Patents by Inventor William F. Polley
William F. Polley 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).
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Publication number: 20100282861Abstract: A disposable pod may be prefilled with chocolate (or other food substance) for use in a chocolate fountain. For example, the manufacturer of the disposable pod, or another party, may fill the disposable pod with melted chocolate after manufacture of the disposable pod.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2010Publication date: November 11, 2010Applicant: Sephra L.P.Inventors: Richard Beck Muir, Jacob Richard Muir, James David Sabin, William F. Polley, Chun Sen Wu
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Patent number: 7743698Abstract: A fountain for heating and/or cooling a beverage comprises one or more heating and/or cooling elements that are configured to adjust a temperature of a beverage that circulates through the fountain. In one embodiment, the beverage fountain includes one or more heating elements located proximate to a basin, a cylinder, and/or a top reservoir of the fountain. In another embodiment, the beverage fountain includes one or more cooling elements located proximate to a basin, a cylinder, and/or a reservoir of the fountain. Alternatively, the beverage fountain may include both heating and cooling elements located proximate to a basin, a cylinder, a reservoir, and/or other locations of the fountain, wherein a selection device, such as an electrical switch or control module, may be adjusted by a user in order to select heating or cooling of the beverage.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2006Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Sephra L.P.Inventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, Devan B. Muir, Wu C. Liang
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Publication number: 20080202698Abstract: A dual overhead door system having a pair of vertical tracks (5) mounted on either side of a door opening which is connected to a pair of dual spaced apart horizontal tracks (3, 4). The horizontal tracks (3, 4) have a curved segment (6) wherein horizontal tracks meet at a junction to form a single track connected to a top of the vertical track (5). The curved segment in the horizontally tracks contain a special swivel gate (7) which blocks either of the horizontal tracks to keep one door from moving into the vertical section when the other door is already in place and to provide minimum distance between the horizontal tracks for installation in low ceiling applications. A kit and method for converting a single overhead door system into a dual overhead door system is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2007Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: Eric L. Dalton, William F. Polley
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Publication number: 20080179422Abstract: A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials. In one embodiment, the fountain includes a heating element encased in an enclosure. A basin containing a medium, such as chocolate, is removably mounted to the enclosure so that the basin is heated by contact with the enclosure. Additionally, an auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of a cylinder that houses the auger. One or more tiers may be mounted, using various locking mechanisms, onto the cylinder to divert flow of the medium. A smaller chocolate fountain that may advantageously be more suitable for home use is also described herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2007Publication date: July 31, 2008Inventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, Devan B. Muir, Wu C. Liang
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Patent number: 7383764Abstract: A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials. In one embodiment, the fountain includes a heating element encased in an enclosure. A basin containing a medium, such as chocolate, is removably mounted to the enclosure so that the basin is heated by contact with the enclosure. Additionally, an auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of a cylinder that houses the auger. One or more tiers may be mounted, using various locking mechanisms, onto the cylinder to divert flow of the medium. A smaller chocolate fountain that may advantageously be more suitable for home use is also described herein.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2004Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignee: Sephra LLCInventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, Devan B. Muir, Wu C. Liang
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Publication number: 20080111002Abstract: A chocolate fountain comprises a sleeve secured to a basin of the fountain, the sleeve having a central aperture sized to receive a lower portion of a cylinder so that the cylinder is supported by the sleeve. The sleeve may be attached to the basin by any means, such as via bolts that are integrally coupled to the sleeve. In this embodiment, a portion of the bolts extends through apertures in the basin and coupling devices, such as nuts, are attached to the bolts in order to secure the sleeve to the basin. Advantageously, the aperture of the sleeve is large enough to be easily cleaned and the cylinder does not comprise tubes welded on the side of the cylinder as in currently available chocolate fountains.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2006Publication date: May 15, 2008Inventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, Devan B. Muir, Wu C. Liang
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Patent number: 7276818Abstract: Energy-saving drive apparatus for DC loads including a blocking oscillator, an amplifier, an AC-DC-converter, a voltage comparator, a current comparator, and a signal feedback circuit. The DC power produced by all kinds of batteries pass through the blocking oscillator and the amplifier to obtain an amplified signal voltage that is then converted into DC voltage and current. Meanwhile, the voltage comparator and the current comparator are connected at an output terminal of the AC-DC-converter. The signal feedback circuit obtains a load signal voltage from the load. After a feedback operation, a comparison voltage and a comparison current are transmitted to the input terminal of the voltage comparator and the current comparator.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2007Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Inventors: Chun-Liang Wu, William F. Polley
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Patent number: 7182269Abstract: A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials so that the fountain is more easily cleaned and sanitized, has improved performance, and is easier to assemble. In one embodiment, the chocolate fountain includes a heating element encased in an aluminum enclosure. A basin containing chocolate is heated by contact with the aluminum enclosure. Because the aluminum enclosure has a relatively high thermal conductivity, the basin is heating substantially uniformly, thus reducing the occurrence of hot spots. Additionally, a plastic auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of cylinder that houses the auger. The use of a plastic auger advantageously eliminates welding artifacts on the auger, such as burrs and pits, on which melted chocolate may accumulate. Accordingly, the plastic auger is easy to clean. A smaller chocolate fountain that may advantageously be more suitable for home use is also described herein.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2005Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: Sephra LLCInventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, Devan B. Muir, Wu C. Liang
