Patents by Inventor Ryan G. Smith

Ryan G. 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: 20230322638
    Abstract: The present application relates to an iron impregnated biochar and its use as a fertilizer. The iron impregnated biochar of the present application has a ratio of iron (III) to iron (II) ranging from 5:1 to 10:1. The biochar may be produced by a method including treating the biomass with an iron (II) ion solution, pyrolyzing the iron (II)-treated biomass in an oxidative environment and recovering the biochar product from the pyrolyzed iron (II)-treated biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Santanu BAKSHI, Robert C. BROWN, Ryan G. SMITH
  • Patent number: 11702374
    Abstract: The present application relates to an iron impregnated biochar and its use as a fertilizer. The iron impregnated biochar of the present application has a ratio of iron (III) to iron (II) ranging from 5:1 to 10:1. The biochar may be produced by a method including treating the biomass with an iron (II) ion solution, pyrolyzing the iron (II)-treated biomass in an oxidative environment and recovering the biochar product from the pyrolyzed iron (II)-treated biomass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Santanu Bakshi, Robert C. Brown, Ryan G. Smith
  • Publication number: 20210395159
    Abstract: The present application relates to an iron impregnated biochar and its use as a fertilizer. The iron impregnated biochar of the present application has a ratio of iron (III) to iron (II) ranging from 5:1 to 10:1. The biochar may be produced by a method including treating the biomass with an iron (II) ion solution, pyrolyzing the iron (II)-treated biomass in an oxidative environment and recovering the biochar product from the pyrolyzed iron (II)-treated biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Santanu BAKSHI, Robert C. BROWN, Ryan G. SMITH
  • Patent number: 10781996
    Abstract: A light shade can include a top surface formed by a plurality of adjacent, alternating peak and trough folds that define intervening facets, a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface, and an edge surface transverse to and connecting the top surface and the bottom surface. The intervening facets can each be in the shape of a triangle with adjacent triangular facets sharing an edge. The shared edge can be one of a peak fold or a trough fold. One or more of the trough folds can have a plunge between the edge surface and an opposing side of the top surface. In an implementation, the light shade can be manufactured from a unitary polymeric sheet with the bottom surface being a mirror image of the top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: 3FORM, LLC
    Inventors: Guillaume Martin, Ryan G. Smith
  • Patent number: 10577544
    Abstract: The present application discloses low temperature, low pressure methods (LTLP) for upgrading and/or stabilizing bio-oil or a bio-oil fraction. One method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction and hydrogen, which are reacted in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of less than 150° C. and a pressure of less than 100 bar (absolute) to produce a hydrogenated liquid oil at a carbon yield of over 75%. Another method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction, providing oxygen reducing reaction conditions, and reacting the bio-oil or bio-oil fraction under the oxygen reducing reaction conditions at LTLP to produce an upgraded bio-oil product containing fewer carbonyls than the bio-oil or bio-oil fraction. Yet another method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction and a solution comprising one or more fermentation organisms and a sugar source. The solution and bio-oil or bio-oil fraction are combined to obtain a fermentation mixture, which is incubated at 15° C. to 30° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Marjorie Rover, Robert C. Brown, Patrick H. Hall, Ryan G. Smith
  • Patent number: 10457882
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of producing a solid fuel which includes providing a bio-oil and thermally curing the bio-oil to form a carbonaceous solid. The present invention is also directed to a method of producing a solid fuel which includes providing a bio-oil; subjecting the bio-oil to an extraction procedure with an aqueous liquid to produce a concentrated pyrolytic sugar-containing extract and a water insoluble raffinate comprising a lignin-derived phenolic oil; and thermally curing the phenolic oil to form a carbonaceous solid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Brown, Marjorie Rover, Andrew J. Friend, Ryan G. Smith
  • Publication number: 20190137070
    Abstract: A light shade can include a top surface formed by a plurality of adjacent, alternating peak and trough folds that define intervening facets, a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface, and an edge surface transverse to and connecting the top surface and the bottom surface. The intervening facets can each be in the shape of a triangle with adjacent triangular facets sharing an edge. The shared edge can be one of a peak fold or a trough fold. One or more of the trough folds can have a plunge between the edge surface and an opposing side of the top surface. In an implementation, the light shade can be manufactured from a unitary polymeric sheet with the bottom surface being a mirror image of the top surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Guillaume Martin, Ryan G. Smith
  • Publication number: 20180022877
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a stable lignin phenolic oil, where the method comprises providing a lignin; pre-treating the lignin with a base solution, where the base solution has a pH of 8 or above; and hydrogenating the pre-treated lignin to produce a stabilized lignin phenolic oil. The present invention further relates to a method of producing a stable lignin phenolic oil, the method comprising: providing a non-recalcitrant lignin; solubilizing the lignin in a solvent; and hydrogenating the solubilized lignin to produce a stabilized lignin phenolic oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Robert C. BROWN, Marjorie R. ROVER, Patrick H. HALL, Ryan G. SMITH
  • Publication number: 20170321140
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of producing a solid fuel which includes providing a bio-oil and thermally curing the bio-oil to form a carbonaceous solid. The present invention is also directed to a method of producing a solid fuel which includes providing a bio-oil; subjecting the bio-oil to an extraction procedure with an aqueous liquid to produce a concentrated pyrolytic sugar-containing extract and a water insoluble raffinate comprising a lignin-derived phenolic oil; and thermally curing the phenolic oil to form a carbonaceous solid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Robert C. BROWN, Marjorie ROVER, Andrew J. FRIEND, Ryan G. SMITH
  • Publication number: 20150291892
    Abstract: The present application discloses low temperature, low pressure methods (LTLP) for upgrading and/or stabilizing bio-oil or a bio-oil fraction. One method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction and hydrogen, which are reacted in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of less than 150° C. and a pressure of less than 100 bar (absolute) to produce a hydrogenated liquid oil at a carbon yield of over 75%. Another method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction, providing oxygen reducing reaction conditions, and reacting the bio-oil or bio-oil fraction under the oxygen reducing reaction conditions at LTLP to produce an upgraded bio-oil product containing fewer carbonyls than the bio-oil or bio-oil fraction. Yet another method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction and a solution comprising one or more fermentation organisms and a sugar source. The solution and bio-oil or bio-oil fraction are combined to obtain a fermentation mixture, which is incubated at 15° C. to 30° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Marjorie Rover, Robert C. Brown, Patrick H. Hall, Ryan G. Smith
  • Patent number: D897563
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: 3FORM, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan G. Smith
  • Patent number: D908923
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: 3FORM, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan G. Smith