Patents Represented by Attorney George W. Dike, Bronstein, Roberts and Cushman LLP Neuner
  • Patent number: 6167216
    Abstract: A prior art temperature sensing element by supporting plates against a fixing roller would detect a temperature lower than an actual surface temperature of the fixing roller, because said heat-conductive supporting plates would be cooled by air flowing along said supporting plate, depriving a part of its heat of the temperature sensing element through the supporting plate.According to present invention, a heat-insulating elastic body is disposed over said two supporting plates at one end threof, said temperature sensing element is placed as being projecting from the surface of the heat-insulating elastic body at the center thereof, the temperature sensing element and supporting plates are fastened (sticked) with the heat-resisting film larger in length and wide than the heat-insulating elastic body and each having an adhesive surface one side thereof, and the other end of each supporting plate is secured to a holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Hori
  • Patent number: 6165156
    Abstract: A fastening device has a support layer, an adhesive layer on one side of the support layer, and a removable liner on the adhesive layer opposite to the support layer, the support layer having an opening therethrough. The device facilitates securing of a catheter or like assembly to a patient. A preferred catheter assembly includes the fastening device, a needle, a cannula and a hub attached to the cannula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Avitar, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Cesarczyk, Richard B. Freeman
  • Patent number: 6160595
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to obtain brighter display in a liquid crystal display apparatus. Light of all the wavelengths in the visible range is converted into circularly polarized light by a first polarization condition converting member, converted into linearly polarized light by a second polarization condition converting member and is modulated by a liquid crystal display device. Then, transmission and block of the light is controlled by a polarizer. Specifically, one of the dextrorotatory circularly polarized light and the levorotatory circularly polarized light is reflected by a spectral member included in the first polarization condition converting member, converted into the other circularly polarized light by a reflecting member included in the first polarization condition converting member and supplied again to the spectral member. The other circularly polarized light is transmitted by the spectral member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiko Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 6156071
    Abstract: A tubular fabric is provided for forming the shaft of a prosthesis having a predetermined length and one open end, the other end of the shaft being closed for holding a coupling member except for an aperture corresponding to a portion of said coupling member which is inserted therethrough to extend outwardly. The tubular base material is selected to be longer than the length of the shaft of the prosthesis to be formed. By means of a ring the tube is annularly held together from the outside at a predetermined length so as to form a first section starting from the opening. The remaining second section is then folded back over the annular hole onto the first section. To form the shaft of the prosthesis the material is impregnated with a thermoplastic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Biederamnn Motech GmbH
    Inventors: Lutz Biedermann, Markus Piro
  • Patent number: 6151363
    Abstract: A method of generating motion vectors from a video signal, for use in motion compensation, is applicable to interlaced video signals. In the method alternate video fields are shifted vertically so as to align the picture lines of interlaced fields, by moving the lines of one field up by half a picture line and the lines of the next field down by half a picture line. The fields of each resultant pair are compared to produce a set of motion vectors which can be used to motion compensate the video signal. The accuracy may be improved using temporal filters operative on correlation surfaces derived over tow or more field intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: British Broadcasting Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Burl, Phillip Graham Layton
  • Patent number: 6150178
    Abstract: A specimen collecting and testing device has a housing containing a test membrane. An elongated handle having a foam member is slidably received in the housing. Once the foam member obtains a specimen, the housing is moved with respect to the handle and the foam member is moved inside the housing and slid past the test membrane. In so doing, specimen is delivered to the test membrane. The test membrane may then be observed for optical changes in the case of an instant-type test, or removed for further processing. The device is particularly useful for collecting samples of urine or oral fluid for use in drug testing, pregnancy testing and the like; for testing of specimen for any of a variety of analytes such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, etc.; and, for collecting samples of DNA for PCR testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Avitar, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Cesarczyk, Peter P. Phildius
  • Patent number: 6136196
