Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Howell & Haferkamp
  • Patent number: 5975979
    Abstract: The doll of the invention includes an internal mechanism based on gears, cams and terminations by virtue of which a series of movements are performed to provide a) swinging of the left arm, causing a rattler attached to said arm's hand to sound; b) stopping these movements and initiating movement of the second arm, bending the arm at the elbow and closing the hand in an approaching and grabbing motion on the pacifier previously inserted in the doll's mouth, opposite movements of said second arm being performed thereafter to pull out the pacifier, it being released from the hand holding it as a result of the pacifier being attached to a tether placed around the doll's neck. This cycle is repeated every time the pacifier is placed in the doll's mouth, thus simulating real-life movements for sounding the rattler and then removing the pacifier by itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Onilco Innovacion S.A.
    Inventor: Jaime Ferri Llorens
  • Patent number: 5974954
    Abstract: A cooking grate for a grill, such as a barbecue grill, is comprised of a plurality of generally elongate rail members assembled in a nesting relationship to form a first and second cooking surface. The first cooking surface is formed by a generally flat surface on each of the rail members, the flat surfaces abutting to form a substantially smooth surface, with a plurality of elongate apertures therein through which juices produced by cooking food may flow. Each rail member has a gutter along its length which underlies approximately half of each of the apertures for catching a portion of the juices and diverting it from the heat source below. The grate may be reversed and the gutters form the second cooking surface which is similar to a conventional grate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Empire Comfort Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald P. Rigney, Lloyd Maschhoff
  • Patent number: 5977431
    Abstract: A passive transponder may be encoded with a number or code of up to 64 binary bits and then associated with or mounted to virtually any living tissue implant for implantation in a human. After implantation, the transponder's code may be conveniently read with a hand held electromagnetic reader which may merely be brought within proximity of the transponder. The encoded transponder may thus be read in a non-invasive procedure and without the use of any sophisticated or potentially harmful medical equipment or technology such as X-ray. The information encoded in the transponder may correspond to patient demographics and implant data to aid in tracking the implant's progress and use for medical as well as legal reasons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Lipomatrix, Incorporated
    Inventors: Terry R. Knapp, John Steuart
  • Patent number: 5976061
    Abstract: A treadmill of the present invention comprises a base, a pair of spaced rollers journalled in the base, an endless belt, a longitudinally extending support deck, and a deck spacer. One of the rollers constitutes a rear roller and the other roller constitutes a forward roller spaced forward of the rear roller. The endless belt is entrained around the rollers and includes an upper reach that extends longitudinally between the rollers. The upper reach of the belt is adapted to enable a user to walk or run thereon. The support deck is connected to the base and is operatively engageable with an underside of the upper reach of the endless belt for supporting the upper reach. The deck spacer includes a deck engaging portion adapted for operatively engaging the support deck. The deck engaging portion is adapted to operate in at least a first condition and a second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: True Fitness Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Moon, David Green, Stanley J. Goldfader
  • Patent number: 5970559
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a computer mouse of the type having a ball that spins within a chamber in contact with two horizontal rollers in mutually perpendicular planes. The method includes removing the ball from the chamber, inserting the cylindrical end of a cleaning tool having a pile material thereon axially into the chamber, and moving the end of the tool axially to turn the rollers, and rotating the end the tool about its axis to rub the rollers. The tool of the present invention, which is adapted for use with the method of this invention, includes a cylindrical end having a diameter adapted to be inserted inside the chamber, and a pile covering on the cylindrical end projecting sufficiently from the surface of the end to frictionally engage the rollers so that axial movement of the tool end causes the rollers to turn and rotation of the tool end rubs the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Inventor: Michael Christy
  • Patent number: 5973469
    Abstract: It is an object of this invention to attain reliable starting characteristics and stable rotation performance of a motor in a motor of a phase synchronization driving type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Higuchi, Masakazu Ichikawa, Hiroyuki Kihara, Tomomi Murakami, Hidetaka Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 5966888
    Abstract: A hollow building element of plastics material comprises one or more longitudinal ducts and having, at opposite sides thereof, coupling members, whereby elements may be connected to each other, a coupling member at one side comprising a duct for receiving a reinforcing beam and having a ducted bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Ultraframe (U.K.) Limited of Enterprise Works
    Inventor: Christopher Richardson
  • Patent number: 5969237
