Patents Examined by Adolfo Nino
  • Patent number: 6959491
    Abstract: A device and method for controlling strain in a transmission line such as a power or signal transmitting wire, cable or other conduit. The device includes a body having at least one cavity formed therein for receipt of at least a portion of a transmission line. Multiple openings formed in the body allow the transmission line to extend from the at least one cavity and external to the body. The at least one cavity is defined to include a peripheral boundary formed at least partially by a first substantially linear wall and a second opposing wall which deviates from the first wall, thereby forming a deviation path for the transmission line disposed therein. A cover may be provided to cooperatively mate with the body such that it conceals the cavity or cavities formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas W. Higgs
  • Patent number: 6960728
    Abstract: An electric wire fence insulator has a molded plastic body including a post mounting portion surrounding and slidably receiving a vertical T-type metal fence post having vertically spaced projections. The molded body also includes a wire support portion having vertically spaced ears for receiving an electric fence wire, and two lock pins may be integrally molded with the body and may be connected to the body by flexible and twistable link portions of the plastics material. One lock pin extends into a horizontal hole within the mounting portion and between adjacent projections on the post, and the other lock pin extends into a vertical hole within the ears of the wire support portion. The body may include an elongated horizontal arm portion which integrally connects the mounting portion to the wire support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Inventor: G. Alan Halderman
  • Patent number: 6953896
    Abstract: A cable support device for use in combination with equipment to which multiple electrical and/or fiber-optic cables are connected, such as computer or telecommunications equipment, comprises a frame and one or more cable-support bars. The cable support bars are typically aligned in generally parallel relation proximal to a connector panel of the equipment for supporting the cables. A first end of each bar is slidably supported by the frame for movement from a closed position spanning across the connector panel, toward an open position affording access to the equipment. When in the closed position, a second end of each bar is preferably engaged in a bracket of the frame, which provides added support for the bar and prevents inadvertent opening thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Carlyle, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry M. Kleeberger, Paul W. Robinson, Billie D. Eliot, Daniel J. Bagby
  • Patent number: 6951986
    Abstract: A routing conduit assembly for routing fiber optic jumpers from a raceway includes interconnected hood, curved neck, and vertical body conduits. The conduits have slits which are aligned with one another when the conduits form the assembly. A connector connects the vertical body conduit to a horizontally oriented raceway to mount the assembly to the raceway with the hood conduit positioned above the raceway. The connector includes a fulcrum component which enables the assembly to tilt relative to the raceway. A support stabilizer connects to the vertical body conduit for receiving tubular containers such that the tubular containers are aligned and secured with respect to the assembly. The conduit slits receive jumpers from the raceway for the assembly to enclose and route between the raceway and fiber optic equipment located below the raceway such that the jumpers transition between horizontal and vertical orientations while maintaining a minimum bend radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Weinert, Edward C. Granger, Michael L. Yeilding
  • Patent number: 6951983
    Abstract: An outlet box assembly that simplifies the installation of an electrical box to a block wall. The assembly includes a box and a base plate. The box includes sidewalls, an open front with a planar front edge, and one or more side arms projecting from the sidewalls in a plane parallel to the planar front. The side arms include one or more apertures for receipt of fasteners. The base plate is substantially larger in area than the sidewalls of the box and includes an opening therein sized to accept the sidewalls of the box. The box is secured to a block wall by creating a hole in the wall at the desired location, positioning the base plate over the hole and against the wall, placing the box through the opening in the base plate until the back surface of the arms are flush with the base plate, and driving fasteners through one or more of the apertures in the side arms, through the base plate, and into the cement block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Arlington Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Gretz
