Patents Represented by Attorney Barnes & Thornburg LLP
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Patent number: 8348709Abstract: A method of making a spark plug includes providing a metal shell, an insulator at least partially disposed in the metal shell, a ground electrode coupled to the metal shell, and a center electrode disposed within the insulator. The method also includes depositing a tip substance on the spark plug to form an electrode tip.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2011Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Fram Group IP LLCInventors: Eric Passman, Martin Carlin Baker, Jeffrey Boehler
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Patent number: 8352313Abstract: A central monitoring station is linked to a plurality of remote terminals, such as payment terminals at a plurality of parking facilities. The central monitoring station and each remote terminal includes a two-way communication system in the form of a video camera and display, and audio speaker and microphone. The station and remote terminals are preferably linked through an Ethernet or Internet connection, although a hard-wired connection is also contemplated. The two-way communication system can be used by a customer at the remote terminal to achieve direct human interaction with an attendant at the remote central station to address problems occurring at the terminal. The communication system can also allow the attendant to manipulate the processor of each remote terminal to collect data, troubleshoot or override the function of the terminal.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Inventors: Mark Pratt, David Harpold
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Patent number: 8350719Abstract: A meter pit lid plug and bracket assembly configured to suspend a transmitter plug inside a meter pit is provide. The meter pit lid plug and bracket assembly includes a plug and a bracket. The plug includes a head and a stem that extends from the head. The stem is also configured to extend through a hole in a meter pit having a top surface. The head is sized to rest on the top surface of the meter pit lid and is configured to hold the stem in the hole. The bracket is configured to hold the transmitter plug inside the meter pit. The stem is selectively engageable with the base so that when the stem is connected with the base, both the plug and bracket are configured to hold and suspend the transmitter plug inside the meter box.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: The Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.Inventors: Steven W. Hockema, Mark E. Anderson
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Patent number: 8350454Abstract: A spark plug comprises a shell having a substantially cylindrical threaded portion for threadable engagement in a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, an insulator disposed coaxially in the shell, a center electrode disposed coaxially in the insulator, a side ground electrode having a first end coupled to the shell and a second end facing an end of the center electrode to define a spark discharge gap therebetween, and an electrode tip portion secured to either the side ground electrode or the center electrode proximate the spark discharge gap. The tip portion is formed from an alloy comprising from about 60 to about 70 percent by weight iridium, from about 30 to about 35 percent by weight rhodium, from 0 to about 10 percent by weight nickel, from about 3500 to about 4500 parts per million tantalum, and from about 100 to about 200 parts per million zirconium.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2011Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Fram Group IP LLCInventors: Eric P. Passman, Jeffrey T. Boehler, Edgar A. Leone
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Patent number: 8350411Abstract: An apparatus and method for supplying energy to a load includes an energy recharge unit, an energy storage unit, an energy converter connected to the energy recharge unit, the energy converter being capable of transferring energy at a power level from the energy recharge unit to an output node, the power level being determined by a power transfer controller, and a bi-directional energy converter connected to the energy storage unit and to the output node. The bi-directional energy converter is capable of converting energy of varying voltages from the energy storage unit to energy of varying current levels to supplement the transferred energy with energy from the energy storage unit so as to maintain a constant voltage on the output node. The bi-directional energy converter is capable of converting the transferred energy to provide charging energy to the energy storage unit when the transferred energy exceeds a demand level of the load while maintaining the constant voltage at the output node.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2011Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan W. Kimball, Philip T. Krein, Nicholas D. Benavides
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Patent number: 8350456Abstract: A spark plug is provided providing resistance to fouling. The spark plug includes a metal shell having a first end, a second end and an intermediate portion that collectively define a central cavity. The spark plug also includes an insulator that extends through the central cavity of the metal shell. The insulator includes a first end portion extending through an intermediate portion to a stepped tip portion having a first length. The stepped tip portion includes a first section and a substantially straight second section having a second length. The substantially straight second section includes a segment that extends beyond the second end of the metal shell to a third length. The second length of substantially straight portion is based upon at least one of the first length and the third length.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: FRAM Group IP LLCInventor: Matthew B. Below
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Patent number: 8343841Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first semiconductor layer on a front side of the semiconductor substrate. Additional semiconductor layers may be formed on a font side of the first semiconductor layer. The substrate is subsequently removed. In some embodiments, one or more additional semiconductor layers may be formed on the back side of the first semiconductor layer after the semiconductor substrate has been removed. Additionally, in some embodiments, a portion of the first semiconductor layer is removed along with the semiconductor substrate. In such embodiments, the first semiconductor layer is subsequently etched to a known thickness. Source regions and device electrodes may be then be formed.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Purdue Research FoundationInventors: James A. Cooper, Xiaokun Wang
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Patent number: 8341779Abstract: A bed has a head section and a foot section. The bed can assume a horizontal position and at least one position in which the foot section is at an angle relative to horizontal. For instance, the bed may assume a chair position, in which the head section is pivoted upwardly and the foot section is pivoted downwardly, to a substantially vertical position. Casters allow the bed to move relative to the floor. The casters can retract toward the head section of the bed as the foot section pivots downwardly toward the floor.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.Inventors: David W. Hornbach, Jonathan D. Turner, Jeffrey Scott Jelinek
