Patents by Inventor Thoma Kurt

Thoma Kurt 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: 8131213
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a tagging and identification device and system for tracking and monitoring sea vessels as they enter sea ports, estuaries and/or other channels. The tagging device of the present invention comprises a receiver, for receiving an underwater electromagnetic signal transmitted by an underwater beacon. An acoustic transmitter is provided for transmitting an identification signal to an acoustic receiver deployed nearby. The acoustic identification signal is transmitted after an electromagnetic trigger signal is received from the underwater beacon. The tagging and device may further comprise a memory device which can store data relating to position and time of the see vessel to which it is attached. The tagging and identification device of the present invention is covert, compact and is capable of extended active deployment without replenishment of batteries etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: WFS Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: William Luther Porter, Thomas Kurt Nielsen, Brendan Peter Hyland
  • Publication number: 20110185591
    Abstract: An insole is provided for reducing peak plantar pressure on a foot. The insole includes a compressible pad having a plurality of holes extending from a bottom surface of the compressible pad and partially through the compressible pad. A plurality of compressible plugs is disposed in the plurality of holes, wherein the plurality of compressible plugs has a stiffness that is different than a stiffness of the compressible pad. The plurality of compressible plugs is concentrated in a reduced stiffness portion of the compressible pad that substantially corresponds to an area of peak plantar pressure on the foot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: THE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ricardo Actis, Lilana Ventura, Michael Jeffrey Mueller, Paul Kevin Commean, Mary Kent Hastings, Joseph W. Klaesner, Donovan J. Lott, Thomas Kurt Pilgram, Kirk Smith, Dequan Zou
  • Publication number: 20100271405
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for transforming a CAD model of an object between engineering states includes generating a first reference geometry to represent a first engineering state. A parametric CAD model of the object may be generated to represent the object in the first engineering state by constructing the parametric CAD model as having dependence on the first reference geometry. A second reference geometry may be generated to represent a second engineering state. The parametric CAD model may be regenerated to represent the object in the second engineering state by replacing the first reference geometry with the second reference geometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Kurt Schneider, Randolph Henry Zalesak
  • Publication number: 20100245120
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a tagging and identification device and system for tracking and monitoring sea vessels as they enter sea ports, estuaries and/or other channels. The tagging device of the present invention comprises a receiver, for receiving an underwater electromagnetic signal transmitted by an underwater beacon. An acoustic transmitter is provided for transmitting an identification signal to an acoustic receiver deployed nearby. The acoustic identification signal is transmitted after an electromagnetic trigger signal is received from the underwater beacon. The tagging and device may further comprise a memory device which can store data relating to position and time of the see vessel to which it is attached. The tagging and identification device of the present invention is covert, compact and is capable of extended active deployment without replenishment of batteries etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: William Luther Porter, Thomas Kurt Nielsen, Brendan Peter Hyland
  • Publication number: 20100132828
    Abstract: The invention relates to the production of a spherical, hollow filling body for filling containers for flammable and inflammable liquids or gases, as well as to methods for its particularly advantageous uses, e.g. for preventing explosion-type burning processes and explosions, for extinguishing fires, as a corrosion protection in tank containers, for separation of fuels and water, as a protection against bacteria and fungi in fuel tanks, as an anti-theft protection, for reducing carbon-hydrogen emissions, for increasing stability and crash safety of tank containers, for reducing the boil-off effect of hydrogen, for applications in chemical industry, for dissipating static electricity from fuel containers, for protecting against electromagnetic disturbances, for reducing and delaying the BLEVE effect, for increasing the filling capacity of gas containers, for heating and cooling liquids and gases, as well as for reducing the vaporization loss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas Kurt Stelzl
  • Publication number: 20080246485
