Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Larson & Taylor PLC
  • Patent number: 6538431
    Abstract: A pipeline pig includes a central body member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced return path elements surrounding said body member and each extending axially relative to the body member, each return path element including a pair of axially spaced magnets from each of which projects a metallic bristle set, and means for connecting the return path elements to the body member whereby the free ends of the bristles, in use, resiliently engage the inner wall of the pipeline, the connecting means comprising a first carrier member mounted on, to be axially slidable relative to, the front extent of the body member and resiliently urged towards the rear of the body member, a second carrier member mounted on, to be axially slidable relative to, the rear extent of the body member and resiliently urged towards the front of the body member, and, for each return path element, a front link pivotally interconnecting the front of the return path element and the first carrier member, and a rear link pivotally interconnect
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: PII Limited
    Inventors: Peter Allan Couchman, David Carl Maughan
  • Patent number: 6536194
    Abstract: A cyclical extraction of an empty and closed box from a feeding magazine is performed by an extractor and an opposite contrast device which transfer the box into an opening station. The contrast device rotates of 90°, opening the box and entering it. While the contrast device goes back, the extractor places the box open on underlying double-slope inclined planes, on which the box is finally placed by arc-shaped and oscillating levers. While the contrast device goes back, the open box is transferred to an adjacent parking station which includes an upper contrast device to maintain the box on the support guides. A finger completely opens downwards an external pocket of the transferred box, and a known device introduces into the pocket a customizing insert sheet. The open box then leaves the parking station and reaches is transferred to filling and closing stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Miri S.r.l.
    Inventor: Tarcisio Minardi
  • Patent number: 6532829
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining an estimate of flow stability, in addition to providing a measurement of flow velocity distribution. To this end, monitoring is provided of the changes over time of flow measurements from a plurality of spaced apart measuring points. An indication of the reliability of the flow velocity distribution measurement is produced based on the estimate of stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: ABB Instrumentation Limited, LTD
    Inventor: Bryan Franklin
  • Patent number: 6535459
    Abstract: An underwater acoustic projector comprising a pair of spaced apart end caps with an acoustic driver positioned between the end caps, the driver having smaller cross-sectional dimensions than the end caps to which the driver is mechanically coupled. The projector has a flextensional outer wall surrounding the driver with flanges at ends of that outer wall being secured to the end caps by a heat shrunk ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence in Her Brittanic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: J. Stuart Hutton, Yolande R. M. Bonin
  • Patent number: 6533523
    Abstract: A wheelchair system for transferring a handicapped person onto an automobile seat includes a wheeled chassis whose front end is rolled beneath an automobile door opening, a horizontally extending base member, and a rotatable mounting mechanism for the base member. The rotatable mounting mechanism includes a first actuating linkage and a first driven member therefor. The wheelchair system also includes a chair supporting frame located centrally of the chassis and removably mounted on the base member. This chair supporting frame includes an adjusting mechanism for vertically adjusting a support thereof. A handle assembly is removably mounted to the chassis and includes a second linkage for rotating the first driven member. This second linkage includes a removable driving member which removably connects to the first driven member as the handle is removed and connected to the chassis, and a second driven member at an opposite end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Inventor: Rodvinon I. Zamotin
  • Patent number: 6533102
    Abstract: The vessel or vessels (7, 7′, 7″) in contact with the solvent used for cleaning the conveyor (T) are designed and arranged in such a way that they are enclosed, and the portion of conveyor belt which is wetted with solvent is also isolated by suitable means from contact with the external environment containing the ventilation air of the painting chamber. In a preferred solution, where rotating scraping cylinders (1, 5) are used, the solvent vessel (7, 7′, 7″) is placed in such a way that it is enclosed by the two successive cleaning cylinders, by the portion of conveyor belt which runs between these cylinders, and by its lateral walls which are as close as possible to the said cylinders and to the said portion of the conveyor belt. At the end of each painting cycle, clean solvent is made to flow into the solvent vessel and the cleaning cylinders and the conveyor belt of the painting machine are temporarily kept active so that they clean themselves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: CEFLA Soc. Coop. a.r.l.
