Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Amidon

Thomas E. Amidon 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).

  • Publication number: 20180245285
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 9945073
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20170306557
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 9683329
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 9624449
    Abstract: Non-food plant biomass is subjected hot-water extraction in a pressurized vessel at an elevated temperature up to about 250° C. without addition of reagents, to yield an aqueous extract containing hemicellulosic components and a lignocellulosic residue. The process leaves the lignocellulose substantially intact, but with the hemicellulosic content largely removed. The separated aqueous extract or liquor is concentrated and purified, and long-chain sugars are reduced into monomer saccharides. The lignocellulosic residue may be further processed, to yield a useful fibrous material that is highly resistant to sorption of water. This material may be used for composite materials that resist water degradation, or may be used to produce a higher thermal-yield, water-resistant fuel, or may be used as bioconversion feedstock for producing high-value, lignocellulosic derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Biorefinery Sciences LLC.
    Inventors: Joel R Howard, Thomas E Amidon, Christopher D Wood
  • Publication number: 20160168791
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 9273431
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes. The aqueous extract in embodiments including a water extract step is separated into acetic acid and hemicellulose sugar aqueous solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20150136344
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes. The aqueous extract in embodiments including a water extract step is separated into acetic acid and hemicellulose sugar aqueous solutions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 8940133
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes. The aqueous extract in embodiments including a water extract step is separated into acetic acid and hemicellulose sugar aqueous solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20140182796
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes. The aqueous extract in embodiments including a water extract step is separated into acetic acid and hemicellulose sugar aqueous solutions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20140162324
    Abstract: Non-food plant biomass is subjected hot-water extraction in a pressurized vessel at an elevated temperature up to about 250° C. without addition of reagents, to yield an aqueous extract containing hemicellulosic components and a lignocellulosic residue. The process leaves the lignocellulose substantially intact, but with the hemicellulosic content largely removed. The separated aqueous extract or liquor is concentrated and purified, and long-chain sugars are reduced into monomer saccharides. The lignocellulosic residue may be further processed, to yield a useful fibrous material that is highly resistant to sorption of water. This material may be used for composite materials that resist water degradation, or may be used to produce a higher thermal-yield, water-resistant fuel, or may be used as bioconversion feedstock for producing high-value, lignocellulosic derivatives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Applied Biorefinery Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Joel R. Howard, Thomas E. Amidon, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 8668806
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes. The aqueous extract in embodiments including a water extract step is separated into acetic acid and hemicellulose sugar aqueous solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of the State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 8618280
    Abstract: Non-food plant biomass is subjected to hot-water extraction in a pressurized vessel at an elevated temperature up to about 250° C. and at a pH below about 7.0, to yield an aqueous extract containing hemicellulosic components, other wood-derived compounds, and a lignocellulosic residue. The separated aqueous extract or liquor is purified and concentrated through a multi-step process producing fermentable sugars. At each stage, inhibitory chemicals such as acetic acid, lignin, and furfural are separated and eventually recovered as commercial chemicals. The lignocellulosic residue may be further processed, as a material with enhanced resistance to sorption of water, for manufacture of improved pulp and paper, construction materials, pellet fuel, and/or other useful products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Biorefinery Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Joel R. Howard, Thomas E. Amidon, Shijie Liu, Christopher D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20130112359
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes. The aqueous extract in embodiments including a water extract step is separated into acetic acid and hemicellulose sugar aqueous solutions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 8317975
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes. The aqueous extract in embodiments including a water extract step is separated into acetic acid and hemicellulose sugar aqueous solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of the State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20110129886
    Abstract: Non-food plant biomass is subjected to hot-water extraction in a pressurized vessel at an elevated temperature up to about 250° C. and at a pH below about 7.0, to yield an aqueous extract containing hemicellulosic components, other wood-derived compounds, and a lignocellulosic residue. The separated aqueous extract or liquor is purified and concentrated through a multi-step process producing fermentable sugars. At each stage, inhibitory chemicals such as acetic acid, lignin, and furfural are separated and eventually recovered as commercial chemicals. The lignocellulosic residue may be further processed, as a material with enhanced resistance to sorption of water, for manufacture of improved pulp and paper, construction materials, pellet fuel, and/or other useful products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Joel R. Howard, Thomas E. Amidon, Shijie Liu, Christopher D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20110073264
    Abstract: The method of the present invention is directed towards a method to increase the pulp yield of a lignocellulosic material, or increasing pulp bulk and/or pulp viscosity. This method comprises the following steps; preparing a lignocellulosic material, contacting the lignocellulosic material in a vessel with hot water or steam for a predetermined time, producing acetic acid from the reaction of the hot water or steam and the lignocellulosic material, lowering the pH to less than about 4, removing lignocellulosic material extracts including a large percentage of hemicellulose, acetic acid and metal ions, exposing contacted lignocellulosic material to pulping chemicals in a pulping reactor, forming a contacted lignocellulosic material pulp with a kappa number below about 19 after about 90 minutes of contact with the pulping chemicals, exposing the contacted lignocellulosic material pulp to whitening agents, and producing a whitened hot water contacted lignocellulosic material pulp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventors: Shijie Liu, Gangesh Mishra, Thomas E. Amidon, Kathryn E. Gratien, Jennifer A. Putnam
  • Patent number: 6592712
    Abstract: A method for manufacture of loaded paper or paperboard products, comprising the steps of separating at least one process stream from the papermaking process, wherein the process stream includes fines and/or filler; combining the process stream with long fibers and thickening to form a residue; treating the residue to form fiber-filler complexes; and using the fiber-filler complexes in the papermaking process to form the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: Alexander A. Koukoulas, Thomas E. Altman, M. C. Matthew, Thomas E. Amidon, Fernand Mora
  • Publication number: 20020096272
    Abstract: A method for manufacture of loaded paper or paperboard products, comprising the steps of separating at least one process stream from the papermaking process, wherein the process stream includes fines and/or filler; combining the process stream with long fibers and thickening to form a residue; treating the residue to form fiber-filler complexes; and using the fiber-filler complexes in the papermaking process to form the paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Alexander A. Koukoulas, Thomas E. Altman, M.C. Matthew, Thomas E. Amidon, Fernand Mora
  • Patent number: 6017415
    Abstract: A method wherein waste cellulosic material is used as an alternative fiber source during chemical pulping to replace a fraction of the wood chips. The waste cellulosic material is fed to the digester along with wood chips. The waste cellulosic material need not be repulped or slurried prior to digestion. The wood chips may be any species of hardwood or softwood. Normal chemical pulping charges, temperatures and cooking times applied in the case of 100% wood chip pulping may be used for the co-pulping of waste cellulosic material and wood chips. Thereafter, the pulp is processed as usual for chemical pulping, including the steps of blowing the digester, washing and thickening the brown stock, and bleaching the brown stock under the normal conditions used for the component co-pulped with the waste cellulosic material. Further screening or cleaning steps may be required to remove debris from waste cellulosic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: Richard B. Phillips, Linda A. Beltz, Craig Forehand, Wayne Christopherson, James A. McCann, Thomas E. Amidon, Jean J. Renard, Roger H. Purrington