Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Rice
Thomas A. Rice 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).
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Publication number: 20240068852Abstract: An insertable flow meter assembly includes a flow measuring device configured to be inserted into a flow passage of a receiving structure. The flow measuring device is configured to enable determination of a flow rate of fluid through the flow passage, the flow measuring device is formed as a single continuous structure, and an outer cross-section of at least a portion of the flow measuring device is configured to be substantially the same as an inner cross-section of the flow passage. The insertable flow meter assembly also includes an end cap configured to engage an exterior surface of the receiving structure and to couple to the receiving structure at an end of the flow passage. The end cap is configured to block movement of the flow measuring device out of the end of the flow passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Kjetil Berntsen, Thomas Mcllroy, Alexandre Lupeau, Phillip Rice
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Publication number: 20230065621Abstract: A loss prevention range finder and computer-executable method for locating said range finder. The method comprises activating a loss prevention and locating software application on a smart device, a tracking device, or the like. The method further comprises continuously tracking the location of the range finder relative to a second location of the user device via the loss prevention aspect of the software application. The method further comprises displaying a navigation map on the user device's display. The method further comprises broadcasting a search signal from the user device to the range finder. The method further comprises activating the range finder, is response to the search signal, to transmit location information identifying the second location of the range finder.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2022Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Michael McDonald, Thomas Rice
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Publication number: 20220237166Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing a unified partitioning scheme within distributed database systems to allow a table to be horizontally partitioned and those partitions stored on and serviced by a storage group. A storage group is a subset of storage manager (SM) nodes, and each SM node is configured to persist database data in durable storage. The distributed database system assigns each storage group to a subset of SM nodes. The distributed database system can address each storage group using a symbolic mapping that allows transactions to identify a particular storage group, and to direct read and write operations to a subset of SM nodes servicing that storage group. An administrator can update this mapping on-the-fly to cause the distributed database system to dynamically adjust an implemented partitioning scheme without necessarily interrupting on-going database operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Applicant: NuoDB, Inc.Inventors: Michael Thomas Rice, Oleg Levin, Yan Avlasov, Seth Theodore Proctor, Thomas Jonathan Harwood
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Patent number: 11314714Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing a unified partitioning scheme within distributed database systems to allow a table to be horizontally partitioned and those partitions stored on and serviced by a storage group. A storage group is a subset of storage manager (SM) nodes, and each SM node is configured to persist database data in durable storage. The distributed database system assigns each storage group to a subset of SM nodes. The distributed database system can address each storage group using a symbolic mapping that allows transactions to identify a particular storage group, and to direct read and write operations to a subset of SM nodes servicing that storage group. An administrator can update this mapping on-the-fly to cause the distributed database system to dynamically adjust an implemented partitioning scheme without necessarily interrupting on-going database operations.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2018Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: NuoDB, Inc.Inventors: Michael Thomas Rice, Oleg Levin, Yan Avlasov, Seth Theodore Proctor, Thomas Jonathan Harwood
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Publication number: 20220033122Abstract: An article packaging machine and method or turning article packs, the article packaging machine having a turner station for turning article packs moving though the packaging machine. The packaging machine includes a main conveyor extending longitudinally from an upstream end to a downstream end and through the turning station. Article packs are carried by the main conveyor spaced and sequentially in the downstream direction through the turner station. The turner station includes flight drive assembly having multiple flight assemblies. The flight assemblies are driven above upper cam plates in the upstream direction, and below lower cam plates in the downstream direction. The flight assemblies include turner rods that are moved toward the main conveyor to contact the article pack in at least two points. The turner rods progressively move toward the main conveyor center line until the distal ends of the turner rods are moved past the article pack side walls and the pack is turned 90 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Inventors: Colin P. Ford, Thomas A. Rice
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Patent number: 11161637Abstract: An article packaging machine and method or turning article packs, the article packaging machine having a turner station for turning article packs moving though the packaging machine. The packaging machine includes a main conveyor extending longitudinally from an upstream end to a downstream end and through the turning station. Article packs are carried by the main conveyor spaced and sequentially in the downstream direction through the turner station. The turner station includes flight drive assembly having multiple flight assemblies. The flight assemblies are driven above upper cam plates in the upstream direction, and below lower cam plates in the downstream direction. The flight assemblies include turner rods that are moved toward the main conveyor to contact the article pack in at least two points. The turner rods progressively move toward the main conveyor center line until the distal ends of the turner rods are moved past the article pack side walls and the pack is turned 90 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2019Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLCInventors: Colin P. Ford, Thomas A. Rice
