Patents by Inventor Richard C. Compton

Richard C. Compton 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: 20100057086
    Abstract: An orthopedic assembly including a plate and a locking screw that interlocks with the plate to secure the plate to a bone while the bone heals. To minimize galling or cold welding within an engagement region of the orthopedic assembly, an anodized coating, such as a Type II anodized coating, may be applied to both engaging surfaces of the engagement region. To avoid having to mask portions of the plate and the locking screw outside of the engagement region during the coating process, the anodized coating may be applied to the entire plate and the entire locking screw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: ZIMMER, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory G. Price, Richard C. Compton
  • Patent number: 6049054
    Abstract: A method of making an orthopaedic implant includes the step of forming an orthopaedic implant body which has a supporting surface. A porous metal pad is formed to fit the supporting surface of the body. The porous metal pad is clamped and/or adhesively bonded to the supporting surface. A laser beam is coupled between the porous metal pad and the implant body at a plurality of locations so as to form a coalescence of metal between the porous metal pad and the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
    Inventors: Clarence M. Panchison, Michael S. Hawley, Ravindranath H. Shetty, Richard C. Compton
  • Patent number: 6025536
    Abstract: An orthopaedic implant is forged from a metallic body consisting of a cobalt-chromium alloy. The forged implant is descaled by blasting the implant with a particulate blasting agent at a momentum which is sufficient to remove scale formed on the implant during the forging step but insufficient to otherwise cause major structural surface deformation to the implant. The descaled implant is electro-chemical polished by submersing the implant in an acid bath having a temperature of between approximately 80.degree. F. and 90.degree. F. The acid bath includes approximately 45% sulfuric acid and 50% phosphoric acid. Direct current electrical power ranging between approximately 10 volts D.C. and 13 volts D.C. is applied to the implant. The polished implant is ultrasonically cleaned. The implant is inspected with a fluorescent penetrant to determine whether surface defects exist in the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
    Inventors: Larry S. Bender, David M. Blakemore, Richard C. Compton, Richard B. Cwik, Leslie N. Gilbertson, Steven M. Humphrey, Steven C. Kitch, Kris K. Merchant, Tim A. Mosher, Robin J. Reed
  • Patent number: 5982103
    Abstract: A radio frequency antenna for use with a wall mounted transmitter and/or receiver for receiving and/or transmitting signals adapted to control a control device and/or indicate status of the control device. The antenna includes an insulating substrate sized to fit within an area defined by a faceplate sized to cover an outwardly facing opening of an electrical wallbox. Conductors are disposed on both sides of the substrate forming a capacitive component. At least one of the conductors is adapted to radiate radio frequency energy into the environment. The one conductor is electrically coupled to the other conductor, and the one conductor has a pattern such that the conductor is absent in areas so as to provide the antenna with an inductive component. The at least one conductor further provides a connection to the transmitter and/or receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Mosebrook, Richard C. Compton, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: 5736965
    Abstract: A radio frequency antenna for use with a wall mounted transmitter and/or receiver for receiving and/or transmitting signals adapted to control a control device and/or indicate status of the control device. The antenna includes an insulating substrate sized to fit within an area defined by a faceplate sized to cover an outwardly facing opening of an electrical wallbox. Conductors are disposed on both sides of the substrate forming a capacitive component. At least one of the conductors is adapted to radiate radio frequency energy into the environment. The one conductor is electrically coupled to the other conductor, and the one conductor has a pattern such that the conductor is absent in areas so as to provide the antenna with an inductive component. The at least one conductor further provides a connection to the transmitter and/or receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Mosebrook, Richard C. Compton, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: 5584046
    Abstract: A system and method for spatially and temporally synchronizing satellite (space based) and terrestrial (ground based) communications services using time division multiple access between the two types of service providers is given. Satellite and terrestrial communication services are assigned geographic cell boundaries to prevent conflicting simultaneous use of allocated spectrum. The spatial synchronization of cell boundaries can occur before hand by agreement between the users of the satellite and terrestrial services. This spatial synchronization may conform to geographic as well as political boundaries. Satellite and terrestrial services are assigned time slots to use a given spectrum within a given area. Methods are described for synchronizing the time slots to prevent interference between the services. Synchronization of LMDS and Teledesic services is described in the disclosure of a preferred embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Ren e D. Martinez, Richard C. Compton
  • Patent number: 5535810
    Abstract: A method of forming a cast orthopaedic implant having a porous surface layer is disclosed. The method includes placing a porous layer on a wax replica of the implant such that a portion of the pores of the layer are filled with the wax material. The wax replica and porous surface layer are coated by a ceramic material consistent with investment casting technology. The ceramic material fills the remainder of the pores of the porous layer. After the ceramic material is solidified, the wax material is melted away leaving a cavity within the ceramic material. The pores once filled by wax are now exposed and extend into the cavity. A molten metal is poured into the cavity and partially melts the exposed porous layer to form a melt bond with the molten metal. When the metal is cooled, the ceramic material is stripped away exposing the portion of the porous layer previously filled with the ceramic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Compton, Leslie N. Gibertson
  • Patent number: 5523764
    Abstract: An electronic beam steering technique for active arrays uses a single balanced diode mixer phase-locked loop connected between adjacent oscillators. Each oscillator has its own antenna that radiates energy into free space so the phase difference between oscillators determines the direction of the main radiating beam. An offset voltage added to the phase-locked loop controls the phase difference and thus the beam direction, providing over 100.degree. of adjustable phase difference between adjacent oscillators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Inc.
    Inventors: Rene D. Martinez, Richard C. Compton
  • Patent number: 5485164
    Abstract: An array of coupled microwave oscillators operate at equally spaced output frequencies to produce a train of high-power RF pulses. Each oscillator is embedded in a printed planar radiating structure so that they form a classical antenna array. The oscillators are coupled through weak radiative interactions and by adjusting the frequencies of the oscillators so that adjacent devices operate at equally spaced frequencies, the output from the array is a frequency spectrum of equally spaced pulses. The pulses have a pulse repetition rate which is determined by the frequency spacing and the pulse duration and peak power are a function of the square of the number of oscillators in the array. In addition, the signal scans repetitively through space above the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Compton, Robert A. York