Patents by Inventor William Thomas

William 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).

  • DENTAL FLOSSING PICK
    Publication number: 20220079727
    Abstract: A dental flossing pick includes a body, a lever, and at least one torsion spring. The body may include a first arm and a first jaw, and the lever may include a second arm and a second jaw. The lever may be rotatably coupled to the body, and the at least one torsion spring may be coupled to the body and the lever. The first arm and the second arm may be rotatable toward one another, against a resistance force of the at least one torsion spring, from an open state to a closed state to form a handle. In the closed state, the first jaw and the second jaw may be clamped to one another to form a fork distal to the handle. The fork may include a first prong and a second prong defining therebetween a gap in which a length of dental floss material may be secured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: William Thomas May, Simon Enever, Paul Koh, Maxwell Wood-Lee, Jonathan Fratti
  • Breast milk expression apparatus and system
    Patent number: 11273239
    Abstract: A breast milk expression apparatus includes at least one compression pad disposable about a breast of a user and configured for radial displacement relative to the breast. The apparatus includes a compression unit coupled to the at least one pad, configured to cyclically displace the at least one pad radially inwardly to cause compression of the breast and, following compression of the breast, permitting the breast to expand and decompress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: IMALAC, INC.
    Inventors: Noreen Gordon Sablotsky, Rachael Sablotsky Kish, Kathryn Garriott Sablotsky, Scott R. Arp, William Thomas Bales, Paul John Grata, Damian H. Tomlin, Victor M. Gamez, Lisandro Rivera Alvarez
  • Method of and apparatus for additive layer manufacture
    Patent number: 11273595
    Abstract: A method of additive layer manufacture includes the steps of successively depositing layers of fusible powder material in overlying relationship and introducing energy, such as by an electron beam, into each deposited layer to selectively melt material in the layer so as to fuse the melted material together and to already fused material of a layer thereunder in order to produce a three-dimensional solid article in successive cross-sectional layers. In order to monitor layer quality, structured light defining a fringe pattern is projected onto each deposited layer before and/or after melting of material in that layer and the fringe pattern on each layer is imaged from a perspective different from that of the projection so as to reveal disturbance of the pattern by topographical features of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Reliance RG Limited
    Inventors: William Thomas Richardson, Ian Laidler, Liam Blunt
  • Filter base for electronic connection to mating filter housing assembly
    Patent number: 11273397
    Abstract: A filter base for receiving a complementary mating filter housing assembly. The filter base includes a base platform having fluid ingress and egress stanchions, and a wire harness assembly including a connector housing integral with or connected to the base platform for establishing an electrical connection between the filter base and the filter housing assembly. The wire harness assembly includes conductors extending between first and second connectors, with one or more resilient contacts provided on the second connector. The connector housing has an upper surface and an oppositely facing lower surface and is dimensioned to receive a first end portion of the one or more contacts. The contacts are flexible from a first position to a second position when a mating portion of the one or more contacts engages a mating connection surface of the filter housing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: William Thomas Anniss, III, Willard Grant, Raony Barrios, William L. Small, Marcello Correa Machado, Thomas W. McCollough, Christopher Stephan Rousey, Robert Astle, George Nicholas Lauri, III, Chong Hun Yi, Brian Keith Weaver, William James Moyer, II, Ronald Skovira, Gary Altemose, Richard Benjamin Emenheiser, Ramesh Subramanian
  • Radiation Shielding System
    Publication number: 20220071576
    Abstract: A radiation shield assembly is described, configured to block radiation emanating from a radiation source from reaching a user. Two shields are supported by a support arm, and are configured to rotate and translate relative to one another about the support arm's longitudinal axis. This allows the shield to be easily configured and reconfigured as necessary to visualize various parts of a patient's body via radiography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Evans FOSTER, Lloyd Guyton Bowers Cooper, William Thomas Livingston, Foster D. Phillips
  • Methods and systems for hyper-spectral systems
    Patent number: 11270167
    Abstract: A hyperspectral analysis computer device is provided. The hyperspectral analysis computer device includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The hyperspectral analysis computer device is configured to store a plurality of spectral analysis data, receive at least one background item and at least one item to be detected from a user, generate one or more spectral bands for analysis based on the at least one background item, the at least one item to be detected, and the stored plurality of spectral analysis data, receive one or more mission parameters from the user, and determine a probability of success based on the one or more mission parameters and the generated one or more spectral bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Thomas Garrison, Mark A. Rivera, David Roderick Gerwe, Todd Harding Tomkinson
  • ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS AND METHODS INCLUDING ROTATING BINDER JET PRINT HEAD
    Publication number: 20220063188
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a build platform, a particulate dispenser assembly configured to dispense or remove particulate to or from the build platform, and a plurality of print heads each having at least one binder jet. The binder jets are configured to dispense at least one binder in varying densities onto the particulate in multiple locations to consolidate the particulate to form the component with a variable binder density throughout. The system also includes a plurality of arms extending at least partially across the build platform and supporting the print heads and at least one actuator assembly configured to rotate the print heads and/or the build platform about a rotation axis and move at least one of the print heads and the build platform in a build direction perpendicular to the build platform as part of a helical build process for the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Juan Pablo Cilia, John P. Davis, William Thomas Carter, JR., Jared Micheal Iverson, Michael Robert Tucker, Michael Evans Graham, Edward James Nieters, Christopher James Kenny