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Publication number: 20200333025Abstract: Air conditioning systems and methods for cooling a space that include a chiller, a cooling coil, a heat sink, various water conduits, and a pump. Different modes of operation are used under different conditions and the water is routed differently in different modes. In a first mode, the chiller rejects heat to water returning from the cooling coil, and in a second mode, there are separate loops of chilled and heated water with separate pumps. In a third (economizer) mode of operation, the chiller is off and water from the heat sink is delivered to the cooling coil. Control valves, check valves, or both, are used to direct the flow of water, which are strategically placed in various water conduits.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2020Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventor: Thomas Rice
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Patent number: 10739024Abstract: Air conditioning systems and methods for cooling a space that include a chiller, a cooling coil, a heat sink, various water conduits, and a pump. Different modes of operation are used under different conditions and the water is routed differently in different modes. In a first mode, the chiller rejects heat to water returning from the cooling coil, and in a second mode, there are separate loops of chilled and heated water with separate pumps. In a third (economizer) mode of operation, the chiller is off and water from the heat sink is delivered to the cooling coil. Control valves, check valves, or both, are used to direct the flow of water, which are strategically placed in various water conduits.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: SEMCO LLCInventor: Thomas Rice
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Publication number: 20190233151Abstract: An article packaging machine and method or turning article packs, the article packaging machine having a turner station for turning article packs moving though the packaging machine. The packaging machine includes a main conveyor extending longitudinally from an upstream end to a downstream end and through the turning station. Article packs are carried by the main conveyor spaced and sequentially in the downstream direction through the turner station. The turner station includes flight drive assembly having multiple flight assemblies. The flight assemblies are driven above upper cam plates in the upstream direction, and below lower cam plates in the downstream direction. The flight assemblies include turner rods that are moved toward the main conveyor to contact the article pack in at least two points. The turner rods progressively move toward the main conveyor center line until the distal ends of the turner rods are moved past the article pack side walls and the pack is turned 90 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2019Publication date: August 1, 2019Inventors: Colin P. Ford, Thomas A. Rice
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Publication number: 20180357264Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing a unified partitioning scheme within distributed database systems to allow a table to be horizontally partitioned and those partitions stored on and serviced by a storage group. A storage group is a subset of storage manager (SM) nodes, and each SM node is configured to persist database data in durable storage. The distributed database system assigns each storage group to a subset of SM nodes. The distributed database system can address each storage group using a symbolic mapping that allows transactions to identify a particular storage group, and to direct read and write operations to a subset of SM nodes servicing that storage group. An administrator can update this mapping on-the-fly to cause the distributed database system to dynamically adjust an implemented partitioning scheme without necessarily interrupting on-going database operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2018Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Michael Thomas Rice, Oleg Levin, Yan Avlasov, Seth Theodore Proctor, Thomas Jonathan Harwood
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Patent number: 10067969Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing a unified partitioning scheme within distributed database systems to allow a table to be horizontally partitioned and those partitions stored on and serviced by a storage group. A storage group is a subset of storage manager (SM) nodes, and each SM node is configured to persist database data in durable storage. The distributed database system assigns each storage group to a subset of SM nodes. The distributed database system can address each storage group using a symbolic mapping that allows transactions to identify a particular storage group, and to direct read and write operations to a subset of SM nodes servicing that storage group. An administrator can update this mapping on-the-fly to cause the distributed database system to dynamically adjust an implemented partitioning scheme without necessarily interrupting on-going database operations.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: NuoDB, INC.Inventors: Michael Thomas Rice, Oleg Levin, Yan Avlasov, Seth Theodore Proctor, Thomas Jonathan Harwood
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Publication number: 20180195745Abstract: Air conditioning systems and methods for cooling a space that include a chiller, a cooling coil, a heat sink, various water conduits, and a pump. Different modes of operation are used under different conditions and the water is routed differently in different modes. In a first mode, the chiller rejects heat to water returning from the cooling coil, and in a second mode, there are separate loops of chilled and heated water with separate pumps. In a third (economizer) mode of operation, the chiller is off and water from the heat sink is delivered to the cooling coil. Control valves, check valves, or both, are used to direct the flow of water, which are strategically placed in various water conduits.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2018Publication date: July 12, 2018Inventor: Thomas Rice
