Patents Represented by Attorney Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.A.
  • Patent number: 8248859
    Abstract: A string of nonvolatile memory cells are formed with control gates extending between floating gates, control gates and floating gates separated by tunnel dielectric layers. Electron tunneling between control gates and floating gates is used for programming. A process for forming a memory array forms odd numbered floating gates from a first layer and even numbered floating gates from a second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sandisk Corporation
    Inventor: Nima Mokhlesi
  • Patent number: 7857814
    Abstract: A cutting tool for creating resected surfaces of bone during arthroplasty procedures has a single offset handle arm that presents a narrower effective width than a width of the cutting profile of the cutting tool along a longitudinal axis of the cutting profile. Preferably, the single offset handle arm creates a cutting tool with a generally L-shaped outline simultaneously accounting for soft tissue/incision geometry and bony geometry to accommodate both in facilitating ease of use and minimal displacement of soft tissue during cutting. The cutting tool can be snaked into position through an incision approximately the size of the width of the handle arm, instead of requiring an incision that is essentially the width of the cutting path of the cutting tool. In alternate embodiments, the cutting tool is a milling tool, a wireplasty cutting tool, a band saw or reciprocating cutting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Hudson Surgical Design, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy G. Haines
  • Patent number: 7815645
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for performing arthoplasty utilizes a plurality of apertures created in a bone, each aperture having a cross section defined perpendicular to an axis of the aperture that intersects a plane of a resected surface to be created in the bone and also intersects a peripheral rim border that externally delineates the resected surface. A pin feature is inserted into each of the plurality of apertures and the resected surface is created by guiding a cutting tool along at least a line of contact of the pin features. An implant can then be attached to the resected surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Hudson Surgical Design, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy G. Haines
  • Patent number: 7806151
    Abstract: The drum cap venting device generally includes a venting cap assembly. The venting cap assembly can include a venting cap and a venting key. The venting cap generally includes a main body portion, a valve portion and a ring portion. The venting key generally includes a key body portion and a venting tube. The venting key is rotatably engageable with the valve portion of the venting cap such that rotation of the key provides a passageway of continuous fluid communication from the drum, through conduits in the venting cap, and out the venting tube of the venting key. As a result, any release or evacuation of pressurized gasses from the drum is directed away from the user to a safe area or device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Hennen, Jeffrey J. McKenzie
  • Patent number: 7785277
    Abstract: A removable applicator nozzle for use in treating a wound is provided. The removable applicator nozzle includes a nozzle, a valve and a cup. The nozzle includes a proximal portion, a distal opening and a valve interface. The proximal portion of the nozzle is engagable with a portion of a transducer of an ultrasound wound therapy device. The distal opening of the nozzle allows at least a portion of a tip of the transducer to pass therethrough. The valve is engagable with the valve interface of the nozzle and the valve selectively allows fluid to flow therethrough. The cup includes an aperture and a puncturing device. The aperture is engagable with the valve and the puncturing device is able to puncture a bottle that is inserted on the cup. Fluid flows from the bottle, through the aperture and the valve and onto a tip of the transducer. The fluid is then moved to the distal opening of the nozzle by a vacuum effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Celleration, Inc.
    Inventors: Eilaz Babaev, Alan Van Houten, Michael T. Peterson, Greg Doten
  • Patent number: 7766821
    Abstract: A bendable portion, which is arranged at the distal end of an insertion tube of an endoscope, comprises a plurality of tube segments, each of said tube segments having connecting means that cooperate with the connecting means of the adjacent tube segment, as well as control wires that can control the bending of the bendable portion. The respective connecting means of a tube segment are provided such that they axially protrude from the faces of the tube segment and are located within the mantle of the tube segment and such that they do not exceed the thickness of the mantle. The connecting means, which are provided on the respective faces of adjacent tube segments and which are located opposite each other, complement each other in the manner of a hinge-type connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Henke-Sass, Wolf GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Dirk Brunnen, Thomas Jurgen Simon
  • Patent number: 7753286
    Abstract: A device providing for an overheated liquid to be sprayed in very fine droplets at a very high speed, comprised of a nozzle body followed by a mixer head and several injectors opening onto a divergent speed attainment nozzle. Fittings adjust the exit section of the nozzle by adding a profiled core that may slide on the axis of the divergent nozzle and enabling, depending on its position, the exit section of the nozzle to be adjusted to maintain a maximum ejection speed of sprayed droplets. The device is particularly applicable to the chemical and energy industries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Thermokin
    Inventor: Joseph Haiun
  • Patent number: 7720254
    Abstract: An automatic reader system, apparatus, and method for the identification and authentication of articles enabling automatic collection and processing of code data associated with microparticle marks, automatic determination of the code from the code data associated with microparticle marks, and automatic retrieval of reference information associated with the code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: SMI Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon, Paul Meyers, Steven D. Zimmermann, Christopher S. Gourley
  • Patent number: 7717314
