Patents Examined by Joshua Rodden
  • Patent number: 9629403
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of securing and aligning a necktie on a shirt. The method includes an object with flexible material loops protruding from two sides of the object. The object is put through a necktie loop located on the rear portion of a necktie and remains in this position while the flexible material loops are then attached to the two closest buttons on a shirt. This method secures a necktie to a shirt, whereby ensuring that a necktie remains vertically aligned over the buttons on a shirt, while at the same time the invention remains hidden from view while in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
  • Patent number: 9629482
    Abstract: A reversible display device including a base-shelf having a planar surface, a back panel attached to the base-shelf, and at least one clip having an upward extending stop. The display device has a first orientation such that the planar surface is a base for the display device and a second orientation such that the planar surface is a top shelf for the display device. The clip is removably attached to the back panel such that the upward extending stop is oriented upward in either the first or the second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Inventor: Christopher Simone
  • Patent number: 9622595
    Abstract: A display rack having a display header with a contoured surface to provide for an insert to be disposed proximate a product. The contoured surface may have a series of concave indentations, convex protrusions, a horizontal bending edge or a series of V-shaped protrusions or indentations. The display header may be retrofitted onto an existing display rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventors: Burton Kozak, Ira Kozak
  • Patent number: 9622594
    Abstract: A product display unit for use on a shelf. The product display unit includes a bottom member and a tail. The bottom member has a track defining a longitudinal axis. The track is configured to support a plurality of products thereon. The tail is disposed in mechanical cooperation with a distal portion of the track. The tail is movable from a first position where the tail is parallel to the track to a second position where the tail is disposed at an angle with respect to the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Display Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Gommermann, Andrew Howard
  • Patent number: 9615481
    Abstract: A modular mount rack frame for storing mounted devices is described herein. A first embodiment of a mount rack frame includes a modular rigid support structure with linearly aligned apertures into which screws can reversibly insert to support a mounted device. In a second embodiment, first and second support structures are stacked and aligned vertically, and they mechanically attach to each other. In this second embodiment, either the first support structure or the second support structure can support the other while contacting a flat horizontal surface. Both first and second embodiments can attach to a rack base for mobility across the flat horizontal surface. Each rigid support structure is also laterally adjustable in horizontal length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Gorgius L. Yousif
  • Patent number: 9591931
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for holding and organizing articles that provides for easy addition of new holding elements to the system without the need to disturb existing system elements. The system includes holding “clips” that are deployable on the system “rail” by inserting a portion of the clip through a slot in the rail, at substantially any point along the length of the slot. The clip, upon being inserted into the rail, then lockingly engages the rail at substantially any point along the length of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Inventor: Meir Oren
  • Patent number: 9585288
    Abstract: A baffle plate assembly for installation in a rack structure is disclosed. In one aspect, the baffle plate assembly is configured to direct cooling air from a front side of the rack structure to cooling air inlet(s) of equipment located directly above the baffle plate assembly, and to block heated air from below or behind the baffle plate assembly from entering the equipment cooling air inlet(s). In one aspect, the baffle plate assembly includes a baffle plate defining a first surface plane, a pair of side plates, and a pair of mounting brackets. The side plates are configured to extend along the baffle plate while the mounting brackets may be attached to the side plates. In one aspect, the baffle plate first surface plane forms an oblique angle with respect to a plane defined by a first plate member of the mounting brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Clifton Cary Powers, Yiu Lam Chan, Chia-Hsing Liao, Ying-Chou Su
  • Patent number: 9578992
    Abstract: A coffee pod storage device to hold a pod of beverage may include a base to support the pod holder, a spacer to connect to the base, a disk to rotate with respect to the spacer, and a pad chair connected to the disk to pivot as the disk is rotated and to hold a beverage pod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Inventor: Bryan Knowlton
  • Patent number: 9573408
    Abstract: A hanging file folder for mounting to a pair of spaced apart rails is disclosed. The file folder has a first and second rod with a pair of hook portions on opposing ends thereof for engaging the pair of spaced apart rails. The file folder body has first and second walls forming a pocket for holding materials therein, and is assembled such that the pocket is suspended between the first and second rods. At least one of the first and second rods includes a resilient structure for permitting at least one of the hook portions to move longitudinally and adjust an effective length of its rod for accommodating variances in the angle at which folders are mounted on the rails. The resilient structure may include a tension spring, for example. The hook portions may be movably mounted to the rod and may include the resilient mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: LSC COMMUNICATIONS US, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Goodfellow, David Gruza, Christopher Holman, Candie Harris, Braden Jones
  • Patent number: 9549623
    Abstract: An expandable partitioning device includes a pair of slide bars. Each slide bar includes a pair of first cooperating surfaces for slideably connecting the other slide bar. The first slide bar has a plurality of recesses along its length. The second slide bar has a rotatable toggle switch with at least one locking member. When the toggle switch is engaged (rotated) the locking member(s) rotate into the recesses of the first slide bar, locking the relative positions of the two slide bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: InterDesign, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Benton Snell, Terry Michael Bailey
  • Patent number: 9545185
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a dishwashing apparatus having a utensil rack including a configurable rack layout, and a first rack layout adjustment device coupled to the utensil rack for configuring the rack layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joon J. Lee, SooYeon Kwon
  • Patent number: 9545154
