Patents Represented by Attorney Higgs Fletcher & Mack, LLP
  • Patent number: 6966238
    Abstract: With the advent of this new and unique spring-loaded slot door latching bar the individuals involved in the operation of removing the contents of the moneyboxes and the like will have at their disposal a device that by inserting and pushing down on the bar handgrip, the latching mechanism will be set and then, by turning the three separate keys the latches will be relocated in place holding the door mechanism. This rapid and safe operation will easily speed up the operation and eliminate a lot of skinned knuckles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
    Inventors: David J. Panek, Al Silva
  • Patent number: 6874785
    Abstract: A set of cards for playing a card game is described. Each of said cards is printed with indicia essential for the playing of the game and one or more of said cards is printed with such indicia towards a central region of the card, that is inwardly disposed from the perimeter edge. In accordance with the invention, one or more of said cards in the set is provided with one or more apertures in predetermined locations within said central region to allow at least some of the indicia printed in the central region of a first card to be seen through the apertures of second and optionally further cards when said second and further cards are superposed over said first card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Dare Action Limited
    Inventor: Terence Miller
  • Patent number: 6836902
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for producing a safe and effective infant walking trainer and carrier garment to assist the parents with the training and care of their children. Too many articles in the care and handling of infants have been found to be a danger to the infant and in some cases have caused fatalities of infants even with very attentive parents. When we purchase an article designed for children we assume it is safe, but it has been proven that many are not. Safety in the design of devices in the field of childcare must be of the utmost importance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Inventors: Alejandra G. Marquez, Maria G. Pulido
  • Patent number: 6822198
    Abstract: A heated transportation container is described. The container consists of at least a body and a lid, the body being generally cuboid and having one or more side walls and a base which together define an internal chamber over which the lid can be placed to close the container. Inside the chamber is disposed a pre-frozen or refrigerated cooling pack to keep the temperature low and in accordance with the invention, a laminar heating, panel is affixed, to at least a portion of the inner surface of one of the side walls and/or to base, said laminar panel comprising an electrically resistive component and electrical connections through which power can be delivered to said laminar panel. Battery powered control circuitry is also provided which communicates with a temperature measuring device disposed within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Gorix Limited
    Inventor: John Robert Rix
  • Patent number: 6790054
    Abstract: An edge card electrical connector is used for receiving the edge of a printed circuit board having contact pads on one or both sides adjacent to the so described edge. This two-piece right angle edge card connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having a receiving face with an elongated slot running the length of the connector creating a card insertion cavity. A plurality of PCI connector pins (peripheral component interconnect), on one or both sides of the card insertion cavity make contact with the pads located on the printed circuit board when it is inserted into the cavity. The PCI connector pins may also be stepped within the card insertion cavity with the primary engagement connectors forward of the secondary engagement connectors allowing for a staggered positioning and increased separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Sullins Electronic Corporation
    Inventor: Nop Boonsue
  • Patent number: 6779674
    Abstract: A disposable barrier for a laboratory splash pan made of a non-porous yet durable material, form fitted to fit snugly within the interior surface of a laboratory splash pan, so as to avoid the need to autoclave or disinfect such pans after each use. A reservoir is formed within the base of the insert to provide a convenient means to store cleaning or polishing agents, such as pumice, within the insert. Flaps extend from the base of the insert to protect the elevated perimeter of the splash pan, and assist in securing the insert within the splash pan. Side and back walls project upward from the insert to protect and shield corresponding side and back walls of the splash pan. A top panel may be utilized to protect the interior surface of an overhanging canopy present in some splash pans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Inventor: Randall W. Ayres
  • Patent number: 6709001
    Abstract: A coupling system for a vehicle such as an articulated lorry and method of use thereof is provided. The articulated lorry includes at least a tractor unit and a trailer unit. The tractor unit has first coupling means provided on a fifth wheel which engages with second coupling means typically in the form of a kingpin on the trailer unit. The fifth wheel coupling means and the kingpin have one or more pneumatic and/or electrical supply lines provided therein which engage upon mechanical engagement of the fifth wheel coupling means and kingpin, thereby allowing pneumatic and/or electrical supply between said tractor unit and said trailer unit and/or vice versa. One of the fifth wheel coupling means or kingpin is provided with one or more annular protrusions on a coupling surface and the other is provided with complementary annular channels on a coupling surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: One Contact Srl
    Inventors: David William Morgan, Nigel Edward Robinson
  • Patent number: 6669007
    Abstract: A suspension rail comprises a rail body (18) having a slide track (22,24) extending lengthwise of the rail, the slide track (22,24) being adapted to slidably support hangers thereon. The general novelty is that the slide track comprises two parallel tracks (22,24) of low friction plastics held in or by the rail body (18) and spaced by the rail body (18), so that a hanger (38) suspended on the rail contacts the rail only at the two tracks (22,24). Particular features are that the body (18) is a one piece extrusion of aluminium, and there are two rods (22,24) which form the tracks, these rods (22,24) being in grooves (18A,18B) in the body (18). The rods are firmly fixed by crimping part of the body (18) after the rods have been inserted in the grooves (18A,18B). Rods (22,24) of right angled triangular cross section are preferred as they can be inserted and clamped easier and held more securely than circular rods, and made to project further from the body than circular rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Hangerglide Ltd.
