Patents by Inventor Stephen C. P. Joseph

Stephen C. P. Joseph 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: 7201336
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid spray gun with several improved features, including (1) non-cylindrical air passageways on air horns included in an air cap portion of a body assembly that provide improved shape and uniformity for the wide elongate stream of liquid formed by the spray gun; (2) the air cap portion of the body assembly being mounted for manual rotation on a nozzle portion of the body assembly between positions defined by stops and retained at those positions by friction; and (3) the body assembly through which passes liquid sprayed by the spray gun being molded of polymeric material and being manually releasable from a metal platform portion of the spray gun through which air is fed to passageways through the body assembly to spray the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Russell E. Blette, Franklyn L. Frederickson, Stephen C. P. Joseph, Jameel R. Qiblawi
  • Patent number: 7188785
    Abstract: A paint reservoir has a fluid outlet (115) connectable to a spray gun (101) and a fluid inlet (131) provided with a removable screw cap (132) whereby the fluid inlet (131) is directly accessible for introducing paint to the reservoir while attached to the spray gun (101). The fluid outlet (115) and fluid inlet (131) may both be provided in an end wall of the reservoir with outlet (115) located on the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or offset to allow the size of the fluid inlet (131) to be increased for easier filling of the reservoir. The outlet (115) can be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or it can be inclined relative to the longitudinal axis to provide greater clearance for access to the fluid inlet (131) when the reservoir is attached to the spray gun (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Michael J. R. Adams, Antonio Bacciocchi, Malcolm F. Douglas, Daniel E. Siltberg
  • Patent number: 7143960
    Abstract: A single use, disposable reservoir of low volume for use in conjunction with a spray gun for spray painting small areas, for example ‘spray out’ cards for color matching a paint mix for spray painting a vehicle. The reservoir is in the form of a syringe body with a plunger having a sealing member slidable within the body for drawing paint into the body via an open end. The body has an aperture adjacent to a closed end and the plunger can be moved to position the sealing member between the aperture and closed end for releasing a partial vacuum created when the paint is drawn into the body and allow the paint to be withdrawn, in use, when the reservoir is connected to a spray gun without actuating the plunger. In other embodiments, the reservoir comprises a concertina-type body or a pipette body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Malcolm F Douglas
  • Patent number: 7090148
    Abstract: An assembly for feeding liquid to the inlet port of a gravity feed sprayer. The assembly includes (1) a mixing cup of a known type commonly used to mix paint with solvent that is of stiff polymeric material and bears indicia on its side wall indicating the levels to which a plurality of different liquids should be sequentially poured into the cup to achieve a predetermined ratio between the liquids; (2) a first adapter comprising a central portion having a through opening and a transverse portion including a peripheral part defining a groove along its inner surface adapted for sealing engagement with a top end of the mixing cup; and (3) a second adapter having a through opening, a first end portion of which second adapter is adapted to releasably engage the inlet port of a gravity feed paint sprayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Petrie, Stephen C. P. Joseph, Keith C. Navis, David C. Roeker
  • Patent number: 7032839
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid spray gun with several improved features, including (1) a molded polymeric possibly disposable body assembly through which passes liquid sprayed by the spray gun that is manually releasable from a metal platform portion of the spray gun through which air is fed to passageways through the body assembly to spray the liquid; (2) non-cylindrical air passageways on air horns that provide improved shape and uniformity for the wide elongate stream of liquid formed by the spray gun, and (3) an air cap portion of the body assembly mounted for manual rotation on a nozzle portion of the body assembly between positions defined by stops and retained at those positions by friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Russell E. Blette, Franklyn L. Frederickson, Stephen C. P. Joseph, Jameel R. Qiblawi
  • Patent number: 6971590
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid spray gun with several improved features, including (1) an air cap portion of a body assembly mounted for manual rotation on a nozzle portion of the body assembly between positions defined by stops and retained at those positions by friction; (2) non-cylindrical air passageways on air horns included in the air cap portion of the body assembly that provide improved shape and uniformity for the wide elongate stream of liquid formed by the spray gun; and (3) the body assembly through which passes liquid sprayed by the spray gun being molded of polymeric material and being manually releasable from a metal platform portion of the spray gun through which air is fed to passageways through the body assembly to spray the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Russell E. Blette, Franklyn L. Frederickson, Stephen C. P. Joseph, Jameel R. Qiblawi
  • Patent number: 6953155
