Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Thomas R. Kingsbury
  • Tire having a carcass ply turn-up portion with a concave segment
    Patent number: 7478658
    Abstract: A tire having a section height, a maximum section width, an upper section above the maximum section width, and a lower section below the maximum section width is provided. The tire includes a circumferential tread, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of bead regions each having a bead core, and at least one carcass ply extending circumferentially about the tire from one bead region to the other. The at least one carcass ply is wound outwardly about at least one of the bead cores and extends toward the tread to form a turn-up portion that terminates at a turn-up end. The turn-up portion includes a concave segment that begins in the bead region and ends short of the turn-up end or at the turn-up end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Jie Jin, Richard Wright
  • Method and apparatus to monitor the compressive strength of insulation boards
    Patent number: 7387753
    Abstract: A method for producing foam insulation board, the method comprising forming a foam product as part of a continuous process, and monitoring on-line the compressive strength of the foam product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: BFS Diversified Products, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Tackett, John Letts
  • Sidewall reinforcing layer for pneumatic tires
    Patent number: 7320350
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire may include a floating reinforcing layer disposed between a body ply and the sidewall of the tire. The reinforcing layer may extend from a point beneath the rim flange of the wheel to a point just above or below the maximum section width of the tire. By adding stiffness to the sidewall region at and above the rim, the reinforcing layer enhances the durability of tire without sacrificing ride comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Richard J. Wright
  • Tire wear analysis method
    Patent number: 7228732
    Abstract: A method of developing a set of input forces used to analyze tire wear includes the steps of characterizing a wear course by driving a vehicle over the wear course and measuring data related to a plurality of forces experienced by the vehicle. A vehicle characterization model for a target vehicle having at least one tire is developed. The vehicle characterization model is used to calculate force data that represents the forces that would be experienced by at least one tire of the characterized vehicle if the characterized vehicle were driven over the characterized wear test course in the first vehicle configuration. The force data is then used to analyze tire wear using a computer prediction technique or by running an indoor wear test on the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: John L. Turner, David O. Stalnaker, James D. Ulmer, Erik F. Knuth
  • Turbine powered vacuum cleaner nozzle
    Patent number: 6711777
    Abstract: A suction cleaner nozzle has a nozzle body enclosing an agitator chamber, which has an elongated suction inlet opening. An agitator is disposed in the agitator chamber such that the agitator extends partially through the suction inlet opening for agitating a surface to be cleaned. A duct is connected to the nozzle body and located adjacent the agitator chamber. The duct extends parallel to the rotative axis of the agitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: The Hoover Company
    Inventors: Lynn A. Frederick, Christopher J. Fawcett
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D462314
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: John J. Regallis, Autumn T. Kahwaji
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D462315
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Van Fossen, Bill J. Wallet
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D462648
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher L. Whetzel, Yasuo Himuro, Richard J. Wright
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D538738
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart A. Miller, Andrea Kindig, Bradley Jameyson Harris
  • Tire sidewall
    Patent number: D541212
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Smith, Keith Dumigan
  • Tire sidewall
    Patent number: D544435
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Andrea Kindig
  • Tire sidewall
    Patent number: D546273
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Keith Dumigan
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D550610
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: James G. Guspodin, Richard J. Wright
  • Tire sidewall
    Patent number: D552535
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Scott H. Smith
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D558662
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignees: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Keith A. Dumigan, Yasuo Himuro
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D561088
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Keith A. Dumigan, Francis J. Byrne
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D574765
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Scott H. Smith
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D578470
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: John J. Regallis, Paula R. Lundgren, Shawn L. Copeland, John J. Norwood
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D578471
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: James G. Guspodin, Scott H. Smith
  • Tire tread
    Patent number: D596110
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Scott H. Smith