Patents by Inventor Stephen Michael Probert

Stephen Michael Probert 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).

  • METHOD FOR MAKING SHAPEABLE MICROCELLULAR POLY LACTIC ACID ARTICLES
    Publication number: 20150093564
    Abstract: A method for making a shapeable article from poly(lactic acid) includes treating solid poly(lactic acid) that results in the solid poly(lactic acid) having a crystallinity of at least 20% by weight based on the weight of the solid poly(lactic acid) and a gas concentration of 6% to 16% by weight based on the weight of the solid poly(lactic acid); and heating the solid poly(lactic acid) having said minimum crystallinity and gas concentration to produce a cellular poly(lactic acid) article that is shapeable. The shapeable cellular poly(lactic acid) article is advantageous in that the article can be further shaped by heat and/or pressure (or vacuum), such as via thermoforming, into a variety of useful products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Vipin Kumar, Krishna V. Nadella, Stephen Michael Probert
  • METHOD FOR MAKING SHAPEABLE MICROCELLULAR POLY LACTIC ACID ARTICLES
    Publication number: 20110003133
    Abstract: A method for making a shapeable article from poly(lactic acid) includes treating solid poly(lactic acid) that results in the solid poly(lactic acid) having a crystallinity of at least 20% by weight based on the weight of the solid poly(lactic acid) and a gas concentration of 6% to 16% by weight based on the weight of the solid poly(lactic acid); and heating the solid poly(lactic acid) having said minimum crystallinity and gas concentration to produce a cellular poly(lactic acid) article that is shapeable. The shapeable cellular poly(lactic acid) article is advantageous in that the article can be further shaped by heat and/or pressure (or vacuum), such as via thermoforming, into a variety of useful products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
    Inventors: Vipin Kumar, Krishna V. Nadella, Stephen Michael Probert