Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Haverstock, Garrett & Roberts
  • Patent number: 6851375
    Abstract: A tray assembly for an infant highchair, the tray assembly including a frame having front, rear, and side peripheral edge portions defining a space therebetween having a predetermined shape and size; a tray insert having front, rear, and side peripheral lip portions supporting and connected to a bottom portion located in an area defined thereby, the tray insert having a predetermined shape and extent such that the peripheral lip portions can rest on the peripheral edge portions of the frame for supporting the bottom of the tray insert in at least substantially covering relation to the space defined by the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Inventors: Tony Michael Guard, Joseph Robert Stephens, James Louis Tobergta
  • Patent number: 6780084
    Abstract: A device for honing blind bores in parts, a blind bore including a cylindrical bore open at one end and closed adjacent to the opposite end including a honing mandrel for mounting on a honing machine that produces rotation thereof, the mandrel having a cylindrical honing portion adjacent one end which portion and the adjacent portion of the mandrel have spaced axially extending slot therethrough to enable the honing portion of the mandrel to expand and contract in size, the honing portion having a portion adjacent to the end thereof which is somewhat larger than the rest of the honing portion when the honing portion is expanded for honing in the blind hole, the end portions of the mandrel between the spaced slots being elastically expandable from a retracted position which is less than the diameter of the surface to be honed to enable insertion therein to a more expanded condition wherein the diameter of the honing portion at the largest point is the diameter at which the mandrel will hone the blind hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Sunnen Products Company
    Inventors: Richard F. Moellenberg, Jr., John J. Schimweg, David M. Moehn
  • Patent number: 6773420
    Abstract: The present invention provides a deodorizing filter constituted such that the gas permeability thereof is high, the gases generated in an ostomy bag including the gases to be deodorized can be easily discharged, and the sufficient deodorizing ability thereof is sufficiently high. The deodorizing filter is formed so as to incorporate a deodorizing element in a housing and have a gas inlet at one side of the deodorizing element, an outlet at the other side of the deodorizing element, and a space existing at that side of the deodorizing element which faces the ostomy bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Alcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kanbara
  • Patent number: 6772048
    Abstract: A system for controlling one or more vending machines each of which has an associated module which can send and receive radio frequency signals, the system including a central data collection device which includes a device for sending radio frequency signals which can be intercepted by and used to control the operation of a selected one or more of the vending machines, each vending machine having elements for using the radio frequency signals it receives from the central data collection device to vend products selected by a customer, the central collection device includes a mechanism for determining the amount of deposits or credit entry in excess of the selected vends for returning this excess deposits or credit entry to the customer based on the amount of credit or deposits entered and the cost of the products selected to be vended by the vending machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Coin Acceptors, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark H. Leibu, Gilbert W. Van Cleve
  • Patent number: 6722871
    Abstract: The present invention includes a device for dispensing food products such as ice cream, yogurt, sherbet, sorbet, whipped topping, cheesecake filling, pudding and the like comprising a scoop having a channel portion with a tapered, semi-circular cross section along a curved axis. The scoop is designed to be mounted on or adjacent to a container of food product and to extend substantially across one half of the opening of the container. The scoop may be mounted to the container with the smaller cross-sectional area mounted adjacent to the sidewall of the container and with the larger cross-sectional area mounted proximate the center of the container. Alternatively, the scoop may be mounted with the larger cross-sectional area adjacent the sidewall and with the smaller cross-sectional area mounted proximate the center of the container. The cross-sectional area of the channel portion in either case is tapered from end to end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Jim Dandy, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Howe, William A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6712800
    Abstract: The present invention provides a body waste collector which allows the discharge of the gases in the ostomy bag over a long time and is, in addition, highly economical. The body waste collector comprises an ostomy bag 2 formed by sealing together the peripheral edge portions 16 of two films 7, 8 for collecting the body wastes, a faceplate 1 coupled to one film 7 of the ostomy bag, a gas-discharging vent 11 provided in the other film 8 of the ostomy bag so as to connect the inside of the ostomy bag to the outside thereof, and a deodorizing filter 12 disposed so as to communicate with the gas-discharging vent 11, wherein, between the two films 7, 8 of the ostomy bag, there is disposed an intermediate wall 13 which is comprised of a fluid-impermeable material and divides the space 10 in the ostomy bag into two regions, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Alcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kanbara
  • Patent number: 6705277
    Abstract: System and method for delivering multiple fuel injections to a cylinder of an engine based upon engine operating conditions, the control system including an electronic controller coupled to an electronically controlled fuel injector and a plurality of sensors for inputting certain signals representative of certain engine operating conditions, the controller being operable to output a fuel injection signal to the fuel injector to deliver a first fuel shot during the intake stroke and, in one embodiment, when the cylinder piston is positioned near top dead center during the intake stroke, a second fuel shot when the cylinder piston is positioned near top dead center during the compression stroke, and a third fuel shot when the cylinder piston is positioned near top dead center during the compression stroke. The first shot fuel quantity is preferably greater than the second shot fuel quantity but preferably less than the third shot fuel quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: Brian G. McGee
  • Patent number: 6675639
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting cylinder faults collects temperature data representative of temperatures of exhaust from the cylinder, estimates true temperatures of the exhaust as a function of the collected temperature data and at least one compensation factor, and determines deviations of the estimated true temperatures from at least one reference value. At least one severity symptom value is determined as a function of the deviations, and compared with at least one predetermined reference value for a known cylinder condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: David R. Schricker, Masoud K. Zavarehi
  • Patent number: 6651778