    Inventors: Luigi Franzoni, Massimo Dovadola
  • Patent number: 6534738
    Abstract: A vacuum switch container, a vacuum switch, a method of producing the vacuum switch container and a method of producing the vacuum switch are provided. Ceramic granulated powers are used to fill a space of a cylindrical shape defined by an outer hard metal mold having an inner diameter of 120 mm and a center hard metal pin having an outer diameter of 108 mm. A pressure of 1000 kg/cm2 is applied in an axis direction relative to the cylindrical shape by using lower and upper cylindrical punches, from both the top and bottom of the space, to produce a green compact. Next, the green compact is fired in open air at 1600° C. to produce a cylindrical ceramic fired body. Each of the end surfaces of the ceramic fired body are then ground and the ground surface is metalized. Ni plating is applied to the metalized surface, thereby forming an electroconductive layer thereon to complete the vacuum switch container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yusuke Makino
  • Patent number: 6532983
    Abstract: Combination of a float valve for venting a fuel tank allowing venting in the inclined position, preventing the ejection of liquid, fulfilling the OPD and ROV functions and the function of degassing during filling, and of a capacity equipped with a draining system capable of trapping small quantities of liquid fuel entrained with the gases and of returning them to the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Inergy Automotive Systems Management
    Inventor: Patrick Ganachaud
  • Patent number: 6535570
    Abstract: A method of tracking organ motion and removing motion artifacts in conventional computer tomography scans is disclosed. Sensor time series indicative of projection measurement data of the object are correlated using a software spatial overlap correlator method in order to obtain a sinogram indicative of organ motion. The software spatial overlap correlator method is based on the fact that the image sampling process of a computer tomography scanner is periodical, therefore, image samples taken at a time t and at a time t+T are taken from identical spatial locations. The sinogram is then processed using a retrospective gating method or a coherent sinogram synthesis method in order to correct the image data for motion effects. This method for motion correction is software based and, therefore, can be easily implemented in existing computer tomography systems without major hardware modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence of Her Majesty's Canadian Government
    Inventors: Stergios Stergiopoulos, Amar C. Dhanantwari
  • Patent number: 6531615
    Abstract: This invention relates to a composition comprising antimony trifluoride and silica, a method for the preparation of said composition and use of said composition as a catalyst in a process for the oxidation of cyclohexanone to &egr;-caprolactone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Solvay (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Michael C. Rocca, Graham Carr, Arnold B. Lambert, Duncan J. MacQuarrie, James H. Clark
  • Patent number: 6532204
    Abstract: A disk recording system for disks such as videod isks or compact disks has a turntable on which the disk is supported adjacent a recording head. A shaft defining the axis of rotation of the turntable rotates in a bearing and that bearing is itself movable about an axis defined by another shaft. The bearing of the shaft is an air bearing and there is a damper unit for damping that movement. There may be a sensor for detecting the rate of rotation of the shaft defining the axis of rotation of the turntable. The radial displacement of the head relative to the axis of the turntable may be determined on the basis of rotation of the other shaft, and the rotation of the turntable controlled on the basis of the product of signals representing the radial displacement and the rate of rotation of the shaft, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Nimbus Communications International Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander Numa Labinsky, Gerald Alfred John Reynolds, Jonathan Halliday
  • Patent number: 6530505
    Abstract: A dispensing container is formed having a housing with an opening at the top and defining an internal cavity. A wheel is rotatably attached to the housing and includes an arm which extends from the wheel and is dimensioned to cover the opening. The wheel with the extending arm is adapted to pivot away from the opening when the wheel is rotated, thereby allowing one to dispense the contents present in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Cregg Barnes, Scott Lee Fisher, Donald Allan Scott, David John Jochem, James S. Mandle
  • Patent number: 6531077
    Abstract: In the extrusion of feed-stuff pellets and relevant consumer products, the extruded products are subject to expansion as a result of the boiling of their water content when the products, after being exposed to high extrusion pressure and a correspondingly high temperature, are discharged to the atmosphere through the extrusion nozzles. Such an expansion is directly aimed at, but it is desirable to be able to control it, which is difficult by adjustment of the ordinary process parameters. With the invention it has been found that the expansion which arises can be controlled in a highly constant manner, i.e. by carrying out the extrusion into a closed chamber in which an over-pressure of a few bar is established in relation to the atmospheric pressure, and which can be regulated. The extrusion products can be continuously discharged from this chamber, or they can be discharged intermittently in portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Sprout-Matador A/S
