Patents by Inventor Thomas W. Smith

Thomas W. 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: 6139920
    Abstract: Disclosed is a composition comprising a blend of (a) a thermally reactive polymer selected from the group consisting of resoles, novolacs, thermally reactive polyarylene ethers, and mixtures thereof; and (b) a photoreactive epoxy resin that is photoreactive in the absence of a photocationic initiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Kathleen M. McGrane
  • Patent number: 6124372
    Abstract: Disclosed is a composition comprising a polymer with a weight average molecular weight of from about 1,000 to about 100,000, said polymer containing at least some monomer repeat units with a first, photosensitivity-imparting substituent which enables crosslinking or chain extension of the polymer upon exposure to actinic radiation, said polymer also containing a second, thermal sensitivity-imparting substituent which enables further crosslinking or chain extension of the polymer upon exposure to temperatures of about 140.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Smith, Timothy J. Fuller, Ram S. Narang, David J. Luca
  • Patent number: 6087414
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process which comprises reacting a polymer of the general formula ##STR1## wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR2## B is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR3##
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Fuller, Ram S. Narang, Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Raymond K. Crandall
  • Patent number: 6042640
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process which comprises contacting a sulfur-containing solvent with an oxidizing agent, said sulfur-containing solvent containing odor-causing impurities, thereby reducing odor. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a process for preparing an ink composition which comprises: (a) contacting a sulfur-containing solvent with an oxidizing agent, said sulfur-containing solvent containing odor-causing impurities, thereby reducing odor; and (b) admixing the sulfur-containing solvent with water and a colorant, thereby forming an ink composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Louis V. Isganitis, Thomas W. Smith
  • Patent number: 6022095
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved composition comprising a photopatternable polymer containing at least some monomer repeat units with photosensitivity-imparting substituents, said photopatternable polymer being of the general formula ##STR1## wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR2## B is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR3## or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units. Also disclosed is a process for preparing a thermal ink jet printhead with the aforementioned polymer and a thermal ink jet printhead containing therein a layer of a crosslinked or chain extended polymer of the above formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ram S. Narang, Timothy J. Fuller, Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Ralph A. Mosher
  • Patent number: 6020119
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process which comprises reacting a polymer of the general formula ##STR1## or ##STR2## wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR3## B is one of several specified groups, such as or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, with a halomethylethyl ether, a hydrohalic acid, and acetic acid in the presence of a halogen-containing Lewis acid catalyst, thereby forming a halomethylated polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel A. Foucher, Nancy C. Stoffel, Roger T. Janezic, Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Bidan Zhang
  • Patent number: 5994425
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved composition comprising a photopatternable polymer containing at least some monomer repeat units with photosensitivity-imparting substituents, said photopatternable polymer being of the general formula ##STR1## wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR2## B is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR3## or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units. Also disclosed is a process for preparing a thermal ink jet printhead with the aforementioned polymer and a thermal ink jet printhead containing therein a layer of a crosslinked or chain extended polymer of the above formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ram S. Narang, Timothy J. Fuller, Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Ralph A. Mosher
  • Patent number: 5889077
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process which comprises reacting a polymer of the general formula ##STR1## wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR2## B is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR3## or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, with (i) a formaldehyde source, and (ii) an unsaturated acid in the presence of an acid catalyst, thereby forming a curable polymer with unsaturated ester groups. Also disclosed is a process for preparing an ink jet printhead with the above polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Fuller, Ram S. Narang, Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Raymond K. Crandall
  • Patent number: 5876813
    Abstract: The invention relates to foam structures with enhanced physical properties which can be used in the areas of packaging, athletics, water sports, and construction. In general, the structures are laminated polymer foams that include a core of a low density foam and one or more skins of relatively high density foam covering the core. The skins provide improved physical properties to the foam structures by improving the flexural strength, resistance to bending, and resulting damage from bending in the laminated foam structure while modestly increasing the weight of the laminated structure, for example. Uses of the foam structures include, but are not limited to, packaging materials, gym mats, body boards, or eaves fillers. The skin can act as a hinge to fold a die cut piece into a collapsible packaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Senitnel Products Corp
    Inventors: John D. Bambara, Richard Bambara, Scott C. Smith, Thomas W. Smith
  • Patent number: 5761809
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process which comprises reacting a haloalkylated aromatic polymer with a material selected from the group consisting of unsaturated ester salts, alkoxide salts, alkylcarboxylate salts, and mixtures thereof, thereby forming a curable polymer having functional groups corresponding to the selected salt. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a process for preparing an ink jet printhead with the curable polymer thus prepared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Fuller, Ram S. Narang, Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Raymond K. Crandall
  • Patent number: 5753783
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process which comprises reacting a polymer of the general formula ##STR1## wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR2## B is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR3## or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, with an acetyl halide and dimethoxymethane in the presence of a halogen-containing Lewis acid catalyst and methanol, thereby forming a haloalkylated polymer. In a specific embodiment, the haloalkylated polymer is then reacted further to replace at least some of the haloalkyl groups with photosensitivity-imparting groups. Also disclosed is a process for preparing a thermal ink jet printhead with the aforementioned polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Fuller, Ram S. Narang, Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Raymond K. Crandall
