Patents by Inventor Mihnea A. Popa
Mihnea A. Popa 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).
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Publication number: 20160175881Abstract: Methods of electrospraying particles are disclosed that include electrospraying a liquid spray composition from the nozzle, the liquid spray composition including a liquid and a compound that exhibits a melting point and a crystallization temperature, and at least one of exposing particles formed from the liquid spray composition to a temperature modified environment, exposing particles formed from the liquid spray composition to an organic solvent, and collecting particles formed from the liquid spray composition on at least one of a temperature modified collector, a liquid collector, a variable topography collector, and a dry ice collector.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2015Publication date: June 23, 2016Inventors: James E. Lasch, Huijing Fu, Andrew J. Goode, Joseph Wyman, Mourad F. Rahi, Doua Thao, Mihnea Popa
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Patent number: 9249539Abstract: A dryer monitor detects when textiles in a dryer are dry, detects when textiles in a dryer are overdry, and/or may count dryer cycles. The dryer monitor includes a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a controller and various status indicators. The humidity and temperature sensors may be located outside the drying compartment of the dryer. In the case of a clothes dryer, the humidity and temperature sensors may be located outside the drum of the dryer and may be located, for example, in the exhaust compartment of the dryer. The dryer monitor determines dryness of items in the dryer, and may also determine whether the items are overdry, based on humidity information received from the humidity sensor. The dryer monitor counts dryer cycles based on temperature information received from the temperature sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2006Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Ecolab Inc.Inventors: Stephan M. Hubig, Stephen X. Skaff, Monica P. Tindel-Koukal, Mihnea A. Popa, Russell D. Maziarka
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Patent number: 8944286Abstract: A dispensing system and methods employed therein uses optical displacement sensing to control dispensation of one or more products. An optical displacement sensor measures displacement of a load beam supporting a vessel from which the product is to be dispensed. The displacement of the load beam is related to the amount (weight) of the product remaining in the vessel. The system may thus control dispensation of the product based on the optical displacement measurements.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2012Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.Inventors: Richard J. Mehus, Paul R. Kraus, Mihnea A. Popa
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Patent number: 8782922Abstract: A dryer monitoring system receives dryer information from one or more sensors concerning operation of one or more dryers, such as clothes dryers. For example, the dryer monitoring system may receive temperature, humidity, and/or dryer on/off information concerning the dryers. The dryer monitoring system may analyze the dryer information and generate reports communicating the dryer information, identify possible maintenance issues with the dryers, identify ambient environmental conditions that may lead to inefficient drying, identify possible operator errors, and/or diagnose other dryer conditions that may be determined based on the dryer information.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.Inventors: Robert E. May, Julio R. Panama, Nicholas D. Parent, Mihnea A. Popa, Bruce W. Weber
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Publication number: 20140144936Abstract: A dispensing system and methods employed therein uses optical displacement sensing to control dispensation of one or more products. An optical displacement sensor measures displacement of a load beam supporting a vessel from which the product is to be dispensed. The displacement of the load beam is related to the amount (weight) of the product remaining in the vessel. The system may thus control dispensation of the product based on the optical displacement measurements.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: ECOLAB USA INC.Inventors: Richard J. Mehus, Paul R. Kraus, Mihnea A. Popa
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Patent number: 8602069Abstract: A solid chemical product is dispensed to prepare a requested amount of a use solution having a requested concentration of the chemical product. In some examples, a target amount of a diluent and a target amount of the chemical product required to prepare the requested use solution are determined. The target amount of the diluent is dispensed into a container. At least some of the diluent in the container is applied to the solid chemical product to create a resultant use solution, which is directed back into the container. The diluent from the container is applied to the chemical product until the amount of the use solution in the container satisfies the requested amount. In some examples, the target amount of the diluent and the target amount of the chemical product are measured by weight.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.Inventors: Mihnea A. Popa, Richard J. Mehus, Paul R. Kraus, Sherri L. Tischler, Blake Roberts Otting
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Patent number: 8444019Abstract: A product dispensing system is provided. The product dispensing system includes a dispensing device and a sealing assembly. The dispensing device is configured and arranged to pass product out of a dispensing orifice in the product dispensing system. The sealing assembly is configured and arranged to wipe and seal the dispensing orifice to prevent exposure of unused product with ambient air when the product dispensing system is not dispensing product.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.Inventors: Ryan D. Lucey, Anthony L. Kramer, Paul R. Kraus, Richard J. Mehus, Sherri L. Tischler, Mihnea A. Popa, Brian P. Carlson
