Patents Examined by Hiwot Tefera
  • Patent number: 9357840
    Abstract: A shelving apparatus includes a frame structure formed with vertical members and horizontal members and a shelf adjustable between positions and supported, at each position, by the vertical members. The vertical members and horizontal members define a volume therebetween, and each of the vertical members include notches formed on a vertical surface of the vertical member. The shelf includes a frame; a product surface coupled with the frame; a first rod coupled to the frame and insertable into at least a portion of a respective notch of one of the vertical members; and a second rod coupled to the frame and insertable into at least a portion of a respective notch of another of the vertical members. The second rod is forcibly biased, by a biasing member coupled with the frame, against at least one of the vertical members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ADCO Industries—Technologies, L.P.
    Inventor: Raymond E. Davis
  • Patent number: 9359707
    Abstract: An appliance control panel assembly is provided including an upper fascia part and an angled lower base part. The control panel assembly may attach to the top surface of an appliance, such as a laundry machine, and may be removable. The upper fascia part may be configured to be slidably engaged to the angled lower base part and releasably connected to the angled lower base part by one or more flexible hooks and hook seats. The flexible hooks may be located on either the upper fascia part or the angled lower base part. The control panel assembly may also include disassembly holes through which an instrument can be inserted to deform the hooks and disconnect the upper fascia part from the angled lower base part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Alberto Bas
  • Patent number: 9339128
    Abstract: A display fixture includes a base, a platform, a lattice structure, a raised shelf and a plurality of bins. The base includes an open top, a bottom floor and walls that define an interior space that is divided into sections using a plurality of partitions. The platform is located on top of the base. The raised shelf is located over the lattice structure and on top of a portion of the platform. The plurality of bins are located on the platform and on the raised shelf and are configured to display merchandise. The lattice structure and the raised shelf provide structural support for bearing a weight of merchandise located on the raised shelf. The base and the partitions dividing the base provide structural support for bearing a weight of merchandise located on the raised shelf and the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura L. Hawkins, Michael D. Kimmel
  • Patent number: 9326603
    Abstract: A slide rail includes: a rail assembly 2; an inner rail 4 mounted on the rail assembly 2, and slidable in a longitudinal direction of the rail assembly 2; and a locking arm 5 a rear end portion of which is secured to a surface of the inner rail 4 facing the rail assembly 2, and a front end portion of which is a free end, wherein the locking arm 5 has a lock protrusion portion 5a that, when pulling out the inner rail 4 from the rail assembly 2, locks slide at a predetermined position, and wherein the rail assembly 2 has a lock hole 2a for catching the lock protrusion portion 5a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Misa Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9314098
    Abstract: A sleeve for a shelving unit has two halves joined together to form two support tabs extending outward from opposing sides of the sleeve as the sleeve clamps around a post having grooves into which a rib on the sleeve fits to hold the parts relative to the post. The support tabs have a retaining flange offset from the sleeve. A first collar part fastened to a shelf fits over half the sleeve and fits into that offset so that a slot in the first collar part fits over one of the support tabs to clamp them to the post and support the first collar part and shelf. The retaining flange keeps the collar part from moving off the support tab. A second collar part with a second slot may fit over the other support tabs to support a second shelf or to further clamp the sleeve to the post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Pro-Mart Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Azad Sabounjian
  • Patent number: 9307834
    Abstract: A vertical frame for a display stand to store and display various articles is manufactured in the shape of a prefabricated block, and then is assembled in multiple stages. The vertical frame includes a body which is formed in a shape of a prefabricated block and is assembled to each other in multiple stages to support a shelf, a vertical length of the body being optionally adjusted by selection of a user; a body engaging member which protrudes upwardly from both sides or one side of a top surface of the body, and has an insertion groove of which one side is opened; a body engaging groove which is formed on a bottom surface of the body at a position corresponding to a formation position of the body engaging member, so as to guide the body engaging member and a body locking boss to an engaging position; and the body locking boss which protrudes from the body engaging groove and is fitted into the insertion groove when the bodies are assembled to each other in multiple stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Inventor: Jae Wook Han
  • Patent number: 9307838
