Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Griffin & Szipl, P.C.
  • Patent number: 6130611
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a locking system (31) for an entry door to a security enclosure arranged in an environment. This locking system includes a mechanism (33) able to command, in response to an instruction, the locking or unlocking of the entry door, storage means (43) able to contain reference data (X3) relating to a parameter (X) linked to the environment, and depending on the environment, and a processing unit (37) able to receive the reference data and parameter measurement data (X2) and, in response, to supply the command instruction. This arrangement gives the locking system autonomous control of the development of a parameter and centralised control of the locking and/or unlocking. The storage means (43) can be arranged to give the locking system the faculty of intelligent interpretation of the events and phenomena occuring during its daily operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Ilco-Unican S.A./Rehlor Division
    Inventors: Pierre Pellaton, Didier Domine
  • Patent number: 6130647
    Abstract: A slot antenna (21) is arranged to be connected to an asymmetrical output (29) of an antenna circuit (25). The antenna comprises a dielectric substrate (23), and a printed circuit conducting element (22; 22') attached to the substrate and defining a radiating slot (24; 24') of the antenna and having parallel edges. The antenna is characterized in that it further comprises a printed central line (27; 27') arranged in the slot (24; 2440 ) and allowing the direct connection of the output (29) in such a manner that this central line (27; 27') realizes the transition between the output and the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois Zurcher, Olivier Staub, Anja Skrivervik
  • Patent number: 6127989
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an integrated circuit structure (1) formed in a substrate (2) and including at least one integrated circuit element (3, 4), an antenna coil (5) capable of transmitting and/or receiving data, and associated with said integrated circuit element(s) (3, 4); and a metal protective ring (20) situated at the periphery of the integrated circuit structure (1). The present invention is characterised in that said protective ring (20) comprises at least one ohmic interruption, so that it does not form a closed circuit on itself. The integrated circuit structure (1) according to the invention is improved in that the operation of the antenna coil (5) is made insensitive to the presence of the protective ring (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SA
    Inventor: Pascal Kunz
  • Patent number: 6125676
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a rod mill wherein a general-purpose motor can be used together with servomotors in controlling the operational sequence of processes, wherein the time required for going through all the processes can be reduced, and wherein the control system can function without imparting any extra load on a controller incorporated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventor: Toshikazu Okuno
  • Patent number: 6126523
    Abstract: A photo-reactive grinding wheel 1 is irradiated with light by a light irradiation device 2 which is provided opposite to the grinding wheel, to bring about a chemical reaction and change in property, and dissolved/removed by a solution 4. Simultaneously, a workpiece 5 is processed by the photo-reactive grinding wheel 1. Thus, processing can be performed without causing clogging in the grinding wheel of a resin bond containing fine abrasive grains, high-grade surface roughness can be realized, and processing efficiency is relatively high. The controllability of the dressing is excellent, automation of dressing and in-process dressing can also be realized, a system which contains no metal ion in the whole processing can be designed, an expensive device is not required, and handling is easy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
    Inventors: Sei Moriyasu, Hitoshi Ohmori, Takeo Nakagawa, Kazuyuki Horie, Shinjirou Machida, Takashi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6124631
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device comprising a first substrate and a second substrate intended to form a micro-system such as a sensor, at least one of the substrates being able to include electronic circuit components. The invention is characterised in that a layer of polymer is interposed between the first and the second substrate, in that the polymer layer includes at least one cavity which extends from the first to the second substrate and in that solder attaching means are provided in the cavity, said solder means assuring a traction resistant mechanical connection between the two substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique SA
    Inventors: Francis Cardot, Philippe Arquint, Bart van der Schoot
  • Patent number: 6121256
    Abstract: A compound represented by the formula (I) or (II) or a salt thereof wherein R' represents hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.1 may combine together to represent a 5- or 6-membered cycloalkyl group; R.sup.4 represents, for example, a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; R.sup.4 represents, for example, a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; R.sup.6 represents a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; X represents --NR.sup.7 --, --O--, --CHR.sup.7 -- or --S-- in which R.sup.7 represents, for example, a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; and Y represents a phenylene group or a pyridinediyl group. The compounds are useful as agents for enhancing the activities of retinoid compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Institute of Medicinal Molecular Design, Inc.
