Patents Examined by Eileen D. Lillis
-
Patent number: 7547175Abstract: A transfer device for a substrate is capable of preventing deformation or breakage of the substrate due to bending stress by reducing the amount of dead weight deflection of the substrate, e.g. a large mother glass board. Supporting members extend in opposite directions from two sides of a storage device such that the substrate can be introduced or removed by raising and lowering the hand of a transfer machine inserted into the storage device between the supporting members. The supporting members are comprised of a plurality of supporting members in parallel, formed with a gap between the supporting members facing each other.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2002Date of Patent: June 16, 2009Assignees: Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd., Sharp CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Chinbe, Yoshiya Endo, Naoki Shimakawa, Ichiro Fukuwatari, Yoshiaki Hayashida, Yoshio Takakura, Akio Matsuyama, Hideto Kohketsu
-
Patent number: 7296662Abstract: A passenger flow arrangement for use in moving passengers between two floors in elevator-like cabs allow the passenger to continue to face in a forward direction and exit the vehicle after having entered in the forward direction. In one aspect of this invention, a cab door on one side of the cab opens at a first of the floors, and a door on an opposed side of the cab opens at a second of the floors. In other arrangements, there are cab doors at each side of the cab, and one of the cab doors opens as an entrance door while the other opens as an exit door. Appropriate signals such as signs or door opening timing prompt the passengers to face and move in the appropriate directions.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2000Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventor: Richard N. Fargo
-
Patent number: 7290816Abstract: A gripping device for gripping work pieces which is connectable to a robotized manipulating system includes a box-shaped body for supporting a first and a second gripping member, at least one of which being angularly movable, and a linear actuator operatively connected to the movable gripping member by a toggle-lever mechanism. The toggle-lever mechanism in turn includes a first and a second articulated connecting link, angularly movable with respect to each other, pivotally connected to a control rod of the actuator, respectively to the angularly movable gripping member. The device also includes a guiding element for guiding the angular movement of the second connecting link, and a limiting element for limiting the relative angular movement between the first and the second connecting link.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2005Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: Univer S.p.A.Inventor: Luciano Migliori
-
Patent number: 7240935Abstract: A vacuum gripper for suctioning work pieces, having a vacuum connection, a flexible suction body and a suction body holder, where the side of the suction body facing the work piece has a sealing lip bounding a vacuum chamber, and the vacuum chamber is connected to the vacuum connection. The suction body has a contact surface abutting the work pieces with prevailing vacuum in the vacuum chamber. The contact surface is provided with elements, where the elements are have a rod or pin-shaped configuration and form a microstructure.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2004Date of Patent: July 10, 2007Assignee: J. Schmalz GmbHInventors: Gernot Schmierer, Kurt Schmalz, Stanislav Gorb, Eduard Arzt
-
Patent number: 7225898Abstract: A lift between lower and upper levels of a house includes a cabin and an essentially horizontal platform which is essentially vertically movable by actuating elements arranged thereunder. The actuating elements include at least one pair of rotatably mounted arms pivotally arranged around an axis in the middle part thereof. The free ends of the first arm of one pair are pivotable around a fixed axis and respectively around an axis sliding along the platform. The free ends of the second arm are pivotable around a fixed axis connected to the platform and respectively around a sliding axis. An actuating unit interacts with at least one of the arms such that the pivot axis of the second arm for the platform, the middle pivot axis of the arms of the pair and the pivot axis of the first arm are never aligned.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2004Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Inventor: Alain Bourgeois
-
Patent number: 7226266Abstract: A roof rack assembly is provided for storing items above a roof of a motor vehicle. The roof rack assembly includes a pair of rails fixedly secured to the roof, parallel to each other. Each of the rails has a channel therealong. A tray includes a first end slidingly engaging the channel and a second end. The tray is movable between a storage position above the roof and a loading position along the side of the motor vehicle. A pair of pivot arms extends between a receiving end and a pivot end. The receiving end is pivotally coupled to the second end of the tray. A pair of mounting brackets are fixedly secured to the side of the motor vehicle and pivotally coupled to the pivot arms at the pivot end thereof. Each of the mounting brackets includes a stop for limiting pivotal movement of the pivot arms as the tray moves from the storage position to the loading position in order to maintain the tray in the loading position.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2003Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Magna International Inc.Inventors: Jack V. Henderson, Charles Turney
-
Patent number: 7223058Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a material container discharge assembly includes: a main frame assembly; material container impactors engaged to the main frame assembly; a discharge receiving gate having a material container receiving aperture and first, second, and third movable plates, where the first and third plates are movable between an open and closed position and further define a second plate receiving area for receiving the opposed second plate when the second plate and the first and third plates are in the closed position; and a substantially circular access chamber spaced below the material container receiving aperture that includes at least two access doors on substantially opposite sides of the chamber that operate to substantially air tight seal when closed and a sealing system having a sealing device movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position, where the engaged position operates to seal the container in position.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2003Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: Material Transfer & Storage, Inc.Inventor: Scott L. Nyhof
