Patents Examined by Katherine Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9719298
    Abstract: A blind is arranged such that minimal force is required to rotate the tilt drum to tilt the slats from the fully open to the fully closed position and back, with each of the front and rear tilt cables sharing the load nearly equally throughout the entire path from the fully open to the fully closed position and back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: Donald E. Fraser, Richard N. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9722220
    Abstract: Element (12) for holding a power supply device (5) for supplying power to an actuator (4) for controlling a movable screen (3), the actuator causing a drive shaft to rotate, the holding element comprising a body (120) provided with a hole (125) for receiving at least part of the power supply device and a longitudinal slit (126) on at least part of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SOMFY SAS
    Inventors: Sébastien Lemaitre, Julien Peillex
  • Patent number: 9719297
    Abstract: A roller shade includes a frame unit (1), a micro-adjustment device (2) connected with the frame unit, and a shading unit (3) connected with the micro-adjustment device. The micro-adjustment device includes a drive shaft (21) mounted on the frame unit. The shading unit includes a first shade cloth (31) secured to a rear portion the drive shaft, a second shade cloth (32) secured to a front portion of the drive shaft, and a plurality of separation slats (33) mounted between the first shade cloth and the second shade cloth. When the shading unit is fully expanded, the inclined angle of each of the separation slats is adjusted by operation of the micro-adjustment device so as to regulate the lightness of the sunshine entering the house and to adjust the shading effect of the shading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Calendar Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ju-Huai Chen
  • Patent number: 9714536
    Abstract: Described are trimless door frames and energy absorbing door stops. The energy absorbing door stop allows for relative movement between the door stop and the surrounding door frame. The relative movement of the energy absorbing door stop helps to distribute and dissipate forces and vibrations from opening and closing a door, reducing the levels of force transferred into the surrounding wall. The reduction in forces applied to the wall allows for the elimination of heavy door framing and trim. Since door trim is no longer necessary, trimless door frames may be installed with a smooth appearance without cracks appearing in the surrounding wall due to stress or fatigue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: FRY REGLET CORPORATION
    Inventors: William J. Timko, Mark E. Brinkman
  • Patent number: 9708842
    Abstract: A garage door assembly that includes a torsion spring counterbalance apparatus mounted on a header wall above a garage door, the apparatus including at least one spring wound on a shaft, also includes a safety device. The safety device includes a capture device mounted on the header wall above the garage door, and a catch device attached to the shaft at a location proximate to the capture device on the header wall. The catch device rotates with the torsion spring counterbalance shaft, and the catch device is capable of extending away from the shaft under centrifugal force to engage the capture device and thereby stop the garage door from further free-falling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Buena Vista Investments Ltd.
    Inventor: Benjamin C. Giese
  • Patent number: 9708850
    Abstract: An arrangement for mounting an actuator button to a rail wherein the fastener for securing the button housing to the rail is hidden from view of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N Anderson, Eugene W Thompson, Robert E Fisher, II
  • Patent number: 9702173
    Abstract: A window lock assembly accomplishing FER manipulation protection against unintended window opening without using additional components in the typical FER lock assembly by using a passive barrier system to help prevent access to both the lock cam and lock lever handle. The device can include at least one lock assembly mounted on the interior side of the window's inner sash and having a locked and unlocked position. The lock assembly engages with at least one keeper mounted on the outer sash to secure the window. The lock assembly housing has a barrier extending outward from the bottom surface which effectively helps to block access to the cam. The lock assembly housing also has a shroud which extends from the top and side edges which partially or completely covers the keeper and effectively helps to block access to the lever handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Truth Hardware Corporation
    Inventor: Glen M. Wolf
  • Patent number: 9702188
