Patents by Inventor Michael Herron

Michael Herron 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: 20250110522
    Abstract: A fail-safe release mechanism for use with patient positioning support apparati having a base structure and a patient support structure, to prevent collapse of the patient support structure during disconnection of the patient support structure from the base structure at outboard ends thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2024
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Applicant: WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC INC.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence Guerra, Michael Herron
  • Publication number: 20250073105
    Abstract: A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot ship mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC INC.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence E. Guerra, Trevor A. Waggoner, Steven R. Walton, Michael A. Herron
  • Patent number: 12179143
    Abstract: A process for separating carbon dioxide from a feed gas comprising carbon dioxide may comprise compressing the feed gas in a feed gas compressor to produce a compressed feed gas. The process may also comprise separating the compressed feed gas by an adsorption process comprising: using a plurality of adsorbent beds to produce a carbon dioxide-enriched product stream and a carbon dioxide-depleted stream, and a blowdown step. A blowdown gas may be removed from the adsorbent bed. The process may also comprise compressing the blowdown gas in the feed gas compressor and combining the blowdown gas with the compressed feed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mozhgan Alimohammadi Zanjani, David Ross Graham, Donald E. Henry, Donn Michael Herron, Roger Anthony Dewing
  • Publication number: 20240369293
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for liquid oxygen production can be configured to avoid use of a feed compressor and a recycle compressor. Embodiments can be configured for open loop operation so that a relatively low yield liquid oxygen recovery can be obtained from a feed output from an electrolyzer that is comprised mostly of oxygen (e.g. at least 80 volume percent oxygen, between 80 vol % and 100 vol % oxygen, etc.). The relatively low yield liquid oxygen recovery can be surprisingly provided to permit an advantageous recovery of oxygen to limit waste oxygen that may ultimately be vented while also minimizing equipment and power requirements for the liquid oxygen recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: ALAN D. BERGER, QIAO JOSH ZHAO, DONN MICHAEL HERRON
  • Patent number: 12011399
    Abstract: A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot ship mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence E. Guerra, Trevor A. Waggoner, Steven R. Walton, Michael A. Herron
  • Publication number: 20240125550
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for recovering at least argon from a feed gas that can provide an improved recovery of argon as well as an improvement in operational efficiency. Some embodiments can be adapted so that the improved argon recovery can also be obtained with improved condenser operation for an argon column without requiring an increase in power for the recovery of the argon. Some embodiments can utilize a reboiler positioned near or at the bottom of argon recovery column to increase boil-up therein and/or provide added heat duty to drive a condenser of the argon recovery column to provide improved argon recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay A. Thakkar, Donn Michael Herron, Qiao Zhao
  • Patent number: 11918518
    Abstract: A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open patient support frame suspended above a floor and a base for supporting and suspending a the frame during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced vertically translatable subassemblies reversibly attachable to the frame by a pair of fail-safe rotatable connector attachment mechanisms to prevent inadvertent uncoupling of a first and second outer end of the frame from the base structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence E. Guerra, Trevor A. Waggoner, Steven R. Walton, Michael A. Herron
  • Publication number: 20240035743
    Abstract: A process for recovering at least one fluid (e.g. argon gas and/or nitrogen gas, etc.) from a feed gas (e.g. air) can provide an improved recovery of argon and/or nitrogen as well as an improvement in operational efficiency. Some embodiments can be adapted so that at least a portion of a mixed nitrogen-oxygen fluid is at least partially vaporized and fed to a low pressure column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: DONN MICHAEL HERRON, QIAO ZHAO
  • Patent number: 11874685
    Abstract: A fail-safe release mechanism for use with patient positioning support apparati having a base structure and a patient support structure, to prevent collapse of the patient support structure during disconnection of the patient support structure from the base structure at outboard ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence Guerra, Michael A. Herron
  • Publication number: 20230355455
    Abstract: A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot ship mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC INC.
