Patents Examined by Kofi Schulterbrandt
  • Patent number: 6729594
    Abstract: A stopper structure for a seat lifter includes a stopper formed at another end of a connecting rod to abut on a connecting shaft when a cushion frame is located in a lifting limit position and a lowering limit position with respect to the base frame. When the cushion frame is located in the lifting limit position, the stopper restricts rotation of a sector gear in the direction of lifting the cushion frame with respect to the base frame. When the cushion frame is located in the lowering limit position, the stopper restricts rotation of the sector gear in the direction of lowering the cushion frame with respect to the base frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Kiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Isao Ikegaya
  • Patent number: 6726165
    Abstract: In a bracket connecting structure, hooks (8) are respectively provided on one end side and another end side of a surface of a base plate (7) of a panel-side bracket (5), the hooks are engaged with opposing peripheral edge portions of an opening (201) formed in a trim (200), so as to fix the panel-side bracket (5) to the trim, and a thin-walled portion (25) which traverses an intermediate portion of the base plate between the hook on the one end side and the hook on the other end side is provided in the base plate. Thus the base plate is made deflectable at that portion. The thin-walled portion (25) is formed by forming a U-shaped groove (23) of the base plate, and the U-shaped groove is used as a groove for passing a flat cable (20) through the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Sawayanagi, Isao Yoneyama, Goro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6726162
    Abstract: An apparatus for holding a bow in a position to be used with minimal movement required by the user. The apparatus comprises an elongated rod being formed of a predetermined material and consisting of at least one section. A connection member is engageable with a first end of the elongated rod for securing the elongated rod to a tree. The apparatus includes a hook like member and a means disposed at a second end of said elongated rod for enabling said hook like member to be rotatably engaged therein with a second end of said elongated rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Inventor: Arnold Winter
  • Patent number: 6726169
    Abstract: A fixing assembly for a ceiling fan includes a main frame secured on the ceiling and having a bracket downward extending from the main frame. The bracket is provided to hold a motor of the ceiling fan in place. A housing is connected to the main frame for covering the motor of the ceiling fan. At least one pushing device is partially and slidably received in one end of the main frame to push an inner periphery of the housing for holding the housing in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Inventor: Ming-Chi Tseng
  • Patent number: 6722619
    Abstract: A mounting bracket generally comprises a plate and a pair of laterally spaced prongs connected to the plate. Each prong has a first portion extending rearwardly and a second portion extending downwardly. The second portion of each prong has a vertical height less than or equal to a diameter of the mounting apertures, whereby the bracket may be attached to the vertical support without rotating the bracket, thereby saving retail space. An interior chamber is defined by the rear surface of the plate and the inner surfaces of the prongs. The interior chamber has a horizontal width less than or equal to the thickness of the vertical support such that the rear and inner surfaces firmly engage the vertical support and attach the mounting bracket thereto. Preferably, the bracket further includes a second pair of laterally spaced prongs structured similarly to the first pair of prongs but vertically spaced therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Southern Imperial, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley C. Valiulis, Craig Zadak
  • Patent number: 6718710
    Abstract: A post mount for affixing a construction member having a cavity to a floor includes a support block, an adjustment plate, a plurality of adjustment bolts threadably mounted to the adjustment plate, a bearing plate, a plurality of optional compression pins, a clamping plate, a bolt extending therethrough, and a nut connected to the bolt. The support block is fixedly attached to the floor and is slidingly received in the cavity. The post mount securely affixes the post to the floor and permits the post to be oriented plumb with the vertical direction and provides support to allow the post to withstand moderate shock loading to the lower end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Robert E. Platt
  • Patent number: 6719381