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Publication number: 20120124859Abstract: A dryer monitoring system receives dryer information from one or more sensors concerning operation of one or more dryers, such as clothes dryers. For example, the dryer monitoring system may receive temperature, humidity, and/or dryer on/off information concerning the dryers. The dryer monitoring system may analyze the dryer information and generate reports communicating the dryer information, identify possible maintenance issues with the dryers, identify ambient environmental conditions that may lead to inefficient drying, identify possible operator errors, and/or diagnose other dryer conditions that may be determined based on the dryer information.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: Ecolab USA Inc.Inventors: Robert E. May, Julio R. Panama, Nicholas D. Parent, Mihnea A. Popa, Bruce W. Weber
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Publication number: 20110284090Abstract: A solid chemical product is dispensed to prepare a requested amount of a use solution having a requested concentration of the chemical product. In some examples, a target amount of a diluent and a target amount of the chemical product required to prepare the requested use solution are determined. The target amount of the diluent is dispensed into a container. At least some of the diluent in the container is applied to the solid chemical product to create a resultant use solution, which is directed back into the container. The diluent from the container is applied to the chemical product until the amount of the use solution in the container satisfies the requested amount. In some examples, the target amount of the diluent and the target amount of the chemical product are measured by weight.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2010Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: Ecolab USA Inc.Inventors: Mihnea A. Popa, Richard J. Mehus, Paul R. Kraus, Sherri L. Tischler, Blake Roberts Otting
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Publication number: 20110031275Abstract: A product dispensing system is provided. The product dispensing system includes a dispensing device and a sealing assembly. The dispensing device is configured and arranged to pass product out of a dispensing orifice in the product dispensing system. The sealing assembly is configured and arranged to wipe and seal the dispensing orifice to prevent exposure of unused product with ambient air when the product dispensing system is not dispensing product.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2010Publication date: February 10, 2011Inventors: Ryan D. Lucey, Anthony L. Kramer, Paul R. Kraus, Richard J. Mehus, Sherri L. Tischler, Mihnea A. Popa, Brian P. Carlson
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Publication number: 20080072448Abstract: A dryer monitor detects when textiles in a dryer are dry, detects when textiles in a dryer are overdry, and/or may count dryer cycles. The dryer monitor includes a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a controller and various status indicators. The humidity and temperature sensors may be located outside the drying compartment of the dryer. In the case of a clothes dryer, the humidity and temperature sensors may be located outside the drum of the dryer and may be located, for example, in the exhaust compartment of the dryer. The dryer monitor determines dryness of items in the dryer, and may also determine whether the items are overdry, based on humidity information received from the humidity sensor. The dryer monitor counts dryer cycles based on temperature information received from the temperature sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2006Publication date: March 27, 2008Applicant: Ecolab Inc.Inventors: Stephan M. Hubig, Stephen X. Skaff, Monica P. Tindel-Koukal, Mihnea A. Popa, Russell D. Maziarka
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Patent number: 7172715Abstract: A filament cassette and a filament loading assembly supply modeling filament to a liquifier in a three-dimensional deposition modeling machine. Two or more cassettes containing spooled filament are inserted into the machine. A strand of filament from a first one of the cassettes is fed to the liquifier for extrusion. Without operator intervention, the filament strand from the first cassette is withdrawn from the liquifier, and a filament strand from a second one of the cassettes is fed to the liquifier. The switching of filament feed sources is triggered by an event, such as an identification that the filament from the first cassette has reached a predetermined minimum length. In this manner, a used primary filament cassette is automatically replaced with a standby filament cassette, so that the machine need not experience downtime waiting for an operator to change the cassettes.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2004Date of Patent: February 6, 2007Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.Inventors: William J. Swanson, Mihnea A. Popa, Patrick W. Turley, Paul E. Hopkins, Steve Brose
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Patent number: 7169337Abstract: Filament is loaded into an extrusion apparatus, such as a three-dimensional deposition modeling machine, by inserting a cassette containing filament into the apparatus. A filament strand from the cassette is then advanced into the machine, such as by operating a thumb wheel or a follower wheel on the cassette. The filament loading method of the present invention provides a convenient manner of loading and unloading filament in a three-dimensional modeling machine, and can be implemented in a manner that protects the filament from environmental moisture.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2003Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.Inventors: William J. Swanson, Mihnea A. Popa, Patrick W. Turley, Paul E. Hopkins, Steve Brose, Daniel I. Kimm, David L. Pollard, Andrew M. Hahn
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Publication number: 20040126452Abstract: An apparatus which extrudes flowable material from a liquifier includes a system for loading filament supplied in a cassette. The cassette is loaded into a loading bay of the apparatus. A strand of filament from the cassette is engaged and advanced along a path to the liquifier using a drive wheel or roller pair. A conduit having an entrance in the loading bay guides the filament as it is advanced. The filament loading system of the present invention provides a convenient manner of loading and unloading filament in a three-dimensional modeling machine, and can be implemented in a manner that protects the filament from environmental moisture.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2003Publication date: July 1, 2004Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.Inventors: William J. Swanson, Mihnea A. Popa, Patrick W. Turley, Paul E. Hopkins, Steve Brose, Daniel I. Kimm, David L. Pollard, Andrew M. Hahn