    Abstract: A security shade for use in an automotive vehicle. The security shade includes a cassette having a roll tube arranged therein. The roll tube has a shade panel fixed to the roll tube at one end thereof. The security shade also includes a bearing arranged in an end of the roll tube and a spring housing arranged in an end of the cassette. A motor spring is arranged within the spring housing and is axially fixed with relation to the roll tube and the cassette. The security shade also includes an end cap arranged over an end of a cassette. The security shade has the compressible end cap over each end of the roll tube and cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Irvin Automotive Products, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph P. Wieczorek, Bryan Busha, Leslie R. Hinds, Gary James Clark
  • Patent number: 9701411
    Abstract: An evacuation slide comprises a sliding face having a top end portion adapted to be positioned adjacent to an exit of a region to be evacuated, and a bottom end portion adapted to be positioned adjacent to an escape route leading away from, and at a lower height, than the region. The sliding face, at the top end portion, comprises a flat porch section connected to an inclined section of the sliding face via a transition section. The sliding face has at least one of a first guidance marking placed in the flat porch section and having a shape and orientation adapted indicate a predefined evacuation direction in the inclined section of the sliding face and a second guidance marking placed in the transition section and having a shape and orientation adapted to indicate a separation between the flat porch section and the inclined section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Kohlmeier-Beckmann, Fred Raszpir, Gary Leegate
  • Patent number: 9702189
    Abstract: An energy saving apparatus for an electric roller shutter contains a curtain unit, a fixing unit, a signal receiver, and a controller. The curtain unit includes a driving shaft having a chamber and a rotary connecting portion, and the curtain unit also includes a driver and a curtain. The fixing unit is configured to fix the curtain unit and includes a mounting rack, a first seat, a second seat, and a rolling assembly which reduces power consumption of the driver and facilitates an upward rolling of the curtain, when the curtain rolls. The signal receiver is electrically connected with the driver and includes a casing, a coupling portion, a power supply module, and a receiving module. The controller is configured to send a signal to the receiving module in the casing of the signal receiver, such that the driver of the curtain unit is controlled by the controller to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Calendar Enterprises Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ju-Huai Chen
  • Patent number: 9702180
    Abstract: A driving module of a motor-driven power trunk includes a pivotable lid hinge configured to open or close the trunk lid. A main arm is pivotably installed in a vehicle body. A sub arm constrains the lid hinge and is linked to the main arm. A motor is provided on the main arm and is configured to pivot the main arm and the sub arm so as to automatically open or close the trunk lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Yong Hyuck Im
  • Patent number: 9701179
    Abstract: A motor vehicle accessory capable of shielding the interior of a car from the sun, specifically a device that can cover the entire interior surface of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Inventor: Alfredo P. Bernardo
  • Patent number: 9695632
    Abstract: A device for aid in feeding a cord through an opening wherein a U-shaped trough wall is provided at the inlet end of the opening to help collect and consolidate any loose ends of the cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Anderson, Robert E. Fisher
  • Patent number: 9694624
    Abstract: An automatic cover-opening device has a body, at least one cover panel and a recoil mechanism. The body has an insertion hole defined in the body. The at least one cover panel is mounted on the body and moveably closes the insertion hole. Each one of the at least one cover panel has a guiding segment having at least one guiding edge inclined relative to an axis of the insertion hole to guide an axial force along the axis of the insertion hole to a lateral direction non-parallel with the axis, so as to generate a lateral component force for opening the at least one cover panel. The recoil mechanism is disposed on the body to push the at least one cover panel to a closed position for closing the insertion hole. With such an arrangement, an automatic cover-opening device that can be applied for insertion of a rod-like object is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SDI Corporation
    Inventor: Szu-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 9695635
    Abstract: Various embodiments of an awning roller assembly is provided. The structure provides an awning roller tube having a first end and a second end with a powered groove extending between the ends, in full or in part. The powered groove includes a plurality of tracks having at least one electrical conductor in each track. An accessory base is provided for connection with a plurality of powered accessories, including but not limited to, lights, fans or audio-video equipment. The accessory base provides electrical connection between the powered groove and the accessory to provide improved function in the outdoor living space beneath and around the awning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Dometic Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Alan Taylor, Clayton Hendry Meyers, Kent A. Becker
