Patents Represented by Attorney Simpson & Simpson, PLLC
  • Patent number: 8220605
    Abstract: A power transmission mechanism including at least one hydrodynamic component and a device for at least partially bridging over the transmission of power through the hydrodynamic component by means of a control device, having an actuating mechanism that can be charged by way of a chamber that is chargeable with a pressurizing agent, and at least one spring unit is interposed between the actuating mechanism and the device for at least partially bridging over the hydrodynamic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thorsten Krause, Benjamin Daniel
  • Patent number: 8220897
    Abstract: A system for adjusting page placement on a continuous feed print engine. The engine includes: a feed system for displacing a continuous sheet of material in a process direction; and at least one printhead with a plurality of ink ejectors. The system includes at least one specially programmed computer with a processor and memory element. The processor receives ejector data regarding a defective ink ejector. The ejector data includes a position for the ejector in a transverse direction. The memory element stores the ejector data. The processor: receives print data including positions, in the transverse direction, for pixels on the page; creates, using the processor and the print data, a logical page; and creates, using the processor and the ejector data, a logical sheet by positioning the logical page in the traverse direction such that the ejector and the respective pixels are out of alignment in the process direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Robinson, Frederick John Ramsey
  • Patent number: 8219420
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for coordinating payment of healthcare expenses is disclosed. The method comprises determining a co-payment amount based on a customer's insurance coverage, determining the availability of funds from a plurality of the consumer's prioritized accounts, and deducting at least a portion of the co-payment from the highest priority account having available funds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Manning & Napier Information Services, LLC
    Inventors: Michael P. Heffley, Robert M. States, Michael J. Colson
  • Patent number: 8212197
    Abstract: A photosensitive apparatus including a plurality of photosensor chips and a first common line for applying a first external integration signal to each of the plurality of photosensor chips. Each photosensor chip includes a first set of photosensors having an edge pixel and an interior pixel and a control portion for accepting the first external integration signal, the first external integration signal causing an edge pixel integration signal and an interior pixel integration signal for the first set of photosensors. The control portion includes a first signal adjuster effectively altering the first external integration signal to cause the edge pixel integration signal and the interior pixel integration signal for the first set of photosensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Scott L. Tewinkle
  • Patent number: 8212903
    Abstract: A sensor array, including: a plurality of pixels; first and second video lines; and a plurality of intermediate circuits. Each intermediate circuit is electrically connected to a respective pixel from the plurality of pixels and electrically connected to both the first and second video lines. A method for modifying resolution of a sensor array, the array including first and second video lines, a plurality of pixels, and a plurality of intermediate circuits; and, including: electrically connecting each intermediate circuit to a respective pixel and to the first and second video lines; for a first mode, transmitting a signal from a pixel in the plurality of pixels to the first video line via a respective intermediate circuit from the plurality of intermediate circuits; and for a second mode, transmitting a signal from the pixel to the second video line via the respective intermediate circuit from the plurality of intermediate circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Scott L. Tewinkle
  • Patent number: 8208684
    Abstract: A method of processing image data from a multi-chip array with a plurality of photosensitive chips aligned substantially in a transverse direction, including: generating, using a processor for at least one specially programmed computer, a ?y or ?x optical error value equal to a difference in process and transverse directions, respectively, between actual and apparent locations for a first photosensor, the apparent location due to optical error; and storing, in a memory element for the specially programmed computer, respective outputs from the photosensors in the array for first and second scan lines. The actual location is included in the first scan line. The processor retrieves, for use as at least part of useful image data for the first photosensor, the stored output of: the first photosensor for the second scan line for a ?y optical error, or a second photosensor for the first line for a ?x optical error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hosier, Martin Edward Banton, Frederick O. Hayes, III
  • Patent number: 8205618
    Abstract: The present invention is a mouthguard to be used in sports to protect the mouth and teeth from blows to the face and head. The mouthguard has a three layer laminate construction and is fabricated from thermoplastic material that may be softened in hot water to enable a user to form it to the contours of his or her mouth. The mouthguard is formed from an upper portion shaped into a channel with holes distributed on the channel floor and a lower platform with posts aligned to fit into the holes. A part of the posts extend from the upper portion to the platform to form gaps between the upper portion and the platform with the gaps acting as air cushions. In one embodiment, a strap is attached to the assembled mouthguard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Shield Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Berghash, Daniel D'Arcy
