Patents Represented by Attorney Marsh Fischmann and Breyfogle, LLP
  • Patent number: 8348896
    Abstract: A patency check protocol (150) for evaluating a patency check injection (156) is disclosed. The protocol (150) incorporates a pressure standard (152) (e.g., a pressure threshold; a target pressure curve). A pressure associated with the patency check injection is monitored (160) and compared against this pressure standard (164). If a first condition is identified (166) (e.g., if the pressure threshold is reached; if the monitored pressure deviates from the target pressure curve by more than a certain predetermined amount), one or more actions may be undertaken (168) (e.g., one or more notifications or alerts may be issued; the flow rate may be reduced for the patency check injection; the patency check injection may be suspended/terminated).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt LLC
    Inventor: Gary S. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8348776
    Abstract: An intersecting path ride providing close vehicle interaction without risk of collision. The ride includes a track assembly defining first and second linear, open channels bisecting at a vehicle path intersection point. The ride includes first and second vehicle guides movable within the channels. The ride includes first and second vehicle subassemblies supported by the guides, and the vehicle subassemblies move or reciprocate with the guides along linear paths defined by the channels. The ride includes a vehicle positioning assembly that concurrently reciprocates the guides back and forth along the linear channels through the intersection point. The vehicle positioning assembly includes a connection link pivotally coupled to the guides, a drive motor with an output shaft, and a crank arm rigidly coupled to the output shaft at one end and pivotally coupled to the connection link at another end moving the midpoint of the link through a circular drive path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Crawford, Edward A. Nemeth
  • Patent number: 8342712
    Abstract: An apparatus creating a flickering flame effect. The apparatus includes a housing with an interior space with first and second stages. A drive mechanism generates a time varying electromagnetic field extending into the first stage. A first pendulum member is pivotally mounted in the interior space of the first stage and includes first and second magnets on first and second ends, with the first end proximate to the drive mechanism such that the first magnet interacts with the varying electromagnetic field to cause movement of the pendulum member. The apparatus includes a second pendulum member pivotally mounted in the second stage with a magnet on a first end proximate to the second end of the first pendulum member. A flame silhouette element extends from the second pendulum member, and a light source transmits light onto the flame silhouette, which is moving due to the magnetic coupling of the pendulum members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas M. Patton, Gary W. Schnuckle
  • Patent number: 8341884
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a modular container system for use in agriculture, gardening and construction, characterized in that it comprises a parallelepiped container 1 with two partition walls 2 forming three chambers 3, its top ends each having a sleeve 4 which forms a vertical channel 5, the lower end 6 of the said sleeve extending beyond the bottom of the container but with slightly smaller dimensions and having a groove 10 around its whole periphery; connectors 9 which join adjacent containers in a horizontal plane; a base 11 which allows the containers to rest on the ground; and a lateral support 13 exactly identical to the top end of the container 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Quizcamp-Fabrico e Comércio de Produtos Alimentares, S.A.
    Inventor: Manuel Maria Rodrigues
  • Patent number: 8343101
    Abstract: Some injectors of the invention may include a fluid drive responsive to pressure of a working fluid (e.g., liquid, pneumatic, or both) to impart a sequence of forces to drive a delivery device (e.g., a syringe) to deliver a medical fluid (e.g., a contrast agent, a radiopharmaceutical, a drug, or a combination thereof). Some injectors may include a multimedia tube configured to pass a working fluid (e.g., air) and a light signal (e.g., infrared). Some injectors may include a peristaltic drive responsive to pressure of a working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt LLC
    Inventors: Gary S. Wagner, Frank M. Fago, Peter Staats, Dane Battiato
  • Patent number: 8345044
    Abstract: A method for use in deformation of an object. The method includes providing a high-resolution model of the object and providing a control cage for the model that includes control faces each defined by control vertices. The method includes generating a thin-layer segment for each of the control faces including extruding a set of the control vertices a distance toward the model. The method includes binding the control cage to the high resolution model based on the thin-layer segments. Each of the thin-layer segments includes a segmented mesh corresponding to a set of the control faces surrounding each face as it is used as seed for a segment. The method includes determining heat diffusion weights for the segments and using the weights along with mean value coordinates to statically bind the cage to the model and to determine influences of segments during deformation of the model with the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-An Lin, Gene S. Lee, Erick S. Miller
  • Patent number: 8343102
