Patents Represented by Attorney Gerald T. Bodner
  • Patent number: 8070382
    Abstract: A tile for covering an area and which interlocks with an adjacent tile includes a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface. The main body has at least a first lateral side and a second lateral side. The tile includes at least one male connector situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body and extending outwardly therefrom. The tile further includes at least one female receptacle situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body and extending outwardly therefrom. The male connector of the tile is engageable with a female receptacle of an adjacent tile so that the tile may interlock with the adjacent tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Unity Creations, Ltd.
    Inventor: George Prinz
  • Patent number: 8053032
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for production of a zeolite layer on a substrate containing metal, comprising the following method steps: production of an aqueous suspension, comprising several components, one component comprises at least one cross-linking element from the third, fourth or fifth main group of the periodic table, the substrate containing metal comprises at least one of the cross-linking elements, introduction of the substrate containing metal to the aqueous suspension, heating the aqueous suspension and the substrate containing the metal present therein for the in-situ crystallisation of a zeolite layer on the substrate containing metal, whereby the cross-linking elements in the substrate containing metal are extracted and included in the zeolite layer, a cross-linking element present in the suspension for formation of the zeolite layer is present at a concentration so low that a crystallisation in the suspension is largely or completely avoided and said element is principally provided by th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: SorTech AG
    Inventors: Wilhelm Schwieger, Selvam Thangaraj, Franziska Scheffler, Ralph Herrmann, Marthala Reddy, Walter Mittelbach, Jürgen Bauer, Ferdinand Schmidt, Hans-Martin Hennig
  • Patent number: 8031228
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes an image sensor. The image sensor has an imaging surface for capturing an object scene, and repeatedly generates an object scene image. A CPU assigns a search area on the imaging surface, and repeatedly executes search processing for searching a facial image on the search area in parallel with executing object scene image generating processing of the image sensor. A character representative of a position of a facial image detected by the search processing is superposed on a through-image on an LCD monitor. The size of the search area assigned on the imaging surface is reduced as a panning and/or tilting speed of the imaging surface is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8021630
    Abstract: An anticoagulant-coated dipstick is selectively receivable by the central fill port of a rotor of a blood centrifuge. The dipstick includes an elongated, rod-like member having a first axial end and an opposite second axial end, and a cap affixed to the second axial end. At least a portion of a surface of the rod-like member is coated with an anticoagulant. The elongated rod-like member of the dipstick is dimensioned in length and diameter to be receivable through the central fill port of the rotor to contact a blood sample contained therein. The cap is circular in shape, with a diameter that is greater than that of the rotor fill port to entirely cover and seal the fill port to prevent leakage therethrough of a blood sample contained in the rotor, especially when the rotor is gently agitated or inverted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Alyssa J. Dassa
  • Patent number: 8016477
    Abstract: A rotary throttle assembly is disclosed for operating a power unit such as an engine or a motor in either a first power setting or a second power setting. The rotary throttle assembly may be used in a concrete vibrator to operate the vibrator in either an idle power setting or a desired power setting. The throttle assembly includes a rotatable throttle handle, a linkage mechanism contained in a casing, and means for urging the throttle assembly selectively to adopt a first position or a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Inventor: Fred Oswald
  • Patent number: 8013922
    Abstract: A digital camera (10) has nine imaging setting items. A plurality of operation modes are assigned to each imaging setting item. An imaging operation is performed according to valid operation modes selected for each imaging setting item one by one. When a mode key (50) is operated, three valid mode characters out of nine valid mode characters respectively corresponding to nine valid operation modes are displayed on a monitor (30). When a jog dial key (48) is operated, a display of the valid mode characters is renewed. As to the imaging setting item at the reference position, invalid operation modes are detected, and invalid mode characters indicative of the detected invalid operation modes are additionally displayed on the monitor (30). When a set key (44) is operated in a state that a cursor is pointed to an arbitrary invalid mode character, an operation mode corresponding to the invalid mode character is validated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoya Isoyama
  • Patent number: 7993610
    Abstract: A spinnable rotor for a high speed centrifuge includes a housing which defines a chamber interiorly thereof for receiving a whole blood sample and for containing a predetermined amount of red blood cell absorbent gel. The housing includes an upper portion and a bottom portion, the upper portion having a port formed through the thickness thereof. The upper portion has at least a portion thereof formed from a light transmissible material. A light pipe is joined to the upper portion and light transmissively communicates with the light transmissive portion of the upper portion. The light pipe extends at least partially into the chamber and has an open, lower free end. When whole blood filling the rotor chamber contacts the lower free end of the light pipe, the red color of the blood is transmissively communicated to the upper portion of the rotor housing where it is viewable by the user of the centrifuge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventor: Carl Russell Rich
  • Patent number: 7977625
    Abstract: A method and an assembly for generating optical section images permit the three-dimensional, layered optical scanning of spatially extended objects. Illumination patterns with periodicity in at least one direction are projected into a plane and the light from the sample which is reflected and/or scattered and/or emitted fluorescence light is being imaged onto a spatially resolving detector. Initially, there is a calibration step, in which the local phase and/or the local period of the illumination patterns are determined for each location on the detector. In the sample detection mode, for the calculation of each optical section image there are two illumination patterns projected into or onto the sample and the resulting intensity distributions are used to form an image on the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Inventor: Michael Schwertner