-
Patent number: 7219937Abstract: The invention concerns a suspension for load hooks, especially for lower blocks of cable controls, with a shaft mounted in a recess of a carrier body and able to turn about a vertical axis, which is mounted in a continuous bore of a support element and thrusts against the carrier body by means of at least one axial bearing. In order to create a short and simple construction of a suspension for a load hook, the invention proposes that the shaft of the load hook is mounted in the carrier body by a bearing arrangement consisting of the support element, at least one axial bearing, and the retaining ring surrounding the shaft, and the bearing arrangement is secured by a fastening element, especially a snap-ring, in the carrier body.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2004Date of Patent: May 22, 2007Assignee: Demag Cranes & Components GmbHInventors: Manfred Stöber, Klaus-Jürgen Winter, Karl Zacharias
-
Patent number: 7216906Abstract: A carabiner holder comprises a carabiner retaining portion and an extension member attachment portion. The retaining portion is configured to releasably retain a carabiner and comprises a first member positioned to engage a first side of the carabiner adjacent a carabiner gate and a second member positioned to engage a second side of the carabiner opposite the first side. The first member and the second member are positioned opposite each other and separated by a first distance at rest. At least one of the first and second members is resiliently movable to allow the first and second members to be separate relative to each other by a second distance greater than the first distance when engaged with a carabiner. The extension member attachment portion is connected to the retaining portion and allows the holder to be attached to an extension member to extend the holder's reach.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2005Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Inventor: Russell Barrett
-
Patent number: 7216908Abstract: Disclosed is a pallet loading and unloading sling, termed a SlingBag device, for efficiently transporting burlap bags and deploying them to secure and protect underwater pipelines. In preferred form, the SlingBag is a T-shaped mat that folds up into a four-sided bag. By using a SlingBag atop a wooden pallet, the process for loading and unloading burlap bags from the pallet may be simplified The SlingBag comprises two rectangular mats that are arranged in a perpendicular cross section, forming a T-shaped mat. When placed upon a pallet for loading, the central panel fits atop the pallet, and the four side flaps extend outward. Burlap bags filled with dry bulk sand or dry sand/cement mix are stacked atop the pallet with the SlingBag. Then, the side flaps are folded up to form a four-sided sling container, and the lifting loops on the side panels are tied in place to secure the sling. In the preferred embodiment, the SlingBag is comprised of polypropylene.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2003Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Inventor: Richard A. Daigle
-
Patent number: 7213852Abstract: The invention relates to a spreader system without electric cables for lifting goods containers. The spreader system comprises a spreader and two pulley sets. Each pulley of the pulley sets is fitted with a geared ring, and gears are fixed on the headblock of the spreader. A tapered coupling is fixed on a gear shaft and is connected to planetary speeder, which is, in turn, connected to a bi-directional plunger pump. Through a hydraulic circuit, the bi-directional plunger pump is connected to a hydraulic accumulating power station which comprises a hydraulic accumulator, a nitrogen bottle connected to the hydraulic accumulator through a pipeline, an oil tank, an electric generator, a battery, and an oil motor connected to the electric generator and controlled by a magnetic valve. On the spreader, there is a remote control transmitter in order to transmit signals to the remote control receiver in the cab of a container crane.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2003Date of Patent: May 8, 2007Assignee: Shanghai Zhanhua Port Machinery Co., Ltd.Inventor: Changbiao Zhu
-
Patent number: 7210892Abstract: The invention relates to a stacking column for storing goods on top of each other or next to each other on pawls (1) which rotate about a rotational axis (2) from an idle position into a working position. The respective successive pawls (1) are mutually coupled by means of at least one link plate (9). In order to reduce the gap or pitch (T) between adjacent pawls (1), the at least one link plate (9) is angular, elbowed or arc-shaped.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2002Date of Patent: May 1, 2007Assignee: MTS Maschinenbau, GmbHInventor: Gustay Strobel
-
Patent number: 7207763Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing system and wafer holder for a semiconductor manufacturing system which prevents a semiconductor wafer from being exposed to a process reaction and which includes a reaction tube for providing a sealed process space and a dual boat and which prevents the backside deposition by the wafer holder. The wafer holder includes a holder body to hide the backside of the semiconductor wafer during a process in the reaction tube and a wafer lifter having a portion that can be disengaged from and coupled to the holder body so that a lower portion of the semiconductor wafer is supported by the dual boat and so that the semiconductor wafer can be lifted up from the wafer body when the semiconductor wafer is loaded and unloaded. A separation boundary between the holder body and the wafer lifter includes a gas inflow interception surface to hinder reaction gas from flowing through the separation boundary.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2004Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Terasemicon Co., LtdInventor: Byung-Il Lee
