Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Howard L. Rose
  • Patent number: 5427556
    Abstract: A power steering device for use with a boat propulsion unit has a hydraulic cylinder unit for angularly moving a steering arm of the boat propulsion unit. A rotary valve mechanism for supplying working oil from a working oil tank to the hydraulic cylinder unit and discharging working oil from the hydraulic cylinder unit to the working oil tank comprises a flat valve body having oil holes defined transversely therethrough and a valve housing assembly housing the flat valve body and having ports defined therein for communication with the oil holes, the ports being connected to the working oil tank and the hydraulic cylinder unit. The power steering device also includes a steering shaft for operating the rotary valve mechanism in response to a steering action. The hydraulic cylinder unit, the rotary valve mechanism, and the steering shaft are integrally joined to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Ishikawa, Yasuo Funami, Yoshimi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5425731
    Abstract: An instrument for cutting, ablating and coagulating tissue has a rod of ferromagnetic material fusion welded to the base of a conical tip of copper with the rod adjacent the base of the conic being of lesser diameter than the base to provide a region to accept a potted coil of wire about the rod whereby when the coil is connected to a constant current high frequency source the rod and tip are heated to a temperature approaching the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic rod. As Curie temperature is approached the rod becomes essentially non-magnetic heating decreases to produce a temperature below Curie temperature and the cycle repeats. As a result of the excellent heat exchange interfaces produced by fusion welding the energy delivered to the tissue or other load which may be non-biological is closely controlled by temperature which is self regulated. A ferromagnetic sleeve is placed about the coil to concentrate magnetic flux in the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Metcal, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Daniel, Mark J. Cowell
  • Patent number: 5423321
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for reducing the danger of cutting into a passage or organ of the body during a surgical procedure by inserting a catheter into the passage or organ, the catheter having interiorly thereof an infrared radiator and employing an infrared detection system that produces a detectable signal indicative of the proximity of an infrared probe to the passage or organ the proximity of the probe to the passage or organ being a function of the approach of the surgical procedure to the passage or organ. The position of the infrared source and the probe may be reversed. Further a system for viewing the sight of the procedure and displaying the body into which the catheter is inserted is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Inventor: Mark G. Fontenot
  • Patent number: 5412948
    Abstract: A ball and piston valve for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to a motive means have the ball and piston spring biased in opposing directions and with both initially subject to a first hydraulic fluid pressure that allows the springs to cause the ball to be unseated from its seat whereby fluid is directed to a fluid tank and wherein the ball is of sufficiently larger diameter than the piston that upon an increase in fluid pressure the ball is seated and remains seated when the pressure drops to the first hydraulic fluid pressure whereby the motive means to which the fluid is directed when the ball is seated does not have a sudden lurch upon a subsequent increase in pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norio Komura, Hiroshige Makita, Tomoaki Ishikawa, Taro Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 5391867
    Abstract: A wide format scanner moves a substrate to be scanned along a first axis and at a first predetermined speed, and moves a scanning head across the substrate obliquely with respect to the first axis at an angle and at a speed coordinated with the first predetermined speed so as to provide a scan trace perpendicular to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Inventor: Manfred Grumberg
  • Patent number: 5389018
    Abstract: A tilt cylinder unit for use with an outboard engine on a boat hull has a cylinder, a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder, and a rod having an end coupled to the piston. The cylinder may be coupled to the outboard engine or the boat hull, and the rod may be coupled to the boat hull or the outboard engine. The cylinder has a first chamber which is expanded when the tilt cylinder unit is extended and a second chamber which is compressed when the tilt cylinder unit is contracted, the first and second chambers being defined in the cylinder by the piston. A third chamber, which may be defined in the cylinder or an auxiliary tank separate from the cylinder has a portion filled with a gas. The second and third chambers are interconnected by an orifice, and the first, second, and third chambers are interconnected by a plurality of communication passages. A manually operable valve is coupled between the communication passages for selectively opening and closing the communication passages simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuo Funami
  • Patent number: 5387142
    Abstract: A power steering device for steering an outboard engine on a small boat has a hydraulic cylinder unit for angularly moving a steering arm of the outboard engine, the hydraulic cylinder unit having a piston rod connected to the steering arm, and a directional control spool valve for supplying a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder unit to move the piston rod. A control cable controls the directional control spool valve in response to operation of a steering wheel. The control cable has a core having an end coupled to the piston rod and a sheath covering the core and having an end coupled to the spool of the directional control spool valve. The hydraulic cylinder unit has a cylinder divided by a piston into a first oil chamber through which the piston rod extends and a second oil chamber remote from the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Showa Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hisao Takayanagi, Yasuo Funami
