Patents Examined by Korie Chan
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Patent number: 8348072Abstract: A tension-mounted pole caddy for mounting between two substantially parallel surfaces is disclosed. The pole device generally includes a first tubular body, a second tubular body, a toothed rack, a locking pawl, and a base-mounted lever for operation of the locking pawl. Preferably, the first tubular body includes a base end for contacting a surface and a telescoping end, while the second tubular body has a base end for contacting a second surface and a telescoping end coupled with the telescoping end of the first body. The toothed rack is affixed within the first body portion proximate the telescoping end, with the locking pawl within the second body and capable of movement to engage and disengage the toothed rack. The lever is coupled to the locking pawl via linkage, such that operation of the lever between a first and second position actuates the locking pawl to engage and disengage, respectively, from the toothed rack, wherein the lever is positioned at the base end of the second tubular body.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2009Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Helen of Troy LimitedInventors: Richard Whitehall, Jonathan Cedar, Alec Drummond
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Patent number: 8328027Abstract: A self contained retail pusher is provided. The self contained retail pusher is situated on a retail structure in a typical retail environment. The self contained retail pusher may be quickly incorporated into permanent or temporary retail structures such as retail shelves having existing adjacent dividers and a front fence without having to completely disassemble the shelf, dividers, and front fence. The self contained retail pusher also optimizes retail structure space usage by allowing the user to selectively incorporate a single self contained retail pusher or a plurality thereof in a retail structure. Due to its modularity and ability to mount separately and independently from an existing shelving divider system, the self contained retail pusher may be supplied as a stand alone unit, and without a new divider system.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2009Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Southern Imperial, Inc.Inventor: Patrick J. Barkdoll
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Patent number: 8312574Abstract: A portable solar shower includes two detachable water reservoirs. One of the reservoirs may be coupled to a water source and includes a diverter valve regulating the flow and temperature of water spayed by a shower head, and the other reservoir has a port for coupling to the shower head. When the solar shower is not in use, the reservoirs may be separated from one another to form a compact package adapted for storage or transportation.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2008Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Inventors: Jyh-Hsin Tsai, Huai-Ping Wang
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Patent number: 8292096Abstract: A spice rack is provided for mini spice containers. The rack includes a spindle with a rotatable carriage having multiple rows of container compartments. Each compartment is adapted to hold a single spice container. In one embodiment the rows are offset with respect to one another, so that a person can easily grasp the top and bottom of a container for removal from the compartments, with the upper edges of each row of compartments supporting the containers in the next vertically adjacent row of compartments. In a second embodiment, the compartment is shorter than the container so that a person can grip the upper end of the container for removal from the compartment. The containers snap fit into the opening between the resilient side walls of the compartments.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2008Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Inventor: Alan S. Thompson
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Patent number: 8286275Abstract: Drain clean-out assemblies that can be used to drain the contents of a drain line prior to removing a clean-out plug mounted to the assembly or to which the assembly is mounted. The drain clean-out assembly includes clean-out plug and a device for selectively preventing and permitting drainage of a fluid through the assembly. The assembly may include a housing having oppositely-disposed first and second ends and a drain between the first and second ends and in fluidic communication with an interior of the housing, wherein the first end of the housing is configured to attach to a drain line, the preventing and permitting device is within the housing, and the clean-out plug is removably attached to the housing. Alternatively, the preventing and permitting device may be permanently mounted to the clean-out plug.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2008Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Inventor: Brian Michael Kipp
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Patent number: 8286277Abstract: A modular pool cover support frame is provided having standardized modular components that are easily assembled, disassembled, stored and shipped and when assembled are held together by compressive forces exerted by the weight of the pool cover. The modular support frame includes standardized spanning components and standardized connecting components for connecting the standardized spanning components which together with a tensioning device holds the modular components together employing the weight of standard pool covers and forces exerted on the pool cover.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2008Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Inventor: Richard Tupper
