Patents by Inventor Michael Blackburn

Michael Blackburn 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: 20260043295
    Abstract: A composite shutter assembly includes a metallic shutter frame including a pair of elongate side members and a pair of elongate cross members extending between the pair of side members, and a nonmetallic shutter panel including a first stile pivotally coupled to a first side member of the pair of side members of the metallic shutter frame, the nonmetallic shutter panel configured to swing between a closed position and an open position relative to the metallic shutter frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2025
    Publication date: February 12, 2026
    Applicant: Houston Shutters, LLC
    Inventors: Jennifer Baur, Michael Blackburn
  • Patent number: 10358864
    Abstract: A shutter assembly includes a frame with a pair of elongate side members and a pair of elongate cross members extending between the side members. The first side member includes an inwardly-facing frame surface in a region between the pair of cross members and further includes a frame-ledge extending inward beyond the inwardly-facing frame surface. The shutter assembly includes a shutter panel having a first stile pivotally coupled to the first side member of the frame, the shutter panel configured to swing between a closed position and an open position relative to the frame. The first stile includes a shutter recessed surface, and a shutter-ledge extending outwardly beyond the shutter recessed surface. For light-blocking purposes the shutter assembly is configured such that the shutter-ledge is positioned adjacent to the frame-ledge when the shutter panel is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Houston Shutters, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Patent number: 10253555
    Abstract: A shutter assembly includes a shutter panel with a first and a second stile, each stile having a front stile-face and a rear stile-face. The shutter panel also includes a first and a second rail, the rails extending between the stiles, each rail comprising a front rail-face and a rear rail-face. In addition, the shutter assembly includes a stile bisection plane passes midway between the front and rear stile-faces, and a rail bisection plane passes midway between the front and rear rail-faces. The rail bisection plane is offset from the stile bisection plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Houston Shutters LLC
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Patent number: 9816309
    Abstract: A frame assembly for windows and doors includes a pair of side members and a pair of generally parallel cross members, each extending along a unique member axis. The cross members include a first frame portion and a second frame portion that extend generally along the member axis and are connected by a camming fastener that draws together and secures the first and second frame portions. A method of fabricating a shutter assembly includes forming a pair of C-shaped partial-frames, each from a side member coupled to portions of two cross-members. The method includes co-axially aligning corresponding portions of the two cross-members along two axes and joining the two C-shaped partial-frames with camming fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Houston Shutters, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Publication number: 20170241194
    Abstract: A shutter assembly includes a frame, at least one shutter panel coupled to the frame and configured to pivot about a first axis, and at least one louvered subpanel hinged to the shutter panel and configured to pivot about a second axis, wherein the first axis is not parallel to the second axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Publication number: 20160340971
    Abstract: A shutter assembly includes a frame with a pair of elongate side members and a pair of elongate cross members extending between the side members. The first side member includes an inwardly-facing frame surface in a region between the pair of cross members and further includes a frame-ledge extending inward beyond the inwardly-facing frame surface. The shutter assembly includes a shutter panel having a first stile pivotally coupled to the first side member of the frame, the shutter panel configured to swing between a closed position and an open position relative to the frame. The first stile includes a shutter recessed surface, and a shutter-ledge extending outwardly beyond the shutter recessed surface. For light-blocking purposes the shutter assembly is configured such that the shutter-ledge is positioned adjacent to the frame-ledge when the shutter panel is in the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: Houston Shutters, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Publication number: 20160340967
    Abstract: A shutter assembly includes a shutter panel with a first and a second stile, each stile having a front stile-face and a rear stile-face. The shutter panel also includes a first and a second rail, the rails extending between the stiles, each rail comprising a front rail-face and a rear rail-face. In addition, the shutter assembly includes a stile bisection plane passes midway between the front and rear stile-faces, and a rail bisection plane passes midway between the front and rear rail-faces. The rail bisection plane is offset from the stile bisection plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: Houston Shutters, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Publication number: 20160245012
    Abstract: A frame assembly for windows and doors includes a pair of side members and a pair of generally parallel cross members, each extending along a unique member axis. The cross members include a first frame portion and a second frame portion that extend generally along the member axis and are connected by a camming fastener that draws together and secures the first and second frame portions. A method of fabricating a shutter assembly includes forming a pair of C-shaped partial-frames, each from a side member coupled to portions of two cross-members. The method includes co-axially aligning corresponding portions of the two cross-members along two axes and joining the two C-shaped partial-frames with camming fasteners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: Houston Shutters, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Patent number: 9297199
    Abstract: A frame assembly for windows and doors includes a pair of side members and a pair of generally parallel cross members, each extending along a unique member axis. The cross members include a first frame portion and a second frame portion that extend generally along the member axis and are connected by a camming fastener that draws together and secures the first and second frame portions. A method of fabricating a shutter assembly includes forming a pair of C-shaped partial-frames, each from a side member coupled to portions of two cross-members. The method includes co-axially aligning corresponding portions of the two cross-members along two axes and joining the two C-shaped partial-frames with camming fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: HOUSTON SHUTTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Publication number: 20140352218
