Patents Examined by Mark Henderson
  • Patent number: 7350820
    Abstract: An assembly for mailing an article requiring special services and a method for mailing same are provided. The assembly includes a return postcard, two anchor portions disposed on either side of the postcard, printer track strips having a plurality of holes for engaging a printer, such as a dot matrix printer, and a hole capable of being sensed by another type of printer, such as a thermal printer. The indicia printed upon the mailing assembly including the designator indicating the special service required, are printed using a single color thereby simplifying the printing process. The return postcard is removably attached to anchor portions such that the return postcard remains attached to the envelope until received by the addressee, at which time the return postcard may be removed from the anchor portions. The assembly is designed to incorporate a form into the return postcard to simplify preparation of the mailpiece for delivery by the special service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: United Systems of Arkansas
    Inventor: Glenn Petkovsek
  • Patent number: 7252452
    Abstract: A binder including a binder body including a front cover and a rear cover directly or indirectly pivotally coupled together, and a panel located on an outer surface of the binder body to thereby form a pocket between the panel and the binder body. The panel has a free edge located adjacent to a mouth of the pocket. The mouth faces an outer edge of the binder body, and the free edge of the panel is located a variable distance from the outer edge of the binder body along the length of the free edge such that the pocket has a variable width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Africa, Erik N. Sabin
  • Patent number: 7234886
    Abstract: The present invention provides improvements in paper fastening to enable a user to remove a desired portion of papers from a fastened stack of papers without having to unnecessarily detach unwanted papers in the stack from the prongs of the fastener. The improved paper fastening arrangement is for use with a fastener having a base including two ends each having a leg extended therefrom, the leg foldable relative to the base. The arrangement comprises a sheath including an extension shaped to slideably engage one of the legs, the extension including an opening that defines a cavity to receive the leg, wherein the extension at least partially covers the leg and is operative to engage through sheet materials. At least one guide tab depends from the extension downward from the opening, the guide tab being foldable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Inventor: James N. Tuozzo
  • Patent number: 7232157
    Abstract: Patent for a blank modular book (FIG. 1), the modules being distinguished by tags (1), each having the same number of pages, designed to be filled in by the members of each generation of the same Family, whatever they may want to write, each module being provided with transparent plastic bags for keeping photographs and documents, thus, in view of its long life extending for many centuries and even millennia, the book will be a material sound link in the Family, and can even result in the formation of a true “Clan” and, in view of having this characteristic of a very long life, it requires the protection of a highly resistant case (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Inventor: Guido Amaral
  • Patent number: 7201402
    Abstract: The book with spinning globe has a front cover, a back cover, and a spine or binding portion which binds the front cover, and the back cover. An earth globe is rotatably connected to a front cover, back cover, or spine so that the globe is rotatable about an axis extending along a plane of the front cover, back cover, or spine to which the globe is connected. The book may optionally include at least one leaf positioned between the front and the back cover. The globe may also be rotatably connected to the leaf. The globe is configured to represent the earth, and has outlines representing the continents and at least larger countries or geographical regions, and may have contours representing mountains or other features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Inventor: John F. Duprey
  • Patent number: 7198539
    Abstract: An improved artificial eye for use in dolls, stuffed animals, other toys, and the like, and for use as a prosthetic eye for human beings. The improved artificial eye consists of a sclera, a lens, and a lamina. The lens can be made of any of a variety of materials such as natural or synthetic gemstones or gemstone simulations. The lens can be used to magnify the iris and pupil images. The lamina provides images of the iris and pupil. The lamina can be a thin layer imprinted with the image of the iris and pupil and is attached to the lens such as by lamination or adhesive. Alternatively, the lamina can comprise colored glass or ceramic and is sintered onto the lens. In a second configuration, the eye additionally comprises an insert layer, which can be glass, between the lens and the lamina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Inventors: Fredericka D. Lam, Michael R. Lam
  • Patent number: 7192061