  • Patent number: 6949708
    Abstract: A switch and switch box masking cover is adapted for frictional mounting to the switch box when pressed into switch box in one orientation, and for frictional mounting to a toggle type of switch that is already mounted in the switch box, when the cover is pressed onto the switch in an alternate, reversed orientation. The masking cover is formed in continuous strips wherein one or more of the covers may be disconnected from the strip for use on a switch box of any size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Inventors: Daniel M. Hausen, Eli Geoffrey Spehar
  • Patent number: 6946604
    Abstract: A template for preparing a wiring harness allows for quick and accurate preparation of the harness for subsequent installation within a vehicle. The template has a base member with one or more stations attached thereto, the stations having channels and some discontinuities located on the side walls that form the channels. The harness is assembled within the channels and individual wire runs protrude through a particular discontinuity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Inventor: George P. Maris
  • Patent number: 6946605
    Abstract: A cable management system is provided that facilitates routing of cables from a rack, frame or cabinet. The cable management system may be mounted in a vertical or a horizontal orientation, and generally includes a wire cage assembly and at least one cable guide mounted to the wire cage assembly. The wire cage assembly is fabricated from vertical and horizontal wires, such that open regions are positioned for advantageous interaction with the disclosed cable guide. The cable guide generally includes an elongated member, a plurality of projection arms extending from the elongated member; and at least one L-shaped latching member extending from the elongated member. The cable guide advantageously mounts to the wire cage assembly through a latching mechanism that interacts with the back wall of the wire cage assembly. A method for mounting the cable guide(s) to the wire cage assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Ortronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stewart A. Levesque, Lars R. Larsen
  • Patent number: 6943301
    Abstract: A wildlife guard placement tool for installing a wildlife protection guard on an insulator of an elevated, electrical power distribution system has been provided that includes a first end, a second end, an opening, a near side, and a far side with a slot formed therein. The opening and the slot are positioned such that a placement tab of the wildlife protection guard can be received into the opening and out through the slot. Additionally, a method for placement of a wildlife protection guard on an insulator of an elevated electrical power distribution system has been provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Basic Resources, Inc.
    Inventor: Lon G. Lee
  • Patent number: 6943285
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Bipolar Discharge-Dissipation Lightning Air-Terminals, and an object of the present invention is to disperse and discharge an earth charge following a thundercloud approach in a space according to electric dipole, bipolar and electric double layer principle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Inventor: Young-Ki Chung
  • Patent number: 6943288
    Abstract: A conductive electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding gasket having a compressible non-conductive core enwrapped with a conductive sheath. The sheath is a laminate formed by laminating a conductive metal foil at least 0.2 mils thick to a flexible non-conductive substrate, preferably a non porous polyester film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Schlegel Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley R. Miska
  • Patent number: 6940019
    Abstract: To provide a horizontal arrangement type cable protection and guide device, which is bent without distortion between a stationary portion and a movable portion in a horizontal plane under a use environment and can smoothly follow a movement stroke of the movable portion, whereby excellent endurance can be exerted for a long period of time. In a horizontal arrangement type arrangement cable protection and guide device, link plates 12 arranged on a lower side of a large number of connected rectangular link frame bodies 10 are each formed in larger plate thickness than in link plates arranged on a upper side of said link frame bodies 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Co.
