Patents by Inventor Peter K. Nelson

Peter K. Nelson 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: 20240115294
    Abstract: An external fixation system may include first and second fixation rings and a plurality of adjustable length struts. Each adjustable length strut may have two joints, a rod, a tube, and an actuator configured to drive the rod axially relative to the tube to change an effective length of the strut. The system may include a plurality of controller modules each configured to couple to a corresponding strut. The external fixation system may have a manual mode of operation in which the controller modules are not coupled to the struts, and manual actuation of the actuators changes the effective lengths of the struts in discrete length increments. The external fixation system may have an automated mode of operation in which the controller modules are coupled to the struts, and automated actuation of the actuators changes the effective lengths of the struts in infinitesimally small length increments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Stryker European Operations Limited
    Inventors: Chulho Pak, Subash K. Mannanal, Peter Sterrantino, Noah Roberson, Anup Kumar, Andrew J. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20240108968
    Abstract: Card-handling devices may include a card-shuffling apparatus, a card output portion, and/or a card input portion. The card input portion may include a card rotation device. The card rotation device may be configured to receive and rotate cards about a minor axis of the cards. The card-handling device may include a card-shuffling apparatus including a carousel having at least one hundred compartments each configured to hold between one and ten cards and arranged radially about the carousel. The card-handling device may be positioned at a gaming structure with a playing surface. The card-handling device may include a card output portion for receiving shuffled cards from the card-shuffling apparatus. The card output portion may be configured to receive the cards where major faces of the playing cards are oriented in a plane substantially transverse to the playing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Paul K. Scheper, Ronald R. Swanson, James B. Stasson, James P. Helgesen, Haven A. Mercer, Troy D. Nelson, Jamal Hani Kotifani, Feraidoon Bourbour, Peter Krenn
  • Patent number: 11333311
    Abstract: A lighting system includes first and second component housed within respective first and second housings, and a connector. The first housing defines a first substantially rectangular cross-section that extends from a first end to a second end. The first component is capable of emitting light. The second housing defines a second substantially rectangular cross-section. The second substantially rectangular cross-section extends from a third end to a fourth end. The connector connects the second end with the third end. The connector defines a third substantially rectangular cross-section that is substantially identical to the first and second substantially rectangular cross-sections. The third substantially rectangular cross-section extends along a path from the second end to the third end. The path includes at least one curve of at least fifteen degrees between the second end and the third end, and/or, the substantially rectangular cross-section rotates at least fifteen degrees about the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. Sorensen, Christopher D. Slaughter, Joshua J. Miller, Peter K. Nelson, Carl T. Gould, Zachary A. Ingalls, Benjamin M. Suttles, Patrick M. Tweel, Nicholas A. Ratliff, Elías Aurelio Romero Saldívar
  • Patent number: 11181680
    Abstract: A luminaire includes a housing, light-emitting diodes and a light guide. A lateral direction from a top side to a bottom side of the housing is a preferred direction. A front side of the housing forms an aperture. The light guide substantially spans the aperture. In operation, the LEDs emit light toward the preferred direction, which light enters a light coupling surface of the light guide, where it propagates and is substantially retained by total internal reflection. The light guide includes light extraction features to redirect a portion of the light out of total internal reflection, so that some of the light exits the housing through the aperture. The light extraction features redirect some of the light so that more of the light exits the aperture between a normal direction of the light guide and the preferred direction, than between the normal direction and the non-preferred direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. Sorensen, Christopher D. Slaughter, Joshua J. Miller, Peter K. Nelson, Carl T. Gould, Zachary A. Ingalls
  • Patent number: 10492263
    Abstract: Lighting devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. One lighting device includes a reflector, first and second groups of light emitters, and a controller. The reflector defines a reflective cavity having an opening and an interior surface including first and second features adapted to reflect light in different manners. The first and second groups of light emitters are positioned to emit light through the reflective cavity toward the first and second features, respectively. The controller is coupled to the first and second groups of light emitters, and is configured to control the first group of emitters to emit light having a first value of a characteristic of emitted light, and control the second group of emitters to emit light having a second value of the characteristic of emitted light different from the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Joshua J. Miller, Christopher J. Sorensen, Christopher D. Slaughter, Carl T. Gould, Peter K. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10415799