    Abstract: A protective enclosure is disclosed that provides protection and energy management for a sensitive or fragile part or device that can be enclosed. The enclosure comprises one or more rigid structural components and one or more soft touch surface components from which one or more ribs originate and pass through the rigid structural component(s) to provide the energy management for the part or device when it is enclosed. The soft touch surface and rib material can be a low modulus, plastic material such as a thermoplastic elastomer and can optionally be foamed to provide further softness for the soft touch surface effect and/or for the energy management needs in the pass through ribs. Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a particularly suitable thermoplastic. It has also been found that the protective enclosure can be designed to utilize the soft touch component to provide a substantially continuous liquid and dust resistant seal for any moveable or removable structural components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Cleereman, Michael E. Hus, Jeffrey D. Wenzel, Joseph A. Langmaid, Frank J. Flavin, Mary M. Hoagland
  • Patent number: 6719256
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a resilient glide for a chair's leg for minimizing the noise that normally occurs when a chair is moved along a floor. The glide comprises a flexible element with a small contact area against the floor in order to minimize friction. The flexible element comes off from a contact surface for the chair's leg arranged in a sleeve intended to surround the leg and is forming an integral part of said sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Produktutveckling I Sverige Hb
    Inventors: Jan Rydell, Tomas Eriksson
  • Patent number: 6715725
    Abstract: A bracket for attachment to a railing spindle includes an elongate socket body composed of resilient, elastomeric material and having a forward sidewall, lateral opposed sidewalls, and rearward sidewall portions defining an elongate chamber therebetween. An elongate access channel is defined between the rearward sidewall portions having a width nominally less than the width of a railing spindle. Outward biasing force is exerted upon the lateral sidewalls of the socket body and acts to widen the access channel and allow passage of the railing spindle in the socket body chamber. Release of the biasing force allows the lateral sidewalls and the rearward sidewalls to resume an original relationship and narrow the access channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Inventor: Robert S. Chipka
  • Patent number: 6715727
    Abstract: A container holder for holding a container therein is formed of a box member having an opening, and a lid member for opening and closing the opening of the box member. Axial plates extend from end portions of the lid member. Engaging projections are formed on the axial plates or the side surfaces of the box member to project toward the side surfaces or the axial plate, and guide dent sections with bottom surfaces are formed on the outer side surfaces of the box member or the axial plates for engaging the engaging projection therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventor: Tohru Sambonmatsu
  • Patent number: 6712328
    Abstract: An apparatus for the display and presentation of materials, such as an artist's painting or other presentation material, has a first planar member that is pivotally attached to a second planar member and adapted to rotate at least ninety degrees about an axis passing therethrough from a first, landscape orientation into a second, portrait orientation. A lip is attached to the second planar member for supporting the material. A third planar member is hingedly attached to the second planar member and is adapted to pivot about a hinge in an arc. A cord and retainer limits the maximum amount of pivot of the third planar member away from the second planar member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Inventor: Richard Joseph Morton
  • Patent number: 6705575
    Abstract: A disposable bag including a stand, the bag including an opening with a plurality of resilient overlapping leaves through which disposable items are inserted. The outer periphery of the bag has a flange that rests on a corresponding support ring of the stand. The bag includes an attached lid with a peripheral lip that snaps onto the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Inventor: Marian A. Hoy
  • Patent number: 6702238
    Abstract: An adjustable supporting device for a display panel includes a stationary supporting member having a tube portion disposed uprightly on a base portion, and a movable rod member movably extended into and in friction engagement with the tube portion. The rod member includes a rod body coupled to a display panel and formed with an inner recess, and a mounting cap mounted on the rod body and cooperating with the inner recess so as to confine a receiving space. A biasing member has a straight coupling portion coupled to the tube portion of the stationary supporting member, and a spiral portion connected to the coupling portion and disposed in the receiving space. The mounting cap is formed with a positioning unit for positioning the spiral portion of the biasing member in the receiving space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Top Victory Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Yueh Wang
  • Patent number: 6702246
