Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Clark Hill
  • Patent number: 8020357
    Abstract: A clip closure system for closing clips, each clip having a base section and first and second legs extending from opposite ends thereof, is described. The clip closure system has a rail configured to hold the clips; first and second jaws which are rotatably connected to the rail; a connector; first and second arms, the first arm being connected to the first jaw and to the connector, the second arm being connected to the second jaw and to the connector; an actuator configured to move the connector such that the first jaw rotates relative to the rail to contact and bend the first leg of the clip toward the base section of the clip, and such that the second jaw rotates relative to the rail to contact and bend the second leg of the clip toward the base section of the clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System Corp.
    Inventor: Eggo Haschke
  • Patent number: 8016533
    Abstract: A lock nut having a plurality of sides having a radius crimp which is consistent with the radius of the threaded bore in the lock nut. Preferably, the lock nut is crimped using a three sided die, each die having a radius crimp with relief angles. The relief angles are provided at a desired angle to result in the desired amount of contact area between the lock nut and the die. The device includes a housing, and the housing includes at one end a threaded bore which is configured to mount on a ram. An opposite end of the housing provides a tapered die section in which the three sided die is disposed. The three sided die is engaged with a locking die base which is movable within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Acument Intellectual Properties LLC
    Inventor: Randy Ackley
  • Patent number: 8015946
    Abstract: A cage free nest has nest bottoms that have raised/rounded portions proximate to the entranceways into the cage free nest. A ramp extends from a surface to connect to the nest bottoms proximate to the entranceway. Both the nest bottoms and the ramp are formed of a non-slip, woven galvanized steel wire. The cage free nest also has upper and lower top panels that make up a roof assembly of the cage free nest. The lower top panels can be moved relative to the upper top panels to an opened/raised position by a cable assembly to allow for visual inspection into the cage free nest through the entranceways. The upper top panels can be moved relative to the lower top panels to an opened/raised position to allow for visual inspection into the cage free nest through the roof assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: CTB, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry D. Dowty
  • Patent number: 8006985
    Abstract: A load-carrying dolly having four wheels (6, 7) adjacent the corners of its platform (1) is rendered immobile by conversion to a pallet-like condition by lowering bearers (9, 10, 11) into contact with the floor or ground (24) and then raising the platform (1) slightly to raise the wheels (6, 7) clear of the floor or ground by means of either of two pedals (25, 32), one below each end of the platform (1), with linkage (of either of two forms, not shown) to bars (23) connecting in “slave” pairs of toggle links (20, 21) by means of which the bearers are suspended through beams (33) connecting upward extensions (12, 13, 14) at the ends of the bearers (9, 10, 11), the toggle links in each pair becoming locked by mating abutments (28) coming together when the links have passed slightly beyond in-line position, the mechanical advantage of the depressed pedal (25 or 32) being amplified by that of the pairs of toggle links when passing through in-line positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Loadhog Limited
    Inventors: Hugh David Facey, Derek Boaler, John Makin, Brian Edward Shawcross, Leigh Jowett
  • Patent number: 8003562
    Abstract: A silica base composite photocatalyst that has appropriate water purification capability, inhibiting precipitation of metal oxides; and a process for producing the same. The silica base composite photocatalyst is one composed mainly of a composite oxide phase consisting of an oxide phase (first phase) composed mainly of silica component and a titania phase (second phase) wherein the ratio of presence of the second phase increases aslope toward the surface layer, characterized in that at least one metal oxide selected from among strontium titanate and barium titanate is contained in the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Ube Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamaoka, Yoshikatsu Harada, Teruaki Fujii, Shinichirou Otani, Tadashi Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 7988790
    Abstract: A water softener particularly for use in a dishwasher. The water softener is located in the dishwasher water supply (238) between the primary supply valve and the wash chamber. The softener includes a resin container (207) with an ion exchange resin (290). Water supplied to the wash chamber optionally passes through the resin container (207). Regenerating brine is developed in a brine container (203). The brine container (203) is supplied manually with solid salt (270) and water diverted into the container from the main supply at an air break (201). In the regenerating cycle brine is delivered from the brine container (203) to the resin container (207) by a pump (206). The duty cycle of the pump (206) determines the degree of regeneration of the resin (290).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Appliances Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Robert Maunsell, Daniel Warwick Blair
  • Patent number: 7963394
    Abstract: A preferred form of slip sheet (62) for use between layers (L) of containers, especially bottles (20), in a palletised load, comprises a rectangular board (63) having marginal portions (34) formed with corrugations (65, 66) extending perpendicular from their edges and merging into the general plane of the board (63), whereby, in use, a ‘throat’ (TD) is formed between the upward corrugations (66) on a lower slip sheet (62) and the downward corrugations (65) on an upper slip sheet (62) which prevents ‘walking’ of the outermost rows of bottles (20) in the intervening layer. Curved corners of the board (63) are provided with diverging corrugations (65X, 66X) to prevent ‘walking’ of bottles (20) from the corners of layers (L). A plurality of such slip sheets (62) can be stacked compactly and with great stability by virtue of the corrugations (65, 66) nesting in the corrugations of neighbouring slip sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Loadhog Limited
    Inventors: Hugh David Facey, Derek Boaler, John Makin
  • Patent number: 7951736
    Abstract: An SiC fiber bonded ceramic constituted of both a base material which comprises both inorganic fibers made mainly of a sintered SiC structure containing 0.01 to 1 wt % of oxygen (O) and at least one of Groups 2A, 3A and 3B metals and a 1 to 100-nm and carbon (C)-base boundary layer formed among the fibers and a surface part which is made mainly of an SiC-base ceramic structure and formed on at least part of the surface of the base material, characterized in that the boundary portion between the surface part and the base material takes such a gradient structure that the structure of the base material changes into the structure of the surface part gradually and continuously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Ube Industries, Ltd
