Patents by Inventor Robert L. Shaffer

Robert L. 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).

  • Publication number: 20240159086
    Abstract: A retention patio leash for outdoor furniture includes a housing having a first end and an opposite second end. The housing includes a first collar disposed at the first end and a second collar disposed at the second end. The first and second collars defining a through opening configured to receive at least a portion of the outdoor furniture. An intermediate disc body is disposed between the first collar and the second collar, the intermediate disc body defining an internal cavity and a plurality of slots defined on a sidewall. A retention system is supported within the intermediate disc body and includes one or more retractable straps and a fastener coupled to a free end of each of the one or more retractable straps. The fastener configured to releasably attach to other outdoor furniture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2024
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Robert William Shaffer, Christie L. Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20240127804
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer readable medium embodiments for machine learning systems to process interactive communications between at least two participants. Speech and text within the interactive communications are analyzed using machine learning models to infer insights located within the interactive communications. The inferred insights are converted to descriptive text or audio and tagged to the interactive communication as graphics or audio whispers reflecting the insights added to the interactive communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Anup SHIRODKAR, Thomas ZAHORIK, Matthew C. FORD, Miguel DE LA ROCHA, Sara R. MCDOLE, Robert L. SCHOLTZ, III, Raghav SAHAI, Kevin T. SHAFFER, Trent F. HODGES, Avinash KAWALE, David ABER
  • Patent number: 11946271
    Abstract: An umbrella base includes an elongated receiver and a weighted housing coupled to and at least partially surrounding the elongated receiver. The weighted housing includes a bottom surface configured to be placed directly on an underlying surface and an opposite top surface. A retention system is supported on the weighted housing. The retention system includes one or more retractable straps mounted to the weighted housing, and a fastener device coupled to a free end of each of the one or more retractable straps and configured to releasably attach to outdoor furniture. The fastener device is adapted to selectively extend outwards from the weighted housing via the one or more retractable straps so that when the fastener device is attached to the outdoor furniture the weighted housing weighs down the outdoor furniture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Patio Leash LLC
    Inventors: Robert William Shaffer, Christie L. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 6420625
    Abstract: A breathable, liquid-impermeable, apertured film/nonwoven laminate is provided for use as a backsheet on various absorbent articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins, incontinent garments, and the like. The laminate is formed from a nonporous, breathable polymeric film layer, an apertured film layer, and a nonwoven web layer. The layers may be attached in an arrangement where the breathable polymeric film layer is sandwiched between the nonwoven web layer and apertured film layer, or where the apertured film layer is sandwiched between the nonwoven web layer and the breathable film layer. A process for making the laminate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Billy R. Jones, Robert L. Shaffer, Mark B. Majors
  • Patent number: 4706556
    Abstract: A potato chip manufacturing machine comprising a frame, an elongated oil cooking kettle mounted on the frame, and an oil circulation circuit connected to the oil for causing flow of cooking oil in a longitudinal direction through the cooking kettle. Flow retarding paddles are horizontally mounted in a transverse direction over the oil in the kettle and are adapted to retard the flow of potato slices longitudinally in the kettle. A powered conveyor device is mounted on one end of the kettle to remove cooked potato slices from the oil. A potato slicing means is pivotally mounted on one end of the frame. The potato slicing means, the paddle and the conveyor are powered by variable speed motors. Either a gas or electrical heat means is provided over the kettle to heat the oil therein. Elongated, spaced apart heat exchanger bars are located on the bottom of the kettle. The vanes of the retarding paddles are sand blasted and bent slightly to prevent adhesion by potato slices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Vanmark Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph E. Wallace, Robert L. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 4371163
    Abstract: A bowler's wrist and forefinger support which comprises a rigid body adapted to extend dorsally from the forefinger to a location on the forearm above the wrist. The distal portion of the support extends over and partially encases the forefinger throughout its entire length. The proximal portion is cylindrically curved to fit generally around the back of the hand, wrist and forearm. The support restricts backward movement of the forefinger to an optimal angular range of 15 to 20 degrees forward with respect to the axis of the hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Inventors: Robert L. Shaffer, Richard W. Heckman
  • Patent number: 3951819
    Abstract: A sludge removal system for use in the removal of settled sludge collected on the bottom surface of a circular clarifier. The system includes a plurality of self-supporting sludge receiving conduits of various lengths extending radially outward from the center of the tank in a common horizontal plane. Each conduit has a sludge pick-up port associated with the outer end thereof. Vertical riser tubes extend upward from the inner ends of the conduits into a sightwell assembly. At the upper end of each riser tube is a flow control valve arrangement to regulate the amount of sludge flow through each conduit. The valve indicates a pipe within a pipe, both pipes having slotted openings cut therefrom, to provide a variable flow orifice the size of which may be controlled by rotating the inner pipe about the stationary outer pipe. The upper edges of the slotted openings extend above the static liquid level in the clarifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1976
    Assignee: Ecodyne Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Shaffer, Donald G. Mason
  • Patent number: D390432
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventor: Robert L. Shaffer