    Abstract: A dual output downlight luminaire includes a housing that forms at least a first cavity. A partition extends from a portion of the housing and at least partially forms a boundary between the first cavity and an annular second cavity. A first light source emits a first light that is centered about an optical axis and propagates toward a first output aperture. An optic redirects the first light to form a first light beam that exits the luminaire through the first output aperture. A concentrated portion of the first light beam subtends an angle of 60 degrees or less and is centered about the optical axis. A plurality of second light sources, within the second cavity, emit a second light that exits the luminaire through an annular second output aperture. The first and second light sources are independently controllable with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Grove, Peter K. Nelson, Carl T. Gould, Joshua J. Miller, Kevin F. Leadford, Christopher D. Slaughter, Christopher J. Sorensen
  • Patent number: 10344476
    Abstract: A luminaire configured for mounting to a grid ceiling system includes first and second portions. The first portion includes a first housing, one or more first mating elements, and a light engine coupled with the first housing that generates light from electrical power, and is oriented to emit the light away from the first housing. The second portion includes a second housing and one or more second mating elements. The second mating elements are adapted to couple with the first mating elements. At least one of the first portion and the second portion includes an electrical receptacle for receiving the electrical power for the light engine. When the first mating elements couple with the second mating elements, the first housing and the second housing together define a cavity for one or more members of the grid ceiling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. Sorensen, Joshua J. Miller, Carl T. Gould, Peter K. Nelson, Kevin F. Leadford, Christopher D. Slaughter
  • Publication number: 20190104577
    Abstract: Lighting devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. One lighting device includes a reflector, first and second groups of light emitters, and a controller. The reflector defines a reflective cavity having an opening and an interior surface including first and second features adapted to reflect light in different manners. The first and second groups of light emitters are positioned to emit light through the reflective cavity toward the first and second features, respectively. The controller is coupled to the first and second groups of light emitters, and is configured to control the first group of emitters to emit light having a first value of a characteristic of emitted light, and control the second group of emitters to emit light having a second value of the characteristic of emitted light different from the first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Joshua J. Miller, Christopher J. Sorensen, Christopher D. Slaughter, Carl T. Gould, Peter K. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10194503
    Abstract: A composite light source includes a plurality of illumination panels, that emit light of a fixed color and a variable luminous intensity. Over time, the luminous intensities of at least two of the illumination panels vary, while a combined luminous intensity of the illumination panels remains about constant. Another composite light source includes a plurality of illumination panels that emit light. Each illumination panel of at least a first subset of the plurality of illumination panels emits the light with a first luminous intensity, and each illumination panel of at least a second subset of the plurality of illumination panels emits the light with a second luminous intensity that is different from the first luminous intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Kevin F. Leadford, Carl T. Gould, Christopher J. Sorensen, Christopher D. Slaughter, Peter K. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10012353
    Abstract: A two-component luminaire for illuminating an architectural space includes a housing with a panel that faces the architectural space. A peripheral edge of the housing, having first and second edge segments, forms an output aperture that faces the architectural space. A plane bisecting the output aperture defines a boundary between an indirect lighting region and a direct lighting region. The luminaire includes a primary optical subsystem arranged within the housing so as to be hidden from the direct lighting region by the first panel section, and configured to generate and emit light, through the output aperture, solely into the indirect lighting region, and a secondary optical subsystem, disposed within the housing and configured to generate and emit light through the output aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Carl Gould, Peter K. Nelson, Chris Sorensen, Chris Slaughter, Kevin F. Leadford
  • Patent number: 9927079
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to wall recessed two-component luminaires. The two components can include a primary optical subsystem and a secondary optical subsystem. The primary optical subsystem can provide indirect lighting, illuminate an architectural space upward toward a ceiling, and/or have greater luminous flux than the secondary optical subsystem. The secondary optical subsystem can provide direct lighting, illuminate an architectural space horizontally and/or downward, provide lit appearance, provide direct view color and/or color gradients, provide direct view luminance and/or luminous gradients, and/or provide lighting for ambience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Carl Gould, Peter K. Nelson, Chris Sorensen, Chris Slaughter, Kevin F. Leadford