    Abstract: A friction stir welding tool is used in welding structures. The tool comprises a shoulder and a probe extending from the shoulder. The probe has at least three sections equiangularly arranged around the longitudinal axis of the probe, each section comprising at least three contiguously arranged flats arranged about the axis of the probe. The flats are so arranged that the normal axes of the flats converge in a direction towards the axis of the probe thereby resulting in the sections each having a generally convex shape. The probe also includes a threaded portion disposed between each pair of adjacent generally convexly shaped unthreaded sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Airbus UK Limited
    Inventor: Robert Jan Maziarz
  • Patent number: 7717507
    Abstract: A head rest of a vehicle seat may include a head support portion for supporting a head of a passenger, and a drive unit for moving the head support portion. The drive unit has a moving mechanism that is arranged and constructed to move the head support portion toward and away from the passenger head, an actuator for actuating the moving mechanism, a load detecting device that can detect a load applied to the actuator and generate a control signal representative of the detected load, and a controller that can control the actuator so as to control the moving mechanism. The controller controls the moving mechanism so as to move the head support portion toward the passenger head. The controller controls the moving mechanism based on the control signal so as to stop the motion of the head support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeyoshi Toda, Fumitoshi Akaike, Seiya Nishimura, Tomokazu Moriyama, Kiyoka Matsubayashi, Koji Aoki
  • Patent number: 7713218
    Abstract: A removable applicator nozzle for use in treating a wound is provided. The removable applicator nozzle includes a nozzle, a valve and a cup. The nozzle includes a proximal portion, a distal opening and a valve interface. The proximal portion of the nozzle is engagable with a portion of a transducer of an ultrasound wound therapy device. The distal opening of the nozzle allows at least a portion of a tip of the transducer to pass therethrough. The valve is engagable with the valve interface of the nozzle and the valve selectively allows fluid to flow therethrough. The cup includes an aperture and a puncturing device. The aperture is engagable with the valve and the puncturing device is able to puncture a bottle that is inserted on the cup. Fluid flows from the bottle, through the aperture and the valve and onto a tip of the transducer. The fluid is then moved to the distal opening of the nozzle by a vacuum effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Celleration, Inc.
    Inventors: Eilaz Babaev, Michael T. Peterson, Alan Van Houten, Greg Doten
  • Patent number: 7712232
    Abstract: A snow blower attachment includes a concentric axis fan and auger, the fan and auger being independently powered by respective motors and being axially operably coupled for support and for independent rotation of the fan and auger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Inventor: David S. Majkrzak
  • Patent number: 7712256
    Abstract: An opening and closing apparatus is provided with a foreign material detecting sensor, a position detecting apparatus and a control circuit apparatus. The foreign material detecting sensor has a sensor electrode, and is arranged in a front end of a door panel. The foreign material detecting sensor outputs an electrostatic capacity detection signal corresponding to a change of an electrostatic capacity between the sensor electrode and a foreign material coming close to the electrode. The position detecting apparatus outputs a position detection signal corresponding to a position of the door panel. The control circuit apparatus compares a change amount of the electrostatic capacity detected on the basis of the electrostatic capacity detection signal with a threshold value so as to judge, on the basis of a result of comparison, whether or not a foreign material exists between the door panel and a vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Kato, Masaaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7708683
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assessing cardiac risks in a specific patient. One embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention comprises providing heart rate activity of a specific patient including a windowed time series relating to heart rate variability during a heart rate test. This method further includes determining a frequency domain value based on energy values of frequency bands of the heart rate variability in the windowed time series, and/or determining an aggregate power for a frequency band of the windowed time series. This method further includes assessing the risk of a cardiac event based on the frequency value and/or the aggregate power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Cardiac Science Corporation
    Inventor: David M. Hadley
  • Patent number: 7708281
    Abstract: A method of sealing a joint between components especially in an aircraft comprises the steps of identifying the sealing gap to be sealed; selecting a suitable sealing material having a fractional maximum sealing thickness and a fractional fully-compressed thickness and selecting a suitable thickness of that sealing material, based on a consideration of the fractional maximum sealing thickness and the fractional fully-compressed thickness of the sealing material and on the sealing gap; locating, between the mating surfaces of the components to be sealed, the suitable thickness of the suitable sealing material; and fastening the components together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Airbus UK Limited
    Inventor: Colin John West
  • Patent number: D614862
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Tenacious Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas F. Votel
  • Patent number: D615797
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: National Presto Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Berge, Ryan H. Barrows
  • Patent number: D616175
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Willis Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Wen-Tan Chen, Ariel M. Cruz
  • Patent number: D616944
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Skyline Displays, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Taylor, Scott Parizek, Mark A. Fritsche
  • Patent number: D624759
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Wenger Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Jacobson, Dorothy Ann Jacobson, legal representative