Patents Examined by Boyer Ashley
  • Patent number: 7021666
    Abstract: The invention relates to a greeting card containing a thermal transfer sheet. The transfer sheet of the present greeting card includes a (1) a support; (2) optionally at least one transfer layer; and (3) an image or an image receiving layer. According to the present greeting card, if the transfer material contains only (1) a support, and (3) an image, the image is not formed using a transferable ink. However, transferable inks may be used under specific conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Foto-Wear Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Hare
  • Patent number: 7020970
    Abstract: A saw guard system for enhancing the safety of use of powered hand saws by eliminating the need to hold the blade guard in a static position during the cutting operation. The saw guard system includes a circular saw with a housing, a motor positioned within the housing, a shaft extending from the motor through a wall of the housing, a blade operationally coupled to the shaft, and an upper blade guard for covering a perimeter edge of the blade above the shaft; a lower guard member pivotally coupled to the housing, a guard member motor coupled to the housing and the lower guard member for moving the lower guard member from the deployed position to the stored position; the guard member motor is operable separately from the motor of the circular saw; and a gear assembly operationally coupling the guard member motor to the lower guard member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Inventor: James Welch
  • Patent number: 7021852
    Abstract: An open ring-like device for holding articles such as plastic cards and keys is formed so that its ends are opposed to one another and includes tips at the ends. The distance between the tips is less than the thickness of an article. Articles can be inserted into the device by pushing the edge of an article against the tips to spread the tips apart. The article is slid in between the tips to fit a tip through a hole in the article to hold the article on the device. The device allows for the insertion or extraction of articles without a separate step of opening or closing the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Sherrette, LLC
    Inventors: David C. Turner, III, Bernadette A. Turner, Ted J. Sprinkle, Sheryl L. Sprinkle
  • Patent number: 7017946
    Abstract: A card and business form assembly and method for making same. The assembly includes a printable carrier sheet having a card that is releasably attached to the sheet by a backer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Inventor: David H. Behnen
  • Patent number: 7008134
    Abstract: An optical storage media management system and process for storing and organizing a relatively large collection of optical discs in the form of a display binder with a plurality of display sheets including associated indicia matching a positional identifier indicating the location of the disc. In one embodiment, the binder is used in conjunction with a table of contents indicating the position of individual optical discs in relation to the binder contents and a centralized database for storing optical disc information in a categorized format in cooperation with a computerized table of contents generator for generating the table of contents for the binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Inventor: Bradley P. Lane
  • Patent number: 7004507
    Abstract: A flat sheet of paper, or other thin flexible material, has information printed on one side in the form of a plurality of discrete panels or areas of text or images, while the entire other side is taken up by a large-scale, poster-like pattern. The panels or areas of text or images, are defined by crease lines created by folding the sheet of material. These creases are formed using a perpendicular fold method described in detail in this application. Each fold is perpendicular to the previous fold, creating a grid-like pattern, with each panel in the grid pattern containing a discrete quantity of text or images. When the invention is at its most folded state it has a relatively compact size. As the invention is unfolded, the panels of text or images are revealed in a specific sequence in order to tell a story or communicate some other type of sequentially ordered information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Inventor: Neil Barnett Shulman
  • Patent number: 7004505
    Abstract: A calendar comprising a medium upon which a plurality of indicia are applied, wherein each of the indicia coacts with an adjacent indicia, and wherein each of the indicia is visually indicative of a complete lunar day and a complete solar day. Each indicia for the lunar day coacts with two indicia for the solar day and each indicia for the solar day coacts with two indicia for the lunar day. Additionally, the calendar comprises an interlocking notched indicia weekday banner, wherein the interlocking notched indicia weekday banner represents the relation between the seven days of a Jewish week and the seven days of a secular week. Furthermore, each indicia may form a plurality of indicia identifying a respective plurality of days, a respective one or more weeks, a respective one or more months, or a respective one or more years.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Inventor: Brad S. Perelman
  • Patent number: 6997481
