Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Dougherty & Associates
  • Patent number: 6005361
    Abstract: In a method of controlling a direct-current drive, in particular a directrrent door drive, two state variables of the direct-current drive are determined and, on the basis of these state variables, a load or resistance moment applied to the direct-current drive is determined and compared with a predetermined load or resistance moment. Subsequently, it is established that an abnormal situation exists when the load or resistance moment determined exceeds the predetermined load or resistance moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Viktor Grinewitschus, Dirk Raffel
  • Patent number: 6000676
    Abstract: A microvalve for controlling a fluid flow comprises a valve body provided with a valve opening having a sealing edge, and a valve plate provided with fluid openings. The valve plate is adapted to be moved perpendicularly to the valve body in such a way that, at a first position, said valve plate closes the valve opening, whereas, at a second position, it is perpendicularly spaced from said valve opening in such a way that a flow cross-section defined by said valve opening and said valve plate is decisively determined by the distance between the sealing edge and the valve plate. The contour of the sealing edge of the valve opening is chosen such that the length of the sealing edge exceeds the length of a sealing edge of a square valve opening which is equal in area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Hygrama AG
    Inventors: Roland Zengerle, Johannes Wirtl, Herbert Frisch
  • Patent number: 6002865
    Abstract: System and method for structuring and manipulating data that includes a mechanism for processing the data and a mechanism for storing the data. A data structure includes a location structure, a content structure, and a mechanism for mapping each location structure to some or all of the variables within the storing mechanism. The location structure has at least two locators and each of the locators is configurable to have at least one resolution. Each resolution has one or more uniquely identifiable positions, wherein the juxtaposition of one position selected from each of the locators defines a unique location within the location structure. A content structure is provided which is configurable to have variables, wherein each of the variables defines a data item. A mechanism is also provided for mapping each location within the location structure to some or all of the variables within the content structure. A method is disclosed for structuring an manipulating data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Inventor: Erik C. Thomsen
  • Patent number: 5996128
    Abstract: An air flow adjusting rear member of a helmet comprises a top portion for suppressing negative pressure generated at a back part of the helmet and is removable from the helmet by using adhesive element for fastening the air flow adjusting rear member to the back part of the helmet. The air flow adjusting rear member is made of thin resin for enough plasticity and elasticity to modify its shape in accordance with a curved surface of the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Korea OGK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keishu Yanagihara
  • Patent number: 5997718
    Abstract: A method for extracting and reclaiming metals from scrap CdTe photovoltaic cells and manufacturing waste by leaching the waste with a leaching solution comprising nitric acid and water, skimming any plastic material from the top of the leaching solution, separating the glass substrate from the liquid leachate and electrolyzing the leachate to separate Cd from Te, wherein the Te is deposits onto a cathode while the Cd remains in solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Drinkard Metalox, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Goozner, Mark O. Long, William F. Drinkard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5980842
    Abstract: A method of separating calcium from mixtures of metal oxides, sulfides, nitrates and carbonates. Particulate calcium containing mixtures are leached with nitric acid to form calcium nitrate and metal nitrates, which are heated to dryness and to form metal oxides, while not affecting the calcium nitrate. The resulting mixture is then leached with water to obtain a calcium nitrate containing leachate and a residue of low solubility metal oxides and insoluble metal oxides. If desired, the calcium nitrate can be decomposed to form a lime product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Drinkard Metalox, Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Drinkard, Jr., Hans J. Woerner
  • Patent number: 5970209
    Abstract: Disclosed is a roasting apparatus allowing automation of a roasting process including steps of charging a raw material, roasting it, and carrying a roasted product. A carrying-in port is opened in the bottom of a quantitative tank 1 for storing a raw material to be roasted, and a lid 34 is provided at an edge portion of the carrying-in port. A motor-driven cylinder 33 for opening/closing the lid 34 on the basis of an electric signal is provided to the lid 34. A roasting kiln 40 is disposed under the quantitative tank 1. An opening 63 is provided in the roasting kiln 40 and lids 42 are provided at edge portions of the opening 63. A kiln opening/closing link and a motor-driven cylinder 58 for opening/closing the lids 42 are provided outside the roasting kiln 40. A carrying passage 120 is provided under the roasting kiln 40. Burners 41 are disposed near the carrying passage 120 and electric heaters 71 are disposed around the rotational shaft 52.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Toyokura
  • Patent number: 5954227
    Abstract: A vending apparatus for individually vending an article from a set of articles and for vending a display article after the set of articles has been depleted. The apparatus includes a rack for vertical storage of a stack of newspapers, and a bracket for positioning a display newspaper in a front window of the vending apparatus. The invented vending apparatus includes means for individually dispensing newspapers from the stack of newspapers and includes means for discharging the display newspaper after the stack of newspapers has been depleted. The dispensing means includes a dispensing bar having spikes for engaging the front newspaper in the stack of newspapers. The dispensing bar is protected by a dispensing bar cover that encases the dispensing bar and spikes when the door is in an opened position for loading newspapers. The cover has an extension with a distal roller for engaging a guide on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Harry O. Moore and Chris Combis
    Inventors: Harry O. Moore, David L. Furr, III
