Patents by Inventor Sloan Smith

Sloan 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).

  • PLATFORM BALANCE WITH A TARE ASSEMBLY HAVING A COMPRESSION STRUT
    Publication number: 20260092836
    Abstract: A platform balance suitable for transmitting forces and moments in a plurality of directions includes a lower and upper frame supporting a platform. At least one tare assembly attaches the two frames, where the tare assembly includes an arm attached to the lower frame with a pivot. A counterweight is attached to the arm on one side of the pivot, and the first end of a compression strut is attached to the arm on a second side of the pivot, with a second end of the compression strut attached to the upper frame. The compression strut includes a set of spaced-apart flexures, each compliant about a horizontal direction, such that the compression strut is configured to be rigid in a vertical direction and compliant in the horizontal direction. The flexure stiffness is tuned, considering the vertical load on the strut, to achieve zero horizontal stiffness of the loaded strut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2025
    Publication date: April 2, 2026
    Inventors: John W. Murray, Victor Senft, Glenn Lucachick, Sloan Smith
  • Thermal barrier coating with temperature-following layer
    Patent number: 10851711
    Abstract: A temperature-following layer may be applied to a surface of components within an internal combustion engine. The temperature-following layer follows the temperature swing of adjacent gases (for example, in a combustion chamber). The temperature-following layer may be applied directly to a substrate, or the temperature-following layer may be an outer layer of a multi-layer thermal barrier coating. The multi-layer thermal barrier coating may include, for example, an insulating layer, a sealing layer bonded to the insulating layer, and a porous temperature-following layer disposed on the sealing layer. The sealing layer is substantially non-permeable and configured to seal against the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Tobias A Schaedler, Sloan Smith, Christine M Lihn, Scott M Biesboer, Russell P Durrett, Peter P Andruskiewicz, IV
  • THERMAL BARRIER COATING WITH TEMPERATURE-FOLLOWING LAYER
    Publication number: 20190195126
    Abstract: A temperature-following layer may be applied to a surface of components within an internal combustion engine. The temperature-following layer follows the temperature swing of adjacent gases (for example, in a combustion chamber). The temperature-following layer may be applied directly to a substrate, or the temperature-following layer may be an outer layer of a multi-layer thermal barrier coating. The multi-layer thermal barrier coating may include, for example, an insulating layer, a sealing layer bonded to the insulating layer, and a porous temperature-following layer disposed on the sealing layer. The sealing layer is substantially non-permeable and configured to seal against the insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Tobias A. SCHAEDLER, Sloan SMITH, Christine M. LIHN, Scott M. BIESBOER, Russell P. DURRETT, Peter P. ANDRUSKIEWICZ, IV
  • Methods of determining mid-stroke positions of active material actuated loads
    Patent number: 8390305
    Abstract: Systems for and methods of determining at least one mid-stroke position of an active material actuated load by causing a stress induced rapid change in electrical resistance within the active material element, or modifying an ancillary circuit, when the load is at the mid-stroke position(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Guillermo A. Herrera, Xiujie Gao, Nancy L. Johnson, Alan L. Browne, Christopher P. Henry, Andrew C. Keefe, Geoffrey P. McKnight, Sloan Smith
  • METHODS OF DETERMINING MID-STROKE POSITIONS OF ACTIVE MATERIAL ACTUATED LOADS
    Publication number: 20110163769
    Abstract: Systems for and methods of determining at least one mid-stroke position of an active material actuated load by causing a stress induced rapid change in electrical resistance within the active material element, or modifying an ancillary circuit, when the load is at the mid-stroke position(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Guillermo A. Herrera, Xiujie Gao, Nancy L. Johnson, Alan L. Browne, Christopher P. Henry, Andrew C. Keefe, Geoffrey P. Mc Knight, Sloan Smith