    Inventors: ROGER P. JACKSON, Lawrence E. Guerra, Trevor A. Waggoner, Steven R. Walton, Michael A. Herron
  • Publication number: 20230233986
    Abstract: A process for separating carbon dioxide from a feed gas comprising carbon dioxide may comprise compressing the feed gas in a feed gas compressor to produce a compressed feed gas. The process may also comprise separating the compressed feed gas by an adsorption process comprising: using a plurality of adsorbent beds to produce a carbon dioxide-enriched product stream and a carbon dioxide-depleted stream, and a blowdown step. A blowdown gas may be removed from the adsorbent bed. The process may also comprise compressing the blowdown gas in the feed gas compressor and combining the blowdown gas with the compressed feed gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mozhgan Alimohammadi Zanjani, David Ross Graham, Donald E. Henry, Donn Michael Herron, Roger Anthony Dewing
  • Patent number: 11681730
    Abstract: The invention provides a comprehensive system, method and computer program product for data structure clustering based on variation in data attribute performance. In general, the invention is configured to link a sub-set of data structures out of a global set of data structures based on identifying stimulus type attributes that are structured to produce a functional performance parameter of the associated data structure, particularly in the field of hospital data analysis. Typically, the invention is configured to receive a request for construction of a peer data cluster for a first functional performance parameter of the first entity data structure. The invention may then determine at least one second entity data structure of a plurality of entity data structures that is a peer entity data structure, and linking the first entity data structure and the second entity data structure to form the peer data cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Premier Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Herron, Michael Long
  • Publication number: 20230056895
    Abstract: A fail-safe release mechanism for use with patient positioning support apparati having a base structure and a patient support structure, to prevent collapse of the patient support during disconnection of the patient support structure from the base structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC INC.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence Guerra, Michael A. Herron
  • Patent number: 11547622
    Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a supine patient to a prone position on a patient support structure, and for rotating such a prone patient between prone and supine positions without removing the patient from the patient support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence E. Guerra, Michael A. Herron
  • Publication number: 20220387238
    Abstract: A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot ship mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC INC.
    Inventors: ROGER P. JACKSON, Lawrence E. Guerra, Trevor A. Waggoner, Steven R. Walton, Michael A. Herron
  • Patent number: 11512897
    Abstract: A process for recovering at least one fluid (e.g. argon gas and/or nitrogen gas, etc.) from a feed gas (e.g. air) can include utilization of a compression system, primary heat exchanger unit, plant processing units to separate and recover at least one desired fluid (e.g. nitrogen gas, argon gas, etc.). In some embodiments, the process can be configured so that fluid flows output from a low pressure column and/or high pressure column of the plant can provide a condensation duty or refrigeration duty that is utilized to process certain fluid flows for recovery of argon and/or nitrogen gases. Some embodiments can be configured to provide an improved recovery of argon and/or nitrogen as well as an improvement in operational efficiency by reducing an amount of power (e.g. electrical power) needed to recover the nitrogen and/or argon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: D. Michael Herron, Alan D. Berger
  • Patent number: 11464697
    Abstract: A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot ship mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence E. Guerra, Trevor A. Waggoner, Steven R. Walton, Michael A. Herron
  • Patent number: 11460246
    Abstract: Xenon and/or krypton is separated from a liquid oxygen stream comprising oxygen and xenon and/or krypton in a process comprising providing at least a portion of the liquid oxygen stream as a reflux liquid to the top of a rare gas recovery column operated at a pressure of between 5 to 25 bara, vaporizing a reboiler liquid in the reboiling zone in the bottom of the rare gas recovery column to produce a mixture of a rising vapor and a xenon and/or krypton-enriched liquid stream; and contacting the rising vapor with the reflux liquid in at least one distillation zone of the column to effect stripping xenon and/or krypton from the rising vapor to the reflux liquid. The process provides a recovery of xenon of greater than 90% and a krypton recovery of 15% to 90%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Xukun Luo, Alan D. Berger, Donn Michael Herron
  • Patent number: 11435776
    Abstract: A surgery table includes a patient support structure coupled to a connection assembly and a base structure coupled to the connection assembly. The connection assembly includes an arm and a locking member that engages the arm. The arm includes spaced apart first and second apertures. The locking member includes spaced apart first and second bores. A first key member and a second key member are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence Guerra, Michael Herron
  • Publication number: 20220221221
    Abstract: A process for recovering at least one fluid (e.g. argon gas and/or nitrogen gas, etc.) from a feed gas (e.g. air) can include utilization of a compression system, primary heat exchanger unit, plant processing units to separate and recover at least one desired fluid (e.g. nitrogen gas, argon gas, etc.). In some embodiments, the process can be configured so that fluid flows output from a low pressure column and/or high pressure column of the plant can provide a condensation duty or refrigeration duty that is utilized to process certain fluid flows for recovery of argon and/or nitrogen gases. Some embodiments can be configured to provide an improved recovery of argon and/or nitrogen as well as an improvement in operational efficiency by reducing an amount of power (e.g. electrical power) needed to recover the nitrogen and/or argon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: D. MICHAEL HERRON, ALAN D. BERGER