Patents by Inventor Thomas O'Connor

Thomas O'Connor 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: 20100288294
    Abstract: A razor blade cartridge which has a housing with a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and one or more blades mounted within the housing. An elongated resilient skin contacting element is joined to the proximal end portion of the housing. The elongated resilient skin contacting element has an alignment array of skin contacting members having a pattern of one or more flexible skin-engaging projections that are generally transverse to one or more of the blades and define a plurality of open channels that facilitate the generally unobstructed passage of hair to one or more of the blades during shaving. The elongated resilient skin contacting element also has at least one additional array of skin contacting members having a pattern that is different than the pattern of the alignment array of skin contacting members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Paul Fathallah, William Thomas O'Connor, Robert Harold Johnson
  • Publication number: 20100269669
    Abstract: A drumhead with an outer ring member anchored to the outer periphery of a drum and having a threaded interior surface. An inner ring member having a threaded exterior surface matingly threaded to the interior surface of the outer ring. Rotating the inner ring in a first direction relative to the outer ring, increases the tension exerted on the drum skin. Similarly, rotating the inner ring in a second direction relative to the outer ring, decreases the tension exerted on the drum skin. Vertical pressure is exerted on the drum skin and drum ring when the inner ring is rotated in a first direction relative to the outer ring. Conversely, the pressure is released on the drum skin and the drum ring when the inner ring is rotated in a second direction relative to the outer ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas O'Connor
  • Patent number: 7777112
    Abstract: A drumhead with an outer ring member anchored to the outer periphery of a drum and having a threaded interior surface. An inner ring member having a threaded exterior surface matingly threaded to the interior surface of the outer ring. Rotating the inner ring in a first direction relative to the outer ring, increases the tension exerted on the drum skin. Similarly, rotating the inner ring in a second direction relative to the outer ring decreases the tension exerted on the drum skin. Vertical pressure is exerted on the drum skin and drum ring when the inner ring is rotated in a first direction relative to the outer ring. Conversely, the pressure is released on the drum skin and the drum ring when the inner ring is rotated in a second direction relative to the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20090064844
    Abstract: A drumhead with an outer ring member anchored to the outer periphery of a drum and having a threaded interior surface. An inner ring member having a threaded exterior surface matingly threaded to the interior surface of the outer ring. Rotating the inner ring in a first direction relative to the outer ring, increases the tension exerted on the drum skin. Similarly, rotating the inner ring in a second direction relative to the outer ring, decreases the tension exerted on the drum skin. Vertical pressure is exerted on the drum skin and drum ring when the inner ring is rotated in a first direction relative to the outer ring. Conversely, the pressure is released on the drum skin and the drum ring when the inner ring is rotated in a second direction relative to the outer ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventor: Thomas O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20080264031
    Abstract: Baling apparatus (1) for forming a bale (2) of grass, hay, straw or the like and for wrapping the bale (2) in non-perforated plastics sheet wrapping material (64, 71) comprises a chassis (10), a baler (16) mounted on the chassis (10) within which the bale (2) is formed, and a pair of bale supporting rollers (54, 55) on which the bale is supported and rotated during wrapping. An upper segment (21) and a lower segment (22) of the baler (16) are pivotal upwardly for transferring a bale from the baler (16) to the bale supporting rollers (54, 55). A first dispenser (63) and a holding mechanism (65) extend wrapping material (64) across a discharge opening (40) through which the bale (2) is transferred from the baler (16) so that as the bale is being transferred onto the bale supporting rollers (54, 55), wrapping sheet material (64) is drawn from the first dispenser (63) around approximately 180° of the circumferential surface (5) of the bale (2) and extends around corner edges (8) of the bale (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Wellmount Limited
    Inventors: Padraic Christopher McHale, James John Heaney, Patrick Thomas O'Connor, Gerard Patrick Sheridan, John Joseph Cummins, Martin William McHale, Paul Gerard McHale
  • Publication number: 20080256802
    Abstract: An array of razor cartridges is provided. The array includes a first shaving cartridge having a first casing and a plurality of shaving blades secured within the first casing. The first frame has a first configuration. The first frame is secured to the first shaving cartridge to form a first razor cartridge. The array also includes a second shaving cartridge having a second casing and a plurality of shaving blades secured within the second casing. The second casing is identical to the first casing. A second frame having a second configuration is secured to the second shaving cartridge to from a second razor cartridge. The second configuration of the second cartridge is different than said first configuration of the first cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: William Thomas O'Connor, John Prudden
  • Publication number: 20080256803
    Abstract: A razor cartridge for connecting to a handle is provided. The razor cartridge includes a blade unit and a frame surrounding the blade unit. Shaving blades in the blade unit have sharpened edges defining a blade plane. The frame includes a perimeter, an upper surface and a pivoting structure defining a pivot axis for pivoting the razor cartridge with respect to the handle. The pivot axis is positioned within the frame such that a line drawn through the pivot axis perpendicular to the blade plane intersects the upper surface of the frame at a pivot frame intersection location where a tangent line drawn along the upper surface at the pivot frame intersection location is parallel to the blade plane. A first planar surface on the upper surface is located in front of pivot frame intersection location and a second planar surface is located behind pivot frame intersection location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: William Earle Tucker, William Thomas O'Connor, John Prudden
  • Publication number: 20080256801
    Abstract: A razor cartridge for connecting to a handle is provided. The razor cartridge includes a blade unit and a frame secured to and surrounding the blade unit. The blade unit includes a plurality of blades. The blades extend along respective parallel blade axes. The frame has a frame perimeter and a pivoting structure. The frame perimeter defines a razor cartridge perimeter for the razor cartridge. The pivoting structure defines a pivot axis for pivoting the razor cartridge with respect to the handle. The pivot axis is located within the frame and in front of the blade axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: William Thomas O'Connor, John Prudden, William Earle Tucker
  • Patent number: 7439321
