Patents by Inventor Wesley GRIFFITH

Wesley GRIFFITH 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: 20220127696
    Abstract: The present application provides a process and system for extraction of rare earth elements using a long-term acid soak. In particular the present application provides a process for extracting rare earth elements from an ore by: (a) soaking the ore with a strong acid at a temperature of less than about 100° C. for at least 1 day; and (b) leaching the acid-soaked ore with an aqueous leaching solution to obtain a leachate comprising the rare earth elements. Optionally, a small amount of water is added to the acid during the acid soaking step and/or an additive comprising one or more metal ions is added to the acid during the acid soaking step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Chen XIA, Wesley GRIFFITH, John DUTRIZAC
  • Publication number: 20190073613
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for deploying employees to roles in a restaurant. For example, some embodiments are directed to basing employee deployment decisions at least in part on a combination of quantitative data and qualitative assessments of performance by various employees in various roles. Qualitative assessments may, for example, relate to an employee's success in promoting customer satisfaction, or to the accuracy of quantitative data relating to a task or function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Applicant: Panera, LLC
    Inventors: Blaine E. Hurst, Michael R. Nettles, Bryan Wesley Griffith
  • Patent number: 10163067
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for deploying employees to roles in a restaurant. For example, some embodiments are directed to basing employee deployment decisions at least in part on a combination of quantitative data and qualitative assessments of performance by various employees in various roles. Qualitative assessments may, for example, relate to an employee's success in promoting customer satisfaction, or to the accuracy of quantitative data relating to a task or function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Panera, LLC
    Inventors: Blaine E. Hurst, Michael R. Nettles, Bryan Wesley Griffith
  • Publication number: 20180365609
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for deploying employees to roles in a restaurant. For example, some embodiments are directed to basing employee deployment decisions at least in part on a combination of quantitative data and qualitative assessments of performance by various employees in various roles. Qualitative assessments may, for example, relate to an employee's success in promoting customer satisfaction, or to the accuracy of quantitative data relating to a task or function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: Panera, LLC
    Inventors: Blaine E. Hurst, Michael R. Nettles, Bryan Wesley Griffith
  • Patent number: 10019686
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and/or methods for analyzing the operations of a restaurant of other enterprise(s). Audio and/or video recordings of occurrences in the restaurant may be analyzed to generate a qualitative assessment of an employee's performance in a role in the restaurant during a particular time period. Quantitative data, such as may be generated by operational systems in the restaurant, may also provide an indicator of the employee's performance in the role during the same time period. An overall assessment of the employee's performance in the role during the time period may be based at least in part on the qualitative assessment and the quantitative data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Panera, LLC
    Inventors: Blaine E. Hurst, Michael R. Nettles, Bryan Wesley Griffith
  • Publication number: 20160364661
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and/or methods for analyzing the operations of a restaurant of other enterprise(s). Audio and/or video recordings of occurrences in the restaurant may be analyzed to generate a qualitative assessment of an employee's performance in a role in the restaurant during a particular time period. Quantitative data, such as may be generated by operational systems in the restaurant, may also provide an indicator of the employee's performance in the role during the same time period. An overall assessment of the employee's performance in the role during the time period may be based at least in part on the qualitative assessment and the quantitative data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: Panera, LLC
    Inventors: Blaine E. Hurst, Michael R. Nettles, Bryan Wesley Griffith
  • Patent number: 6683398
    Abstract: A magnetic armature wedge is provided for replacing conventional dovetail wedges in high-powered large-size turbine generators. The magnetic armature wedges that are used for supporting the armature bars are made by molding resin, e.g., epoxy with ferromagnetic particles, wires, laminates and the like embedded therewithin. The magnetic particles, wires, laminates and the like increase the magnetic permeability of the wedges causing higher slot flux leakage and high generator subtransient reactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wei Tong, Frederick John Rink, Jr., James Michael Fogarty, John Wesley Griffith, Christian Lee Vandervort
  • Patent number: 6674209
    Abstract: A magnetic armature wedge is provided for replacing conventional dovetail wedges in high-powered large-size turbine generators. The magnetic armature wedges that are used for supporting the armature bars are made by molding resin, e.g., epoxy with ferromagnetic particles, wires, laminates and the like embedded therewithin. The magnetic particles, wires, laminates and the like increase the magnetic permeability of the wedges causing higher slot flux leakage and high generator subtransient reactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wei Tong, Frederick John Rink, Jr., James Michael Fogarty, John Wesley Griffith, Christian Lee Vandervort
  • Patent number: 6583526
    Abstract: Generator stator cores are constructed by stacking many layers of magnetic laminations. Ventilation ducts may be inserted between these layers by inserting spacers into the core stack. The ventilation ducts allow for the passage of cooling gas through the core during operation. The spacers or spacer posts are positioned between groups of the magnetic laminations to define the ventilation ducts. The spacer posts are secured with longitudinal axes thereof substantially parallel to the core axis. With this structure, core tightness can be assured while maximizing ventilation duct cross section for gas flow and minimizing magnetic loss in the spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Wesley Griffith, Wei Tong
  • Publication number: 20030048030
    Abstract: Generator stator cores are constructed by stacking many layers of magnetic laminations. Ventilation ducts may be inserted between these layers by inserting spacers into the core stack. The ventilation ducts allow for the passage of cooling gas through the core during operation. The spacers or spacer posts are positioned between groups of the magnetic laminations to define the ventilation ducts. The spacer posts are secured with longitudinal axes thereof substantially parallel to the core axis. With this structure, core tightness can be assured while maximizing ventilation duct cross section for gas flow and minimizing magnetic loss in the spacers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: John Wesley Griffith, Wei Tong
  • Publication number: 20020121830
    Abstract: A magnetic armature wedge is provided for replacing conventional dovetail wedges in high-powered large-size turbine generators. The magnetic armature wedges that are used for supporting the armature bars are made by molding resin, e.g., epoxy with ferromagnetic particles, wires, laminates and the like embedded therewithin. The magnetic particles, wires, laminates and the like increase the magnetic permeability of the wedges causing higher slot flux leakage and high generator subtransient reactants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Wei Tong, Frederick John Rink, James Michael Fogarty, John Wesley Griffith, Christian Lee Vandervort
  • Publication number: 20020096960
    Abstract: A magnetic armature wedge is provided for replacing conventional dovetail wedges in high-powered large-size turbine generators. The magnetic armature wedges that are used for supporting the armature bars are made by molding resin, e.g., epoxy with ferromagnetic particles, wires, laminates and the like embedded therewithin. The magnetic particles, wires, laminates and the like increase the magnetic permeability of the wedges causing higher slot flux leakage and high generator subtransient reactants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Wei Tong, Frederick John Rink, James Michael Fogarty, John Wesley Griffith, Christian Lee Vandervort