Patents Examined by Adesh Bhargava
  • Patent number: 5556289
    Abstract: A safety cover for an electrical outlet including a hollow rigid container having a back wall with a periphery extended outwards therefrom and thereby defining a hollow interior, an opening to the interior, and a rim bounding the opening, the back wall further including a plurality of socket holes and a screw hole formed thereon and with the socket holes and screw hole alignable with a screw hole and corresponding socket plugs of an electrical receptacle; a rigid lid positionable over the opening of the container in contact with the rim, the lid further having a plurality of plug holes formed thereon and with each plug hole separately alignable with a socket hole of the back wall of the container; and a plurality of rigid doors with each door positionable within a plug hole of the lid and thereby creating a through hole for receipt of an electrical cord; and a coupling mechanism for removably coupling each door within a separate plug hole of the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Inventor: Ira C. Holbrook, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5551124
    Abstract: A faucet safety handle for use in conjunction with a valve having a rotatable valve stem. The faucet safety handle includes a knob having an aperture therethrough, a clutch mechanism interposed between the knob and the valve stem such that in use the knob rotates freely with respect to the valve stem when the knob is in a first predetermined position and the valve stem rotates in conjunction with the knob when the knob is in a second predetermined position, and a connecting mechanism for functionally securing the knob to the valve stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Inventor: Clay M. Zeringue
  • Patent number: 5551123
    Abstract: A hinge assembly having a first hinge leaf pivotally connected to a second hinge leaf by first and second axially aligned pivotal connections, the first and second pivotal connections being axially spaced from one another, a first stop means located adjacent to the first pivotal connection and a second stop means located adjacent to the second pivotal connection, the first and second stop means being arranged to simultaneously limit pivotal displacement between the first and second hinge leafs at a fully open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: IHW Limited
    Inventor: Derek Bartlett
  • Patent number: 5549487
    Abstract: A splashproof enclosure for use in mounting the electrical control circuits for connecting electric power to a sensor operated electric actuator for a toilet room plumbing device such as an electronic faucet includes a base and a cover mounted on the base. The base is formed and adapted to mount on a toilet room wall and has a power cord opening so that a power cord may enter said enclosure from the rear. There are spacing channels on the side of the base facing the toilet room wall to space the base from the wall to allow fluid to flow behind the enclosure. There is a dam positioned on the upper side of the power cord opening and extending toward the toilet room wall to divert fluid around the power cord opening. The cover is attached to the base and there are seal elements between the cover and base preventing the entry of fluid into the interior of the enclosure. There are cable entrance ports in the cover and the base providing a plurality of openings for cables for the sensor and electric actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
    Inventor: Richard A. Nortier
  • Patent number: 5545046
    Abstract: A DC power receiving portion and a DC power receiving portion, which are separated from each other, are provided within a power receiving connector of a unitary structure, and a first cap is provided for closing an entire open end of the power receiving connector, and a second cap is provided on the first cap for closing a through hole which can be brought into registry with the AC power receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignees: Yazaki Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoki Masuda, Toshiaki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5542152
    Abstract: A tilt adjustment mechanism having an upper housing, a lower housing and a shaft assembly is disclosed. The shaft assembly receives the gears which are pressed on either end of shaft. The shaft fits through locating slots in the lower housing. Each of the gears are activated by internal gears located on each side of the upper housing. The internal gears are integrally formed with the upper housing. The upper housing is hinged on the lower housing and can rotate 20 degrees. The shaft assembly mechanism provides a torsion bar function to insure that the upper housing moves evenly with respect to the lower housing. Even motion in the upwards and downwards directions of the housing is provided by even rotational torsional motion and opposite rotational torsional motion of the shaft assembly of the tilt adjustment mechanism. The shaft assembly mechanism decouples the frictional load in the two different rotational directions about its shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis Crompton, Richard H. Harris, Herbert G. Leonard, George Hufford, III, Jeff D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 5539957
    Abstract: A mesh net supporting framework for a hockey goal which is readily collapsed for transportation or storage has elongated tubular members hinged together at their respective ends and locking mechanisms at those hinges for securing the tubular members in mutually perpendicular configurations. The locking mechanisms may comprise an elbow with one of the tubular members and a short tube extending therefrom perpendicular to one another. There is an abutment on the short tube, and a cylindrical cuff surrounds the other of the tubular members, with that cuff having a semicylindrical extension for engaging the abutment. The other tubular member also has a semicylindrical end portion for engaging the abutment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Inventor: Todd W. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5539954