    Abstract: A fishing rod holder preferably includes a rod holder base, a rod holder pad and a suction cup. The rod holder base includes a tubular body, a pair of attachment flanges and a pair of retention flanges. A U-shaped slot is formed in the tubular body. Each attachment flange extends outward from the tubular body. The pair of retention flanges terminate a top of the tubular body to retain the rod holder pad. The rod holder pad includes a rod hole, which communicates with a rod slot. The rod holder pad is retained in the tubular body. A suction cup hole is formed through each attachment flange to receive a fastener. The pair of suction cup holes are spaced apart to match the hole pattern of the suction cup. The tubular body is secured to the suction cup with a pair of fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Inventor: Michael A. Blavat
  • Patent number: 9303917
    Abstract: A vegetable container for a refrigerator includes a case having an opening formed at a front thereof, the case being provided with a receiving space to receive objects to be stored, a drawer to seal an interior of the case, a discharge port formed through a bottom surface of the case to discharge water from the case, a negative pressure part to lower pressure in the case, and an opening and closing valve to open and close the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ahreum Park, Sanggyun Lee, Yongjoo Park
  • Patent number: 9301604
    Abstract: A shelf extender that is designed to be connected to a shelf of an existing shelf system to increase a total depth of a shelf of the shelf system. The shelf extender includes a body portion and a connection arrangement. The shelf extender can include one or more legs and/or support flanges. The body portion has a generally flat and planar top surface. The top surface generally has a depth that is less than a depth of a top surface of the shelf. The connection arrangement generally lies in the same plane as the top surface of the body portion. The connection arrangement is connected to the body portion and includes a connector designed secure the connection arrangement to a top surface of the existing shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Aaron Misener, Curtis Taylor
  • Patent number: 9297572
    Abstract: An appliance is provided. The appliance includes a cabinet, a door mounted to the cabinet and a handle. The appliance also includes features for pivotally mounting the handle to the door and for urging the door away from the cabinet when the handle pivots. The features can also assist with limiting or reducing a gap between the handle and the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Bischoff, Eugenio Gomez, Sanjay Pallipurath Sreenarayanan, Sandip Kashinathappa Shetty
  • Patent number: 9290880
    Abstract: Provided is a laundry treatment machine which may include at least one hinge that supports a lid on a main body. The hinge may include a hinge housing, an elastic member disposed inside the hinge housing, and a pair of cams disposed in the housing to move in linkage with the lid and the elastic member. The cams may include contact surfaces that are inclined relative to each other in an axial direction of the cams, and when a contact surface of one of the cams slides along a contact surface of the other cam, a distance between the pair of cams may be changed to deform the elastic member. The contact surface of at least one of the cams may be divided into at least three sections by a prescribed angular range along the circumferential direction, each of the three sections having a separate contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Youngbae Park, Yongjun An
  • Patent number: 9267313
    Abstract: A closure device for a drawer cabinet, comprising a linear guide (2), activating pins (7) attachable to respective drawers (102), a plurality of cam elements (6) slidably coupled to the guide (2) and stacked along the guide (2), each of said cam elements (6) to receive a translation movement along the guide (2) following a movement of the activating pins (7), a plurality of spacing elements (10) cooperating with the cam elements (6) and each of the spacing elements being movable between an operating position, in which it is arranged between two respective cam elements (6) keeping the two cam elements (6) spaced apart from each other, and an inoperative position, wherein there is movement away from a zone of mutual contact between the two respective cam elements (6) to allow a movement towards each other between the two respective cam elements (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: FAMI S.R.L.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Frison, Giuseppe Tosin
  • Patent number: 9250009
    Abstract: With a domestic appliance comprising a carcass (1), a door (2) hinged to the carcass (1) and a frame (8, 9, 10) fastened to the carcass (1) and surrounding the edges of the door (2), a foliate anti-trap element (17) extends from the door (2) through a recess (12) of the frame (8, 9, 10) to a hinge-side side wall (11) of the carcass (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Kentner, Karl-Friedrich Laible
  • Patent number: 9247810
    Abstract: A device for storing utensils, especially tools, comprises at least one storage tray unit (1) for accommodating utensils to be stored, which storage tray unit can be connected to a carrying unit (5) for carrying the storage tray unit (1) and can be removed from the carrying unit (5). The storage tray unit (1) comprises at least one lug (12, 13, 14) which can be inserted into a receiving groove (8) of the carrying unit (5) in order to connect the storage tray unit (1) to the carrying unit (5), the storage tray unit (1) connected to the carrying unit (5) projecting from the carrying unit (5). In order to connect the storage tray unit (1) to the carrying unit (5) in various angular positions, different lugs (12, 13, 14) of the storage tray unit (1) can be inserted into the receiving groove (8) of the carrying unit (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: METZLER GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Metzler
