Patents by Inventor Phil McDuffie

Phil McDuffie 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).

  • Constant width, adjustable grip, staple apparatus and method
    Patent number: 5715987
    Abstract: A staple and stapler for injecting the staple in a manner so that the staple maintains a near constant width upon penetration of material to be joined and during staple closure/forming such that material perturbation and staple to staple spacing may be minimized. The staple has a rectilinear bridge part from which depend oppositely positioned side parts and from the side parts a pair of straight legs. In a preferred embodiment, the oppositely positioned side parts consist of a proximal arcuate section attached to the bridge part and an oppositely directed distal arcuate section attached to the legs. The legs may have sharpened points. Also disclosed is a stapler adapted to force the oppositely directed distal arcuate sections outward, in one embodiment, thereby forcing a reaction of the legs of the staple to face each other in linear alignment and form a closed staple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Tracor Incorporated
    Inventors: Mark Kelley, Phil McDuffie
  • Constant width, adjustable grip, staple apparatus and method
    Patent number: 5695524
    Abstract: A staple and stapler for injecting the staple in a manner so that the staple maintains a near constant width upon penetration of material to be joined and during staple closure/forming such that material perturbation and staple to staple spacing may be minimized. The staple has a rectilinear bridge part from which depend oppositely positioned side parts and from the side parts a pair of straight legs. In a preferred embodiment, the oppositely positioned side parts consist of a proximal arcuate section attached to the bridge part and an oppositely directed distal arcuate section attached to the legs. The legs may have sharpened points. Also disclosed is a stapler adapted to force the oppositely directed distal arcuate sections outward, in one embodiment, thereby forcing a reaction of the legs of the staple to face each other in linear alignment and form a closed staple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Tracor Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Kelley, Phil McDuffie