Patents by Inventor Robert S. Smith

Robert S. Smith 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).

  • Publication number: 20240207888
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a system and method for dispensing a floor coating in a specified ratio of multiple components is disclosed. The system and method may set and maintain a desired ratio of the multiple components by controlling, with a controller, a drive rate of respective pumps configured for propelling the components from a reservoir to a mixer or a dispenser. The controller may be responsive to at least one of a measured actual drive rate, an environmental condition, an actual usage of each component, and an operational parameter of the system, for adjusting a drive rate of the respective pumps to compensate for discrepancies that may affect the ratio of the multiple components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2024
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: Kyle Sanford Smith, Murty Venkata Bhamidipati, David Royston Hughes, Robert S. Smith, Peter V. Ferris, Daniel R. Allen, Charles R. Sperry, David M. Kroll
  • Patent number: 11951505
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a system and method for dispensing a floor coating in a specified ratio of multiple components is disclosed. The system and method may set and maintain a desired ratio of the multiple components by controlling, with a controller, a drive rate of respective pumps configured for propelling the components from a reservoir to a mixer or a dispenser. The controller may be responsive to at least one of a measured actual drive rate, an environmental condition, an actual usage of each component, and an operational parameter of the system, for adjusting a drive rate of the respective pumps to compensate for discrepancies that may affect the ratio of the multiple components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Sanford Smith, Murty Venkata Bhamidipati, David Royston Hughes, Robert S. Smith, Peter V. Ferris, Daniel R. Allen, Charles R. Sperry, David M. Kroll
  • Publication number: 20210331199
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a system and method for dispensing a floor coating in a specified ratio of multiple components is disclosed. The system and method may set and maintain a desired ratio of the multiple components by controlling, with a controller, a drive rate of respective pumps configured for propelling the components from a reservoir to a mixer or a dispenser. The controller may be responsive to at least one of a measured actual drive rate, an environmental condition, an actual usage of each component, and an operational parameter of the system, for adjusting a drive rate of the respective pumps to compensate for discrepancies that may affect the ratio of the multiple components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Dur-A-Flex, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Sanford Smith, Murty Venkata Bhamidipati, David Royston Hughes, Robert S. Smith, Peter V. Ferris, Daniel R. Allen, Charles R. Sperry, David M. Kroll
  • Publication number: 20150077049
    Abstract: A device for wirelessly charging key fobs. The device uses a cabinet with at least one support for supporting a key fob. There is also at least one inductive charging unit placed to wirelessly charge a key fob that is placed on the support. The device further includes a power supply to deliver power to each inductive charging unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: ROBERT S. SMITH
  • Patent number: 8393782
    Abstract: A high efficiency mixing device for mixing first and second fluids within a conduit. A biscuit element is positioned at the upstream end of the conduit having a longitudinal axis that coincides with the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The biscuit element is provided with a plurality of openings including a central opening positioned along the longitudinal axis and a plurality of additional openings spaced proximate to the central opening. The openings are provided with primary mixing elements which induce a rotational angular velocity to a first fluid passing therethrough of the same rotational sign. Second fluid feed ports are positioned within each of the openings for introducing a second fluid to the first fluid as the first fluid passes through the openings and into the conduit. Secondary and tertiary mixing elements are optionally located downstream of the biscuit element to enhance the mixing of the first and second fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Inventor: Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: 8342486
    Abstract: A device for the injection and mixing of steam into a fluid stream. The device is intended to be used in a substantially cylindrically-shaped primary conduit having a longitudinal axis and circular cross-section for carrying the fluid stream. The primary conduit is provided with an inlet for accepting the fluid stream and an outlet for discharging the fluid stream along the longitudinal axis. A secondary conduit is joined to the primary conduit for discharging steam within the fluid stream along the longitudinal axis. A biscuit element is provided of sintered tungsten having upstream and downstream circular faces sized to fit within the primary conduit along its interior wall having a geometric center coincident with the longitudinal axis and having a plurality of openings, each having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary conduit. Each opening is provided with a mixing element that induces a rotational angular velocity to the fluid stream passing therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventor: Robert S Smith
  • Patent number: 8214882
    Abstract: Server discovery, spawning collector threads to collect information from servers, and reporting such information, is disclosed. A method of one embodiment determines a number of servers communicatively coupled to a network. For each server, a collector thread is spawned to collect information regarding the server by sending requests to the server and receiving responses from the server. The collector threads can be spawned by and run on a computing device other than the number of servers, such that no computer-executable code is installed on the servers for collecting the information. Upon completion of the collector thread for each server, the information regarding the server as collected is stored to a database by one or more writer threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. Kegel, Deepa Srinivasan, Steven D. Cook, Robert S. Smith
  • Publication number: 20120032358
    Abstract: A device for the injection and mixing of steam into a fluid stream. The device is intended to be used in a substantially cylindrically-shaped primary conduit having a longitudinal axis and circular cross-section for carrying the fluid stream. The primary conduit is provided with an inlet for accepting the fluid stream and an outlet for discharging the fluid stream along the longitudinal axis. A secondary conduit is joined to the primary conduit for discharging steam within the fluid stream along the longitudinal axis. A biscuit element is provided of sintered tungsten having upstream and downstream circular faces sized to fit within the primary conduit along its interior wall having a geometric center coincident with the longitudinal axis and having a plurality of openings, each having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary conduit. Each opening is provided with a mixing element that induces a rotational angular velocity to the fluid stream passing therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventor: Robert S. Smith
