Patents Examined by Katherine Mitchell
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Patent number: 9630033Abstract: A method of handling fall protection systems (2) in association with towers, pylons and masts includes climbing a tower (5), securing a guide channel (10) to a top portion (6) of the tower, extending a fall protection guide line (20) through the guide channel, connecting a first end (3) of a fall protection system (2) to a first end (21) of the guide line (20), extending the fall protection system (2) through the secured guide channel (10) by pulling a second end (22) of the guide line, securing the first end (3) of the fall protection system to a ground (G) level fixing point (8) and securing a second end (4) of the fall protection system to personal protection equipment worn by a worker. An assembly (1) for handling fall protection systems in association with towers, pylons and masts is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2012Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: ANCSAFE ABInventor: Kaj Jansson
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Patent number: 9627866Abstract: A door for an arc-resistant compartment includes an opening there-through. Flap structure includes a flap member coupled to the door and movable between an opened position permitting air to pass through the opening, and a closed position covering the opening. Spring structure is engaged with the flap member to bias the flap member to the closed position. Handle structure is coupled to the flap member and extends through the door for moving the flap member to the opened position against the bias of the spring structure. Retaining structure provides a retaining force on the flap member to retain the flap member in the open position, against the bias of the spring structure. During an arcing event in the compartment, pressure within the compartment together with the bias of the spring structure overcomes the retaining force to automatically move the flap member to the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2014Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AGInventors: Rahul Pawar, Alessandro Bonfanti, Jerry Earl
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Patent number: 9623269Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to an assisted braking belay system with a housing, camming mechanism, and clutch mechanism. The housing may include a substantially enclosed rope channel through which a rope may extend to the climber. The camming mechanism is moveably coupled to the housing and configured to automatically engage a camming surface upon the rope across the rope channel if the rope translates through the channel at a particular acceleration rate. The clutch mechanism may function as a secondary locking mechanism to engage the camming surface of the camming mechanism upon the rope across the rope channel.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2014Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.Inventors: Paul Oddou, Jake Hall, Bill Belcourt, Ben Walker
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Patent number: 9624720Abstract: A system in accordance with the invention includes a video display adapter, such as a USB or HDMI dongle, configured to generate a signal when a video display (e.g., a television, projector, etc.) is turned on or off. A controller receives the signal and automatically actuates a motorized window covering in response to the signal. In certain embodiments, the motorized window covering receives the signal directly from the video display adapter without requiring any intervening electronic devices. A corresponding method is also disclosed herein.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Inventor: David R. Hall
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Patent number: 9624721Abstract: A roller blind assembly is described that is made at least in part with a laminate material that includes a roller blind screen and a non-woven backing material applied to the roller blind screen by pressure or heat. If an adhesive is used, the adhesive can be applied to the front side of the non-woven backing material, after which the front side of the non-woven backing material is then attached or bonded to the rear side of the roller blind screen to form the roller blind laminate material. When placed in an architectural opening, such as a window, the roller blind laminate material can reduce or diffuse the light transmission in a room to create a diffused, opaque, or shielded view to the outside while still providing a warm ambiance to an architectural structure or room.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Hunter Douglas, Inc.Inventor: Ronald S. Rubinoff
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Patent number: 9624719Abstract: In one aspect, a cellular shade for an architectural opening may generally include a plurality of outer cells, with each outer cell including a first side and a second side extending between a first junction line and a second junction line. In addition, the cellular shade may include a first inner cell and a second inner cell defined within each outer cell between the first and second junction lines. The first inner cell may be formed from a first inner web forming a substantially closed shape defining a first internal cell area. The second inner cell may be formed from a second inner web forming a substantially closed shape defining a second internal cell area.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2015Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Hunter Douglas, Inc.Inventor: John D. Rupel
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Patent number: 9624708Abstract: A closure is described. In a preferred embodiment a novel door roller is presented that is more resistant to a dislodgement force. The door roller comprises a bearing that rolls on a piece of round stock that is part of a door guide. When a dislodgement force is imposed on the door, the door bows and the bearing contacts the stock preventing dislodgement of the door roller from its track and allow the door to remain operational.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2015Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: CIW Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Balay, Joseph Balay