    Abstract: An underwater EM measurement system, which is substantially smaller, much simpler to use, and more robust than prior systems, is formed as a sensor package integrated into a single pressure vessel includes two magnetic sensors including induction coils disposed substantially horizontally so as to measure fields in orthogonal directions. The package also includes two electric field sensors including electric potential antennas adapted to couple to a water potential via a capacitive electrode having a conducting material and an electrically insulative layer formed of an insulating material. The capacitive electrode has a capacitance to the medium of greater than 1 mF. Preferably, the insulating material is a metal oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Andrew D. Hibbs, Thomas Kurt Nielsen
  • Patent number: 6480686
    Abstract: A magnetic brush development station with a housing forming a reservoir for developer material has a plurality of augers located in the housing for mixing developer material. A drive for the plurality of augers includes an assembly having a body extending through the development station housing. A plurality of bearings are positioned in the body with a spacer between the plurality of bearings. A rotatable shaft is connected between the plurality of augers and an auger drive member. A seal for the rotatable shaft has a lip formed of a material which is able to stretch sufficiently to maintain sealing contact with the shaft while the shaft is being rotated by the auger drive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Kurt Hilbert, Jerry Eugene Livadas, Scott Thomas Slattery, Patricia D. Reuschle, Gary Edwin Nichols, Michelle Dawn Wise, Cathlyn Y. Yu, Donald Steven Hensel, Daniel Francis Vespone, Christopher Stephen Garcia, Thomas Samuel Albrecht, Michael E. Jacobs, James Robert Carey, Timothy Gilbert Armstrong, D. Steven Kepner, W. Charles Kasiske
  • Publication number: 20020090227
    Abstract: A magnetic brush development station for a reproduction apparatus. The magnetic brush development station includes a housing forming, at least in part, a reservoir for developer material; a plurality of augers located in the housing for mixing developer material within the reservoir; a development roller mounted within the housing for delivering developer material from the reservoir to a development zone; and a pressure equalization seal associated with the housing. The pressure equalization seal is placed over a hole defined in the housing, the pressure equalization seal allowing air flow, caused by pressure differential between inside the housing and the exterior thereof, through the seal without carrying developer material dust out of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Kurt Hilbert, Jerry Eugene Livadas, Scott Thomas Slattery, Patricia D. Reuschle, Gary Edwin Nichols, Michelle Dawn Wise, Cathlyn Y. Yu, Donald Steven Hensel, Daniel Francis Vespone, Christopher Stephen Garcia, Thomas Samuel Albrecht, Michael E. Jacobs, James Robert Carey, W. Charles Kasikse, Timothy Gilbert Armstrong, D. Steven Kepner
  • Publication number: 20020061208
    Abstract: A magnetic brush development station including a housing forming, at least in part, a reservoir for developer material. A plurality of augers are located in the housing for mixing developer material within the reservoirs. A development roller is mounted within the housing for delivering developer material from the reservoir to a development zone. A mechanism is provided for selectively readily replenishing and/or emptying at least one component of developer material with respect to the reservoir, the replenishing mechanism including a tube defining a series of ports, the series of ports being at a specific angle and of a size so as to allow an equal amount of material to pass through each of the ports, whereby marking particles exit from the ports and are substantially uniformly introduced into the reservoir of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Kurt Hilbert, Jerry Eugene Livadas, Scott Thomas Slattery, Patricia D. Reuschle, Gary Edwin Nichols, Michelle Dawn Wise, Cathlyn Y. Yu, Donald Steven Hensel, Daniel Francis Vespone, Christopher Stephen Garcia, Thomas Samuel Albrecht, Michael E. Jacobs, James Robert Carey, Timothy Gilbert Armstrong, D. Stephen Kepner
  • Publication number: 20020057922
    Abstract: A magnetic brush development station includes, a housing forming a reservoir for developer materials. A plurality of augers are located in the housing for mixing developer material. A development roller is mounted within the housing for delivering developer material from the reservoir to a development zone. The development roller includes a core magnet inside a shell, having relative rotation. The core magnet extends less than the entire length of the development roller such that a developer nap on the shell does not extend to the respective ends. A metering skive controls the quantity of developer material delivered from the reservoir. A metering skive is positioned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the development roller at a location upstream in the direction of shell rotation prior to the development zone. A magnetic seal is located in association with the skive at each end to substantially prevent leakage of developer material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Kurt Hilbert, Jerry Eugene Livadas, Scott Thomas Slattery, Patricia D. Reuschle, Gary Edwin Nichols, Michelle Dawn Wise, Cathlyn Y. Yu, Donald Steven Hensel, Daniel Francis Vespone, Christopher Stephen Garcia, Thomas Samuel Albrecht, Michael E. Jacobs, James Robert Carey, W. Charles Kasiske, Timothy Gilbert Armstrong, D. Stevhen Kepner