    Abstract: The birthday calendar is a dual monthly calendar and twelve-month chart. The calendar is perpetual in that it is not designated for any particular year or month. The monthly calendar is made of a dry-erase board displaying a month grid that is filled in with erasable ink for any particular month. The chart is a grid used to permanently record and display birth dates and other annual dates such as anniversaries and holidays. The chart displays columns intersected by rows. The columns are grouped in twelve sets of two having a month column adjacent to a year column. The rows display the dates of each month down the left side of the chart, numbered from 1–31. An event is recorded in the chart by writing the event's name in the appropriate month and date space and the year in the adjacent year space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventor: Judy A. Martin
  • Patent number: 7172220
    Abstract: An extended text label is provided for a tube container, wherein the tube container includes a product dispensing end and a filling end opposite the dispensing end. The filling end is adapted to be sealed by a crimp method, subsequent to filling the tube container with a selected product. The extended text label includes a crimp edge. The crimp edge is capable of being securely joined to the filling end of the tube container by way of the crimp method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Quality Assured Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph D. Franko, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7125049
    Abstract: A bookmark includes a seamless elastic band which is stretchable to loop around a group of pages in a book and around a cover of the book in order to identify a page place in the book. The band includes a slider thereon which has a front surface are that receives an image which is on one side of a sticker. When a bookmark is placed on a book, the slide is moveable along the elastic band while the elastic band is stationary, so that the slider can be placed at different locations on the cover of the book.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Grand Band, Inc.
    Inventors: Seth Goldberg, Bennell Kaye
  • Patent number: 7121587
    Abstract: A wearable book. A wearable book, comprising a plurality of pages and a loop adapted for encircling a body portion for attaching said pages to the body, is provided. The pages are preferably bound together at one edge and preferably are of substantially the same size. The loop preferably has at least about 50% elasticity for stretching the loop over a second body portion such as a hand having a substantially larger circumference than a first body portion such as a wrist, and thereafter snugly circumferentially contacting the first body portion to secure the book in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Inventor: Julia B. Mark
  • Patent number: 7118135
    Abstract: A sheet of embossed paper including a sheet-like body portion, at least one embossed or depressed line located on the body portion, and at least one printed line located on and extending at least partially along the embossed or depressed line. The invention may also include notebook including a plurality of sheets of paper, each sheet including a sheet-like body portion, at least one embossed or depressed line located on the body portion, and at least one printed line located on and extending at least partially along the embossed or depressed line. The notebook may include binding means binding the plurality of sheets together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: J. Michael Tims, Catherine Ayres, Sandra L. Cashman
  • Patent number: 7118134
    Abstract: A dual sided integral composite image product and method of make same. The image product includes a first support substrate having a separate image layer thereon and a second support substrate having separate image layer thereon. The second support substrate being secured to the first support substrate so as to form the dual sided integral composite image product. A fold line is provided on said image product about which the integral composite image product may be folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Joseph A. Manico, Dale F. McIntyre, John K. McBride
  • Patent number: 7114750
    Abstract: The present invention provides a durable and self-verifying secure document system and a method for its production, wherein counterfeiting is prevented. The secure document system is potentially useful for a wide variety of documents including, but not limited to, lottery tickets, currency, traveler's checks, passports, stock and bond certificates, bank notes, driver's licenses, wills, coupons, rebates, contracts, food stamps, magnetic stripes, test answer forms, invoices, tickets, inventory forms, tags, labels and original artwork. The instant invention provides a plastic paper substitute having various indicia associated therewith including visible and hidden indicia. Application of the hidden indicia to the plastic paper substitute is implemented in accordance with a computer software program, and the document includes an integral lens area which is particularly designed to verify the document's authenticity by rendering the hidden indicia visible to the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Graphic Security Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Alfred V. Alasia, Thomas C. Alasia
  • Patent number: 7097378