    Abstract: An assembly for feeding liquid to the inlet port of a liquid spraying device or spray gun. The assembly includes a stiff container that defines an opening into a cavity in the container, and a flexible liner positioned within the cavity in the container has an outer surface generally corresponding in shape to the inner surface of the container, an inner surface defining a cavity in the liner, and an annular lip along the top end of the side wall defining an opening into the cavity in the liner. An included adapter assembly has a central portion with a through opening that is adapted to engage the inlet port of a liquid spraying device, a transverse portion including a peripheral part adapted for engagement within the flexible liner adjacent said top end of the container, and means for sealing the flexible liner around the peripheral part of the adapter assembly. An air supply assembly connected to the container supplies air at a relatively low pressure (e.g., in the range of about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Gary Brotherton, Robert J. Rothrum
  • Patent number: 6942126
    Abstract: A reservoir for use with a spray gun has a body and a flexible diaphragm that define a chamber for liquid to be supplied to the spray gun. The body has an outlet opening leading to a spout connectable to the spray gun and the diaphragm deflects to reduce the volume of the chamber as liquid is withdrawn from the reservoir. The diaphragm gradually conforms to the internal surface of the body as the liquid is withdrawn to prevent pockets forming in which the liquid may be trapped so that substantially all the liquid can be dispensed. The reservoir may be supplied pre-filled with the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Malcolm F. Douglas, Phillip J. Bouic, Stephen C. P. Joseph
  • Publication number: 20040256485
    Abstract: A spray gun (1) has a fluid reservoir (11) which contains a removable liner (13). The liner (13), which may be thermo/vacuum-formed from a plastic material, is a close fit within the interior of the reservoir and collapses as fluid is withdrawn from within the liner during operation of the gun. Preferably, the liner has a comparatively-rigid base and is capable of standing, unsupported, outside the reservoir. The side walls of the liner are preferably thin in comparison to the base and can be collapsed for disposal of the liner. The reservoir (11) has a removable lid (15) and is capable of standing, inverted, on its own so that it can be filled with fluid. The lid (15) also functions to secure the liner (13) in the reservoir and, at the end of a spraying operation, the lid (15) and the liner (13) are removed together from the reservoir (11) and discarded, thereby simplifying the cleaning of the spray gun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Alan F. Butler
  • Publication number: 20040256484
    Abstract: A spray gun (1) has a fluid reservoir (11) which contains a removable liner (13). The liner (13), which may be thermo/vacuum-formed from a plastic material, is a close fit within the interior of the reservoir and collapses as fluid is withdrawn from within the liner during operation of the gun. Preferably, the liner has a comparatively-rigid base and is capable of standing, unsupported, outside the reservoir. The side walls of the liner are preferably thin in comparison to the base and can be collapsed for disposal of the liner. The reservoir (11) has a removable lid (15) and is capable of standing, inverted, on its own so that it can be filled with fluid. The lid (15) also functions to secure the liner (13) in the reservoir and, at the end of a spraying operation, the lid (15) and the liner (13) are removed together from the reservoir (11) and discarded, thereby simplifying the cleaning of the spray gun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Malcolm F. Douglas, Alan F. Butler
  • Patent number: 6820824
    Abstract: A spray gun has a fluid reservoir that contains a removable liner. The liner, which may be thermo/vacuum-formed from a plastics material, is a close fit within the interior of the reservoir and collapses as fluid is withdrawn from within the liner during operation of the gun. Preferably, the liner has a comparatively-rigid base and is capable of standing, unsupported, outside the reservoir. The side walls of the liner are preferably thin in comparison to the base and can be collapsed for disposal of the liner. The reservoir has a removable lid and is capable of standing, inverted, on its own so that it can be filled with fluid. The lid also functions to secure the liner in the reservoir and, at the end of a spraying operation, the lid and the liner are removed together from the reservoir and discarded, thereby simplifying the cleaning of the spray gun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Malcolm F. Douglas, Alan F. Butler, David R. Bastow, Jerry E. Salhus, Margaret A. Hartfel
  • Patent number: 6818251
    Abstract: A masking material (28) comprising an elongate strip (8, 30) at least partially coated with a layer of a pressure-sensitive adhesive (4, 22), the strip having a curved surface which is convex when the strip is viewed in cross-section and is positioned such that when the strip is adhered to a substrate by the layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive a portion of the curved surface overhangs the substrate, characterized in that the masking material comprises a removable edge portion (10, 32) comprising said portion of the curved surface detachably secured to a remainder of the strip which may be removed to expose a second curved surface on the remainder of the strip which is convex when viewed in cross-section and which is positioned to overhang the substrate, said removable portion (10, 32) and remainder of the strip (8, 30) having different dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Phillip J. Bouic, Stephen C. P. Joseph
