Patents Examined by David Parsley
  • Patent number: 9743654
    Abstract: An insect trap positioned directly under a furniture leg or post during use. The insect trap has a bottom portion with a groove positioned between an outer edge of the bottom portion and an inner element extending from the center of the bottom portion. The trap also has a distinct top portion having an opening extending through the entirety of the top portion. The top and bottom portion are removably attached to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventor: Les Peden
  • Patent number: 9737052
    Abstract: A physical toy comprising a body and a digestible noise-emitting device. The body may have a shape conducive to physical manipulation and play and may be compliant to facilitate compression. The noise-emitting device may be carried by the body. The noise-emitting device may have a noise-emitting orifice. The noise-emitting device may be configured to force air through the noise-emitting orifice in response to compression of the body. Compression of the physical toy body may cause noise generation as air escapes through the noise-emitting orifice. The noise-emitting device may be formed from a digestible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Petco Animal Supplies Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Lisa Marie Matwijiw Larson
  • Patent number: 9737043
    Abstract: A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock, comprises moving a carriage along a track. The carriage carries a robotic arm and the track is adjacent to a stall of a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock. The robotic arm comprises a first member pivotally attached to the carriage, a second member pivotally attached to the first member, and a spray tool member pivotally attached to the second member. The method continues by extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates such that a spray tool of the spray tool member is located at a spray position from which the spray tool may discharge disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Peter Willem van der Sluis, Ype Groensma
  • Patent number: 9737063
    Abstract: A device to hold a fishing rod or a similarly-shaped object. The holder has a generally cylindrical shape with a longitudinal upper opening, whereby the edges of the opening can be drawn together and the diameter of the cylindrical holder decreased, so as to hold generally cylindrical-shaped objects, such as a fishing rod, of varying diameters. The holder can have a stem which can be received by a bore in a mounting bracket that allows the holder to rotate. A nub on the stem fits into slots in the bore, so that the holder can be fixed in one position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Robert Charles Holzer
  • Patent number: 9730432
    Abstract: A multi-stage rationed feeder for ornamental fish, comprising a container, a container cover assembly and a measuring cup assembly. A falling-material receiving cover of the container cover assembly is adapted to a container cover, and a buckle position is buckled into a container cover snapping slot, such that the falling-material receiving cover is rotatably mounted and connected to the container cover. The measuring cup assembly comprises a measuring cup and a blocking slice. One end of the blocking slice is provided with a sleeve hole for sheathing a blocking slice pin. A pin groove is adapted to a falling-material receiving cover pin snapped into the pin groove such that the measuring cup assembly is removably mounted and connected to the container cover assembly from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: SHENZHEN XINGRISHENG INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Guanyu Tan
  • Patent number: 9732899
    Abstract: A system for raising and lowering objects includes a carriage subsystem with a tubular body having an interior central channel an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of an elongated tubular support structure. A plurality of guides facilitate linear translation of the carriage on the vertical structure without marring. At least one hook on the carriage pivots to engage a slot on the support structure for locking the carriage in a raised position. Objects are attached to a flange on the carriage. A winch and cable control motion of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventor: James Hogan
  • Patent number: 9730397
    Abstract: A greenhouse is disclosed that generally comprises an enclosed growing section with an enclosed end gable adjacent to the growing section. The end gable is arranged to flow air into the growing section. Air distribution tubes are included within the growing section with the tubes arranged to provide for substantially uniform air flow into the growing section. The air tubes can also be arranged to compensate for heat differential between the air in the tubes and in the growing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: HOUWELING NURSERIES OXNARD, INC.
    Inventors: Casey Houweling, Geurt Reinders
  • Patent number: 9730438
    Abstract: A container apparatus for exposing an article to an external environment, the apparatus including a sidewall with an interior having an inner surface, the sidewall terminating in a first margin and an opposing second margin. The container apparatus also includes a capsule having an outer periphery and an inner void holding the article, the outer periphery is slidably engaged to the sidewall inner surface, the capsule having a split boundary separating the capsule into a plurality of partial capsule elements. The capsule having a closed state with the partial capsule elements being adjacent at the boundary while slidably engaged to the sidewall with the void separated from the environment and the capsule being able to have an open state without the slidable engagement as the partial capsule elements are separated at the boundary with the void open to the environment, thus exposing the article to the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignees: Applied Design Corporation, The United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Michael C. Messaros, Grady E. Barfoot, Jonathan C. Fragoso, Peter J. Savarie, William C. Pitt
  • Patent number: 9730436
    Abstract: A cage-type animal trap has an over-center set mechanism for holding open a door for closing the trap access opening. The set mechanism includes a pivotally mounted set lever coupled to the door of the trap by an actuating cable. A bait pedal is movably mounted inside the trap with a trip rod and link assembly secured to the pedal and to the set mechanism so that when an animal enters the trap, the weight of the animal moves the pedal, causing the trip rod and link assembly to actuate the set mechanism. Upon actuation, the set lever pivots past its over-center position to allow movement of the cable which enables the door to move from an opened position to a closed position to trap the animal inside the trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: WOODSTREAM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Alan Weir Bucher
  • Patent number: 9723848
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for aligning a filling machine and a respective filling machine. In the method, the height and/or the inclination of the filling machine is first measured according to an actual state. The measured values are transmitted to a calculation unit. The actual state of the height and/or the inclination is compared with a target state of the height and/or the inclination. The height and/or the inclination of the filling machine are then adjusted on the basis of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bernd Maile, Martin Staudenrausch, Marcel Nusser
