Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Intellectual Property Law, P.C.
  • Patent number: 6280415
    Abstract: A tissue traction device according to the invention includes an elongated tube defining a vacuum passageway, which tube has a proximate end defining a first opening, a distal end defining a second opening, and a third opening between the ends. A shield covers the distal end of the tube, the shield having a plurality of openings providing communication between the vacuum passageway and an exterior surface of the shield. The shield prevents the tissue from being pulled deep into the tube, thereby protecting the tissue from damage. Each of the openings having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the vacuum passageway. The tube and shield are configured for use in surgery, such that when suction is applied to one of the first and third openings, the level of suction through the second opening can be controlled by varying the extent to which the other of the first and third openings is uncovered, whereby the suction causes the shield to selectively hold tissue against the shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Inventor: W. Dudley Johnson
  • Patent number: 6273201
    Abstract: A ground piercing tool has an elongated tubular tool housing and a striker that reciprocates within an internal chamber of the housing. The striker impacts a front impact surface and drives the tool through the ground. An air distributing mechanism causes the striker to reciprocate in response to a supply of compressed fluid. An anvil providing a front impact surface is disposed in a front end opening of the tool housing. The anvil has a rear frustoconical portion that engages a like-shaped forwardly tapering inner wall of the housing and a lengthwise bore that has an enlarged diameter portion. A chisel is slidably disposed in the bore of the anvil and has an outwardly opening annular groove. A spring is confined in compression in a space defined by the annular groove of the chisel and the enlarged diameter portion of the anvil bore. The spring urges the rear end of the chisel to protrude rearwardly from the bore of the anvil a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Earth Tool Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark D. Randa, Steven W. Wentworth, Robert F. Crane
  • Patent number: 6269889
    Abstract: A ground piercing tool of the invention includes an elongated tubular housing having front and rear openings, a head including an anvil secured in the front opening of the housing, a striker disposed for reciprocation within an internal chamber of the housing to impart impacts to a rear impact surface of the anvil for driving the tool through the ground, a reciprocation mechanism for reciprocating the striker, and a tail assembly mounted in a rear end opening of the housing that secures the striker and reciprocation mechanism in the housing. A plastic tube forms the body of the housing, and the plastic tube is secured to the head. The reciprocation mechanism is preferably an air distributing mechanism that uses compressed air to reciprocate the striker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Earth Tool Company, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Steven W. Wentworth
  • Patent number: 6263983
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved apparatus for directional boring and in particular an improved system for boring through hard and rocky substrates frequently encountered when boring under obstacles such as roadways. According to one aspect of the invention, a directional drilling apparatus includes a drilling head having a front face angled relative to the lengthwise axis of the tool and configured for steering the drilling apparatus, a housing having an internal chamber for mounting an electronic locating device therein rearwardly of the drilling head for transmitting a signal indicating the orientation of the angled face of the drilling head, and a joint at which the drilling head is removably mounted to the housing of the locating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Earth Tool Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Steven W. Wentworth, Robert F. Crane
  • Patent number: 6261027
    Abstract: The present invention provides a portable pulling apparatus suitable for mounting in an exit pit during installation of a pipeline. A portable pulling apparatus of the invention includes an elongated stake having a lower end portion configured for insertion into the ground and an upper end portion. A winch including a pulling cable is mounted on the upper end portion of the stake by a suitable fixture. The winch can then operate to exert a horizontal pulling force on a cable and is secured against movement when the lower end portion of the stake is inserted into the ground. Such a pulling apparatus can be used in a method of installing an underground pipe according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Earth Tool Company L.L.C.
    Inventors: Steven W. Wentworth, Robert F. Crane
  • Patent number: 6260634
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for mounting an electronic device therein for use in an underground boring machine. Such an apparatus includes an elongated housing having means at opposite ends of the housing for connecting the housing to other components of the boring machine and an elongated internal chamber configured to receive an electronic device such as a sonde therein and having an elongated access opening which extends along an exterior surface of the housing. A cover sized to close the access opening has edges that fit beneath one or more flanges of the housing. A retainer such as a roll pin is sized for insertion into openings in the cover and housing, which openings become aligned when the cover is positioned with the edges beneath the flange of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Earth Tool Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Steven W. Wentworth, Robert F. Crane
  • Patent number: 6260047
    Abstract: A method for selecting an optimum time period from an inventory of available time periods, where each time period has a predetermined duration including selected and unselected time portions and an associated cost includes determining the total amount of time in each time period and the total amount of unselected time in each time period. A calculation is made for each time period to generate an inventory utilization index ratio based upon the total amount of time in each time period divided by the total amount of unselected time remaining in each time period. A table is prepared for all time periods in the inventory ranked numerically by the inventory utilization index ratio. A cost range is determined for each of the costs associated with each of the time periods. The table of time periods in the inventory is revised by removing time periods from the inventory which are not within the desired cost range. A time period is selected from the table based upon the ranking of the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Maxagrid International, Inc.