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for the detection and quantification of A. phagocytophilum (formerly known as Ehrlichia equi) antibodies and antibody fragments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas O'Connor, Ramaswamy Chandrashekar
  • Publication number: 20080227850
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of compounds and composition of compounds that modulate norepinephrine levels for the prevention and treatment of vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flush, caused by, inter alia, thermoregulatory dysfunctions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Wyeth
    Inventors: Darlene Coleman Deecher, Istvan Jozsef Merchenthaler, Liza Leventhal, Kimberly Jean Sipe, Lawrence Thomas O'Connor
  • Patent number: 7384778
    Abstract: The present invention provides devices and methods for determining the presence or absence of pathogens in a biological sample and for the concurrent determination of the antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens present. The devices and methods of the present invention are able to make the determinations without pre-selection of target bacteria. Instead, all organisms from the sample are applied to the device. In wells where one or more antimicrobial agents are present only pathogens resistant to the antimicrobial agent grow. This allows the user to determine the presence of target pathogens and concurrently determine the resistance patterns of the organisms without the need to subculture the organisms. The present invention also provides methods of performing a business service of performing the determinations described above, and kits containing the devices and descriptions of the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Idexx Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Ming Chen, Charles Carpenter, Haoyi Gu, Ali Naqui, Gary Madsen, Thomas O'Connor, Jr., Katherine Jean Esty
  • Patent number: 7345096
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of compounds and composition of compounds that modulate norepinephrine levels for the prevention and treatment of vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flush, caused by, inter alia, thermoregulatory dysfunctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Wyeth
    Inventors: Darlene Coleman Deecher, Istvan Jozsef Merchenthaler, Liza Leventhal, Kimberly Jean Sipe, Lawrence Thomas O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20080019619
    Abstract: A container has a reclosable zipper seal. The zipper includes a slider that facilitates opening and closing of the zipper. The container also includes a tamper evidence device. The tamper evidence device provides an indication as to whether the container has been substantially opened. The tamper evidence device may be part of the container, the zipper, the slider, or combinations thereof. The tamper evidence device may include a membrane, spot seals, one or more seals of container walls, a seal of zipper profile walls, a tack, a drape, an adhesive, or deformed material resulting from formation of an opening formed through the slider and the zipper profiles. The tamper evidence device may require breakage the first time the container is opened. The tamper evidence device may provide an initial resistance to the first act of opening the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Claude Eads, Bainer Garger, Thomas O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20070161782
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for the detection and quantification of Ehrlichia ewingii, Ehrlichia ewingii antibodies, antibody fragments, and polypeptides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventor: Thomas O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20070087120
    Abstract: Fluid diffusion layers with favorable mechanical, physical and structural properties are prepared for fuel cell electrodes by: impregnating a porous carbonaceous web with a matrix comprising a polymer having pyrrolidone functionality and a high carbon char yield resin, such as activated aramid fiber pulp, lignins, phenolics, benzoxazines and phthalonitriles; and carbonizing the matrix. The polymer is optionally oxidized before carbonizing. The matrix may also include conductive fillers and/or pore formers. The fluid diffusion layers are particularly suitable for use in continuous roll-to-roll MEA processing of GDLs for use in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells operating at high current densities and/or in highly humidified conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Donald Connors, William Grant, Thomas O'Connor, John Gordon, Raymond Loszewski
  • Publication number: 20070066470
    Abstract: A bag is has an opening defined by a pair of walls and a pair of gussets. The walls are joined by the gussets. The bag has two slits. Each of the two slits is formed adjacent a wall and a gusset. Each of the two slits is adjacent the opening. A zipper comprises a pair of interlocking sections. The zipper is inserted through the slits. The interlocking sections are secured to at least a portion of each of the walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Claude Eads, Rainer Garger, Thomas O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20070065048
    Abstract: A container has a reclosable zipper seal. The zipper includes a slider that facilitates opening and closing of the zipper. The container also has a handle. The handle may be secured to the zipper. The handle does not compromise the utility, function, or performance of the container, the zipper, or the slider. The handle may remain secured to the container after the container has been opened. The container may also include a tamper evidence device, such as a membrane, which provides an indication as to whether the container has been substantially opened. The tamper evidence device may be part of the container, the zipper, the slider, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Claude Eads, Rainer Garger, Thomas O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20070065051
    Abstract: A container has a reclosable zipper seal. The zipper comprises a pair of interlocking sections attached to respective portions of the container. The interlocking sections are secured to portions of the container by an adhesive. No sewing is used to secure the interlocking sections to the sides of the container. The adhesive may provide a significant resistance to permeation by organisms or other contaminants. The adhesive sealing of the interlocking sections to the container may thus provide a significant resistance of the container to exogenous infestation. Alternatively, the interlocking sections may comprise a plastic material such that upon the interlocking sections being sewn to the container, the container may be appreciably resistant to exogenous infestation. Where a gusseted bag is used, portions of the gussets may be adhesively sealed, such as through external application of an adhesive or by applying heat to a heat-sealable outer ply of the bag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Claude Eads, Rainer Garger, Thomas O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20070026474
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for the detection of Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia chaffeensis antibodies and antibody fragments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Lawton, Thomas O'Connor, Barbara Bartol, Paul MacHenry
  • Publication number: 20070020733
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for the detection of Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia chaffeensis antibodies and antibody fragments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Lawton, Thomas O'Connor, Barbara Bartol, Paul MacHenry