Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Albert O. Cota
  • Patent number: 7563972
    Abstract: A musical instrument signaling system (10) that is designed to alert a player of a hand-held musical instrument when to commence and stop playing the instrument. Typically, the hand-held musical instrument consists of a handbell as used by members of a bell choir. The system (10) is disclosed in five embodiments, wherein each embodiment has a transmitting circuit that includes a musical instrument such as a keyboard, and a receiving circuit. In the first, third and fifth embodiments a set of electrical signals containing the notes are transmitted through space. In the second and fourth embodiments the signals containing the notes are transmitted from the transmitter circuit to the receiving circuit by a hard-wired cable. In all five embodiments only the selected notes of a musical performance are sent to the bell ringers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Inventors: Walter Kubitz, Rocky A. Cota, Kenneth J. Franco
  • Patent number: 7547006
    Abstract: A fruit and vegetable gripper (10) consisting of a resilient body (20) having a curved concave gripping surface (22) containing a number of slots (26), with a cutting shield (32) integrally formed within the body. A first insert (34) and a second insert (40) snap into the body, with each insert including gripping barbs (36) and (42) that penetrate the slots. When the gripper is manually held, the first insert gripping barbs (36) and second insert gripping barbs (42) are extended by hand pressure when a fruit or a vegetable is held, thereby achieving a positive non-slip grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Inventor: Tim Lockwood
  • Patent number: 7527293
    Abstract: A lockable steering wheel quick-release unit (10) for use in an automotive vehicle having a steering shaft and a steering wheel. The unit consists of a steering shaft hub (30) that attaches to an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vehicle steering shaft (28). An extending hub (42) attaches to the hub (30) with threaded fasteners (44), and an adapter (50), covered by a release sleeve (56), attaches the steering wheel to the unit (10) and interfaces directly with the extending hub (42). A plurality of balls (62) are locked between the extending hub (42) and the adapter (50), thereby maintaining a locked position until released by sliding the sleeve (56) into an unlocked ball position. An ejection compression spring (48) provides loading to assist in ejecting the adapter and attached steering wheel when released. A lock unit (24) is provided having a high-security push bolt lock (94) which is disposed upon the extending hub (42) for vehicle protection when the steering wheel with the adapter has been removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Inventor: Calvin S. Wang
  • Patent number: 7497173
    Abstract: A seed placement device (10) that is comprised of a seeding strip (12) and a boring tool (32). The seeding strip (12) has a multiplicity of equidistant holes (26) extending therethrough, and the boring tool (32) has an upper end (34), a shank (36) and a lower end (38) that terminates in a point (40). The seed placement device (10) is designed to quickly and easily allow a person to place a multiplicity of seeds (90) in the ground (92). Once the seeding strip (12) is placed in a desired location on the ground (92), a person inserts the boring tool (32) through each of the holes (26) and into the ground (92), thus creating a series of equidistant cavities (94), into each of which at least one seed (90) can be placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Jr., Robert M. Walker, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7467449
    Abstract: A CNC drilling and milling machine comprised of a movable drill motor platform (20) with a laser reference point finder (30) in the form of a laser (34) that is attached to the machine adjacent a spindle (22). The reference point is aligned on the workpiece (26) with an identical reference located in a CNC computer (38). A workpiece holder (20) has two opposed bars (42) attached to a T-groove base of the drilling and milling machine, with each bar having a longitudinal notch (44) for holding the edges of a workpiece (26). A plate compression support and debris collecting member (62) collects debris and provides support for the workpiece (26). The entire platform is moved to drill or mill at predetermined computer selected positions, having the initial reference point (32) located with the calibrated laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Inventors: S. Peter Lee, Francis Pan
  • Patent number: 7468394
    Abstract: An oil-in-water propofol emulsion that contains soybean oil and egg lecithin, which provide a source of nutrition for microorganisms. Current products include additives to act as a microbial growth retardation agent, the processes described herein detail several methods for the optimization of the innate microbial retardation capability of propofol. Using this process improves the safety of a propofol emulsion solution by controlling microbial growth without the side effects associated with growth retardation additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Yongfeng Zhang, Mary Ziping Luo
  • Patent number: 7463162