  • Seating arrangement
    Patent number: 11259637
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a base, a back arrangement and a seat arrangement each supported by the base, the back arrangement movable between an upright position and reclined position, the seat arrangement including a stop member, a shell supported on the base and forming at least a portion of the seat arrangement, the shell including a first portion and second portion movable relative to the first portion, the shell configured such that a downward force exerted on the first portion by a seated user forces the back arrangement from the reclined position toward the upright position, and a tilt limiter coupled to the base and configured to engage the stop member at both the upright position and the reclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, William Thomas Johnson, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Devices having dedicated light emitting diodes for performance characterization
    Patent number: 11265980
    Abstract: A device includes a plurality of first LEDs, a plurality of second LEDs, at least one controllable current source that is configured to generate at least one bias current for driving the plurality of first LEDs and the plurality of second LEDs, and a plurality of measurement circuits, each of which is configured to measure a current-voltage (I-V) performance characteristic of at least one of the plurality of first LEDs. A property of a first bias current of the at least one bias current is determined as a function of at least two measurements of the I-V performance characteristic of the at least one of the plurality of first LEDs, and the at least two measurements of the I-V performance characteristic are acquired while the first bias current is applied to the at least one of the plurality of first LEDs and the plurality of second LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Yee, Ramakrishna Chilukuri, William Thomas Blank, Ilias Pappas
  • Display diagnostic system
    Patent number: 11257407
    Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises a backplane to attach an array of light emitting diodes (LED), the backplane comprising an array of display driver circuits, each display driver circuit of the array of display driver circuits corresponding to an LED of the array of LEDs and comprising: a current driver circuit configured to supply to a current to the corresponding LED; a control signal generator circuit configured to supply a driver control signal to the current driver circuit to control the current; and one or more monitor circuits controllable to provide access to at least one of: the current, or an internal voltage of at least one of the current driver circuit or the control signal generator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ilias Pappas, Michael Yee, Ramakrishna Chilukuri, William Thomas Blank
  • REAL-TIME MAPPING OF PROJECTIONS ONTO MOVING 3D OBJECTS
    Publication number: 20220053174
    Abstract: A “Concurrent Projector-Camera” uses an image projection device in combination with one or more cameras to enable various techniques that provide visually flicker-free projection of images or video, while real-time image or video capture is occurring in that same space. The Concurrent Projector-Camera provides this projection in a manner that eliminates video feedback into the real-time image or video capture. More specifically, the Concurrent Projector-Camera dynamically synchronizes a combination of projector lighting (or light-control points) on-state temporal compression in combination with on-state temporal shifting during each image frame projection to open a “capture time slot” for image capture during which no image is being projected. This capture time slot represents a tradeoff between image capture time and decreased brightness of the projected image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Sasa Junuzovic, William Thomas Blank, Steven Bathiche, Anoop Gupta, Andrew D. Wilson
  • Apparatus, Systems and Methods For Providing Alarm and Sensor Data To Emergency Networks
    Publication number: 20220051548
    Abstract: A disclosed method includes: receiving an alarm notification; determining that there is a verification for the alarm notification such that the alarm notification is not a false alarm; and pushing the alarm notification to an emergency network entity along with an indication that the alarm has been verified in response to determining that there is a verification. Another disclosed method includes monitoring an emergency queue at an emergency network entity for incoming queue entries from an emergency data manager; determining correlations for the incoming queue entries based on data associated with each incoming queue entry; and generating a link for each correlated queue entry linking each correlated queue entry to a primary queue entry in response to determining correlations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Riccardo Pellegrini, Nicholas Edward Horelik, William Thomas Guthrie, Michael John Martin, John Alan Pirrie, Krishnakumar Unnikrishnan, Andrew Lindstrom Gillespie
  • Toothbrush system
    Patent number: 11246403
    Abstract: A toothbrush apparatus and system and associated method. The apparatus includes a sensing module that performs at least one of the following: detect at least one time period associated with use of the toothbrush apparatus, detect one or more movements of the toothbrush apparatus, and any combination thereof. The apparatus's one or more processors communicatively coupled to the sensing module determine one or more measurements based on at least one of: the detected time periods, the detected movements, and any combination thereof, and store the determined measurements in one or more memory locations communicatively coupled to the processors. The apparatus also includes one or more feedback modules that receive the stored measurements and encode the measurements into corresponding feedback signals. One or more data transfer modules transmit the feedback signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: QUIP NYC INC.