    Abstract: An apparatus for directing, controlling, regulating and monitoring flowing liquids, in particular for a membrane-type water conditioning apparatus, is provided, whereby a channel system for the flowing liquid is formed by means of a first body (1) having a surface (2), a plurality of recesses (10a, 10b, 10c, . . . ) provided at the surface and forming channel portions for a flowing liquid and a second body (4) which is non-rotationally connected to the first body and tightly separates the recesses (10a, 10b, 10c, . . . ) from the surroundings, and an inlet and outlet (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) for the liquid communicating with the channel portions. This design achieves, in comparison with a conventional pipework, a particularly compact construction. Moreover, a water conditioning apparatus comprising such an apparatus is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Grunbeck Wasseraufbereitung GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Weinberger
  • Patent number: 6127635
    Abstract: A combinational weighing device comprises a plurality of weighing cells and corresponding associated weighing hoppers (W.sub.1 . . . W.sub.10) and an outlet-side transfer device (5) for supplying weighed products into a package to be arranged therebelow. In conventional manner a controller (6) has an input connected with the output of the load cells and an output connected to respective drives for the closable outlets of the weighing hoppers. The drives of the outlets of the weighing hoppers are controlled in such a manner that a corresponding subcombination of several weighing hoppers is selected for forming a total amount to be supplied into a package. In order to increase the speed in cases where the individual weights of the articles differ by a sufficiently small amount the controller is designed to be switched to a second operational mode wherein the controller drives the outlets of the weighing hoppers so that each weighing hopper can be selected independently of the other weighing hoppers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Multipond Wagetechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Zeyer, Tony Pain
  • Patent number: 6124069
    Abstract: A carrier composition is provided for electrophotographic development. Core particles are coated with a graft copolymer of a fluoropolymer and methyl methacrylate. The core particles preferably are a material selected from steel, nickel, iron, ferrites, passivated iron, or mixtures or alloys thereof. The fluoropolymer preferably is a polymer selected from chlorotrifluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytrifluoroethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene, and copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene. In a preferred carrier composition, the coating consists of two layers. The exterior layer is a graft copolymer made of a fluoropolymer and methyl methacrylate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Nashua Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Bartus, Wilfred Emerson Vail
  • Patent number: 6118238
    Abstract: A conventional motor controlling circuit is adapted to control an inverter that drives a permanent magnet generator as a motor to spin an engine to a speed sufficient to permit the engine to start. The commutation frequency is adjusted as a function of speed utilizing an automatic commutation frequency adjustment circuit. This circuit has multiple commutation frequency ranges that overcome a large initial bearing drag during low speed operation while still permitting high speed operation. The automatic commutation frequency adjustment circuit preferably generates first and second voltage ramps that overcome the initial bearing drag and accelerate the generator at a rate fast enough for sufficient back EMF to be generated for a closed-loop commutation phase. A speedup circuit operates during the closed-loop commutation phase to achieve the high speeds typically necessary for engine starting. The inventive circuits even permit a turbine type engine to be successfully started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Satcon Technology Corporation
    Inventors: James L. Munro, Thomas C. Matty
  • Patent number: 6115021
    Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal panel including a plurality of scanning electrodes, a plurality of signal electrodes crossing the scanning electrodes, a ferroelectric liquid crystal material having two stable orientation states corresponding to different memory angles and provided at intersections of the plurality of scanning electrodes and the plurality of signal electrodes to form a plurality of pixels is driven. The plurality of pixels each have a first threshold characteristic regarding a voltage for switching a display state of the pixel into a non-display state and a second threshold characteristic regarding a voltage for switching the non-display state of the pixel into the display state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisaku Nonomura, Takaji Numao, Hirofumi Katsuse
  • Patent number: 6102524
    Abstract: In a system having a developer support, an opposing member arranged facing the developer support, the process conditions including the property of the developer are adapted to satisfy the following relation:.DELTA.V/d=E>5.5-10.times..DELTA.AD,where .DELTA.V is the potential difference between the developer support and opposing member, d is the distance between the developer support and opposing member, AD is the bulk density of the developer, and E is the electric field strength which is calculated from the potential difference .DELTA.V and the distance d between the developer support and opposing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Nakano
  • Patent number: 6100977
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided which allow two opposite plane surfaces of a body to be interferometrically measured simultaneously using light from a single light source. From a parallel light beam (P) produced by a light source (1) partial light beams (A, P) having positive and negative diffraction angles are produced using a beam splitter (8) in the form of a diffraction grating. The partial light beams strike the respective surfaces (90, 91) of the body (9) to be measured and are reflected thereat. The reflected partial light beams (A, B) are interfered with the throughgoing partial light beam (P) having an order of diffraction of zero and the thus produced interference patterns are digitized and subtracted from each other, whereby the parallelism of both surfaces (90, 91) of the body can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Nanopro Luftlager-Produktions-und Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Muller