    Abstract: Some injectors of the invention may include a fluid drive responsive to pressure of a working fluid (e.g., liquid, pneumatic, or both) to impart a sequence of forces to drive a delivery device (e.g., a syringe) to deliver a medical fluid (e.g., a contrast agent, a radiopharmaceutical, a drug, or a combination thereof). Some injectors may include a multimedia tube configured to pass a working fluid (e.g., air) and a light signal (e.g., infrared). Some injectors may include a peristaltic drive responsive to pressure of a working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt LLC
    Inventors: Gary S. Wagner, Frank M. Fago, Peter Staats, Dane Battiato
  • Patent number: 8342976
    Abstract: A rotating hub ride configured to position passenger vehicles at different vehicle radii relative to the hub's axis of rotation. The ride includes curved support arms extending outward from the hub, with a first end coupled to the hub at a lower height than a second end of the arm. A vehicle is attached, via a mounting assembly, to each curved support arm to slide radially inward and outward on the arm in response to forces applied to the vehicle due to rotation of the hub, e.g., at two or more hub rotation rates. The arm or track defines a travel path for radial movement of the vehicle. When hub rotation is halted, the vehicle slides inward on the track to a load position corresponding to a minimum vehicle radius. At increasing hub speeds, the vehicle slides outward to position the vehicle in any of a number of vehicle radii.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Crawford, Edward A. Nemeth
  • Patent number: 8336255
    Abstract: An opening and closing apparatus is disclosed that includes an opening and closing body, a force transmitting portion, an elongated sensor body, a support member, and a control section. The opening and closing body is actuated to selectively open and close an opening. The force transmitting portion has a drive portion that generates drive force. The force transmitting portion transmits the drive force from the drive portion to the opening and closing body. The sensor body detects an object between a closing-side end of the opening and closing body and a facing part of the periphery of the opening that faces the closing-side end of the opening. The closing-side end is at an advancing side of the opening and closing body when the opening and closing body is in a closing operation. The support member is fixed either to the closing-side end or the facing part. The support member supports the sensor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Asmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Shimizu, Ryousuke Sakamaki
  • Patent number: 8336939
    Abstract: A patient transport litter and system includes a patient support platform interconnected to a foldable frame that may be supported by and rolled upon a first plurality of wheels in an unfolded state. In a folded state, a second plurality of wheels may be provided to support and allow for rollable movement of the patient transport litter. A leading plurality of wheels may be provided at one end of the patient support platform for initially and rolling upon engaging the floor of an emergency transport vehicle during loading of the patient transport litter thereupon. One or more of the plurality of wheels may comprise multi-directional wheels, e.g., to allow for omnidirectional rolling movement. The litter may be selectively lockable in and unlockable from the unfolded state, the fully-folded state, and optionally, one or more partially-folded state(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Air Methods Corporation
    Inventors: Lowell A. Green, Ryan N. Mecklem, Tyler Frederick LeMarinel
  • Patent number: 8341577
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for parallelizing simulation of circuit partitions. A circuit is divided into a number of partitions, for example, according to channel-connected regions. In some embodiments, the partitions are sequenced and assigned to multiple threads for parallel analysis. Iterative timing analysis (ITA), or some other form of analysis, is performed on the partitions over a series of integration time steps. Using the multiple threads, some partitions are solved at later integration time steps while the ITA continues toward relaxation convergence for a current integration time step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Korobkov, Subramanian Venkateswaran, Wai Chung W. Au
  • Patent number: 8336420
    Abstract: A robotic joint configured as a 3-axis joint. The joint includes an input roll assembly and a pitch-output roll assembly. The pitch-output roll assembly includes: a housing; a differential mechanism including left and right input gears, an output gear, a cross element interconnecting the gears, and a clevis supporting the gears and the cross element; a left four-bar linkage coupled to the left input gear; a right four-bar linkage coupled to the right input gear; and first and second linear actuators connected to the left and right four-bar linkages. The first and second linear actuators selectively drive the left and right input gears to rotate the output gear about an output roll axis and to rotate the cross element about a pitch axis passing through the cross element and input gears. A linear actuator in the input roll assembly rotates the pitch-output roll housing about an input roll axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy Alexander Carter, Akhil J. Madhani, Arthur Stanley Brigham
  • Patent number: 8336240
