Patents Represented by Attorney Lempia Braidwood LLC
  • Patent number: 7884710
    Abstract: A method of controlling a child motion device includes the steps of determining data indicative of motion of the child motion device, and controlling an audio output of the child motion device in accordance with the data. In some cases, the controlling step includes the step of modulating the audio output in accordance with the data. For example, the modulating step may involve applying a modulation effect to an audio track available to the child motion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Product Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Godiska, William B. Bellows, John (Jason) C. Arnold, IV
  • Patent number: 7883426
    Abstract: A child motion device has a frame assembly configured to rest on a floor surface. The device also has a drive system that defines a generally vertical axis of rotation. An arm extends from part of the device and is cantilevered from the axis of rotation. The arm is supported above the floor surface and has a driven end coupled to and movable by the drive system and a distal end opposite the driven end. The drive system is configured to pivotally reciprocate the arm through a partial orbit around the axis of rotation. A child seat is supported on the distal end of the support arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: William B. Bellows, James Godiska, Baku Kakuda, Matthew J. Ransil
  • Patent number: 7882844
    Abstract: A hair retaining clip includes an upper clip portion, and a lower clip portion joined to the upper clip portion via a hinge. At least one of the upper clip portion and the lower clip portion comprises a soft durometer elastomeric member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Goody Produts, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Chininis, Jose Longoria
  • Patent number: 7874927
    Abstract: A child motion device includes a motor to drive motion, a capacitive sensor array responsive to the motion to generate feedback information indicative of the motion, a control circuit coupled to the capacitive sensor array to control the motor based on the feedback information, and a user interface having a capacitive sensor element configured to recognize operator interaction with the user interface. The control circuit is coupled to the capacitive sensor element to control operation of the child motion device in accordance with the operator interaction. With the control circuit coupled to both the capacitive sensor array and the capacitive sensor element, the same control circuitry can be utilized in connection with both user interface and motor control functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Godiska
  • Patent number: 7841285
    Abstract: A vessel (10) for traveling on water comprises a hull (20) and a keel (30) comprising a member (34) depending from the hull, the member (34) comprising two limbs (44) each depending from a respective lateral side of the hull (20), the two limbs (44) defining at least in part an enclosed flow path extending in a bow to stern direction, the enclosed flow path being configured to allow water incident on the vessel to flow over inner and outer surfaces of the limbs (44a, 44b). The limbs (44) each have a zero-lift surface which is angled to generate in use a component of hydrodynamic force directed away from the enclosed flow path when there is a net flow of water along the enclosed flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Inventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Donnelly Macnaghten
  • Patent number: 7832755
    Abstract: A modular chassis of a stroller system includes a body, a front wheel mount on the body, a rear wheel mount on the body, and at least one stroller frame mount on the body. The stroller frame mount is configured to couple releasably and interchangeably a first stroller frame configuration and a second stroller frame configuration different from the first stroller frame configuration to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Nolan, Michael A. Dotsey
  • Patent number: 7829801
    Abstract: The scale may include a base supportable on a surface, a measuring mechanism supported by the base and operable to measure a characteristic of an object, the measuring mechanism including a measuring platform on which the object is supportable, and an indicator supported by the housing, the indicator being operable to provide feedback to a user relating to a measured characteristic of the object. In some aspects, the scale may include a housing supported by the base, the housing cooperating with the base to cover at least a portion of the measuring mechanism, and a connecting assembly operable to removably connect the housing to the base. In some aspects, the scale may include a resistance device coupled to at least one of the indicator and the measuring mechanism and operable to resist oscillation of the indicator at least one of during a measurement and after a measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul D. Nizzere, Matthew H. Lawler, Carla DeYoung, Chris Kulujian, Morad Ghassemian, Theron Kotze, Timothy A. Bearint
  • Patent number: 7824273
    Abstract: A child motion device has a frame assembly configured to rest on a floor surface. A support arm assembly is coupled to and cantilevered from part of the frame assembly above the floor surface. A child supporting device is supported by the support arm assembly. A bounce mechanism of the device is employed to reciprocally bounce the child supporting device above the floor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua E. Clapper, William B. Bellows, Matthew J. Ransil, James E. Godiska, David Saint, Nate Saint, legal representative