    Abstract: A method is provided for measuring the agglomerative state of asphaltenes in a process flow stream of oil by applying an acoustic signal to the oil, detecting the scattered acoustic energy and using this detected signal to determine the relative particle size distribution of the asphaltene particles in the oil and/or their state of agglomeration. A method for controlling the agglomerative state of the asphaltenes which is based on the acoustic measurement technique is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory M. Jones, Malcolm J. W. Povey, John Campbell
  • Patent number: 5968754
    Abstract: A purified and isolated DNA sequence and the encoded mammary-specific protein, mammaglobin, are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for the detecting breast cancer based upon the overexpression and secretion of mammaglobin by breast cancer cells. The methods detect and/or quantitate the presence of mammaglobin or the mRNA encoding mammaglobin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Washington University
    Inventors: Mark A. Watson, Timothy P. Fleming
  • Patent number: 5961423
    Abstract: An exercise machine is operable in a first mode for simulating a cycling activity and operable in a second mode for simulating a stair climbing activity. The machine comprises a frame and a flywheel operatively connected to the frame for rotation relative to the frame about a flywheel axis. At least one stepping member is operatively connected to the frame for movement relative to the frame between raised and lowered positions. The stepping member has a stepping surface positioned and configured to be stepped upon by a user. A stair-climbing drive mechanism is operatively connected to the stepping member and operatively connected to the flywheel in a manner to cause the flywheel to rotate about the flywheel axis upon movement of the stepping member from its raised position to its lowered position. At least one crank is operatively connected to the frame for motion in a circle about a crank axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Inventor: Tyrone D. Sellers
  • Patent number: 5959794
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the remanent noise in a magnetic medium by DC saturation of a region thereof and measurement of the remaining DC magnetization. Conventional recording transducers may be used to determine the remanent noise. Upon determination, the remanent noise may then be compensated for in either or both of the record and playback modes for all varieties of magnetic media including, videotapes, cassette tapes, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Washington University
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Indeck, Marcel Wettstein Muller, Joseph Andrew O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 5958756
    Abstract: A process for digesting solid waste material comprises collecting the waste from a first location in a solids digestion vessel and transporting it to a second location where a fluids digestion vessel is located. At least some of the fluid fraction from the fluids digestion vessel is fed to the solids digestion vessel so that anaerobic digestion of the solid waste occurs in the solids digestion vessel. At least some of the digested solid waste is recovered and the solids digestion vessel is preferably returned to the first location. The invention also provides apparatus for use in the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventor: Christopher Paul Reynell
  • Patent number: 5958676
    Abstract: A diagnostic assay for detecting the presence of an infectious herpesvirus in a specimen and a genetically engineered cell line for use in such assay are disclosed. The cell line used in the assay expresses a reporter gene only if infectious herpesvirus is present in the specimen. The assay involves inoculating a DNA-transfected cell line with a specimen suspected of containing a herpesvirus, allowing a sufficient period of time for the herpesvirus infectious cycle to proceed, and detecting and quantifying the number of herpesvirus-infected cells to determine the number of infectious herpesvirus virions in the specimen. The cell line is a DNA-transfected cell line susceptible to infection by a herpesvirus which is stably transformed with a chimeric gene comprising a herpesvirus inducible promoter and a gene coding for an enzyme, the expression of the enzyme being dependent upon and quantitatively proportional to the presence of herpesvirus. A kit for such assay is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Washington University
    Inventor: Paul D. Olivo
  • Patent number: 5959705
    Abstract: A switch activating system for an automatically darkening lens system and an automatically darkening lens system including such a switch activating system, includes a cover plate through at least part of which a scene may be viewed, a support, a pair of switch electrodes, one switch electrode positioned in relatively fixed relation with said support, the other switch electrode being positioned for movement with respect to said one switch electrode selectively to make electrical connection therewith in response to deflecting of said cover plate. The automatically darkening lens assembly also includes a controllable light shutter for controlling transmission of light for viewing therethrough, and a circuit for operating said light shutter and affecting operating characteristics thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: OSD Envizion, Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Fergason
  • Patent number: D414673
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Dickinson, Martin Shawn Egan
  • Patent number: D414934
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Dickinson, Martin Shawn Egan
  • Patent number: D414945
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Prince, Antonio J. Belton
  • Patent number: D415620
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Prince, Antonio J. Belton
  • Patent number: D416145
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Broyhill Furniture Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry D. Hazen, Gary A. Huffstetler
  • Patent number: D416146
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Dickinson, Bradley D. Gale