Patents Examined by Dinesh Melwani
  • Patent number: 6789825
    Abstract: This invention relates to a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism comprises a latch bolt rotatably mounted about a pivot on a chassis. The latch bolt is movable from an open condition, in which it is free to receive a striker of a motor vehicle, to a closed condition in which the striker is retained by the latch bolt. The latch bolt comprises an overmold of elastomeric material, which defines first, second and third buffers. The third buffer is adapted to cooperate with an abutment on the chassis to absorb over-travel of the striker when the door of a motor vehicle carrying the latch mechanism is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Nick Kalargeros, Nigel Spurr, Veronique Mejean
  • Patent number: 6782715
    Abstract: A gemstone arrangement is described including a primary gem and at least one complementary gem. The primary gem includes a crown and a pavilion. The pavilion has an external wall defining an outer surface. The complementary gem has a crown defining a table. The table is in juxtaposition to and aligned with the pavilion wall for the maximum passage of ambient light from the complementary gem into the primary gem to enhance its visual appearance. In addition, the complementary gem can be positioned and aligned to receive light losses from a primary gem and return those light losses through the crown of the complementary gem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Inventor: Gregg Ruth
  • Patent number: 6769270
    Abstract: A detachable pendant mounting for providing interchangeability of the pendant includes a hollow clasp housing held on a pendant chain, the clasp housing open at the rear and the bottom end. A clasp element is mounted within the clasp element accessible through the open rear. A pendant securement to the clasp element is accomplished through the bottom opening. The clasp element may take various forms including a deflectable hook, a fixed pin, a slotted clevis, etc., with a catch engagement keeping the pendant securement on the clasp element until released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Inventor: Korabet Takessian
  • Patent number: 6766657
    Abstract: A jewelry having a jewelry body, for example, a fashion ring or pendant, and a miniature roulette wheel mounted on the jewelry body. The miniature roulette wheel includes a plurality of rotating wheels respectively fastened pivotally with the jewelry body, each rotating wheel having at least one display unit divided into a plurality of display sectors respectively marked with a respective numerical symbol, and an indicator fixedly fastened to the jewelry body and adapted to point out the numerical symbol of one display sector of each display unit of each rotating wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Inventor: Li Chen Chien
  • Patent number: 6758505
    Abstract: A locking-mechanism control means having a push rod which controls the adjustment of door-mounted catches, it being possible for the catches to be locked in relation to the door frame, having a first and a second adjustable blocking device arranged in the door. It is further possible for said blocking devices to be adjusted in dependence on the door movement, and one of the blocking devices arresting the push rod in the open position when the door is open. A driver is provided on the push rod and can be coupled to a rod which executes a movement corresponding to the push rod in order for an arresting unit, which engages with the door in the closed state of the latter, to be displaced out of engagement with the door in the open position of the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sommer Metallbau-Stahlbau GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dieter Hautmann, Oliver Sommer, Jürgen Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6752438
    Abstract: An adjustable gate hinge and an adjustable latch unit each provide for adjustment of a fence gate. The hinge interconnects the gate to a first post of the fence. The hinge supports the gate and permits pivoting movement of the gate relative to the first fence post. The latch unit secures the gate, to a second post of the fence, in a closed position of the gate. The hinge and the latch unit are usable together in a system. As such, the system has the feature that at least one of the hinge and the gate unit has an arrangement to permit adjustment of the gate relative to the fence in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the fence. The arrangement includes two components that are relatively movable along the direction perpendicular to a plane of the fence and that are secured to each other subsequent to the movement along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the fence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: U.S. Fence, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph DeSouza
  • Patent number: 6746020
    Abstract: A metal gasket is designed so that mounting and removal from a cylinder block using a bolt is easy regardless of the direction of the attaching surface and there is no risk of moving or drop off. The gasket is made of two laminated metal base plates. At a base plate part near a bolt hole of one metal base plate, a bolt engaging piece projects so that the diameter of the bolt hole is smaller than the diameter of the bolt for fastening, and an assistant piece for handling is integrated thereto. At the base plate part of the other plate overlapping the assistant piece, a cut recess is formed. When inserting the bolt into the bolt hole of the metal gasket, the bolt engaging piece is struck against the bolt and is elastically bent, and allows the bolt to pass. The gasket mounted on the bolt is kept at the mounting position by the pressing action to the bolt from the impact resilience force of the bolt engaging piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Nichias Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Sumi, Katsunori Ueda, Kazuyoshi Urata
