Patents by Inventor Ted Calvin Germroth

Ted Calvin Germroth 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: 10017606
    Abstract: A molded article comprising at least one polyester which comprises: (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising: i) 95 to 99.99 mole % of terephthalic acid residues; and ii) 0.01 to 5 mole % of isophthalic acid; and (b) a glycol component comprising: i) 5 to 15 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; ii) 85 to 95 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues; and iii) 5 mole % or less of modifying glycols which are not 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol or cyclohexanedimethanol, wherein the polyester has an inherent viscosity from 0.80 to 1.0 dL/g and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 90 to 110° C., and wherein the molded article does not contain polycarbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Emmett Dudley Crawford, Thomas Joseph Pecorini, Douglas Stephens McWilliams, David Scott Porter, Gary Wayne Connell, Ted Calvin Germroth, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Patent number: 9785011
    Abstract: A multilayer optical retardation compensation film having at least one positive C-plate and at least one negative C-plate is used in an LCD device. The multilayer film may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve, or the multilayer film combined with other layers in the LCD device may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve. Polymer films for the positive C-plate may be identified according to their absorbance maxima at certain wavelength ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: AKRON POLYMER SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Frank W. Harris, Jiaokai Alexander Jing, Ted Calvin Germroth, Xiaoliang Joe Zheng, Brian Michael King, Dong Zhang, Thauming Kuo, Qifeng Zhou
  • Patent number: 9765203
    Abstract: Described as one aspect of the invention are polyester compositions containing: (I) at least one polyester which comprises: (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising: (i) 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues; (ii) 0 to 30 mole % of aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms; and (iii) 0 to 10 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 16 carbon atoms; and (b) a glycol component comprising: (i) 1 to 99 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and (ii) 1 to 99 mole % of cyclohexanedimethanol residues; and (II) at least one thermal stabilizer chosen from at least one of alkyl phosphate esters, aryl phosphate esters, mixed alkyl aryl phosphate esters, reaction products thereof, and mixtures thereof; wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the glycol component is 100 mole %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Ted Calvin Germroth, Gary Wayne Connell, Emmett Dudley Crawford, Thomas Joseph Pecorini, Douglas Stephens McWilliams, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Publication number: 20170174828
    Abstract: Described are polyesters comprising (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising 80 to 100 mole % terephthalic acid residues; optionally, 0 to 20 mole % aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues; 20 to 30 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and 70 to 80 mole % 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues. The polyesters may be manufactured into articles such as fibers, films, bottles or sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Emmett Dudley Crawford, Thomas Joseph Pecorini, Douglas Stephens McWilliams, David Scott Porter, Gary Wayne Connell, Ted Calvin Germroth, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Patent number: 9598533
    Abstract: Described are polyesters comprising (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising 80 to 100 mole % terephthalic acid residues; optionally, 0 to 20 mole % aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues; 20 to 30 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and 70 to 80 mole % 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues. The polyesters may be manufactured into articles such as fibers, films, bottles or sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Emmett Dudley Crawford, Thomas Joseph Pecorini, Douglas Stephens McWilliams, David Scott Porter, Gary Wayne Connell, Ted Calvin Germroth, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Publication number: 20160017125
    Abstract: Described as one aspect of the invention are polyester compositions containing: (I) at least one polyester which comprises: (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising: (i) 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues; (ii) 0 to 30 mole % of aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms; and (iii) 0 to 10 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 16 carbon atoms; and (b) a glycol component comprising: (i) 1 to 99 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and (ii) 1 to 99 mole % of cyclohexanedimethanol residues; and (II) at least one thermal stabilizer chosen from at least one of alkyl phosphate esters, aryl phosphate esters, mixed alkyl aryl phosphate esters, reaction products thereof, and mixtures thereof; wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the glycol component is 100 mole %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: TED CALVIN GERMROTH, GARY WAYNE CONNELL, EMMETT DUDLEY CRAWFORD, THOMAS JOSEPH PECORINI, DOUGLAS STEPHENS McWILLIAMS, BENJAMIN FREDRICK BARTON, DAMON BRYAN SHACKELFORD
  • Patent number: 9234987
