Patents Represented by Law Firm Head & Johnson
  • Patent number: 8336585
    Abstract: A concrete funnel and placement system comprising a funnel-type apparatus removably securable to a concrete chute having a retainer element coupled to a funnel element. The funnel element includes a downwardly sloping base forming an aperture for concrete to flow through. The aperture may be any shape or size, and one or more interchangeable discharge plates may be included in order to selectively change the shape and/or size of the aperture. Further, the aperture of the funnel element may be selectively opened or closed. Bearings, sprockets, rollers or other rotatable mechanisms may be included to allow the funnel element to rotate 360° with respect to the retainer element. The retainer element may include a gasket forming a seal with the funnel element to prevent concrete from impeding rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Royce Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Trevor Royce
  • Patent number: 8336218
    Abstract: To be able to measure the angular deviation simultaneously in two directions in space a magneto-sensitive sensor unit on the one hand (that can measure the magnetic flux density in at least two directions in space or orthogonal to each other) and a magnet on the other hand are moved relatively to each other, wherein one of both elements are provided in such a way that it aligns itself directly or indirectly according to the gravity. An optimal measuring result is achieved by guiding one of both elements on a defined, reproducible surface so that the center axis of this element is directed always to the center axis of the other element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: ASM Automation Sensorik Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Manfred Steinich, Peter Wirth
  • Patent number: 8337909
    Abstract: A process of extracting procyanidins by alkaline hydrolysis. In particular, a procyanidin-containing material, pomace or residue is treated with an alkali, such as sodium or potassium hydroxide, for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined temperature to release procyanidins bound to polysaccharides and/or proteins of the cell wall or depolymerize polymeric procyanidins. After the procyanidins are released by alkaline hydrolysis, the extracts are acidified to obtain a pH level where the procyanidins do not degrade. The process of extracting procyanidins may be utilized to estimate the total amount of bound procyanidins in a plant material, enhance the bioavailability of beneficial procyanidins monomers and/or to treat the residue remaining after conventional solvent extraction for increased procyanidin extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Luke R. Howard, Brittany L. White, Ronald L. Prior
  • Patent number: 8329250
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for applying a crack resistant coating on a surface, where the crack resistant coating increases resistance to high vertical and horizontal movements and high shear stresses on the surface. The method comprises the steps of applying a binding material to the surface, applying an aggregate mixture within 15 seconds of applying the binding material to the surface, and allowing the binding material to fill some of the air voids in the aggregate mixture to form a substantially voidless layer with a height of at least 0.38 cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Arr-Maz Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Marvin Keller Exline, Jon Brett Wingo, James Joseph Cunningham, James J. Barnat
  • Patent number: 8327505
    Abstract: An adjustable door stop system. A hinge mounted door has a least one hinge leaf connected to the door, a least one hinge leaf connected to a doorway, and a hinge pin having an axis about which the hinge leaves rotate. A movement control cylinder includes a first finger extending radially and axially, a cylindrical portion substantially parallel to the axis of the hinge pin, and an axial opening. A movement control cap has a second finger extending radially and axially, a cylindrical portion substantially parallel to the axis of the hinge pin, and an axial opening. The cylindrical portion of the movement control cylinder engages the cylindrical portion of the movement control cap to prohibit rotational movement of the door beyond a selected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventor: B. Jack Smith
  • Patent number: 8321342
    Abstract: A system and method is provided to accept and settle transaction payments for an unbanked consumer. A consumer initiates a transaction with a merchant, and the merchant may transmit transaction information to a central processing unit using an initiating processing unit. The central processing unit may generate a unique transaction identifier or the merchant may generate the unique transaction identifier which complies with the systems rules and notifies the central processing unit of the transaction information and unique transaction identifier. The system may provide the merchant and consumer the nearest payment processing unit. At the payment processing unit, the consumer presents the unique transaction identifier, which is transmitted to the central processing unit for validation. The consumer may also validate the transaction information. The consumer makes payment at the payment processing unit, and the payment information is transmitted to the central processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Choicepay, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger Marshall
  • Patent number: 8320671
    Abstract: A system for use by a user and with a plurality of stored images. A retrieval facility for accessing said plurality of stored images; a display facility for displaying images from said plurality to said user; a response facility for permitting interaction between the user and the system; a selection facility for determining an image that is of interest to said user based on said interaction between said user and said system; and a comparison facility for carrying out a similarity analysis between the image determined to be of interest and each of at least a subset of said plurality of stored images, the similarity analysis involving a calculation based on one or more of a measurement of color similarity, texture similarity and shape similarity. The retrieval, display and response facility can be defined by a web browser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventor: Imad Zoghlami
  • Patent number: 8307717
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing an insulation material to a surface by inserting a nozzle and a neck of a welding gun through a channel in an insulation material, positioning the insulation material on the surface to be insulated using the welding gun, firmly pushing the welding gun into the channel of the insulation material until the nozzle of the welding gun, an anchor embedded in the insulation material and the surface are in contact, welding the anchor of the insulation material to the surface with the welding gun, and removing the nozzle and the neck of the welding gun from the channel in the insulation material. A method and apparatus for testing the integrity of a weld between an anchored insulation material, a surface and a nozzle of a welding gun. A special tool for testing the integrity of the weld between the anchored insulation material and a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Refractory Anchors, Inc.