    Inventor: Anders Flarup-Knudsen
  • Patent number: 6526972
    Abstract: Device for scuba diving consisting of at least a processor and of at least a manometer, both housed within a sheath, said manometer being connected to one or more bottles containing compressed air. The said processor includes a corresponding central unit for data processing, operatively connected to the manometer by means of connecting elements which allow said processor and said manometer to exchange information flows and also to be positioned within the housing sheath independently one from the other, so as to obtain a device for scuba diving with a modular structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: HTM Sport S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giovanni Garofalo, Claudio Ferrantino
  • Patent number: 6527522
    Abstract: A heat dissipation fan structure includes a base plate provided with an air outlet which is provided with a bottom plate. The bottom plate is provided with a drive circuit control member. The base plate is provided with a plurality of poles of an even number. Each pole is wound with a coil. An insulating layer is mounted between the pole and the coil. Poles having the same polarity are connected by the same connecting wire. An impeller is pivoted and rotated on the bottom plate. The impeller has a plurality of blades that may drive air to flow. A magnet ring is mounted on peripheral edges of the blades of the impeller, and may be induced with the poles wound with coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Yen Sun Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Chien-Jung Chen
  • Patent number: 6527140
    Abstract: A tablet dispenser comprises an upwardly-open body portion (2), a plurality of flexible, circumferentially spaced tabs (4) around the upper end thereof to extend upwardly therefrom whereby gaps (6) are defined between adjacent tabs (4), an apertured lid portion (16) encasing the tabs (4) whereby the tabs (4) underlie the inner surface of the lid portion (16), cooperating locations means (10, 28) on the body portion (2) and the lid portion (16) so positioned that, on initial assembly of the dispenser, the lid portion (16) is located on the body portion (2) with the aperture (34) overlying a tab (4) to define a closed position of the dispenser, the lid portion (16) being rotatable relative to the body portion (2) to an open position in which the aperture (34) is aligned with a gap (6) between two adjacent tabs (4), and resilient means (14) reacting between the body portion (2) and the lid portion (16) such that it is first of all necessary to depress the lid portion (16) against the bias of the resilient means
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Audus Noble Limited
    Inventors: David Noble Thompson, Stephen William Bushby, Ian Tennick, Keith Stephenson
  • Patent number: 6525780
    Abstract: A television system is provided wherein a target region in successive video images is replaced by a matching pattern adapted to be inserted into the target region, using a virtual insertion unit located downstream of the originating site. The system includes television cameras for, when active, producing a sequence of video images of a scene, and a switcher or multiplexer for switching between camera images. A broadcast image processor located with the multiplexer in an outside broadcast van receives the video images and adds layers of graphics and special effects to the video images to produce a broadcast feed. The virtual insertion unit, which is located off-site from the van, receives the broadcast feed and modifies the video images of the broadcast feed by replacing the target region of these images with a replacement pattern adapted to be inserted into the target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Symah Vision, SA
    Inventors: Pierre Bruno, Gerard Guy Medioni, Jean Jacques Grimaud
  • Patent number: 6525938
    Abstract: A circuit board fixing structure of a heatsink fan includes a housing having a pivot portion having a periphery provided with multiple poles. The housing is provided with a pair of positioning seats and a conducting wire receiving socket. The two positioning seats are formed with two insertion grooves. A circuit board is mounted in the insertion grooves of the positioning seats of the housing, and has a sensor and a conducting wire. The conducting wire may pass through the conducting wire receiving socket of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Yen Sun Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Chien-Jung Chen
  • Patent number: D470757
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruth Karina Espinel, Alberto Francisco Del Castillo
  • Patent number: D471408
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Santos SA
    Inventor: Jacques Fouquet