  • Patent number: 8205608
    Abstract: Less hazardous methods for generating thermal energy for heating water, medical supplies or comestible products using improved flameless chemical heaters/flameless ration heaters by novel chemical or electrochemical means, each capable of suppressing the generation of hydrogen gas. Remote unit self-heating meals may be more rapidly heated by forming a reaction mixture comprising magnesium or a magnesium-containing alloy, and a hydrogen eliminator or suppressor, and introducing water to react the reaction mixture and generate a more rapid release of thermal energy sufficient to effectuate a more accelerated temperature rise and more rapid heating of medical supplies, water, rations or other comestible substances while simultaneously suppressing or eliminating the generation of potentially hazardous hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventor: Tilak Bommaraju
  • Patent number: 8201679
    Abstract: An actively closed friction clutch actuated by a lever actuator and having an adjusting means, the lever actuator taking the form of a roller displaced radially by a spindle, which roller acts on a unilaterally suspended lever, the latter being displaced axially and acting axially on a clamping means such as a lever, lever spring or diaphragm spring. The adjusting means for compensating friction lining wear is enabled by an end stop position widened axially relative to a stop position of the lever, which end stop position is enabled by means of an engageable/disengageable stop. To distinguish the two stop positions, the force/travel characteristic line of the lever actuator is detected by the controller of the lever actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dirk Burkhart, Alexander Dreher
  • Patent number: 8201675
    Abstract: A torque converter including a clutch assembly and a channel. The clutch assembly includes: a reverse clutch with a piston plate, the reverse clutch controllably connecting a reverse stator and a drive hub; a forward clutch including the piston plate, the forward clutch controllably connecting a turbine and the drive hub; and a cavity partially formed by the piston plate. The channel supplies fluid to the cavity and to vent fluid from the cavity and the piston plate is displaceable in response to fluid pressure in the cavity to control operation of the reverse and forward clutches. In a preferred embodiment, forces associated with operation of the reverse and forward clutches are balanced within the clutch assembly. The torque converter also includes a clutch rotationally connected to a turbine and a ground and a one-way clutch rotationally connected to a forward stator and the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Gregory Heeke
  • Patent number: 8202169
    Abstract: A transmission system including a damper having a hysteresis package and a flange, wherein the flange includes a first set of splines, an input shaft having a second set of splines arranged about an interior of the input shaft, wherein the first set of splines form an engagement with the second set of splines for transferring torque between the input shaft and the flange, wherein grease is included between the first and second sets of splines for lubricating the engagement of the input shaft and the flange, and a grease trap mounted to the flange located between the input shaft and the hysteresis package for restricting the grease from traveling radially down the flange and into the hysteresis package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jonathan Jameson
  • Patent number: 8201674
    Abstract: A torque converter including: a turbine; a first stator; a first interlocking clutch; and a second interlocking clutch. In a first operating mode, to enable rotation of the turbine in a first direction, the first clutch is for engaging with the turbine and is engageable with an input shaft of a transmission and the second clutch is for engaging with the first stator and is engageable with a fixed shaft of the transmission. In a second operating mode, to enable rotation of the first stator in a second direction, opposite the first direction, the first clutch is for engaging with the first stator and is engageable with the input shaft and the second clutch is for engaging with the turbine and is engageable with the fixed shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gregory Heeke, Adam Uhler
  • Patent number: 8202052
    Abstract: A blade for a stator in a torque converter, including: a first blade segment connected to an inner circumferential section of the stator; at least one second blade segment, separately formed from the first blade segment, and connected to the inner circumferential section; and a third blade segment, separately formed from the first and second blade segments, and connected to the inner circumferential section. In some aspects, the first, second, and third blade segments include respective outer radial portions and the outer radial portions are fixedly connected. In some aspects, the first and second blade segments are in contact and the second and third blade segments are in contact. In some aspects, the first, second, and third blade segments include respective edges and the first and second blade segments are in contact along the respective edges and the second and third blade segments are in contact along the respective edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: William Brees, Gregory A. Heeke