    Inventors: William Thomas May, Simon Enever, William M. Sakran
  • Additive manufacturing systems and methods including rotating binder jet print head
    Patent number: 11247393
    Abstract: Methods and systems for fabricating a component by consolidating a particulate include a build platform configured to receive a particulate, a particulate dispenser configured to deposit the particulate on the build platform, and at least one print head including at least one jet. The at least one print head is configured to dispense a binder through the at least one jet onto the particulate to consolidate at least a portion of the particulate and form a component. The methods and systems also include at least one actuator assembly configured to rotate at least one of the at least one print head and the build platform about a rotation axis extending through the build platform and move at least one of the at least one print head and the build platform in a build direction perpendicular to the build platform as part of a helical build process for the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Juan Pablo Cilia, John Paul Davis, William Thomas Carter, Jared Micheal Iverson, Michael Robert Tucker, Michael Evans Graham, Edward James Nieters
  • METHODS FOR IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF PORCINE SPECIES BY TARGETED INACTIVATION OF CD163
    Publication number: 20220042017
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates methods and compositions useful for prevention of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) in animals, including animals of the species Sus scrofa. The present teachings relate to swine wherein at least one allele of a CD163 gene has been inactivated, and to specific methods and nucleic acid sequences used in gene editing to inactivate the CD163 gene. Swine wherein both alleles of the CD163 gene are inactivated are resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Genus PLC
    Inventors: Andrew Mark Cigan, Jonathan Edward Lightner, Matthew Scott Culbertson, William Thomas Christianson, Benjamin Beaton, Brian Burger, Dylan Barnes, Matthew Campbell
  • Display container for displaying a botanical specimen
    Patent number: 11235909
    Abstract: A display container for displaying an aromatic botanical specimen includes: (a) a container body for enclosing the botanical specimen and scented air having a scent of the botanical specimen; (b) at least one scent discharge port in the container body; and (c) an air pump coupled to the container body and operable to discharge the scented air from within the container body to the environment through the scent discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: ALL PLASTIC, INC.
    Inventors: William Thomas Smith, Cheryl Ann Smith
  • Lighting and internet of things design using augmented reality
    Patent number: 11232502
    Abstract: An augmented reality-based lighting design method includes displaying, by an augmented reality device, a real-time image of a target physical area on a display screen. The method further includes displaying, by the augmented reality device, a lighting fixture 3-D model on the display screen in response to a user input, where the lighting fixture 3-D model is overlaid on the real-time image of the target physical area. The method also includes generating, by the augmented reality device, a bill of materials (BOM) that includes a lighting fixture corresponding to the lighting fixture 3-D model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Nam Chin Cho, Parth Joshi, William Thomas Cook, Christopher Lee Bohler
  • Charger
    Patent number: D943514
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Quip NYC Inc.
    Inventors: William Thomas May, Simon Enever, Jonathan Fratti, James Krause, Paul Koh, Maxwell Wood-Lee
  • Container
    Patent number: D945877
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: ALL PLASTIC, INC.
    Inventors: William Thomas Smith, Cheryl Ann Smith
  • Filter cartridge
    Patent number: D946699
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas W. McCollough, William Thomas Anniss, III, Willard Grant, Raony Barrios, William L. Small, Marcello Correa Machado, Christopher Stephan Rousey, Ramesh Subramanian, Robert Astle, George Nicholas Lauri, III