    Inventor: Arthur Dennis Howarth
  • Patent number: 6474830
    Abstract: This self-contained multipurpose illumination device offers an individual a unique device that cannot only be used to adorn dress apparel, but may be easily removed and adapted for use in other applications, such as a safety device in adverse environments. The apparatus contains a series of illumination elements shaped similar to a shirt button stud which may be inserted through any common buttonhole or similar orifice in a garment. The illumination elements are connected to a control circuit and power source by way of a wiring harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Enlighted Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Janet Cooke Hansen
  • Patent number: 6446867
    Abstract: An electro-optic interface system configured to communicate, via an optical channel, an electronic signal between a fist and second electronic system includes a first electro-optic transceiver, an optical channel and a second electro-optic transceiver. The first electro-optic transceiver includes a signal port coupled to the first electronic system and an output coupled to the optical channel and includes a first transceiver emulator circuit, and a first transceiver laser. The first transceiver emulator circuit is configured to receive an electronic signal comprising parallel data from the fast electronic system and, in response, produces the serialized data. The first transceiver laser produces a first modulated output signal corresponding to the electronic signal communicated from the first electronic system. The second electro-optic transceiver includes a first port coupled to the optical channel and a second port coupled to the second electronic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Inventor: Jorge Sanchez
  • Patent number: 6405135
    Abstract: An imbedded Internet sensor system for protecting real property from the consequences of subterranean chemical pollution. The system provides real time monitoring of the first occurrence of contaminants in the subsurface of a property. An onsite processor controls a local network of sensors and a communication device relays the data to a remotely located database. The local network of sensor are made up of multiple acoustic wave sensors differentiated by sensor coatings configured into a sensor array. As a vapor contaminant passes across the surface of the surface acoustic wave sensor crystals, a shift is caused in the frequency of the acoustic wave. The shift is translated into an electronic signal that is communicated to the onsite processor, which in turn communicates the signal in the form of electronic data to a remote facility wherein remedial measures may be dispatched and appropriate parties notified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Inventors: John J. Adriany, Brian M. Kahl, Scott S. Fenby
  • Patent number: 6388346
    Abstract: A multiple impeller flow inducing device in which driver coils are intermittently energized in timed relation to rotation of the impellers to interact with permanently magnetized portions of the impeller to rotate the same. The impellers can be rotated in opposite directions or in the same direction. A two section impeller construction allows each section to be magnetized in opposite pole orientation and when assembled creating alternate pole orientations of successive portions, arcuate segments forming a shroud or the type of blades can be magnetized to provide the impeller magnetized portions. Stator guide vanes can be interposed between successive impellers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Air Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L. Lopatinsky, Saveliy T. Rosenfeld, Daniel Schaefer
  • Patent number: 6273722
    Abstract: A dental implant has a body with a press fit diameter fit into a hole drilled into a patient's jaw bone, and having a helical groove machined into the body diameter to improve the rate of growth of bone tissue thereinto to securely lock the implant in position. A shallow height oppositely wound helical thread may be added to increase the holding force upon initial fitting of the implant. The shallow height and long pitch of the thread produces only minimal stress of the surrounding bone tissue to insure long term retention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Swiss Implants, Inc.
    Inventor: Carol L. Phillips
  • Patent number: 6195612
    Abstract: The pharmacy benefit management system includes a pharmacy computer for generating pharmacy claim information based on pharmacy activity of a medical group. A health plan computer is responsive to the pharmacy claim information for generating pharmacy activity information for the medical group. A medical group computer receives the pharmacy activity information from the health plan computer and stores the pharmacy activity information. The pharmacy activity information is processed to generate utilization information to enable the medical group to monitor the pharmacy activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Inventor: Tama L. Pack-Harris
  • Patent number: 6191750
    Abstract: A low profile non-resonant traveling wave slot antenna operating over broad frequency bands is in the form of a multiple layer circuit, which includes a generally planar slotted conductor sheet having an open smoothly curved tapered planar slot therein and a three-dimensionally smoothly curved stripline conductor sheet having an elongated stem portion electrically connected at its distal end to a feed point on top of the slotted conductor sheet and extending downwardly through the slot therein and terminating in an enlarged smoothly tapered portion to transition the characteristic impedance between the feed point and an aperture impedance matched to free space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Composite Optics, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark E. Bonebright
  • Patent number: 6146285
    Abstract: A putter alignment device is disclosed and includes a mounting frame for engaging a putter and for aligning the device relative to the putter face. A mirror frame having a mirror, employing a novel indicating line, supported thereby is coupled pivotally to the mounting frame for aligning the putter relative to a target. A securing arrangement is adapted to engage the mounting frame at a portion thereof, extend behind the putter, and engage another portion of the mounting frame to attach removably the putter alignment device on the putter. Inventive sight members facilitate positioning of the eyes of the golfer relative to the target line as a part of the alignment method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Jeffrey S. Winslow
  • Patent number: 6112443
    Abstract: A display device to discourage or encourage the summoning of an emergency response includes a display support positionable near an emergency site. The display device has a display area having indicia to discourage the summoning of an emergency response. Additionally, the display area may have indicia to encourage the summoning of an emergency response. In a method of using the display device, a display is placed proximate an emergency site, a first indicia is displayed to encourage the summoning of an emergency response, notice is received that help has been summoned, and the first indicia is replaced with a second indicia that indicates further summoning of the emergency response is not necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Inventor: Arthur D. Stubbs
  • Patent number: D438508
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: H. M. Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas H. Stanford, Elden R. Davisson
  • Patent number: D440809
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Inventor: Thomas A. Hunt
  • Patent number: D512690
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: United Security Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Ted R. Greene