Patents by Inventor Robert J. Turnbull

Robert J. Turnbull 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: 9791159
    Abstract: A system for storing articles can have at least two operating modes. In the first mode, gases are evacuated from the system whereby the articles are stored at a pressure less than the pressure at the exterior of the system. In the second mode, gases are evacuated while the system is open to the admittance of gases from the exterior of the system whereby the articles are ventilated by the admitted gases. The system also can have a third operating mode wherein both the first and second modes are rendered inoperative. The storage system can function so that when the articles are stored in the first mode, gases are intermittently removed from the system whereby the pressure at which the articles are stored is maintained at less than the pressure at the exterior of the system. The storage system can be located in a refrigeration appliance such as a household refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul H. Kelly, Robert L. Cushman, Robert J Turnbull, Charles D. Baker, Aaron W. Arvia
  • Publication number: 20150153053
    Abstract: A system for storing articles can have at least two operating modes. In the first mode, gases are evacuated from the system whereby the articles are stored at a pressure less than the pressure at the exterior of the system. In the second mode, gases are evacuated while the system is open to the admittance of gases from the exterior of the system whereby the articles are ventilated by the admitted gases. The system also can have a third operating mode wherein both the first and second modes are rendered inoperative. The storage system can function so that when the articles are stored in the first mode, gases are intermittently removed from the system whereby the pressure at which the articles are stored is maintained at less than the pressure at the exterior of the system. The storage system can be located in a refrigeration appliance such as a household refrigerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Paul H. Kelly, Robert L. Cushman, Robert J. Turnbull, Charles D. Baker, Aaron W. Arvia
  • Patent number: 8979621
    Abstract: A system for storing articles can have at least two operating modes. In the first mode, gases are evacuated from the system whereby the articles are stored at a pressure less than the pressure at the exterior of the system. In the second mode, gases are evacuated while the system is open to the admittance of gases from the exterior of the system whereby the articles are ventilated by the admitted gases. The system also can have a third operating mode wherein both the first and second modes are rendered inoperative. The storage system can function so that when the articles are stored in the first mode, gases are intermittently removed from the system whereby the pressure at which the articles are stored is maintained at less than the pressure at the exterior of the system. The storage system can be located in a refrigeration appliance such as a household refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul H. Kelly, Robert L. Cushman, Robert J. Turnbull, Charles D. Baker, Aaron W. Arvia
  • Publication number: 20080302114
    Abstract: A system for storing articles can have at least two operating modes. In the first mode, gases are evacuated from the system whereby the articles are stored at a pressure less than the pressure at the exterior of the system. In the second mode, gases are evacuated while the system is open to the admittance of gases from the exterior of the system whereby the articles are ventilated by the admitted gases. The system also can have a third operating mode wherein both the first and second modes are rendered inoperative. The storage system can function so that when the articles are stored in the first mode, gases are intermittently removed from the system whereby the pressure at which the articles are stored is maintained at less than the pressure at the exterior of the system. The storage system can be located in a refrigeration appliance such as a household refrigerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul H. Kelly, Robert L. Cushman, Robert J. Turnbull, Charles D. Baker, Aaron W. Arvia
  • Patent number: 7125471
    Abstract: Enzyme-treated papermaking sludges are provided, as are methods of making the enzyme-treated sludge. Papermaking processes that incorporate the enzyme-treated papermaking sludges into papermaking pulp are also provided as are paper and paperboard products made from the resultant pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Buckman Laboratories International, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter B. Hill, Jr., Brian G. Hart, Lowell F. Lott, Robert J. Turnbull, James W. Fitzhenry, Daniel E. Glover, Philip M. Hoekstra
  • Publication number: 20030102095
    Abstract: Enzyme-treated papermaking sludges are provided, as are methods of making the enzyme-treated sludge. Papermaking processes that incorporate the enzyme-treated papermaking sludges into papermaking pulp are also provided as are paper and paperboard products made from the resultant pulp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Walter B. Hill, Brian G. Hart, Lowell F. Lott, Robert J. Turnbull, James W. Fitzhenry, Daniel E. Glover, Philip M. Hoekstra
  • Patent number: 5941619
    Abstract: An improved electrical connector assembly and a method for installing the same quickly and efficiently in a refrigerator door conduit. The assembly provides a hollow member, or water tube, and an electrical connector having a locator and a stop surface. The method involves assembling the electrical connector and the hollow member by placing the locator within the hollow member and applying a force on the hollow member to push the electrical connector through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William V. Stieben, Rick L. Gunderson, Ronald G. Prusinski, Robert J. Turnbull
  • Patent number: 5816591
    Abstract: A refuse container constructed of a rigid plastic material comprises a walled storage bin having substantially vertical walls extending upwardly from a bottom wall. The refuse container includes a wheel-bearing axle mounted to the lower rear portion of the storage bin and at least one wheel mounted to a front portion of the storage bin. To prevent downward deflection of the storage bin bottom wall, the refuse container also includes a brace disposed beneath the bottom wall which mounts to the rear axle and the front portion of the storage bin to reinforce the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Cascade Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian G. Parker, Chadwick L. Van Sweden, Robert J. Turnbull
  • Patent number: 5801519
    Abstract: In any steady-state optimization problem, the output being optimized could be a nonmonotonic function of the controlled variable. Often the output is dependent on the temperature, the load impedance, and other unknown and variable quantities. Thus, it is very useful to have an automatic tuning scheme that will take the system to the desired operating point using only input and output information. The present invention is a generalized tuning scheme that uses the correlation between changes in the input and corresponding changes in the output to tune the operating point. In general terms, the present invention utilizes a correlation function between the controlled variable and a perturbed waveform. When the system reaches the desired operating point, the correlation goes to zero and the system converges. This corresponds to the point at which the derivative of the output with respect to the input is zero. This tuning scheme is appropriate for any tuning problem which has a single maximum or minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Pallab Midya, Philip T. Krein, Robert J. Turnbull
  • Patent number: 4366112
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing solid, evacuated microspheres comprised of hydrogen. The spheres are produced by forming a jet of liquid hydrogen and exciting mechanical waves on the jet of appropriate frequency so that the jet breaks up into drops with a bubble formed in each drop by cavitation. The drops are exposed to a pressure less than the vapor pressure of the liquid hydrogen so that the bubble which is formed within each drop expands. The drops which contain bubbles are exposed to an environment having a pressure just below the triple point of liquid hydrogen and they thereby freeze giving solid, evacuated spheres of hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Robert J. Turnbull, Christopher A. Foster, Charles D. Hendricks
  • Patent number: 3985841
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing solid, evacuated microspheres comprised of hydrogen. The spheres are produced by forming a jet of liquid hydrogen and exciting mechanical waves on the jet of appropriate frequency so that the jet breaks up into drops with a bubble formed in each drop by cavitation. The drops are exposed to a pressure less than the vapor pressure of the liquid hydrogen so that the bubble which is formed within each drop expands. The drops which contain bubbles are exposed to an environment having a pressure just below the triple point of liquid hydrogen and they thereby freeze giving solid, evacuated spheres of hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Energy Research and Development Administration
    Inventors: Robert J. Turnbull, Christopher A. Foster, Charles D. Hendricks