    Inventors: Kenji Matsunaga, Shinji Kajii, Toshihiko Hogami
  • Patent number: 7949986
    Abstract: A method of evaluating the feasibility of a CoreSight trace architecture in a SoC before the hardware and/or firmware is available allowing for better die size estimates (IO count and gate count) and package requirement for the design in the early stages of planning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Judy Gehman
  • Patent number: 7948036
    Abstract: A technique to enhancing substrate bias of grounded-gate NMOS fingers (ggNMOSFET's) has been developed. By using this technique, lower triggering voltage of NMOS fingers can be achieved without degrading ESD protection in negative zapping. By introducing a simple gate-coupled effect and a PMOSFET triggering source with this technique, low-voltage triggered NMOS fingers have also been developed in power and I/O ESD protection, respectively. A semiconductor device which includes a P-well which is underneath NMOS fingers. The device includes an N-well ring which is configured so that the inner P-well underneath the NMOS fingers is separated from an outer P-well. The inner P-well and outer P-well are connected by a P-substrate resistance which is much higher than the resistance of the P-wells. A P+-diffusion ring surrounding the N-well ring is configured to connect to VSS, i.e., P-taps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Jau-Wen Chen
  • Patent number: 7938473
    Abstract: An electromechanical strut is provided for moving a pivotal lift gate between an open position and a closed position relative to a motor vehicle body. The electromechanical strut includes a housing connected to one of the lift gate and the motor vehicle body. An extensible shaft is slidably mounted to the housing. The extensible shaft is connected to the other of the lift gate and the motor vehicle body. A drive mechanism includes a rotatable power screw. The drive mechanism converts rotary motion of the power screw into linear motion of the extensible shaft to move the extensible shaft between a retracted position corresponding to the closed position of the lift gate and an extended position corresponding to the open position of the lift gate. A power spring includes one end connected to the extensible shaft and another end connected to the housing for providing a mechanical counterbalance to the weight of the lift gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Magna Closures Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon Andrew Paton, Stephen A. G. Mitchell, Dragan Mrkovic, Krzysztof Groszkowski, Borys M. Shchokin, Victor Gusev
  • Patent number: 7934421
    Abstract: A wheel test assembly for testing a wheel-and-tire assembly includes a drum operatively mounted to a base for rotation of the drum. The drum includes an inner circumferential surface. A tailstock assembly is slidably coupled to the base for movement in a lateral direction relative to the drum. A support assembly is slidably coupled to the tailstock assembly for movement in a vertical direction for positioning the wheel-and-tire assembly into rolling contact with the inner circumferential surface of the drum. A spindle assembly is pivotally coupled to the support assembly to adjust a camber angle of the wheel-and-tire assembly. The wheel-and-tire assembly is mounted to the spindle assembly for rotation of the wheel-and-tire assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Link Engineering Company
    Inventors: Timothy Olex, David Zander, Christian R. Ritchey, Martin R. Scherzer, David Friske, Lee Davis, Carlos Agudelo
  • Patent number: 7933171
    Abstract: Disclosed is a music jukebox which is configured for storing a music library therein. The music jukebox includes a housing, audio input structure on the housing for receiving audio signals, audio output structure on the housing for outputting audio signals, and a data storage structure in the housing for storing audio signals. The music jukebox is configured such that a music library of sound tracks is storable in the data storage structure. The music jukebox includes means for selecting a sound track from the music library stored in the data storage structure to play through the audio output structure, and the housing includes a display thereon which identifies sound tracks in the music library. Preferably, the music jukebox is configured such that the sound tracks stored in the data storage structure are editable before being played through the audio output structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Audio Devices, LLC
    Inventors: Peter J. Keller, Michael J. Kelley
  • Patent number: 7926788
    Abstract: An attachment system for a cable puller provides for securing the cable puller to various sized conduits. The attachment system includes a clamping assembly having pivotable arms angled to generally be formed in V-shapes at the ends which engage and trap the conduit at four separate points. The clamping arms have gripping members that radially nest against the conduit threads and an overhang portion which acts as a location stop for the conduit. Each clamping arm has a face which extends past the pivot point. A screw and a nut between the extended portion of the clamping arms act on a push block which in turn acts against the arm faces such that when the nut is screwed inward, it causes the gripping members to be forced against the conduit in order to secure the conduit in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Plummer
  • Patent number: 7926878
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a motor vehicle includes a seat back and an armrest rotatably coupled to the seat back for movement between a generally vertical, stowed position and a generally horizontal, use position. A guide member is disposed between the armrest and the seat back. The guide member includes a tube having an interior defining thread ridges. A guide pin extends through the tube and interconnects the armrest and seat back. The guide pin includes a helical screw thread portion for rotatably engaging the thread ridges to provide for lateral adjustment of the armrest towards and away from the seat back as the armrest moves between its respective stowed and use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Magna Seating Inc.
    Inventors: Yogin Amin, Sagar Kulkarni, Richard Ensing, Scott Turpin
  • Patent number: D637068
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Gripple Limited
    Inventor: Christopher Robert Claude Peart
  • Patent number: D639151
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Gripple Limited
    Inventor: Lee Mark Giemza
  • Patent number: D641997
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Inventor: Shaun Melvyn Phillips
  • Patent number: D645061
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Plummer
  • Patent number: D645766
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Inventor: Michael H. Bertucci