  • Patent number: 9835301
    Abstract: A pole luminaire mounts to a base and illuminates an area adjacent to the base. The luminaire includes a core structure having a plurality of side portions that extend vertically from the base, disposed about an elongate, open central shaft. One or more luminaire subassemblies couple with the core structure. Each luminaire subassembly includes a housing with a face panel that defines an aperture, a face plate coupled within the aperture, and a light engine having one or more light emitters. Light is directed through the aperture and the face plate into the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. Sorensen, Christopher D. Slaughter, Carl T. Gould, Peter K. Nelson, Kevin F. Leadford
  • Publication number: 20170307190
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a design system based on luminaires having multiple illumination panels includes first and second luminaires. Each of the first luminaires includes three illumination panels arranged in a row. Each of the second luminaires includes five illumination panels of the same size and shape, arranged in an L-shape, with a first, a second and a third panel arranged in a first row, and the third, a fourth and a fifth panel arranged in a second row at a ninety degree angle to the first row. In another embodiment, a design system based on luminaires having multiple illumination panels includes first and second luminaires. Each of the first luminaires includes three illumination panels arranged in a row. Each of the second luminaires includes nine illumination panels of the same size and shape, arranged in a grid of three rows and three columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Kevin F. Leadford, Joshua J. Miller, Peter K. Nelson, Carl T. Gould, Christopher D. Slaughter, Christopher J. Sorensen
  • Publication number: 20170082253
    Abstract: A luminaire configured for mounting to a grid ceiling system includes first and second portions. The first portion includes a first housing, one or more first mating elements, and a light engine coupled with the first housing that generates light from electrical power, and is oriented to emit the light away from the first housing. The second portion includes a second housing and one or more second mating elements. The second mating elements are adapted to couple with the first mating elements. At least one of the first portion and the second portion includes an electrical receptacle for receiving the electrical power for the light engine. When the first mating elements couple with the second mating elements, the first housing and the second housing together define a cavity for one or more members of the grid ceiling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher J. Sorensen, Joshua J. Miller, Carl T. Gould, Peter K. Nelson, Kevin F. Leadford, Christopher D. Slaughter
  • Patent number: 9360180
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a luminaire with an elongated luminaire body and at least one longitudinal luminaire flange each of which extend longitudinally from one end of the luminaire body. The luminaire body being shorter than the luminaire length measured from the ends of both longitudinal luminaire flanges. The luminaire body can include a channel with a plurality of light sources, optical elements, power lines, and/or control lines. A connector is also disclosed according to some embodiments of the invention that can be used to physically and/or electrically couple two luminaires together. The connector can couple the luminaires at a T-bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Chris Sorensen, Peter K. Nelson, Carl Gould
  • Publication number: 20160003432
    Abstract: A pole luminaire mounts to a base and illuminates an area adjacent to the base. The luminaire includes a core structure having a plurality of side portions that extend vertically from the base, disposed about an elongate, open central shaft. One or more luminaire subassemblies couple with the core structure. Each luminaire subassembly includes a housing with a face panel that defines an aperture, a face plate coupled within the aperture, and a light engine having one or more light emitters. Light is directed through the aperture and the face plate into the area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER J. SORENSEN, Christopher D. Slaughter, Carl T. Gould, Peter K. Nelson, Kevin F. Leadford
  • Patent number: 9222627
    Abstract: An annulus shaped luminaire includes an annular structure that includes one or more luminous panels, and transition structure that couples a support structure of the luminaire with the annular structure. The one or more luminous panels emit light that illuminates an area adjacent to the luminaire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Peter K. Nelson, Carl T. Gould, Kevin Franklin Leadford, Christopher D. Slaughter, Christopher J. Sorensen
  • Patent number: D804085
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Kevin F. Leadford, Peter K. Nelson, Christopher D. Slaughter, Christopher J. Sorensen, Carl T. Gould, Joshua Miller
  • Patent number: D804086
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Miller, Kevin F. Leadford, Peter K. Nelson, Christopher D. Slaughter, Christopher J. Sorensen, Carl T. Gould
  • Patent number: D804711
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Kevin F. Leadford, Peter K. Nelson, Christopher D. Slaughter, Christopher J. Sorensen, Carl T. Gould