-
Patent number: 7207421Abstract: An elevator in which the elevator car is suspended by means of hoisting ropes consisting of a single rope or several parallel ropes, said elevator having a traction sheave which moves the elevator car by means of the hoisting ropes. The elevator has rope portions of the hoisting ropes going upwards and downwards from the elevator car, and the rope portions going upwards from the elevator car are under a first rope tension (T1) which is greater than a second rope tension (T2), which is the rope tension of the rope portions going downwards from the elevator car, and that the elevator comprises a compensating system for keeping the ratio (T1/T2) between the first and the second rope tensions substantially constant.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2005Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Kone CorporationInventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti
-
Patent number: 7207419Abstract: A lift having a safety lock system includes a mast that may be supported by a base, and a frame that can be lifted or lowered along the mast. The safety lock system includes a first support beam that is located adjacent to the mast and a second support beam that is located opposite the first support beam relative to the mast. The safety lock system also includes a first lock and a second lock. Each of the first lock and the second lock are operable between a plurality of locked positions and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the first lock is engaged with the first support beam to lock the lift frame to the first support beam, and the second lock is engaged with the second support beam to lock the lift frame to the second support beam. Each of the first lock and the second lock can be placed in the unlocked position, wherein the lift frame can be freely lifted or lowered relative to the mast.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2005Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Heftee Industries, LLC LtdInventors: Scott E. Fore, Brian Beyer
-
Patent number: 7204364Abstract: Lift device for lifting or, as the case may be, lowering of a support device (2, 3B, 5) of a transport track segment of a transport device for work pieces or the like, which are deposited upon plates, pallets or framework like work piece carriers (58) and upon which the work piece carrier (58) is seated translationally displaceably, with a force producing device (35, 72, 73) for producing a force for lifting or as the case may be lowering the support device (2, 3B, 5) and with a force transmission device for transmitting the force from the force producing device to the support device, the force transmission device includes at least one lever (25a, 25b), which on one side (29a, 29b) is coupled to be essentially horizontally displaceably guided with the force producing device (35, 72, 73) and on the other side (30a, 30b) is coupled with the support device (2, 3B, 5) and is guided for essentially vertical displacement.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2002Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Stein Automation GmbHInventor: Bernhard Allgaier
-
Patent number: 7204348Abstract: An assembly arrangement for a lift construction supports the lift drive at the upper end of both a support column and lift cage and counterweight guide rails, allowing the lift drive load to be transferred to the floor of the lift by each of the supporting members. The support of the lift drive upon the rails may be accomplished through setting screws that allow the load applied to the rails to be adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2004Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Inventio AGInventors: Hanspeter Bloch, Mario Heggli, Roland Delvento
-
Patent number: 7204534Abstract: The invention relates to a novel device for easy maintenance of smoke detectors, comprising a three dimensional “receptacle” that attaches to a pole and fits around a smoke detector housing to easily remove it from its mounting plate.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2003Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Inventor: Robert Kelly
-
Patent number: 7198135Abstract: A lifting platform for motor vehicles has at least one extendable lifting column that is formed by a tubular jacket and a lifting cylinder unit arranged at least partially therein. The upper end of the lifting cylinder unit supports a load receptacle. The tubular jacket and the lifting cylinder unit are air-tightly connected to one another and form a compressed air storage chamber between the inner wall of the tubular jacket and the outer wall of the lifting cylinder unit. The compressed air storage chamber is provided with a compressed air supply connector and, in the upper end area, with a compressed air outlet connector. The lifting device is preferably an underfloor lifting platform with hydraulic cylinders. A check valve is arranged in the filling direction upstream of the compressed air supply connector.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2004Date of Patent: April 3, 2007Assignee: autop Maschinenbau GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Naber
-
Patent number: RE39551Abstract: A method of dispensing food whereby food prepared at a first location is transported to a second location for dispensing in a working cycle characterized by the steps of apportioning the food onto a plurality of trays (20A, 20B) at the first location, loading the plurality of trays (20A, 20B) into a rack (15) to give, in combination, a spaced array of loaded trays; the spaced array having predetermined overall dimensions; transporting the spaced array to an intermediate location, placing the loaded rack into a containment (11) with an internal volume (12) of sufficient size to receive at least one spaced array; transporting the containment along with its spaced array or arrays to the second location; regenerating food in the spaced array while within the containment; dispensing loaded trays (20A, 20B) from the spaced array; and returning the racks (15) back to the first or some other location for re-use.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 1996Date of Patent: April 10, 2007Assignee: Burlodge LimitedInventor: Angelo Speranza