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Patent number: 8272078Abstract: An apparatus and system are disclosed for a pool drain cover, the cover having a perforated ramp around its perimeter to which are attached a plurality of straight, horizontally disposed tubes, circumscribing channels with substantially continuous cross-sectional areas, each tube enclosing a channel extending the length of the tube of at least six inches. The cross-sectional area of the tubes is kept at a minimum and their number is increased by arranging the tubes in rows and columns or giving the tubes an elliptical cross-sectional area and arranging them in a single row, thereby reducing the tapering in the tubes. The cover may be segmented and may be of multiple shapes, including a circle.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2008Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Inventors: Bonnie Snow, Teri S. Snow, Ronald A. Tobler
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Patent number: 8245999Abstract: The present invention relates to a stacking apparatus (1) enabling two front-loaded household appliances (X, Y) to be stacked. The stacking apparatus (1) of the present invention comprises an elastic bumper (4) that covers the gap left in between the household appliances.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2006Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Arcelik A.S.Inventors: Adlihan Tartan, Egemen Kose
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Patent number: 8220648Abstract: A folded slatwall insert is provided. A slatwall cover is illustrated anchored to a typical slatwall and covering at least one slat of the slatwall. A folded slatwall insert as disclosed prevents surface damage to a typical slatwall, allows for rapid and cost effective customization of the aesthetics of the slatwall, and can be used to mount custom graphics to the slatwall.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2008Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Southern Imperial, Inc.Inventors: Patrick J. Barkdoll, Thomas E. Valiulis
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Patent number: 8214937Abstract: A foot spa tub includes a tub basin, a first magnetic drive member rotatably coupled to a drive motor, and a first casing supporting the magnetic drive member. The first casing is disposed against an exterior surface of a sidewall of the basin. A second magnetic drive member is rotatably coupled to a blade. The first and second magnetic drive members are magnetically coupled to each other so that the blade is drivingly coupled to the drive motor. A nozzle houses the second magnetic drive member and the blade. The nozzle is detachably securable to an interior surface of the sidewall by a magnetic attraction force between the first and second magnetic drive members. A method of circulating liquid in a foot tub spa is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2008Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Ecotech Marine, LLC.Inventors: Justin Lawyer, Patrick Clasen, Timothy Marks, Quy Ton
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Patent number: 8210622Abstract: An example configurable display assembly includes a housing having a first wall, an opposing second wall, and at least one divider movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The divider spans from the first wall to the second wall when in the engaged position. At least one of the housing or the divider flexes to establish clearance for moving the divider to the engaged position. The housing and the divider establish at least one first bin receiving area when the divider is in the engaged position. The housing establishes a second bin receiving area when the divider is in the disengaged position. The second bin receiving area is larger than the first bin receiving area.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Liberty Hardware Mfg. Corp.Inventors: Earl David Forrest, James Leroy Daniels
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Patent number: 8201283Abstract: A toilet tank valve structure comprises a knob unit, a rotatable shaft unit, a pole unit, a whole discharge pull wire, a partial discharge pull wire, a whole discharge assembly, a partial discharge assembly, and a water seal; the knob unit comprising a partial discharge knob and a whole discharge knob; the rotatable shaft unit comprising a shaft core and a shaft sleeve; the pole unit comprising a partial discharge pole and a whole discharge pole; the whole discharge knob being secured to an outer end of the shaft sleeve, an inner end of the shaft sleeve being secured to a first end of the whole discharge pole, a second end of the whole discharge pole being connected to the whole discharge pull wire to link the whole discharge assembly and the water seal; the partial discharge knob being secured to an outer end of the shaft core, the shaft core being inserted into the shaft sleeve, an inner end of the shaft core being secured to a first end of the partial discharge pole, a second end of the partial discharge pType: GrantFiled: June 13, 2008Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Inventors: Andras Ciski, Xian Jin Jeff Zhang
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Patent number: 8196759Abstract: A laboratory ware dispenser has a receptacle defining a space and at least one laboratory ware magazine for containing items of laboratory ware and including a plurality of apertures. The space defined by the receptacle is configured to receive the laboratory ware magazine. The receptacle has at least one aperture dimensioned such that at least one but not all of the apertures of the laboratory ware magazine are registerable with the aperture of the receptacle upon relative rotation of the receptacle and laboratory ware magazine. A laboratory ware magazine has an annular support member defining a space for containing a plurality of items of laboratory ware and a plurality of apertures arranged around a circumference of the annular support member.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2006Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignees: Alba Scientific Services, Ltd, Berg Design Ltd.Inventors: Galen Milne, Andrew Sinclair Sherriff, William Graham Rennie, Valerie Undrill
