Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100095898 | MANUAL LITTER BOX - A manual litter box is disclosed which provides various advantages over the prior art. In particular, in one embodiment, the manual litter box is configured to use a disposable cartridge which may include a litter compartment and a waste compartment. In another embodiment, the cartridge may be non-compartmentalized. The cartridge may be disposable, thus eliminating the need for the user to clean the litter tray and handle heavy litter containers. In other embodiments, the system includes a rake assembly configured with a manual shuttle chassis drive assembly that is protected from contamination. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the manual litter box is configured to be used with all types of litter including crystal type litter. | 04-22-2010 |
20100313818 | Self-Cleaning Litter Box - A self-cleaning litter box ( | 12-16-2010 |
20110126773 | Self-Cleaning Litter Box - A self-cleaning litter box ( | 06-02-2011 |
20110155070 | Self-Cleaning Litter Box - A self-cleaning litter box ( | 06-30-2011 |
20110155071 | Self-Cleaning Litter Box - A self-cleaning litter box ( | 06-30-2011 |
20110155072 | Self-Cleaning Litter Box - A self-cleaning litter box ( | 06-30-2011 |
20110265728 | Manual Litter Box - A manual litter box is disclosed which provides various advantages over the prior art. In particular, in one embodiment, the manual litter box is configured to use a disposable cartridge which may include a litter compartment and a waste compartment. In another embodiment, the cartridge may be non-compartmentalized. The cartridge may be disposable, thus eliminating the need for the user to clean the litter tray and handle heavy litter containers. In other embodiments, the system includes a rake assembly configured with a manual shuttle chassis drive assembly that is protected from contamination. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the manual litter box is configured to be used with all types of litter including crystal type litter. | 11-03-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110162333 | RFID Vent Tube Apparatus, System and Methods for Vent Tube Intrusion Detection - The present invention is directed to a vent tube apparatus, system and methods incorporating a traceable material such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag for use in conjunction with a filling machine during container filling operations for a quicker and more accurate detection of the location of the vent tube after it has become detached from a filling machine during filling operations, and to increase the safety of the filling operation and reduce costs and time when a malfunction occurs. | 07-07-2011 |
20140238540 | RFID Vent Tube Apparatus, System and Methods for Vent Tube Intrusion Detection - The present invention is directed to a vent tube apparatus, system and methods incorporating a traceable material such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag for use in conjunction with a filling machine during container filling operations for a quicker and more accurate detection of the location of the vent tube after it has become detached from a filling machine during filling operations, and to increase the safety of the filling operation and reduce costs and time when a malfunction occurs. | 08-28-2014 |
20150191260 | VENT TUBE APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHODS WITH TRACEABLE CAP FOR VENT TUBE INTRUSION DETECTION - The present disclosure is directed to a non-traceable vent tube and a traceable vent tube cap apparatus, system and methods incorporating a traceable material such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag or a magnet for use in conjunction with a filling machine during container filling operations for a quicker and more accurate detection of the location of the non-traceable vent tube or the traceable vent tube cap after becoming detached from a filling machine during filling operations, and to increase the safety of the filling operation and reduce costs and time when a malfunction occurs. | 07-09-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080265711 | Mechanical packaging of surface acoustic wave device for sensing applications - A method and apparatus, wherein a die is attached to a supporting base structure utilizing a rigid bond adhesive for a SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) sensor. A rigid bond adhesive with a preferably high glass transition temperature (Tg) can be applied directly between the die and the die supporting structure in a pattern to eliminate time dependent gradual stress effects upon SAW sensor. The rigid bond adhesive can then be cured, which results in a high yield strength and a high young's modulus. The supporting base and the die material comprise a same co-efficient of thermal expansion in order to avoid die displacement over temperature. | 10-30-2008 |
20090165546 | WIRELESS AND BATTERYLESS SENSOR - A wireless and batteryless pressure sensor apparatus comprises of a SAW sensor and an antenna mounted on a printed circuit board. Optionally, and RFID tag in used in combination with the SAW sensor. A sensor antenna and a RFID antenna can be located on the printed circuit board such that the antennas communicate electrically with the sensor and the RFID device. The sensor can be interrogated utilizing a radio frequency, which is used to excite a SAW crystal inside the sensor. The interrogation signal causes the SAW to resonate wherein a resonant frequency changes with the pressure and temperature that is applied to the sensor. An interrogator can receive a return (echo) signal representing a change in SAW sensor properties (e.g., diaphragm change). A printed circuit board can be mounted on a stainless steel port and overpackaged with standard processes for hermetically sealing the sensor, or sensor and RFID device with at least one antenna. | 07-02-2009 |
