Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Walter A. Hackler
  • Patent number: 8167285
    Abstract: A spring latching connector includes a housing having a bore therethrough, a piston slidably received in said bore, circular groove formed in one of said bore and piston and a circular coil spring disposed in said groove for latching said piston and housing together. The groove is sized and shaped for controlling, in combination with a spring configuration, disconnect and connect forces of the spring latching connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. Balsells
  • Patent number: 8162539
    Abstract: In a sensor arrangement (1) for measuring the temperature of a surface, in particular of a pane (2), comprising a temperature sensor (3) that is disposed on a circuit board (4) and positioned at a front end of the circuit board (4) in the direct vicinity of the surface, a flexible heat conducting element (7) is provided between the surface and the circuit board (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: SITRONIC Ges. Fuer Elektrotechnische Ausrüstung mbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gert Mau, Christoph Raab, Gerold Stauss
  • Patent number: 8148969
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement (1) for the regulation of a current (IL) through a load (RL) comprises: a resistance (RS), through which a load current (IL) flows and across which a voltage (VS) drops, which serves as a control variable (X) for the regulation of the load current (IL), a tapping point (P) for a reference voltage (Vref), which serves as a command variable (W) for the regulation of the load current (IL), and a differential amplifier for the amplification of the control deviation (W?X) between command variable (W) and control variable (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: SITRONIC Ges. fuer Elektrotechnische Ausruestung mbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Zametzky
  • Patent number: 8146431
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for nondestructive testing of a metallic workpiece (11) using an ultrasonic transducer testing head having the following steps: to generate an ultrasonic wave, an excitation pulse is transmitted using the ultrasonic transducer (1) to the workpiece (11), a response signal is measured using the magnetic field sensor (3), testing information, preferably transit time information of the ultrasonic wave and therefrom wall thickness information about the thickness of the workpiece (11), is ascertained on the basis of an ultrasonic echo component of the response signal, and further information, in particular distance information about the distance of the testing head from the workpiece (11), is ascertained on the basis of a magnetic field component of the response signal by supplementary analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignees: NDT Systems & Services AG, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Andre Yashan, Herbert Willems, Frank Niese
  • Patent number: 8143831
    Abstract: The invention to an electronic control system, controlled by a pulse width-modulated signal (SG) related to earth, for regulating the voltage (Umot) across a high-side load (M), in particular a fan control unit for motor vehicles. The circuit part that converts the pulse width-modulated signal (SG) into the reference input variable (U?) needed for the regulation uses the positive potential of the supply voltage (V2) as reference potential, so that the reference input variable (U?) is likewise related to the positive potential of the supply voltage and the control signal (SG) is converted by means of a Zener diode (D1) and by means of a resistor (R5) connected parallel to the Zener diode (D1) into a control signal related to the positive supply potential and is further converted with a low pass filter (R7, C1) into a linear control signal, which serves as input reference variable (U?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sitronic Ges. fuer elektrotechnische Ausruestung mbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Zametzky
  • Patent number: 8141571
    Abstract: A supplemental medical gas system and method utilizes a wheeled handcart, a reel disposed thereon having a length of the hose disposed thereon and extendable therefrom. Couplings are provided and disposed on opposite end of the hose for establishing connection with a gas supply and a hospital conduit system. In addition, at least one berm disposable on the handcart and deployable therefrom is provided for overlaying the extended hose for enabling the vehicular travel thereacross.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Certified Medical Sales
    Inventor: Jacob Granger
  • Patent number: 8128222
    Abstract: A contact lens for placing over the eye is described. The lens has at least one non-spherical shape surface configured with bi-sign profile to maintain lens optical advantage as compared with equivalent far power spherical lens within common clinical condition of lens movement over the cornea of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Valdemar Portney
  • Patent number: 8125649
    Abstract: A scanning sensor system for noncontact optical scanning of object surfaces having a sensor head (2) and an optics unit (3) as system components matched to one another. The optics unit (3) can be attached and positioned with high precision on the sensor head (2) by means of a fixing device (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Isis Sentronics GmbH
    Inventors: Pascal Godbillon, Bernd Lutat, Alexander Knüttel
  • Patent number: 8122526
    Abstract: A toilet flush flapper valve includes a flapper and a ballast with a vent hole for enabling air to escape from the ballast, the ballast is rotatably fixed to the flapper for enabling positioning of the vent hole for controlling buoyancy of the ballast in order to control closing time of said flapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: WDI International, Inc.
