Thomas J Burns

US Patent:

8080895, Dec 20, 2011

Filed:

Aug 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/189535

Inventors:

Brian B. Williams - Santa Clara CA, US
Thomas J. Burns - San Jose CA, US

International Classification:

F03B 13/00
H02P 9/04
F03D 9/00
F02B 63/04
F03G 7/08
H02K 7/18
F01C 13/00
F01D 15/10

US Classification:

290 54, 290 1 R, 290 4 R, 290 44, 290 55, 60398, 60698

Abstract:

A method and system to use compressed fluids to generate electrical energy or an equivalent useful form of energy. A first embodiment uses pressurized air that can be stored to selectively and directly generate energy as required. A second embodiment uses a pressurized working fluid that can be stored to selectively and directly generate energy as required. A third embodiment uses at least one compressible floor module to compress at least one working fluid that can be stored to selectively and directly generate energy as required. The working fluid in various embodiments of the invention can be air, steam, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, commercially available Freons, carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, butane, various types of natural gas, ammonia, an equivalent type of gas, or an appropriate liquid.

US Patent:

20050266388, Dec 1, 2005

Filed:

May 2, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/120542

Inventors:

Mark Gross - Burlingame CA, US
Thomas Burns - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G09B003/00

US Classification:

434350000, 434323000, 434362000

Abstract:

A system and method is provided for the collection and automate dispatching of assignments and news from a teacher to their students and parents. This involves registering members and assigning them roles, scopes and groups based on scheduling and other data pulled from the school/district's database, capturing assignment data from the teacher or student assistant through a web form, constructing custom homepages and assignment messages for each student and parents, and transmitting those messages to the right parties. Additionally, a system and method for relationship-based messaging between members to facilitate communication made difficult or impossible in a traditional school environment. This involves assigning roles and defining the relationships between those roles (factoring in scheduling information), granting and limiting publishing scope based on the same, and providing a system for web messaging and email distribution. Finally, a system and method for creating student digital portfolios. This involves aggregating information already published to the system along with grades and attendance information pulled from the SIS, student work submitted through digital dropboxes, plans and comments from teachers and staff, membership data, and school participation data as expressed through membership and messaging through the system. This information is available on a single web page accessed through directories, rosters and special groups by school and district staff.

US Patent:

20160038811, Feb 11, 2016

Filed:

Aug 9, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/455905

Inventors:

Les Lagier - Santa Clara CA, US
Thomas J. Burns - Campbell CA, US
Jerome A. Johnson - Monte Sereno CA, US

International Classification:

A63B 69/00
A63B 69/36

Abstract:

A guide arm machine includes a guide arm and an equipment holder attached to the guide arm. The equipment holder is optimized to hold a sports equipment item. The guide arm is attached to a shaft so that the shaft defines a rotation axis around which the guide arm rotates. An adjustable main beam whose position is adjustable with respect to a stationary anchor, so that when the sports equipment item is held by the equipment holder and a position of the adjustable main beam is appropriately adjusted, rotation of the guide arm around the guide arm guides an athlete holding the equipment holder item into a desired motion that trains the athlete in efficient use of the sports equipment item.

US Patent:

20150298841, Oct 22, 2015

Filed:

Apr 10, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/684048

Inventors:

Mark E. Ensor - San Jose CA, US
Thomas J Burns - Campbell CA, US

International Classification:

B65B 43/46
B65B 39/00
B65G 57/03
B65B 43/52
B65B 51/07
B65B 1/06
B65B 43/30

Abstract:

To fill bags, a hopper is used to stored fill material. Bag holders are mounted on a transport mechanism. At one or more operator stations, an operator attaches a bag to one of the bag holders. At one or more fill stations, fill material from the hopper is used to fill a bag attached to a bag holder. A conveyer mechanism conveys the bag, after it has been filled, away from the transport mechanism. The transport mechanism transports the bag holder with the attached bag from an operator station to a fill station. The transport mechanism also transports the bag holder from a fill station to an operator station.