Patents Examined by Todd Anderson
  • Patent number: 9522464
    Abstract: A multi-position hook assembly for use in a tool that includes a hook having a first leg and a second leg joined by a top span member, and a mounting member configured for slidably receiving the top span member and releasably locking the hook in a plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Ricardo Segura, Ryan L. Francis
  • Patent number: 9399434
    Abstract: A cargo toolbox is provided for securely retaining tools and equipment of varying size and shape, particularly suited for attachment to a vehicle and for use repairing fence lines. The toolbox comprises a lid hingedly secured to a base, a handle and latches for removably securing the lid to the base. A plurality of securement structures is disposed along the interior of the lid and base for storing and restricting movement of tools and components. Elongated tools may be stored within brackets disposed along the lid interior. Small items are separately retained within secure storage compartments disposed along an end of the base interior. A compartment lid is hingedly secured to the storage compartments such that items are prevented from departing. A restraining tray defining an upstanding wall perimeter and an open interior is mountable to a vehicle cargo rack to facilitate transportation of the toolbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Inventor: Jerry Kennedy
  • Patent number: 9327652
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vehicle configured to hold a tool. The toolholder assembly includes a ring and a collar. The ring and collar are both attached to the vehicle adjacent a passenger compartment portion of the vehicle and the ring and collar are spaced apart from each other on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ASW, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Lewis King, Rick Lynn Miller
  • Patent number: 9248878
    Abstract: A luggage carrier for a two wheeled vehicle comprising an open topped container secured to the vehicle. The open topped container having a hinged lid, the lid adapted to provide a seal for the open topped container. The luggage carrier also has a releasable latch, the latch adapted to secure the container in a closed position. The luggage carrier has an alarm system for alarming the luggage carrier and a remote control mechanism for arming and disarming the alarm system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Inventor: Sau Leong Lim
  • Patent number: 9232850
    Abstract: A tool carrier for attaching to a user's belt or a user's harness includes a rear wall having an upper wall portion, a tool holder disposed on a front wall surface of the rear wall, a tool carrier safety lanyard removably connected to the front wall surface, the safety lanyard having a lanyard first end and a closed loop formed in a lanyard second end, an elongated first attachment member fixedly secured to a rear wall surface of the upper wall portion at a pair of spaced-apart first and second attachment locations thereon and defining a closed loop therebetween, and a first flexible strip forming an openable strip loop when a first strip end mates with a second strip end after being positioned through the closed loop of the elongated first attachment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventors: Darrell A. Moreau, Andre W. Moreau
  • Patent number: 9220330
    Abstract: A device and method for carrying an object has a cradle that supports the object, one or more carrying straps attached to opposing ends of the cradle and forming a single lifting point, and one or more restraining straps attached to the carrying strap. The carrying strap may be detachably joined to form the single lifting point, and there may be a handle at the lifting point. The carrying straps and restraining straps may be adjustable in length. The device can be folded into a compact configuration for portability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Inventor: Rosa O. Kelson
  • Patent number: 9132782
    Abstract: A crossbar assembly is provided for a cargo rack configured for mounting on top of a vehicle. A crossbar assembly may include a pair of brackets, each bracket having a crossbar housing, for receiving and engaging one end of a crossbar. The housing may also include a pair of jaws adapted to clamp a rail on top of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Hubco Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Peter Douglas Hubbard
  • Patent number: 9102274
    Abstract: The invention relates to a resilient infill for positioning in a channel in a crossbar of a roof rack or load carrier. The infill comprises a flexible upper portion and a base comprising a bottom. A pair of flexible, opposing side walls extend from the bottom and curve upwardly and outwardly to meet with outer edges of the flexible upper portion. The width of the upper portion is greater than the width of the bottom and the infill has a substantially hollow interior. The infill is compressible and makes minimal wind noise when positioned in the crossbar of a roof rack located on a moving vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Hubco Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Peter Douglas Hubbard
  • Patent number: 9095203
    Abstract: Resin-impregnated sandwich composite backpack frames are disclosed. The frames may, for example, be made of a carbon fiber twill with a foam core. The frames have an upper portion that includes upwardly-extending, elongate stays to support a backpack and mechanically decouple its load from the wearer. Open, generally vertically extending tracks in the upper portion provide points of attachment for shoulder strap assemblies. The lower portion is contoured to follow the typical lumbar-sacral curvature of the human back and terminates in a generally U-shaped tongue. Openings and unreinforced areas in the frame are provided to reduce weight and increase flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: KUIU, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Hairston, Paul Hewitt
  • Patent number: 9084470
    Abstract: A utility harness is disclosed which is worn by a user to carry various recreational and utility equipment. The shoulder harness comprises two belts that cross in the front and rear with the ends at either side being secured together and to the users belt. The ends on either side are secured about a side belt loop on the users trousers to prevent movement of the belts. Attachment devices are secured along the length of the belts and elsewhere upon the harness as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Inventor: Joel C. Huck
  • Patent number: 8905278
    Abstract: A cargo box is configured for mounting on crossbars on top of a vehicle. The cargo box includes a control assembly for operating a latch assembly on one side of the cargo box. The control assembly includes a toggle switch which may be enabled or disabled by operation of a lock device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Yakima Products, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Elliot, Dave Condon
  • Patent number: 8800831
