Patents Represented by Attorney E. Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 6497011
    Abstract: This invention relates to vehicles having parts connected with a sealing spring fastener, which comprises a U-shaped structure, on which an elastic body has been incorporated. The elastic body has a hermetically closed cavity within the U-shaped structure. The sealing spring fastener can form an assembly with an extension of a panel, preferably a plastic panel. The assembly or the fastener by itself can be engaged into the slot of a solid sheet, preferably a metal sheet, in a manner that one side of the sheet is sealed from the other side of the sheet in the vicinity of the slot. In a preferred version, the sealing fastener comprises a substantially non-elastic tough casing around portion of the elastic body in order to avoid rapture during insertion of the fastener into the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Termax Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Walter Smith, Richard H. Ducato, Mark Fleydervish, Werner Politzki, Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 6409443
    Abstract: This invention relates to a fastener, which expands by the insertion of an expanding member, preferably a screw. The fastener comprises a substantially flat head and two expandable legs. The head has an upper side and a lower side, preferably separated by a gap. The head also has a hole (round, oblong or otherwise shaped) in which the expanding body may engage or pass through for expanding the legs and securing one object to another object, such as a plastic panel to a metal sheet. The fastener also comprises a Y-shaped funnel configuration, which has been formed by a partial cut of the legs. Miscellaneous configurations of the Y shaped legs provide improved guidance to the expanding member, improved engagement to at least one of the objects, such as the metal sheet for example, and improved engagement to the expanding member, among other advantages. The fastener may also comprise portions under the upper side of the head, which portions are engageable to the expanding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: WTPA, Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph William Lowry, Michael Anthony Giugliano, Michael Walter Smith, Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 6381811
    Abstract: This invention relates to a sealing spring fastener, which comprises a U-shaped structure, on which an elastic body has been incorporated. The elastic body has a hermetically closed cavity within the U-shaped structure. The sealing spring fastener can form an assembly with an extension of a panel, preferably a plastic panel. The assembly or the fastener by itself can be engaged into the slot of a solid sheet, preferably a metal sheet, in a manner that one side of the sheet is sealed from the other side of the sheet in the vicinity of the slot. In a preferred version, the sealing fastener comprises a substantially non-elastic tough casing around portion of the elastic body in order to avoid rapture during insertion of the fastener into the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Termax Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Walter Smith, Richard H. Ducato, Mark Fleydervish, Werner Politzki, Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 6379092
    Abstract: A sealing fastener, which expands by the insertion of preferably a screw. The fastener comprises a substantially flat head and two expandable legs. The fastener has further an elastic body, especially a thermoplastic elastomer, molded at least on the lower side of the head by insert injection molding. The elastic body does not contain plasticizers which may be harmful to other plastics (such as polycarbonate and ABS for example) coming in contact with the fastener, all its surfaces are well defined, has well defined properties, and its dimensions are characterized by narrow tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: WTPA, Incorporated
    Inventors: Kanubhai Manibhai Patel, Michael Walter Smith, Edward John Smith
  • Patent number: 6353981
    Abstract: This invention relates to a spring fastener, which comprises side structures, preferably connected to form a U-shaped structure. The two side structures have multiple engagement springs comprising pairs of recesses and respective peaks. The number of these pairs is different on one spring than the number of pairs on the other springs. The spring fastener may further comprise an elastic or resilient body under the top end of the fastener, thus providing noise elimination or dampening. In a different embodiment, the fastener may also comprise rigid supports over the two extremities of its top end, which rigid supports force the resilient body all the way around on the fastened article, so that this configuration provides, in addition to noise elimination or dampening, excellent waterproofing properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Termax Corporation
    Inventor: Edward John Smith
  • Patent number: 6299399
