Patents by Inventor Michael R. Hartzell

Michael R. Hartzell 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: 20240101722
    Abstract: Provided herein are organic solvent-based processes for the removal of rubber from non-Hevea plants such as guayule shrubs. By the use of the processes, solid purified rubber can be obtained that contains 0.05-0.5 weight % dirt, 0.2-1.5 weight % ash, and 0.1-4 weight % resin (when it has been dried so as to contain 0.8 weight % volatile matter).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yingyi Huang, Mark W. Smale, Robert W. White, Hiroshi Mouri, William M. Cole, Michael R. Hartzell, Taigyoo Park
  • Patent number: 11932759
    Abstract: A method for forming a polymer-filler composite having advantageous bound filler content, the method comprising (a) providing a guayule cement; (b) introducing particulate filler to the guayule cement to form a solution masterbatch; and (c) desolventizing the solution masterbatch to form a polymer-filler composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Hartzell, Robert W. White, Piotr Kozminski, Mark N. Dedecker, Erin Sheepwash, Yingyi Huang, William S. Niaura
  • Patent number: 11834526
    Abstract: Provided herein are organic solvent-based processes for the removal of rubber from non-Hevea plants such as guayule shrubs. By the use of the processes, solid purified rubber can be obtained that contains 0.05-0.5 weight % dirt, 0.2-1.5 weight % ash, and 0.1-4 weight % resin (when it has been dried so as to contain 0.8 weight % volatile matter).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yingyi Huang, Mark W. Smale, Robert W. White, Hiroshi Mouri, William M. Cole, Michael R. Hartzell, Taigyoo Park
  • Publication number: 20230220124
    Abstract: In various embodiments, methods for producing aqueous polyisoprene latex from natural cis-1,4-polyisoprene are described. The natural cis-1,4-polyisoprene may be sourced from guayule scrubs. In various embodiments, the method comprises extracting guayule plant material to form a miscella, fractionating the miscella to a preliminary cement, diluting the preliminary cement to a cement for dispersing, dispersing the cement in an aqueous surfactant mixture under high shear to produce an emulsion, and de-solventizing the emulsion to produce an aqueous latex dispersion. The rubber solids level can then be adjusted by centrifugation and dilution in water to produce a final aqueous cis-1,4-polyisoprene latex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Robert W. WHITE, Michael R. HARTZELL, Mark N. DEDECKER, Jason K. KWAN
  • Publication number: 20220356273
    Abstract: Provided herein are organic solvent-based processes for the removal of rubber from non-Hevea plants such as guayule shrubs. By the use of the processes, solid purified rubber can be obtained that contains 0.05-0.5 weight % dirt, 0.2-1.5 weight % ash, and 0.1-4 weight % resin (when it has been dried so as to contain 0.8 weight % volatile matter).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yingyi Huang, Mark W. Smale, Robert W. White, Hiroshi Mouri, William M. Cole, Michael R. Hartzell, Taigyoo Park
  • Patent number: 11458415
    Abstract: An extractor suitable for using a solvent to separate a compound from a solid or semisolid substance containing the compound. The extractor includes a conveying assembly having an inclined conveyor for receiving the substance from a substance inlet and moving the substance through the solvent, an inclined upper surface associated with the first conveyor and an inclined lower surface associated with the first conveyor. The conveyor is configured to move the substance downward through the solvent along the upper surface toward a lower end of the conveyor and upward through the solvent along the lower surface toward an upper end of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Patent number: 11396560
    Abstract: Provided herein are organic solvent-based processes for the removal of rubber from non-Hevea plants such as guayule shrubs. By the use of the processes, solid purified rubber can be obtained that contains 0.05-0.5 weight % dirt, 0.2-1.5 weight % ash, and 0.1-4 weight % resin (when it has been dried so as to contain 0.8 weight % volatile matter).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yingyi Huang, Mark W. Smale, Robert W. White, Hiroshi Mouri, William M. Cole, Michael R. Hartzell, Taigyoo Park
  • Patent number: 11383180
    Abstract: Provided herein is a fractionator and related process for separating solubilized rubber from a co-solvent based miscella.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell, Taigyoo Park, Yingyi Huang
  • Publication number: 20220064339
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are process for increasing the molecular weight of guayule natural rubber that is solubilized in an organic solvent solution. The processes utilize shear desolventizing to achieve the increase in molecular weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Publication number: 20220056160
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are process for removing color bodies from an organic solution comprising guayule resin. The processes include the use of activated carbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Publication number: 20210138360
