Patents Represented by Law Firm J & A
  • Patent number: 6626784
    Abstract: A low modulus power transmission belt having a multi-unit cord tensile member. The belt also comprises a low modulus elastomeric body. A multi-unit cord tensile member configuration is plied into the elastomeric body, the tensile cord members having an included angle in the range of 120° to 180° between each ply. The belt having an elastic modulus of less than 1,500 N/mm and having an elongation of approximately 6.8% over a load range of approximately 0-350 newtons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas R. Sedlacek
  • Patent number: 6619327
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved O-ring seal flat face fitting of the type having a male portion including an O-ring, and a female portion having a tube with an inside diameter, an extended peripheral limit having a diameter corresponding to said inside diameter, a nut, and a joinder portion. It is improved by the joinder portion including a void having a portion extending radially beyond the extended peripheral limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Cottrell, Ronald D. DiFrancia
  • Patent number: 6612955
    Abstract: A power transmission belt having a compression section, a load carrying section and an outer cover layer. The outer cover layer comprises a fabric; fiber loaded stock or blended material for reinforcement. The cover layer is spliced together using a thin non-woven strip of material spanning across the butted ends of the cover layer. The thin strip used in the splice significantly reduces belt noise by being subsumed into the adhesion rubber layer during fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry Daugherty, Craig Kopang
  • Patent number: 6612408
    Abstract: The invention comprises a frictional damping strut. The strut comprises an inner cylinder that slides within an outer casing. A spring biases the inner cylinder away from the outer casing in an axial direction. A first wedge member cooperatively engages a second wedge member. The first wedge member having a frictional engagement with the inner cylinder such that when the inner cylinder is pressed into the outer casing the first wedge member bears upon the second wedge member causing the first wedge member to radially expand, thereby increasing a frictional force between the first wedge member and the inner cylinder. A second spring preloads the first wedge member against the second wedge member. A belt tensioner may incorporate the damping strut to preload a belt and damp belt oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Serkh, Andrzej Dec
  • Patent number: 6609990
    Abstract: The invention comprises a belt having a plied construction overlying tensile cords. An elastomeric layer overlies an overcord which overlies yet another elastomeric layer which in turn overlies a tensile cord. The overcord layer supports the tensile cords during molding thereby stabilizing a cordline centerline position with respect to a rib apex. This construction significantly reduces a distance from a tensile cord centerline to a rib apex and rib/pulley interface in a multi-ribbed belt, thereby significantly increasing belt life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Craig Kopang
  • Patent number: 6609988
    Abstract: The invention comprises an asymmetric damping tensioner system for belt drives on an engine. A belt is connected between a driver pulley on a crankshaft and any number of driven pulleys. Each driven pulley is connected to an accessory such as an alternator, power steering pump, compressor or the like. The tensioner is placed anywhere before the first component of significant effective inertia, in the belt movement direction. A biasing member in the tensioner is used to maintain a tension in the belt. The tensioner further comprises a damping mechanism to damp belt vibrations caused by the operation of the engine. Tensioner damping friction is unequal or asymmetric, depending upon the direction of movement of the tensioner arm. During acceleration the damping friction of the tensioner in the unloading direction is significantly lower than the damping friction in the opposite, or loading direction, as is the case during deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Keming Liu, Alexander Serkh
  • Patent number: 6607459
    Abstract: A tensioner having a base. A spring connected to the base biases a plate, having a pulley, toward a belt. Frictional blocks are aligned on the base in a staggered fashion along a spring centerline. The plate slidingly moves in a linear path between the blocks. The blocks constrain the path of the plate allowing movement in only a single axis parallel to a spring axis. A hubload from a belt running on the pulley combined with the spring force acting on the plate creates a force couple acting on the plate through the frictional blocks. The engaging surfaces between the plate and the blocks have a predetermined coefficient of friction thereby creating a damping force as the pulley and plate move in a linear path on the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Serkh, Ali Kanberoglu, Andrzej Dec
  • Patent number: 6602490
    Abstract: A dental hygiene preparation of very low toxicity, but with good remineralization properties and effectiveness in removing food particles and plaques from the tooth surfaces is particularly indicated for use by elderly patients and those with compromised immune systems. The preparation uses a nonfermentable sweetener in lieu of Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Monofluorophasphate or Stannous Fluoride as a caries-preventive agent in combination with Potassium Citrate and Disodium Edetate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Inventor: Richard A. Cloonan
  • Patent number: 6598306
