Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Smith

Thomas E. Smith 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: 12288893
    Abstract: A battery enclosure assembly includes first and second pieces of an enclosure having an interior area, a plurality of fasteners joining the first and second pieces at a fastening interface, and a seal system sealing the first and second pieces at a sealing interface that is outside the plurality of fasteners relative to the interior area. The seal system including a cured gasket and a non-setting sealant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Samuel J. Tomlinson, Thomas E. Smith, Kimberly Ann Lazarz, Zachary Schultz
  • Publication number: 20240315595
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a band, and a smart watch coupled to the band, and having a face and a display. A blood alcohol tester is integrated with the smart watch, the blood alcohol tester coupled to the smart watch to provide blood alcohol reports to the smart watch upon testing for blood alcohol level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20230318112
    Abstract: A battery enclosure assembly includes first and second pieces of an enclosure having an interior area, a plurality of fasteners joining the first and second pieces at a fastening interface, and a seal system sealing the first and second pieces at a sealing interface that is outside the plurality of fasteners relative to the interior area. The seal system including a cured gasket and a non-setting sealant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Samuel J. Tomlinson, Thomas E. Smith, Kimberly Ann Lazarz, Zachary Schultz
  • Patent number: 9400130
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a skating rink that includes a skating area, a wall at least partially surrounding the skating area, and a visible mark extending along a perimeter region of the skating area to indicate to a skater traveling head first toward the wall that the skater should look up and to related methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Thomas E. Smith Fight to Cure Paralysis Foundation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20160158676
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tool and methods of using the tool to physically manipulate one or more filtration components, such as filter packs including stacked filtration discs. The tool may include two arms pivotally coupled to another, and may also have respective gripping portions configured to grasp an appropriate region of a filtration component. The arms may be movable toward and away from one another between grasping and non-grasping positions. When in the grasping position, the gripping portions may engage with a complementary coupling member of the filtration component(s). To separate one filtration component from another, the tool may be manipulated so as to decouple and lift the filtration component from a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Nathan Hawkins, Thomas E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20160047585
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a skating rink that includes a skating area, a wall at least partially surrounding the skating area, and a visible mark extending along a perimeter region of the skating area to indicate to a skater traveling head first toward the wall that the skater should look up and to related methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: 9194621
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a skating rink that includes a skating area, a wall at least partially surrounding the skating area, and a visible mark extending along a perimeter region of the skating area to indicate to a skater traveling head first toward the wall that the skater should look up and to related methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Thomas E. Smith Fight to Cure Paralysis Foundation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150241104
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a skating rink that includes a skating area, a wall at least partially surrounding the skating area, and a visible mark extending along a perimeter region of the skating area to indicate to a skater traveling head first toward the wall that the skater should look up and to related methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: The Thomas E. Smith Fight to Cure Paralysis Foundation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: 8006454
    Abstract: A grid system is provided that is particularly suited for the suspended ceiling system that varies in the vertical plane. An elongated carrier tube is provided the spans substantially the width of the grid system that has a slot therein adapted to receive the strengthening bulb of a main runner. A clip is provided that seats on the carrier tube that has opposed faces for capturing the bulb of the runner, so as to secure the runner to the tube carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Chicago Metallic Corporation
    Inventors: Scott G. Jankovec, Peter G. Jahn, Thomas E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20110071736
    Abstract: An automatically adjustable fifth wheel assembly for a vehicle and trailer combination that adjusts the position of the trailer relative to the vehicle is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Andrea Brown, Isaac D. Branning, John D. Fehring, Ronald E. Schoon, Steven Randall Lovell, Glenn Fowler, Rudolf Gruber, Thomas E. Smith, Paul White
  • Publication number: 20110067337
    Abstract: A flexible ceiling panel is preferably formed from sheet metal, such as aluminum sheet. Each ceiling panel has a generally rectangular shape (corresponding in width to the spacing between the main runners) and is formed with a hem on all four edges. A series of bendable tabs are formed integrally with the hem of the panel. To secure the panel to the associated grid system, the tabs are folded upwardly and outwardly from the panel along two axes to secure the panel to the grid system. Alternatively, a plurality of separate spring clips is used to secure the panel to the grid system. Each clip includes a first leg adapted to have at least a portion thereof received in the hem of the ceiling panel. A second leg extends generally perpendicularly from the first leg and includes a detent extending toward the first leg, the detent being adapted to secure the clip to the flange of the runner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventors: Peter G. Jahn, Scott G. Jankovec, Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: 7841149
