Patents Examined by Matthew J Smith
  • Patent number: 8931226
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a shock absorbing base flooring section comprising a primary deck comprising interconnection means to interconnect at least two base flooring sections and comprising shock absorption means attached under said primary deck, a subfloor attached under said primary deck and provided adjacent to the shock absorbing means, the subfloor having a thickness lower than the height of said shock absorption means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Tarkett GDL S.A.
    Inventor: William Thorton
  • Patent number: 8931214
    Abstract: A responsive structural element including an elongate member having a first end and second end and defining a cross-section is provided. The structural element further includes a sensor, secured to the elongate member, for detecting at least one pre-selected indicator. Advantageously, the elongate member is responsive to the pre-selected indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Orava Applied Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Ami L. Orava
  • Patent number: 8931228
    Abstract: Disclosed is a waterproofing membrane that comprises a carrier sheet, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on one surface of the carrier sheet, and a protective coating layer on the adhesive layer. The protective coating layer is highly reflective (optionally textured) and operative to bond to concrete cast against it. Preferably, the protective coating layer comprises cement, polymer, and white pigment, and may optionally or additionally include a filler, a UV absorber and an antioxidant. The protective coating layer protects the membrane against weather exposure, tolerates foot traffic and strongly adheres to concrete cast against it. Also disclosed is a waterproofing membrane comprising a carrier sheet, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, a protective coating layer (as described above), and a highly releasable bonding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
    Inventors: Robert A. Wiercinski, Xia Cao, Robert Paul, Anandakumar Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 8931229
    Abstract: Disclosed is a waterproofing membrane that comprises a carrier sheet, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on one surface of the carrier sheet, and a protective coating layer on the adhesive layer. The protective coating layer comprises a highly reflective protective coating layer operative to bond to concrete cast against it, particularly one that is produced from an aqueous coating comprising an acrylic emulsion, a filler, and a white pigment. The pigment volume concentration of the filler plus white pigment is greater than or equal to 55% by volume. The protective coating layer protects the membrane against weather exposure, tolerates foot traffic and strongly adheres to concrete cast against it. Also disclosed is a waterproofing membrane comprising a carrier sheet, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, a protective coating layer, and a highly releasable bonding layer. The preferred highly releasable bonding layer comprises nanoscale silica and a binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
    Inventors: Robert A. Wiercinski, Anandakumar Ranganathan, Xia Cao, Robert Paul
  • Patent number: 8915023
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronically controlled hatch system for safe ingress, egress, hazard detection, and methods thereof are provided to reduce or eliminate hazards to personnel, including protection of people above and below a scuttle hatch, access port, skylight or elevated deck. Said hatch system reduces the risk of falls while ascending or descending a ladder through an access port. In certain embodiments, severe weather, hazard, security, and other safety information are detected and transmitted to a central control unit for processing and regulating the opening and closing of a hatch covering the access port and/or raising and lowering a safety railing system based on said information and/or user input. Said hatch system may include an actuator and guides for automatically locking/unlocking and opening/closing a hatch, an actuator and guides for automatically raising/lowering a railing system, safety monitoring detectors/apparatuses, and a centralized controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: SafePro, L.P.