20090167503 | WIRELESS AND BATTERYLESS SENSOR - The SAW sensor in a stainless steel button package having a diaphragm and mounted on a threaded port. Package can hermetically seal a sensor and RFID-antenna assemblies from media. Sensor diaphragm is exposable to media. Sensor and RFID antennas communicate electrically with SAW sensor and RFID device, respectively, for sensor measurements and identification. Antennas receive RF interrogation signal from a nearby interrogator/transceiver and send reflected RF signals back to the interrogator unit containing sensor measurement and sensor ID. TRF signal excites a SAW resonator inside the sensor and causes the SAW to resonate wherein resonant frequency changes with pressure and temperature applied to the sensor. Antennas could be printed circuit board antennas, helical antennas, loop antennas, any other commercially available off-the-shelf antennas or a combination of these. | 07-02-2009 |
20120073267 | PARTICULATE MATTER SENSOR - A particulate matter sensor includes a ceramic rod, a first metal layer deposited on the ceramic rod, a ceramic layer deposited on the first metal layer, and a second metal layer deposited on the ceramic layer. The first metal layer serves as a source electrode, and the second metal layer serves as a detection electrode. In another embodiment, a particulate matter sensor includes a metal rod, a ceramic sheet deposited or wrapped around the ceramic rod, and a metal layer deposited on the ceramic layer or sheet. The metal rod serves as a source electrode, and the second metal layer serves as a detection electrode. | 03-29-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090301058 | PARTICULATE MATTER SENSOR - Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate methods and devices for measuring flow rate of particulate matter within an exhaust gas stream. In one particular exemplary embodiment, a sensor for detecting and monitoring particulate matter within an exhaust flow path of an engine is provided. The sensor includes a housing having an attachment for mounting the sensor. The sensor also includes a sensing rod supported by an insulating base. The sensing rod is attached to the housing and includes a probe adapted to be placed within the exhaust flow path. The probe includes a section having an increased surface area per unit length as compared to at least one other section of the probe. The sensing rod is configured to detect particulate matter flowing through the exhaust component and generates a signal based thereupon. The sensor further includes an electrical connector in communication with the sensing rod. The electrical connector is configured to transmit the signal generated by the sensing rod to a controller. | 12-10-2009 |
20100206046 | FLOW-THROUGH PRESSURE SENSOR APPARATUS - A flow-through pressure sensor apparatus that reduces the dead space of a flow tube utilized to provide fluid communication between a pressure sense die and a fluid and with an absolute minimum trapped volume. A cover (e.g., plastic) with two-molded ports can be added to one side of the pressure sense die utilizing molded-in solder pins to improve ruggedness and rigidity. A temperature and a humidity sensor can also be mounted to a substrate (e.g., ceramic) in the flow path and can be connected to a programmable compensation integrated circuit on the opposite side utilizing a clip end of mounting pins or by vias through the substrate outside a pressurized area. | 08-19-2010 |
20110005326 | SENSOR PACKAGE ASSEMBLY HAVING AN UNCONSTRAINED SENSE DIE - A pressure detection mechanism having a pressure sense die which may be attached directly to a surface of an alumina-based substrate with an adhesive having an optimum thickness. The adhesive may be stress compliant and may be one or more of silicone, silicone-epoxy, epoxy or any other suitable adhesive material. A compensation and interface application specific integrated circuit may be attached to the surface of the package substrate. The pressure sense die may be electrically connected to the integrated circuit with bond wires. The integrated circuit may be electrically connected to trace conductors on the package substrate with bond wires, and trace conductors may be connected to stress compliant metal conductors or leads for external connection to a mounting surface such as a printed circuit board. Hard plastic, or like material, symmetric covers, with one or more pressure ports or vents, may be attached to both sides of the substrate. | 01-13-2011 |
20110107839 | PRESSURE SENSOR ASSEMBLY - The present disclosure relates to pressure sensors. In one illustrative embodiment, the pressure sensor may include a pressure sensor assembly having pressure ports on opposite sides of the pressure sensor assembly. The pressure sensor may include a protective housing including a first housing member and a second housing member defining a cavity for securely housing the pressure sensor assembly. The protective housing may include a first port coupled to one of the pressure ports of the pressure sensor assembly and a second port coupled to the other pressure port of the pressure sensor assembly. In some cases, the protective housing may include one or more aligning features, one or more positioning features, and a boss, which can include two or more bumps, on each side of the cavity around the pressure ports. | 05-12-2011 |
