Patents by Inventor Robert A. Graham

Robert A. Graham 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).

  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSFER OF IONS FOR ANALYSIS
    Publication number: 20130126723
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for transferring ions for analysis. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample including an ionizing source for converting molecules of a sample into gas phase ions in a region at about atmospheric pressure, an ion analysis device, and an ion transfer member operably coupled to a gas flow generating device, in which the gas flow generating device produces a laminar gas flow that transfers the gas phase ions through the ion transfer member to an inlet of the ion analysis device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventors: Zheng Ouyang, Robert Graham Cooks, Sandilya Venkata Garimella, Jason David Harper, Nicholas Alan Charipar
  • WINCH
    Publication number: 20130119330
    Abstract: A winch for a sailboat comprises a support for mounting the winch with respect to a sailboat, a winch drum rotatable with respect to the support, a manual drive socket for receiving a crank handle for manual driving of the winch and a motor for powered driving of the winch. The winch provides at least two manual forward winding gearing ratios selectable according to the direction of rotation of the manual drive socket. Motor-operated forward and reverse winding can be provided. The winch can lock against reverse winding when the crank handle is located in the drive socket. Control means are provided for controlling the motor. The control means has two selectable on-off controls only, a forwards control being exclusively for controlling on-off motor-operated forward winding of the winch drum and a reverse control being exclusively for controlling on-off motor-operated reverse winding of the winch drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: Lewmar Limited
    Inventors: Robert Graham Fields, Oliver Peter Gregory Falconer
  • WINCH
    Publication number: 20130119331
    Abstract: A self-tailing arrangement for a winch comprises a rope guide channel defined by upper and lower guide rings which are rotatable with a drum and adapted to grip rope therein. A feeder arm guides rope between the drum and the rope guide channel and is fixed with respect to a support. A spring-mounted retainer guide guides rope between the rope guide channel and an unloaded end of the rope. The drum is rotatable with respect to the retainer guide. The retainer guide has a retainer lip extending partially circumferentially around the self-tailing assembly to at least partially enclose a portion of the rope guide channel. The retainer guide further defines at least one side of an opening adjacent the retainer lip, the opening being sized to conduct rope through the opening during reverse winding of the winch, the rope thereby being retained in the rope guide channel by the retainer lip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: Lewmar Limited
    Inventors: Robert Graham Fields, Oliver Peter Gregory Falconer
  • ION GENERATION USING WETTED POROUS MATERIAL
    Publication number: 20130112867
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for mass spectrometry analysis of samples. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a mass spectrometry probe including at least one porous material connected to a high voltage source, in which the porous material is discrete from a flow of solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Zheng Ouyang, He Wang, Nicholas E. Manicke, Robert Graham Cooks, Qian Yang, Jiangjiang Liu
  • ION GENERATION USING WETTED POROUS MATERIAL
    Publication number: 20130112866
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for mass spectrometry analysis of samples. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a mass spectrometry probe including at least one porous material connected to a high voltage source, in which the porous material is discrete from a flow of solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Zheng Ouyang, He Wang, Nicholas E. Manicke, Robert Graham Cooks, Qian Yang, Jiangjiang Liu
  • ION GENERATION USING WETTED POROUS MATERIAL
    Publication number: 20130112017
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for mass spectrometry analysis of samples. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a mass spectrometry probe including at least one porous material connected to a high voltage source, in which the porous material is discrete from a flow of solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Zheng Ouyang, He Wang, Nicholas E. Manicke, Robert Graham Cooks, Qian Yang, Jiangjiang Liu
  • DISCONTINUOUS ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE INTERFACE
    Publication number: 20130105683
    Abstract: A method of interfacing atmospheric pressure ion sources, including electrospray and desorption electrospray ionization sources, to mass spectrometers, for example miniature mass spectrometers, in which the ionized sample is discontinuously introduced into the mass spectrometer. Discontinuous introduction improves the match between the pumping capacity of the instrument and the volume of atmospheric pressure gas that contains the ionized sample. The reduced duty cycle of sample introduction is offset by operation of the mass spectrometer under higher performance conditions and by ion accumulation at atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Zheng Ouyang, Liang Gao, Robert Graham Cooks
  • Method of implanting a modular fracture fixation system
    Patent number: 8419775
    Abstract: A fracture fixation plate system for use on a long bone having a metaphysis and a diaphysis, includes at least one end plate having a head portion for the metaphysis, and at least one diaphyseal plate having a first end and a second end with a plurality of screw holes therebetween. The end plate includes mating structure adapted to mate with and securely couple to at least one end of the at least one diaphyseal plate. The system preferably includes several end plates and diaphyseal plates to accommodate anatomy of various sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Biomet C.V.