  • Patent number: 5927736
    Abstract: A mobile chassis (10) characterized by a central frame (12) which is supported by four wheels (60, 68, 74, 76). Wheels (74 and 76) are respectively support on one end of side beams (14 and 16) in turn pivotably mounted to central frame (12) at (70 and 72) to pivot about Y--Y axis. Wheels (66 and 68) are mounted on ends of a transverse beam (18) which is pivotably mounted at (52) to the central frame so that vertical movement of each wheel is compensated by pivoted movement of beams (14, 16 and 18). Rollers (56) and segments (42) constrain movement of the beam (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Lendal Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Paul Francis Salfinger, Brian John Salfinger
  • Patent number: 5927622
    Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and a method of operating a grinder for chipping and shredding material into waste, the grinder including a generally cylindrical drum having an exterior surface with a plurality of pockets formed into the exterior surface. Within each pocket, at least one of a plurality of bits are removably positioned, with each bit having a base securable into the pocket providing an upper cutting edge portion of each bit that extends above the exterior surface. Each upper cutting edge extends outward in an arcuate curving shape from each side of the bit, forming a self-sharpening sharp outer edge for each side of the bit. Each pocket and removable bit has a center line that may be angled off-set with respect to a center line of the radius of the rotor drum, providing protrusion of the leading cutting edge of each bit above the exterior surface so that the leading cutting edges of the plurality of bits are placed in contact with the material to be chipped and shredded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Eurohansa, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank H. Zoellinger
  • Patent number: 5925329
    Abstract: The invention relates to zeolites which have high substitution levels of element with regard to aluminium content and in particular such zeolites where the substitute to silicon ratio is also high. A method for producing such zeolites by presenting the substitute material in tetrahedral oxo-anion form is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Inventors: Craig D. Williams, Kay Latham
  • Patent number: 5919554
    Abstract: A fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite having antimicrobial characteristics that inhibit bacterial growth includes a polyester resin composition and an antimicrobial agent incorporated therein. The polyester resin composition includes a polyester resin, high modulus fiber reinforcements, a curing catalyst and a polyester resin gelcoat. The antimicrobial agent is incorporated into the amorphous zones of the molecular structure of the polyester resin composition. A method for forming the FRP composite having antimicrobial characteristics that inhibit bacterial growth is also disclosed. The antimicrobial additive is incorporated into the amorphous zones of the molecular structure of the polyester resin composition using a solubilizing agent carrier system, thereby incorporating the antimicrobial agent into the FRP composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Microban Products Company
    Inventors: Robert S. Watterson, III, William D. Hanrahan
  • Patent number: 5912402
    Abstract: A treatment of metallurgical dust and recovery of valuable chemical commodities, comprising the steps of: leaching salts from the dust with water to create a washed EAF dust; reacting the washed EAF dust in a nitric acid solution resulting in a nearly complete dissolution of the zinc, cadmium, copper, magnesium, calcium, manganese and lead from a filtrate; removing iron from the filtrate by raising pH in the system with basic zinc carbonate; removing cadmium, copper and lead in an electrolytic cell, where copper and cadmium are collected at the cathode, and lead is collected at the anode; evaporating and decomposing the filtrate to obtain metal oxides and anhydrous calcium nitrate; leaching the solid residue with water to separate calcium nitrate in a marketable form; removing the zinc from the magnesium and manganese by leaching the residue with an amine solution; stripping the filtrate of ammonium carbonate to yield zinc precipitated as a zinc oxycarbonate; dividing the zinc oxycarbonate into a first stream
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Drinkard Metalox, Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Drinkard, Jr., Hans J. Woerner
  • Patent number: 5907937
    Abstract: An interstitial junction spacer for positioning and supporting a plurality of blocks in a matrix for a wall construction, the blocks being of the type having two parallel rectangular side faces and four adjoining end faces orthogonally adjoining the corresponding edges of the side faces and the ends of each other contiguously to form a continuous circumferential edge of the block, the profile of the circumferential edge being substantially concave, whereby the corresponding edges of the side faces define an outer cusp along the opposing sides of each said end face; said spacer comprising a pair of intersecting and integral spacer means, each spacer means having a pair of coplanar edge members of a prescribed thickness adapted to repose in juxtaposition with the outer cusps of the circumferential edge of a said block along the adjoining end of the end face of the block to space the same from another block or surface disposed adjacent to said block, and an interconnecting web portion to integrally interconnect
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignees: W. Loftus & Co. Pty Ltd., Glass Block Constructions
    Inventors: Roy Loftus, William Hugh Burke
  • Patent number: 5906699
    Abstract: In a method of making paper lamp shades the paper is wrapped at least around part of a circumferential surface of a cylindrical body. A thread is wrapped around the paper applied to the circumferential surface. The paper having the thread wrapped therearound is pushed together, in a direction along the cylindrical body, thereby folding the paper. Then the pushed together paper is removed from the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Ingo Maurer
    Inventor: Dagmar Mombach
  • Patent number: D408755
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Inventor: Stephen J. Hoover
  • Patent number: D411856
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Inventor: In-Jae Park
  • Patent number: D412012
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Inventor: In-Jae Park
  • Patent number: D414732
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Inventor: Joseph R. Redmond
  • Patent number: D416605
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Inventor: Scott R. Loper