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Patent number: 9856047Abstract: A carton decasing system for removing stacks of cartons or carton blanks from cases or containers includes a case infeed conveyor on which the cases with the cartons or carton blanks stacked therein are moved to an inverting assembly. The inverting assembly reorients the cases and places the cases with the cartons stacked therein on a decasing assembly which removes the cases from the stacks of cartons. The stacks of cartons are thereafter conveyed along a magazine conveyor with the stacks of cartons supported by a stack pusher assembly as the cartons are moved to a discharge point at the distal end of the magazine conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2013Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.Inventors: Colin Ford, Thomas A. Rice
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Publication number: 20160350392Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing a unified partitioning scheme within distributed database systems to allow a table to be horizontally partitioned and those partitions stored on and serviced by a storage group. A storage group is a subset of storage manager (SM) nodes, and each SM node is configured to persist database data in durable storage. The distributed database system assigns each storage group to a subset of SM nodes. The distributed database system can address each storage group using a symbolic mapping that allows transactions to identify a particular storage group, and to direct read and write operations to a subset of SM nodes servicing that storage group. An administrator can update this mapping on-the-fly to cause the distributed database system to dynamically adjust an implemented partitioning scheme without necessarily interrupting on-going database operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Applicant: NuoDB, INC.Inventors: Michael Thomas Rice, Oleg Levin, Yan Avlasov, Seth Theodore Proctor, Thomas Jonathan Harwood
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Patent number: 9346580Abstract: A carton decasing system for removing stacks of cartons or carton blanks from cases or containers includes a case infeed conveyor on which the cases with the cartons or carton blanks stacked therein are moved to an inverting assembly. The inverting assembly reorients the cases and places the cases with the cartons stacked therein on a decasing assembly which removes the cases from the stacks of cartons. The stacks of cartons are thereafter conveyed along a magazine conveyor with the stacks of cartons supported by a stack pusher assembly as the cartons are moved to a discharge point at the distal end of the magazine conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2012Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.Inventors: Colin Ford, Thomas A. Rice
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Patent number: 8591741Abstract: Processes for manufacturing a thin film composite membrane comprising multi-walled carbon nanotubes include contacting under interfacial polymerization conditions an organic solution comprising a polyacid halide with an aqueous solution comprising a polyamine to form a thin film composite membrane on a surface of a porous base membrane; at least one of the organic solution and the aqueous solution further including multi-walled carbon nanotubes having an outside diameter of less than about 30 nm.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2010Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Hua Wang, Gary William Yeager, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Steven Thomas Rice
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Patent number: 8580341Abstract: The present invention provides a composite membrane comprising a porous base membrane and a polyamide coating disposed on said porous base membrane, said polyamide coating comprising a C3-C8 cyclic carbonyl compound and a C1-C8 amide compound, said amide compound comprising at least one N—H moiety. In addition the present invention provides a method of preparing a composite membrane comprising contacting under interfacial polymerization conditions an organic solution comprising a polyacid halide with an aqueous solution comprising a polyamine, said contacting being carried out on a surface of a porous base membrane, said organic solution further comprising a C3-C8 cyclic carbonyl compound, said aqueous solution comprising a C1-C8 amide compound, said amide compound comprising at least one N—H moiety.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2009Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Hua Wang, Su Lu, Hua Li, Steven Thomas Rice, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Bing Zhang, Chen Wang, Lawrence Charles Costa, Steven John Harrold, David Allen Olson, Wenqing Peng
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Patent number: 8574664Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of forming an electrolyte membrane comprising forming a mixture; the mixture comprising a polyhydroxy compound, an aromatic polyhalide compound and an alkali metal hydroxide; disposing the mixture on a porous substrate; reacting the mixture to form a crosslinked proton conductor; and sulfonating the proton conductor. Disclosed herein too is an article comprising a porous substrate; and a sulfonated crosslinked proton conductor disposed within pores of the porous substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2008Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ryo Tamaki, Steven Thomas Rice, Gary William Yeager
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Publication number: 20130247524Abstract: A carton decasing system for removing stacks of cartons or carton blanks from cases or containers includes a case infeed conveyor on which the cases with the cartons or carton blanks stacked therein are moved to an inverting assembly. The inverting assembly reorients the cases and places the cases with the cartons stacked therein on a decasing assembly which removes the cases from the stacks of cartons. The stacks of cartons are thereafter conveyed along a magazine conveyor with the stacks of cartons supported by a stack pusher assembly as the cartons are moved to a discharge point at the distal end of the magazine conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.Inventors: Colin Ford, Thomas A. Rice
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Publication number: 20130146530Abstract: One aspect of the present invention includes a membrane. The membrane includes a porous support and a polymeric layer disposed on the porous support. The membrane further includes a plurality of substantially hydrophobic mesoporous nanoparticles disposed within the polymeric layer. A water treatment system and a method of making a membrane are also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2011Publication date: June 13, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Hua Wang, Steven Thomas Rice, Gary William Yeager, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Elizabeth Marie Dees