    Abstract: An abutment swivel doorstop has a mounting plate mountable onto a door frame, a stop member pivotally and slidably mounted on the mounting plate, a biasing means for urging the stop member in the disengaged position, a keeper pivotally mounted on the mounting plate, and a latch mountable on a door which is hingedly mounted within the door frame. The stop member is rotatable between a door opening position and a door blocking position and slidable between a disengaged and engaged position. The keeper is rotatable relative to the stop member between a locked and an unlocked condition. The keeper has a cam for urging the stop member against the biasing means and into the engaged condition as the keeper rotates between the locked and unlocked conditions. As the keeper rotates between the locked and unlocked conditions, the stop member engages and disengages the mounting plate and the latch for locking and unlocking the door to the door frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Inventor: Neil Ambar
  • Patent number: 5537715
    Abstract: A crib caster comprises a main body, a horizontal shaft, two wheel members, an urging member, and an elastic element. The main body is provided with first braking portions while the two wheel members are provided with second braking portions. When the crib is occupied by a baby, the main body is caused to descend by the weight of the baby so that the first braking portions of the main body are caused to engage the second braking portions of the two wheel members so as to immobilize the two wheel members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Inventor: Su-Hua Yang
  • Patent number: 5533231
    Abstract: A concealable baggage caster comprises a caster housing fastened to the bottom edge of a baggage and provided therein with a space for housing a caster and a caster frame. The caster housing is provided respectively in the left and the right side walls thereof with an elongate slot, a pivoting hole and a locating hole. The caster is pivoted between the two lugs of the caster frame which is mounted on a shaft received in the pivoting holes of the caster housing and the pivoting holes of the caster frame. An action plate is fastened pivotally to the action holes of the caster frame. Two guiding pieces and two fevers are pivoted respectively on the two pivoting shafts which are slidably received in the elongate slots of the caster housing. Each of two levers has a central fulcrum hole dimensioned to receive therein a shaft which is also received in the locating holes of the caster housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Inventor: Yang-Fong Bai
  • Patent number: 5528796
    Abstract: A hinge assembly removably connects two bodies for pivotable movement relative to one another. The hinge assembly includes a first convex arcuate surface and a first concave arcuate surface on one body and a second convex arcuate surface and a second concave arcuate surface on the other body. The radii of curvature of the first convex arcuate surface and the second concave arcuate surface are about equal, and the radii of curvature of the second convex arcuate surface and the first concave arcuate surface are about equal, and each surface preferably defines an arc of about 180 degrees. The bodies may be assembled to one another so that the first convex arcuate surface slidingly engages the second concave arcuate surface and the first concave arcuate surface slidingly engages the second convex arcuate surface, thereby preventing relative movement of the bodies in a direction transverse to the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Proformix, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Perry, Edward P. Evers
  • Patent number: 5524323
    Abstract: A hinge structure includes a casing having a depression and a space for receiving a spring member and a base. The base is rotatably secured in the space and includes two cams. A hinge member includes an extension secured to the base and rotated in concert with the base. A spring includes two ends for resiliently engaging with the cams so as to position the cams and the hinge member in suitable angular position. The hinge structure includes a simplified configuration excellent for manufacturing and assembling purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Inventor: John C. L. Lin
  • Patent number: 5519920
    Abstract: A hinge for holding two components, such as a cabinet and its door or the like, that are supported so as to pivotable relative to one another about the axis of the hinge. The hinge has a hinge support that is disposed on one of the components and has two aligned eyelets. A hinge bolt is connected to the other component and extends through the eyelets in order to connect the components. To be able to displace the components relative to one another, the hinge bolt is fixedly connected to its component and the eyelets are attached to the hinge bolt via pivotable connected rods such that the eyelets are displaceable along an axis of the hinge bolt, with the hinge bolt having such a configuration that rotation of the hinge bolt effects displacement of the eyelets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: EMKA Beschalagteile GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Friedhelm Runge, Manfred Sauerland
  • Patent number: 5517720
    Abstract: A door closer assembly provides a closing force to a door swingably mounted on a door jamb by a pair of arms pivotally attached to the door and the door frame. The door closer assembly has a housing and a spring for providing a closing force on the arm which closes the door when it is an open position. The improvement of the present invention includes a spring cushion device mounted on the housing of the door closer assembly for stopping the opening movement of the door as it reaches a predetermined angle of rotation. The cushion device provides a resilient counteracting force on the arm as the door reaches its predetermined angle of rotation which lessens the wear and tear exerted on the assembly by the opening force of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company
    Inventors: Thomas A. Anderson, George S. Nimee, Jon C. Nye
  • Patent number: 5511284
