Patents by Inventor Robert Howie

Robert Howie 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: 7252690
    Abstract: This invention is a fuel composition having a sulphur content of ?50 ppm by weight and comprising ?50 ppm by weight of at least one fused polycyclic aromatic compound which has at least one hetero-atom selected from O and N either (a) as a heterocyclic group, or, (b) as an exocyclic group in which the hetero-atom is attached either directly or through one other carbon atom to a ring carbon atom wherein the fused polycyclic aromatic compound is substituted on at least one of its ring carbon atoms by a C1-C4 alkyl group. These compounds are capable of improving the antiwear and lubricity properties of a low sulphur fuels, especially diesel fuels, when compared with the performance of the same fuel in the absence of such compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Robert Howie Barbour, David John Rickeard, Alan Mark Schilowitz
  • Patent number: 7238214
    Abstract: This invention relates to a diesel fuel composition having enhanced lubricity, said composition comprising a major amount of a diesel fuel as base fuel blended with a minor amount of a nitrogen rich fraction characterised in that the nitrogen rich fraction is derived from a source material selected from (i) a solvent extract of a solid or semi-solid natural fossil, or, (ii) a refinery process stream or blend, the sulphur to nitrogen atom ratio in the nitrogen rich fraction being less than 4. The nitrogen rich fraction has an absolute nitrogen content of at least 1000 ppm by weight and this fraction is (re)blended with the base fuel is no more than 1% by weight of the total fuel composition. Methods of separating, recovering and reblending such naturally occurring nitrogen compounds can be installed or retrofitted at existing refinery and crude oil processing facilities without any substantial increase in production costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Robert Howie Barbour, David John Rickeard, Douglas James Abbott
  • Patent number: 7144436
    Abstract: A fuel composition comprising gasoline having a sulphur content of less than 10 ppm by weight and an aromatic content of less than 25% by volume, characterized in that said composition comprises at least 5% by volume of olefins and is substantially free of any ethers. The fuel composition so formed has reduced emissions and improved fuel economy. The emissions from such compositions can be further reduced by incorporating therein a small amount of ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Robert Howie Barbour, Stuart Pace, Alan Mark Schilowitz
  • Publication number: 20060156515
    Abstract: A composite knob including an injection molded translucent core having a side wall and a top wall with light pipe window or a light pipe opening formed in these walls. A trim ring is positioned on the core and has an opening therethrough to align with the light pipe window or opening. A cover is mounted on the trim ring and core and includes an opening aligned with the trim ring opening and the light pipe window or opening. A light pipe located in the light pipe window or light pipe opening is visible through the trim ring and cover openings. An opaque plastic light transmitting barrier is formed between the light pipe window or light pipe and the openings in the trim ring and cover. The light transmitting barrier is molded as a part of a gripping overlay applied to the outer surface of the skirt of the knob.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Inventor: Robert Howie
  • Patent number: 6656237
    Abstract: This invention provides a fuel composition having a sulphur content of not more than 50 ppm by weight and comprising at least 50 ppm based on the total weight of the fuel composition of at least one fused polycyclic aromatic compound which comprises at least one exocyclic group containing nitrogen wherein the nitrogen is attached directly to a ring carbon atom. Specific examples of such compounds include 1-amino naphthalene, 1,8-diaminonaphthalene, or 5-aminoindole, 2-(2-aminophenyl)indole and 8-aminoquinoline. These compounds are capable of improving the antiwear and lubricity properties of a low sulphur fuel when compared with that of the same fuel in the absence of such compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Robert Howie Barbour, David John Rickeard, Alan Mark Schilowitz
  • Publication number: 20030154650
    Abstract: This invention relates to a fuel composition comprising (i) a low sulphur fuel having a sulphur content of less than 30 ppm, a bromine number of less than 10 and an ultraviolet absorbance at 319 nm is below 0.15 and (ii) an effective amount of an ashless friction reducing additive which is a fatty acid having 10-30 carbon atoms or a derivative thereof. The fuel of the specified characteristics shown improved response to the friction reducing additive in respect of its lubricity performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Robert Howie Barbour, Gideon Freeman, Alan Mark Schilowitz
  • Publication number: 20030154648
    Abstract: This invention is a fuel composition having a sulphur content of ≦50 ppm by weight and comprising ≧50 ppm by weight of at least one fused polycyclic aromatic compound which has at least one hetero-atom selected from O and N either (a) as a heterocyclic group, or, (b) as an exocyclic group in which the hetero-atom is attached either directly or through one other carbon atom to a ring carbon atom wherein the fused polycyclic aromatic compound is substituted on at least one of its ring carbon atoms by a C1-C4 alkyl group. These compounds are capable of improving the antiwear and lubricity properties of a low sulphur fuels, especially diesel fuels, when compared with the performance of the same fuel in the absence of such compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Robert Howie Barbour, David John Rickeard, Alan Mark Schilowitz
  • Publication number: 20030150155
    Abstract: A fuel composition comprising gasoline having a sulphur content of less than 10 ppm by weight and an aromatic content of less than 25% by volume, characterized in that said composition comprises at least 5% by volume of olefins and is substantially free of any ethers. The fuel composition so formed has reduced emissions and improved fuel economy. The emissions from such compositions can be further reduced by incorporating therein a small amount of ethanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Robert Howie Barbour, Stuart Pace, Alan Mark Schilowitz