Patents by Inventor William R. L. Thomas

William R. L. Thomas 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: 4488047
    Abstract: Simply stated, the luminescent solar concentrator of the present invention comprises a plurality of optically coupled flat planar luminescent layers having a major surface for receipt of incident radiation and at least one edge surface through which radiation can escape, each of said layers having on the top and bottom surface thereof a light transparant layer having an index refraction which is lower than the index refraction of the luminescent layer. All of the layers are joined so as to form an all solid state luminescent solar collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventor: William R. L. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4155822
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to an improved process for separating a material into two or more parts in each of which the abundances of the isotopes of a given element differ from the abundances of the isotopes of the same element in said material. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for the isotopically selective excitation of gas phase molecules by multiple infrared photon absorption followed by a step wherein more of the excited molecules than non-excited molecules are converted to a chemically different form which may be separated by means known in the art. This invention is useful for, but not limited to, the separation of the principal isotopes of uranium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1979
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventor: William R. L. Thomas
  • Patent number: 3992625
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for separating selectively ionized particles from a plasma of moving particles by application of a magnetic field gradient in a direction to which the ionized particles are to be accelerated for collection. By creating conditions of adiabatic particle motion for charged particles in the magnetic field, the selectively ionized particles will be induced to follow the magnetic field lines in the direction of weaker field strength. The direction of this gradient is made different from the general direction of particle motion to permit extraction of the ions from the plasma. The extracted ions deposit on a collection surface in enriched proportions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1973
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1976
    Assignee: Jersey Nuclear-Avco Isotopes, Inc.
    Inventors: George Schmidt, Gerald M. Halpern, William R. L. Thomas
  • Patent number: 3933030
    Abstract: A system has been invented for the continuous determination of density of cryogenic liquids such as LPG and LNG to within .+-. 0.1% or better using differential capacitance measurements. This system would allow the detection of incipient density inversions in storage tanks and the accurate determination of quantities transferred from ship to shore to customers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1976
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Eric O. Forster, William R. L. Thomas