Patents Represented by Attorney Rankin, Hill, Porter & Clark LLP
  • Patent number: 7306268
    Abstract: A manual releasing mechanism for a power locking apparatus including a detachable hook-shaped portion 26 for holding a locked state and a flexible belt 17, wherein the hook-shaped portion is locked to a releasing lever 11 of the door locking apparatus 4, whereby the door locking apparatus 4 is released by pulling the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeki Tanaka, Yosuke Kimura, Kazuya Shibata, Tomofumi Ichinose
  • Patent number: 7307226
    Abstract: Two horizontal holes are processed at the end face of a movable pillar of a load measuring cell in a block shape. A power-point spring is formed between the horizontal holes, and the internal side faces of the horizontal holes constitute the internal end faces of supporting-point springs. Further, from above or below the load measuring cell, a vertical hole is processed so that the supporting-point springs are separated by the vertical hole extending in a vertical direction and are formed on both side faces in the longitudinal direction of load measuring cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Atushi Iiduka
  • Patent number: 7305991
    Abstract: A surgical drape includes a first, closed container within which a first sheet is disposed. The first sheet has first and second opposed ends, the first end of the first sheet being removable from the container so as to remove a desired portion of the first sheet from the container, the second end of the first sheet remaining within the container. Preferably, the first container is laid across a desired portion of the table prior to placing the patient on the table. After the patient has been positioned properly and prepped, the first sheet can be pulled from underneath the patient and pulled out of the first container so that the sheet covers the table in the area of surgical interest and then covers the entire side or end of the table down to the floor. After the surgical procedure has been completed, the first sheet and the container can be removed and discarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Inventors: Albert N. Santilli, John D. Corbitt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7308336
    Abstract: An allowable range of a frictional force component, such as a horizontal component of a translation floor reaction force, applied to a legged mobile robot 1 is set, and a provisional movement with a current time gait of the robot 1 is determined so as to satisfy a condition concerning the allowable range and a dynamical equilibrium condition that a moment produced about a point of application of a provisional desired floor reaction force substantially agrees with a provisional desired floor reaction force moment. The provisional movement is determined by adjusting movements in two movement modes which are different in ratio between the translation floor reaction force and the floor reaction force moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Patent number: 7306279
    Abstract: A rear door that is provided in an openable and closable manner at a vehicle body rear portion, the rear door having: a frame portion that forms along an external edge of the rear door, a door windshield panel that is provided in the frame portion, and a lateral beam that spans between both lower end corner portions of the windshield panel, wherein at coupling portions of the frame portion and the lateral beam, the frame portion and the lateral beam each have a closed sectional structure, and the closed sections of the frame portion and the lateral beam are continuous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Saitoh
  • Patent number: 7306281
    Abstract: A structure for mounting a vehicle seat includes: a side sill extending in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body on a side of the vehicle body; a cross member extending in a width direction of the vehicle body; a floor frame substantially extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body, with an end portion curved and joined to the side sill, and thus bridging the side sill and the cross member; a seat-mounting bracket joined to the floor frame; and a seat fixed at least to the seat-mounting bracket. With this structure, the seat can be securely fixed to the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Kobayashi, Shigeto Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 7307789
    Abstract: A photoelectric encoder is provided which has an optical system including a first lens array inserted between a main scale and a light receiving element. An image divided or reversed by the first lens array can be electrically or optically re-reversed. This can achieve the reduction of the entire size as well as increase in the scale field of view, while maintaining the image shape and/or pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Miyako Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7305952
    Abstract: A technique which allows an unskilled person to simply adjust a tappet clearance in an engine valve sometimes has a problem in that it can inaccurately adjust clearance because the abutment seat of a magnescale for detecting displacement is not a rocker arm itself and because the abutment position is deviated from the axis of an adjusting screw, due to which readjustment is required. In a method of adjusting and confirming a tappet clearance between an adjusting screw in a rocker arm and a valve stem, the adjusting screw is driven until the face portion of the valve stem is separate from a valve seat, thereafter the adjusting screw is loosened to retract the valve stem while measuring torque, an adjusting origin is determined from the measured torque, and the adjusting screw is loosened by an amount corresponding to a clearance setting specified value from the determined adjusting origin. After that the clearance setting specified value is confirmed with a displacement gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Katou, Yuuichi Oda, Shigetoshi Inoue, Takayuki Kanematsu, Kanji Yamahara
  • Patent number: 7307125
    Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer composition that exhibits substantially isotropic post injection molding shrinkage. The thermoplastic polymer composition includes a blend of highly crystalline polypropylene homopolymer, an ethylene-C4-8 ?-olefin plastomer and talc having a D50 of about 2.0 ?m or less. The thermoplastic polymer composition exhibits post injection molding shrinkage, low temperature impact strength and tensile strength that is similar to or better than relatively expensive engineering resins and blends. The thermoplastic polymer composition according to the invention is particularly useful for forming injection molded parts for motor vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventors: Deenadayalu Chundury, Christopher J. Brenner, William R. Temme
  • Patent number: 7308335
