Patents by Inventor Robert M. O'Connor

Robert M. O'Connor 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: 12234371
    Abstract: This invention provides a polymer that is useful in a variety of applications, including as a binder polymer of a coating composition, and especially a packaging coating composition. Packaging articles (e.g., containers) comprising the polymer and methods of making such packaging articles are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Richard H. Evans, Jeffrey Niederst, Robert M. O'Brien, Benoit Prouvost, Kevin Romagnoli, Grant Schutte, Paul Stenson, Tom Van Kuren
  • Patent number: 12234379
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition is provided that is useful in coating a variety of substrates, including interior or exterior portions of food or beverage cans. The coating composition includes a resin system that includes a multi-stage latex. In some embodiments, the multi-stage latex is formed using a process that includes emulsion polymerizing two or more stages in the presence of an aqueous dispersion including a water-dispersible polymer. In certain preferred embodiments, the water-dispersible polymer is a polyether polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Robert M. O'Brien, Mark Stuetelberg, Joseph D. Desousa, Mary Jo Scandolari, Nikolaus Koch, Stephen Pollin, Nusrah Hussain
  • Patent number: 12168703
    Abstract: Water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymers are made by reacting (i) an unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups, or (ii) an unsaturated or saturated oligomer or polymer containing a plurality of cyclic carbonate groups, with a tertiary amine in the presence of an acid, or with an acid in the presence of a tertiary amine, or in the presence of an acid and a tertiary amine, to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed monomer, oligomer or polymer. When step a) provides a monomer or oligomer, the monomer or oligomer is reacted with one or more monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer. When step a) provides a polymer, the polymer is optionally used to support emulsion polymerization of one or more unsaturated monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed further polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Joseph D. Desousa, Arthur Riazzi, Benjamin J. Webster, Robert M. O′Brien, Kailas B. Sawant, Richard H. Evans, Sebastien Gibanel
  • Publication number: 20240400724
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition useful in coating a variety of substrates, including interior or exterior portions of food or beverage cans. The coating composition includes a multi-stage polymeric latex having two or more emulsion polymerized stages in an aqueous carrier liquid, wherein the latex has one or both of: (i) a lower glass transition temperature (Tg) emulsion polymerized stage having a calculated Tg that is at least 20° C. lower than a calculated Tg of a higher Tg emulsion polymerized stage, or (ii) a gradient Tg with at least a 20° C. differential in the calculated Tg of monomers fed at the start of polymerization compared to monomers fed at the end of polymerization. When spray-applied on the interior of a food or beverage can, the composition exhibits a global extraction result of less than 50 ppm and a metal exposure value of less than 3 mA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Robert M. O'BRIEN, Mark STUETELBERG, Joseph D. DESOUSA, Mary Jo SCANDOLARI, Nikolaus KOCH, Stephen POLLIN, Nusrah HUSSAIN
  • Publication number: 20240351066
    Abstract: A coating composition is provided that is preferably substantially free of bisphenol A. The coating composition is useful in coating metal substrates such as, for example, interior and/or exterior surfaces of food or beverage cans. In some embodiments, the coating composition is formulated using an acrylic polymer that is formed form ingredients that do not include styrene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Sebastien GIBANEL, Marie BRAILLON, Samuel PUAUD, Nusrah HUSSAIN, Kailas SAWANT, Joseph DESOUSA, Robert M. O'BRIEN, Jason S. NESS
  • Publication number: 20240351746
    Abstract: This invention provides a polymer, which is preferably a polyether polymer. The polymer may be used in coating compositions. Containers and other articles comprising the polymer and methods of making such containers and other articles are also provided. The invention further provides compositions including the polymer (e.g., powder coatings), which have utility in a variety of coating end uses, including, for example, valve and pipe coatings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Jeffrey NIEDERST, Richard H. EVANS, Robert M. O'BRIEN, Kevin ROMAGNOLI, Mark S. VON MAIER
  • Patent number: 12079114
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for self-paced migration of an application programming language (API) gateway. An embodiment operates by receiving a functional test suite corresponding to an application programming interface (API). The embodiment generates a knowledge graph of information by combining a test result graph of information based on a result of execution of one or more tests in the functional test suite with a metadata linked graph of information based on metadata corresponding to the one or more APIs. The embodiment then generates an alert message corresponding to the function test suite based on the knowledge graph of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Salesforce.Com, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. O'Dell, Nicolas Hernan Battiato, Diego Larralde, Ignacio Agustin Manzano