    Inventors: Billy Shane Fox, Fred Mueller
  • Patent number: 6259023
    Abstract: An electrical outlet box includes channels in a female member for receiving in spaced apart relationship three conductors of an uncut electrical cable. One or more sets of three receivers mounted in a male member for electrically engaging each conductor interconnects the conductors of the cable and defines an electrical socket of a socket assembly of the electrical outlet box. A cover is attachable to the male member for covering the space between the socket assembly and the surrounding wall board aperture. Fittings are included and formed as part of the electrical outlet box to permit back to back attachment of a pair of electrical outlet boxes and for side by side mounting in a ganged manner of two or more electrical outlet boxes. Routing of the cable in slots in the studs of a wall is described along with a retainer for retaining the cable in the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Reiker Electric, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Reiker
  • Patent number: 6253909
    Abstract: A modular power roller conveyor is described having a conveyor section for transporting a product unit. The conveyor section comprises a number of active zones, each active zone containing means for sensing the entry of a product unit into the active zone. A programmable controller generates activation signals to a drive roller in response to the means for sensing. A plurality of carrier rollers are slaved to the drive roller within the active zone such that activation of the drive roller actuates all of the carrier rollers to drive the product unit through the active zone and into the next active zone. The programmable controller also generates a deactuation signal to deactivate the active zone as a product unit exits the zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens ElectroCom, L.P.
    Inventors: W. Scott Kalm, Morteza Mortazi Langroodi, Keith Corrigan
  • Patent number: 6253187
    Abstract: A method is provided for inventory management which includes an initial step of receiving a customer request for an inventory item and then generating a table or menu of one or more inventory items that most closely correspond to the customer request using a price forecasting system. Based on negotiations concerning price, timing and other typical concerns, an item is selected from the table and a price quotation associated with the selected inventory item is generated using the price forecasting system, which price quotation has been predetermined by a yield management system using a pricing strategy. The customer information associated with the customer request is input into a traffic billing system. Information needed for price recalculation associated with the customer request is input into the yield management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Maxagrid International, Inc.
    Inventor: Billy Shane Fox
  • Patent number: 6248612
    Abstract: An enhanced ball grid array substrate package and method for manufacturing the same, where the substrate package includes a metal core having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The metal core further includes at least one cavity in which at least one integrated circuit is positioned. A dielectric layer is secured to the first surface of the metal core and includes at least one die cavity formed therein. Thereafter, a conductive seed layer is chemically deposited to exposed portions of the dielectric layer and the first surface of the metal core. Adjacent to the conductive seed layer, a circuit is electrolytically and selectively formed within a first circuit pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Substrate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Abram M. Castro, Aaron R. Castro
  • Patent number: 6246023
    Abstract: A sorter conveyor system according to the invention includes at least one endless conveyor loop including a rail. One or more conveyor segments are mounted on the rail. Each segment is a series of cart units each having wheel structures mounted for rolling movement along the rail, a tray for carrying one or more items thereon, a selectively actuable mechanism for tilting the tray laterally in at least one direction to unload an item from the tray to an unloading station adjacent the conveyor loop, and a coupling mechanism for joining each cart unit in each series in a head to tail relationship. One or more drive elements are connected to one or more of the cart units and configured to permit the conveyor segment to be driven by a linear drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens ElectroCom, L.P.
