Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Dillon

Thomas R. Dillon 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: 8155976
    Abstract: An envelope for conveying an item from a sender to a recipient and back with a window and unique identifying indicia. The envelope comprises a base panel with a window, a sender address panel, and a recipient address panel. The sender address panel is affixed to the base panel by an adhesive region, which defines a pocket sized to accept an item. The adhesive region extends laterally on the base panel to ensure that a postal cancellation is not applied to an area overlying the item. The recipient address panel is joined to the base panel by a detachable joint. A fragile item may be conveyed from the sender to the recipient and back without damage to the item. The base panel includes indicia that uniquely identify the envelope among a plurality of envelopes. Reading the indicia assists in resolving inventory problems, for example, when unknown items are returned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Rendich, Thomas R. Dillon, Jon Johnson, Gregory Kinney
  • Patent number: 7568613
    Abstract: An envelope for conveying an item from a sender to a recipient and back with a window and unique identifying indicia. The envelope comprises a base panel with a window, a sender address panel, and a recipient address panel. The sender address panel is affixed to the base panel by an adhesive region, which defines a pocket sized to accept an item. The adhesive region extends laterally on the base panel to ensure that a postal cancellation is not applied to an area overlying the item. The recipient address panel is joined to the base panel by a detachable joint. A fragile item may be conveyed from the sender to the recipient and back without damage to the item. The base panel includes indicia that uniquely identify the envelope among a plurality of envelopes. Reading the indicia assists in resolving inventory problems, for example, when unknown items are returned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Dillon, W. Douglas Strabel, Gordon P. Rosete, Jon Johnson, Gregory Kinney, Andrew Rendich
  • Patent number: 6966484
    Abstract: A mailing and response envelope for conveying an item from a sender to a recipient and back is disclosed. The envelope comprises a base panel, a sender address panel, and a recipient address panel. The sender address panel is affixed to the base panel by an adhesive region. The sender address panel and adhesive region define a pocket sized to accept an item. The adhesive region extends laterally on the base panel in an amount selected to ensure that a postal cancellation is not applied to an area overlying the item. The recipient address panel is joined to the base panel by a detachable joint. In this configuration, a fragile item may be conveyed from the sender to the recipient and from the recipient back to the sender without damage to the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
    Inventors: Ligia S. Calonje, Roy Carrillo, Thomas R. Dillon, W. Reed Hastings, Gregory K. Stahl, W. Douglas Strabel, Gordon P. Rosete
  • Publication number: 20040050919
    Abstract: A mailing and response envelope for conveying an item from a sender to a recipient and back is disclosed. The envelope comprises a base panel, a sender address panel, and a recipient address panel. The sender address panel is affixed to the base panel by an adhesive region. The sender address panel and adhesive region define a pocket sized to accept an item. The adhesive region extends laterally on the base panel in an amount selected to ensure that a postal cancellation is not applied to an area overlying the item. The recipient address panel is joined to the base panel by a detachable joint. In this configuration, a fragile item may be conveyed from the sender to the recipient and from the recipient back to the sender without damage to the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Ligia S. Calonje, Roy Carrillo, Thomas R. Dillon, W. Reed Hastings, Gregory K. Stahl, W. Douglas Strabel, Gordon P. Rosete