  • Patent number: 7812680
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices and methods for generating a modulated signal with a MEMS resonator, or microresonator. A bias, or polarization, voltage for activating the MEMS resonator is determined by a control signal, or input voltage, indicative of information to be carried by the modulated signal. In some cases, the MEMS resonator may be driven by an oscillator circuit to facilitate operation of the MEMS resonator. The control signal may include an amplitude modulated voltage or a digital data stream such that output signals of the MEMS resonator or oscillator circuit may carry information via frequency modulation, such as frequency shift keying modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Discera, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew R. Brown, Wan-Thai Hsu, Kenneth R. Cioffi, Didier Lacroix
  • Patent number: 7806472
    Abstract: A seat pad assembly is disclosed including a body pad for placement on the seating surface of a child seating device. The body pad has a front side, a back side, and two spaced apart vertical slots through the pad. The seat pad assembly has a head support with a connecting strip extending between a pair of laterally spaced apart cushions. The head support is generally H-shaped and installed on the pad through the slots with the pair of cushions on one side of the pad and the connecting strip on the other side. The head support is slidable along the slots to adjust the vertical position of the cushions. The seat pad assembly can be used on a child seating device such as a children's car seat, an infant carrier, a stroller, an infant swing, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly Runk, Sharon L. Griffiths
  • Patent number: 7804374
    Abstract: A device has a resonator coupled to input and output nodes, the resonator being characterized by a transducer to drive the output node, and further characterized by a feedthrough capacitance such that portions of the input signal bypass the transducer to allow a spurious signal to reach the output node. The device includes a compensation capacitor coupled to the output node to define a compensation capacitance in accordance with the feedthrough capacitance. A phase inversion circuit is coupled to the compensation capacitance to generate a compensation signal and coupled to the output node such that the spurious signal is offset by the compensation signal. In some cases, a differential amplifier of the phase inversion circuit has the compensation capacitance in a feedback path to offset the feedthrough capacitance. In these and other cases, the compensation capacitance and the feedthrough capacitance may be unmatched to avoid overcompensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Discera, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew R. Brown, Wan-Thai Hsu, Kenneth R. Cioffi
  • Patent number: 7798838
    Abstract: An electrical plug adapter has a plug body, female receptacles in one surface of the plug body, male prongs extending from another surface of the plug body, and a male catch mechanism associated with one of the male prongs and resiliently biased to a catch position relative to the one male prong. The male catch mechanism is configured to catch on an object in a standard electrical outlet when the male prongs are inserted into corresponding receptacles of the outlet. An actuator on the plug body is configured, when actuated, to selectively move the male catch mechanism to a release position relative to the one male prong and allow the male prongs to be removed from the corresponding receptacles. A one-way retention mechanism can be associated with one of the female receptacles and configured to permanently retain a male connector prong from a standard electrical connector plug when inserted into the female receptacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Grieff Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy B. Grieff, Bruce C. Nemec, Jason Rohr
  • Patent number: 7798571
    Abstract: A car seat has a seat structure with a seating surface and a portion configured to rest on a dedicated seat of a vehicle when installed. The seat structure has a front and a pair of opposed sides. An instruction manual is provided with the car seat. The car seat has a compartment that is configured to receive and retain the instruction manual. The compartment is disposed interior to a part of the seat structure and has an access opening that is accessible when the car seat is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Craig M. Billman, Charles E. Crane, Daniel J. Brunick, Michael N. Langmaid, Matthew A. Morgenstern, Patrick Nolan, Damaso Lamos, Patrick W. Laffan, Andrew P. Skrzypek
  • Patent number: D624550
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Inventor: James McLean
  • Patent number: D626379
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian D. Furlong, Bradley S. Hooley
  • Patent number: D626409
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated
    Inventor: Bradley S. Hooley
  • Patent number: D628435
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian D. Furlong, Bradley S. Hooley
  • Patent number: D628483
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry T. McKinney, Brian D. Furlong
  • Patent number: D632126
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Calphalon Corporation
    Inventor: Joel Tetreault
  • Patent number: D632176
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry T. McKinney, Brian D. Furlong