    Abstract: A shelf assembly includes a shelf and a mounting structure for mounting the shelf on a substantially vertical surface. The shelf is pivotably mounted on the mounting bracket proximate the rear end and pivots from an open position to a closed position and from the closed position to the open position. An engagement structure on the shelf, which may optionally be positioned proximate the rear end of the shelf, is configured so that a force applied to the engagement structure when the shelf is in the closed position will urge the shelf toward the open position. The shelf assembly is particularly useful in hospital settings where hospital staff need to open and close the shelf without the use of their hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ERGO-INDUSTRIAL SEATING SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Aaron Duke
  • Patent number: 9545085
    Abstract: A coral holder resides in an aquarium and includes shelves with holes which accept coral plugs. The coral plugs are small round tables with cylindrical stems extending down from the table. Hobbyist take adult size living corals and “frag” them (i.e., cut the mother colony and break off a small section) and glue the coral fragments to the coral plugs. The coral plugs are inserted into the holes on the shelves providing a coral display. The holder includes a center section, a fixed top shelf and adjustable shelves. The adjustable shelves extend out sides and front of the center section and are adjustable allowing the aquarium owner to adjust the adjustable shelves accordingly to their needs (i.e., for the number of coral plugs). The positions of the shelves are fixed by inserting the coral plugs through the fixed top shelf and through the adjustable shelves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Inventor: Steven Yim
  • Patent number: 9538722
    Abstract: Provided is an animal litter that is less liable to scatter and in which the depth of the solids is less liable to increase when a liquid such as urine has been absorbed. An animal litter composed of a plurality of particulates having water absorbency, wherein the particulates contain: long grains having a granularity of 4 mm or more and less than 10 mm, and a length that is greater than the diameter; and short grains having a granularity of 4 mm or more and less than 10 mm, and a length that is no more than the diameter. The long grains are provided with a core part primarily composed of pulp, and a coating layer containing highly water-absorbent resin and used for coating the core part. The weight ratio of the short grains in total of the long grains and the short grains is 10%-50%, inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Hiroshima, Tomoko Hirao, Shinya Kaneko, Hidekazu Yamada, Takahiro Otomo
  • Patent number: 9538860
    Abstract: A merchandising system can include an elongated mounting member selectively securable to an associated shelf and a cooperating member received on the mounting member. The cooperating member can extend rearwardly over the associated shelf. The cooperating member can include an elongated body having a front end, and a rear end. The elongated body can include a base portion and a divider portion protruding from the base portion. A latch can be movably mounted to the cooperating member. The latch selectively engages the elongated mounting member to retard a sliding motion of the cooperating member on the mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Fasteners For Retail, Inc.
    Inventors: Thaddeus Brej, Shane Obitts, Gregory M. Bird
  • Patent number: 9539160
    Abstract: A medical appliance for use in a medical environment has a holding mechanism for holding the appliance on a support device assigned to the medical environment, and an attachment mechanism for attaching the appliance to at least one electrical connection line, wherein the holding mechanism is designed as at least one support bolt connected to a support structure of the appliance, and wherein the support bolt has the attachment mechanism. The invention also relates to a medical appliance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bernd Emmerich, Andreas Jansche
  • Patent number: 9526377
    Abstract: The Lid Storage System provides an organized and secure method of storing pot lids, decorative plates or other similar items on a mounting surface in an approximately vertical position. The system in its simplest form consists of one top bracket and two lower brackets for each lid. Each bracket may include a double-sided adhesive pad to affix each bracket to the mounting surface but may also include a passage for a fastener if needed. The top bracket includes a top flange that is longer than the lower flange of each lower bracket, which provides the needed clearance for the lid to slide up into the top bracket and clear the lower flange of each lower bracket for insertion and removal of the lids. The top bracket is arranged on the centerline of the lid and the lower brackets are arranged one on either side of the center line. The lid nests within the brackets in the stored position in which the lid also remains secured during any movement of the mounting surface such as a cabinet door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Inventor: Kendall Peter Weis
  • Patent number: 9527206
    Abstract: A tool suspension rack includes at least one first buckle groove longitudinally defined therein. The first buckle groove includes two buckling portion. At least one socket rack is partially and slidably received in the first buckle groove and laterally buckled into the two buckling portion. At least one end-piece is partially inserted into the at least one end of the tool suspension rack. A buckling hole is defined in a bottom of the at least one first buckle groove. The at least one end-piece includes a hook and a knob for operating the hook, wherein the hook is selectively engaged into the buckling hole. The knob for releasing the hook form the buckling hole extends toward the bottom surface of the tool suspension rack such that an operator presses the knob from the bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Inventor: Chih-Chien Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9523517
    Abstract: A mounting structure for a solar panel assembly, having a plurality of solar panels, includes a plurality of vertical support legs and a grid assembly. The grid assembly includes a plurality of north-south members and the east-west members. The plurality of north-south members include a plurality of elongated slots to allow attachment to the vertical support legs despite any manufacturing tolerances that may exist in the components. The plurality of east-west members include a plurality of elongated slots to allow attachment to the north-south members despite any manufacturing tolerances that may exist in the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Magna International Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Robert Warpup, Mark Francis Werner, Eric Anthony Powrozek, Peter Mykolaj Szadyr, David Wayne Cummings
  • Patent number: 9510558
    Abstract: An area for accommodating a domestic animal, which is arranged to receive the excretions thereof and which includes an animal discharge-pipe leading into a human discharge-pipe placed between an area for accommodating humans, which is arranged to receive the excretions of the latter, and a sewage-discharge pipeline, the area for accommodating a domestic animal further including a rotatable sealing device having a first position for enabling the animal excretions to be received, and a second position for enabling the animal excretions to be discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: ALTERNATECH
    Inventor: M. Tanguy Tilmant