Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Mallen

Thomas R. Mallen 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: 7511098
    Abstract: The present invention provides hardenable coating compositions, comprising: a first compound selected from the group consisting of polyacids, polyanhydrides, salts thereof and mixtures thereof, and a second compound having two or more active hydrogen groups. When used as a roll coating composition, the first compound preferably has a low average molecular weight and an acid number greater than about 100. The hardenable coating composition preferably has an extended open time and can be rapidly cured to a substantially tack-free state in less than about one minute at 200° C. Coated articles and methods of coating are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Valspar Sourcing, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Niederst, John H. Mazza, Mike A. Lucarelli, William H. McCarty, Thomas R. Mallen
  • Patent number: 6844406
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel low molecular weight, high functionality number, polymers. The polymers may be made, for example, by heating (preferably, to a temperature of between about 130° C. and 180° C.) one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers in the presence of a substantially aprotic solvent system; and maintaining the temperature for a time sufficient to polymerize the monomers to a preferred monomer to polymer conversion percentage of at least about 95 percent by weight. In a presently preferred embodiment, the polymer has a weight average molecular weight between about 900 and 7,000 Dalton and a functionality number of at least 100. The process is also preferably substantially free of chain transfer agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Valspar Sourcing, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Mazza, Jeffrey Niederst, Thomas R. Mallen
  • Patent number: 6808752
    Abstract: Coating composition including a film-forming component, further including (a) a product formed by reacting a mixture including carboxy functional polymer, hydroxy functional polymer, or a mixture thereof, or ethylenically unsaturated monomer, with epoxy resin, and (b) a polyvinyl alcoholic-containing phenolic resol resin. Also provided is a method of coating a metal substrate with said coating composition. Further provided is a composite material comprising a metal substrate having at least one surface covered with a cured film of the coating composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: The Valspar Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas R. Mallen
  • Patent number: 6803004
    Abstract: The present invention provides low cost resins (e.g., advanced epoxy resins), processes for making these resins, and coatings made with theses resins. Specifically, the present invention provides high throughput extrusion processing of advanced epoxy resins using an appropriate amount of an iminium salt catalyst. Preferred iminium salt catalysts are stable at room temperature in the reaction mixture (thereby enabling the pre-mixing of ingredients and the stable storage of the pre-mixed ingredients) and yet are highly efficient at the processing temperatures described herein. An example of one such advance epoxy resin is the reaction product of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A with bisphenol A in the presence of an iminium salt catalyst. Preferred processes are performed using no solvent or only negligible amounts of solvent. One preferred extrusion process utilizes an intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruder, however, other types of extruders may alternatively be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Valspar Sourcing, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Bochan, Thomas R. Mallen, Mike A. Lucarelli
  • Publication number: 20040037957
    Abstract: The present invention provides hardenable coating compositions, comprising: a first compound selected from the group consisting of polyacids, polyanhydrides, salts thereof and mixtures thereof, and a second compound having two or more active hydrogen groups. When used as a roll coating composition, the first compound preferably has a low average molecular weight and an acid number greater than about 100. The hardenable coating composition preferably has an extended open time and can be rapidly cured to a substantially tack-free state in less than about one minute at 200° C. Coated articles and methods of coating are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Jeffrey Niederst, John H. Mazza, Mike A. Lucarelli, William H. McCarty, Thomas R. Mallen
  • Publication number: 20020156219
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel low molecular weight, high functionality number, polymers. The polymers may be made, for example, by heating (preferably, to a temperature of between about 130° C. and 180° C.) one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers in the presence of a substantially aprotic solvent system; and maintaining the temperature for a time sufficient to polymerize the monomers to a preferred monomer to polymer conversion percentage of at least about 95 percent by weight. In a presently preferred embodiment, the polymer has a weight average molecular weight between about 900 and 7,000 Dalton and a functionality number of at least 100. The process is also preferably substantially free of chain transfer agents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: John H. Mazza, Jeffrey Niederst, Thomas R. Mallen
  • Publication number: 20020136900
    Abstract: Coating composition including a film-forming component, further including (a) a product formed by reacting a mixture including carboxy functional polymer, hyrdroxy functional polymer, or a mixture thereof, or ethylenically unsaturated monomer, with epoxy resin, and (b) a polyvinyl alcoholic-containing phenolic resol resin. Also provided is a method of coating a metal substrate with said coating composition. Further provided is a composite material comprising a metal substrate having at least one surface covered with a cured film of the coating composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: The Valspar Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas R. Mallen
  • Patent number: 6359062
    Abstract: Coating composition including a film-forming component, further including (a) a product formed by reacting a mixture including carboxy functional polymer, hydroxy functional polymer, or a mixture thereof, or ethylenically unsaturated monomer, with epoxy resin, and (b) a polyvinyl alcoholic-containing phenolic resol resin. Also provided is a method of coating a metal substrate with said coating composition. Further provided is a composite material comprising a metal substrate having at least one surface covered with a cured film of the coating composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: The Valspar Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas R. Mallen
  • Patent number: 6346596
    Abstract: A gas barrier polymer composition with active hydrogen functionality is provided. The polymer may be prepared by reacting a solution of organic diacid containing at least one active hydrogen group and diglycidyl ether in the presence of an optional catalyst. The pressure, temperature, and time parameters of the reaction are preferably regulated to prevent degradation and subsequent incorporation of degradation products of organic diacid containing at least one active hydrogen group into the gas barrier polymer composition. A formulation of the gas barrier polymer composition and a carrier may be used to coat plastic materials, containers, and preforms. The gas barrier polymer composition may also be employed in a method of making multilayer packaging materials or container preforms. The multilayer packaging materials or preforms can be used to make containers useful in packaging gas sensitive substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Valspar Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Mallen, Thomas A. Stevenson