    Inventors: Jorge L. Orbay, Javier E. Castaneda, Robert Graham, Robert Sixto, Jr., Jose Luis Francese, Marcus Bourda, Edward Mebarak, Cesare Cavallazzi
  • Systems and methods for transfer of ions for analysis
    Patent number: 8410431
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for transferring ions for analysis. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample including an ionizing source for converting molecules of a sample into gas phase ions in a region at about atmospheric pressure, an ion analysis device, and an ion transfer member operably coupled to a gas flow generating device, in which the gas flow generating device produces a laminar gas flow that transfers the gas phase ions through the ion transfer member to an inlet of the ion analysis device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Zheng Ouyang, Robert Graham Cooks, Sandilya Venkata Garimella, Jason David Harper, Nicholas Alan Charipar
  • Locking screw system with relatively hard spiked polyaxial bushing
    Patent number: 8388666
    Abstract: A polyaxial locking screw system includes a bone plate defining a plate hole with an inner spherical surface and a relatively harder split polyaxial bushing with a outer spherical surface provided within the plate hole for receiving a bone screw. In one embodiment, the plate is formed from titanium alloy, while the bushing is formed from a cobalt chrome alloy. The outer surface of the polyaxial bushing includes a plurality of spikes. When the screw is inserted into the bushing, since the bushing material is considerably harder than the plate material, the forceful expansion of the bushing during screw insertion causes the spikes to penetrate into the inner spherical surface of the hole, thereby increasing the frictional engagement of the bushing to the plate to lock the screw at a desired angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Biomet C.V.
    Inventors: Javier E. Castaneda, Robert Graham, Cesare Cavallazzi, Jose Luis Francese, Robert Sixto, Jr.
  • Methods and systems for producing reduced resid and bottomless products from heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks
    Patent number: 8377287
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. The method comprises introducing a particulate heat carrier into an up-flow reactor, introducing the feedstock at a location above the entry of the particulate heat carrier, allowing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to interact with the heat carrier for a short time, separating the vapors of the product stream from the particulate heat carrier and liquid and byproduct solid matter, collecting a gaseous and liquid product mixture comprising a mixture of a light fraction and a heavy fraction from the product stream, and using a vacuum tower to separate the light fraction as a substantially bottomless product and the heavy fraction from the product mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Graham, Barry Freel
  • Non-destructive, high order harmonic ion motion image current detection
    Patent number: 8362418
    Abstract: The invention herein generally relates to non-destructive, high order harmonic ion motion image current detection. In certain embodiments, ion motion corresponding to high order harmonic frequencies, instead of the secular frequencies, is detected using image current detection with a constant excitation applied to the waveform signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Wei Xu, William Chappell, Zheng Ouyang, Robert Graham Cooks
  • PORTABLE DEVICE FOR RAPIDLY INFLATING A BAG
    Publication number: 20130019994
    Abstract: A portable device for rapidly inflating an inflatable bag is disclosed, which comprises at least one inlet intended to be connected to a source of compressed gas, in order to allow this gas to expand into an air intake chamber, the inlet being associated with a mechanism that triggers the release of the compressed gas to the air intake chamber, the latter having an opening allowing atmospheric air to be admitted and an outlet intended to be connected to the bag that is to be inflated. The device further comprises an intermediate distribution chamber for the compressed gas, which chamber is arranged between the inlet and the air intake chamber in order to connect the one to the other, and ejection holes arranged so as to open into a lateral wall of the air intake chamber in order to connect the latter to the intermediate distribution chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Marc-Antoine SCHAER, Robert GRAHAM, Laurent RAEBER
  • Plate Holder for Manipulating Bone Plate
    Publication number: 20130006312
    Abstract: A plate holder is provided to facilitate percutaneous introduction of a bone plate, positioning of the plate on a bone surface, and stabilizing the plate while a fastener is inserted through the plate into the bone. The plate holder includes a proximal handle, a distal mount, and an arm extending between the handle and the mount. The mount includes a first portion which seats within a slot on the shaft of a plate, and a second portion at which the shaft is coupled and which includes a tapered proximal side. A set screw hole is provided through the first and second portions, and a set screw is provided therein. When the first portion is seated in a compression slot of a plate and the set screw is driven to seat, the set screw locks the mount to the plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Robert Graham, Cesare Cavallazzi, Marcus Bourda, G. Mark Lindsay, Edward Mebarak, Roy Sanders