    Abstract: A multilayer optical film includes a wave plate having a refractive index profile of nx>ny?nz and a fluoropolymer film comprising a moiety of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring, and wherein nx and ny represent in-plane refractive indices and nz the thickness-direction refractive index of the wave plates; wherein said multilayer optical film has a positive in-plane retardation (Re) and an out-of-plane retardation (Rth) that satisfies the equation of |Rth|<Re/2 throughout the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Akron Polymer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Wang, Ted Calvin Germroth, Thauming Kuo, Frank W. Harris, Dong Zhang, Douglas S. McWilliams, Jiaokai Jing, Xiaoliang Zheng
  • Patent number: 9169388
    Abstract: Described as one aspect of the invention are polyester compositions containing: (I) at least one polyester which comprises: (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising: (i) 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues; (ii) 0 to 30 mole % of aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms; and (iii) 0 to 10 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 16 carbon atoms; and (b) a glycol component comprising: (i) 30 to 40 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3 -cyclobutanediol residues; and (ii) 60 to 70 mole % of cyclohexanedimethanol residues; and (II) at least one thermal stabilizer chosen from at least one of alkyl phosphate esters, aryl phosphate esters, mixed alkyl aryl phosphate esters, reaction products thereof, and mixtures thereof; wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the glycol component is 100 mole %; wherein said polyester composition does not comprise polycarbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Ted Calvin Germroth, Gary Wayne Connell, Emmett Dudley Crawford, Thomas Joseph Pecorini, Douglas Stephen McWilliams, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Patent number: 9096719
    Abstract: Optical compensation films (positive C-plate) with mesogen anisotropic subunits (OASUs) that have high positive birefringence throughout the wavelength range 400 nm<?<800 nm are provided. The optical compensation films may be processed by solution casting to yield a polymer film with high birefringence without the need for stretching, photopolymerization, or other processes. Such optical compensation films are suitable for use as a positive C-plate in LCDs, particularly IPS-LCDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: AKRON POLYMER SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Dong Zhang, Frank W. Harris, Xiaoliang Joe Zheng, Jiaokai Alexander Jing, Thauming Kuo, Brian Michael King, Ted Calvin Germroth, Qifeng Zhou
  • Patent number: 9011992
    Abstract: The present invention provides uniaxially stretched polymer films that have a refractive index profile suitable for use as negative A-plates or biaxial birefringent plates in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. These wave plates can be used to compensate for the phase retardations existing in various modes of LCDs including TN (twisted nematic), VA (vertically aligned), IPS (in-plane switching), and OCB (optically compensated bend), and therefore improving the viewing quality of the displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Akron Polymer Systems
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Joe Zheng, Frank W. Harris, Ted Calvin Germroth, Jiaokai Alexander Jing, Dong Zhang, Thauming Kuo, Brian Michael King
  • Patent number: 8889043
    Abstract: A method for casting a styrenic fluoropolymer film on a substrate includes preparing a polymer solution by dissolving the fluoropolymer in a solvent or solvent blend whose Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs. MPa1/2) satisfy the following relations: |SPb?SPp|<5, |SPb?SPs|<4, |SPb(H)?SPp(H)|<7, and 2<|SPb(H)?SPs(H)|<10 wherein SPb, SPp, SPs, are the total Hansen solubility parameters of solvent/solvent blend, fluoropolymer, and substrate, respectively; SPb(H), SPp(H), and, SPs(H) are the hydrogen-bond Hansen solubility parameters of solvent/solvent blend, fluoropolymer, and substrate, respectively; wherein the fluoropolymer comprises a moiety of: wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Akron Polymer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Wang, Thauming Kuo, Douglas Stephens McWilliams, Frank W. Harris, Ted Calvin Germroth, Jiaokai Jing, Dong Zhang, Xiaoliang Zheng
  • Patent number: 8871882
    Abstract: A method for the preparation of a fluoropolymer by means of emulsion polymerization of a reaction mixture in an aqueous medium is disclosed wherein the reaction mixture includes a fluoromonomer having the structure of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring; b) an emulsion stabilizer combination comprising: i) an anionic surfactant; and, ii) a cationic surfactant or a non-ionic surfactant; and, c) a free-radical initiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Akron Polymer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Zheng, Dong Zhang, Jiaokai Jing, Ted Calvin Germroth, Frank W. Harris, Thauming Kuo, Bin Wang, Douglas Stephens McWilliams
  • Patent number: 8821994
    Abstract: A multilayer optical retardation compensation film having at least one positive C-plate and at least one negative C-plate is used in an LCD device. The multilayer film may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve, or the multilayer film combined with other layers in the LCD device may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve. Polymer films for the positive C-plate may be identified according to their absorbance maxima at certain wavelength ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Akron Polymer Systems
    Inventors: Frank W. Harris, Jiaokai Alexander Jing, Ted Calvin Germroth, Xiaoliang Joe Zheng, Brian Michael King, Dong Zhang, Thauming Kuo, Qifeng Zhou