20120067132 | PRESSURE SENSOR ASSEMBLY - The present disclosure relates to pressure sensors. In one illustrative embodiment, the pressure sensor may include a pressure sensor assembly having pressure ports on opposite sides of the pressure sensor assembly. The pressure sensor may include a protective housing including a first housing member and a second housing member defining a cavity for securely housing the pressure sensor assembly. The protective housing may include a first port coupled to one of the pressure ports of the pressure sensor assembly and a second port coupled to the other pressure port of the pressure sensor assembly. In some cases, the protective housing may include one or more aligning features, one or more positioning features, and a boss, which can include two or more bumps, on each side of the cavity around the pressure ports. | 03-22-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110086957 | ADDITIVE AND VEHICLE FOR INKS, PAINTS, COATINGS AND ADHESIVES - An environmentally safe additive and vehicle system are provided for water-based and oil-based printing inks, paints, coatings and adhesives which can be rapidly transferred, dispersed, dispensed, spread, dried and cured. The low cost, stable additive and vehicle system enhance multiple color, high speed printing with sharp, highly defined images and superior quality, and can be used on many different types of substrates, such as paper, paperboard, cardboard, clay coated board, foil, plastic, glass, metal, wood and composites. The additive may be formed by the reaction product of a photoinitiator, such as an UV-activated polyelectrolyte, and a monomer, such as an acrylate or a methacrylate in an aqueous solution. In other embodiments, the additive is formed from a carboxylic acid or anhydride and alkylalkanolamine monomer or a dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate or methacrylate monomer in an aqueous solution. | 04-14-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120285972 | Insulating Packaging - A clamshell container includes a bottom portion and a top portion. The bottom portion includes a bottom wall and a side wall attached to the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the side wall form a bottom recessed area. The top portion is connected with the bottom portion along a fold line. The top portion is configured to fold over at least part of the bottom portion at the fold line to form a storage area between the top portion and the bottom recessed area. The top portion and the bottom portion are constructed of a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer by an insulating material. The insulating material includes micro-encapsulated particles to expand and provide thermal insulation. | 11-15-2012 |
20130025466 | DISPOSABLE SINGLE USE BEVERAGE PACKAGE - A basket for holding beverage grounds includes a frame. The frame includes a continuous rim that defines an opening at a top of the frame, a bottom portion that is closed, and a plurality of spaced apart ribs that extend from the rim to a peripheral edge of the bottom portion. The bottom edge, plurality of ribs and rim define a plurality of openings that facilitate fluid flow. A filter material is positioned in the plurality of openings. A removable outer sleeve is formed on an outside surface of the frame. The outer sleeve is configured to cover at least the plurality of openings to thereby provide an air-tight seal within the frame. | 01-31-2013 |
20130303351 | MICROWAVE HEATING OF HEAT-EXPANDABLE MATERIALS FOR MAKING PACKAGING SUBSTRATES AND PRODUCTS - Packaging containers (e.g., cups) or protective wraps may be made with two layers of sheet material and an expanded thermal insulation between the layers. The thermal insulation may be made from microencapsulated, heat-expandable particles that are expanded with a microwave heater at some point during processing substrate, building, conveying or packaging the containers. The particles may be applied to blanks formed from die cutting, expanded by heating, and then tampered. The blanks may be outer wraps to a double wall cup, formed by placing and adhering an inner cup to the outer wrap. Alternatively, an adhesive containing the particles are applied to inner cups, which may be adhered to outer wraps to complete formation of the double wall cups. The cups may then be heated with a microwave heater at a subsequent workstation as the cups are conveyed, stacked, placed in bags, the bags in cartons and the cartons stacked and palletized. | 11-14-2013 |
20130341386 | FOOD TRAY - A food tray formed of a unitary sheet of material includes a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, first sidewall, and a second sidewall that define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray. First and second flaps extend from respective top edges of the first and second sidewalls and are configured to be folded toward an interior of the food tray. The first and second flaps each define slots. First and second lid members extend from respective top edges of the front wall and the rear wall and are configured to be folded toward the interior of the food tray. The first and second lid members define a pair of tabs on respective side edges that are configured to engage the slots defined by the first and second flaps. | 12-26-2013 |