    Abstract: A service center for the self-service lubrication of over-the-road vehicles, and the method of use thereof, which center has at least one service area into which the vehicle can be driven for servicing, one or more mobile lifting devices positionable by the vehicle operator to engage and lifts and to subsequently lower, a portion of the vehicle to be serviced under control of such operator, lubricant draining apparatus engageable with the vehicle by the operator and operable thereby to effect the drainage of lubricant from the vehicle, lubricant fill apparatus engageable with the vehicle and operable by the vehicle operator to feed fresh lubricant to the vehicle as required, including metering apparatus for determining the amount of lubricant fed to the vehicle, and an attendant system for controlling use of said service center and its equipment, including calculation of amounts due by the vehicle operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Arogas, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Manning, Thomas P. Manning, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6640817
    Abstract: A method for removing concrete from the interior surfaces of a concrete mixing drum, the drum including an open end and at least one interior surface facing away from or opposite the open end, an elongate probe having a longitudinal axis and an axially extending forward end being inserted into the drum through the open end thereof; and at least one fluid nozzle being mounted to the probe in position for discharging a stream of fluid against the at least one interior surface facing opposite the open end under sufficient pressure to dislodge accumulated concrete therefrom as the probe is moved in the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas G. Harmon
  • Patent number: 6631770
    Abstract: A turner for quickly, easily, and aesthetically turning over and aerating and thickening a settled or compacted layer of an aggregate landscaping mulch material, and a method for doing so. The present turner includes an elongate cylindrical barrel having an outer cylindrical surface having a diametrical extent of less than about 5 inches and a plurality of elongate projections extending generally radially outwardly from the cylindrical surface at spaced locations thereon. The turner includes a handle supporting the cylindrical barrel for rotation about a cylindrical axis thereof. The present method includes holding the handle to push or pull the cylindrical barrel across a region of the layer of the landscaping mulch material to rotate the barrel such that the projections will penetrate into the mulch material and lift and reorient portions thereof to thicken the layer, without substantially disturbing the underlying surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Gravity, Incorporated
    Inventors: Tony M. Guard, Paul Haney, Douglas Ortenzi, Joseph Stephens, James Tobergta
  • Patent number: 6623567
    Abstract: A method for high concentration carburizing and quenching of steel is provided which is carried out by a treatment process including the steps of carbonitriding the steel at temperatures of from about 800 to about 880° C., and subsequently quenching the steel at a temperature higher than the carbonitriding temperature. In the carbonitriding step, the steel is treated with carbon concentrations in a carburizing atmosphere taken as about 0.7 to about 1.2% and with 3 to 8% of ammonia gas (NH3) being added, for example. This dissolves network-like carbide in austenite and, when the austenite is transformed into martensite by quenching, distributes the dissolved carbide in the form of granules approximately uniformly in the martensite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Nakamura Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shotaro Nakamura, Noboru Kuwayama
  • Patent number: 6609369
    Abstract: A pressure compensator for use in a control system for an electro hydraulic-implemented work element being operated through the use of operator input control mechanisms generating operator input signals upon the application thereof, the control system including an actuator coupled thereto for controlling the operation thereof, the pressure compensator determining a pressure compensator coefficient to be applied to an operator input signal to compensate for changes of pressure drop across a valve in communication with the actuator. The pressure compensator coefficient is used to produce an input flow control signal for inputting to the valve to control the amount of hydraulic fluid that flows therethrough to the actuator so that a desired velocity of the actuator is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Douglas W. Koehler, Michael R. Schwab, Jiao Zhang
  • Patent number: 6582731
    Abstract: An improved composition and method for plaque inhibiting hard candies, is disclosed, having alkali metal monophosphate as the improved neutralizing active ingredient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Konrad Kaufmann
  • Patent number: 6582160
    Abstract: The hopper tee provides increased material flow rates and includes a first hollow pipe section having an upper end and an opposite lower end, the upper end including an inlet opening for connecting to a discharge opening of a hopper for receiving material contained in the hopper therethrough, and an interior cylindrical side wall forming an internal passage connecting the inlet opening to the lower end for flow of the material thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventors: Eddie W. Campbell, Thomas J. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6578496
    Abstract: A tray assembly for an infant highchair, the tray assembly including a frame having front, rear, and side peripheral edge portions defining a space therebetween having a predetermined shape and size; a tray insert having front, rear, and side peripheral lip portions supporting and connected to a bottom portion located in an area defined thereby, the tray insert having a predetermined shape and extent such that the peripheral lip portions can rest on the peripheral edge portions of the frame for supporting the bottom of the tray insert in at least substantially covering relation to the space defined by the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Gravity, Incorporated
    Inventors: Tony Michael Guard, Joseph Robert Stephens, James Louis Tobergta
  • Patent number: 6547080
    Abstract: Colander apparatus for straining and rinsing including a first rim portion and a second rim portion hingedly movable about an axis between a generally coplanar position and a collapsed or folded position wherein the rim portions are generally parallel or oriented at a small acute angle one to the other, the first and second rim portions when in the generally coplanar position defining a bowl opening. The colander apparatus further includes a bowl portion integrally formed with, attached to or otherwise supported by the first and second rim portions around the bowl opening in spanning relation thereto, the bowl portion including a plurality of openings therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Gravity, Incorporated
    Inventor: Tony Michael Guard
  • Patent number: 6543585
    Abstract: The present automatic clearance adjuster mechanism maintains a predetermined maximum brake clearance regardless of the wear condition of the brake. The brake includes a longitudinally extending rod mounted to the brake housing external to the piston element. The present automatic clearance adjuster mechanism includes a sleeve element disposed about the rod, and a biasing element disposed for releasably holding the sleeve element against the rod for preventing movement thereof along the rod to limit the retraction of the piston element to a predetermined distance relative to the sleeve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Stinson
  • Patent number: D482825
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Gravity, Incorporated
    Inventor: Tony Michael Guard
  • Patent number: D492164
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Inventor: Paul P. Robinson