  • Publication number: 20140211311
    Abstract: A multilayer optical retardation compensation film having at least one positive C-plate and at least one negative C-plate is used in an LCD device. The multilayer film may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve, or the multilayer film combined with other layers in the LCD device may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve. Polymer films for the positive C-plate may be identified according to their absorbance maxima at certain wavelength ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: AKRON POLYMER SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Frank W. HARRIS, Jiaokai Alexander JING, Ted Calvin GERMROTH, Xiaoliang Joe ZHENG, Brian Michael KING, Dong ZHANG, Thauming KUO, Qifeng ZHOU
  • Publication number: 20140126055
    Abstract: A multilayer optical film includes a wave plate having a refractive index profile of nx>ny?nz and a fluoropolymer film comprising a moiety of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring, and wherein nx and ny represent in-plane refractive indices and nz the thickness-direction refractive index of the wave plates; wherein said multilayer optical film has a positive in-plane retardation (Re) and an out-of-plane retardation (Rth) that satisfies the equation of |Rth|<Rc/2 throughout the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: AKRON POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: BIN WANG, TED CALVIN GERMROTH, THAUMING KUO, FRANK W. HARRIS, DONG ZHANG, DOUGLAS S. MCWILLIAMS, JIAOKAI JING, XIAOLIANG ZHENG
  • Publication number: 20130303692
    Abstract: Described are polyesters comprising (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising 80 to 100 mole % terephthalic acid residues; optionally, 0 to 20 mole % aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues; 20 to 30 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and 70 to 80 mole % 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues. The polyesters may be manufactured into articles such as fibers, films, bottles or sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Emmett Dudley Crawford, Thomas Joseph Pecorini, Douglas Stephens McWilliams, David Scott Porter, Gary Wayne Connell, Ted Calvin Germroth, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Publication number: 20130211025
    Abstract: A method for the preparation of a fluoropolymer by means of emulsion polymerization of a reaction mixture in an aqueous medium is disclosed wherein the reaction mixture includes a fluoromonomer having the structure of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring; b) an emulsion stabilizer combination comprising: i) an anionic surfactant; and, ii) a cationic surfactant or a non-ionic surfactant; and, c) a free-radical initiator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: XIAOLIANG ZHENG, DONG ZHANG, JIAOKAI JING, TED CALVIN GERMROTH, FRANK W. HARRIS, THAUMING KUO, BIN WANG, DOUGLAS STEPHENS McWILLIAMS
  • Patent number: 8507638
    Abstract: Described are polyesters comprising (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising terephthalic acid residues; optionally, aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues; 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and cyclohexanedimethanol residues. The polyesters have a desirable combination of inherent viscosity and glass transition temperature (“Tg”). The polyesters can have an inherent viscosity from 0.35 to 1.2 dL/g as determined in 60/40 (wt/wt) phenol/tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.5 g/100 ml at 25° C. and a Tg of 85 to 115° C. The polyesters may be manufactured into articles such as fibers, films, bottles or sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Emmett Dudley Crawford, Thomas Joseph Pecorini, Douglas Stephen McWilliams, David Scott Porter, Gary Wayne Connell, Ted Calvin Germroth, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford
  • Patent number: 8435636
    Abstract: Some embodiments include compositions and/or methods related to optical compensation films. More particularly, some embodiments can include brominated polystyrene compositions, and/or methods for their preparation, suitable for forming optical compensation films. In some embodiments, suitable brominated polystyrene compositions, and/or methods for their preparation, can include aromatic rings having one or more acyl moieties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Akron Polymer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Zhang, Jiaokai Jing, Zhikuan Lu, Thauming Kuo, Brian Michael King, Xiaoliang Zheng, Frank W. Harris, Ted Calvin Germroth
  • Publication number: 20130059957
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention is polyester compositions containing: (I) at least one polyester which comprises: (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising: (i) 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues; (ii) 0 to 30 mole % of aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms; and (iii) 0 to 10 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 16 carbon atoms; and (b) a glycol component comprising: (i) 1 to 99 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and (ii) 1 to 99 mole % of cyclohexanedimethanol residues; and (II) at least one thermal stabilizer chosen from at least one of alkyl phosphate esters, aryl phosphate esters, mixed alkyl aryl phosphate esters, reaction products thereof, and mixtures thereof; wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the glycol component is 100 mole %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Ted Calvin Germroth, Gary Wayne Connell, Emmett Dudley Crawford, Thomas Joseph Pecorini, Douglas Stephens McWilliams, Benjamin Fredrick Barton, Damon Bryan Shackelford