  • Publication number: 20020057923
    Abstract: A magnetic brush development station includes a housing forming a reservoir for developer material. A development roller is mounted within said housing for delivering developer material from this reservoir to a development zone. A plurality of augers are located in the housing for mixing developer material. A drive for the plurality of augers extends through the housing and has a seal therefore, the drive includes an assembly having a body extending through the development station housing, a plurality of bearings positioned in the body with a spacer between the plurality of bearings, an auger drive member, and a seal for the drive surrounding a rotatable shaft connected between the plurality of augers and the auger drive member. The seal has a lip formed of a material which is able to stretch sufficiently to maintain sealing contact with the shaft while the shaft is being rotated by the auger drive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Kurt Hilbert, Jerry Eugene Livadas, Scott Thomas Slattery, Patricia D. Reuschle, Gary Edwin Nichols, Michelle Dawn Wise, Cathlyn Y. Yu, Donald Steven Hensel, Daniel Francis Vespone, Christopher Stephen Garcia, Thomas Samuel Albrecht, Michael E. Jacobs, James Robert Carey, Timothy Gilbert Armstrong, D. Stephen Kepner
  • Publication number: 20020057929
    Abstract: A magnetic brush development station including a housing forming, at least in part, a reservoir for developer material. A development roller is mounted within the housing for delivering developer material from the reservoir to a development zone. A plurality of rotatable augers are located in said housing for mixing developer material within the reservoir, and are arranged substantially side-by-side with respective parallel longitudinal axes, the most outboard of the plurality of augers being positioned to be raised and toward the center with respect to the housing of the development station. Accordingly the overall width of the development station is reduced while maintaining centerline distances between each of the plurality of augers so that individual augers do not interfere with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Kurt Hilbert, Jerry Eugene Livadas, Scott Thomas Slattery, Patricia D. Reuschle, Gary Edwin Nichols, Michelle Dawn Wise, Cathlyn Y. Yu, Donald Steven Hensel, Daniel Francis Vespone, Christopher Stephen Garcia, Thomas Samuel Albrecht, Michael E. Jacobs, James Robert Carey, W. Charles Kasiske, Timothy Gilbert Armstrong, D. Steven Kepner
  • Patent number: 6385415
    Abstract: A magnetic brush development station for a reproduction apparatus. The magnetic brush development station includes a housing forming, at least in part, a reservoir for developer material. The reservoir has a pressure equalization seal. A mechanism is associated with the housing for readily moving the housing relative to the reproduction apparatus. Another mechanism selectively readily replenishes and/or empties at least one component of developer material with respect to the reservoir. A plurality of augers are located in the housing for mixing developer material within the reservoir. A drive for the augers, extending through the housing, has a seal therefor. A development roller, mounted within the housing, delivers developer material from the reservoir to a development zone. The development roller includes a core magnet inside a shell such that the core magnet and the shell having relative rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: NexPress Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Kurt Hilbert, Jerry Eugene Livadas, Scott Thomas Slattery, Patricia D. Reuschle, Gary Edwin Nichols, Michelle Dawn Wise, Cathlyn Y. Yu, Donald Steven Hensel, Daniel Francis Vespone, Christopher Stephen Garcia, Thomas Samuel Albrecht, Michael E. Jacobs, James Robert Carey, W. Charles Kasiske, Timothy Gilbert Armstrong, D. Steven Kepner
  • Patent number: 4410821
    Abstract: A slip-ring arrangement for electrical machines,especially asynchronous machines, for the directional elimination of heat and for the removal of brush abrasion elements having several slip rings, located next to one another, the slip rings being provided with axial cooling-gas bores which are intersected by grooves or slots in each slip-ring surface. These cooling-gas bores are guided--separately for each slip ring--through axially extending insulating tubes to a suction fan, preferably a radial fan so that heat lost is eliminated directly at its point or origin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: BBC Brown, Boveri & Company, Limited
    Inventor: Thoma Kurt