Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Lathrop & Gage, LC
  • Patent number: 6277067
    Abstract: A method and portable apparatus for the visual examination and grading of cervical epithelium by means of a hand-held colposcopy assembly capable of producing a digital image of the cervix. The present invention enables real-time imaging and archiving of images of the entire cervix for the purpose of detecting cancerous and pre-cancerous tissue and by virtue of computerized image processing suggests an objective diagnosis of the cervical epithelium by means of a low cost, portable, hand-held digital colposcope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Inventor: Kerry L. Blair
  • Patent number: 6193149
    Abstract: A lockable cassette (8) having a lid (10) is closed and locked when removed from a cassette casing but is released and unlocked when inserted into the casing by virtue of the actuation of an element (19, 25) which functions to move a lock bolt (18) from a lid-latching starting position to a lid release position. The element includes an electric relay (19) and a two-arm lever (25). A core (23) of the relay is attached to one arm (31) of the two-arm lever and is actuable by a first pressure spring (21), wherein the other arm (32) of the lever forms abutment surfaces or stop surfaces for the lock bolt in its lid latching position when the relay is inactive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: De la Rue Inter Innovation AB
    Inventor: Peter Hesoun
  • Patent number: 6176549
    Abstract: A foldable combination head-and-neck rest and tray having a pair of opposed cardboard headrests detachably formed on a foundation. Each headrest may be folded to create a pair of spaced-apart triangular-shaped cup-holding regions on opposite sides of a base portion. The base portions and cup holding regions of the pair of opposed headrest define a storage area on the foundation. The headrests may be detached and folded to form a pair of head rests, which may be positioned behind a user's neck with the triangular shaped cup-holding regions serving as supports on opposite sides of the user's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Karding, Inc.
    Inventor: Louis Stanley Karash
  • Patent number: 6167644
    Abstract: A display standard for displaying advertising away from a mounting surface comprises a planar piece of flexible material, which has a base member with top and bottom retaining flaps mateable with opposing channels of the mounting surface for securing the standard to the mounting surface. The flexible material further includes a display region for supporting advertising away from the mounting surface and opposing folding tabs to move the display region from a first position in which the display standard is substantially flat to a second position in which the display region is moved outwardly away from the mounting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Inventor: Andrew C. Fox
  • Patent number: 6158813
    Abstract: A foldable head and neck rest comprising a generally rectangular cardboard member which may be folded to create a pair of spaced-apart triangular-shaped support members on opposite sides of a base portion so that the base portion may be positioned behind the user's neck and/or head with the triangular-shaped supports being positioned on opposite sides of the user's neck and/or head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Inventor: L. Stanley Karash
  • Patent number: 6094885
    Abstract: A device is provided for assisting in the removal of articles from a first conveying system into a container and for reorienting the container for loading onto a second conveying system. The device comprises a base; a platform pivotally connected to the base, and an actuating mechanism configured to operatively pivot the platform. The platform has a panel and a lip operatively configured to cooperatively support and retain the container in a substantially inclined position substantially adjacent to the first conveying system for facilitating loading of articles into the container. The actuating mechanism pivots the platform and thus the container such that the panel assumes a substantially horizontal position for loading the container onto the second conveying system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Payless ShoeSource, Inc.
    Inventor: Anita Ranhotra
  • Patent number: 6077159
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for passive ventilation of buildings includes a bracket which cradles an air permeable member. The bracket and cradled air permeable member are interposed in air pathways comprising air inlets and air outlets for the building. The bracket provides a substantial area for air flow through the air permeable material, but is low profile, assists in the structural strength of the connection of building parts, and deters damage or deformation of building parts when installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: CTI Building Systems
    Inventor: Gerald W. Clayton
  • Patent number: 6076487
    Abstract: An environmentally clean dual fuel for an internal combustion engine, comprising acetylene as a primary fuel and a combustible fuel, such as one or more fluids selected from an alcohol such as ethanol, methanol or any other alcohol or alcohols from the group comprising C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 carbon chains, ethers such as from the group comprising dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, methyl t-butyl ether, ethyl t-butyl ether, t-amyl methyl ether, di-isopropyl ether and the like, low-molecular-weight esters such as from the group comprising methyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, methyl propionate, ethyl propionate and the like, or other suitable combustible fluid such as mineral spirits and the like, as a secondary fuel for operatively preventing early ignition and knock arising from the primary fuel. The dual fuel, internal combustion system, which generally utilizes a two-stage process for start-up and operation and can be operated with air- or liquid-cooling, is environmentally clean with hydrocarbon, CO, NO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Go-Tec
    Inventors: Joseph W. Wulff, Maynard Hulett, Sunggyu Lee
  • Patent number: 6059695
    Abstract: A folding device for treadmill, particularly an easy and ready-to-fold folding device to fold handle frame on treadmill so that the handle frame can be folded to the surface of the treadmill body to minimize packing volume and transportation costs, as well as to save space requirement for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Inventor: Michael Hung
  • Patent number: 6026598
    Abstract: A child's footwear is disclosed and includes comprises-a boot member having a foot enclosing member and a lower leg encircling member attached to the foot enclosing member, a fastening mechanism having a strap and hook-and-loop fastener components for fastening the lower leg encircling member about the child's lower leg, and a signalling mechanism constructed of reflective material. The signalling mechanism has an elongate configuration in the form of an exclamation point and extends substantially from an upper extremity of the lower leg encircling member to a juncture between the lower leg encircling member and the foot enclosing member, a non-vertical orientation, and at least two rows of stitches, one of which is spaced along each side of the signalling mechanism such that the signalling mechanism is caused to bulge convexly outwardly between the two rows of stitches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Payless ShoeSource, Inc.