  • Patent number: 6097459
    Abstract: A reflection type liquid crystal display comprises a first substrate including a rough portion formed on a surface thereof and a reflection electrode formed on the rough portion; a second substrate including a counter electrode formed thereon; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates, driven by the reflection electrode and the counter electrode to perform a display. The reflection electrode is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the reflection electrode includes surface oxidation layer having at least 5 nm thickness. The first substrate includes a vertical alignment film made of insulating material formed on the surface oxidation layer of the reflection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunori Shimada, Seiichi Mitsui
  • Patent number: 6080556
    Abstract: Disclosed are amino acid sequences of polypeptides reacting with antibodies to Helicobacter pylori (HP), DNAs coding therefor, vectors containing said DNAs, transformants containing said vectors, a method for preparing said polypeptides by cultivating said transformants, and anti-HP antibody assaying reagents and HP gene detecting reagents comprising said polypeptides, thereby enabling specific, quantitative inspection of HP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tosiro Sugiyama, Tomohisa Kawabata, Kazunari Hirayasu, Takumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6078274
    Abstract: A touch panel is made up of (a) an insulating substrate provided with a transparent conductive film, and (b) a flexible insulating substrate provided with a transparent conductive film. A double-sided adhesive tape combines together (a) and (b), between which is provided a spacer. Since the insulating substrate and the flexible insulating substrate are held apart by the spacer, there is a layer of air between the insulating substrate and the flexible insulating substrate. On the two transparent conductive layers are provided anti-reflective films, in the form, for example, of square islets 100 nm thick and with sides of 80 .mu.m, with a pitch Pd of 100 .mu.m and an interval Dw of 20 .mu.m. Instead of providing the anti-reflective films, holes may be selectively provided in the transparent conductive films. In this way, a touch panel can be realized which enables a bright display screen without impairing input sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ippei Inou
  • Patent number: 6072553
    Abstract: A liquid crystal element is equipped with at least one polarizer provided on a light entering side thereof, an insulating substrate on which transparent electrodes, a light reflecting member having a light reflecting surface on one side thereof, and a liquid crystal layer sealed between the insulating substrate and the reflecting member, in which liquid crystal molecules and liquid-crystalline polymers are both twist-aligned through a same angle. In the case of a dark display, incident light linearly polarized enters the liquid crystal layer, becoming circularly polarized light at the reflection surface, and after being reflected, when outgoing, the light becomes a linearly polarized light having a plane of polarization rotated through an angle of 90.degree. as compared with that of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiichi Mitsui, Masayuki Okamoto, Shun Ueki
  • Patent number: 6072566
    Abstract: A photoresist is applied to a first substrate made of glass or resin which has been subjected to alignment treatment. Next, the photoresist is exposed and developed by UV light so as to form a non-optical rotatory region in a stripe manner after a mask having a desired pattern is provided on the photoresist. Then, polymerized liquid crystal is applied or dropped on the substrate complex thus prepared so far after an alignment layer on the substrate is rubbed. Further, a second substrate whose surface has been subjected to alignment treatment is placed on the substrate complex such that the directions of the alignment of the two substrates are orthogonal to each other, and the substrate thus positioned is pressed against the substrate complex. Finally, the substrate complex is irradiated by the UV light to cure the polymerized liquid crystal so as to form an optical rotatory region, thereby completing an optical rotatory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Fujii, Hiroshi Hamada
  • Patent number: D431733
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Sterilite Corporation
    Inventor: Larry Zimmerman
  • Patent number: RE36987
    Abstract: In signal processing circuitry using active devices, non-linearity of the device causes distortion of pure tones and the generation of intermodulation products for more complex signals. The transfer characteristics of such active devices may be considered as the accumulated characteristics of input and output filter stages separated by a non-linear region. To compensate for non-linearities and reduce intermodulation products, a drive circuit comprises pre- and post-correction filters separated by a compensating amplifier. The frequency response of the pre-correction filter corresponds to that of the input filter stage but is reversed in the frequency spectrum; with conventional I.F. the transfer characteristic of the amplifier and frequency response characteristic of the post-correction filter are the respective complements, of those of the non-linear region and pre-correction filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: British Broadcasting Corporation
    Inventors: George Ivor Frederick Tupper, Anthony Colin Allegranza, Phillip Joseph Doherty