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Patent number: 9624637Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flood vent includes a frame forming a fluid passageway through an opening in a structure. The flood vent further includes a door pivotally mounted to the frame in the fluid passageway for allowing a fluid to flow through the fluid passageway. The door has two opposing faces that include a first face and a second face. The flood vent further includes a first float positioned within the door in a location in-between the first face and a second float. Additionally, the first float is configured to allow the door to pivot in a first direction. The flood vent further includes the second float positioned within the door in a location in-between the second face and the first float. Furthermore, the second float is configured to allow the door to pivot in a second direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2015Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Smart Vent Products, Inc.Inventors: Winfield Scott Anderson, Jr., Tom Little, James Rycek, Michael J. Graham
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Patent number: 9615687Abstract: A curtain assembly comprises a rotatable drive element wherein at least one helical guide structure is formed on, or into, the outer surface of the drive element. A drive attachment element having a structure that communicates with the helical guide structure to move the drive attachment element axially along the drive element when the drive element is rotated. Specific embodiments incorporate either a manual or motor-driven rotation assembly for rotating the drive element. Further specific embodiments involve a helical guide structure that comprises a helical groove and a structure that comprises a tooth that engages with the helical groove.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2015Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Current Products Corp.Inventors: Willis Jay Mullet, Daniel T. Matthews, Michael D. Fox
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Patent number: 9617788Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a folding step stool that is, in one embodiment, mounted and stored within a cabinet. Children and short adults are typically not tall enough to readily access a kitchen or bathroom sink. Accordingly, many homes have a portable step stool located in the kitchen or bathroom. While effective, one problem with such a portable step stool is storage of the stool when not in use. Aspects of the present invention are directed to a folding step stool that may be mounted within an interior of a cabinet. When not in use, the entirety of the folding step stool may be disposed within an interior of the cabinet to permit closure of the cabinet door. Likewise, when needed, the cabinet door may be opened and the step stool may be deployed to provide one or more steps for use in accessing a counter or sink above the cabinet.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2014Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Inventor: John W. Goodson
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Patent number: 9617777Abstract: A vehicle window opening device includes a controlling portion, which controls opening/closing operation of a vehicle window based on drive force of a drive portion, a manipulation portion, which outputs a command signal in response to manipulation, and a catching detecting portion, which detects catching of a foreign object by the vehicle window based on a characteristic value of the drive portion that fluctuates in accordance with fluctuation in load acting on the vehicle window during an opening operation. The control portion is configured to control the opening operation, the closing operation, or both the opening and closing operations of the vehicle window based on manipulation of the manipulation portion after detection of catching by the catching detecting portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: ASMO CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroki Aoshima, Keitaro Sato
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Patent number: 9617786Abstract: An apparatus for retaining a blind comprises: a first elongate element for attachment to a supporting structure; a second elongate element attachable to the first elongate element, in order to at least partially form a guide track providing a guide channel in which a part to be guided may be constrained, the first and second elements together at least partially defining the external surfaces of the guide track. The second elongate element is attachable to the first elongate element by displacement of the second element relative to the first element. The direction of displacement may be a direction substantially transverse to the direction of elongation of the first element.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2015Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: FREEDOM SCREENS OF AUSTRALIA PTY LTDInventor: Anthony Gerard Roberts
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Patent number: 9611682Abstract: A device for a movable furniture part having a first stop part which can be attached to a body and is connected via a joint mechanism to a second stop part which can be attached to the movable furniture part for pivoting of the movable furniture part. A damping device is provided, and includes a damper housing and an inner part which is received on the damper housing, which damper housing and inner part can be moved with respect to one another, and the damper housing or the inner part serving as a contact part which, for the damping operation, comes at least temporarily into contact with a section of the device, which section can be moved during the pivoting of the furniture part. A setting mechanism is provided, by way of which setting of the damping action which is provided by way of the damping device can be performed.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2014Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Grass America, Inc.Inventors: Kurt Forster, Georg Domenig, Manfred Peer, Cheng Jiang