  • Publication number: 20240279375
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition is provided that is preferably substantially free of styrene and structural units derived from styrene. The coating composition includes a resin system that preferably includes a water-dispersible polymer and an emulsion polymerized ethylenically unsaturated monomer component. The resin system is preferably formed using a process that includes emulsion polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer component in the presence of an aqueous dispersion including the water-dispersible polymer. In certain preferred embodiments, the water-dispersible polymer is a salt of an acid- or anhydride-functional aromatic polyether polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Robert M. O'Brien, Mark Stuetelberg, Sebastien Gibanel
  • Patent number: 12006380
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition useful in coating a variety of substrates, including interior or exterior portions of food or beverage cans. The coating composition includes a multi-stage polymeric latex having two or more emulsion polymerized stages in an aqueous carrier liquid, wherein the latex has one or both of: (i) a lower glass transition temperature (Tg) emulsion polymerized stage having a calculated Tg that is at least 20° C. lower than a calculated Tg of a higher Tg emulsion polymerized stage, or (ii) a gradient Tg with at least a 20° C. differential in the calculated Tg of monomers fed at the start of polymerization compared to monomers fed at the end of polymerization. When spray-applied on the interior of a food or beverage can, the composition exhibits a global extraction result of less than 50 ppm and a metal exposure value of less than 3 mA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Robert M. O'Brien, Mark Stuetelberg, Joseph D. Desousa, Mary Jo Scandolari, Nikolaus Koch, Stephen Pollin, Nusrah Hussain
  • Publication number: 20230416417
    Abstract: Water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymers are made by reacting (i) an unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups, or (ii) an unsaturated or saturated oligomer or polymer containing a plurality of cyclic carbonate groups, with a tertiary amine in the presence of an acid, or with an acid in the presence of a tertiary amine, or in the presence of an acid and a tertiary amine, to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed monomer, oligomer or polymer. When step a) provides a monomer or oligomer, the monomer or oligomer is reacted with one or more monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer. When step a) provides a polymer, the polymer is optionally used to support emulsion polymerization of one or more unsaturated monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed further polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Joseph D. DESOUSA, Arthur RIAZZI, Benjamin J. WEBSTER, Robert M. O'BRIEN, Kailas B. SAWANT, Richard H. EVANS, Sebastien GIBANEL
  • Patent number: 11795250
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition is provided that is preferably substantially free of styrene and structural units derived from styrene. The coating composition includes a resin system that preferably includes a water-dispersible polymer and an emulsion polymerized ethylenically unsaturated monomer component. The resin system is preferably formed using a process that includes emulsion polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer component in the presence of an aqueous dispersion including the water-dispersible polymer. In certain preferred embodiments, the water-dispersible polymer is a salt of an acid- or anhydride-functional aromatic polyether polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: SWIMC
    Inventors: Robert M. O'Brien, Mark Stuetelberg, Sebastien Gibanel
  • Patent number: 11734153
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer-readable medium embodiments for providing the ability to automate identification of endpoints of an API for potential health checks based on machine learning and/or similarity search algorithms. The algorithms analyze an API specification according to the algorithm's training and/or search among reference APIs. Rather than having to manually generate health check tests for the web service, a test developer can interact with a test service through a web browser and provide the service an API specification. The test service then can automatically rank identified endpoints according to a ranking system as well as automate health checks by automatically preparing the health check code according to each identified endpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Salesforce, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. O'Dell, Nicolas Hernan Battiato, Diego Gabriel Larralde, Guido Agustin Martinez, Christian Vallejos, Maria Florencia Vimberg, Eduardo Cominguez, Ignacio Agustin Manzano, Peter Gorski
  • Patent number: 11673976
    Abstract: Water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymers are made by reacting (i) an unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups, or (ii) an unsaturated or saturated oligomer or polymer containing a plurality of cyclic carbonate groups, with a tertiary amine in the presence of an acid, or with an acid in the presence of a tertiary amine, or in the presence of an acid and a tertiary amine, to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed monomer, oligomer or polymer. When step a) provides a monomer or oligomer, the monomer or oligomer is reacted with one or more monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer. When step a) provides a polymer, the polymer is optionally used to support emulsion polymerization of one or more unsaturated monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed further polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Joseph D. DeSousa, Arthur Riazzi, Benjamin J. Webster, Robert M. O'Brien, Kailas B. Sawant, Richard H. Evans, Sebastien Gibanel