    Inventor: Lisa Aschenbrenner
  • Patent number: 6010516
    Abstract: A bipolar electrosurgical instrument has first and second clamp members, each comprising an electrically conductive clamping surface, a clamp support and an intermediate electrically insulative spacing layer for joining the clamping surface to the blade support. The first and second clamp members are pivotally joined such that the respective clamping surfaces of each of the first and second clamp members are in facing relation and define a space between the first and second clamp member for capturing tissue. The instrument regulates the space between the first and second clamp member such that only a certain amount of tissue may be captured. The instrument further includes a mechanism for applying a voltage between the metal clamp supports of the first and second clamp members to coaptate the captured tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Inventor: Jaroslav F. Hulka
  • Patent number: 6006856
    Abstract: An elastic sheath and a retaining ring is provided for a stethoscope having a head, a sound tube and an earpiece. The sheath has an open end for admittance of the head and a portion of the sound tube and a closed end. The sheath is sized such that the head of the stethoscope and at least a portion of the sound tube is enveloped by the sheath. The retaining ring is mounted to the sound tube and extends radially outwardly therefrom. The retaining ring is sized such that the sheath plastically deforms to envelop the retaining ring. The retaining ring thus releasably retains the sheath on the stethoscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Inventors: John A. Skubal, Richard Beamon, Mark Holcomb
  • Patent number: 5989184
    Abstract: An apparatus for digital colposcopy and videography comprises a digital imaging camera that is operably coupled to the optical path of the digital colposcope by means of a beam splitter so that a digital image of the cervico-vaginal tissue can be captured. The digital imaging camera and digital colposcope are mounted to one end of an articulating arm of the apparatus. A digital processing means is operably connected to the digital imaging camera to create a digital image. The digital processing means is housed in a stand of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Medtech Research Corporation
    Inventor: Kerry L. Blair
  • Patent number: 5940656
    Abstract: A cleaning assembly for polishing debris from a corona wire is disclosed. The cleaning assembly includes a seat movably mounted within a housing to slide along the length of the corona wire. The seat has a polishing element configured to deflect the corona wire from an operating position. The assembly further includes a handle protruding from the housing whereby as the handle is pulled away from the housing along a plane defined by the length of the corona wire, the polishing element deflects the corona wire and polishes the taut wire to clean the corona wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Laser Cycle, Inc.
    Inventor: John Hensel
  • Patent number: 5925383
    Abstract: A fungicidal composition for plants containing phosphonate and phosphate salts, and derivatives thereof is disclosed. The composition provides a single product which may be employed to control a parasitic fungi in plants through mitigation of pathological acerbation of certain fungi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Inventor: John B. Taylor
  • Patent number: 5900610
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for tracking inventory for goods having a variety of styles and characteristics, and which have a variety of possible shipping destinations. The apparatus of the invention includes a multi-part label that is attachable to each of the goods and has a removable portion that can be detached from the original label and reapplied to a shipping carton for a collection of goods. The method of the invention includes utilizing information from indicia applied to each of the goods in conjunction with an inventory distribution system and shipping cartons to keep track of the location of all goods at any time between sorting the goods for shipping and packing the goods for shipment, without requiring any manual steps, such as scanning, during sorting and packing of the goods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Payless ShoeSource, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald F. Kelly, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5878995
    Abstract: An improved device is provided for lifting the drum of a concrete mixer vehicle, wherein the drum has an encircling ring structure. The device includes a body mechanism having a body side wall and an inverted cup with a cavity for receiving a jack, a clamp mechanism wherein a cleat lower wall thereof is slidably adjustable relative to a lower wall of the body mechanism such that a cleat side wall is adjustable toward and away from the body side wall to clamp the ring structure between the body side wall and the cleat side wall, and a stabilizing mechanism for stabilizing the body mechanism relative to the mixer vehicle drum. The device may also include an adapter configured to also be slidably adjustable relative to either the body side wall or the cleat side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Inventor: Paul E. Rundle
  • Patent number: 5829465
    Abstract: A device, and a container having such a device, is provided for permitting filling the container with a predetermined weight of the fluid. The device and container include a main channel to introduce the fluid into the container at a fill pressure; a detector mechanism to detect a "filled" condition based on fluid weight; and an fluid-weight control mechanism to automatically prevent introducing fluid into the container in excess of the "filled" condition. A compression spring offsets part of the weight of a displacer such that the displacer becomes buoyant as the container becomes "filled". The displacer has a seat mechanism that sealingly engages an orifice mechanism creating a differential pressure, substantially less than the fill pressure, across a control device causing closure of the main channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Inventor: Owen L. Garretson
  • Patent number: D399644
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Payless ShoeSource, Inc.
    Inventor: Kim Alan Ball
  • Patent number: D435107
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Medtech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Kerry L. Blair, Timothy A. Giebler, John E. Heaton