    Inventor: Koichi Shudo
  • Patent number: 6116092
    Abstract: A good quality passive-state film is formed on a gas-contact face of a diaphragm of a pressure detector using a sensor chip to prevent corrosion on, or water content emission from, or catalytic action at a gas-contact face, thereby improving production quality in a semiconductor manufacturing process and providing high accuracy pressure detection. The passive-state film is formed on the gas-contact face of the diaphragm when the diaphragm is mounted on a diaphragm base. The diaphragm base is then fixedly secured to a sensor base in which a sensor chip is housed and a pressure transmitting medium is sealed in a gap between the sensor base and the diaphragm base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Fujikin Incorporated
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Ryosuke Dohi, Koji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6118435
    Abstract: A display unit with touch panel includes a press detection switch for detecting a press on a touch panel at a pressure exceeding a predetermined level so as to output a press detection signal, a driving-signal generating circuit responding to the press detection signal to generate a driving signal, a driving portion actuated by the driving signal to drive the touch panel into displacement thereby providing an operator with a tactile feedback, and an AND circuit for outputting an AND signal upon receipt of both of a coincidence detection signal from a coincidence detecting circuit and the press detection signal from the press detecting switch, and a gate circuit for inhibiting a passage of the operated-position signal from the operated-position detecting circuit when the AND signal from the AND circuit is not supplied and permitting the passage of the operated-position signal when the AND signal from the AND circuit is supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Idec Izumi Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Fujita, Akito Okamoto, Takuya Shioji, Keisuke Inaoka, Tomonori Nishiki, Masahiko Kawakami
  • Patent number: 6113259
    Abstract: The timepiece (1) includes a mainspring (2) driving the rotor (3a) of an electromechanical converter (3) and time display hands (6). A circuit (7) for enslaving the real angular position of the rotor (3a) to its desired angular position is supplied with electrical energy by the converter (3). In order to increase the autonomy of the timepiece (1), the enslaving circuit (7) includes means (28) which store a portion of the electrical energy generated by the converter (3) and means (21, 23 to 27) which use this stored electrical energy to apply driving pulses (IM) to the converter (3) when the rotor (3a) has a greater retardation than a determined retardation, with respect to its desired angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre-Andre Farine, Jean-Jacques Born, Francis Chabloz
  • Patent number: 6112821
    Abstract: A new sprinkler head for sprinkler installations is claimed which is compact and reduces production costs. In addition, the structure makes possible installation to a distribution pipe ahead of fitting a ceiling and easily enables checks for leakage. In detail a main body has an upper body connected to a water distribution pipe in a ceiling, the main body has an upper body with a valve seat which has a shoulder situated at the lower end of the upper body, and a lower frame which has a plurality of lugs facing inward. A nozzle has a plurality of discharge apertures at its lower end and an outwardly flared nozzle retainer which moves freely up and down inside the upper body and prevents movement of the nozzle passed the shoulder. A cap has a seal which seals the valve seat outside of the upper body at the bottom of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Yokoi Incorporated
    Inventor: Shin Yokoi
  • Patent number: 6113464
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for mirror surface grinding which enables high quality, stable ELID grinding; and a grinding wheel for electrolytic dressing. The apparatus comprises a grinding wheel 3 having a contact surface 2 for contacting a workpiece 1, an electrode 4 facing the surface 2, nozzles 5 for supplying conductive fluid between the grinding wheel 3 and the electrode 4, and a power source 6 and feeder 7 for applying a voltage between the grinding wheel and the electrode 4. The bond material, which is selected from among iron, ferrous metal, cobalt, nickel and combinations of two or more thereof, along with grains and sintering aid are molded together and sintered to obtain the conductive grinding wheel. Next, a conductive water-soluble grinding fluid containing an alkanolamine and anions is supplied between the grinding wheel and the electrode, and a pulse wave voltage is applied between the grinding wheel and the electrode to dress the grinding wheel electrolytically during grinding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Rikagaku Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Hitoshi Ohmori, Katsuhiko Karikomi
  • Patent number: 6112827
    Abstract: An agricultural planter is provided with wing members that fold forwardly from a laterally extending operating position to a compact transport position. The wing members are supported on wheel assemblies when in both the operating and transport positions. A transport lock mechanism is operable to secure the forwardly folded wing assemblies in the transport position against the draw bar. A latch tower having vertically oriented latch retainer bars permit the wing members to move vertically relative to the draw bar without disengaging the transport lock to allow the wing member wheel assemblies to follow ground undulations in the transport position. A wheel lock is also provided to convert the wheel assemblies between a forwardly fixed position used when the wing members are in the operating position and a castering position that enables the wing members to move into the transport position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Flexi-Coil Ltd.
