Patents by Inventor Tom Nichols

Tom Nichols 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: 20240021407
    Abstract: Systems and method for the preparation and delivery of biological samples for charged particle analysis are disclosed herein. An example system at least includes an ion filter coupled to select a sample ion from an ionized sample supply, the ion filter including a quadrupole filter to select the sample ion from the sample supply, an energy reduction cell coupled to receive the selected sample ion and reduce a kinetic energy of the sample ion, a validation unit coupled to receive the sample ion and determine whether the sample ion is a target sample ion, a substrate coupled to receive the sample, wherein the substrate is electron transparent, an ion transport module coupled to receive the sample ion from the ion filter and transport the sample ion to the substrate, and an imaging system arranged to image, with a low energy charged particle beam, the sample located on the substrate, wherein the substrate is arranged in an analysis location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Marcus STRAW, Dmitry GRINFELD, Alexander MAKAROV, Alan BAHM, Aaron TOROK, Kun LIU, Joseph CHRISTIAN, Josh GILBERT, Tom NICHOLS, Jeff KOSMOSKI
  • Patent number: 11749498
    Abstract: Systems and method for the preparation and delivery of biological samples for charged particle analysis are disclosed herein. An example system at least includes an ion filter coupled to select a sample ion from an ionized sample supply, the ion filter including a quadrupole filter to select the sample ion from the sample supply, an energy reduction cell coupled to receive the selected sample ion and reduce a kinetic energy of the sample ion, a validation unit coupled to receive the sample ion and determine whether the sample ion is a target sample ion, a substrate coupled to receive the sample, wherein the substrate is electron transparent, an ion transport module coupled to receive the sample ion from the ion filter and transport the sample ion to the substrate, and an imaging system arranged to image, with a low energy charged particle beam, the sample located on the substrate, wherein the substrate is arranged in an analysis location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Marcus Straw, Alexander Makarov, Josh Gilbert, Aaron Torok, Joseph Christian, Alan Bahm, Kun Liu, Tom Nichols, Jeff Kosmoski, Dmitry Grinfeld
  • Publication number: 20220115205
    Abstract: Systems and method for the preparation and delivery of biological samples for charged particle analysis are disclosed herein. An example system at least includes an ion filter coupled to select a sample ion from an ionized sample supply, the ion filter including a quadrupole filter to select the sample ion from the sample supply, an energy reduction cell coupled to receive the selected sample ion and reduce a kinetic energy of the sample ion, a validation unit coupled to receive the sample ion and determine whether the sample ion is a target sample ion, a substrate coupled to receive the sample, wherein the substrate is electron transparent, an ion transport module coupled to receive the sample ion from the ion filter and transport the sample ion to the substrate, and an imaging system arranged to image, with a low energy charged particle beam, the sample located on the substrate, wherein the substrate is arranged in an analysis location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: FEI Company
    Inventors: Marcus Straw, Alexander Makarov, Josh Gilbert, Aaron Torok, Joseph Christian, Alan Bahm, Kun Liu, Tom Nichols, Jeff Kosmoski, Dmitry Grinfeld
  • Patent number: 11217425
    Abstract: Systems and method for the preparation and delivery of biological samples for charged particle analysis are disclosed herein. An example system at least includes an ion filter coupled to select a sample ion from an ionized sample supply, the ion filter including a quadrupole filter to select the sample ion from the sample supply, an energy reduction cell coupled to receive the selected sample ion and reduce a kinetic energy of the sample ion, a validation unit coupled to receive the sample ion and determine whether the sample ion is a target sample ion, a substrate coupled to receive the sample, wherein the substrate is electron transparent, an ion transport module coupled to receive the sample ion from the ion filter and transport the sample ion to the substrate, and an imaging system arranged to image, with a low energy charged particle beam, the sample located on the substrate, wherein the substrate is arranged in an analysis location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Marcus Straw, Alexander Makarov, Josh Gilbert, Aaron Torok, Joseph Christian, Alan Bahm, Kun Liu, Tom Nichols, Jeff Kosmoski, Dmitry Grinfeld
  • Publication number: 20200411282