20140103103 | INSULATING CONTAINER - A package or container includes a side wall, the side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. At least one of the inner surface or the outer surface of the side wall may be at least partially coated by a layer of a insulating material. The material may be adapted to be expanded to provide thermal insulation. | 04-17-2014 |
20140332584 | CLAMSHELL CARTON WITH TEAR STRIP - A carton includes a top portion and a bottom portion. Each portion includes a front wall, a rear wall, and opposing side walls extending therebetween. The top portion and bottom portion include respective top and bottom surfaces. The rear walls of the top and bottom portions are hingedly connected to another along respective outer edges. When closed, the top portion and bottom portion define a cavity for storing an item. The carton also includes a separation region defined on the top and bottom portions that extends from an outside edge of the front wall of the top portion, around the top portion and the bottom portion, to an outside edge of the front wall of the bottom portion. The separation region is configured to facilitate controlled separation of the carton into first and second side portions and to prevent liquid flow through separation region. | 11-13-2014 |
20150064311 | DISPOSABLE SINGLE USE BEVERAGE PACKAGE - A beverage brewer having a cartridge for placement of a disposable single use filter basket filled with beverage grounds. The filter basket includes a plastic frame having a bottom, a plurality of ribs, and a top rim that define a plurality of openings covered by a non-woven or woven plastic filter material. The basket filled with beverage grounds is enclosed with a film cover. The inlet probe of the brewer pierces the cover and admits a heated liquid into the beverage grounds, and creates a brewed beverage that flows through the filter material and exits an opening in a bottom portion of the cartridge. | 03-05-2015 |
20150250347 | DISPOSABLE SINGLE USE BEVERAGE FILTER BASKET - A disposable single-use beverage filter basket filled with beverage grounds, and a beverage brewer having a cartridge for placement of the beverage filter basket. A permeable filter basket has a rigid frame having a bottom, a plurality of ribs, and a top rim that define side openings, and a non-woven filter medium that is bonded thermally to the material of the frame to cover the side openings. The non-woven filter medium is made of recyclable or compostable plastic or bio-polymer, and frame is made of the material of the non-woven filter medium. The permeable filter basket is filled with beverage grounds and enclosed with a film cover. The inlet probe of the brewer pierces the cover and admits a heated liquid into the beverage grounds, and creates a brewed beverage that flows through the filter material and exits an opening in a bottom portion of the cartridge. | 09-10-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140278573 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INITIATING INSURANCE PROCESSING USING INGESTED DATA - Methods and systems for pre-filling insurance forms for customers are provided. An insurance provider or other similar entity can receive loss event data associated with a certain loss event that could trigger customers submitting insurance claims. By examining the loss event data and associated customer and insurance policy data, the insurance provider can identify customers who may have experienced damage to property and therefore may be eligible to submit a claim for the damage. According to embodiments, the insurance provider can generate pre-filled forms using at least some of the loss event data and send the pre-filled forms to the potentially eligible customers. The customers can modify the pre-filled forms where necessary and submit insurance claims based on the pre-filled forms for processing by the insurance provider. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278575 | Systems And Methods Of Processing Insurance Data Using A Web-Scale Data Fabric - Methods and systems for processing data, such as insurance data, using a Web-Scale Data Fabric (WSDF). According to embodiments, a stream ingestion hardware component can ingest messages related to an actionable event and send data objects to an in-memory data store based on the messages. The in-memory data store can retrieve insurance policy information that may be applicable to the actionable event and store the insurance policy information in cache memory. A search-based application interfaces with the in-memory data store to search for and retrieve data associated with the insurance policy information, from which a user or administrator may process or otherwise access the information. The systems and methods can further initiate insurance claim processing as well as enrich the data using various techniques to enable real-time search. | 09-18-2014 |