  • Patent number: 5383057
    Abstract: An automotive rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror housing adapted to be mounted on a fixed member of an automobile outside of the passenger's compartment, a mirror swingably disposed in the mirror housing, a control mechanism including a control lever adapted to project from the housing into the passenger's compartment, and a rotatable shaft mechanism pivotally coupled to a rear surface of the mirror at a plurality of positions thereon, the rotatable shaft mechanism being rotatable in response to control movements of the control lever, for vertically and laterally adjusting the angle of the mirror with respect to the mirror housing. The mirror housing is angularly movable about the axis of the rotatable shaft mechanism in unison with the mirror within the mirror housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Matsuyama Seisakusho
    Inventors: Sakae Kimura, Michio Hamada
  • Patent number: 5376774
    Abstract: Solenoid coils are provided that produce relatively low irradiation of electromagnetic fields with intense fields internally thereof for purposes of heating a metallic element, preferably a ferromagnetic element having a Curie temperature selected for the purpose for which the coil structure is to be employed, the coil structure in one embodiment comprising two coaxial coils of substantially equal diameter interconnected to produce in response to an alternating current being applied thereto out of phase magnetic fields that do not substantially interfere with one another as a result of the spacing between the coils. In a second embodiment the two coils are located between two additional coils that buck axial fields thereby together with fall off of the fields as the cube of the distance from the main coils provide a structure with low external radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute
    Inventors: Thomas H. McGaffigan, Frank A. Doljack, Cristian C. Filimon
  • Patent number: 5372528
    Abstract: Tilt and trim cylinders have blind-end chambers connected through a main valve to a first port of a reversible pump. The rod-end chamber of the tilt cylinder is connected through the main valve to a second port of the reversible pump. The rod-end chamber of the trim cylinder is connected to an oil tank. The second port of the pump is connected to the oil tank, and the first port may be connected to either only the main valve or the oil tank through a suction-prevention valve, an orifice, or a pressure relief valve. When the pump is actuated with the tilt cylinder locked to keep an outboard engine in an tilted-up position, the trim cylinder is automatically contracted to withdraw its piston rod. Cavitation in an oil passage from the blind-end chamber of the trim cylinder to the pump is prevented when working oil is introduced from the oil tank to the pump through the orifice or the pressure relief valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Showa Seisakusho
    Inventors: Tamotu Nakamura, Shigeru Kai
  • Patent number: 5356347
    Abstract: A hydrostatic continuously variable transmission includes a closed hydraulic circuit comprising a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor, and an oil supply passage connected between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor. The hydraulic pump selectively generates a first oil pressure lower than a first predetermined pressure level, a second slowly-changing oil pressure higher than the first predetermined pressure level when the transmission is in normal operation, and a third rapidly-changing oil pressure higher than a second predetermined pressure level higher than the first predetermined pressure level when the transmission starts to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kokyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norio Komura, Hiroshige Makita, Tomoaki Ishikawa, Taro Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 5347799
    Abstract: A riding-type powered lawn mower has a frame, front and rear wheels rotatably mounted on the frame, an engine mounted on the frame for rotating the rear wheels, a cutter deck mounted on the frame and housing a cutter blade drivable by the engine, a driver's seat mounted on the frame by a seat bracket in front of the engine, and a steering column mounted on the frame forwardly of the driver's seat. The riding-type powered lawn mower also has a body paneling mounted on the frame. The body paneling comprises a unitary front body cover covering the steering column, the seat bracket, and a front portion of the engine, and a unitary rear hood detachably connected to a rear end of the front body cover and covering a rear portion of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Honda Giken Hogyo Kabishiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Hosaka, Hiroshi Moriyama, Tatsuya Tokuda
  • Patent number: 5339527
    Abstract: A wrecking tool has a head and a pole; the head including a sleeve for receiving the pole, a crescent shaped head member and a shank generally rectangular in cross section and having an outwardly bowed sharpened edge primarily for ripping into ceilings, the shank flaring laterally outward as it approaches the sleeve to provide additional strength in this region and the interior of the sleeve having an inward taper to its opening partially adjacent the flared region of the shank with the pole held in the sleeve by a cementing material, such as an epoxy resin and a rivet passing only through one surface of the sleeve and into the pole. A D-shaped handle has a sleeve into which the pole is cemented and riveted if the pole is less than eight feet long; the cross member of the D-shaped handle being an I-beam in cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Inventor: Richard W. Clemens, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5339081