  • Patent number: 6742819
    Abstract: A hood latch assembly for a front end module of a vehicle includes a hood latch, which locks a striker of a hood, installed at an upper horizontal portion of a front panel of the front end module formed of upper and lower horizontal portions and a vertical portion connecting the left and right sides of the upper and lower horizontal portions. The first release cable has one end connected to a release lever disposed at a driver's seat. The first release cable is installed at the upper horizontal portion of the front panel to be capable of sliding. A second release cable has one end connected to the hood latch. A connection unit is installed at the other end portions of the first and second release cables, which connects or separates the first and second release cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Won-Sub So, Dae-Bok Kwan
  • Patent number: 6739633
    Abstract: A fuel filler door actuator including a motor, a gear train coupled to the motor and to a latch arm, and a locking cam coupled to the gear train. The locking cam resists movement of the latch arm from an unlocked condition to a locked condition. A manual override cable is disclosed for manually moving the latch arm from the locked condition to an unlocked condition. A push—push mechanism is disclosed for allowing facile opening of a fuel filler door, and a quick connect/disconnect feature is disclosed for allowing facile assembly of the actuator to a fuel filler door housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Holloway, Thomas P. Schregardus, Henry C. Ruff, Eric C. Beishline
  • Patent number: 6722711
    Abstract: A locking arrangement is for a receptacle and cover with overlapping parts and aligned holes through the overlapping part. A bolt extends into at least one of the holes with a handle at one end of the bolt for pulling the bolt out of the aligned holes in a withdrawing direction. An expansion mechanism at an opposite end of the bolt expands to prevent withdrawing the bolt. The mechanism has a contracted geometry for allowing withdrawing of the bolt. An actuator mounted for movement to the bolt is pushed to contract and unlock the mechanism. A spring biases the expansion mechanism toward the expanded geometry so that when the actuator is not being pushed, the expansion mechanism is in the expanded geometry to lock the cover to the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Inventor: Roger S. Kitzis
  • Patent number: 6718796
    Abstract: The back portion of an omega-back earring is formed by investment casting and then heat-treated to have spring gold characteristics. A rear surface of the ornamental front portion of the earring includes a depression to present a concave profile which is complementary to the convex profile of the pushing part of the rear portion of the earring. In a non-identical mirror-image pair of earrings, a design element such as a small precious stone is provided on only one of the earring pair, at an inconspicuous spot, to aid the wearer in distinguishing the right earring from the left earring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Robert A. Baum Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Baum, Laura Leoni
  • Patent number: 6718797
    Abstract: A jewelry finding is provided as a neck accessory that enables a flexible bracelet to be worn as a necklace. Locket clasps are provided at the ends of the neck accessory to provide secure interconnection of the bracelet clasp ends with the neck accessory, while at the same time enclosing and obscuring from view the connection hardware. According to an alternate embodiment, a universal approach is implemented that uses flexible loops to modify clasp ends of most any flexible bracelet to be connectible to fastening posts in the locket clasps of the neck accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Margaret Plumly
  • Patent number: 6719338
    Abstract: A dummy trim includes a mounting plate to be fixed to a door, a sleeve holder securely mounted to the mounting plate and including a peripheral wall, a sleeve including a first end mounted in the peripheral wall of the sleeve holder, and a lever securely attached to a second end of the sleeve to move therewith. The first end of the sleeve includes a slot having an edge facing the lever. The peripheral wall of the sleeve holder includes an integral stop extending into the slot of the sleeve and abutting against the edge of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Mu-Lin Shen
  • Patent number: 6694589
    Abstract: A process for the handling of a tow of fibres during manufacture and subsequent processing prior to splicing is described. The process includes the step of applying a clip to the free end of the tow, prior to transport of the tow. The fibre is preferably a carbon fibre precursor, and the clip is preferably removed and the tow spliced prior to the steps of oxidation and carbonization to form the carbon fibre.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Acordis UK Limited
    Inventor: David Mac Service
  • Patent number: 6679502