    Abstract: A wearable band with an adjustable size or length. The assembly includes a base band element with a body extending from a first end to a second end containing an RFID module. The assembly includes a sizing band element for sizing the assembly to a particular wrist size. The band assembly includes an interlocking fastener that slidably couples the base band element to the sizing band element so as to define a one-piece band with a desired length/size. The interlocking fastener includes a first portion provided on the second end of the base band element body and a second portion on an end of the sizing band element body. The fastener may be a tongue and groove mechanism, with the first portion being a tongue member extending from the base band body and with the second portion being a groove in the end of the sizing band body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jo A. Gray, John David Worrall
  • Patent number: 8337317
    Abstract: A Ferris wheel-type ride. A lever arm is mounted to the wheel rim to freely pivot between front and rear stops. Passenger gondolas, pivotally attached to the lever arms, travel through four zones experiencing differing ride dynamics. In the first zone, the lever arm abuts the front stop while, in the second, the lever arm is spaced apart from the stops and the lever arm is supported from above by the wheel via the lever arm causing the gondola to be vertically lifted and to rotate slower than the hub rotation rate. In the third zone, the lever arm abuts the rear stop and, in the fourth zone, the lever arm is spaced apart from the stops and is supported from below by the wheel as it falls toward the front stop at a rate greater than the hub rotation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Crawford, Edward A. Nemeth
  • Patent number: 8338693
    Abstract: A solar energy conversion assembly for efficiently capturing solar energy by providing additional chances to absorb reflected sunlight. The assembly includes one or more solar cells that each include a light-receiving surface. A fraction of light incident upon the light-receiving surface is reflected. The assembly includes a photovoltaic (PV) enhancement film of transparent material such as plastic positioned to cover at least a portion of the light-receiving surface. The PV enhancement film includes a substrate positioned proximate to or abutting the light-receiving surface. The film includes a plurality of total internal reflection (TIR) elements on the substrate opposite the light-receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Genie Lens Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Raymond, Howard G. Lange, Seth Weiss
  • Patent number: 8338524
    Abstract: Disclosed is a glass composition which can be suitably used as a glass filler to be blended into a polycarbonate resin. This glass composition contains, in mass %, 50?SiO2?60, 8?Al2O3?15, 0?MgO?10, 10?CaO?30, 0?Li2O+Na2O+K2O<2, and 5<TiO2?10, and does not substantially contain B2O3, F, ZnO, SrO, BaO and ZrO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kosuke Fujiwara, Akihiro Koyama
  • Patent number: 8328367
    Abstract: A projection system for projecting light such as images or content upon a liquid surface such as a lake or pool surface. The system includes an agitation assembly selectively operable to agitate a portion of the upper surface of liquid to form a projection screen. The system includes a projector assembly projecting or focusing light onto the projection screen on the upper surface of the liquid. The liquid is translucent to light, but the projection screen on the upper surface reflects a portion of the projected light due to the agitation. The agitation assembly may include an aeration system with a distribution manifold and is positioned below the liquid surface and has outlets discharging gas into the liquid such that air bubbles for the screen. The manifold outlets may be provided at two or more depths, whereby two or more portions of the projection screen are generated at differing times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward A. Nemeth, David W. Crawford
  • Patent number: 8332185
    Abstract: A method and system that calculate elementary symmetric functions of subsets of a set {Z} comprising a total of m numerical elements in an m2 time-frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Jerry A. Guern
  • Patent number: 8331094
    Abstract: A stacked microprocessor package architecture includes one or more microprocessor packages, the microprocessor packages including one or more microprocessor die disposed on a substrate, a satellite die, a thermal bus thermally coupled to the microprocessor die and thermally connected to system cooling, and a power bus providing power to the microprocessor die and coupled to system power. The microprocessor packages may include a module cap providing mechanical protection and/or thermal isolation or a thermal cooling path for stacked modules. Variable height standoffs provide signal connection from substrates of the stacked microprocessor packages to a system board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Seshasayee Ankireddi, Vadim Gektin
  • Patent number: 8324779
    Abstract: A motor having a rotor and a stator is disclosed. The rotor is a consequent-pole rotor having a rotor core, a plurality of magnets, and a plurality of salient poles. The stator includes a plurality of teeth. A first auxiliary groove is formed in a surface of each salient pole that is opposed to the teeth. Each first auxiliary groove has first and second side surfaces facing each other in the circumferential direction. The first side surface is closer to a circumferential center of the salient pole than the second side surface. When the angle from the circumferential center line to the first side surface of each salient pole about the axis of the rotor is represented by KC1, the opening angle between the circumferential ends of the distal end of each tooth about the axis is represented by KA, and the opening angle between the circumferential ends of each salient pole about the axis is represented by KB, the following expression is satisfied: KC1=KA?KB/2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigemasa Kato, Seiya Yokoyama, Yoji Yamada, Yoshiaki Takemoto, Keisuke Koide, Shinji Santo