  • Method of Implanting a Modular Fracture Fixation System
    Publication number: 20120323281
    Abstract: A fracture fixation plate system for use on a long bone having a metaphysis and a diaphysis, includes at least one end plate having a head portion for the metaphysis, and at least one diaphyseal plate having a first end and a second end with a plurality of screw holes therebetween. The end plate includes mating structure adapted to mate with and securely couple to at least one end of the at least one diaphyseal plate. The system preferably includes several end plates and diaphyseal plates to accommodate anatomy of various sizes. A method for coupling the plates to the bone is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Jorge L. Orbay, Javier E. Castaneda, Robert Graham, Robert Sixto, JR., Jose Luis Francese, Marcus Bourda, Edward Mebarak, Cesare Cavallazzi
  • ENCLOSED DESORPTION ELECTROSPRAY IONIZATION PROBES AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF
    Publication number: 20120312979
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to enclosed desorption electrospray ionization probes, systems, and methods. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a source of DESI-active spray, in which a distal portion of the source is enclosed within a transfer member such that the DESI-active spray is produced within the transfer member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: Purdue Research Foundation (PRF)
    Inventors: Robert Graham Cooks, Zheng Ouyang, Chien-Hsun Chen, Ziqing Lin, Livia Schiavinato Eberlin
  • Attenuated gram negative bacteria
    Patent number: 8329163
    Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are a mutant of a gram negative bacterium, wherein said bacterium has at least one mutation in a nucleotide sequence which codes for a polypeptide having an identity which is equal or more than 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% with an amino acid sequence coded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of nucleotide sequences identified SEQ ID NO: 2, 6, 9, 12, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 43, 46, 49, 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 75, 78, 81, 84, 87, 90, 93; said mutation resulting in attenuated virulence of the bacterium. Immunogenic compositions and vaccines containing such a mutant are also disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Merial Limited
    Inventors: Helen Rachel Crooke, Jacqueline Elizabeth Shea, Robert Graham Feldman, Sylvain Gabriel Goutebroze, Francois Xavier Le Gros
  • Distal tibia plating system
    Patent number: 8317842
    Abstract: A distal tibia plating system includes anterolateral and medial plates. The anterolateral plate includes a shaft with both threaded first fastener holes and compression slots along its length. The head includes a first row of four threaded fastener holes arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis, a non-threaded compression screw hole, and a plurality of distal tabs. Each tab includes a ring with a single threaded fastener hole and a bridge that couples the ring to the distal end of the plate. The bridge is configured to bend preferentially in a desired direction and to allow tab removal. The medial plate is a low profile plate including a shaft and a relatively enlarged distal head. Several fasteners can be used with the plates. A plate holder is provided to maneuver the plates subcutaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Biomet C.V.
    Inventors: Robert Graham, Cesare Cavallazzi, Marcus Bourda, G. Mark Lindsay, Edward Mebarak, Roy Sanders
  • MASS SPECTRAL ANALYSIS
    Publication number: 20120295276
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to mass spectral analysis. In certain embodiments, methods of the invention involve analyzing a lipid containing sample using a mass spectrometry technique, in which the technique utilizes a liquid phase that does not destroy native tissue morphology during analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION (PRF)
    Inventors: Robert Graham Cooks, Livia Schiavinato Eberlin, Christina Ramires Ferreira, Allison Lisa Dill, Demian Rocha Ifa
  • Discontinuous atmospheric pressure interface
    Patent number: 8304718
    Abstract: A method of interfacing atmospheric pressure ion sources, including electrospray and desorption electrospray ionization sources, to mass spectrometers, for example miniature mass spectrometers, in which the ionized sample is discontinuously introduced into the mass spectrometer. Discontinuous introduction improves the match between the pumping capacity of the instrument and the volume of atmospheric pressure gas that contains the ionized sample. The reduced duty cycle of sample introduction is offset by operation of the mass spectrometer under higher performance conditions and by ion accumulation at atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Zheng Ouyang, Liang Gao, Robert Graham Cooks