    Abstract: An earthquake alarm system (10) that produces an earthquake alert signal (17) that gives a person a few seconds to take cover or to assist others before the earthquake arrives. The system (10) consists of a plurality of earthquake detecting device (12) that when activated by an earthquake, produce a seismic event signal (11). The seismic event signal (11) is applied sequentially to a microcontroller (26), an auto dialer (30), a telephone line receptacle (34), a telephone company (36) and an R.F. transmitter (38) that produces an R.F. signal (23) that is applied via an R.F. antenna (40) into free space. The R.F. signal (23) is applied to and activates a plurality of remotely-located pagers (44). The pagers (44) include a visual and/or an audio alarm that indicates to a person that an earthquake is imminent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Inventor: Jamshid Hosseini
  • Patent number: 7461410
    Abstract: A toilet odor ventilating assembly (TOVA) (10) that is designed to be produced either as a kit for modifying a standard toilet assembly or to be integrated on to an original equipment manufacture (OEM) toilet assembly. When produced as a kit, the TOVA (10) can be easily installed onto a standard toilet assembly (160). The TOVA (10) kit is comprised of three major elements: a lower air-flow conduit (12), an upper air-flow conduit (56), and an electrical activation unit (120). The three elements function in combination to effectively eliminate or substantially reduce toilet odors emanating from the toilet bowl (168). The OEM design of the TOVA 10 requires that the toilet bowl (168) include an air inlet opening (200) that has attached an air inlet flange (204) and an air outlet opening (202) that has attached an air outlet flange (214). Between the two flanges is attached a flexible air hose (130) that passes the air flowing from the toilet bowl (168) into the sewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Inventor: Gene P. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 7452037
    Abstract: An alloy vehicle wheel (20) that includes a mating wheel cover (22), with the wheel consisting of a centrally located hub (24), a rim (26), and a number of integral spokes (28) attached to both the hub and rim. Slots (30) are incorporated into the spokes of the wheel and are configured to receive attachments. The molded wheel cover (22) is shaped to replicate the wheel and incorporates decorative design configurations (40) on its visual surfaces. Mushroom head studs (46) are integrally formed into the interior surface of the wheel cover and are positioned to penetrate the slots in the spokes as attachments for fastening the wheel cover to the alloy wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Inventor: Mitchell Nunes
  • Patent number: 7434494
    Abstract: A socket driving tool (10) that is designed to be inserted to a chuck (92) attached to an electric motor (94) or to a handle (96). The tool (10) is comprised of four major elements: a drive shaft (12), a magnet (18) attached to the front end (14) of the drive shaft (12), and a pair of sockets (50) consisting of a first socket (52) and a second socket (54). Preferably, the first socket (52) has a first fastener cavity (62) having a 5/16-inch (7.937 mm) opening, and a second fastener cavity (72) having a ΒΌ-inch (6.350 mm) opening. The second socket (54) has a first fastener cavity (62) having a ?-inch (9.525 mm) opening, and a second fastener cavity (72) having a 7/16-inch (11.113 mm) opening. The socket pair (50) is designed to be arranged on the drive shaft (12) in four different configurations that provide four fastener gripping diameters. The four gripping diameters allow four different diameter fasteners (90) to be tightened or loosened by the socket driving tool (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventor: Richard H. Snider
  • Patent number: 7395978
    Abstract: An automatic fertilizing apparatus (10) connected in series with a watering system (150) that includes a water source (152) and a sprinkler head(s) (158). The apparatus (10) consists of a liquid fertilizer container (12) having a water inlet port (20) and a water/fertilizer outlet port (24), and a fertilizing control assembly (50) having an outer fertilizer control tube (52) and an inner fertilizer control tube (82). The tube (52) which includes an outlet fertilizer entry slot (54) is inserted through the port (20) and the port (24) and is fixedly attached therethrough. The tube (82) is rotatably inserted into the tube (52) and includes an inner fertilizer entry slot (84), an inlet end (86) connected to the water source (152), an outlet end (88) connected to the sprinkler head(s) (158) and a vortex tube (87).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Piazza, Salvatore Piazza
  • Patent number: 7390115
    Abstract: An LED blinker load assembly (LBLA) (10) that can be integrated into the envelope of an LED light bulb or be attached externally to a rear, front or side LED lamp assembly. The LBLA (10) is comprised of an input circuit (12) and an output circuit (14). The two circuits in combination produce a sufficient current flow to operate an LED load circuit (18) and to cause a conventional vehicle flasher unit (60) to be operated normally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Inventors: Zhen Qiu Huang, Guan Xiong Huang
  • Patent number: 7382241
    Abstract: A vehicle LED tail-light bulb (10) that is designed to replace an incandescent light bulb, to be inserted into a conventional right and left vehicle light socket and to function in combination with a vehicle battery that powers the bulb (10) and a flasher unit that is activated by a vehicle turn-signal arm. The LED tail-light bulb incorporates an electronics circuit consisting of an input circuit (12), an intermediate circuit (14) and an output circuit (16). The electronics circuit is designed to operate the left and right turn lights and in some cases an emergency light and to produce a current flow of sufficient magnitude to energize the vehicle flasher unit. The energized flasher unit then causes the bulb (10) to blink when the vehicle turn-signal arm is placed in either a right turn or a left turn position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Inventors: Zhen Qiu Huang, Sam Fu