    Inventor: Randall Loren Buchman
  • Patent number: 8309032
    Abstract: A catalytic converter apparatus for use in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine includes a housing having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, and at least one catalytic substrate element disposed in the housing. The at least one substrate element is divided into a plurality of zones or sections, the zones at least partially separated from one another to inhibit heat flow. The zones can be at least partially separated with walls. The walls can include insulating material for reducing the mobility of heat radially outwardly. Each of the zones defines a generally separate flow passage connecting the inlet and outlet in fluid communication. The apparatus can heat more rapidly from a cold start compared with conventional catalytic converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Vida Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: Stefano Plati, Michael Decesare, Sarry Al-Turk, Amanda Sistilli, Gregory Kiyoshi Koyanagi, Voislav Blagojevic
  • Patent number: 8305072
    Abstract: In order to facilitate the assembly of an elongated magnetostrictive sensor in an enveloping tight protective profile, the sensor unit according to the invention comprises a head piece which closes the face of the protective profile and which partially reaches into the protective profile, wherein the wave conductor unit and also the circuit board are initially connected form locked with the head piece and electrically connected therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: ASM Automation Sensorik Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Manfred Steinich
  • Patent number: 8304997
    Abstract: An energy recovery circuit for a plasma display panel (PDP) according to the present invention includes an energy recovery unit recovering and storing energy from the PDP; and a switching stabilizing unit electrically connected to the energy recovery unit to stabilize switching of a sustain discharge pulse applied to the PDP. The switching stabilization unit may include one diode, two switches and one capacitor for energy recovery, or include two switches and an external input voltage source that is an external voltage supply. According to the present invention, the difference of voltages applied to both drain and source terminals of a switch (SW2) for applying a sustain discharge voltage (Vsus) is minimized at the time when the switch (SW2) is switched, so that switching can be stabilized by preventing hard switching from being generated when the sustain discharge voltage is applied to a panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Orion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Duk Kim, Young Jun Lee, Su Sam Choi
  • Patent number: 8288666
    Abstract: In order not to damage encased circuits under temperature expansion, they are encased in an external encasement mold, wherein the encasement body thus created comprises singular or line shaped rises on its exterior surface, and is supported at said rises after insertion into the external housing. The free spaces then remaining between the encasement body and the housing are available for expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: ASM Automation Sensorik Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Manfred Steinich
  • Patent number: 8277045
    Abstract: A specially tinted lens, a tri-colored lens for spectacles and sunglasses for use in flying airplanes. A far field of vision has a first tinting, such as green, to reduce the light from a sunlit sky, over sunlit cloud tops, or in clouds, which enables an aircraft pilot to easily see out of the cockpit into highly illuminated environments. An intermediate field of vision has a second tinting, such as yellow, to enable the pilot to easily see a dimly illuminated instrument panel as compared to outside the aircraft. A near field of vision has a third tinting, such as neutral in color, to enable said pilot to easily view maps and other information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Sky Sight Vision, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond L. Hobbs
  • Patent number: 8274275
    Abstract: The invention relates to an angle sensor which is only protected by an encasement body without having a surrounding protective housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: ASM Automation Sensorik Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Manfred Steinich, Peter Wirth
  • Patent number: 8257147
    Abstract: An abrasive cutting or drilling system, apparatus and method, which includes an upstream supercritical fluid and/or liquid carrier fluid, abrasive particles, a nozzle and a gaseous or low-density supercritical fluid exhaust abrasive stream. The nozzle includes a throat section and, optionally, a converging inlet section, a divergent discharge section, and a feed section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignees: Regency Technologies, LLC, The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: David Archibold Summers, Klaus Hubert Woelk, Kenneth Doyle Oglesby, Grzegorz Galecki
  • Patent number: 8259929
    Abstract: Various methods, apparatuses, and systems in which a back up power supply is provided to a network interface device are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a network interface device (NID) located outside a building and a power supply unit located inside the building. The power supply unit has one or more ports that couple via a phone line to the NID to provide a power signal to the NID. The apparatus further includes a direct current (DC) back up power unit located in the NID. The DC back up power unit provides back up power to the NID. The NID is configured to periodically switch between receiving the power signal from the power supply unit and the DC back up power unit even when no fault condition exists in the power supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: 2Wire, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Hinman, James T. Schley-May
  • Patent number: 8250826
    Abstract: A hingeable derrick, comprising an upper structure with a first face and a second face opposite the first face; a lower structure with a first face and a second face opposite the first face; a hinge connecting the second face of the upper structure to the second face of the lower structure; and at least one hydraulic cylinder, where each hydraulic cylinder has an upper end attached to the upper structure. The upper structure is located directly above the lower structure in an upright position when the hydraulic cylinder is retracted, and the upper structure may pivot at the hinge in the direction of the second face into a folded position, with the descent controlled by winch lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Woolslayer Companies, Inc.
    Inventor: Dewayne G. Vogt
  • Patent number: D666976
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel J. Gassner
  • Patent number: D669813
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Inventor: Donesha Williams
  • Patent number: D671921
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: The Crosby Group LLC
    Inventors: Roger E. Beall, Paul A. Boeckman, Larry Postelwait