  • Publication number: 20040164182
    Abstract: A paint reservoir has a fluid outlet (115) connectable to a spray gun (101) and a fluid inlet (131) provided with a removable screw cap (132) whereby the fluid inlet (131) is directly accessible for introducing paint to the reservoir while attached to the spray gun (101). The fluid outlet (115) and fluid inlet (131) may both be provided in an end wall of the reservoir with outlet (115) located on the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or offset to allow the size of the fluid inlet (131) to be increased for easier filling of the reservoir. The outlet (115) can be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or it can be inclined relative to the longitudinal axis to provide greater clearance for access to the fluid inlet (131) when the reservoir is attached to the spray gun (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen C.P. Joseph, Michael J.R. Adams, Antonio Bacciocchi, Malcolm F. Douglas, Daniel E. Siltberg
  • Publication number: 20040140373
    Abstract: A spray gun and a detachable liquid reservoir releasably attached to the spray gun by engagement of mateable, non-threaded formations provided on the spray gun and the reservoir. The spray gun has an integral connector boss with a socket for reception of a connector tube of the reservoir. The boss has an external flange at the distal end and the reservoir has hook members separate from the connector tube. The hook members are co-operable with the flange when the connector tube is received in the socket to secure releasably the reservoir to the spray gun. In another arrangement, the connector tube is an interference friction-fit in the socket to secure releasably the reservoir to the spray gun. In yet another arrangement, the connector tube has bayonet lugs co-operable with bayonet grooves in the wall of the socket when the connector tube is received in the socket to secure releasably the reservoir to the spray gun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Michael J. R. Adams, Neil Delbridge, Michael W. Howcroft
  • Publication number: 20040118941
    Abstract: A single use, disposable reservoir (30) of low volume for use in conjunction with a spray gun (1) for spray painting small areas, for example ‘spray out’ cards for colour matching a paint mix for spray painting a vehicle. The reservoir (30) is in the form of a syringe body (32) with a plunger (34) having a sealing member (54) slidable within the body (32) for drawing paint (57) into the body (32) via an open end (38). The body (32) has an aperture (42) adjacent to a closed end (36) and the plunger (34) can be moved to position the sealing member (54) between the aperture (42) and closed end (36) for releasing a partial vacuum created when the paint (57) is drawn into the body (32) and allow the paint (57) to be withdrawn, in use, when the reservoir (30) is connected to a spray gun (1) without actuating the plunger (34). In other embodiments, the reservoir (60;80) comprises a concertina-type body (66) or a pipette body (82).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen C.P. Joseph, Malcolm F Douglas
  • Publication number: 20040084553
    Abstract: An assembly for feeding liquid to the inlet port of a liquid spraying device or spray gun. The assembly includes a stiff container that defines an opening into a cavity in the container, and a flexible liner positioned within the cavity in the container has an outer surface generally corresponding in shape to the inner surface of the container, an inner surface defining a cavity in the liner, and an annular lip along the top end of the side wall defining an opening into the cavity in the liner. An included adapter assembly has a central portion with a through opening that is adapted to engage the inlet port of a liquid spraying device, a transverse portion including a peripheral part adapted for engagement within the flexible liner adjacent said top end of the container, and means for sealing the flexible liner around the peripheral part of the adapter assembly. An air supply assembly connected to the container supplies air at a relatively low pressure (e.g., in the range of about 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C.P. Joseph, Gary Brotherton, Robert J. Rothrum
  • Publication number: 20040058069
    Abstract: A masking material (28) comprising an elongate strip (8, 30) at least partially coated with a layer of a pressure-sensitive adhesive (4, 22), the strip having a curved surface which is convex when the strip is viewed in cross-section and is positioned such that when the strip is adhered to a substrate by the layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive a portion of the curved surface overhangs the substrate, characterized in that the masking material comprises a removable edge portion (10, 32) comprising said portion of the curved surface detachably secured to a remainder of the strip which may be removed to expose a second curved surface on the remainder of the strip which is convex when viewed in cross-section and which is positioned to overhang the substrate, said removable portion (10, 32) and remainder of the strip (8, 30) having different dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Phillip J. Bouic, Stephen C. P. Joseph
  • Patent number: D535727
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Neil Delbridge
  • Patent number: D542375
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properites Company
    Inventors: Russell E. Blette, Franklyn L. Frederickson, Stephen C. P. Joseph, Jameel R. Qiblawi
  • Patent number: D542376
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties company
    Inventors: Russell E. Blette, Franklyn L. Frederickson, Stephen C. P. Joseph, Jameel R. Qiblawi