Patents by Inventor Tom Hopper

Tom Hopper 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: 8468965
    Abstract: A floating dock is formed from a fabricated frame including a pair of longitudinal extruded side rails and a plurality of cross rails interconnecting the side rails to form a rigid generally rectangular structure arranged to receive buoyancy members for floating the frame on a body of water. A plurality of floor planks bridge the side rails for forming a floor surface on the frame to be supported above the water. The rails include grooves in each surface defining a fastener having a nut to be located in the groove and a co-operating male fastener for engaging into the nut. The outer surface fastens to a rail along the outer surface and the inner surface carries the ends of the floor planks and attaches to fastening brackets of corner members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Seaco Marine Inc
    Inventors: Jim Kor, Tom Hopper
  • Publication number: 20100303538
    Abstract: A fastener includes an elongate groove with two shoulders each on a respective side of a mouth of the groove and a nut to be located in the groove having a width greater than the width of the mouth so as to define front bearing surfaces to attach to a male threaded member which passes through the mouth to pull the bearing surfaces of the nut against the shoulders. The nut has a width longitudinal of the female hole which is less than the width of the mouth to pass through the mouth with the hole at right angles to the operating position so as to be rotated to turn the hole to the operating position. The nut has a rib along or adjacent a respective side edge of the nut and arranged to engage with a respective groove along a respective shoulder so as to resist outward movement of the shoulders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: Jim Kor, Tom Hopper
  • Publication number: 20100294190
    Abstract: A floating dock is formed from a fabricated frame including a pair of longitudinal extruded side rails and a plurality of cross rails interconnecting the side rails to form a rigid generally rectangular structure arranged to receive buoyancy members for floating the frame on a body of water. A plurality of floor planks bridge the side rails for forming a floor surface on the frame to be supported above the water. The rails include grooves in each surface defining a fastener having a nut to be located in the groove and a co-operating male fastener for engaging into the nut. The outer surface fastens to a rail along the outer surface and the inner surface carries the ends of the floor planks and attaches to fastening brackets of corner members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Jim Kor, Tom Hopper
  • Patent number: 6828057
    Abstract: A fuel cell utilizing parallel flow of a hydrogen stream, an oxygen stream, and an electrolyte solution with respect to the electrodes, while maintaining mechanical support within the fuel cell. The fuel cell utilizes framed electrodes to maintain a high air flow rate and low pressure throughout the fuel cell. The fuel cell is also designed to maintain mechanical support within the fuel cell while the electrodes expand and contract in response to the absorption of oxygen and hydrogen. Gas is predistributed by the compression plates and frames to supply the electrodes with high concentrations of oxygen from air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanford R. Ovshinsky, Ana Menjak, Tom Hopper, Zdravko Menjak, Kevin Fok, Boyko Aladjov, Srinivasan Venkatesan, Subhash K. Dhar
  • Publication number: 20030203274
    Abstract: A fuel cell utilizing parallel flow of a hydrogen stream, an oxygen stream, and an electrolyte solution with respect to the electrodes, while maintaining mechanical support within the fuel cell. The fuel cell utilizes framed electrodes to maintain a high air flow rate and low pressure throughout the fuel cell. The fuel cell is also designed to maintain mechanical support within the fuel cell while the electrodes expand and contract in response to the absorption of oxygen and hydrogen. Gas is predistributed by the compression plates and frames to supply the electrodes with high concentrations of oxygen from air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Stanford R. Ovshinsky, Ana Menjak, Tom Hopper, Zdravko Menjak, Kevin Fok, Boyko Aladjov, Srinivasan Venkatesan, Subhash K. Dhar