    Abstract: An assemblage of reference points arranged in a distorted pattern of rows and columns over a planar surface is used to precisely establish the coordinates of a particular situs on said surface by determining the location between said situs in relation to three of said reference points. The array is particularly useful in ascertaining the reference location of a swiveling coordinate measuring arm or other such spatial measuring device. A three-dimensional reference point array can be constructed from a similarly distributed matrix of reference points arranged in orthogonally-oriented layers of rows and columns. Positioning the probe of the measuring device over three closely located reference points is sufficient to automatically load the exact coordinates of the measuring device location into an associated data processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Inventor: Homer L. Eaton
  • Patent number: 6592482
    Abstract: A belt tensioner having a pivot arm biased toward a belt by a torsion spring. The tensioner also comprises a one-way clutch coupled with a friction clutch. The pivot arm of the tensioner is connected to a one-way clutch. The one-way clutch is cooperatively connected to a friction clutch having a predetermined friction torque caused by frictionally engaged radially extending surfaces. The pivot arm may move relatively freely toward a belt by operation of the one-way clutch. At the limit of arm movement the one-way clutch engages, preventing travel away from the belt in an opposite direction. The arm may only travel away from the belt when a belt tension torque exceeds the spring force plus a friction torque of the friction clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Serkh
  • Patent number: 6581981
    Abstract: A female fitting for pipes or tubes, particularly indicated for use in cramped quarters and under highly restrictive environmental conditions, has a split front section threaded with tapered translation-type threads. A hex-nut with commensurate and similarly tapered threads is used to cinch the split front section over an engaging pipe or tube. A circular groove within the fitting can nest an O-ring or other sealing collar. A flange with flattened parallel peripheral zones surround the fitting for reinforcement and to provide a convenient clamping surface. A cutting tool with dual pairs of cutting wheels is used to score two parallel channels around the end of the pipe or tube to receive a first sealing-ring made of compressible material and a second made of the same material as the pipe or tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Gary W. Cooper
  • Patent number: 6582332
    Abstract: A damping mechanism used in a tensioner for tensioning a power transmission belt including a damping plate having a friction surface, at least one ramp surface and first and second contact points for operatively connecting a spring whereby the spring torque applied to damping mechanism in combination with a reactive force at the pivot surface generates a normal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Serkh
  • Patent number: 6579199
    Abstract: A tensioner having a pulley journaled to a housing. The housing further comprises a guide. The guide slidingly engages rails on a base. The guide and rails constrain the housing to move in a predetermined linear path. The rails are horizontally offset from two axis defined by the pulley. The pulley load is also vertically offset from the axis of movement of the guide. The guide and rails have a predetermined frictional coefficient so that the cumulative result is an asymmetric damping effect. Further, a linkage is connected between the housing and a camming body. The camming body is rotatably connected to the base. A biasing member such as a torsion spring biases the camming body against the belt load through the linkage. The radius of the camming body is variable to maintain a constant belt load as the tensioner pulley moves in response to a load change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Serkh, Ali Kanberoglu
  • Patent number: 6576174
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing residual gases from a foamed polymer material by subjecting the foamed polymer material to a vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Industrial Thermo Polymers Limited
    Inventors: Hermann David Hartman, Steven David Hartman
  • Patent number: 6576672
    Abstract: 2,3,2 Tetramine (3,7-diazanonane-1,9-diamine) is propounded for treatment of Parkingson's Disease and dementias characterized by mitochondrial damage in view of this compound's ability to completely neutralize the dopamine-depriving effect of MPTP in laboratory animals up to 12 hours post MPTP injection, and to retain partial protection at suboptimal tissue levels for up to 36 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Inventor: Michael A. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6572505
    Abstract: A power transmission belt using an open mesh textile material in the belt overcord which is stabilized with a material promoting permeation of an underlying gum rubber layer through interstices in the textile material during vulcanization of the belt. The coefficient of friction of the backside of the belt is sufficient to enable the belt to drive backside pulleys, tensioners and other mechanical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Paul S. Knutson
  • Patent number: 6572962
    Abstract: The invention comprises a joint formed by mechanical interaction of particles with the parts to be joined. The particles engage an interface surface of each part, creating a high friction condition that prevents further relative movement of the parts once they are assembled. The particles have a substantially flat or flake-like morphology. The surface of each particle is rough to enhance mechanical engagement with each interface surface. The flake-like shape prevents the particle from penetrating an elastomeric part, which would render the particle ineffective in the bonding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Yahya Hodjat
  • Patent number: D475925
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: APC Products Limited
    Inventor: Ron Sturk
  • Patent number: D477056
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Zemex Inc.
    Inventor: Dan Pavlovic
  • Patent number: D477669
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Alfa Scientific Design, Inc.
    Inventors: David F. Zhou, Naishu Wang, Claudia J. R. Shen, Angela J. Q. Shen