    Inventor: Feiyu Li
  • Patent number: 8104738
    Abstract: A turnbuckle device (12, 13, 14; 20; 35a, 35b, 35c; 44a, 44b, 44c) for clamping concrete shell elements (1, 2), having two claws (15a, 15b, 15c, 16a, 16b, 16c; 21, 22) and a wedge (17a, 17b, 17c; 23; 37a, 37b, 37c; 46a, 46b, 46c), the claws being displaceable toward one another in a clamping direction (34), the wedge being guided in the clamping device along a wedge guiding direction (33), and the scale of the propulsion of the wedge in the turnbuckle device determining the displacement of the claws, is characterized in that the wedge guiding direction and the clamping direction enclose an angle less than 90°. Mutual obstruction of the turnbuckle devices neighboring wedges is thus avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Peri GmbH
    Inventor: Artur Schwörer
  • Patent number: 8100622
    Abstract: An articulated lift aim assembly for a refuse receptacle generally includes an engaging device for releasably grasping the receptacle, an extendable boom along with an articulated arm mechanism interconnecting the book and the engaging device. A gear arrangement provides for coupling the boom and the arm for raising the arm mechanism with respect to the boom, rotating the arm mechanism with respect to the boom during raising of the arm mechanism and inverting the engaging device and receptacle during raising of the arm mechanism. A gravity operated hook is provided for latching the receptacle when the receptacle is inverted to prevent undesired release from the engaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Rainbow Conversion Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Glenn A. Romacly
  • Patent number: 8092674
    Abstract: A traveling band screen machine (1) is proposed with a careful fish return. To this end, the screen panels (4) each have a fish lifting channel (26) in which fishes (28) in a liquid-filled collecting recess (27) are lifted out of the stream of liquid and then emptied in the upper guidance zone (21) of the endless screen band (6) in an emptying zone (29) of the screen band machine (1) into a catch collecting drain (30) by tilting the screen panel (4) and the collecting recess (27) before the screen panel (4) reaches the cleaning zone (14) with the spray nozzles (23), in which debris deposited from the sluice channel on the screen panel (4) is cleaned off into the debris collecting drain (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Passavant-Geiger GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Heil
  • Patent number: 8083402
    Abstract: In a sensor arrangement for measuring the temperature of a surface with a temperature sensor provided on a circuit substrate, which is attached on a front side of a tongue-shaped projection of said circuit substrates and can be positioned in the direct proximity to said surface spaced apart from said circuit substrate, wherein a flexible heat conductive element surrounding said tongue-shaped projection in the region of said temperature sensor with a heat conductive cap or heat conductive foil is attached for the contacting of said surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: SITRONIC Ges. fuer elektrotechnische Ausruestung mbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gert Mau, Christoph Raab
  • Patent number: 8083398
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement comprises a dew point sensor for measuring the dew point characteristic in a room, and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature characteristic on a wall surface of the room, means being provided for evaluating and/or storing the measured dew point characteristic and the measured wall surface temperature characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: SITRONIC Ges.fuer elektrotechnische Ausruestung mbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Doll
  • Patent number: 8050544
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic control device for regulating the voltage across a high-side load, especially for regulating a fan in a motor vehicle, with a control voltage (V1) which is referenced to system ground and which is mirrored to the positive high-side supply voltage, wherein the control voltage (V1) is supplied to the base of a first transistor (Q1) operated in common-emitter connection, which transistor (Q1) has, in the emitter circuit, a first resistor (R1) and, in the collector circuit, a second resistor (R2) and, in series with the latter, the base-emitter diode of a second transistor (Q2). Compensation for temperature effects of the base-emitter voltage of the first transistor is performed by the base-emitter path of a second transistor of the same conductivity type in series with the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: SITRONIC Ges. fuer elektrotechnische Ausruestung mbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Zametzky
  • Patent number: 8032517
    Abstract: The invention describes a computer-aided method for automatically valuating the similarity of two character strings which are stored in a computer or to which the computer has access via an interface. First of all, associations which are present in the character strings are sought using a specification stored in the computer. The sought associations are then valuated using a first rule stored in the computer, with cohesive associations—subsequently also referred to as association strings—being given a higher valuation for the similarity of the character strings than non-cohesive associations. Finally, a second rule stored in the computer is used to derive a value, particularly a numerical value, from the valuation of the sought associations as a measure of the similarity of the two character strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Omikron Data Quality GmbH
    Inventor: Emin Karayel
  • Patent number: 8029453
    Abstract: An orthopedic device includes at least one torque band disposable around a users' body and having opposing ends extending outwardly from the users' body and generally transverse to a user's spine along with apparatus applying counteracting forces to the ends in order to torque the body to the corrective posture. In addition, a support table may be provided along with a cervical device disposed on the table drop leaf and a pelvis/leg/feet carrier slidably disposed on the table. A lumbar sacral unit is disposed on the table between the cervical device and the pelvis/leg/feet carrier and a movable thorax carrier may be disposed on the support table between the sacral unit and the cervical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Inventor: Richard A. Graham
  • Patent number: 8026684
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic control system for controlling a voltage across a load, in particular across a fan motor of a motor vehicle, as a function of a control signal, comprising: a setting transistor, a transistor, which activates the control channel of the setting transistor, as well as two resistors, which form a voltage divider via which the voltage across the load is fed to the emitter of the transistor, wherein the control system is designed, in the absence of the control signal, to block the control channels of all the transistors of the control system for limiting the current through all the resistors of the control system, such that, in the absence of the control signal, the control system has a quiescent current consumption in the off-state current range of the transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sitronic Ges. fuer Elektrotechnische Ausruestung mbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Klaus Zametzky
  • Patent number: D645657
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Inventor: Nathaniel G. Portney
  • Patent number: D656300
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Debi Purcell