    Abstract: A checkbook cover has an exterior cover, an interior check and register holder affixed adjacent to the cover, and a slot formed through the exterior cover. A writing instrument, preferably with a pocket clip thereon, passes partially through the exterior cover slot to a chamber between exterior cover and interior check and register holder. The pocket clip encompasses at least a part of the exterior cover. The checkbook cover is formed using standard sheet processing techniques, but includes the additional step of severing at a selected strategic internal location to form the slot. Additional force distributors, preferably in the form of circular cut-outs, may be formed at the terminations of the slot. Heat stamped reinforcements are provided in the preferred embodiment about the slot and force distributors, to further strengthen the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Inventor: Paul Hardwig
  • Patent number: 6991260
    Abstract: Patterns are aligned on the front and back surfaces of a document to provide an anti-counterfeiting security device. The document is sufficiently transparent to allow see-through of the partial image on the back of the document to be superimposed on the partial image on the front of the document to form a complete image if the patterns are properly aligned. The complete image will disappear if misaligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Zhigang Fan, Shen-ge Wang
  • Patent number: 6976709
    Abstract: A postal mailer which comprises a postcard having in the front left top section a detachable calling card and having in the back surface left top, left bottom, right bottom and central sections map indicia designating the general area and specific location of the return address indicia on the postcard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Inventor: Po W. Yuen
  • Patent number: 6925916
    Abstract: A press for forming a workpiece with a tooling set includes an actuator assembly carrying a movable half or punch of the tooling set and having a two phase operation. In the first phase the actuator provides relatively low force in moving the punch to an intermediate position in close proximity to the workpiece. A sensor detects the position of the punch, and when the punch reaches the intermediate position provides a continue signal. The second phase of actuator operation is conditioned on occurrence of the continue signal, and uses normal high force to press the movable tooling half against the workpiece to complete the operation. The low force first phase allows obstructions of any kind to stop movement of the punch during the first phase before high force applied to the actuator may cause damage or injury to the obstruction. In a preferred embodiment the actuator assembly has hydraulic operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: PCPS Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Terrence P. Duggins, Robert L. Hughes, Edward L. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 6904683
    Abstract: The nail clipper contains a pair of blade bodies each having a cutting edge, a lever to be operated for bringing the cutting edges of the blade bodies into press contact with each other and a supporting shaft for linking the lever to the blade bodies; the cutting edges of the blade bodies being brought into press contact with each other by pressing the blade bodies with the lever against resilience of the blade bodies. The nail clipper is provided with bosses formed either on the lever or on the supporting shaft, so as to allow the supporting shaft to pivotally support the lever; and grooves formed on the rest of the supporting shaft and the lever, with which the bosses are engaged. Each groove has a mouth portion through which the boss is engaged and disengaged, a guiding portion capable of pivotally supporting the boss, and a connecting portion connecting the mouth portion and the guiding portion to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: KAI R&D Center Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shinoda, Takashi Koide
  • Patent number: 6883695
    Abstract: A toilet paper holder is formed by a roll paper retainer, and a holding plate for cutting roll paper. The roll paper retainer include a back plate, a pair of holding members projecting forwardly from the back plate and having supporting members for rotatably supporting roll paper therebetween, and guide portions formed at two lateral sides of the back plate. The holding plate includes a rear plate vertically slidably fitted in the guide portions, and an upper plate projecting forwardly from the rear plate to move vertically together with the rear plate. A distal end portion is positioned on a substantially vertical line between the rotatable supporting members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Orihara Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Orihara
  • Patent number: 6854186
    Abstract: This invention is a knife block for storing cutlery that can be locked to prevent the removal of the knives. An adjustable cap piece rests in one of two positions. In the unlocked position, the cap fits snugly over the base and the knives project up through holes in the cap. In the locked position, the cap is raised and rotated so the knives are inside the cap and inaccessible. The locking mechanism requires adult understanding and hand size to operate, greatly enhancing kitchen safety. In addition, this locking knife block requires no alteration of the knives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Inventors: Nicholas Bernard Basden, Stephen Boyd Ratchye