    Abstract: A multipurpose rack comprising a first securing portion configured to secure a first portion of a transportation device, and a second securing portion configured to secure a second portion of the transportation device, wherein the first securing portion is operably secured to a lower support unit, the lower support unit configured to engage a vehicle element is provided. Furthermore, a method of racking a watercraft and a transportation device comprising the step of: providing a rack including a watercraft racking portion and a transportation device racking portion, and engaging a vehicle element with a lower support unit of the rack is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventor: Larry A. Gray
  • Patent number: 8740028
    Abstract: A backpack and frame are disclosed. The backpack frame is designed to be at least partially internal and is of unitary construction, most advantageously of a resin-impregnated material, such as resin-impregnated carbon fiber sheets with selective reinforcement by interstitial layers. The frame has a mid-back portion that includes openings for independently positionable shoulder straps and a lower back portion that provides for a rotatable connection to a belt assembly. A pair of curved stay portions is contiguous with the mid-back portion of the frame and curves outwardly as the stay portions extend downwardly. The frame is preferably curved to match the curvature of the human back. The backpack frame is lightweight and by use of composite materials can provide strength as well as selective flexibility to suspend the load of the backpack and decouple it from the movements of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Kuiu, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Hairston, Zachary D. West
  • Patent number: 8695859
    Abstract: A frameless hunting blind and fanny pack (or back pack) are combined. The pack has a belt (or shoulder strap) extending between clips. The pack also has, a case defining a main compartment with a zippered opening. A veil of camouflage material serves as the blind. The veil extends from an upper vertex to hang up high, and from there to an outspread bottom for staking to the ground. The veil has a spreading shape to simulate a root flare of a tree. The vertex is attached to the case of the pack and inside the main compartment. For travel, the veil is stuffed inside the main compartment and shut therein. In the field, the pack is taken off, the veil pulled and spread out, and the belt (or shoulder straps) is (are) belted around a tree trunk to provide the vertex with its high suspension point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Inventors: Alan Stalker, Tim Pashia
  • Patent number: 8651349
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an attachment device by means of which, in use, an object is attached to a roof rack which is or at least can be connected to roof rails of a car, comprising a housing, at least two movable jaws extending to outside the housing, which jaws engage round a roof rack in use, and actuating means provided with an operating element for moving said at least two jaws together, wherein the actuating means are designed to translate the jaws and comprise at least one rack, which rack is engaged when the operating element is operated. The invention further relates to a combination of a roof rack and such an attachment device and to a combination of an object to be attached to a roof rack and such an attachment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hapro International B.V.
    Inventors: Michael Meissner, Joost Marinus Van Rooijen, Oscar Toetenel
  • Patent number: 8640934
    Abstract: The present invention is a roof rack having stowable, non-adjustable cross-bars. The roof rack also includes a plurality of mounts attached to a vehicle in an arrangement to provide a singular stowed position and a singular deployed position. The present invention also includes at least one cross-bar attached between the stowed position or the deployed position. The cross-bar is completely detached from the plurality of mounts to move the cross-bar from the stowed position to the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Magna International Inc.
    Inventors: Desmond P. Jamieson, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Sackda Samatchai, Phil Grella
  • Patent number: 8640936
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for securing an item to a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus includes an elongated cable, a retraction member, a coupling member, and a locking mechanism. The elongated cable is retractably received within the retraction member. The coupling member is secured to the retraction member. The coupling member is engageable with a vehicle receiver to secure the coupling member to the vehicle receiver. The vehicle receiver shaped to receive a separate hitch mounted accessory. The engagement between the coupling member and the vehicle receiver, in certain embodiments, is designed such that the vehicle receiver is accessible for receiving the separate hitch mounted accessory with the coupling member engaged with the vehicle receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventor: John Ort
  • Patent number: 8590758
    Abstract: An apparatus for racking a watercraft on a vehicle, in particular, a Recreational Vehicle comprising: a first end configured to engage a receiver hitch, wherein the first end accommodates a portion of a watercraft; a second end spaced apart from the first end, the second end removably enclosing another portion of the watercraft; and a connecting member connecting the first end with the second end. Also, a method for racking a watercraft on a vehicle comprising: providing a watercraft rack, the watercraft rack including a first end having a lower support frame, a connecting member connecting the first end to a spaced apart second end, the second end having an upper support frame; removably engaging the first end of the watercraft rack with a standard receiving hitch; accommodating a portion of a watercraft with the first end; and removably enclosing another portion of the watercraft within the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Inventor: Larry A. Gray
  • Patent number: 8573458
    Abstract: Disclosed is a portable article carrier for carrying and securing portable articles such as mobile phones, cameras, radios, tools, and water bottles; where the device can be secured to a belt, strap, or harness that is optionally worn by a wearer. The portable article carrier can be assembled from a folded flexible strap member and a loop member. The loop member can be flexible, non-flexible, or elastic. The portable article carrier can be configured to present a seamless surface to the portable article in order to minimize surface damage or wear to the portable article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Simple.be LLC
    Inventor: Brett Hamilton
  • Patent number: 8561861
    Abstract: A baby nursing and carrying device, specifically one that allows a mother to switch breasts when breastfeeding a baby while still remaining covered and while still supporting the baby. When not in use for breastfeeding purposes, a mother can use the device for easily carrying the baby without strain on the mother's back and without having to support the baby with her hands, thus allowing the mother's hands to be free to do other things.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventor: Vivian Muehlen