Patents Represented by Law Firm Stephenson and Boller
  • Patent number: 4387125
    Abstract: An ornamental and protective door edge guard comprises a metal strip of generally U-shaped cross section having inner and outer legs via which the edge guard is self-retaining on the edge of a vehicle door. An insulating layer is applied to the strip to protectively insulate the interior of the strip from the door to which it is applied. Various embodiments of edge guards are disclosed with each having on at least one of the legs thereof, an insulated bead formed by reversing the extreme distal margin of the strip and insulating layer such that the insulating layer covers both that surface portion of the underlying metal bead which faces toward, and but for the insulating layer would be in contact with, the door edge as well as that surface portion which faces away from the door edge. Some embodiments have beads formed by double reversals of the strip and insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1983
    Assignee: U.S. Product Development Company
    Inventor: Robert Adell
  • Patent number: 4382648
    Abstract: An electrical energy supply system for space divider systems in which a plurality of upright wall panels are arranged end-to-end so as to form at least one work station, and in which the panels are mounted on downwardly extending leg supports. The energy supply system is an under-the-wall system in which the components of the system are located below the wall panels and in the spaces occupied by the leg supports. The system consists of a plurality of connected sections, each section corresponding to a wall panel forming the work station, thereby facilitating assembly of the energy supply sections with the wall panels. Each energy supply section has the ability to deliver electrical energy to a point in the work station and each section is connectable to one or more sections corresponding to one or more wall panels in the work station or an adjacent work station to enable an efficient distribution of energy to desired points in the space divider system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1983
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, Travis M. Randolph
  • Patent number: 4379376
    Abstract: A universal edge guard comprises a generally U-shaped metal channel having inner and outer legs with the cross section of the channel being formed into a generally semi-circular base with beads at the ends of the inner and outer legs being inwardly offset. A pattern of notches is formed in the inner leg with the notches extending from the bead along the inner leg and into the semi-circular base terminating just slightly beyond the mid-point of the base. The pattern of notches has uniformly sized notches with the notches being equally spaced apart. The preferred pattern has the notches at about one-half inch spacing and the notches about three-sixteenths inch in width. The construction allows the edge guard to be contoured to the contour of an edge without the use of additional manufacturing procedures to conform the edge guard to the desired cross section. The edge guard may also be readily cut to length by severing at one of the notches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1983
    Assignee: U.S. Product Development Company
    Inventor: Robert Adell
  • Patent number: 4379377
    Abstract: An edge guard formed from a metallic strip to a generally U-shaped cross section wherein the base of the U has a generally semi-circular shape and beads at the distal ends of the legs are inwardly offset. An insulating liner may also be laminated to the metal strip before roll forming to the U-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1983
    Assignee: U.S. Product Development Company
    Inventor: Robert Adell
  • Patent number: 4378480
    Abstract: Apparatus for optical chopping of a laser beam into discrete light pulses consisting of a source of laser light, a rotating mirror, a first collecting lens located between the laser source and the rotating mirror, a first system of collecting lenses for receiving light reflected from the mirror, and a second system of collecting lenses which receive light from the first system and direct the light energy in a predetermined pattern on the surface of a substrate such as a moving web of paper to be perforated or divided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1983
    Inventor: Lutz Langhans
  • Patent number: 4377056
    Abstract: A liner for use with a door edge guard and the assembly of the liner with the door edge guard and the door itself. The liner is characterized by three beads, at least one of which is located within the metallic door edge guard when assembled on the door. The liner is made primarily of a plastic material, but may include one or more reinforcing wires within the beads for enhanced strength advantageous during installation of the liner and edge guard on a sheet metal door edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: U.S. Product Development Company
    Inventor: Robert Adell
  • Patent number: 4365450
    Abstract: An ornamental and protective vehicle door edge guard comprises a metallic strip of generally U-shaped cross section which is self-retaining on the door edge. An insulating liner is disposed between the metallic edge guard and the door edge and comprises a thin sheet of plastic film arranged with the grain running generally lengthwise of the edge guard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: U.S. Product Development Co.
    Inventor: Robert Adell
  • Patent number: 4353394
    Abstract: A solenoid operated directional valve 10 with detent means 48, 50 for retaining the spool 38 of the valve in selected positions, the detent means being operatively associated with the solenoid pins 44, 46 for holding one or the other of the pins in a selected position for retaining the spool in a selected position, said detent means being constructed and arranged to provide detent disengagement forces of uniform magnitude and having components that can be manufactured at relatively low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1982
    Assignee: Double A Products Co.
    Inventor: Ronald L. Loup
  • Patent number: 4351541
    Abstract: A system for towing a plurality of wheeled load-carrying vehicles in a train in which coacting tongue and pin members are provided on the vehicles. Each vehicle has a body having a front end and a back end, a pair of fixed position wheels secured to the underside of the body at the back end, a single caster wheel assembly secured to the underside adjacent the front end, and a tongue member mounted on the back end of the vehicle and having an opening in one end. The caster wheel assembly includes a flange secured to the wheel support and a downwardly extending towing pin on the outer end of the flange. To achieve tracking of a trailing vehicle behind a leading vehicle, the tongue on the leading vehicle is moved to a position in which the tongue opening receives the caster wheel pin on the trailing vehicle. A releasable connection is thus made, with the pulling force applied directly to the caster wheel support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1982
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, William B. Raftery