  • Patent number: 9247814
    Abstract: A slide rail assembly for mounting a lateral side of a chassis to a rack includes first and second rails and a ball assembly. A sidewall of the second rail has a mounting portion to be mounted to a mounting member on the lateral side of the chassis. The ball assembly, movably mounted between the rails to facilitate relative sliding thereof, includes a ball retainer whose lateral portion corresponds in position to the space between a sidewall of the first rail and the sidewall of the second rail. The sidewall of the second rail includes a projecting block for pushing the lateral portion of the ball retainer, keeping the lateral portion close to the sidewall of the first rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: King Slide Works Co., Ltd., King Slide Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken-Ching Chen, Shun-Ho Yang, Chun-Yi Ho, Chun-Chiang Wang
  • Patent number: 9232858
    Abstract: The invention concerns a stabilizer shoe (13) intended for a shelf (1) for storing objects, which has on its corner points vertical longitudinal posts (2) with lockable recesses (7). Into which a strut (8) provided with mounting hooks (12) is suspended, which possesses a prestressed, open upward retaining pocket (10), in which one or several shelf bottoms (3) are held in a self-clamping manner. The stabilizer shoe (13) is designed as a separate one-piece component and substantially in the form of an L. One branch (14) is designed flat and is inserted between the longitudinal post (2) and the strut (8). The other branch (15) has respectively a right-angled folded edge (17) at its opposed longitudinal sides and hence forms a U-shaped profile (18), into which the longitudinal external side (4) of a shelf bottom (3) is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventor: Gottfried Scholz
  • Patent number: 9224417
    Abstract: A casing is provided which includes a housing for receiving an extractable element and an extractor member mounted in the vicinity of the housing. The extractor member includes a tilting cam having a bearing end extending into the housing and an actuation end co-operating with a slidable lever having a drivable first end and a second end provided with a recess having the actuation end of the cam passing therethrough. The actuation end of the tilting cam includes a rear edge provided with an indentation and resilient return means holding said rear edge pressed against a rear end of the recess so that the rear end of the recess drops into the indentation at the end of insertion of the extractable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SAGEMCOM BROADBAND SAS
    Inventors: Stéphane Hergault, Grégory Sonjon, Dominique Susini
  • Patent number: 9222723
    Abstract: A refrigerator comprising a cabinet, a liner disposed within the cabinet and defining an interior fresh food compartment, a wine rack rotatably mounted within the fresh food compartment, the wine rack comprising a substantially planar plate having a first end and a second end with at least one aperture sized to receive a neck portion of a bottle to hold the bottle substantially horizontally in a cantilever fashion; a pair of attachment elements disposed on the first end and second end of the substantially planar plate to support the substantially planar plate and configured to secure the substantially plate to the refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Michael S. Seeley
  • Patent number: 9212019
    Abstract: A rack display including a base having a front panel with a plurality of horizontal and vertical slots included thereon; left and right side panels extending from sides of the front panel; a back panel extending between the left and right side panels; and one or more shelf members including horizontal and vertical tabs. The shelf members are secured to the base by inserting the vertical and horizontal tabs within the vertical and horizontal slots respectively. The rack display is erected from a knockdown configuration by securing the shelf members to the front panel of the base via insertion of the horizontal and vertical tabs within the horizontal and vertical slots respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Vanguard Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry Ryan Frost
  • Patent number: 9161625
    Abstract: A slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a second rail, a third rail, a support member and a resilient member. The second rail is slidably connected to the first rail to which the third rail is connected. The support member is movably connected to the third rail and has a side portion and a stop portion. The side portion has at least one first slot, and a first connecting member extends through the at least one first slot and is connected to the third rail. The resilient member generates an elastic force in response to a relative movement between the support member and the third rail. The support member is movable relative to the third rail and contacts against the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignees: King Slide Works Co., Ltd., King Slide Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken-Ching Chen, Shun-Ho Yang, Chien-Li Huang, Chun-Chiang Wang