Patents by Inventor John F. Runyon

John F. Runyon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5860612
    Abstract: A guidance system for tape in a tape cartridge includes two corner guides and an optional third guide. The two corner guides may be angled or tapered to produce a bow or slope in the tape, and to steer the tape. If provided, the third guide is readily adjustable during manufacture to an exact predetermined distance from the two corner guides, thereby avoiding problems due to build-up of manufacturing tolerances. A method of constructing such a system provides an interference fit ferrule on a pin or a nail-like pin as the third guide, such that the position of the ferrule or nail head of the pin can be adjusted to the exact position desired during manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: John F. Runyon, Robert A. Muehlhausen, Charles L. Dennis, II, Leslie M. Milner, Mark D. Green, Keith T. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5772143
    Abstract: A guidance system for tape in a tape cartridge includes two corner guides and an optional third guide. The two corner guides may be angled to produce a bow in the tape. If provided, the third guide is readily adjustable during manufacture to an exact predetermined distance from the two corner guides, thereby avoiding problems due to build-up of manufacturing tolerances. A method of constructing such a system provides an interference fit ferrule on a pin as the third guide, such that the position of the ferrule can be adjust to the exact position desired during manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: John F. Runyon, Robert A. Muehlhausen
  • Patent number: 5337608
    Abstract: A drive roller torque reference cartridge for calibrating a drive force tester. The reference cartridge uses a magnetic hysteresis brake assembly to controllably resist the rotation of the cartridge drive roller. The magnetic hysteresis brake assembly includes a cylindrical permanent magnet within the drive roller and a coaxial remanently magnetizable sleeve surrounding the drive roller. The drag created by the reference cartridge is substantially independent of the temperature and rotational speed of the drive roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Daniel Egan, Jerry Alexander, James T. McKinney, John F. Runyon
  • Patent number: 5101975
    Abstract: A carrier having a carrier body to handle and protect electronic components which have a body portion. The carrier body having a bottom member with a flat upper surface portion with a smaller component supporting surface. The bottom member also having locator ridges which surround the component supporting surfaces. The carrier body also having a restraint structure which extends over at least a part of the component supporting surface. The restraint structure releasing a component individually from a single carrier or simultaneously or successively from all carriers when components are transferred in bulk. The body portion of the component restrained during handling within the area defined by the component supporting surface, the locator ridges, and the restraint structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Novapak, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Runyon, Ted. T. Christianson
  • Patent number: 5046610
    Abstract: A carrier having a carrier body to handle and protect electronic surface mount components which have a body portion and extending leads. The carrier body having a bottom member with a flat upper surface portion with a smaller component supporting surface. The bottom member also having locator ribs which surround the component supporting surface. The carrier body also having a restraint structure which extends over at least a part of the component supporting surface. The body portion of the component restrained during handling within the area defined by the component supporting surface, the locator ribs, and the restraint structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Christianson Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Runyon, Ted T. Christianson
  • Patent number: 4937987
    Abstract: Economical temporary building structures formed from a skeleton of thirteen squares, each divided along its diagonal to form a basic structure of twenty-siz triangles. When the triangles are panels, twenty-four are assembled into four trapezoidal modules of six aligned panel units each which are joined along their longer bases to form two double modules. When seen as laid flat, the double modules are joined at a right angle along one of their non-parallel ends. A three-dimensional structure is formed by folding the assembly and bringing the opposite ends of the double modules together. Alternative forms of structure are disclosed along with various means of flexibly assembling triangular panel units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Inventor: John F. Runyon
  • Patent number: 4876831
    Abstract: An improved folding dome-like modular building structure composed of 48 flexibly interconnected equal right isoceles triangles. Each building structure is formed from a series of four flexibly connected modules of 12 triangles each. The modules are connected in alternating right and left-handed mirror image sequence. Each triangle is defined by struts. The improvements lie in the provision of intermediate cuts and hinged joints in certain of the struts to facilitate folding of the structure into a compact mass. Variations of the basic building structure are disclosed. The building structures may be open or partially open framework or they may be enclosed by a fabric or film covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Inventor: John F. Runyon
  • Patent number: 4285609
    Abstract: A hinge joint assembly for flexibly connecting rigid elongated structural components in the construction of modular buildings. More specifically, the joint permits the fastening of struts (rods, tubes, or the like) about a central hub. Each joint assembly includes a plurality of lengths of resilient tubing supported in slot openings in a body member. The flattened portion of the tubing in each slot functions as a hinge for relative movement of the adjacent unflattened portions. The unflattened open end portions of the tubing function as sockets to receive one end of a structural component. Several forms of joint assembly are shown and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1981
    Inventor: John F. Runyon
  • Patent number: 4145850
    Abstract: A folding dome-like modular building structure composed of 48 flexibly interconnected equal right isosceles triangles. Each building structure is formed from a series of four flexibly connected modules of 12 triangles each. The modules are connected in alternating right and left-handed mirror image sequence. Each triangle may be a rigid panel or an open space enclosed by struts or panel edges. The structure may be formed in part from struts and in part from panels. It may be an open or partially open framework or it may be enclosed by fabric or film supported over or suspended from the framework.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1979
    Inventor: John F. Runyon
  • Patent number: 4111574
    Abstract: A hinge joint assembly for flexibly connecting rigid structural components in the construction of modular buildings. More specifically, the joint permits the fastening of struts (rods, tubes, or the like) and/or panel studs with three possible degrees of rotational freedom for each strut or stud connected. Each joint assembly includes a plurality of interacting fastening units having a connecting member to which a longitudinally extending strut or stud is rotatably connected about its longitudinal axis, the connecting member in turn being rotatable about either of two axes which are perpendicular to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the strut or stud. Several forms of joint assembly are shown and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1978
    Inventor: John F. Runyon
  • Patent number: 4074477
    Abstract: Building structures formed from repeating alternating mirror-image forms of basic mathematically determinate structural modules. The structure is applicable to the construction of buildings without internal supporting pillars or other structural supports which form interior obstructions. Such structures are especially adapted for such uses as auditoriums, concert halls, exhibition halls, field houses, storage buildings, stadium covers, etc. The structures are readily adapted for factory fabrication and partial assembly, shipment as partially assembled components and final on-site assembly. The structural modules are foldable. Structures may be assembled from modules in folded or collapsed condition at or near ground level and then erected by unfolding into structures of substantial length, width and height. The completed structures may take the form of a surface of revolution, such as a hemisphere, toroid, catenoid, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1973
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Inventor: John F. Runyon