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Patent number: 7118045Abstract: A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials so that the fountain is more easily cleaned and sanitized, has improved performance, and is easier to assemble. In one embodiment, the chocolate fountain includes a heating element encased in an aluminum enclosure. A basin containing chocolate is heated by contact with the aluminum enclosure. Because the aluminum enclosure has a relatively high thermal conductivity, the basin is heating substantially uniformly, thus reducing the occurrence of hot spots. Additionally, a plastic auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of cylinder that houses the auger. The use of a plastic auger advantageously eliminates welding artifacts on the auger, such as burrs and pits, on which melted chocolate may accumulate. Accordingly, the plastic auger is easy to clean. A smaller chocolate fountain that may advantageously be more suitable for home use is also described herein.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2006Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: Sephra LLCInventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, Devan B. Muir, Wu C. Liang
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Patent number: 7021556Abstract: A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials so that the fountain is more easily cleaned and sanitized, has improved performance, and is easier to assemble. In one embodiment, the chocolate fountain includes a heating element encased in an aluminum enclosure. A basin containing chocolate is heated by contact with the aluminum enclosure. Because the aluminum enclosure has a relatively high thermal conductivity, the basin is heating substantially uniformly, thus reducing the occurrence of hot spots. Additionally, a plastic auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of cylinder that houses the auger. The use of a plastic auger advantageously eliminates welding artifacts on the auger, such as burrs and pits, on which melted chocolate may accumulate. Accordingly, the plastic auger is easy to clean. A smaller chocolate fountain that may advantageously be more suitable for home use is also described herein.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2003Date of Patent: April 4, 2006Assignee: Sephra Fountains, LLCInventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, Devan B. Muir, Wu C. Liang
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Patent number: 6837873Abstract: A method and an apparatus for forming a one-piece introducer in which at least one finger tab is formed at one end of a tube. The apparatus is formed from a molton polymer fed into the cavity of a mold. The cavity of the mold has a portion that forms a tube and a portion that forms a tab.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2000Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Assignee: Medex, Inc.Inventors: William F. Polley, Fidelis C. Onwumere
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Patent number: 6779998Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for manufacturing an integral one-piece catheter having a tube and a hub. A mold having a mold cavity into which molten polymer is fed to form the hub and tube, and into which gas is injected into an inlet of the mold.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2002Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Medex, Inc.Inventors: David Goral, Adel Kafrawy, William F. Polley, Joseph R. Thomas
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Patent number: 6630086Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for manufacturing an integral one piece catheter having a tube and a hub. The method comprises feeding molten material into a mold having a mold cavity. A fluid such as a gas is injected into an inlet of the mold. This causes the cavity to eject the molten central region of the polymer through an exit channel. In one embodiment, a gas is injected into the hub portion of the cavity. In another embodiment, a gas is injected into the catheter portion of the mold. The invention also involves forming a first portion of an intravascular device using a first material in a first mold. Thereafter the first portion of the intravascular device is inserted into a second mold to form a second portion using a second material. Gas is then introduced to form a hollow channel in the second portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1999Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.Inventors: David Goral, Adel Kafrawy, William F. Polley, Joseph R. Thomas
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Publication number: 20030044484Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for manufacturing an integral one-piece catheter having a tube and a hub. The method comprises feeding molten material into a mold having a mold cavity. A fluid such as a gas is injected into an inlet of the mold. This causes the cavity to eject the molten central region of the polymer through an exit channel. In one embodiment, a gas is injected into the hub portion of the cavity. In another embodiment, a gas is injected into the catheter portion of the mold.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2002Publication date: March 6, 2003Inventors: David Goral, Adel Kafrawy, William F. Polley, Joseph R. Thomas
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Patent number: 6042578Abstract: An intravascular catheter having an elongated tubular body with a proximal portion, a distal portion and a lumen extending therebetween. The tubular body is formed with polymeric materials, preferably containing no radiopaque filler, and metallic reinforcing braiding configured to provide the catheter with radiopaque properties and/or kink resistance.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1997Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: Schneider (USA) Inc.Inventors: John S. Dinh, Thomas E. Eibs, Alex A. Peterson, John B. Logan, Mukund R. Patel, William F. Polley
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Patent number: 5836926Abstract: An intravascular catheter having an elongated tubular body with a proximal portion, a distal portion and a lumen extending therebetween. The tubular body is formed with: (a) a first layer of polytetrafluoroethylene; (b) a reinforcing means at least partially surrounding the inner layer; and (c) a second layer comprising a blend of polyetherester elastomer and polybutylene terephthalate at least partially covering the second layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1996Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Schneider (USA) IncInventors: Alex A. Peterson, John B. Logan, Mukund R. Patel, William F. Polley
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Patent number: D705590Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Sephra L.P.Inventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, James D. Sabin
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Patent number: D744272Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2014Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: Sephra L. P.Inventors: Richard B. Muir, William F. Polley, James D. Sabin