Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm George T. Marcou
  • Patent number: 6224039
    Abstract: A chain block which can ensure free rotation of a hand wheel when the hand wheel is rotated in a hoisting direction in the state in which an overload protection mechanism is in operation and also can ensure the lowering of a load when the hand wheel is rotated in a lowering direction. The chain block includes an one-way mechanism that permits the hand wheel to freely rotate in the hoisting direction with respect to the first hub of the hand wheel and restricts the hand wheel freely rotating in the lowering direction. The one-way mechanism is composed of a spring and a pin received in a recess and a receiving portion formed in the inner periphery of the boss of the hand wheel and forming therein a slanted surface for guiding the pin received in the receiving portion to the inner periphery of the boss when the hand wheel is rotated in the hoisting direction and a retaining surface for retaining the pin in the inside of the receiving portion when the hand wheel is rotated in the lowering direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Elephant Chain Block Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosiaki Okamoto, Takasi Uesugi
  • Patent number: 6216922
    Abstract: The invention consists of a glass bottle (1) fitted with a narrowed neck (2) which can be filled under pressure with chiefly a medically active substance sprayable by aerosol and with a propellant and which exhibits an opening which may be closed using a dosage valve (5). This glass bottle (1) has a sprayed on synthetic coating (4) to protect it against shattering and splintering, preventing the user from being injured by the broken bottle. To substantially enhance this safety, the neck (2) of the bottle (1) has been fitted with a bulge like edge (3) at the opening which is also coated with the synthetic material (4) and onto which the dosage valve (5) is mechanically attached by turning. Furthermore, the coating (4) consists of an elastic synthetic material with pronounced increased shrinkage properties used for the summoning of pre-stressing force on the glass body (1) and it exhibits several hole like pressure relieving openings (7) permitting rapid pressure release in case of shattering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Schott Glaswerke
    Inventors: Erwin Bleile, Andreas Geiger, Jochen Heinz, Reinhard Schluter, Michael Spallek, Michael Reinhard
  • Patent number: 6211006
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a trench-type capacitor. More particularly, the plate areas of the trench-type capacitor are increased according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hsin-Chuan Tsai, Yi-Nan Chen, Pei-Ing Paul Lee
  • Patent number: 6206284
    Abstract: An automated bank teller machine (ATM) is provided which is characteristically easy to configure, regardless of whether a replenish-from-the-front (RFTF) configuration or a replenish-from-the-rear (RFTR) configuration is chosen. In particular, the ATM according to the present invention includes a security chest module, a top module, and an interface module. These components are common to both configurations can be built and stored in advance, and can be thereafter configured as desired. In another embodiment, an ATM is provided that permits more than one customer to use the ATM at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Citicorp Development Center, Inc.
    Inventors: Cuong Do, Avery Bairamian, Xuan S. Bui, Joe Butryn, Edward M. R. Dudasik, Marc Andino Guzman, Nhut Trung Ha, Mohammed Khan, Mitsuru Tamura, Randal H. Yokomoto
  • Patent number: 6203315
    Abstract: A device for the combustion of solid fuel in the form of granules, pellets, chips or other fragmented or finely divided form, comprising a rotary reactor drum (1), which forms the main combustion chamber (13) and has a rear end wall (65) and at the opposite end an outlet (3) for combustion gases to a boiler part for heat transfer to water-cooled surfaces, for example, or other heat-absorbing means, an inlet (55) for combustion air to the main combustion chamber (13), means (40) for feeding fuel through the rear end wall (65) of the reactor drum and means for rotating the reactor drum around its center axis (2). Inside the main combustion chamber (13), in its rear part, is an inner, smaller drum (60), which is coaxial with the reactor drum (1) and has a perforated jacket. At least the bulk of the fuel is disposed to be fed into the inner, smaller drum (60) and from this to the surrounding main combustion chamber (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Swedish Bioburner System Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Jan Magnusson
  • Patent number: 6196381
    Abstract: A chain unit has a central rib extending transversely and protruding portions extending from the rib to the front and rear side alternatively. The protruding portion is defined by two vertical side walls extending from the rib with the same height and a closed end portion combining the end portions of side walls. The closed end portion has an opening so as to enable the chain units to be placed in a row and column by being coupled with a connecting rod. At least two connected end portions are cylindrical shaped so as to surround the opening, and the cylindrical surface of the two closed end portions engages with a tooth of the sprocket which enters between the side walls. At least two corresponding recesses are formed in the lower surface of the rib for providing enough space to accept the tooth of the sprocket. The bottom of the chain unit has a circular arc surface extending from the rib towards the front and rear sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Yamakyu Chain Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fukukazu Kato, Tsuyoshi Nakamura, Keiji Ohara
  • Patent number: 6187625