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Patent number: 8186645Abstract: A brace for use in tilt-up construction is disclosed. The brace includes a bottom surface and a vertical side surface. The bottom surface of the brace is affixed to a permanent horizontal surface (e.g., a slab) in a manner that allows the brace to be removed without damaging the permanent horizontal surface. The vertical side surface of the brace is attached to a concrete pour form. The bottom surface of the brace is affixed to the permanent horizontal surface using an adhesive. Alternatively, a shoe is attached to the permanent horizontal surface and the brace sits in the shoe. A flange is releasably securable with the brace to batter the form when the flange is place in contact therewith. Alternatively, the shoe has an upwardly extending inclined ramp that is operable to orient the brace so that the vertical side surface of the brace is disposed at a battering angle to batter the form.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2002Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Dayton Superior CorporationInventors: Scott Shaw, Dale Robert Haslem, Ken Lee, Steve Wilbur, Clifford D. Bennett
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Patent number: 8181797Abstract: An outdoor storage rack includes a set of supports mounted to a base through a respective hinge assembly such that said rack is movable between an extended and a stored position.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2009Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Liberty Hardware Mfg. Corp.Inventors: Neil Edwards, Beth Tinsley, Courtnee Mullins
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Patent number: 8176580Abstract: A diverter spout for alternatively supplying water to a bathtub or diverting water to a shower is provided with a rolling gate valve. The gate valve uses the force of flowing water to facilitate sealing, and there is a return spring to reset the gate valve.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2008Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Kohler Co.Inventors: Pete Kajuch, Chad M. Slater
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Patent number: 8177184Abstract: A seat track assembly an illustrative embodiment of the seat track assembly includes a seat track having an elongated track plate and a pair of generally elongated, parallel, spaced-apart track flanges extending from the track plate. Each of the track flanges is variable in depth. A method of fabricating a seat track assembly is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2006Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Martin Grether, Paul R. Fortado, Viet Phan, Gina Pischke
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Patent number: 8171575Abstract: A beauty-care bidet includes an introduction hose for introducing washing water, a water purifier connected to the introduction hose for purifying the washing water introduced through the introduction hose, a head separably coupled to the water purifier and having an open tip end portion communicating with the water purifier, a control valve for cutting off the washing water supplied to the open tip end portion of the head or for regulating a pressure of the washing water, a tip end operating unit detachably attached to the open tip end portion of the head, and a vibrator mounted to the head in such a way that the vibrator can be operatively connected to the tip end operating unit. The tip end operating unit is a bidet-washing insertion device that can be inserted into an intestine or a vagina of a user.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2006Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Inventor: Young-Kuk Oh
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Patent number: 8157110Abstract: Devices, apparatus, systems and methods for supporting and holding items including surfboards, fishing rods, beach items and tabletops in horizontal positions raised above ground surfaces such as at the beach, and be easily transported, assembled, and disassembled when not being used. The racks can include a pair of horizontal beams. Each of the beams can have legs pivotally attached to ends of each beam. The legs can have storage positions with the legs folded up and parallel to the beams, and extended positions with the legs perpendicular to the beams and having lower ends staked into the grounds. The rack can support tabletops and surfboards in horizontal flat positions on top of the assembled horizontal beams. Fishing rods can be stored in horizontal positions in cradle shaped concave recesses so that the fishing rods can be between the surfboards/table tops and the horizontal beams. A storage bag can be used to carry and transport a folded tabletop and folded legs and beams.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2011Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Inventor: Jerry Drum
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Patent number: 8152258Abstract: In order to can conveniently operate the elevation of the shelf, move the shelf only by the movement of the shelf without performing the separate work in order to allow the user to move the shelf, and automatically fix the position of the shelf by means of the restoring force of the elastic member after the movement of the shelf is completed, the present invention discloses an elevation adjustment apparatus for a shelf in a refrigerator comprising an engaging guide lengthily formed up and down in the inside of the refrigerator; a shelf movably mounted up and down along the engaging guide; an engaging apparatus rotatably supported on the shelf and re-stricting the downward movement of the shelf by selectively hooking it on any position of the engaging guide by a rotation operation; and a load supporting apparatus supporting the load of the shelf at the position fixing the shelf by the engaging apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2007Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Byeong-Gyu Kang, Jae-Youl Lee, Jeong-Ho Shin, Ki-Hoon Song