Patents by Inventor W.J. Murray Douglas

W.J. Murray Douglas 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).

  • Method and apparatus for manufacturing lignocellulosic materials with improved properties
    Patent number: 9273429
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a wet or moist lignocellulosic material at a moisture content which is in a range from above the Xfsp value of the material down to about 0.1 kg water/kg dry below the Xfsp value, where Xfsp is the fiber saturation point value, with rapid warming of the wet or moist lignocellulosic material to a level that natural polymers in the lignocellulosic material soften, which changes the microstructure and results in improved properties of the lignocellulosic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Inventors: W. J. Murray Douglas, S. J. Hashemi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIALS WITH IMPROVED PROPERTIES
    Publication number: 20140345818
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a wet or moist lignocellulosic material at a moisture content which is in a range from above the Xfsp value of the material down to about 0.1 kg water/kg dry below the Xfsp value, where Xfsp is the fibre saturation point value, with rapid warming of the wet or moist lignocellulosic material to a level that natural polymers in the lignocellulosic material soften, which changes the microstructure and results in improved properties of the lignocellulosic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: W.J. Murray Douglas, S.J. Hashemi
  • Paper and paperboard of improved mechanical properties
    Patent number: 6322667
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method of treating paper products in order to enhance various properties thereof, and more specifically, including the step of treating the paper with superheated steam. In a method of treating paper during a papermaking process from wood pulp, the step of drying the paper in superheated steam in order to improve certain physical characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: McGill University
    Inventors: James M. McCall, W. J. Murray Douglas
  • Paper quality determination and control using scale of formation data
    Patent number: 6301373
    Abstract: A quality of a sheet material, such as unprinted paper, is determined by acquiring an image of the surface of the sheet material and analyzing the image to determine the intensity of local nonuniformity as a function of scale of formation. A meaningful interpretation of the sheet material quality is possible using the scale of formation. Correlations between sheet material qualities, such as cloudiness, cross-directional strength, etc., and the scale of formation allow for rapidly acquired images to provide useful indicators of sheet material quality. Normalizing the sheet material formation line with respect to a desired standard sheet allows for a useful graphical display of the sheet material quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: McGill University
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Bernié, W.J. Murray Douglas
  • Paper web drying apparatus and process
    Patent number: 5210958
    Abstract: A paper web is dried on a paper-making machine in two stages with the downstream stage being a superheated steam impingement dryer and the upstream stage being a conventional hollow cylinder dryer, whereby the exhaust steam from the superheated steam dryer has a major portion thereof recirculated and reheated in the superheated steam dryer, and the remaining portion of the exhaust steam is cooled and compressed to saturated steam and passed to the conventional dryer in the upstream dryer stage and enters the hollow cylinders to heat the hollow cylinders and thereby heat the paper passing over the other surface of the hollow cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignees: McGill University, Pulp & Paper Research Institute of Canada
    Inventors: Jean F. Bond, Reinhold H. Crotogino, W. J. Murray Douglas