  • Patent number: 5739254
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process which comprises reacting a polymer of the general formula ##STR1## wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR2## B is one of several specified groups, such as ##STR3## or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, with an acetyl halide and dimethoxymethane in the presence of a halogen-containing Lewis acid catalyst and methanol, thereby forming a haloalkylated polymer. In a specific embodiment, the haloalkylated polymer is then reacted further to replace at least some of the haloalkyl groups with photosensitivity-imparting groups. Also disclosed is a process for preparing a thermal ink jet printhead with the aforementioned polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Fuller, Ram S. Narang, Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Raymond K. Grandall
  • Patent number: 5717283
    Abstract: An external field activated display sheet is disclosed which comprises a plurality of hourglass shaped capsules for each pixel of an image. Each hourglass shaped capsule contains ink in one of its chambers. The ink in each hourglass shaped capsule is responsive to an external field being applied across the capsule for the movement from one chamber to the other. An opaque medial sheet blocks the visibility of the ink in the chambers under the medial sheet. Applying an external field across an hourglass shaped capsule causes the ink to be moved into the chamber above the medial sheet where it is visible. By applying an external field across selective hourglass shaped cavities, an image can be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Biegelsen, Warren B. Jackson, Guerino G. Sacripante, James Mikkelsen, Thomas W. Smith, Nicholas K. Sheridon
  • Patent number: 5538757
    Abstract: A thermoplastic composite material may be formed by supplying the thermoplastic material to the opposite surfaces of the fabric material and by then passing the resultant material through the spaces between progressive pairs of rollers. The rollers in each progressive pair have a decreased spacing relative to the rollers in the previous pair so as to squeeze the thermoplastic material into the interstices between the fabric threads without compressing the fabric material. The resultant material may also be moved in a tortuous path, such as formed by a pair of rollers defining an S-configuration relative to the resultant material, to engage the opposite surfaces of the resultant material and squeeze air from the resultant material without compressing the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Medical Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas R. Fitchmun, Niran Perera, Thomas W. Smith
  • Patent number: 5516619
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of conductive submicron polymeric particles which comprises mixing at least one monomer with a polymerization initiator, a crosslinking component, and a chain transfer component; adding thereto an AB type block copolymer; effecting bulk polymerization until from about 10 to about 50 weight percent of the monomer has been polymerized; terminating polymerization by cooling the partially polymerized monomer; adding thereto from about 1 to about 50 weight percent of a conductive filler, or conductive fillers, followed by mixing thereof; dispersing the aforementioned mixture of conductive filler or fillers, and partially polymerized product in water containing a stabilizing component to obtain a suspension of particles with an average diameter of from about 0.05 to about 1 micron in water; polymerizing the resulting suspension by heating; and subsequently optionally washing and drying the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Cunningham, Hadi K. Mahabadi, Thomas W. Smith, John A. Creatura
  • Patent number: 5484681
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of conductive submicron polymeric particles which comprises mixing at least one monomer with a polymerization initiator, a crosslinking component, and a chain transfer component; adding thereto an AB type block copolymer; effecting bulk polymerization until from about 10 to about 50 weight percent of the monomer has been polymerized; terminating polymerization by cooling the partially polymerized monomer; adding thereto from about 1 to about 50 weight percent of a conductive filler, or conductive fillers, followed by mixing thereof; dispersing the aforementioned mixture of conductive filler or fillers, and partially polymerized product in water containing a stabilizing component to obtain a suspension of particles with an average diameter of from about 0.05 to about 1 micron in water; polymerizing the resulting suspension by heating; and subsequently optionally washing and drying the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Cunningham, Hadi K. Mahabadi, Thomas W. Smith, John A. Creatura
  • Patent number: 5461580
    Abstract: A computer-aided chemical illustration system is disclosed. Techniques provided include: 1) efficient drawing of bonds; 2) drawing different bond types during a single mode; 3) determining bisect angles for bonds; 4) labeling atoms on the fly; 5) automatic alignment of atom labels; 6) custom alignment of atom labels; 7) changing the type, style, or orientation of an object while it is being drawn; 8) detection of ring structures; and 9) shifting bonds around on a ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Facci, Samuel Kaplan, John L. Haack, Dale S. Renfer, Thomas W. Smith, Janaia M. Donaldson, William R. Mallgren, James S. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5434030
    Abstract: A toner composition includes a resin, a charge enhancing additive, an ion binding polymer, and at least one ionic dye complexed to the ion binding polymer. The ionic dye is different from the charge enhancing additive and is stabilized and dispersed in the toner composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Kock-Yee Law
  • Patent number: 5424160
    Abstract: A carrier composition comprised of a core with a coating thereover comprised of a composite comprised of a conductive aromatic or heteroaromatic polymer comprised of a monomer or monomers selected from the group consisting of pyrrole, indole, thiophene, thianaphthene, indene, azulene and ring pendant substitutent derivatives thereof; and a fluoropolymer host resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Smith, David J. Luca, Michael J. Duggan, John A. Creatura
  • Patent number: 5360862
    Abstract: A process is provided for the production of an emulsifiable polypropylene wax having a melt viscosity from 1000 to 5000 cP at 190.degree. C. This process entails reacting at a temperature below 190.degree. C. a thermally degraded polypropylene wax having a melt viscosity below 1000 cP (at 190.degree. C.) with maleic anhydride in the presence of a free radical source. Floor polish formulations containing this polypropylene wax are very clear but yet provide floor finishes that are very tough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas D. Roberts, Thomas W. Smith, Charlene A. Galvin