    Abstract: A valve stem seal assembly for an internal combustion engine includes an elastomer seal body and a metal retainer adapted to secure the seal body in place over a valve guide. The cylindrical seal body has an aperture with at least one radially inwardly directed sealing lip adapted to engage a reciprocally movable valve stem to minimize escape of oil lubricant from the engine along a path between the valve guide and stem. The retainer, formed of a spring metal cylindrical body adapted to frictionally retain the seal body at its upper end, contains first and second sets of axially depending resilient fingers at its lower end. The first set of fingers mechanically engages and supports a unique valve guide member within a valve guide aperture of a cylinder head deck, while the second set of fingers supports the seal assembly directly against the head deck under a valve spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Alan Leimer
  • Patent number: 6672632
    Abstract: The device comprises a housing encasing a pair of upper and lower hooks, for counter-rotational movements; a pair of upper and lower adjusting assemblies, vertically spaced in parallel with the pair of upper and lower hooks for positioning the latter within the housing; an actuating assembly including a double-armed pivot having a cylindrical body and a pair of radially extending arms, disposed between the pair of upper and lower hooks; and a pair of upper and lower connecting links, mounted between the double-armed pivot and the pair of upper and lower hooks. Upper and lower connecting links are different, to accommodate the cylindrical body, in all the positions of the hooks. The upper connecting link can partially wrap around, the cylindrical body. The lower connecting link can partially wrap around, the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Inventors: Daryl F. Speed, Christopher D. Isfeld, Mark Rees-Howlett, Brent A. Foster
  • Patent number: 6669245
    Abstract: Pushing device for the emerging of the bolt in locks, characterized in that the handle axis (1) has a coaxial lever (8), coupled rotationally, which turns along with it in the conventional direction of opening, being equipped with an independent turning in the opposite direction, or anti-opening turning, whose lever (8) has a peripheral lug (8a) which is applied, in relation to the anti-opening turning, against a fin (9a) of the rocker (9), mounted spring-loaded with a projection (9b) applied against a heel (10a), belonging to a counter-rocker (10), having a front piece (10b) applied against a transverse lug (6b) of the latch plate (6), there being a rotating rod (11) mounted with a free turning coaxially with the rocker (9), having arms, a rocker (11a), and a bolt (11b), rotationally spaced out by an angle preferably less than that needed to simultaneously make contact with the fin (9a) of the rocker (9) in the state of rest and with the back of the bolt (3) in retracted state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Talleres de Escoriaza, S.A.
    Inventors: Luis Angel Ruano Aramburu, Fermin Gomez Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 6663111
    Abstract: Provided is a sealing unit for sliding onto a water outlet (38) with formation of a fluid-tight connection with a water hose or similar that is equipped with said sealing unit (1), and that comprises at least one outer sealing ring (3) consisting of an elastic material and having an annular base body (4), from the area (5) of which that is oriented towards the center, a circumferential outer sealing collar (6) extends towards the center, which collar is moreover inclined in the insertion direction (17) and encloses an opening (16) through which the water outlet (38) can be inserted, and a sliding funnel (8) comprising an annular circumferential base body (9) resting upon the exterior of the base body (4) of the sealing ring (3), and from which several lobe-type tongues (11) articulated to the base body (9) by means of their bases (10), extend radially inwards, which tongues rest upon the exterior of the outer sealing collar (6) and form a kind of funnel together, and the free ends of which enclose the opening
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventors: Christian Freiseisen, Thomas Freiseisen
  • Patent number: 6663147
    Abstract: A lock comprising, within a box-like supporting body and associated with actuation elements which are available to the action of the user and/or of other devices, three locking beaks: two first lateral ones, whose free tips are shaped so as to form mutually opposite claws which lie on the plane of the closure and opening movement, and a third central beak, which is kinematically connected and coordinated with respect to the two first beaks and is provided, at its free tip, with at least one locking element. The three beaks define, in association with the actuation elements, at least two stable working positions: a first open position, in which the beaks lie substantially completely within the box-like supporting body, and a second closed position, in which the beaks protrude from the box-like supporting body with their free tips so as to lock the components with which they are associated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Alban Giacomo S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Alban
  • Patent number: 6659510
    Abstract: A pipe-end-connecting joint comprisse a nipple 1 inserted in the pipe end, a holder 2 for tightening the outer circumference of the pipe end, and an elastic packing 3 divided into half parts and attached in the holder 2. The nipple 1 includes a tubular portion 11 provided in one longitudinal end side thereof so as to be inserted in the pipe end, a connection portion 12 provided in the other longitudinal end side thereof so as to be connected to another joint, and a flange portion 13 provided in a longitudinal intermediate portion thereof so as to protrude outward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Totaku Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ikegami, Yasuhiro Kikumori, Toshihiro Nakanishi, Susumu Okairi, Nobuo Shindo, Tatsuya Machino