  • Patent number: 9723807
    Abstract: A pet toilet (1A) of the present invention is provided with a footing-constituting member [2 (20, 21, 22)] constituting a footing for a pet conducting an excreting action and a frame (3) surrounding the footing-constituting member 2 and rectangular in a plan view. The frame (3) is configured so as to be foldable by folding one set of opposite sides (31, 31) of two sets of opposite sides constituting the frame such that central portions thereof in a lengthwise direction of the one set are directed inward of the frame. The footing-constituting member (2) is supported by supporting bodies (32) projecting from inner circumferential faces (3B) of the frame (3) inward of the frame (3) from a lower side of the footing-constituting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: KAO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiji Abe
  • Patent number: 9717187
    Abstract: A sectional planter is provided with an interior volume defining a planter portion with a flange and a tongue and groove for positively connecting the sectional planter to at least one additional sectional planter, where the tongue and groove connection allows for easy removal of the sectional planter from the base of a tree or post after assembly. The sectional planter can hold a variety of plants, shrubs, bushes or other floral or decorative items. The sectional planter may be combined with one or more additional sectional planters to form a geometric shaped planter. The geometric shapes formed with two or more interconnected sectional planters may be a circle, an oval, a square, a star pattern, a rectangle, a triangle, a trapezoid, or a parallelogram. In at least one embodiment two or more sectional planters are combined to form to encircle a tree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Claudia Armstrong, James Armstrong
  • Patent number: 9717230
    Abstract: An animal deterrent device includes an elongated carrier having an internal cavity. A conductive trace can be coupled to the carrier by a first fastener that extends from the conductive trace to the cavity, which prevents water from contacting the fastener and shorting the conductive trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: BIRD-B-GONE
    Inventor: Bruce Donoho
  • Patent number: 9713337
    Abstract: A method of processing meat is disclosed. The method includes subjecting the meat (pork or turkey) to high pressure processing at a pressure of at least 175 MPa for a time of 20 minutes or less, wherein post mortem glycolysis is inhibited. For beef, a pressure of at least 200 MPa and a hold time of from 30 seconds to 20 minutes are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathan Ryan Smit, John William Summerfield, Jerry Earl Cannon
  • Patent number: 9706747
    Abstract: A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a controller and a robotic arm. The controller receives an indication that a stall of a rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located has moved into an area adjacent a robotic arm that is detached from the rotary milking platform. The controller also determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Peter Willem van der Sluis, Ype Groensma
  • Patent number: 9706754
    Abstract: The application discloses a multi-chamber, multi-formulation fluid delivery system, comprising a multi-chamber applicator in fluid communication with multi-chamber packaging. Applicators according to the instant disclosure have reduced squeeze-strength requirements, and are useful for dispensing fluids, including medicaments, to animals, including livestock animals. The multi-chamber packaging provides separate storage for formulations containing incompatible active ingredients, and is suitable for use with the multi-chamber applicator. The application also discloses methods for using the system to simultaneously deliver multiple active ingredients, at least some of which are not suitable for co-formulation, thus reducing the time, economic burden and animal stress involved with applying multiple, separate formulations to animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MERIAL, INC.
    Inventors: Todd Luepke Prescott, Rodney Gordon Walker, Gareth Nigel Lauchlan, David Andrew Trow
  • Patent number: 9706762
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fishing rig having a fishing line, a fixture, a conical diverter and a hooking device. The conical diverter has a cylindrical wall portion that is contiguous with and extends from a conically-shaped wall portion having an aperture in the narrow end that allows the fishing line to pass through. The aperture has a diameter that is larger than a thickness of the line and smaller than a width of the fixture, which is attached to the line. The line passes through the aperture so that when the fishing rig is pulled through water, the fixture is positioned inside the conical diverter and prevents the narrow end of the conical diverter from traversing the line toward the hooking device beyond the fixture, thereby allowing the conical diverter to be pulled through the water ahead of and spaced from the hooking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: Steven Parcell
  • Patent number: 9706744
    Abstract: A method comprises receiving a displacement signal generated by a sensor, the displacement signal generated by the sensor in response to detecting movement of a piston from a retracted position in a cylinder toward an extended position in the cylinder. The method further comprises generating, in response to receiving the displacement signal, a valve control signal to be communicated to a valve located on a vacuum line connecting a vacuum source to a vacuum port of the cylinder. The valve control signal causes the valve to move from a first position in which a vacuum pressure is applied to the cylinder via the vacuum port to a second position in which atmospheric pressure is applied to the cylinder via the vacuum port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Ejvind D. Hansen, Joergen Frederiksen
  • Patent number: 9700021
    Abstract: A bird screen is provided having a post assembly and a feeder assembly. The post assembly has a ground spike and a first support pipe is disposed internal to the ground spike. A second support pipe is disposed in the first support pipe and the second support pipe has a locking collar that supports the bird feeder assembly. The bird feeder assembly has a frame that is supported by the locking collar. The second support pipe extends through the frame and a screen and a bird feeder cover and into a birdfeeder to secure the birdfeeder in place. The feeder assembly has first, second, third and fourth support posts, and has first, second, third and fourth feeder sidewalls at least one of which is connected to the frame with hinges and is movable between up and down positions on hinges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Inventor: Randy Conner
  • Patent number: 9693535
    Abstract: The system for uniquely identifying subjects from a target population operates to acquire, process and analyze images to create data which contains indicia sufficient to uniquely identify an individual in a population of interest. This system implements an automated, image-based process that captures data indicative of a selected set of external characteristics for subjects that are members of a target population of a predetermined species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Biopar, LLC
    Inventor: Paul A. Skvorc, II