    Abstract: In a vehicle presence detection system for controlling traffic signal lights at a road intersection, the vehicle detection is performed by targeting vehicles at the location of interest with an FMCW radar beam. The radar can be switched repeatedly between the FMCW mode, for vehicle presence detection, and a doppler mode, for vehicle movement detection. Signal data representing the background of the scene viewed by the radar beam are stored for use by circuitry that determines whether an apparent vehicle presence detect is a true vehicle detect; the background signal data is repeatedly updated, as necessary, as the system cycles. Temperature compensation is provided and entry into the FMCW mode is inhibited if a voltage-controlled oscillator provided for generating the emissions has not settled down after any such compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Peek Traffic Limited
    Inventors: Brian Jefferis, Shaun D. Morgan
  • Patent number: 5338920
    Abstract: An electro-fusion fitting includes a body, and a magnetic alloy member which is continuous in the axial direction is embedded in the vicinity of a joint surface of the body. A shield member is arranged on the outer surface of the body in a portion where a cold zone is to be formed. The joint surface of the body and a joint surface of a member to be joined are brought into contact with each other. When a high frequency current is applied to the magnetic alloy member from a high frequency power supply by electromagnetic induction in this state, the magnetic alloy member generates heat, so that the body and the member to be joined are fused, and joined to each other. Since the shield member shields the electromagnetic induction, the magnetic alloy member in a portion where the shield member is provided does not generate heat, so that the cold zone is formed in the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignees: Metcal, Inc., Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Okusaka, Hideki Kasa, Masayuki Sakaguchi, Junsuke Kyomen, Takashi Tago
  • Patent number: 5333556
    Abstract: A double-screw press for separating a liquid from a two-phase solid-liquid material includes a hollow barrel and two screws disposed in the barrel. The barrel comprises a plurality of detachable barrel plates and a plurality of spacers disposed between the barrel plates and cooperating with the barrel plates in defining slits. The screws are arranged side by side with a gap defined therebetween, and are rotated by a motor to move a material, which has been charged into the barrel, efficiently from an upstream end to a downstream end of the barrel. The barrel plates and the screws have respective passages connected to cooling water sources, which supply cooling water to keep the temperature in the screws and the barrel at a desired level. The charged material is crushed and mixed in the gap between the screws, and oil is expressed from the material when it is compressed in the barrel. The expressed oil is discharged through the slits and collected in a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Director of National Food Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
    Inventors: Seiichiro Isobe, Akinori Noguchi, Kunihiko Uemura
  • Patent number: 5329085
    Abstract: A Curie point heater primarily for use in a soldering iron and initially designed to operate with currents in the megahertz range is restructured to operate in the kilohertz range. Further in one embodiment of the heater, the coil exciting the heater is mounted in the handle of the iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Metcal, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Cowell, Steven A. Daniel
  • Patent number: 5325602
    Abstract: A carton is provided for holding wet books and like materials during transport to and processing at a freezing and freeze drying or vacuum drying facility. The carton is fabricated as a laminated corrugated carton from a high density polymer that may be stored in a flat condition, assembled to hold the books or like and after their processing collapsed for storage. The carton have openings throughout to facilitate extraction of fluids. The cartons are reusable as many as 20 times or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Protext, Inc.
    Inventors: Linda Nainis, Robert J. Milevski
  • Patent number: 5304767
    Abstract: Solenoid coils are provided that produce relatively low irradiation of electromagnetic fields with intense fields internally thereof for purposes of heating a metallic element, preferably a ferromagnetic element having a Curie temperature selected for the purpose for which the coil structure is to be employed, the coil structure in one embodiment comprising two coaxial coils of substantially equal diameter interconnected to produce in response to an alternating current being applied thereto out of phase magnetic fields that do not substantially interfere with one another as a result of the spacing between the coils. In a second embodiment the two coils are located between two additional coils that buck axial fields thereby together with fall off of the fields as the cube of the distance from the main coils provide a structure with low external radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: Thomas H. McGaffigan, Frank A. Doljack, Cristian C. Filimon
  • Patent number: 5301641
    Abstract: An air-cooled internal combustion engine has a cylinder block, a piston slidably disposed in a cylinder in the cylinder block, and a cylinder head mounted on the cylinder block and having a partly spherical combustion chamber aligned with the cylinder. An intake valve, an exhaust valve, and a spark plug which are mounted in the cylinder head are oriented radially outwardly from the axis of the cylinder and angularly spaced from each other by distances that are progressively increased in the direction along the axis of the cylinder. The intake valve, the exhaust valve, and the spark plug have respective central axes inclined at the same angle to the axis of the cylinder, and the intake valve, the exhaust valve, and the spark plug are angularly spaced at equal angular intervals as viewed along the axis of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kasai, Mitsuo Shiga, Takashi Ihara