  • Patent number: 9695024
    Abstract: A unique roadworthy boom trailer comprises a roadworthy wheeled chassis, four independently-adjustable trailer-leveling motorized legs attached to the bottom of the chassis, pneumatic-tool compressor built in the chassis, turret assembly attached to the top of the chassis, and on-site-extendable-interchangeable quick-release assemblies of boom, ladder, and catwalk rotatably attached to the turret assembly. The ladder assembly has safety rungs for safety cables to be hooked thereon. The catwalk assembly has adjustable telescopic safety handrails. The unique roadworthy boom trailer can work with suspension-cable-or-truss-type bridges, low-or-high-power-line bridges, short-or-tall-supporting-column bridges, single-or-multiple-lane bridges, and regular-or-rail-road bridges. The catwalk assembly can have multiple additional catwalk assemblies attached thereto to extend its width or length to generally equal the width or length of a bridge, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Inventor: Jeremy Herauf
  • Patent number: 9687102
    Abstract: A curtain hanger for hanging a curtain. The curtain hanger can be inserted into a pocket of a curtain. The curtain hanger can include a plurality of teeth or barbs that engage vertical stitches and/or pleats at edges of the pocket to hold the curtain hanger in the pocket. The teeth can be arranged at different widths and/or different angles such that the curtain hanger can be pinched to fit into pockets of different widths. The teeth can also be angled upwardly such that a tugging force on the curtain spreads the teeth apart and forces them into stronger engagement with the vertical stitches and/or pleats at the edges of the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Kenneth Slyter
  • Patent number: 9689201
    Abstract: A screen system for use with a sliding panel of a window or door is used to screen an opening as the sliding panel or door is opened. The screen is attached to the edge of the sliding panel adjacent the opening, and is wound onto a spindle. The spindle is rotatably mounted adjacent the screen opening around which the screen is wound so that the screen can be unwound from or wound onto the spindle. A cord is connected between the sliding panel and the spindle pulley via an idler pulley. In this arrangement the spindle is caused to rotate so as to wind the screen back onto the spindle as the sliding panel is slid towards the closed position. While the screen is wound off the spindle, the cord is wound onto the spindle pulley and vice versa. As the A tension adjustment arrangement can also be provided that is configured to adjust the tension in the cable as the screen is wound and unwound from the spindle due to the change in diameter of the cord around the spindle pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SCREENAWAY PTY LTD
    Inventors: John Riemelmoser, Concetta Antonina Riemelmoser, Kenneth Robert Doley, Mark Leslie Schmick
  • Patent number: 9689203
    Abstract: A barrier opening system for emergency escape and rescue comprises a vertical acting barrier device, an escape device, and a rescue device, the vertical acting barrier device winds a barrier via a winding shaft; a prestressed spring preloaded on the winding shaft for storing a restoring force when the barrier is unwound by the winding shaft; a brake mechanism for stopping the winding shaft from rotating; a brake release mechanism for releasing the winding shaft under an abnormal condition; an escape device comprising an identification unit and a master key for activating the brake release mechanism; the identification unit identifies a rescue personnel's identity before allowing the personnel to use the master key to activate the brake release mechanism; when the emergency button and/or the master key activate(s) the brake release mechanism to release the winding shaft, the barrier can be lifted up by the restoring force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Lawrence Roll-Up Doors, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Freberg, Paul Lawrence, Steve Hahn
  • Patent number: 9689199
    Abstract: A lift-cord guide for window blind is disclosed to include a roller holder including a pull cord inlet and a pull cord outlet extending in a perpendicular manner relative to the pull cord inlet, and a first guide roller rotatably mounted in the roller holder at the intersection between the extending direction of the pull cord inlet and the extending direction of the pull cord outlet. The axial direction of the first guide roller obliquely intersects with the extending direction of the pull cord inlet, and defines with the extending direction of the pull cord outlet a contained angle smaller than 90-degrees. Thus, the lift-cord guide of the invention effectively reduces the turning angle of the pull cords, and smoothens the operation to open or close the blind slats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: CHIN-FU CHEN
    Inventor: Chin-Fu Chen