Patents by Inventor Robert Northrup

Robert Northrup 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: 12351992
    Abstract: An imprinting film for a building material, and a system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the imprinting film, a transparent film has first and second imprinting states. In the first imprinting state, a first side of the transparent film includes a pigment photomask defining an image and a second side includes a mold receiving surface. In the second imprinting state, the second side includes a relief of the image on the mold receiving surface. The mold receiving surface is configured to receive a molding material and the molding material hardening into the building material. The transparent film transitions from the first imprinting state to the second imprinting state in response to the second side being coated with a light-sensitive, non-laminate adhesive layer and a light source irradiating the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Austin Concrete LLC
    Inventor: Robert Northrup
  • Publication number: 20230111563
    Abstract: An imprinting film for a building material, and a system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the imprinting film, a transparent film has first and second imprinting states. In the first imprinting state, a first side of the transparent film includes a pigment photomask defining an image and a second side includes a mold receiving surface. In the second imprinting state, the second side includes a relief of the image on the mold receiving surface. The mold receiving surface is configured to receive a molding material and the molding material hardening into the building material. The transparent film transitions from the first imprinting state to the second imprinting state in response to the second side being coated with a light-sensitive, non-laminate adhesive layer and a light source irradiating the first side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventor: Robert Northrup
  • Patent number: 10824001
    Abstract: A polymeric dispersed liquid crystal light shutter device and system and method for forming the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, a catoptric form having a shape is subjacently positioned below a pre-cure or un-cured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) light shutter device having liquid crystals dispersed in a polymer binder system between two substrates. Light is applied during curing. The liquid crystal microdroplet sizes vary according to the shape of the catoptric form such that domains of smaller liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to the shape and domains of larger liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to negative space relative to the shape. Upon tuning an electric field, the PDLC light shutter device changes states from presenting a surface having an image formed by non-scattering regions contrasted against opaque scattering regions, to a surface characterized by mostly or entirely clear, non-scattering light transmittance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Polytronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Menting Tim Tsai, Casey S. Hunt, Robert Northrup
  • Publication number: 20200173120
    Abstract: An imprinting film for a building material, and a system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the imprinting film, a transparent film has first and second imprinting states. In the first imprinting state, a first side of the transparent film includes a pigment photomask defining an image and a second side includes a mold receiving surface. In the second imprinting state, the second side includes a relief of the image on the mold receiving surface. The mold receiving surface is configured to receive a molding material and the molding material hardening into the building material. The transparent film transitions from the first imprinting state to the second imprinting state in response to the second side being coated with a light-sensitive, non-laminate adhesive layer and a light source irradiating the first side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventor: Robert Northrup
  • Publication number: 20180373071
    Abstract: A polymeric dispersed liquid crystal light shutter device and system and method for forming the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, a catoptric form having a shape is subjacently positioned below a pre-cure or un-cured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) light shutter device having liquid crystals dispersed in a polymer binder system between two substrates. Light is applied during curing. The liquid crystal microdroplet sizes vary according to the shape of the catoptric form such that domains of smaller liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to the shape and domains of larger liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to negative space relative to the shape. Upon tuning an electric field, the PDLC light shutter device changes states from presenting a surface having an image formed by non-scattering regions contrasted against opaque scattering regions, to a surface characterized by mostly or entirely clear, non-scattering light transmittance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Menting Tim Tsai, Casey S. Hunt, Robert Northrup
  • Patent number: 10067370
    Abstract: A polymeric dispersed liquid crystal light shutter device and system and method for forming the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, a catoptric form having a shape is subjacently positioned below a pre-cure or un-cured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) light shutter device having liquid crystals dispersed in a polymer binder system between two substrates. Light is applied during curing. The liquid crystal microdroplet sizes vary according to the shape of the catoptric form such that domains of smaller liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to the shape and domains of larger liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to negative space relative to the shape. Upon tuning an electric field, the PDLC light shutter device changes states from presenting a surface having an image formed by non-scattering regions contrasted against opaque scattering regions, to a surface characterized by mostly or entirely clear, non-scattering light transmittance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Polytronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Menting Tim Tsai, Casey S. Hunt, Robert Northrup
  • Publication number: 20170269396
    Abstract: A polymeric dispersed liquid crystal light shutter device and system and method for forming the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, a catoptric form having a shape is subjacently positioned below a pre-cure or un-cured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) light shutter device having liquid crystals dispersed in a polymer binder system between two substrates. Light is applied during curing. The liquid crystal microdroplet sizes vary according to the shape of the catoptric form such that domains of smaller liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to the shape and domains of larger liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to negative space relative to the shape. Upon tuning an electric field, the PDLC light shutter device changes states from presenting a surface having an image formed by non-scattering regions contrasted against opaque scattering regions, to a surface characterized by mostly or entirely clear, non-scattering light transmittance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Northrup, Menting Tim Tsai
  • Publication number: 20170269400
    Abstract: A polymeric dispersed liquid crystal light shutter device employing an electronically tunable lens and system and method for forming the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, a patterned UV-photomask with an image is superposed on a pre-cure or un-cured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) light shutter device having liquid crystals dispersed in a polymer binder system between two substrates. UV-light is applied during curing. The liquid crystal microdroplet sizes vary according to the image on the patterned mask such that domains of larger liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to the image and domains of smaller liquid crystal microdroplet sizes correspond to negative space relative to the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Northrup, Menting Tim Tsai