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Patent number: 9605479Abstract: A sliding screen window for a garage door may be built into new garage doors or may be sold separately for installation on existing garage doors. The window would generally, but not necessarily, be installed on the top panel of a garage door. The screen panel may be oblong in shape or may feature a decorative pattern of screened and non-screened shapes. Behind the screen is a plurality of transparent or opaque sliding plates that may be moved aside to allow air to flow through the garage door.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Inventor: Carla Muto
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Patent number: 9605476Abstract: An apparatus in accordance with the invention includes a motor and a gearbox coupled to the motor and comprising an output shaft configured to actuate a window covering. A position encoder, directly driven by the output shaft, is configured to measure at least one of an angular position and a number of rotations of the output shaft. The angular position and number of rotations may be used to calculate an angular position of slats of a window blind and/or an amount a window covering is opened or closed. A corresponding method is also disclosed herein.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2015Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Inventor: David R. Hall
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Patent number: 9605456Abstract: A door assistant includes a generally wedge-shaped portion and a handle. The wedge-shaped portion includes a surface defined between a first lower end and a second higher end. The handle includes a generally vertically extending portion and a grasping portion. The handle operates between a first orientation in which the grasping portion is aligned with the wedge shaped portion, and a second orientation in which the grasping portion is aligned with a surface of a door when the door assistant is in use. The handle places the wedge-shaped portion in a desired position relative to a lower edge of a door by a user. The door assistant further includes a foot pad extending rearwardly from the wedge-shaped portion, and has a surface sloping downward from the second higher end to the first lower end.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: S & G GLOBAL SERVICES PTY LIMITEDInventors: Geoff Booker, Sean Devine, Michael Hort
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Patent number: 9605474Abstract: An apparatus for use with an overhead garage door includes an extensible screen that is provided in a screen assembly that is embedded within opening provided in a garage floor. A pair of horizontal and vertical recesses are provided on opposite sides of the opening to secure the screen assembly within the opening. The screen is wound on a spring-biased center roller disposed in a cylinder of the screen assembly. A top of the screen is secured to a strip. A pair of angled plates are disposed on opposite sides of the strip and are hingedly attached to the cylinder. When the garage door is lowered and extension of the screen is desired, a pair of pivot assemblies provided on the door bottom engage with the strip. As the door is raised, the strip and screen are extended from the screen assembly to cover an opening into the garage.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2013Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Inventor: Glen Roy McCauley
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Patent number: 9598851Abstract: A lightweight watertight cover that is easily installed and positively secured in place, which provides a reliable seal to prevent flood water from entering openings such as subway ventilation shaft gratings and other porous openings that serve as entry point for flood water.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: ILC COVER LPInventors: David Phillip Cadogan, Daniel James Gleeson, Jonathan Michael Hinkle, Jeffrey Lewis Roushey
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Patent number: 9598900Abstract: A stored energy emergency barrier release device comprising a barrier and a barrel member for storing the barrier thereon. The barrel member is rotatable on a stationary counterbalance shaft and a push down shaft. The release device further includes a push down spring coupled to the push down shaft for storing potential energy in order to exert a closing force on the barrier when the release device is positioned from an engaged position to a released position. The release device includes a reset mechanism interfaced with the push down spring for transmitting a lifting torque to the push down spring in response to moving the barrier from a first position to a second position to store energy within the push down spring.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Overhead Door CorporationInventors: Dwayne Joseph Kornish, Alvin Eiterman
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Patent number: 9598894Abstract: A closure includes a panel closing against a frame. A set of abutment surfaces for supporting the panel against applied forces is completed by a displaceable abutment block which selectively assumes an engaged state disposed between an abutment surface of the panel and an abutment surface of a strike jamb. The geometry of engagement is such that forces acting on the abutment block opposing opening of the panel are primarily compressive forces. Certain implementations additionally, or alternatively, employ abutment blocks for locking along the lintel or the threshold of the opening.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2016Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: DAN RAZ LTD.Inventor: Amir Raz
