Patents by Inventor Richard E. Merrill

Richard E. Merrill 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).

  • Patent number: 4816305
    Abstract: A tamper-resistant vessel which contains a liquid is provided with a non-adherent multi-walled construction having, in one embodiment, at least two adjacent non-adherent layers for providing a void in between to enable tamper indication by discoloration indicative of gross spoilage. In one embodiment, the container or vessel has an opaque inner wall and a closely spaced transparent outer wall, with a void in between. Puncture from the outside through the two walls provides seepage of the interiorly-carried liquid between the multiple walls to provide the look of spoilage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: McNeilab Inc.
    Inventors: E. Joseph Stillwell, George E. Pickering, Richard E. Merrill
  • Patent number: 4755405
    Abstract: A tamper-resistant vessel which contains a liquid is provided with a non-adherent multi-walled construction having, in one embodiment, at least two adjacent non-adherent layers for providing a void in between to enable tamper indication by discoloration indicative of gross spoliage. In one embodiment, the container or vessel has an opaque inner wall and a closely spaced transparent outer wall, with a void in between. Puncture from the outside through the two walls provides seepage of the interiorly-carried liquid between the multiple walls to provide the look of spoilage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1988
    Assignee: McNeilab Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur A. Massucco, E. Joseph Stilwell, George E. Pickering, Richard E. Merrill
  • Patent number: 4638797
    Abstract: By incorporating chemical reinforcing additives into a polyurethane resin base, a unique, reinforced moisture vapor permeable membrane is achieved which comprises a substantially increased modulus of elasticity, rendering the membrane easier to handle and employ. In the preferred embodiment, the polyurethane resin base comprises a blend of polyurethane resins and the two chemical reinforcing additives comprise a non-urethane copolymer resin and silica. Furthermore, a moisture vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to one surface of the membrane, thereby attaining a wound dressing which is easy to handle and employ for various surgical procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1987
    Assignee: Acme United Corporation
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Craig L. Allard
  • Patent number: 4371632
    Abstract: A "cold-processed" thermoset plastic pencil lead is produced by extruding a composition formed by blending a mixture of a marking material, a phenolic novolac resin, a hardening agent, a plasticizer, and a lubricant. Blending, billeting, and extruding operations are performed at material temperatures that, in general, do not exceed about 200.degree. F. The extrudate is cured at higher temperatures of, for example, 260.degree. F. to 325.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignee: Empire Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold Grossman, Richard E. Merrill, Paul B. Monaghan
  • Patent number: 4294792
    Abstract: Disclosed are molded plastic parts particularly eyeglass frame components, the centrifugal spin-casting of such parts and mold apparatus for producing such parts. Also disclosed are flexible molds for spin-casting eyeglass fronts and temples. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the plastic parts are made from a resin system or mixture in liquid form comprising an epoxy resin, a curing agent therefore and an ultra-violet absorber and/or an antioxidant. DGEBA-type epoxy resins and polyoxypropylenediamine curing agents are the disclosed preferred epoxy resin and curing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Assignee: Universal Optical Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Irving J. Arons, Richard E. Merrill, Arthur P. Drennan
  • Patent number: 4286048
    Abstract: Screen printing stencils are prepared by afixing to a printing screen substrate an indicia-defining, ultraviolet-sensitive film and cross-linking the film by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The coating compositions used to form the film comprise copolyacrylate/polyurethane block copolymers, in which the copolyacrylate blocks are copolymers of at least one hydroxy-containing acrylate and at least one acrylate or methacrylate which may be partially substituted with bromine, ultraviolet initiators and cross-linking monomers. Screen printing stencils are provided which are compatible with both water-based and oil-based inks. The disclosed screen printing stencils are used in improved screen-printing methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1981
    Assignee: Arthur D. Little, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Arthur A. Massucco
  • Patent number: 4276367
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate in which the oleophilic imaging areas are formed as a thin cross-linked block copolymer film adhered to the hydrophilic surface of a backing plate. The block copolymer comprises blocks of copolyacrylate and polyurethane wherein the copolyacrylate blocks are a copolymer of a hydroxy-containing acrylate and a second acrylate component comprising one or more esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid or mixtures thereof and the polyurethane blocks are formed of polyoxybutylene as the prepolymer component. In forming the printing plate the block copolymer is deposited as a thin film containing an ultraviolet initiator and a cross linking promoter and the cross-linked imaging areas are formed by exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1981
    Assignee: Arthur D. Little, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Arthur A. Massucco
  • Patent number: 4254194
    Abstract: Screen printing stencils are prepared by affixing to a printing screen substrate an indicia-defining, ultraviolet-sensitive film and cross-linking the film by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The coating compositions used to form the film comprise copolyacrylate/polyurethane block copolymers, in which the copolyacrylate blocks are copolymers of at least one hydroxy-containing acrylate and at least one acrylate or methacrylate which may be partially substituted with bromine, ultraviolet initiators and cross-linking monomers. Screen printing stencils are provided which are compatible with both water-based and oil-based inks. The disclosed screen printing stencils are used in improved screen-printing methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1981
    Assignee: Arthur D. Little, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Arthur A. Massucco
  • Patent number: 4224399
