (i) a macromolecular organic binder; (ii) a photopolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least one terminal ethylenic group capable of forming a high polymer by chain-propagated polymerization, (iii) a polymerization initiator activatable by actinic radiation, and (iv) an amphoteric hydrogen bond-forming developability stabilizer, the hydrogen bond-forming developability stabilizer being non-volatile miscible in the photoresist and soluble in said lithographic ink and fountain solutions; the amphoteric hydrogen bond-forming developability stabilizer possessing a strong hydrogen bond-forming func
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice J. Fitzgerald, Michael J. Jurek, Rong-Chang Liang, Richard J. Sugrue
  • Patent number: 5607816
    Abstract: Described is the use of a plasticizing-permeation enhancing additive in negative-working, on-press developable lithographic printing plates. Briefly, a plasticizer, which is dispersible or soluble in press fountain and ink solutions and soluble in acrylic monomers and oligomers, are incorporated into a plate's photoresist at concentrations sufficient to enhance said resist's permeability to or diffusion by press solutions. Such additives make the photoresist more permeable to fountain solution prior to crosslinking, while being easily extracted with ink and fountain solution after crosslinking. In certain embodiments, a surfactant is added to facilitate the dispersion of hydrophobic remnants of removed resist material in the fountain solution, and thereby reduce scumming. Lithium salts may also be incorporated into the photoresist to disrupt hydrogen bonding of, for example, urethane acrylate polymers which tend to associate by hydrogen bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice J. Fitzgerald, John M. Hardin, Frederick R. Kearney, Rong-Chang Liang
  • Patent number: 5599650
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lithographic printing plate comprising a substrate and a photocurable polymeric photoresist, such as those based on free-radical initiated photocuring mechanisms. To constrain detrimental and undesired activity of excess free radicals, an embodiment of the printing plate is further provided with a free-radical regulating system. In a particular embodiment, the free-radical regulating system is provided as an overcoat, the overcoat being a light-transmissive overcoat and comprising a polymer having a pendant free-radical trapping group. A particular polymer for the overcoat has the formula ##STR1## wherein, m is from approximately 20% by weight to approximately 95% by weight, and n is from approximately 0% by weight to approximately 75% by weight. Capable of deactivating free-radicals actinically generated in the photoresist subsequent to exposure, the polymer is soluble in fountain or ink solution and incompatible with the photoresist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Daoshen Bi, Maurice J. Fitzgerald, Frederick R. Kearney, Rong-Chang Liang, William C. Schwarzel, Tung-Feng Yeh
  • Patent number: 5561029
    Abstract: The present invention sets forth the incorporation of a substituted 2-phenyl-4,6-bis (trichloromethyl)-1,3,5-triazine in photoresists of lithographic printing plates for the purpose of promoting their shelf-life, room light stability, and developability. The present invention provides a photocurable composition comprising at least a photopolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least one terminal ethylenic group and capable of forming a polymer upon exposure to actinic radiation; and an s-triazine capable of initiating free radical polymerization of the photopolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer and being represented by the following general formula [I]: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is either OR.sub.4 or NR.sub.5 R.sub.6, wherein R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 may or may not be identical with each other, either R.sub.5 or R.sub.6 may represent hydrogen, and wherein R.sub.4 and at least one of R.sub.5 and R.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice J. Fitzgerald, Frederick R. Kearney, Rong-Chang Liang, William C. Schwarzel, Donna J. Guarrera, John M. Hardin, John C. Warner
  • Patent number: 5556924
    Abstract: A photoreactive binder that may be used to enhance photospeed in either conventional plates or on-press developable lithographic printing plates. Briefly, a polymer of m-isopropenyl-.alpha.,.alpha.-dimethylbenzyl isocyanate is derivatized for vinyl group reactivity by reacting the isocyanate groups thereof with hydroxyalkyl acrylate. The resulting photopolymeric binder provides significantly higher photospeed than the non-reactive binder currently utilized in the production of conventional printing plates. The resulting lithographic printing plate also shows better durability (as manifested by longer run-length) and is more easily developed by the microencapsulated developers utilized in the present invention. As to the preparation of the photoreactive binders, the application discloses a method of copolymerizing m-isopropenyl-.alpha.,.alpha.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice J. Fitzgerald, Frederick R. Kearney, Rong-Chang Liang, William C. Schwarzel
  • Patent number: 5514522
    Abstract: A photoreactive binder that may be used to enhance photospeed in either conventional plates or on-press developable lithographic printing plates. Briefly, a polymer of m-isopropenyl-.alpha.,.alpha.-dimethylbenzyl isocyanate is derivatized for vinyl group reactivity by reacting the isocyanate groups thereof with hydroxyalkyl acrylate. The resulting photopolymeric binder provides significantly higher photospeed than the non-reactive binder currently utilized in the production of conventional printing plates. The resulting lithographic printing plate also shows better durability (as manifested by longer run-length) and is more easily developed by the microencapsulated developers utilized in the present invention. As to the preparation of the photoreactive binders, the application discloses a method of copolymerizing m-isopropenyl-.alpha.,.alpha.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice J. Fitzgerald, Frederick R. Kearney, Rong-Chang Liang, William C. Schwarzel
  • Patent number: 4350759
    Abstract: A photosensitive silver halide emulsion wherein the emulsion binder comprises an allyl amine polymer or copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1982
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice J. Fitzgerald, Thomas E. Platt
  • Patent number: 4315071
    Abstract: A photosensitive silver halide emulsion wherein the emulsion binder comprises a styryl amine polymer or copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1982
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventor: Maurice J. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 4131471
    Abstract: A photosensitive silver halide emulsion wherein the silver halide peptizer comprises a halogenated acrylate polymer or copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1978
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventor: Maurice J. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 4120727
    Abstract: A photosensitive silver halide emulsion wherein the silver halide peptizer comprises a cyanoalkyl acrylate polymer or copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1978
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventor: Maurice J. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 4089688
    Abstract: A photosensitive silver halide emulsion preferably gelatin-free wherein the emulsion peptizer comprises an N-alkenyl carbamate polymer or copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1978
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventor: Maurice J. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 4022623
    Abstract: A photosensitive silver halide emulsion wherein the emulsion binder comprises a polyvinyl aminimide polymer or copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1977
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice J. Fitzgerald, Henry S. Kolesinski, Lloyd D. Taylor