    Abstract: An accessory for a writing board, a file or the like, characterized in that it at least consists of a holder (4) which can be provided to a file or the like (3) whereby this holder (4) works in conjunction with or can work in conjunction with a binding mechanism (5) of the type comprising elements over which documents (8) that are provided with openings (9) can be threaded on the one hand, and whereby this holder (4) can be manually attached to a file or the like (3) on the other hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Unibind (Cyprus) Limited
    Inventor: Guido Peleman
  • Patent number: 7093857
    Abstract: The birthday calendar is a dual monthly calendar and twelve-month chart. The calendar is perpetual in that it is not designated for any particular time period. The monthly calendar displays a month, either from a single use calendar or by filling in a month grid disposed on a dry-erase board with erasable ink. The chart is a grid used to permanently record and display birth dates and other annual dates such as anniversaries and holidays. The chart displays columns intersected by rows. The columns are grouped in twelve sets of two having a month column adjacent to a year column. The rows display the dates of each month down the left side of the chart, numbered from 1–31. An event is recorded in the chart by writing the event's name in the appropriate month and date space and the year in the adjacent year space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Inventor: Judy A. Martin
  • Patent number: 7090252
    Abstract: A dual sided integral composite image product and method of make same. The image product includes a first support substrate having a separate image layer thereon and a second support substrate having separate image layer thereon. The second support substrate being secured to the first support substrate so as to form the dual sided integral composite image product. A fold line is provided on said image product about which the integral composite image product may be folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Joseph A. Manico, Dale F. McIntyre, John K. McBride
  • Patent number: 7086666
    Abstract: An information-bearing laminar assembly, suitable for use as an identification card, is disclosed. The assembly is characterized by the provision therein of an embedded halftone image security feature that becomes visible essentially only when the assembly is view in transmitted light. The information-bearing laminar assembly comprises an inner information-bearing layer interposed between a first and a second light-transmissive protective outer layer. The inner layer contains both visible information-bearing indicia and an imagewise halftone pattern of laser-ablated microholes. The light-transmissivity of the information-bearing inner layer within said half-tone pattern is imagewise differentiated at each microhole as a function of the microhole's penetration depth. Sandwiched between the protective outer layers, the halftone pattern is imperceptible when the information-bearing laminar assembly is viewed in reflections and perceptible when the information-bearing laminar assembly is viewed in transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventor: Jack T. Richardson
  • Patent number: 7077435
    Abstract: A label structure and method, with the label structure including a base panel for affixing to a surface and having a back face having an adhesive applied thereon. A first leaflet is positioned adjacent to a front face of the base panel. The first leaflet comprises a first folded panel having a first fold extending substantially parallel to a first axis of the label structure. A second leaflet is positioned forward of the first leaflet such that the first leaflet is positioned substantially between the second leaflet and the base panel with the second leaflet being stacked on the first leaflet. The second leaflet comprises a second folded panel having a second fold extending substantially parallel to the first axis of the label structure. A laminating layer overlies the base panel, the first leaflet, and the second leaflet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Inventor: Randy G. Cowan
  • Patent number: 7077595
    Abstract: The present invention provides an unitary spine binder which comprises an elongated dorsal hinge bearing pairs of opposing and complementary male and female ring elements having known male fastener and female fastener, respectively. Each pair of ring elements also comprise a concave distal end on one element, and a complementary convex distal end on the other element. When the distal ends of the ring elements are moved towards each other, the male and female fasteners reversibly engage with each other so that each pair of ring elements, in cooperation with the dorsal hinge, forms substantially a ring to secure sheet paper by occupying a pre-punched hole in the paper. At the same time, the concave and convex distal ends also engage, so that the sidewalls of the concave distal end engages the convex distal end to protect the fasteners against disengagement by torsional and lateral forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: General Binding Corporation
    Inventor: Colin Knight
  • Patent number: 7073968
    Abstract: Ring binder mechanism with special pronged fasteners secured thereto for fastening it to a binder, the special fastener per se, and a method of making the fasteners involving sheet metal stamping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: World Wide Stationary Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Yuen To, Weng Io Ng