    Inventors: Phillip A. Reiber, Terrance A. Friggstad
  • Patent number: 6108843
    Abstract: There is provided an air bed including (a) a plurality of air chambers arranged adjacent to one another and composed of air-impermeable sheet, (b) an air pump for introducing air to said air chambers, (c) a plurality of on/off valves each of which is located between each of said air chambers and said air pump, (d) a plurality of pressure sensors each of which senses a pressure in each of said air chambers and emits a signal accordingly, and (e) a controller receiving said signal from each of said pressure sensors and controlling on/off of each of said of/off valves in accordance with said signal. In accordance with the above-mentioned air bed, since the air pump is connected to each one of the air chambers, it is possible to control an internal pressure of each of the air chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Aihou Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunio Suzuki, Masahiko Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 6109087
    Abstract: Cross bars 18, to which workpiece holders 19 are attached, are provided across a press line L, together with feed beams 14 between which the cross bars are installed and which are suspended from the lift beams 13 and can move freely in the horizontal direction of the press line. A feed and transfer device 52 can move the feed beams freely in the horizontal direction of the press line. A connecting rod 56 connects the feed beams and the rack beam in a freely rotatable manner. A connecting link 60 connects a point in the vicinity of an intermediate portion of the connecting rod to a bracket 58 installed on the rack beam, in a freely rotatable manner. An operating direction changeover mechanism 61 converts the differential movement caused by the curvature of the press transfer motion, produced in the feed beams when the lift beams are raised or lowered, into a horizontal movement in the direction of the press line in synchronism with the raising or lowering of the lift beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Yoshii, Takao Iura, Yoshio Takahashi, Yoshio Mori, Takeo Hashizume
  • Patent number: 6110019
    Abstract: There is disclosed an electrode 10 generating hydro-dynamic pressure for electrolytic dressing grinding. The electrode has a plurality of narrow portions 11 having constant gaps from a processed surface 1a of a grinding wheel 1, and a plurality of concave portions 12 each disposed between the narrow portions and having a gap wider than the narrow portion. A section of flow path (gap) formed between the grinding wheel 1 and the electrode 10 becomes concave/convex along a moving direction of the grinding wheel 1. When the liquid repeatedly flows through the concave/convex gap, dynamic and static pressures generated in the gap largely fluctuate. By the fluctuation, the adhesion of metal deposits to the narrow portions 11 is reduced, and the concave portions 12 form pockets, so that the electrolytic liquid can be stably supplied and the inclusion of air can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
    Inventor: Hitoshi Ohmori
  • Patent number: 6099080
    Abstract: In a dry cutting and grooving apparatus for pavement in which blades for cutting or grooving the pavement are covered by a housing which leaves the lower ends of the blades exposed, and in which chips and cutting powder generated at the time of cutting and grooving operation by the blades are collected by a suction means connected to the housing, air is forcibly supplied to the housing and the dust stored within the housing is quickly scavenged by the air flow toward the suction end. Further, by providing an air supply passage within the main shaft of the blades and discharging the air from the surface and the outer periphery of the blades, the dust within the housing is scavenged in the same manner while the tips of the blades can be cooled by the discharged air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Fureki Industrial Co., Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Hirashita, Takao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6092745
    Abstract: A material spreader comprising a mobile tank for receiving and discharging waste material, such as manure. The spreader includes a conveying assembly comprising one or more augers rotatably mounted in the tank for conveying material received in the tank to a discharge area. An opening in the vicinity of the discharge area permits material to be dispensed to a slinger assembly mounted outside the tank adjacent the opening. Material is distributed by the slinger in a controlled pattern as the tank is transported over a field. A control system is provided for selectively controlling the rate and pattern of the material being distributed, based on characteristics of the material. A field is divided into cells and data relating to the nutrient demand of each cell is collected and stored in tables in a memory. A GPS receiver detects the location of the spreader as it moves over a field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: New Holland North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Shaun A. Seymour, Linwood H. Bowen, Carl E. Bohman, John H. Posselius
  • Patent number: 6089965
    Abstract: A polishing pad that can polish the surface of work pieces, such as semiconductor silicon wafers, with satisfactory results. Polishing pad 1.sub.1 is formed of a large number of resin polishing elements 11, all tubular with a very small diameter, inseparably bound together, outer peripheral surface to outer peripheral surface, with the axial direction tube end faces aligned on a plane, to form a plate structure 10 with two kinds of pores 12, 13, which are regularly positioned and run through the plate structure 10 in the thickness direction. Pad surface 1a of polishing pad 1.sub.1 is formed by the axial direction tube end faces of polishing elements 11 . . . . First pore 12 is the center pore in the polishing element 11. Second pore 13 is formed between the outer peripheral surfaces of the polishing elements 11 . . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Pillar Packing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Otawa, Toshiyuki Fukumoto, Yasuaki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 6087777
    Abstract: A converter circuit connected between the signal light control system of a towing vehicle and the turn signal and brake lamps of a towed farm implement discriminates between braking signals and turn signals appearing at the same pin positions of a connector receptacle by timing the duration of the signals. In a second embodiment providing for enhanced lighting of farm implements when traveling on public roads, latching relays establish circuits for flashing the brake lamp in the direction of turn. A switch may be provided to enable the enhanced lighting when the towing vehicle is a tractor, or disable the enhanced lighting and permit the implement turn signal and brake lights to mimic the operation of the turn signal and lights on a truck when the towing vehicle is a truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: New Holland North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Long