Patents Represented by Attorney Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott
  • Patent number: 8061751
    Abstract: An extendable tool having an internal drive assembly is disclosed. The extendable components of the internal drive assembly are two, or more, telescoping drive shafts each having an alignment structure. The alignment structure ensures that the drive shafts generally maintain their circumferential alignment relative to each other, i.e. the shafts rotate together and maintain their orientation, while allowing the drive shafts to slide axially relative to each other. In one embodiment the drive shafts have a non-circular cross-section, and more preferably, a square cross-section. Each inner drive shaft has a cross-sectional area that is slightly smaller than the next larger outer drive shaft. Thus, the drive shafts may slide axially relative to each other. However, when the drive shafts are rotated, the non-circular shape causes the inner drive shaft and the larger outer drive shaft to engage each other and rotate together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ames True Temper, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen D Hatcher
  • Patent number: 8057750
    Abstract: A process of producing magnetite with a high purity of greater than 90% magnetite, more typically greater than 98% magnetite, by reducing powdered hematite into magnetite under maximum temperatures of about 700 to 1300° C. against a counter-current of or concurrent with methane or natural gas in a heating device. The amount of methane used to reduce the hematite may be about 0.18 and 1.8 standard cubic feet of methane per pound of hematite. A product of high purity methane produced from the process is also provided, where the magnetite is below 1 ?M in diameter and has a magnetic saturation greater than 90.0 emu/g. Corresponding apparatus using an improved feeder system for powdered hematite is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Pittsburgh Iron Oxide, LLC
    Inventors: Dale L. Nickels, Thomas E. Weyand, Michael E. Sawayda
  • Patent number: 8056909
    Abstract: A shopping cart includes a frame, a number of front wheel assemblies and a number of rear wheel assemblies that are coupled to and support the frame, and a main container coupled to the frame. The main container includes a base, a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposing side panels each having a tope edge. The front panel and the pair of opposing side panels are coupled together and extend upward from the base. The rear panel is pivotally coupled to the frame. A portion of the main container is structured to engage each of the corresponding top edges of the opposing side panels of another similarly constructed cart as the other cart is nested into the shopping cart. The engagement causes the number of rear wheel assemblies of the shopping cart to be moved from a first position to a second position generally above the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Phoenix Intangibles Holding Company
    Inventors: William Richard Burdwood, George McConnell Davison, III, Peter Arthur Meier, Jason Reed Rogge, Colin Derek Curry, Jonathon Bruce Lanham
  • Patent number: 8056743
    Abstract: A crown closure that includes a shell having a top, a skirt, a curved portion and a plurality of serrations and a liner. The curved portion is disposed between said top and said skirt and is adapted to be the same shape as the mouth contour of a bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Inventors: Carlos Orlando Vilachá Zanoni, Klaus Uhlig Peterssen
  • Patent number: 8055481
    Abstract: A method is provided for planning sheet pile wall sections via a user-oriented network—in particular, the Internet—in which at least technical characteristics of a suitable component for the layout of a sheet pile wall section and/or the layout of a sheet pile wall section itself are determined for the user by a computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Pilepro, LLC
    Inventor: Roberto Wendt
  • Patent number: 8048868
    Abstract: A method of preventing preeclampsia including administering to a patient during an early stage of pregnancy a prophylactically-effective amount of resibufogenin. The administration of resibufogenin is periodically repeated. The method serves to prevent hypertension, proteinuria, and intrauterine growth restriction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Scott & White Healthcare
    Inventor: Jules B. Puschett
  • Patent number: 8047745
    Abstract: A connection element for light profiles in a sheet pile wall has a base strip (12) for attaching to a component of the sheet pile wall and a hook strip (14) provided at the flat side of the base strip (12) for engaging the interlock (32) of a light profile (30). The hook strip (14) that encloses an inner chamber (16) exhibits a straight connection section (20) that originates at the base strip (12) and runs at least approximately at a right angle to the longitudinal direction of the base strip (12) and a hook section (22) that follows the connection section (20) and runs in an arc-like manner for at least 180°, with the free end of said hook section (22) together with the flat side of the base strip (12) defining a jaw (28). According to the invention, the ratio between the greatest inner width (a) of the inner chamber (16) of the hook strip (14) to the width (c) of the opening jaw (28) is in a range between 2.6 and 2.9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Pilepro, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Heindl
  • Patent number: 8048110
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a flexible stapling device (1). More particularly, this invention concerns a flexible endovascular stapling device (1) for an intravascular procedure such as patent foramen ovale closure, which is designed to avoid open heart surgery by permitting the closure of the defect utilizing a stapling means (26) which is positioned by using a flexible shaft/guidewire system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
    Inventors: Robert E. Michler, Shunichi Homma
  • Patent number: 8042771
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for treating fuel to temporarily reduce its combustibility, and thereafter restore its combustibility. As used in an aircraft, the method comprises the following steps: (a) treating aircraft engine fuel to substantially reduce its combustibility in open air; (b) carrying the treated fuel in a fuel tank of an aircraft; (c) increasing the combustibility of a portion of the treated fuel, as needed by the aircraft engine; and (d) supplying the increased restored combustibility fuel to the aircraft engine. Using this method, the preponderance of the fuel on board the aircraft is maintained at low combustibility for safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Matos, Karl F. Milde, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8043129
    Abstract: Switching device assembly for providing a switching function in a medium voltage switchgear system. A switching device (10) is positioned in a switching device housing (11). Terminals (14, 15) are connected to the switching device (10) and receiving ends (24, 25) thereof are provided for receiving an interface surface (26, 27) of respective conductor terminals (20, 21) of the medium voltage switchgear. Mounting assemblies are arranged to releasably fasten the terminals (14, 15) to the respective conductor terminals (20, 21) in operation. A switching device drive unit (30), to which the switching device housing (11) is mounted, is provided with sealable access points (31, 32), through which the mounting assemblies are reachable when opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Eaton Electric B.V.