    Abstract: This invention relates to a fastener, which expands by the insertion of an expanding member, preferably a screw through an engageable hole of the fastener. The fastener comprises a substantially flat head and two expandable legs. The head has an upper side and a lower side, preferably separated by a gap. The fastener has a hardness within a range which improves considerably the pulling force and allows the head of the fastener to be bowable upon applying said force on the expanding member, thus resulting in a gradual rather than abrupt failure. The engageable hole may be round or oblong. Additional engagement may be provided at lower portions of the fastener for improving pulling force and/or prevailing torque. Further, an elastic body may be integrally molded at least at the lower side of the head of the fastener, and preferably throughout the head of the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: WTPA, Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Walter Smith, Joseph William Lowry, Michael Anthony Giugliano
  • Patent number: 6279207
    Abstract: This invention discloses fasteners characterized by the use of barbs to secure a primary object in place. More particularly, the barbs which are used are critically shaped barbs resulting in considerable increase of the holding force without sacrificing the flexibility of the barbs, and without sacrificing the broad acceptability of various thicknesses of the primary object to be fastened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: WTPA, Incorporated
    Inventor: Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 6280129
    Abstract: This invention relates to a fastener, which expands by the insertion of an expanding member, preferably a screw. The fastener comprises a substantially flat head and two expandable legs. The head has an upper side and a lower side, preferably separated by a gap. The head also has an oblong hole in which the expanding body engages for securing one object to another object. The oblong hole represents a plurality of regular generally round holes, so that it becomes easy for the fastener to be located in difficult positions of the objects to be connected. The oblong hole has sides on different planes, and each side has an edge. Preferably, at least one of the two edges contains arcs for better guidance of the expanding member. Additional engagement may be provided at lower portions of the fastener for improving pulling force and/or prevailing torque. Further, an elastic body may be integrally molded at least at the lower side of the head of the fastener, and preferably throughout the head of the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: WTPA, Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph William Lowry, Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 6250864
    Abstract: This invention relates to sheet metal reversed L-shaped segments, two of which may be assembled to form a T-shaped structure or fastener having a single layered head. The single-layered head has a hole engageable to an expanding member, such as a screw for example. The engageable hole is formed by two half holes, each half hole belonging to each L-shaped segment. Further, the fastener has legs, which expand upon insertion of the screw into the engageable hole. The T-shaped structure is adaptable to be securely locked in a slot of a metal sheet. This strong locking is realized by two sets of levers acting in opposite directions, and having as common fulcrum the region at the edges of the slot. One set of levers is formed by the action of the screw on the two half holes which form the engageable hole, while the other set of levers is formed by the action of the screw on the legs of the two L-shaped segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: WTPA, Incorporated
    Inventor: Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 6012412
    Abstract: Apparatuses are disclosed and claimed for coating egg-yolks, natural or artificial, preferably in the form of disks. The apparatuses comprise a vessel for containing a first coating liquid, in which the egg yolk disks are dispensed. A preferably continuous belt is synchronized with the dispenser so that the back part of the belt is immersed in the liquid when the egg-yolk is being dispensed, while it rises during the period of time that the dispenser is getting ready to dispense a new egg-yolk, thus transferring the yolk out of the liquid. The belt has preferably perforations in its middle portion and it is pivoted in the vicinity of the front end of the vessel. The apparatuses of the present invention are useful for coating articles other than egg-yolk disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Inventor: Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 5987714
    Abstract: A spring fastener for securing one or more sheets of material on another sheet of material having a first clip with inwardly extended barbs, and a second clip having two sides. One of the sides has a wide angle bent, while the other side has one or more embosses and/or recesses. The fastener also comprises a resilient elastic body extending from the vicinity of the base of the first clip to at least one of the embosses. Examples of resilient bodies are foamed or unfoamed plastisol or polyurethane. The substantially central part of the resilient body is effectively reinforced and held in position by a sealing promoter extending preferably from the vicinity of the base of the first clip toward a middle position between the first and the second sides of the second clip, thus providing to the fastener superior sealing performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: Edward John Smith
  • Patent number: 5887319