  • Patent number: 6837135
    Abstract: An apparatus for slitting a running paperboard web includes a thin high speed rotary slitting blade that is plunged through the moving web and into a slot between a pair of anvil rollers supporting the web on the opposite side. Because the slitting blade and the anvil rollers are vertically separated and pre-positioned before order change, an adjustment apparatus is provided to spread the anvil rollers axially apart to provide an open gap with a large target for blade edge when it is plunged through the web and into the slot. The anvil rollers are then closed against the opposite faces of the blade for running operation. Preferably, the anvil rollers are mounted on brackets hinged together below the rollers to move the opposite upper edges of the rollers between the opened and closed position in the manner of a clam shell. The anvil roller assembly is also adjustable in the machine direction to compensate for reduction in rotary slitting blade diameter with blade wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Marquip, LLC
    Inventor: Wayne A. Michalski
  • Patent number: 6826838
    Abstract: The present invention provides for an alignment device for aligning a punch tool to punch a design into a sheet media comprised of a clip, where the clip is comprised of first and second resilient arms meeting at a connection point. A first guide edge is disposed angularly from the first resilient arm, such that when the punch tool is secured in the clip between the first and second resilient arms and the sheet media is placed along the first guide edge, the punch tool is positioned to punch a design into the sheet media. Additionally, a second guide edge may be disposed angularly from the second resilient arm, such that when the punch tool is secured in the clip between the first and second resilient arms and the sheet media is placed along the first and second guide edges, the punch tool is positioned to punch a design into the sheet media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Craftek Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Arnold
  • Patent number: 6769341
    Abstract: A cutting device has a body, a driving device, a moving base, a head and a cutting rod. The driving device is mounted on the body to actuate the moving base to move relative to the body. The head extends from the body and has a central hole defined through the head. A notch and an exhaust hole are defined in the bottom of the head and communicate with the central hole. The cutting rod is moveably received in the central hole in the head and is attached to the moving base. The cutting rod has a cutting recess defined around the cutting rod. Accordingly, the metal waste generated during the cutting process is kept from flying about and injuring the user, so the safety of using the cutting device is improved. In addition, the cut metal sheet can be kept from shake or vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Patta International Limited
    Inventor: Cheng-Yen Wu
  • Patent number: 6748664
    Abstract: A gear head for a manually guided power implement is provided. Part of the tool shaft, which receives a rotatable cutting tool, is embodied as a cylindrical splined shaft having grooves for the positive transmission of torque to the cutting tool. An abutment plate is disposed on the tool shaft and has an abutment surface that extends essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tool shaft. A centering cylinder extends through a circular central opening of the cutting tool and has inwardly directed longitudinal ribs that engage in the grooves of these splined shaft. A free end of the centering cylinder is provided with a beveled portion that extends from an outer contour of the cylinder to into the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co.
    Inventors: Rudolf Dirks, Klaus Langhans
  • Patent number: 6745659
    Abstract: A head rail holder extension for use with a blind trimming machine having a horizontal support member defining a pathway for a sliding stabilizer block. The sliding stabilizer block is adapted to move along the pathway and is adapted to be locked at positions along the length of the pathway. A channel-shaped member with an opening is attached to the stabilizer block. An adjustable stop is disposed adjacent to the channel shaped member such that the adjustable stop can be moved into a first position where it blocks the opening and a second position where it allows the head rail to extend beyond the stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Inventor: John E. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 6742432
    Abstract: The present invention involves an elongated frame assembly to permit the securing and proper angular cutting to length of a plurality of balusters which are utilized to support a handrail. The frame assembly comprises a pair of spaced-apart parallel side rails connected to a first and a second end rail and a separate support base arranged under each end rail to provide support the respective ends of balusters in the frame assembly. An adjustable slide member is arranged to permit the length of a plurality of balusters to be fixedly set according to a desired length to eliminate inaccuracies in cutting thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Inventor: Steven J. Langis