    Abstract: Systems and method for the preparation and delivery of biological samples for charged particle analysis are disclosed herein. An example system at least includes an ion filter coupled to select a sample ion from an ionized sample supply, the ion filter including a quadrupole filter to select the sample ion from the sample supply, an energy reduction cell coupled to receive the selected sample ion and reduce a kinetic energy of the sample ion, a validation unit coupled to receive the sample ion and determine whether the sample ion is a target sample ion, a substrate coupled to receive the sample, wherein the substrate is electron transparent, an ion transport module coupled to receive the sample ion from the ion filter and transport the sample ion to the substrate, and an imaging system arranged to image, with a low energy charged particle beam, the sample located on the substrate, wherein the substrate is arranged in an analysis location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: FEI Company
    Inventors: Marcus Straw, Alexander Makarov, Josh Gilbert, Aaron Torok, Joseph Christian, Alan Bahm, Kun Liu, Tom Nichols, Jeff Kosmoski, Dmitry Grinfeld
  • Publication number: 20160348018
    Abstract: A vapor recovery system and method to control emissions (benzene and other compounds) from glycol regenerator overheads in a natural gas dehydration system is provided. In this system, a cooler is configured to receive overheads from a glycol regenerator and operative to condense at least a portion of the overheads into a cooled liquid stream. A storage tank is configured to receive the condensed overheads from the cooler for storage. A compressor is configured to compress the uncondensed vapor in the storage tank and push it into a wet natural gas stream coming into a compressor at a suction of the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Tom Nichols, Peter Pattison, Mustafa Siddiqui
  • Patent number: 8708088
    Abstract: Adjustable control arms for dual path hydrostatic pumps have first and second arms interconnected by an eccentric mechanism with a common pivot point on a pivotal control input shaft for the pumps. The control arms are adjusted at a minimal pump output such as 500 r.p.m. by varying the eccentric to achieve equal r.p.m. The throw of the pump arms is adjusted at a maximum pump output r.p.m., such as approximately 4000 r.p.m., to achieve uniform tracking, steering, and directional control from the dual path hydrostatic pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: David V. Rotole, Eric R. Lang, Tom Nichols
  • Publication number: 20100111712
    Abstract: Adjustable control arms for dual path hydrostatic pumps have first and second arms interconnected by an eccentric mechanism with a common pivot point on a pivotal control input shaft for the pumps. The control arms are adjusted at a minimal pump output such as 500 r.p.m. by varying the eccentric to achieve equal r.p.m. The throw of the pump arms is adjusted at a maximum pump output r.p.m., such as approximately 4000 r.p.m., to achieve uniform tracking, steering, and directional control from the dual path hydrostatic pumps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: David V. Rotole, Eric R. Lang, Tom Nichols
  • Publication number: 20100043368
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a traction unit and a crop harvesting header coupled with the traction unit. The header includes a main frame with a right hand (RH) side and a left hand (LH) side. A RH gauge wheel is movably coupled with the RH side of the main frame, and a RH hydraulic cylinder is coupled between the RH gauge wheel and the main frame. A first hydraulic circuit is coupled with the RH hydraulic cylinder and configured to control an operating height of the RH gauge wheel. A LH gauge wheel is movably coupled with the LH side of the main frame, and a LH hydraulic cylinder is coupled between the LH gauge wheel and the main frame. A second hydraulic circuit is coupled with the LH hydraulic cylinder and configured to control an operating height of the LH gauge wheel. The second hydraulic circuit is independent from the first hydraulic circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Charles S. Sloan, Thomas D. Bebernes, Stephen K. Parsons, Lary Williams, Tom Nichols, Dave V. Rotole
  • Patent number: 7661251
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a traction unit and a crop harvesting header coupled with the traction unit. The header includes a main frame with a right hand (RH) side and a left hand (LH) side. A RH gauge wheel is movably coupled with the RH side of the main frame, and a RH hydraulic cylinder is coupled between the RH gauge wheel and the main frame. A first hydraulic circuit is coupled with the RH hydraulic cylinder and configured to control an operating height of the RH gauge wheel. A LH gauge wheel is movably coupled with the LH side of the main frame, and a LH hydraulic cylinder is coupled between the LH gauge wheel and the main frame. A second hydraulic circuit is coupled with the LH hydraulic cylinder and configured to control an operating height of the LH gauge wheel. The second hydraulic circuit is independent from the first hydraulic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Charles S. Sloan, Thomas D. Bebernes, Steven K. Parsons, Lary Williams, Tom Nichols, Dave V. Rotole