    Abstract: When generating a gait for a legged mobile robot 1 which has floating periods in which all the legs 2 of the robot float in the air and landing periods in which any of the legs 2 is in contact with the floor appearing alternately, a desired ZMP is set at any point in time in the floating periods and the landing periods, and a desired gait is generated in such a manner that the horizontal component of the moment produced about the desired ZMP by the resultant force of gravity and an inertial force caused by a movement of the robot with the desired gait is 0. The desired ZMP is set to be substantially continuous for all the periods in the gait. Furthermore, as a dynamics model for determining the desired gait, an approximate model is used which is arranged so that the moment, about a certain point of application, of the resultant force of the inertial force and gravity calculated using the model depends on the position of the point of application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Patent number: 7300478
    Abstract: The present invention provides an aqueous slurry composition that comprises cerium oxide and/or cerium oxide-containing mixed rare earth oxide abrasive particles, a polyacrylate, and an agent that retards hard settling. The agent that retards hard settling is preferably a polysaccharide such as xanthan gum, microcrystalline cellulose and/or sodium alginate, the latter of which may be treated with a divalent metal salt such as calcium carbonate. The slurry composition according to the invention can be used to polish glass and glass ceramics at a high removal rate, but does not hard settle upon extended static conditions and can be easily resuspended. The present invention also provides a method of polishing a glass or glass ceramic substrate using the slurry composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventors: Steven A. Ferranti, Dana L. Zagari, LeVern G. Burm, Jr., Karla Marie Goff
  • Patent number: 7296729
    Abstract: The present invention provides an end cap in combination with a paper tube. The paper tube has one or more inwardly extending flaps at an open end. The end cap has a bottom wall and a sidewall that extends from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall. The end cap receives and engages the inwardly extending flaps when the end cap is disposed in the open end of the paper tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Erdie End Caps, LLC
    Inventor: Jason S. Erdie
  • Patent number: 7296730
    Abstract: The present invention provides a shipping container, a paper tube, an end cap and a method. The shipping container includes a tube and an end cap. The tube has a cylindrical body and an open end. The cylindrical body has a mounting opening formed therein adjacent to the open end. The end cap includes a circular sidewall that is adapted to be received by the open end of the tube such that either the circular sidewall is surrounded by the cylindrical body or the cylindrical body is radially surrounded by the circular sidewall. The circular sidewall includes a projection that extends away from the circular sidewall and into the mounting opening so as to releasably secure the end cap to the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Erdie End Caps, LLC
    Inventor: Jason S. Erdie
  • Patent number: 7299133
    Abstract: A data acquisition system for gathering geophysical data, a corresponding method, and a data acquisition unit for use with the system and method are disclosed. The system (10) comprises a plurality of data acquisition units (14) for gathering geophysical data, each data acquisition unit (14) being connectable to at least one sensor (15) and being arranged, during use, to gather geophysical data from the at least one sensor (15). Each data acquisition unit (14) comprises time referencing means (48) arranged to generate time reference data usable to control the time at which samples of geophysical data are taken. The system (10) further comprises means for calculating spatial derivatives between samples associated with adjacent sensors (15) connected during use to the data acquisition units (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: WMC Resources Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Charles Duncan, Howard Golden, John Douglas Tresidder
  • Patent number: 7294044
    Abstract: The present invention provides a slurry composition and method for polishing organic polymer-based ophthalmic substrates. The slurry composition according to the invention includes an aqueous dispersion of abrasive particles and a pyrrolidone compound. The abrasive particles can be alumina, zirconia, silica, titania or combinations of the foregoing. Slurry compositions according to the invention can be used to polish all types of organic polymer-based ophthalmic substrates, but are particularly useful for polishing organic polymer-based ophthalmic substrates having an index of refraction greater than 1.498 because they remove such materials at a greater efficiency than conventional slurry compositions without detrimentally affecting the quality of the resulting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventor: Steven A. Ferranti
  • Patent number: 7287618
    Abstract: A collision object protection assembly inflates and expands an air bag on a vehicle if a collision with the vehicle is detected or predicted. The collision object protection assembly includes a retainer positioned in a space between a bonnet hood and a front window glass of the vehicle and accommodating the air bag, and a cowl top arranged around the retainer to close the space between the bonnet hood and the front window glass. The retainer has an upper opening to be covered by a lid member. The lid member is a separate member from the cowl top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Okamoto, Yuji Kikuchi, Kazutada Sasaki, Ken Nakane
  • Patent number: 7288841
    Abstract: A laminated semiconductor package includes: a first package having: an insulating layer; a first semiconductor chip embedded in the insulating layer; a wiring connected to the first semiconductor chip; a first connecting section which is formed on a first face side of the insulating layer and connected to the wiring; and a second connecting section which is formed on a second face side of the insulating layer and connected to the wiring, the second face side being opposite to the first face side; and a second package having: a second semiconductor chip; and a third connecting section connected to the second semiconductor chip. In the laminated semiconductor chip, the first package and the second package are laminated one on the other, and the second connecting section and the third connecting section are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takaharu Yamano
  • Patent number: 7289915
    Abstract: A method of estimating load inertia for a motor is provided that can estimate the load inertia even when a cogging torque of the motor is large or resonance occurs in the mechanical system of the load. Vibration is detected in an acceleration feedback signal. An estimated inertia gain Kn is multiplied by a coefficient ? of zero (0) or more but less than one (1) when the detected vibration is equal to or more than a predetermined level, or the estimated inertia gain Kn is multiplied by a coefficient ? of one (1) when the detected vibration is less than the predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ide
  • Patent number: D553827
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventor: Paul L. Mehes
  • Patent number: D556617
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: D & R Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rinaldo Darolfi, Masimo D. Tari, Alfredo Darolfi