  • Patent number: 8196886
    Abstract: A mechanism for gripping an article including a housing, a piston slidably housed within the housing, a plunger slidably housed within the housing, wherein the plunger is at least partially extendable out from the housing, the plunger including a gripping surface, at least one spring operatively arranged between the piston and the plunger for relating a change of a position of the piston to the plunger, and a cam eccentrically rotatable about an axis and operatively engaged with the piston for setting the position of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: REY Imaginations LLC
    Inventor: Richard E. Young
  • Patent number: 8197202
    Abstract: A stator, including a blade assembly with an inner circumferential surface and a plurality of pre-formed grooves in the inner circumferential surface and an outer race with an outer circumferential surface and a plurality of protrusions at least partially engaged with the plurality of pre-formed grooves. The plurality of protrusions is frictionally engaged with the plurality of pre-formed grooves. In one embodiment, the inner circumferential surface includes an area circumferentially disposed between first and second protrusions from the plurality of protrusions and a portion of the area is displaced radially inward by the engagement of the pluralities of grooves and protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Steven Olsen, Jens Muehlhausen
  • Patent number: 8192573
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for applying labels (100) supplied from a roll for the labeling of containers (10) are disclosed. The containers (10) are fed to a labeling station (12). A cutting device (1) provides the required length (103) of the labels (100). The cutting device (1) can be variably controlled according to the circumference of the container (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventor: Dieter Leykamm
  • Patent number: 8186491
    Abstract: The invention is a torque transmission device, in particular in the power train of a motor vehicle, having a hydrodynamic torque converter that includes a converter cover connected with a drive unit. The torque transmission device is connectable via an impeller with a turbine wheel. The connection with the turbine wheel can be bypassed by means of a torque converter clutch. The clutch comprises a piston, which relative to the converter cover, is displaceable axially restrictedly. The invention is characterized in that pins are fixed on the piston; the pins extend in the axial direction and serve for splined connection of the piston with the converter cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Eugen Kombowski
  • Patent number: 8186492
    Abstract: A one way clutch arranged for coupling a transmission having a stator shaft to a torque converter stator including a hub having an outer circumferential edge having a first wall extending perpendicularly therefrom and an inner circumferential edge having a hub spline arranged thereon, the first wall having at least one hub slot, and each of the at least one hub slot has a first length, a substantially cylindrical spring ring having a second wall, the second wall including at least one spring ring slot and at least one spring ring tab arranged adjacent to an open end of the at least one spring ring slot and forming at least a portion of an edge of the at least one spring ring slot, each of the at least one spring ring slot has a second length greater than the first length, the at least one hub slot in registered alignment with the at least one spring ring slot and the at least one spring ring tab arranged within and adjacent to the at least one hub slot and extends radially therethrough and a tab plate having
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: William Brees
  • Patent number: 8190043
    Abstract: A method for compensating a charge retentive imaging surface for a photoreceptor in a toner image processing machine, the surface including a plurality of panels, each panel including a document printing zone (DPZ) and an interdocument zone (IDZ), and the machine including at least one specially programmed computer, at least one sensor, and charging members for charging the surface, including: measuring for each panel, using the sensor, first density values for a plurality of points in the DPZ, the DPZ in a printing region of the photoreceptor; measuring for each panel, using the sensor, a second density value for the IDZ; determining for each IDZ, using a processor in the computer, a respective compensated IDZ density value; and modifying operation of the charging members according to the compensated IDZ density values, such that the first density values for each panel are substantially centered with a desired density value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Eric M. Gross, Yongsoon Eun
  • Patent number: 8182374
    Abstract: A portable ping pong set having a net assembly comprising a first post having a first base member, a second post having a second base member, and a net fixedly secured within each of the first and second posts and extendible therebetween, the first and second base members operatively arranged to form an assembly base when the first and second base members are proximate one another, the assembly base having a first shape when the first and second base members are proximate one another; and, a paddle having a blade and retractable handle, the blade having a second shape, wherein the first shape and the second shape are substantially similar when the handle is retracted into the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Umbra LLC
    Inventor: Stephan Copeland