    Abstract: A door hold open device is disclosed for maintaining a door swingably mounted on a door jamb in an open position. The door hold open device includes an elongate track housing mounted on the door jamb, and a shaft disposed within the track housing. The shaft extends along a horizontal axis and is mounted for free rotation about the axis. A slider block having a threaded bore threadably engages a threaded portion of the shaft. The slider block is capable of moving linearly along the horizontal axis and causes the axial rotational movement of the shaft as it moves linearly from side-to-side. An arm link is pivotally connected at one of its ends to the slider block and pivotally connected at its other end to the door. The arrangement is such that upon manually opening and closing the door, the arm link moves the slider block linearly from side-to-side thereby causing the axial rotational movement of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company
    Inventor: Andrew Current
  • Patent number: 5511287
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a furniture hinge having a wall-related part shaped as an elongated supporting arm which can be mounted for adjustment in at least two coordinate directions on an associated mounting plate disposed on the wall of a cabinet carcase. The supporting arm is mounted and fastened on the mounting plate by a mounting screw driven into the mounting plate and passing through a slot provided at the inside end with an enlarged pass-through opening in the web of the supporting arm. A threaded spindle is screwed in a tap in the web of the supporting arm, which is situated further out from the carcase interior than the slot. At the bottom end of the spindle, on a neck of smaller diameter, is a head of larger diameter. This head is inserted into an open-ended slot provided in the mounting plate, which clutches the sides of the head, securing it against lifting away from the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Mepla-Werke Lautenschlager GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Horst Lautenschlager, Gerhard W. Lautenschlager
  • Patent number: 5509174
    Abstract: A knob and bezel assembly for an appliance having a wall with an aperture and having a control with a shaft movable over a limited range of axial movement, rotatable about the axis when moved inwardly, biased outwardly, and projecting outwardly through the aperture. A knob has a handle and a hub, which is adapted to be axially fitted over the shaft so as to be axially movable with the shaft, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with a keying formation of the shaft so as to be conjointly rotatable therewith. A bezel has a skirt and a hub, which fits slidably over the hub of the knob so that the skirt is disposed between the knob and the appliance wall. Ribs formed integrally on the hub of the knob are fitted slidably into grooves formed in the hub of the bezel to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the bezel. Two retaining fingers are formed integrally on and extend from the ribs and have outwardly hooked tips hooked outwardly over an inner end of the hub of the bezel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: K I Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. Worrell
  • Patent number: 5504974
    Abstract: This invention is a combination door latch actuating handle and an exit/entry operator support assembly, mainly for the interior but also usable for the exterior of a vertically oriented door for any agricultural or industrial equipment with a cab. It consists of two nearly full width of door, U-shaped, interlocking and generally horizontally mounted pieces. One U-shaped piece is a mounting/pivot and stops bracket attached to the door, and the other is a swingable door latch actuating handle/grab bar. An unlatching position is oriented generally upward and outward, actuating the latch with a cable; and a simple gravity designed latching position is oriented inwardly and downward. These motions are in perfect harmony with the operator's movements as one exits or enters the cab. It increases the safety of an operator over existing designs by providing a more visible, accessible and easier to use door latch actuating handle for emergency exits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Inventor: Philip P. Graber
  • Patent number: 5500985
    Abstract: A hinge assembly for mounting to a vehicle body a rear deck movable closure panel, wherein as the panel is opened its forward edge is shifted rearward away from adjacent body structure. The hinge assembly includes a forward sector gear fixed to a panel-half hinge member and an aft sector gear pivoted to a body-half hinge member wherein the sector gears are disposed between a pair of angled link members. The body-half hinge member includes inboard and outboard opposed wall surfaces having upper and lower pairs of aligned horizontal guide slots. The aft sector gear and pair of links are supported between the wall surfaces with the aft sector gear meshed with the forward sector gear and a subjacent gear rack. The links tie a forward sector gear pivot pin to an intermediate pivot pin slidably received in the upper pair of guide slots and an aft pivot pin slidably received in the lower pair of guide slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Herbert D. Klueger
  • Patent number: 5488757
    Abstract: A counterbalance device for a mail processing system includes a cover; a base; a support arm fixedly mounted to one of the cover and the base and articulately mounted to the other of the cover and the base such that the cover and the base pivot relative to each other; a device for counterbalancing the one of the cover and the base to create a predetermined force profile throughout a full range of pivoting movement of the one of the cover and the base from a closed position to a fully opened position relative to the other of the cover and the base. The predetermined force profile represents the net force acting on the one of the cover and the base at each point in the full range of pivoting movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Cohen, Arnold T. Eventoff, James A. Salomon