  • Patent number: 7973451
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic linear motor (1) comprising a plate-type ultrasonic oscillator (2) with two planar parallel main faces, two end faces and two lateral faces and a displaceable element (9) that engages with at least one guide rail (10) and has two friction parts, said element interacting with the ultrasonic oscillator to cause friction via the lateral faces of the friction parts. The lateral faces of the ultrasonic oscillator are planar and are inclined at the same angle in relation to a longitudinal plane of symmetry, in such a way that the intersection lines between the planes of the lateral faces and the longitudinal plane of symmetry run parallel to the main faces of the ultrasonic oscillator. The friction parts of the displaceable element are interconnected by springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Physic Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Wladimir Wischnewskij, Alexej Wischnewskij
  • Patent number: 7969481
    Abstract: A camera includes a CPU. The CPU individually detects a ratio of an object which exceeds a threshold value in a moving amount to a center area of an object scene and a ratio of an object which exceeds the threshold value in the moving amount to a peripheral area of the object scene. If differences between the respective detected ratios are large, the CPU sets a photographing mode to a sports mode. When a shutter button is operated, the object scene is photographed in accordance with a set photographing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7961111
    Abstract: A home control protection system includes at least one surge protection strip having a plurality of power outlet receptacles, and a wall mountable central control unit that is in electrical communication with the at least one surge protection strip. The surge protection strip includes a replaceable surge protector module. The surge protection strip includes a circuit for detecting and counting the number of power surges which are shunted by the surge protector module, and compares the number of power surges with a predetermined threshold power surge number that corresponds to a predicted maximum number of power surges before failure of the surge protector module will occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Audiovox Corporation
    Inventors: Prapan Paul Tinaphong, Eric M. Michielutti, Louis E. Lenzi, Joseph Craig Engle
  • Patent number: 7953632
    Abstract: A product management system for quick serve restaurants that displays to the staff what to cook on a main control unit 1 is programmed with a sales forecast through the office computer 14. The main control unit communicates to the product hold timers 3, 4, 5 to calculate when product is used and when products are cooked. The main control unit 1 monitors each instruction request, and if it is not followed, the main control unit 1 stores an error and sends the error to the manager unit 6 and grade display unit 8. A slave unit 10 displays cook information at an alternate cook station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Inventor: Mark Salerno
  • Patent number: 7918363
    Abstract: A resealable beverage container includes a main body having a cylindrical sidewall, a bottom wall, and a lid. The lid includes an opening formed through its thickness. The main body of the container defines an interior cavity for holding a beverage. A tubular member extends from a lower surface of the lid downwardly at least partially into the interior cavity of the main body. The tubular member has open opposite axial ends, and a plurality of slots formed through its thickness axially along its length. The tubular member is aligned with the lid opening and defines a bore so that fluid may flow from the interior cavity through the bore and out the lid opening. The tubular member is interiorly threaded. A sealing cap is threadingly received by, and removable from, the bore of the tubular member to seal and unseal the lid of the beverage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Inventors: Weston Morabito, Terry A. Morabito
  • Patent number: 7872670
    Abstract: A camera includes a CPU. The CPU individually detects a ratio of an object which exceeds a threshold value in a moving amount to a center area of an object scene and a ratio of an object which exceeds the threshold value in the moving amount to a peripheral area of the object scene. If differences between the respective detected ratios are large, the CPU sets a photographing mode to a sports mode. When a shutter button is operated, the object scene is photographed in accordance with a set photographing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7848845
    Abstract: A remotely programmable food product holding system includes a hand held computer and a food product holding apparatus. The computer includes a processor, touch screen display, and a first communication interface. Data is entered into the hand held computer and transmitted to the food product holding apparatus. The holding apparatus includes a second communication interface, a timer system, and a temperature control system. The timer and temperature control systems are programmed by data transmitted from the hand held computer. A method of remotely programming a food product holding apparatus includes the steps of coupling a hand held computer to a food product holding apparatus, downloading data from the food product holding apparatus, comparing the downloaded data with a file stored in the computer, displaying differences found in the comparison, updating the downloaded data in accordance with the stored file, and uploading the updated data to the food product holding apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Inventor: Mark Salerno
  • Patent number: 7834518
    Abstract: The invention relates to a linear ultrasound piezoelectric motor comprising a mobile element that is in frictional contact with a plate-like rectangular resonance plate, wherein the frictional surface is embodied by means of at least one of the longitudinal narrow sides of the resonance plate, and electrodes for producing acoustic vibrations which are arranged on the longitudinal wide sides of the resonance plate. According to the invention, the generator for producing acoustic vibrations is asymmetrically arranged in relation to a plane which symmetrically cross-cuts the resonance plate, and comprises two opposing electrodes generating a stationary asymmetrical space wave when excited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Physik Instŕumente (PI) GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wladimir Wischnewskij, Alexej Wischnewskij
  • Patent number: D629945
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: RZB Rudolf Zimmermann, Bamberg GmbH
    Inventors: Ansgar Brossardt, Arno Korner
  • Patent number: D639707
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Audiovox Corporation
    Inventors: Henry Dale Caskey, David Anthony Benedetti
  • Patent number: D639710
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Seung-woo Kim
  • Patent number: D651974
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Audiovox Corporation
    Inventor: David A. Benedetti