  • Patent number: 7382329
    Abstract: A variable beam controlling antenna for a mobile communication base station having at least two radiator portions that are arranged vertically, with each portion having a reflector with at least one radiator installed therein. At least one force generator provides rotational force when applied on external control signal, and a force transfer portion transfers the rotational force generated from the force generator to at least one reflector, thus rotating the at least one reflector. The variable beam controlling antenna can be fabricated at a low cost and allows for easy automatic optimization, which is required for a mobile communication wireless network since it is configured to be a one-column antenna capable of controlling a horizontal beam width. Although conventionally many kinds of antennas with different beam widths are needed for base station sectors, the single antenna can easily change its beam width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Inventor: Duk Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 7367621
    Abstract: A disposable seat liner (10) that covers a shopping cart's child seat (20) that includes a cart handle (22). The liner (10) consists of a liner seat bottom (24) configured to cover the child's seating area of a shopping cart (26). A liner right side (28) and a liner left side (30) are integrally formed with the seat bottom and folded upward. A liner handle end (32) overlaps the cart handle (22) and is also integrally formed with the liner seat bottom (24). A liner seat back (42) jointly overlaps the cart's seat and the cart's basket upper portion, and is permanently attached with heat-sealed joints (34) to the liner right side and left side on adjacent edges, thereby forming a disposable protective cover to assure isolation from microorganisms found on the shopping cart's child seat and handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Inventors: Joannie U. Han-Dressor, Eric A. Dressor
  • Patent number: 7341078
    Abstract: An automatic bulk filling process for filling a large number of liquid containers (20) simultaneously which consists of placing the open-topped liquid containers upside down in a rack (22). The rack is then inserted into a vacuum chamber (28) and positioned directly above a tray (38) that contains a liquid medicinal product (40). The next step is to evacuate the chamber to a predetermined level below atmospheric pressure and then lowering the rack until the containers are partially immersed in the liquid product. Following that step, nitrogen is introduced into the vacuum chamber at a predetermined gradual rate, thereby quickly forcing the medicinal liquid product into the containers. The rack is then raised from the tray containing the liquid medicinal product and removed from the chamber as another rack full of containers is simultaneously inserted into the chamber from the other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Amphastar Pharmaceuticals
    Inventors: Frank Zhi Shi Xia, Zhi Dong Lou, Jack Yong Feng Zhang, Mary Zi Ping Luo
  • Patent number: 7339465
    Abstract: A vehicle-to-trailer light-connection verification tester (10) designed to be located within a towing vehicle (20), a towed trailer (30) or within a cable adapter (24) that is connected between the vehicle (20) and the trailer (30). The tester (10) features an electronics circuit (12) that includes a plug (P1), a receptacle (J2), a three-position mode switch (S1), a plurality of isolation diodes (D1-D4), and a loudspeaker (LS1). The mode switch (S1) has a vehicle test position V, a trailer test position T, and a normal lighting position N. When the switch (S1) is in the vehicle test position the rear vehicle lights are tested and when the switch (S1) is in the trailer test position (T) the rear trailer lights are tested. If each light in either the vehicle (20) or the trailer (30) is operational the loudspeaker (LS1) produces an audible sound. Conversely, if a particular light is not functioning no sound is heard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Inventors: John C. Cheng, Zhen Qiu Huang
  • Patent number: 7303320
    Abstract: A bracket (10) for mounting accessories on a pick-up truck cab (20) consisting of a Z-shaped elongated body (22) having a forward upper horizontal mounting flange (24), a rearward lower horizontal mounting flange (28), and an integral arcuate upright section (26) located in between. The upright section (26) conforms to the shape of the truck cab (20) and includes a recessed cavity (30) in reverse image of a truck third brake light socket (32) that is formed within the truck cab. A number of threaded fasteners (54) are used for attaching the third brake light onto existing threaded mounting holes (38) in the truck third brake light socket (32) when the bracket is inserted into the socket (32), thereby securely retaining both the light and the bracket in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventor: David M. Ashley
  • Patent number: D563287
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Inventors: Scott E. Falter, Brian C. Falter
  • Patent number: D581127
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Inventors: Daniel Bautista, Jesus Bautista