    Inventors: Masaaki Ikeda, Shoichiro Komiya, Takayuki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6933447
    Abstract: An electrical extension cord that has a male or female adapter, a cylindrical wire casing and a connecting clamp. The adapter has a circular face, a cylindrical upper portion and a conical lower portion. If a male adapter is employed, two to four prongs protrude from the face in a perpendicular direction. If a female adapter is employed, two to four openings are embedded in the face. The prongs and openings are in electrical communication with a power supply. The width of the upper portion is equal to the diameter of the face. In contrast, the lower portion narrows continuously to a minimum diameter that is preferably slightly less than the outer diameter of the casing. The clamp consists of a top plate and a bottom plate that are fastened together by bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Inventor: Robert Marc
  • Patent number: 6930254
    Abstract: A composite insulator containing means for providing early warning of impending failure due to stress corrosion cracking, flashunder, or destruction of the rod by discharge activity conditions is described. A composite insulator comprising a fiberglass rod surrounded by a polymer housing and fitted with metal end fittings on either end of the rod is doped with a dye-based chemical dopant. The dopant is located around the vicinity of the outer surface of the fiberglass rod. The dopant is formulated to possess migration and diffusion characteristics correlating to those of water, and to be inert in dry conditions and compatible with the insulator components. The dopant is placed within the insulator such that upon the penetration of moisture through the housing to the rod through a permeation pathway in the outer surface of the insulator, the dopant will become activated and will leach out of the same permeation pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute
    Inventors: Andrew J. Philips, Ralph H. Hill, Jr., Mary C. Marshall, Joseph N. Mitchell, Stephen J. Hudak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6930252
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for preventing water from penetrating into a wire harness, the wire harness containing a plurality of electrical wires and being adapted to fit into a grommet and to pass through a hole formed in a vehicle panel. The electrical wires respectively include a section which is to form part of a water-sealed portion. The electrical wires are arranged so that the sections forming part of the water-sealing portion are in parallel in a row. A first water-sealing agent is applied on the sections. A second water-sealing agent is applied over the first water-sealing agent, the second water-sealing agent having a viscosity higher than that of the first water-sealing agent. The parallel arrangement of sections are curled for fitting into the grommet, so as to form the water-sealed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ootsuki
  • Patent number: 6930239
    Abstract: A ground bar includes a bar, a head securely connected to a first end of the bar, and a cap securely connected to a second end of the bar. The head is composed of a solid cone and a hollow sleeve securely connected to the solid cone and having a diameter larger than a diameter of the bar in such way that the outer periphery of the bar is protected so that after the head is extended into the ground, the outer periphery of the bar is protected from damage. The outer periphery of the hollow sleeve has slits defined thereon for guiding dirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Kuo-Hsiung Chen
  • Patent number: 6930243
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a ground wire insulation system for a utility pole includes a utility pole having at least one power line and a neutral line associated therewith, an elongated conduit formed from an insulative material coupled to the utility pole, and a ground wire disposed within the elongated conduit and coupled at an upper end to the neutral line and at a lower end to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventors: Halm C. King, Jr., Nancy B. King
  • Patent number: 6924428
    Abstract: A transmission line protection system comprising at least one signal carrying line buried adjacent the transmission line to be protected, means transmitting a signal through said signal carrying line, and means responsive to damage or severance of said signal carrying line to indicate that said signal carrying line has been damaged or severed and the location of the damage or severance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Inventors: Brian L. Payne, Terry L. Walls
  • Patent number: 6921860
    Abstract: The present disclosure suggests various microelectronic component assembly designs and methods for manufacturing microelectronic component assemblies. In one particular implementation, a microelectronic component includes an array of spaced-apart dams, each of which is associated with and circumscribes an open contact volume associated with one of the contacts. A dielectric material may cover the portion of the microelectronic component active surface that is external to the dams and extend between the spaced-apart dams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Darin L. Peterson, Richard W. Wensel, Choon Kuan Lee, James A. Faull
  • Patent number: 6921862
    Abstract: A connector for conductor bars, which are in-line or extend at a right angle with regard to one another and which rotate 90° around their longitudinal axes. The connector is comprised of a first contact piece and of a second contact piece of which the first contact piece is fastened in an eccentric manner, with regard to the longitudinal axis thereof, to the second contact piece at a position on the second contact piece that is also positioned in an eccentric manner with regard to the longitudinal axis. The first contact piece is connected to the second contact piece in such a manner that their longitudinal axes extend at a right angle with regard to one another but at a distance from one another so that the contact surfaces of the contact pieces do not intersect or overlap one another, but are adjacently arranged such that the pivot by 90° towards one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Bach, Detlev Schmidt, Michael Sebekow, Guenter Seidler-Stahl, Ingo Thiede, Sezai Tuerkmen