    Inventor: Stephen T. Kugle
  • Patent number: 6243393
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for decoding colliding data transmissions utilizing an at will transmission protocol is disclosed. An apparatus for decoding an analog signal includes an input terminal, a data bus, a first decoder connected to the input terminal and data bus, configured to receive an analog signal, decode the signal into a first message and output the message to the data bus, a second decoder connected to the input terminal and data bus and configured to receive an analog signal, determine whether the analog signal includes a second message, decode the signal into a second message and out put the message to the data bus. A microprocessor operatively connected to the first and second decoders directs the second decoder to search for a colliding second transmission immediately after the first decoder has begun to decode a first transmission. If colliding second signal captures the receiver as the first transmission is decoded, the second decoder decodes and outputs the second message intact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Electrocom Communication Systems
    Inventor: Shane Michael Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 6238164
    Abstract: An apparatus for handling and transferring letter mail from and to different sized mail receptacles or containers such as cartridges and mail trays includes a support frame rotatably supporting a platform and intermediate transfer pan. The platform is adapted to receive a letter mail receptacle, and a clamp apparatus is provided to secure the container to the platform. A motor and coaxial shafts, coupled with a clutch, are drivingly engaged with the platform and the intermediate transfer pan. An elevator is provided to move the platform along a longitudinal axis and the platform is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis through the operation of the motor, coaxial shafts and clutch, the clutch selectively coupling the coaxial shafts. The platform and the intermediate transfer pan are rotated such that the letter mail originally located in a receptacle clamped on the platform is transferred to the intermediate transfer pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens ElectroCom L.P.
    Inventor: Gerald A. Isaacs
  • Patent number: 6194147
    Abstract: A method for HLA typing by amplification of a sample followed by sequence-specific oligonucleotide hybridization with a labelled oligonucleotide probe provides for both positive and negative controls. Control sequences representing known allelic polymorphisms at the locus in question are subjected to the labelled probe along with the sample. This method reduces errors and improves the chance of obtaining a successful tissue match, as is vital in the case of tissue transplants, particularly bone marrow transplants. Probes and PCR primers useful in HLA-DR typing are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: The Blood Center Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Ann Baxter-Lowe, Jack A. Gorski
  • Patent number: 6189894
    Abstract: A packing member has a unique improved geometry particularly adapted to the manufacture of urethane seal having a Shore A hardness of from about 90 to about 100, the packing member including an annular body defining a central opening and an annular axis, the annular body having an upper sealing portion and a lower support portion and a groove extending into the upper sealing portion, the groove having an outer outwardly inclined wall, an inner inwardly wall and a bottom wall; the upper sealing portion of the annular body including radially extending inner and outer sealing lips formed adjacent to at least a portion of the groove, the outer sealing lip extending axially beyond the inner sealing lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: The Texacone Company
    Inventor: Wallace T. Wheeler
  • Patent number: 6183191
    Abstract: A flat article turntable for use in a flat article sorting system having a flat article holding cartridge, a cartridge handling mechanism and an automatic flat article feeder is provided with an empty cartridge presentation mechanism for presenting empty cartridges to a cartridge handling system. A full cartridge acceptor mechanism for receiving full cartridges from the cartridge handler system. A rotary mechanism is provided for rotating a full cartridge 90°. An index mechanism is provided to matingly index the cartridges with the automatic feeder of the sorting system. An extraction mechanism is provide including a cartridge opener for opening the cartridge. A pushing mechanism is operatively connected for pushing stacked articles from the cartridge. A pause mechanism is interconnected to allow a finger on the automatic feeder to take the stacked articles, and a closing mechanism is attached to close the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens ElectroCom, L.P.
    Inventors: George R. Mondie, Gerald A. Isaacs, Morgan H. Dunn
  • Patent number: 6116164
    Abstract: A suspended shelving apparatus wherein a plurality of shelves can easily be horizontally repositioned, added and/or removed. More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the structure comprises a plurality of shelves, hooks and chains. Each shelf has two truncated hooks, a distal hook and a proximal hook, secured on each end positioned a distance apart. A first right chain support is secured via a hook in a stud or fixed point and extends downward therefrom. A second right chain support is secured to the hook in stud or fixed point and extends downward therefrom. The proximal hook on the right end of the shelf is secured to first right chain support while the distal hook on the right end of the shelf is secured to second right chain support. The left side support is a mirror image of the right side support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Inventor: Eugene James Justen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6050642
    Abstract: A multiple position, reclining and stretching chair includes a base structure having side walls with corral openings into which the ends of an axle extend. The axle is rotatably secured to a lumbar platform that is a part of a multi-panel body support platform assembly. The body support platform assembly is positioned above an arcuate, adjustable, lockable, contact support structure that pivots forward and rearward about one or more pivot members either or both of which that may be substantially attached to the base structure. The contact support structure may also comprise two sets of independently acting contact support members that allow the front roller to move independently of the rear roller. Also disclosed is an embodiment wherein the arcuate roller assembly rocks back and forth about the surface of a horizontal cross support member of the base structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Inventor: Scott C. Erb
  • Patent number: D434876
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventors: Titus Chukwuemeka Ife, Adaora Ife