    Inventors: Richard J. Whiting, Timothy Edward Rainey
  • Patent number: 8915035
    Abstract: A laminated floor tile includes the following layers laminated together into a single unit, a base having an underside, an upper surface, and perimetric edges, the base being formed of a high impact copolymer material designed to provide a slight flexure, the base including tabs designed to interact with adjacent floor tiles to hold the adjacent tiles fixedly in place, and panels extending upwardly from the perimetric edges of the base and forming the upper surface into a tray shape, graphic media positioned on the base within the tray, and a clear protective layer overlying the graphic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ripfloor LLC
    Inventor: John Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8910453
    Abstract: Vacuum systems comprising vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units are provided. The vacuum spaces within the VIG units are connected to one another and to one or more vacuum pumps that are configured to operate during the service lives of the VIG units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Inventor: Robert S. Jones
  • Patent number: 8910908
    Abstract: The invention provides a stiffening element, in particular for a shell component of an aircraft or spacecraft, which has a stiffening profile part and a foot part. The stiffening profile part is in this case composed of a lightweight metal material, and the foot part is composed of a material which is highly resistant to corrosion. A method is also provided for production of a stiffening element, in particular for a shell component of an aircraft or spacecraft. A stiffening profile semi-finished product is first of all produced from a lightweight metal material, and a foot part is produced from a material which is highly resistant to corrosion. The foot part and the stiffening profile semi-finished product are then integrally connected. The stiffening profile semi-finished product together with the foot part is then subjected to machining to form an intended shape for the stiffening element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Roming, Thorsten Schroeer
  • Patent number: 8887465
    Abstract: An insulated concrete form having spaced sidewalls joined by form ties to define a first interior cavity therebetween for receiving poured concrete, the form ties including interior fastening plates positioned in between the spaced sidewalls. The interior fastening plates provide a backing surface to which forming structures can be easily and efficiently secured to define a second interior cavity in between the forming structure and one of the sidewalls, the second interior cavity having thickness less than the first interior cavity so as to define a form for making a recess in the resulting concrete portion of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Airlite Plastics Co.
    Inventors: Bradley J. Crosby, Patrick D. Gredys, Glen Klassen
  • Patent number: 8844228
    Abstract: A dry-cast concrete block is provided. The dry-cast concrete block comprises a surface to be exposed, at least a portion of the surface having a cast texture with a natural stone appearance. The cast texture may have a surface level difference of greater than 4 mm. In one example of implementation, the dry-cast concrete block may be a paving unit, in which case the surface level difference may be greater than 6 mm, such as between 6 mm and 12 mm. In another example of implementation, the dry-cast concrete block may be a wall construction unit, in which case the surface level difference may be greater than 15 mm, such as between 15 mm and 25 mm. Each of a plurality of points of the cast texture may define a respective texture angle between 75° and 90°. The cast texture may comprise at least one valley each having a respective depth greater than 4 mm. A process for manufacturing such a concrete block is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Oldcastle Building Products Canada, Inc.
    Inventor: Denis Hamel
  • Patent number: 8839575
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tile roof equipment-mounting device for mounting solar panels and other equipment to tile roofs. The tile roof mount includes a base and an angled bracket. The base can include a base portion channel projecting upward from the base, with stepped grooves, as well as first and second slots running along opposing sides of the base portion channel in a direction parallel to the base. The angled bracket can include complementary stepped grooves that engage the base portion channel. The angled bracket can include a third slot that is perpendicular to the vertex between angled portions of the angled bracket. A threaded fastener can adjustably engage first, second, and third slots. This combination allows the tile roof mount so that the height is vertically discreetly adjustable and horizontally continuously adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sunmodo Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Clifford Schrock
  • Patent number: 8806815
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tile roof equipment-mounting device for mounting solar panels and other equipment to tile roofs. The tile roof mount includes a base, a vertical bracket, and a hook arm. The base includes a vertical channel with stepped grooves and a horizontal slot. The vertical bracket has complementary stepped grooves and a vertical slot that engage the vertical channel and horizontal slot of the vertical channel. This combination allows the tile roof mount so that the height is vertically discreetly adjustable and horizontally continuously adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Sunmodo Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Clifford Schrock
  • Patent number: 8776478