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate in which the oleophilic imaging areas are formed as a thin cross-linked block copolymer film adhered to the hydrophilic surface of a backing plate. The block copolymer comprises blocks of copolylacrylate and polyurethane wherein the copolyacrylate blocks are a copolymer of a hydroxy-containing acrylate and a second acrylate component comprising one or more esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid or mixtures thereof and the polyurethane blocks are formed of polyoxybutylene as the prepolymer component. In forming the printing plate the block copolymer is deposited as a thin film containing an ultraviolet initiator and a cross linking promoter and the cross-linked imaging areas are formed by exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1980
    Assignee: Arthur D. Little, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Arthur A. Massucco
  • Patent number: 4209582
    Abstract: Screen printing stencils are prepared by affixing to a printing screen substrate an indicia-defining, ultraviolet-sensitive film and cross-linking the film by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The coating compositions used to form the film comprise copolyacrylate/polyurethane block copolymers, in which the copolyacrylate blocks are copolymers of at least one hydroxy-containing acrylate and at least one acrylate or methacrylate which may be partially substituted with bromine, ultraviolet initiators and cross-linking monomers. Screen printing stencils are provided which are compatible with both water-based and oil-based inks. The disclosed screen printing stencils are used in improved screen-printing methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: Arthur D. Little, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Arthur A. Massucco
  • Patent number: 4145216
    Abstract: A dry system for forming and transferring images is provided. The system comprises a photoactive component comprising a tacky photohardenable layer on a selected carrier sheet and a transfer component comprising a frangible color layer on a selected carrier sheet. The two components are disposed with their photohardenable and color layers in air-free contact with one another and then subjected to irradiation with actinic radiation in accordance with a selected image pattern so as to cause selected portions of the photohardenable layer to harden and fuse to confronting portions of the color layer. Then the two components are separated whereby the fused portions of the color layer are separated from its carrier sheet and transferred to the photoactive component. Thereafter the color layer remaining on the transferable component is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1979
    Assignee: Seal Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Theodore H. Krueger
  • Patent number: 4081282
    Abstract: A dry system for forming and transferring images is provided. The system comprises a photoactive component comprising a tacky photohardenable layer on a selected carrier sheet and a transfer component comprising a frangible color layer on a selected carrier sheet. The two components are disposed with their photohardenable and color layers in air-free contact with one another and then subjected to irradiation with actinic radiation in accordance with a selected image pattern so as to cause selected portions of the photohardenable layer to harden and fuse to confronting portions of the color layer. Then the two components are separated whereby the fused portions of the color layer are separated from its carrier sheet and transferred to the photoactive component. Thereafter the color layer remaining on the transferable component is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1978
    Assignee: Seal Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Theodore H. Krueger
  • Patent number: 4018939
    Abstract: A method for improving adhesion of nonfogging film coatings comprising a block copolymer containing alternating blocks of polyurethane and a hydrophilic polyacrylic, to a polymeric substrate by subjecting the substrate to a controlled exposure to UV irradiation. Exposure may be prior to or following casting the nonfogging coating in place on the substrate. By varying the weight ratio of polyurethane/polyacrylic it is possible to vary the flexibility of the coating and hence to widen the range of substrates to which the coating may be applied, e.g., from flexible wrapping material to rigid mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1977
    Assignee: Arthur D. Little, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Arthur A. Massucco
  • Patent number: 3993408
    Abstract: Pencils made with a resin-based sheath to replace wood sheaths. A sheath material consisting essentially of a resin binder, a fibrous filler and a metallic soap is extruded around a marking core. The resulting extrudate is immediately chilled after leaving the die, and cut into pencil lengths. The apparatus includes core feeding and transport means, core preheating means and chilling means. The resulting pencils possess the physical qualities associated with wood-sheathed pencils due to the fine, closed cell structure of the sheath material. The surface of the sheath is smooth and may be coated with a pigmented resin or painted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1974
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1976
    Assignee: Hasbro Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Irving J. Arons, Robert Eller, Richard E. Merrill
  • Patent number: 3983195
    Abstract: Pencils made with a resin-based sheath to replace wood sheaths. A sheath material consisting essentially of a resin binder, a fibrous filler and a metallic soap is extruded around a marking core. The resulting extrudate is immediately chilled after leaving the die, and cut into pencil lengths. The apparatus includes core feeding and transport means, core preheating means and chilling means. The resulting pencils possess the physical qualities associated with wood-sheathed pencils due to the fine, closed cell structure of the sheath material. The surface of the sheath is smooth and may be coated with a pigmented resin or painted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1974
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1976
    Assignee: Hasbro Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Irving J. Arons, Robert Eller, Richard E. Merrill
  • Patent number: 3935367
    Abstract: A method for treating a surface of a substrate to render it nonfogging and the resulting article formed by the treatment. A thin film coating of a block copolymer containing alternating blocks of polyurethane and a hydrophilic copolyacrylic is adhered to the surface to be made nonfogging. The copolyacrylic is a copolymer of a hydroxy substituted acrylate and an ethylenically unsaturated acid such as acrylic acid. By varying the weight ratio of polyetherurethane/copolyacrylic it is possible to vary the flexibility of the coating and hence to widen the range of substrates to which the treatment is applicable, e.g., from flexible wrapping material to rigid mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1972
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1976
    Assignee: Arthur D. Little, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Merrill, Arthur A. Massucco