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Patent number: 8344860Abstract: A system including a patient support apparatus that has an adjustable height, a brake and a siderail. The system also includes a processor receiving at least two of the following signals: a first signal indicating a brake condition of the brake, a second signal indicating a siderail condition of the siderail, and a third signal indicating a height condition of the patient support apparatus. The system has a user input configured to allow a person to make a selection of any one or more of the brake, siderail and height conditions for monitoring. The system includes a light that has a first state when any of the selected brake, siderail and height conditions indicate an alarm condition and that has a second state when all of the selected brake, siderail and height conditions of the selection indicate no alarm condition.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2012Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.Inventors: Williams F. Collins, Jr., James M. Allen, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidewell, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, Richard J. Schuman, Christopher A. Mathura
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Patent number: 8341827Abstract: A device suitable for placing a component on a substrate is provided with a component feeding device, a component pick-and-place device comprising a nozzle, a substrate carrier, means for moving the component pick-and-place device from the component feeding device to the substrate carrier and vice versa. A global measuring system is provided for determining the position of the component pick-and-place device during movement of the component pick-and-place device from the component feeding device to the substrate carrier and vice versa. The device is further provided with a local measuring system, remote from the global measuring system, for almost continually determining, in the proximity of a desired position of the component on the substrate, the position of the component pick-and-place device with respect to the substrate. The local measuring system is located closer to the substrate carrier than the global measuring system.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Assembleon B.V.Inventor: Johannes Hubertus Antonius Van de Rijdt
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Patent number: 8346512Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the probability of a collision between a first object, whose trajectory is substantially controlled by an operator input command, and a second object.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2007Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: CMTE Development LimitedInventor: Ross McAree
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Patent number: 8342359Abstract: A container for holding a dipping condiment or sauce and allowing a user to wipe a food item to remove excess condiment or sauce. The container has a base and a side wall having one portion higher than an opposing portion, the wall including at least one ridge, groove or other fluid retention device. The wall also includes a pair of opposing inwardly curved gripping surfaces for facilitating gripping by a user's fingers, the gripping surfaces including ribs or grooves. The container may also include a lid which snap fits onto the lip of the container.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Cannon Financial, Inc.Inventors: Arthur Dickson Cannon, III, Devin Lee Moore, Jesse Marie Newton, Alex Worthy Newton, Brian Andrew Wong-Shui
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Patent number: 8343360Abstract: A device for separating a flowing medium mixture into at least two different fractions with differing average mass density, comprising an elongate separating space which is circle-symmetrical in axial direction and enclosed by a stationary casing (2), wherein the casing is provided with feeds for a mixture for separating and at least two discharges (9, 10) for discharging at least two fractions with differing mass density, and rotation means located in the separating space for causing the mixture to rotate as a vortex in the separating space. Also disclosed is a method for separating a flowing medium mixture.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2008Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Advanced Tail-End Oil Company N.V.Inventor: Robert Schook
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Patent number: 8343159Abstract: A number of orthopaedic surgical instruments are also disclosed. A method, apparatus, and system for fabricating such instruments are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2008Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: DePuy Products, Inc.Inventor: Travis Bennett
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Patent number: 8342448Abstract: Floor modules of a cargo deck in a hull of an aircraft which comprise support devices for carrying functional elements, e.g. panels, roller conveyors or ball mats, are provided. The support devices are attachable in the hull of the aircraft directly or by way of intermediate elements. To improve stability at reduced weight, end support devices, as seen in the aircraft's longitudinal direction, have a thickness reduced in such a way compared to the other support devices of the floor module that only together with the end support devices of a floor module installed adjacently in the hull do they ensure a loading capacity that corresponds to at least the loading capacity of the other support devices.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Telair International GmbHInventors: Thomas Huber, Richard Holzner
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Patent number: 8341777Abstract: A patient support is connectable to an external power source. The patient support includes a bedframe supported on a floor, a plurality of wheels coupled to the bedframe, and a brake configured to prevent the bed from moving on the floor. The brake is moveable between a braked position and an unbraked position. The patient support also includes a controller configured to activate an alarm when the brake is moved to the unbraked position when the bed is connected to the external power source.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2012Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.Inventors: David W. Hensley, Jean-Bernard Duvert, Sebastien Gemeline, Patrick Weizman, Gary S. Siegle, Olivier Barbu, Le Boeuf Guenael
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Patent number: 8342604Abstract: A child restraint includes a juvenile vehicle seat and a movable headrest mounted on the seat. The seat includes a base, a back, and a child-restraint harness coupled to the base and to the movable headrest. The child-restraint harness includes shoulder belts arranged to pass through openings formed in the seat back and the movable headrest.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Cosco Management, Inc.Inventors: Nathan W. Heisey, Curtis J. Brandl
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Patent number: 8343936Abstract: Described herein are novel macrolides, the preparation of novel macrolides, the use of novel macrolides for preventing, treating, or ameliorating various conditions, and the use of novel macrolides as antibacterial agents.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2011Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan Duffield, Youe-Kong Shue, Yoshitaka Ichikawa, Chan-Kou Hwang
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Patent number: D673411Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2011Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: King Koil Licensing Company, Inc.Inventors: David J. Roberts, Ross Olinski, Ken Swinarski, Owen Shoemaker
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Patent number: D673412Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2012Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Inventors: David J. Roberts, Ross Olinski, Owen Shoemaker