    Abstract: A wall lifting, transport and positioning device for use with a wall section upon a worksite surface. The wall section has a top plate with a lower top plate side and a bottom plate with a lower bottom plate side. The device includes a wheeled hand cart housing, a support frame, a pair of roller pins, and a lifting actuator. Each of the roller pins including an outer cylindrical element configured to rotate relative to the support frame with the top plate being positioned in contact with the outer cylindrical element for translation of the wall section in a direction along the top plate. The lifting actuator is sized and configured to translate the roller pins upward relative to the wheeled hand cart housing with the outer cylindrical elements being positionable in contact with the lower top plate side. A method of positioning a wall section is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventors: Fred E Hovenier, Fred J Hovenier
  • Patent number: 8769881
    Abstract: A pneumatic frame for textiles of control at of light used in the film industry or images capture with the object to reflect, block, filter, blur and make any use of light and have optimum control of it at the time of capturing the image. The pneumatic frame comprises a hose inflatable structure of at least twelve pieces with threads that allow its assembly, tucks vulcanized along its entire periphery which allow the passage of an elastic which is intertwined with the stitched slit, secured by hang setbolt devices along its entire periphery, as well as external gripping devices of type-setbolt screw pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Inventor: Eamon Conmac Sebastian O'Farrill Haro
  • Patent number: 8757942
    Abstract: A seal head used on a side beam of a vehicle carrier includes a main plane covering the front surface of the side beam, a side plane connected to the main plane to cover the inclined surface of the side beam, a first baffle plane and a second baffle plane covering the edges of the side beam, and the main plane, side plane, first baffle plane and second baffle plane form a semi-enclosed cavity for receiving the side beam. The baffle planes can be fixed against the corresponding edges of the side beam to achieve reliable fixed positions and connections, increasing the shock resistance rigidity and strength of the front surface of the side beam and easy installation and disassembly for seal head. The main plane, the side plane and the baffle plane are in an integrally molded piece to improve the rigidity and strength of side beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Ningbo Bangda Intelligent Parking System Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jianhua Zhu
  • Patent number: 8745957
    Abstract: The induced macro-cell corrosion prevention method includes the step of replacing a corroded or chloride-contaminated section of a steel reinforcement or rebar in steel-reinforced concrete with a new rebar section free of chloride. A non-conductive insulating buffer is placed between the end sections of the new rebar and the corresponding end sections of adjacent chloride-contaminated rebar sections in order to form a non-conductive layer between the new steel and the old steel. This prevents or substantially reduces formation of a macro-cell that would cause a galvanic reaction to occur and increase corrosion potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: King Saud University
    Inventors: Raja Rizwan Hussain, Muhammad Wasim
  • Patent number: 8745931
    Abstract: An emergency shelter structure is disclosed for use where people are displaced from their homes as the result of some catastrophe. The inventive shelter can be erected entirely without hand tools or power tools in less than 20 minutes. It is comprised of plastic panels which are joined together using push anchors, fasteners which permit rapid and permanent engagement of adjoining panels. Bed platforms are included as part of the assembly. In advanced embodiments, solar arrays are provided for harvesting solar energy for use as electricity and uni-directional heating apparatus is molded into the floor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventor: Gerhard P Hutter
  • Patent number: 8745946
    Abstract: A ceiling tile suspension system comprising a clip member, a suspension track releasably securable to the clip member and a ceiling tile suspension rail releasably securable to the suspension track. The clip member is securable to a structural component of a ceiling and has an upper surface and a pair of downwardly depending sides. The suspension track is releasably securable to the clip member and has a pair of upwardly extending legs. At least the sides of the clip member or the legs of the suspension track are horizontally resiliently displaceable to releasably secure the suspension track to the clip member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventors: Enzo D'Alessandro, Fabbio D'Alessandro
  • Patent number: 8745955
    Abstract: A form is provided for constructing a jump pit with a sand area. The form is constructed in sections. Each section has an inside wall and an outside wall. A support member is located between the outside wall and the inside wall. The sections are secured together onsite. Caps are mounted on the support members. The caps include an inclined surface which slops upwardly and away from the sand area forming the inclined surface. A cover over the sand area is supported by the inclined surface. Optionally, a chamber is located adjacent the outside wall. A grate covers the chamber and the grate is supported by a brace. A mat covers the grate. Openings in the grate and in the mat permit sand through them, thrown from the sand area to drop into the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Sportsfield Intellectual, LLC
    Inventor: Burt Goulet
  • Patent number: 8740208
    Abstract: A clamping device has a removable handle to move a clamp between an opened and clamped position. A receiving member is on the clamp to receive the handle. The handle has a latching member to couple with the receiving member. An actuating member is coupled with the handle to move the clamp from an opened to clamped position. A release mechanism is coupled with the clamp or handle to move the clamp from a clamped to an opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Hagan, David Martin, Henry Dykstra