    Inventors: Frederik Paul Schoten, Arend Jan Willem Lammers
  • Patent number: 8042472
    Abstract: The invention relates to cartridged ammunition, particularly blank ammunition, having a cartridge shell (3) and a projectile (2) placed therein. A propellant chamber (4) accommodating a pyrotechnic of a propellant charge (5) is disposed in the cartridge shell, such charge being ignitable by an ignition device (13) also containing pyrotechnic material that generates propellant gases that act on the base (8) of the projectile and propel the shot out of the cartridge shell. In order to prevent the pyrotechnic charges of the propellant charge and/or the ignition device from self-igniting at high ambient temperatures, particularly in a fire, thus tearing apart the cartridge shell and projectile and being flung away, an inert, meltable material is mixed into the pyrotechnic charges of the propellant charge and/or the ignition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Rheimentall Waffe Munition GmbH
    Inventor: Thorsten Lübbers
  • Patent number: 8040001
    Abstract: The present invention provides an assembly for mounting to, or forming part of, the stator assembly of a rotating electrical machine. A plurality of component modules are provided at angularly spaced-apart locations around the assembly and contain power electronics components. Electrically conductive toroidal inlet and outlet manifolds are provided to convey coolant fluid (preferably a liquid dielectric such as MIDEL) to and from the component modules. The inlet and outlet manifolds provide a dual function as a coolant circuit for conveying coolant fluid and as busbars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Converteam Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Allan David Crane
  • Patent number: 8039787
    Abstract: A method of adjusting a response of an energy measuring filter, such as an FIR filter, of a pulse processor based on a slope of a preamplifier signal having a plurality of step edges each corresponding to a respective photon is provided that includes receiving a digital version of the preamplifier signal comprising a plurality of successive digital samples each having a digital value, the preamplifier signal having a portion defined by a first one of the step edges and a second one of the step edges immediately following the first one of the step edges, using the digital values of each of the digital samples associated with the portion to determine an average slope of the portion normalized by a length of the portion, and using the average slope of the portion normalized by a length of the portion to correct the response of the energy measuring filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: PulseTor, LLC
    Inventor: Richard B. Mott
  • Patent number: 8038135
    Abstract: A sliding clamp and clamp assembly are provided. The clamp assembly includes a cam member that, when actuated, biases a stationary clamp jaw assembly toward another jaw assembly. The cam member utilizes a ball-and-socket coupling to couple the cam member to the sliding clamp bar. The ball-and-socket coupling allows the cam member, and an extended actuator, to be pivoted and rotated into an infinite number of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Penn United Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Phillips, Sr., Mark P. Noah
  • Patent number: 8039768
    Abstract: An electrical switch includes a rotary switch actuator device, and an actuator locking device. The actuator locking device inhibits the rotation of the rotary switch actuator device when the contacts of the switch are closed. Only when the operator tries to open the switch with an operating handle and the contacts do actually open, a lock release device will release the actuator locking device, and allow the operator to move the operator handle to the position corresponding to the open condition. When the contacts do not open, e.g., because they are welded, the actuator locking device will remain locked and the handle movement is blocked. This provides a robust and safe switch that never gives a false “OFF” indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Eaton Electric B.V.
    Inventor: Albert Jozef Peter Postmus
  • Patent number: 8024902
    Abstract: A one-piece or multiple-piece shaped profile assembly that is used for bridging a construction element joint (2), namely expansion joints or displacement joints between two construction elements (3.1; 3.2). This assembly is shaped as a stiff joint bridge with two vertical mirror-image shaped profiles (5, 6) facing each other at both joint edges that are connected together by means of a shaped bridging profile (7) extending across the construction element joint (2). At least one of the vertical profile pieces (5, 6) is adjustable with respect to the opposing construction element to compensate for the relative displacement between the construction elements (3.1; 3.2). The vertical profile pieces (5, 6) and shaped bridging profile (7) comprise a hard polymer foam that is coated with an armoring mortar layer as an adhesive base for an additional coating layer (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Inventor: Stephan Wedi
  • Patent number: D646042
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ames True Temper, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Hatcher, Eric Daniel Hyp, Daniel F. Marshall
  • Patent number: D647766
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Inventor: Michael F. Rizzo
  • Patent number: D648994
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ames True Temper, Inc.
    Inventors: David Randolph, James M. Wagner, Cloyd R. Shawver, Martin R. Ehrenzeller, Jr., David L. Gallaway
  • Patent number: D649321
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ames True Temper, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Hatcher, Eric Hyp