    Abstract: A leveling device for heavy loads having a weldable base (10) and a cast iron cover (12) secured thereto with a wedge (32) disposed within the cover (12) and slidably supported on the base (10), a wedge follower (58) resting on the wedge (32) and extending through the cover (12), a spherical washer (106) seated at an upper end of the wedge follower (58), an adjusting screw (82) for adjusting the position of the wedge (32) within the cover (12), and a wedge position indicator (96) extending upwardly through the cover (12) to show the position of the wedge (32) therewithin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Inventor: Frederick G. Schriever
  • Patent number: 6698474
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in handling a bag. The apparatus includes a center support member, a bag tensioner mounted to the support member and a pair of spaced apart tines mounted to the tensioner and extending downwardly with respect to the tensioner. The tines have a length greater than a length of the bag sides and a width for defining an opening in a bag. The tensioner is adjustable from a bag tensioning position to a bag release position, such that in the release position the first and second tines are disposed at the bag release distance such that the tines are insertable into the open end of the bag. When a bag is mounted on the tines and the apparatus is set upon a flat surface, the support member and the tines locate the apparatus such that an opening in the bag is readily accessible for loading food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: William J. Trsek
  • Patent number: 6698694
    Abstract: A tube position limiter comprises a supporting frame for locking to a wall and a positioning cylinder for receiving a tube. A center of the supporting frame is formed with a receiving hole for receiving the positioning cylinder. A top of the positioning cylinder is formed with a curl lip for receiving the tube. The positioning cylinder is placed into the receiving hole so that the curl lip of the positioning cylinder exactly places on the supporting frame. The helical wound tube is placed in a bottom of the positioning cylinder. A water inlet end of the tube exactly protrudes from a via hole at a bottom of the positioning cylinder. In use of the tube, the curl lip of the positioning cylinder has a round opening so that the tube is taken out easily. When it is desired to wind the tube, the tube is wound easily and conveniently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: Wen Li Kao
  • Patent number: 6698706
    Abstract: In a mirror of a motor vehicle, a mirror support, having a mirror plate thereon, is movable about two mutually perpendicular axes relative to a mounting plate fixedly present in the housing of the mirror plate. Between the mirror support and the mounting plate, at least two damping elements are arranged, by which vibrations of the mirror plate in the housing are counteracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Frits Brouwer, Paulus Gerardus Maria Van Stiphout
  • Patent number: 6695265
    Abstract: A lug system having a lug and a receiving housing. A turning knuckle is joined to the receiving housing by an adapter. The lug, the turning knuckle and the adapter form a cable channel which opens into the inner chamber of the receiving housing. The adapter is connected to the receiving housing in a stable manner. The receiving housing has a housing frame composed of frame profiles. The housing frame is closed or can be closed on the backside by a separate back wall. The adapter is connected to at least one of the frame profiles and has a connected section for the turning knuckle. The connected section protrudes over the frame profile on the backside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Neuhof, Thomas Schreiner, Matthias Müller, Heinz Schmitt
  • Patent number: 6695266
    Abstract: An internal telescopic stand mounted inside an inanimate object to support the inanimate object includes a top bracket assembly, a medial bracket assembly, a base assembly, an upper spring-loaded telescopic tube assembly and multiple lower spring-loaded telescopic tube assemblies. The telescopic tube assemblies connect the top bracket assembly, the medial bracket assembly and the base assembly together. Each telescopic tube assembly has spring-loaded telescopic tubes that can be overlapped to allow the internal telescopic stand to be variable in height between an extended position and a retracted position. In addition, the top bracket has two pivotal hooks. The medial bracket assembly has two sliding locks. The pivotal hooks will lock the sliding locks when the internal telescopic stand is adequately retracted to hold the internal telescopic stand in a retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventor: Chih-Cheng Tsai
  • Patent number: 6695268
    Abstract: A tripod includes a body, three legs, a connecting bracket and a post. The body has a top surface, and the connecting bracket is attached to the top surface of the body. The post has a top end and a bottom end, and the bottom end of the post is pivotally attached to the connecting bracket. The three legs are attached horizontally to the body. Two of the legs are pivotally attached to the body such that the legs can be pivoted away from each other within an angular displacement. Consequently, the tripod will stand firmly on the ground to support an object such as a sheet music holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventor: Wu-Hong Hsieh