    Abstract: A louvered shutter panel, such as for windows and doors, includes a pair of spaced-apart stiles, each stile having a longitudinally extending groove. The groove in each stile includes a first portion having a first cross-sectional shape and an adjacent second portion having a second cross-sectional shape. A pair of spaced-apart rails extends between the stiles, each of the rails having a tabbed portion received within the groove of the stile. The shutter panel also includes elongate inserts received within a portion of the groove of the stile. A plurality of louvers include pins that are rotationally received within spaced-apart holes in the inserts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Publication number: 20140352217
    Abstract: A frame assembly for windows and doors includes a pair of side members and a pair of generally parallel cross members, each extending along a unique member axis. The cross members include a first frame portion and a second frame portion that extend generally along the member axis and are connected by a camming fastener that draws together and secures the first and second frame portions. A method of fabricating a shutter assembly includes forming a pair of C-shaped partial-frames, each from a side member coupled to portions of two cross-members. The method includes co-axially aligning corresponding portions of the two cross-members along two axes and joining the two C-shaped partial-frames with camming fasteners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Jennifer Baur
  • Patent number: 8108147
    Abstract: A method of identifying and imaging a high risk collision object relative to a host vehicle includes arranging a plurality of N sensors for imaging a three-hundred and sixty degree horizontal field of view (hFOV) around the host vehicle. The sensors are mounted to a vehicle in a circular arrangement so that the sensors are radially equiangular from each other. For each sensor, contrast differences in the hFOV are used to identify a unique source of motion (hot spot) that is indicative of a remote object in the sensor hFOV. A first hot spot in one sensor hFOV is correlated to a second hot spot in another hFOV of at least one other N sensor to yield range, azimuth and trajectory data for said object. The processor then assesses a collision risk with the object according to the object's trajectory data relative to the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Michael Blackburn
  • Patent number: 7899949
    Abstract: A system and method for the capture, storage and manipulation of remote information is disclosed. The system includes at least one remote information capture device located at a remote site for capturing remote data, a central database accessible by the remote capture device for storing the captured remote data, and a computer program operative to manipulate the captured data. The method includes the steps of capturing remote data, storing the captured remote data, and manipulating the stored data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: NID Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Harsch Khandelwal, Michael Blackburn, Paul Hoskins, Gregory Alexanian
  • Publication number: 20100254965
    Abstract: We disclose a method of treating priapism in a mammal by administering to the mammal a composition containing an effective amount of an inhibitor of adenosine signaling and a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier, wherein the inhibitor of adenosine signaling has at least one activity selected from the group consisting of decreasing adenosine levels in the mammal, inhibiting adenosine receptor activity in the mammal, and inhibiting signaling pathways downstream of an adenosine receptor in the mammal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Yang Xia, Rodney E. Kellems, Michael Blackburn, Janci Chunn Lindsay
  • Publication number: 20080296370
    Abstract: A system and method for the capture, storage and manipulation of remote information is disclosed. The system includes at least one remote information capture device located at a remote site for capturing remote data, a central database accessible by the remote capture device for storing the captured remote data, and a computer program operative to manipulate the captured data. The method includes the steps of capturing remote data, storing the captured remote data, and manipulating the stored data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: NID Solutions
    Inventors: Harsch Khandelwal, Michael Blackburn, Paul Hoskins, Gregory Alexanian
  • Publication number: 20080247807
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing instrument, such as a marker assembly, the instrument having a barrel, a release mechanism, and a cap. The release mechanism can comprise a deformable arm affixed to the barrel or the cap, for pushing the cap and barrel apart. In one embodiment, a liquid dispensing instrument comprises a barrel having a first end and a second end, and a cap disposed over the first end of the barrel. The barrel has a deformable arm having a fixed end affixed to the barrel and a free end, the deformable arm protruding radially away from the barrel. The free end of the deformable arm pushes the cap away from the first end of the barrel when the deformable arm is pushed radially toward the barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: William P. Whitehorn, Michael Blackburn, Paul Dowd
  • Patent number: 7370121
    Abstract: A system and method for the capture, storage and manipulation of remote information is disclosed. The system includes at least one remote information capture device located at a remote site for capturing remote data, a central database accessible by the remote capture device for storing the captured remote data, and a computer program operative to manipulate the captured data. The method includes the steps of capturing remote data, storing the captured remote data, and manipulating the stored data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: NID Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Harsch Khandelwal, Michael Blackburn, Paul Hoskins, Gregory Alexanian
  • Publication number: 20070224198
    Abstract: Monoclonal antibodies directed against coagulation factors and their use in inhibiting thrombosis in combination with plasminogen activators are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Blackburn, Giora Feuerstein, Arunbhai Patel
  • Publication number: 20070198159
    Abstract: A control system is provided for automatically moving a machine along a desired path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: I-GUIDE, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Durkos, Michael Blackburn, Kyle Ruddock, Richard Koressel, Thomas McCalley
  • Publication number: 20070190059
    Abstract: Monoclonal antibodies directed against coagulation factor IX and their use in inhibiting thrombosis are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Frank Barone, Michael Blackburn, Giora Feuerstein, John Toomey