  • Publication number: 20230140106
    Abstract: This invention provides a polymer, which is preferably a polyether polymer. The polymer may be uses in coating compositions. Containers and other articles comprising the polymer and methods of making such containers and other articles are also provided. The invention further provides compositions including the polymer (e.g., powder coatings), which have utility in a variety of coating end uses, including, for example, valve and pipe coatings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey NIEDERST, Richard H. Evans, Robert M. O'Brien, Kevin Romagnoli, Mark S. Von Maier
  • Patent number: 11634607
    Abstract: This invention provides a polymer, which is preferably a polyether polymer. The polymer may be uses in coating compositions. Containers and other articles comprising the polymer and methods of making such containers and other articles are also provided. The invention further provides compositions including the polymer (e.g., powder coatings), which have utility in a variety of coating end uses, including, for example, valve and pipe coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Niederst, Richard H. Evans, Robert M. O'Brien, Kevin Romagnoli, Mark S. Von Maier
  • Patent number: 11628974
    Abstract: This invention provides a polymer, which is preferably a polyether polymer. The polymer may be used in coating compositions. Containers and other articles comprising the polymer and methods of making such containers and other articles are also provided. The invention further provides compositions including the polymer (e.g., powder coatings), which have utility in a variety of coating end uses, including, for example, valve and pipe coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Niederst, Richard H. Evans, Robert M. O'Brien, Kevin Romagnoli, Mark S. Von Maier
  • Publication number: 20230047189
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition is provided that is useful in coating a variety of substrates, including interior or exterior portions of food or beverage cans. The coating composition includes a resin system that includes a multi-stage latex. In some embodiments, the multi-stage latex is formed using a process that includes emulsion polymerizing two or more stages in the presence of an aqueous dispersion including a water-dispersible polymer. In certain preferred embodiments, the water-dispersible polymer is a polyether polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Robert M. O'BRIEN, Mark STUETELBERG, Joseph D. DESOUSA, Mary Jo SCANDOLARI, Nikolaus KOCH, Stephen POLLIN, Nusrah HUSSAIN
  • Publication number: 20230044013
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition useful in coating a variety of substrates, including interior or exterior portions of food or beverage cans. The coating composition includes a multi-stage polymeric latex having two or more emulsion polymerized stages in an aqueous carrier liquid, wherein the latex has one or both of: (i) a lower glass transition temperature (Tg) emulsion polymerized stage having a calculated Tg that is at least 20° C. lower than a calculated Tg of a higher Tg emulsion polymerized stage, or (ii) a gradient Tg with at least a 20° C. differential in the calculated Tg of monomers fed at the start of polymerization compared to monomers fed at the end of polymerization. When spray-applied on the interior of a food or beverage can, the composition exhibits a global extraction result of less than 50 ppm and a metal exposure value of less than 3 mA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Robert M. O'BRIEN, Mark STUETELBERG, Joseph D. DESOUSA, Mary Jo SCANDOLARI, Nikolaus KOCH, Stephen POLLIN, Nusrah HUSSAIN
  • Patent number: 11525018
    Abstract: This invention provides a polymer, which is preferably a polyether polymer. The polymer may be uses in coating compositions. Containers and other articles comprising the polymer and methods of making such containers and other articles are also provided. The invention further provides compositions including the polymer (e.g., powder coatings), which have utility in a variety of coating end uses, including, for example, valve and pipe coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventors: Jeffrey Niederst, Robert M. O'Brien, Kevin Romagnoli, Mark S. Von Maier, Lan Deng, Richard H Evans, David J. Santure, Benoit Prouvost
  • Publication number: 20220325021
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition is provided that is preferably substantially free of styrene and structural units derived from styrene. The coating composition includes a resin system that preferably includes a water-dispersible polymer and an emulsion polymerized ethylenically unsaturated monomer component. The resin system is preferably formed using a process that includes emulsion polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer component in the presence of an aqueous dispersion including the water-dispersible polymer. In certain preferred embodiments, the water-dispersible polymer is a salt of an acid- or anhydride-functional aromatic polyether polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Robert M. O'Brien, Mark Stuetelberg