Patents by Inventor Ralph E. Shaffer

Ralph E. Shaffer 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: 4822316
    Abstract: A toy vehicle with a joint structure supporting the wheels of the toy vehicle in a manner that enables the vehicle and its wheels to be placed in a variety of unique and attractive orientations. The toy vehicle has a chassis and at least three wheels connected with the chassis by means of the joint structure. The joint structure enables each wheel to be independently adjusted relative to the chassis to selectively adjust the relative orientation of the chassis and one or more of the wheels. The joint structure can be adjusted by a manually applied torque, but when the joint structure is in an adjusted position, it can maintain its adjusted position under gravitational/inertial forces applied to it by the toy vehicle. Thus, the joint can be "adjustably retained" in selected adjusted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: Those Characters From Cleveland, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph E. Shaffer, Edward G. Chanter, Randy j. Randleman, Robert H. Yeager