  • Publication number: 20120014209
    Abstract: A high efficiency mixing device for mixing first and second fluids within a conduit. A biscuit element is positioned at the upstream end of the conduit having a longitudinal axis that coincides with the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The biscuit element is provided with a plurality of openings including a central opening positioned along the longitudinal axis and a plurality of additional openings spaced proximate to the central opening. The openings are provided with primary mixing elements which induce a rotational angular velocity to a first fluid passing therethrough of the same rotational sign. Second fluid feed ports are positioned within each of the openings for introducing a second fluid to the first fluid as the first fluid passes through the openings and into the conduit. Secondary and tertiary mixing elements are optionally located downstream of the biscuit element to enhance the mixing of the first and second fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventor: Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: 7538509
    Abstract: The present invention can include an automated method controlling the fan speed of computer system cooling fans with altitude and/or fluid density data from a centralized sensor. Such a method can utilize a centralized sensor to determine the altitude/fluid density within an enclosed area. The centralized sensor can be positioned so as to be unaffected by extraneous activities within the enclosed area. The determined altitude/fluid density can be conveyed to a computer system containing one or more cooling fans. The computer system can be located within the enclosed area. Then, the computer system can determine the need for adjusting the speed of the cooling fans based on the altitude/fluid density. When the need for adjustment exists, the speed of the cooling fans can be adjusted in accordance with the altitude/fluid density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Troy W. Glover, Michael S. June, Whitcomb R. Scott, III, Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: 7506361
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for discovering servers, spawning collector threads to collect information from servers, and reporting such information. The method may determine a number of servers communicatively coupled to a network. For each server, a collector thread may be spawned to collect information regarding the server by sending requests to the server and receiving responses from the server. The collector threads may be spawned by and run on a computing device other than the number of servers, such that no computer-executable code is installed on the servers for collecting the information. Upon completion of the collector thread for each server, the information regarding the server as collected may be stored to a database by one or more writer threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. Kegel, Deepa Srinivasan, Steven D. Cook, Robert S. Smith
  • Publication number: 20080281964
    Abstract: Server discovery, spawning collector threads to collect information from servers, and reporting such information, is disclosed. A method of one embodiment determines a number of servers communicatively coupled to a network. For each server, a collector thread is spawned to collect information regarding the server by sending requests to the server and receiving responses from the server. The collector threads can be spawned by and run on a computing device other than the number of servers, such that no computer-executable code is installed on the servers for collecting the information. Upon completion of the collector thread for each server, the information regarding the server as collected is stored to a database by one or more writer threads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Andrew G. Kegel, Deepa Srinivasan, Steven D. Cook, Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: 7341754
    Abstract: A dispenser for condiments mountable on a container for a beverage wherein the container is any of a bottle and cups of several standard sizes. The dispenser comprises a circular base with a small inner cone having its largest rim integrally joined to the edge of a circular opening in the base. An outer cone formed as a series of steps is mounted on the base with the edge of the outer cone integrally joined to the edge of the base. The rim of a container for beverage supports any one of the steps depending on the size of the container. Alternatively, the dispenser is supported by a bottle container having a neck extending into the inner cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventors: Bill Loh, Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: 7217434
    Abstract: A container for condiments, e.g., nuts and nuggets of chocolates, comprising a cylinder with a bottom side mountable on the top of a standard cup/can. In one version, a bottom side is displaced from the bottom edge of the cylinder to form a skirt on the bottom edge of the cylinder. The skirt has an interior lip dimensioned such that the container “snaps” onto the rim of a beverage can or cup. In another version, the cylinder and cup/can are telescoped into a sleeve. The top edge of cap/cup is adhered to a cover that is peeled back for access to the condiments. In another version, a partial lid is interposed between the cover and top rim of the cylinder. A drinking straw is inserted from the above the cover, through the container into the cup/can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Inventors: Bill Loh, Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: 7115294
    Abstract: A container for bulk items of food, particularly hot dogs, comprising a box with a bottom side mountable on the top of a standard cup/can holding a beverage. A drinking straw is inserted through a side sleeve in the container and an opening in the top of the cup/can into the beverage. A lid is provided which, in one version, is attached along one edge to an edge of the tray. In one position, the lid covers the contents in the tray and in another position, the lid is laid open so that sauces are available for dipping an end of the hot dog in the sauce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Inventors: Bill Loh, Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: D571630
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: TSI Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventor: Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: D572101
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: TSI Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventor: Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: D584120
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: TSI Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventor: Robert S. Smith
  • Patent number: D656583
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: H.D. Hudson Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Hudson, Jr., William A. Hudson, Robert S. Smith, Jeff Bull
  • Patent number: D679562
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: TSI Manufacturing LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Smith, Scott Smith, Christopher Hageman, Trevor Sener