20140280457 | IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB-SCALE DATA FABRIC - Methods and systems for processing business operations transactions and associated augmented customer data using a Web-Scale Data Fabric (WSDF). According to embodiments, a plurality of computer servers are configured for economical large scale computation and data storage with resilience despite underpinning commodity hardware failure and grow-shrink capacity changes of nodes and associated interconnectivity. The servers communicate with direct attached storage (DAS) and include a co-processor coupled for computation capacity. The servers can connect to an external computer network (ECN) for external client input and output, as well as other functionalities such as physical-to-virtual network connectivity mapping and maintaining resilient storage of data received from the ECN or computationally derived from the received data. | 09-18-2014 |
20150154709 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MODIFYING RESOURCES TO MANAGE LOSS EVENTS - Methods and systems for modifying resources equipped to manage loss events and processing associated therewith based on an analysis of real-time data. An insurance provider can maintain historical data that indicates resources usage data for managing previously-occurring loss events. The insurance provider can receive real-time first-party and third-party loss event data from a variety of sources, the loss event data being associated with a recent or forecasted loss event. The insurance provider can compare the received loss event data to the historical data to determine that resources configured to manage insurance claim processing resulting from the loss event may need to be modified. In embodiments, the resources may be hardware or software resources, a workforce, physical goods or supplies, or other resources. The insurance provider can facilitate the appropriate resource modification by interfacing with various components and entities. | 06-04-2015 |
20150154712 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING POTENTIALLY INACCURATE INSURANCE CLAIMS - Methods and systems for detecting inaccurate insurance claims associated with a loss event are provided. An insurance provider may receive loss event data associated with the loss event from a variety of sources. The insurance provider may also receive an insurance claim submission from the claimant customer that indicates an insured property and a claimed amount of damage to the insured property. The insurance provider examines the loss event data to estimate an actual amount of damage experienced by the property as a result of the loss event, and compares the actual amount of damage to the claimed amount of damage. Based on the comparison, the insurance provider may approve the insurance claim, deny the insurance claim, or flag the insurance claim. The systems and methods thus aim to reduce fraudulent or otherwise inaccurate insurance claim filings. | 06-04-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100310550 | ALPHA 1- ANTITRYPSIN COMPOSITIONS - A streamlined method for purifying alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) from an AAT-containing protein mixture, such as a Cohn fraction IV precipitate, is provided. In the method of the invention, contaminating proteins are destabilized by cleavage of disulfide bonds with a reducing reagent, such as a dithiol, which does not affect AAT. The destabilized proteins are then preferentially adsorbed on a solid protein-adsorbing material, without the addition of a salt as a precipitant. Separation of the solid adsorbent from the solution leaves a purified AAT solution that is directly suitable for chromatographic purification, without the need for extensive desalting as in prior art processes. A process incorporating this method, which provides pharmaceutical grade AAT in high yield on a commercial scale, is also described. | 12-09-2010 |
20120165261 | Alpha-1-antitrypsin compositions - A streamlined method for purifying alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) from an AAT-containing protein mixture, such as a Cohn fraction IV precipitate, is provided. In the method of the invention, contaminating proteins are destabilized by cleavage of disulfide bonds with a reducing reagent, such as a dithiol, which does not affect AAT. The destabilized proteins are then preferentially adsorbed on a solid protein-adsorbing material, without the addition of a salt as a precipitant. Separation of the solid adsorbent from the solution leaves a purified AAT solution that is directly suitable for chromatographic purification, without the need for extensive desalting as in prior art processes. A process incorporating this method, which provides pharmaceutical grade AAT in high yield on a commercial scale, is also described. | 06-28-2012 |
20140323405 | ALPHA-1-ANTITRYPSIN COMPOSITIONS - A streamlined method for purifying alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) from an AAT-containing protein mixture, such as a Cohn fraction IV precipitate, is provided. In the method of the invention, contaminating proteins are destabilized by cleavage of disulfide bonds with a reducing reagent, such as a dithiol, which does not affect AAT. The destabilized proteins are then preferentially adsorbed on a solid protein-adsorbing material, without the addition of a salt as a precipitant. Separation of the solid adsorbent from the solution leaves a purified AAT solution that is directly suitable for chromatographic purification, without the need for extensive desalting as in prior art processes. A process incorporating this method, which provides pharmaceutical grade AAT in high yield on a commercial scale, is also described. | 10-30-2014 |