    Abstract: An extractor suitable for using a solvent to separate a compound from a solid or semisolid substance containing the compound. The extractor includes a conveying assembly having an inclined conveyor for receiving the substance from a substance inlet and moving the substance through the solvent, an inclined upper surface associated with the first conveyor and an inclined lower surface associated with the first conveyor. The conveyor is configured to move the substance downward through the solvent along the upper surface toward a lower end of the conveyor and upward through the solvent along the lower surface toward an upper end of the conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Patent number: 10843103
    Abstract: An extractor suitable for using a solvent to separate a compound from a solid or semisolid substance containing the compound. The extractor includes a conveying assembly having an inclined conveyor for receiving the substance from a substance inlet and moving the substance through the solvent, an inclined upper surface associated with the first conveyor and an inclined lower surface associated with the first conveyor. The conveyor is configured to move the substance downward through the solvent along the upper surface toward a lower end of the conveyor and upward through the solvent along the lower surface toward an upper end of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Publication number: 20200346134
    Abstract: Provided herein is a fractionator and related process for separating solubilized rubber from a co-solvent based miscella.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell, Taigyoo Park, Yingyi Huang
  • Publication number: 20200239602
    Abstract: Provided herein are organic solvent-based processes for the removal of rubber from non-Hevea plants such as guayule shrubs. By the use of the processes, solid purified rubber can be obtained that contains 0.05-0.5 weight % dirt, 0.2-1.5 weight % ash, and 0.1-4 weight % resin (when it has been dried so as to contain 0.8 weight % volatile matter).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yingyi Huang, Mark W. Smale, Robert W. White, Hiroshi Mouri, William M. Cole, Michael R. Hartzell, Taigyoo Park
  • Patent number: 10717021
    Abstract: Provided herein is a fractionator and related process for separating solubilized rubber from a co-solvent based miscella.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Publication number: 20190224587
    Abstract: An extractor suitable for using a solvent to separate a compound from a solid or semisolid substance containing the compound. The extractor includes a conveying assembly having an inclined conveyor for receiving the substance from a substance inlet and moving the substance through the solvent, an inclined upper surface associated with the first conveyor and an inclined lower surface associated with the first conveyor. The conveyor is configured to move the substance downward through the solvent along the upper surface toward a lower end of the conveyor and upward through the solvent along the lower surface toward an upper end of the conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Patent number: 10245526
    Abstract: An extractor suitable for using a solvent to separate a compound from a solid or semisolid substance containing the compound. The extractor includes a conveying assembly having an inclined conveyor for receiving the substance from a substance inlet and moving the substance through the solvent, an inclined upper surface associated with the first conveyor and an inclined lower surface associated with the first conveyor. The conveyor is configured to move the substance downward through the solvent along the upper surface toward a lower end of the conveyor and upward through the solvent along the lower surface toward an upper end of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Publication number: 20190060784
    Abstract: Provided herein is a fractionator and related process for separating solubilized rubber from a co-solvent based miscella.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Patent number: 10112123
    Abstract: Provided herein is a fractionator and related process for separating solubilized rubber from a co-solvent based miscella.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert White, Michael R. Hartzell
  • Publication number: 20170252671
    Abstract: An extractor suitable for using a solvent to separate a compound from a solid or semisolid substance containing the compound. The extractor includes a conveying assembly having an inclined conveyor for receiving the substance from a substance inlet and moving the substance through the solvent, an inclined upper surface associated with the first conveyor and an inclined lower surface associated with the first conveyor. The conveyor is configured to move the substance downward through the solvent along the upper surface toward a lower end of the conveyor and upward through the solvent along the lower surface toward an upper end of the conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Robert White, Michael R. Hartzell