    Abstract: A flexible ceiling panel is preferably formed from sheet metal, such as aluminum sheet. Each ceiling panel has a generally rectangular shape (corresponding in width to the spacing between the main runners) and is formed with a hem on all four edges. A series of bendable tabs are formed integrally with the hem of the panel. To secure the panel to the associated grid system, the tabs are folded upwardly and outwardly from the panel along two axes to secure the panel to the grid system. Alternatively, a plurality of separate spring clips is used to secure the panel to the grid system. Each clip includes a first leg adapted to have at least a portion thereof received in the hem of the ceiling panel. A second leg extends generally perpendicularly from the first leg and includes a detent extending toward the first leg, the detent being adapted to secure the clip to the flange of the runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Chicago Metallic Corporation
    Inventors: Peter G. Jahn, Scott G. Jankovec, Thomas E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20100242396
    Abstract: A grid system is provided that is particularly suited for the suspended ceiling system that varies in the vertical plane. An elongated carrier tube is provided the spans substantially the width of the grid system that has a slot therein adapted to receive the strengthening bulb of a main runner. A clip is provided that seats on the carrier tube that has opposed faces for capturing the bulb of the runner, so as to secure the runner to the tube carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Scott G. Jankovec, Peter G. Jahn, Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: 7752821
    Abstract: A grid system is provided that is particularly suited for the suspended ceiling system that varies in the vertical plane. An elongated carrier tube is provided the spans substantially the width of the grid system that has a slot therein adapted to receive the strengthening bulb of a main runner. A clip is provided that seats on the carrier tube that has opposed faces for capturing the bulb of the runner, so as to secure the runner to the tube carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Chicago Metallic Corporation
    Inventors: Scott G. Jankovec, Peter G. Jahn, Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: 7509951
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine cover includes a peripheral rail for attaching a cover to an engine component and an enclosure portion formed integrally with a peripheral rail. At least one port formed in the enclosure portion holds an electronic module which is mounted through the port and which may include an oil separator as well as an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20080086962
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a flexible ceiling panel preferably formed from sheet metal, such as aluminum sheet. Each ceiling panel has a generally rectangular shape (corresponding in width to the spacing between the main runners) and is formed with a hem on all four edges. A series of bendable tabs are formed integrally with the hem of the panel. To secure the panel to the associated grid system, the tabs are folded upwardly and outwardly from the panel along two axes to secure the panel to the grid system. Alternatively, a plurality of separate spring clips is used to secure the panel to the grid system. Each clip includes a first leg adapted to have at least a portion thereof received in the hem of the ceiling panel. A second leg extends generally perpendicularly from the first leg and includes a detent extending toward the first leg, the detent being adapted to secure the clip to the flange of the runner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Peter G. Jahn, Scott G. Jankovec, Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: 6771894
    Abstract: A motor speed resolution enhancement method and system. A display system controller (202) measures the frame rate of an incoming signal to determine the desired color wheel speed. A digital speed control word (212) representing the desired color wheel speed is written to the motor control circuit (204). The motor control circuit uses the digital speed control word (212) to generate analog control voltages (214) that drive the motor (206). The motor controller (204) also detects the position of the motor and generates a series of commutation interrupts (216). The display system controller 202 accurately measures the input signal's frame rate to determine the proper rate at which to spin the color wheel. The resulting desired speed word has a higher resolution than the motor control circuit (204) is able to receive. The disclosed invention provides a method of increasing the resolution of the digital speed control word (212) without upgrading the resolution of the motor control circuit (204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: 6373201
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a lamp. A timer (106) reads a rated safe life value from a memory (102) associated with a lamp in a lamp module (104). The memory (102) in the lamp module (104) contains a series of locations in which the rated safe life of the lamp has been stored, and a series of locations for storing the elapsed on time of the lamp. The timer controller (106) reads the series of locations storing the rated safe life of the lamp and verifies the validity of the values using a series of checksums and comparisons between the various values. The timer controller (106) also reads the series of locations storing the elapsed on time for the lamp and verifies the elapsed on time in a similar manner. If either the rated safe on time or the elapsed on time cannot be verified, the lamp is disabled. If both can be verified, and the lamp is enabled until the elapsed on time equals or exceeds the rated safe life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel J. Morgan, Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: D715460
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Chicago Metallic Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith
  • Patent number: D727538
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Chicago Metallic Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Smith