Patents by Inventor Thomas Craig Masterman

Thomas Craig Masterman 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).

  • Processing biomass
    Patent number: 9353344
    Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce a product or intermediate, e.g., energy, a food, a fuel, or a material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • Array for processing materials
    Patent number: 9334518
    Abstract: Materials (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems equipment, and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, using an array of vaults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, Robert Paradis
  • DISPERSING FEEDSTOCKS AND PROCESSING MATERIALS
    Publication number: 20160122700
    Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce ethanol. Biomass feedstock is dispersed in a liquid medium and then saccharified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • Processing biomass
    Patent number: 9328393
    Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce a product such as a biofuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Seul-a Bae, Randy Valdez, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • PROCESSING HYDROCARBON-CONTAINING MATERIALS
    Publication number: 20160108321
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon-containing feedstocks are processed to produce useful intermediates or products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can process a petroleum-containing feedstock, such as oil sands, oil shale, tar sands, and other naturally-occurring and synthetic materials that include both hydrocarbon components and solid matter, to obtain a useful intermediate or product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • PROCESSING BIOMASS
    Publication number: 20160083754
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as poly carboxylic acids and poly carboxylic acid derivatives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: Xyleco, Inc.
    Inventors: Marshall MEDOFF, Thomas Craig MASTERMAN, Jaewoong MOON
  • Processing biomass
    Patent number: 9290780
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to proceed ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • PROCESSING BIOMASS
    Publication number: 20160076014
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods for processing biomass materials that are disposed in one or more structures or carriers, e.g., a bag, a shell, a net, a membrane, a mesh or any combination of these. Containing the material in this manner allows it to be readily added or removed at any point and in any sequence during processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall MEDOFF, Thomas Craig MASTERMAN, James LYNCH
  • PROCESSING BIOMASS TO OBTAIN HYDROXYLCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
    Publication number: 20160076062
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as hydroxy-carboxylic acids and hydroxy-carboxylic acid derivatives. A method includes treating a reduced recalcitrance lignocellulosic or cellulosic material with one or more enzymes and/or organisms (such as lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Rhizopus, Enterococcus) to produce an alpha, beta, gamma and/or delta hydroxycarboxylic acid (such as lactic acid, glycolic acid); and converting the alpha, beta, gamma and/or delta hydroxy-carboxylic acid to the product (such as esters, polymers, and copolymers).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall MEDOFF, Thomas Craig MASTERMAN, Andrew PAPOULIS, Jaewoong MOON, Jihan KHAN, Robert PARADIS
  • Bioprocessing
    Patent number: 9284586
    Abstract: Bioreactors are provided that include a vessel and a jet mixer disposed in the vessel. Methods that utilize the bioreactors are provided, involving placing a microorganism or cells and a fluid medium in the bioreactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • PROCESSING HYDROXY-CARBOXYLIC ACIDS TO POLYMERS
    Publication number: 20160060386
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as aliphatic hydroxy-carboxylic acid and hydroxyl-carboxylic acid derivatives. These aliphatic hydroxy-carboxylic acids are, in turn, polymerized. The polymerization is carried out using a thin film evaporator or a thin film polymerization/devolatilization device. Conversion of lactic acid to poly lactic acid is an especially useful product to this process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall MEDOFF, Thomas Craig MASTERMAN, Robert PARADIS
  • BIOPROCESSING
    Publication number: 20160060668
    Abstract: Functionalized substrate materials, for example inorganic particles and/or synthetic polymeric particles, are used to enhance bioprocesses such as saccharification and fermentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, Harrison Medoff
  • PROCESSING BIOMASS
    Publication number: 20160053047
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as amino-alpha, omega-dicarboxylic acid and amino-alpha, omega-dicarboxylic acid derivatives. These products include polymers and copolymers of alpha-amino, omega-dicarboxylic acids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall MEDOFF, Thomas Craig MASTERMAN, Jaewoong MOON, Christopher G. BERGERON
  • PROCESSING BIOMASS
    Publication number: 20160046965
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed for use in the production of useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use biomass materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to enhance the production of a product, e.g., the production of ethanol and/or butanol by fermentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, Harrison Medoff
  • Dispersing feedstocks and processing materials
    Patent number: 9260735
    Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce ethanol. Biomass feedstock is dispersed in a liquid medium and then saccharified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • PROCESSING BIOMASS
    Publication number: 20160040204
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods of increasing the efficiency of biomass saccharification. In particular, the methods include ways of avoiding feedback inhibition during the production of useful products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, Michael W. Finn
  • PROCESSING BIOMASS
    Publication number: 20160040116
    Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce a product or intermediate, e.g., energy, a food, a fuel, or a material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • Processing hydrocarbon-containing materials
    Patent number: 9243188
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon-containing feedstocks are processed to produce useful intermediates or products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can process a petroleum-containing feedstock, such as oil sands, oil shale, tar sands, and other naturally-occurring and synthetic materials that include both hydrocarbon components and solid matter, to obtain a useful intermediate or product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • PROCESSING BIOMASS
    Publication number: 20160017444
    Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can be useful in enhancing sugar yields from biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, Christopher G.F. Cooper
  • Toothbrush head
    Patent number: 9220335
    Abstract: A toothbrush head having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface is described herein. The head has a first portion, a second portion, and an opening between the first portion and the second portion. The opening extends from the top surface to the bottom surface. A first plurality of contact elements are positioned on the first portion and the second portion. A second plurality of contact elements are positioned on the first portion and the second portion. Each of the second plurality of contact elements has an elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Phillip Maurice Braun, William Ralph Brown, Jr., Thomas Aurele Christman, Thomas Craig Masterman, Karen Lynn Claire-Zimmet, Ronald Richard Duff, Jr.