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a crown capacitor comprises first providing a substrate having a transistor, constituted by at least one diffused region, formed thereon and overlaid by a first insulating layer. Bit lines are formed in the first insulating layer. A first masking layer and a second insulating layer are sequentially formed over the substrate. The second insulating layer, the first masking layer and the first insulating layer are patterned to form a contact hole that exposes the diffused region. A second masking layer is conformally formed and etched back to form masking spacers on the sidewalls of the contact hole. The second insulating layer is removed. A first conductive layer is conformally formed over the first masking layer and extending to the surface of the masking spacers and the bottom of the contact hole. A third insulating layer is formed over the first conductive layer and fills the contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Ray Lin, Hsien-Wen Liu
  • Patent number: 6182175
    Abstract: The synchronous serial bus between a main processing unit and a peripheral unit includes a data line and a clock line. Strobe pulses presented by the main processing unit on the data line while it holds the clock line at a given logic level characterise transfer cycles on the bus. The main processing unit can thus run write or read cycles in registers of an interface of the peripheral unit. A direct transfer mode, wherein the strobe pulse is transmitted at the beginning of the cycle without specifying an address, is provided to enable the main processing unit to have a fast access to certain locations previously specified. The data and clock lines of the bus may be shared with those of another synchronous bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Matra Nortel Communications
    Inventor: Gilbert Nihouran
  • Patent number: 6140987
    Abstract: Described is a user interface particularly suited for use in a home automation system. This interface combines advantages of a conventional touch screen (such as ease of use and accurate "key" placement) with the advantages of a conventional mechanical keypad (such as reduced cost and tactile feedback). The interface is well suited for use on any wallspace and may be easily reconfigured as necessary to support a host of system functions. The interface utilizes a backlit LCD separated into separate display sections, each having a durable, scratch resistant lens. Cantilevered switches associated with each display are used detect a user's selection of a displayed option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: IntelliNet, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Stein, Toby Ray Kaufman, Yves Alexander Richarz, Kenneth Allen Tarlow, Bryce Craig Nesbitt
  • Patent number: 6091653
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of sensing data in a semiconductor device. First, an equalizing instructing signal is provided to stop precharging and equalizing the bit line pair while in a reading state. Then a wordline is selected to transmit the data in a memory cell to one of the pair of bit lines for obtaining a potential difference between the bit line pair. A sensing enable signal is subsequently provided to activate the shared sense amplifier for sensing and amplifying the data. And a potential level of the selecting control signal is boosted to a boosted potential level to restore and read the data by delaying a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shiou-Yu Alex Wang, Ping Chao Ho, Mingshiang Wang
  • Patent number: 6012049
    Abstract: A financial information and transaction system comprising a host financial computer system, which host system maintains records of user account information; at least one terminal providing a user interface for accessing the host financial computer system, the at least one terminal including a means for transmitting and receiving data corresponding to the user account information, and a smart card interface device; wherein access to the records of user account information are organized in a hierarchy of three or more levels, which hierarchy comprises an initial level, a final level, and one or more intervening levels; wherein the records of user account information are accessed by passing through the hierarchy of three or more levels; and wherein means are provided for allowing access to the final level in the hierarchy by an automated task without passing through the one or more intervening levels is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Citicorp Development Center, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph C. Kawan
  • Patent number: 5429126
    Abstract: A respiratory mask headset attachment to hold a respiratory mask snugly to the face of the user through the use of a single elastic band connected to the mask and a crown piece is disclosed. The elastic band creates two separate paths over the upper back portion of the user's head and is connected to the crown piece by two sleeves. A peg and hole connecting mechanism between the band and the mask is disclosed. Further, the band may be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Inventor: Mary R. Bracken
  • Patent number: 5381771
    Abstract: An automatic control system is shown to vary the mixture of fuel-to-air in a conventional internal combustion engine to minimize resulting pollutants and maximize engine efficiency and performance. The system senses manifold vacuum and engine acceleration and based, in part, upon such inputs forces the mixture leaner until an instability event is detected at which time the system rapidly forces the mixture richer at a predetermined rate and time period to overcome the instability. The mixture is then again gradually forced leaner. The rate of leaning is controlled by the vacuum pressure so that no leaning occurs at or near full throttle and the rate of leaning is decreased either gradually or incrementally as power requirements decrease. The air-to-fuel ratio may be adjusted by regulating the introduction of secondary air or by adjusting the quantity of fuel injection. A control system for individually monitoring and correcting fuel injection rates of individual cylinders is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Lean Power Corporation
    Inventor: Michael D. Leshner