    Abstract: A self adjusting spring fastener for securing one sheet of material on another sheet of material having a clip member with inwardly extended barbs, and one clip with outwardly extended barbs, or outwardly ribs or embosses, or a combination of both outwardly extended barbs and outwardly extended ribs or embosses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Inventor: Edward John Smith
  • Patent number: 5801282
    Abstract: Methods of making intermediate oxidation products by atomizing a first liquid (in the form of droplets) containing a reactant into a gas containing an oxidant in a manner to form an intermediate oxidation product different than carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide. The oxidation is controlled by monitoring the pre-coalescing temperature (temperature of the droplets just before they coalesce into a mass of liquid), or transient temperature difference (difference between the pre-coalescing temperature and the temperature of the droplets just before atomized), or transient conversion (conversion taking place in the time interval between the formation of the droplets and their coalescence into a mass of liquid) or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Twenty-First Century Research Corporation
    Inventors: Mark William Dassel, Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 5727450
    Abstract: Devices are claimed for producing egg-yolk containing artificial egg-yolk materials and egg-white or other thermally non-reversible gel formers. The egg-yolk is produced in the form of a cylinder, which is useful to be cut into disks, which after being encapsulated into an edible membrane, are used in combination with egg-white to form egg-products which may be fried or poached in a similar manner as real eggs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Inventor: Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 5725343
    Abstract: A sealing fastener, which expands by the insertion of preferably a screw. The fastener comprises a substantially flat and two expandable legs. The head has an upper side and a lower side, preferably separated by a gap. The fastener has further an elastic body molded at least on the lower surface of the head. A large unexpected improvement is achieved by having the elastic body also molded in the gap between the upper surface and the lower surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Eustathios Vassiliou
    Inventor: Edward John Smith
  • Patent number: 5711805
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for coating egg-yolk disks containing egg-yolk materials. The egg-yolk is initially produced in the form of a cylinder, which is cut into disks, which disks after being encapsulated into an edible membrane, are used in combination with egg-white to form egg-products which may be fried or poached in a similar manner as real eggs. The methods and apparatuses of the present invention are useful for coating articles other than egg yolk disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Inventor: Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 5654475
    Abstract: Methods of making intermediate oxidation products by atomizing a first liquid (in the form of droplets) containing a reactant into a gas containing an oxidant in a manner to form an intermediate oxidation product different than carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide. The oxidation rate is controlled by monitoring and adjusting the temperatures and/or conversions at critical points of the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Twenty-First Century Research Corporation
    Inventors: Eustathios Vassiliou, Mark William Dassel
  • Patent number: 5589218
    Abstract: Methods are claimed for producing egg-yolk containing artificial egg-yolk materials and egg-white or other thermally non-reversile gell formers. The egg-yolk is produced in the form of a cylinder, which is useful to be cut into disks, which after being encapsulated into an edible membrane, are used in combination with egg-white to form egg-products which may be fried or poached in a similar manner as real eggs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Inventor: Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 5589208
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are claimed for coating egg-yolk disks containing egg-yolk materials. The egg-yolk is initially produced in the form of a cylinder, which is cut into disks, which disks after being encapsulated into an edible membrane, are used in combination with egg-white to form egg-products which may be fried or poached in a similar manner as real eggs. The methods and apparatuses of the claimed invention are useful for coating articles other than egg yolk disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Inventor: Eustathios Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 5580531
    Abstract: Devices for making reaction products by atomizing into droplets a first liquid containing a first reactant into a gas containing a second reactant in a manner to form a reaction product within the droplets. The reaction is controlled by monitoring the transient conversion (conversion taking place in the time interval between the formation of the droplets and their coalescence into a mass of liquid) of first reactant to reaction product just before the droplets coalesce into a mass of a second liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Twenty-First Century Research Corporation
    Inventors: Eustathios Vassiliou, Mark W. Dassel