Patents by Inventor Keith Bender

Keith Bender 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: 9746012
    Abstract: A self-centering vial clamp is provided. The self-centering vial clamp includes a clamp body including a vial aperture and two or more jaw slots spaced around the vial aperture, two or more clamp jaws spaced around the vial aperture, with a clamp jaw including a vial contact face and one or more jaw projections configured to engage a jaw slot of the clamp body, and two or more lever arms coupled to the two or more clamp jaws. A lever arm of the self-centering vial claim is configured to be manually pivoted, wherein the lever arm translates the pivoting motion into a sliding motion of the corresponding clamp jaw. Interacting lever gears formed on the lever arms constrain the two or more clamp jaws to move substantially in unison during the manual pivoting, aligning the vial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Hach Company
    Inventors: Bret Warrick, Keith Bender
  • Publication number: 20140026388
    Abstract: A self-centering vial clamp is provided. The self-centering vial clamp includes a clamp body including a vial aperture and two or more jaw slots spaced around the vial aperture, two or more clamp jaws spaced around the vial aperture, with a clamp jaw including a vial contact face and one or more jaw projections configured to engage a jaw slot of the clamp body, and two or more lever arms coupled to the two or more clamp jaws. A lever arm is configured to be manually pivoted, wherein the lever arm translates the pivoting motion into a sliding motion of the corresponding clamp jaw. Interacting lever gears formed on the lever arms constrain the two or more clamp jaws to move substantially in unison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Hach Company
    Inventors: Bret Warrick, Keith Bender
  • Patent number: 8550413
    Abstract: A self-centering vial clamp (100) is provided. The self-centering vial clamp (100) includes a clamp body (101) including a vial aperture (110) and two or more jaw slots (111) spaced around the vial aperture (110), two or more clamp jaws (211) spaced around the vial aperture (110), with a clamp jaw (211) including a vial contact face (213) and one or more jaw projections (231) configured to engage a jaw slot (111) of the clamp body (101), and two or more lever arms (220) coupled to the two or more clamp jaws (211). A lever arm (220) is configured to be manually pivoted, wherein the lever arm translates the pivoting motion into a sliding motion of the corresponding clamp jaw (211). Interacting lever gears (224) formed on the lever arms (220) constrain the two or more clamp jaws (211) to move substantially in unison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Hach Company
    Inventors: Bret Warrick, Keith Bender
  • Patent number: 8363222
    Abstract: A mixer for analytical application mixes a container of fluid without a magnetic stir bar. A device for testing a liquid for particles can use the mixer. The mixing can occur in a sealed container, and liquid can be transmitted to the device from the sealed container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hach Company
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Girvin, Gerald A. Szpak, Keith A. Bender, Shawn A. Hogan, Robert A. Moss
  • Publication number: 20110266409
    Abstract: A self-centering vial clamp (100) is provided. The self-centering vial clamp (100) includes a clamp body (101) including a vial aperture (110) and two or more jaw slots (111) spaced around the vial aperture (110), two or more clamp jaws (211) spaced around the vial aperture (110), with a clamp jaw (211) including a vial contact face (213) and one or more jaw projections (231) configured to engage a jaw slot (111) of the clamp body (101), and two or more lever arms (220) coupled to the two or more clamp jaws (211). A lever arm (220) is configured to be manually pivoted, wherein the lever arm translates the pivoting motion into a sliding motion of the corresponding clamp jaw (211). Interacting lever gears (224) formed on the lever arms (220) constrain the two or more clamp jaws (211) to move substantially in unison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Hach Company
    Inventors: Bret Warrick, Keith Bender
  • Publication number: 20100313635
    Abstract: A mixer for analytical application mixes a container of fluid without a magnetic stir bar. A device for testing a liquid for particles can use the mixer. The mixing can occur in a sealed container, and liquid can be transmitted to the device from the sealed container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: Hach Company
    Inventors: Kenneth L. GIRVIN, Gerald A. Szpak, Keith A. Bender, Shawn A. Hogan, Robert A. Moss
  • Patent number: 7789552
    Abstract: A mixer for analytical application mixes a container of fluid without a magnetic stir bar. A device for testing a liquid for particles can use the mixer. The mixing can occur in a sealed container, and liquid can be transmitted to the device from the sealed container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Hach Company
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Girvin, Gerald A. Szpak, Keith A. Bender, Shawn A. Hogan, Robert A. Moss
  • Publication number: 20070047385
    Abstract: A mixer for analytical application mixes a container of fluid without a magnetic stir bar. A device for testing a liquid for particles can use the mixer. The mixing can occur in a sealed container, and liquid can be transmitted to the device from the sealed container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: Hach Ultra Analytics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Girvin, Gerald Szpak, Keith Bender, Shawn Hogan, Robert Moss