Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Thomas L. Bohan
  • Patent number: 6514181
    Abstract: Apparatus and Method providing optimal duplication of the double-poling technique used in cross-county skiing. The apparatus includes dual hand grips that are adapted to “wrap” around a user's torso. The dual hand grips are attached by a cable or other suitable connector to a force generator. Because of the shape of the dual hand grips, the user can perform near-ideal double-poling technique in which the dual hand grips are first positioned above and in front of a user, and are then moved in a downward arc with the dual hand grips moving past the body plane to a movement-ending position in back of the person. In the Method of the present invention, a suitable stationary-rowing machine is adapted and modified to exhibit the characteristics of the Apparatus of the present invention. The longitudinal frame of such a stationary-rowing machine is placed in a substantially vertical orientation and the dual hand grips are interlocked with the operator handle of the stationary-rowing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Inventor: Richard W. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6497315
    Abstract: Modified friction pad and friction-pad receptale assembly for a brake/clutch module permitting greater ease inserting pad into and withdrawing it from the brake/clutch module. The pad is held into the receptacle by clips at the distal end of the receptacle rather than the proximal end. That configuration, in conjunction with finger-grip depressions near the proximal end of the pad, allow the pad to be removed with one hand. Additionally, the friction pad assembly protects the torque-resistor pad guides from wear by interposing the spring steel of the retaining clips between the pad assembly and these guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: The Montalvo Corporation
    Inventor: Ryan T. Peary
  • Patent number: 6497198
    Abstract: A collar for animals which serves the function of holding identification tags or medallions in place. The collar holds the tags in a manner that is integral to the structure of the collar, in an orientation such that the tags are easily visible and readable, and in such a way that the tags will not strike one another, thereby reducing noise produced when the animal moves and decreasing the risk of the tags catching on exterior surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Inventor: Richard Evans
  • Patent number: 6442896
    Abstract: A hatch assembly in which the hatch lid can be opened along four or more axes. The hinge structure of the present invention is a continuous rod element. This rod element is integral to the frame structure of the hatch—either the hatch-lid frame or to the base frame on which the hatch lid is mounted. The hatch lid is opened by securing one side of the hatch lid to the base by engaging a pin and then applying force to the hatch-lid from direction of the enclosure. The present invention further includes an adjustable prop assembly having a support tube and an actuation rod. The actuation rod slides though the support tube and is adjustably and releasably held by a pair of mated ramped and friction blocks. These mated pairs reside on opposed sides of the actuation rod. The actuation rod has a varying diameter by which it forces the friction blocks into contact with the ramped blocks thereby locking the entire assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Inventor: E. Barton Chapin, III
  • Patent number: 6440249
    Abstract: Apparatus for mechanically transferring an adhesive-backed labels to objects such as consumer items or packaging for consumer items. It receives labels on a lift-off backing strip, peeling the labels off one at a time from the strip by means of a peeler-bar. Using a pair of spring-loaded pawls attached to the outer edges of a label receiver, the apparatus mechanically engages each label along its outer edges as it begins to peel away from the strip. These pawls facilitate the peeling action as they direct the label into position in a label receiver. The label is then pressed directly onto the desired site, with no free-fall involved. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the spring-loaded pawls push outward disengaging the label as the label receiver contacts the surface to be labeled, thus leaving the label adhered to the desired surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Engineered Automation of Maine, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Swinburne
  • Patent number: 6436105
    Abstract: A sterile, disposable skin-marking device for applying a marking agent to the skin of a patient who is to undergo radiation therapy. The skin-marking device has a flexible housing that contains a rupturable cartridge containing the marking agent. The application end of the device is provided with a LUER-LOK coupler. A needle of appropriate size, with a LUER-LOK base, is selected and inserted into the LUER-LOK coupler, with the sheath still intact and in place. The cartridge is then ruptured by flexing or compressing the housing,. The marking agent flows into the needle, and, after removing the protective needle sheath, the needle is used to penetrate the skin of the patient to apply the marking agent to mark treatment set-up points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: Jay Passmore
  • Patent number: 6419496
    Abstract: A learning method to enhance long-term retention of a large number of learned facts or principles. The method presents items to a User repeatedly and, depending on the recall of the User, the time between presentations of a properly recalled item increases. Items being presented for the first time and those presented a subsequent time before being properly answered are designated Unseen Items and O-Level Items, respectively. During each Session, a raw score is assigned to the item (related to the User's ability of recall with the item). When its raw score becomes sufficiently high, the item is considered a P-Level Item, after which it is presented less frequently and the rate of presentation continually decreases as the User demonstrates that he or she knows the correct response for the particular P-Level Item. The number of Sessions that are skipped before the particular P-Level item is re-presented to the User is based on the User's Level L in recalling the correct answer to the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Inventor: William Vaughan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6418817
    Abstract: An adjustment mechanism for a wire stripper that sets the initial minimum opening between cutter jaws so that the jaws close snugly around a wire, and then adjusts the opening to provide a clearance distance so that the wire is not damaged when the jaws cut through the insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Inventor: Frank R. Brown
  • Patent number: 6405769
    Abstract: Material-recovery apparatus for obtaining usable, uniformly-dimensioned blanks from scrap. Apparatus is small, and economical in manufacture and operation, using only a single lifting jack and vertical support unit to support the tool-and-feed-roller housing. Feed-roller tensioning units for exerting downward force on rollers have a spring-biased bell-crank mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Inventor: Thom L. Labrie
  • Patent number: 6390553
    Abstract: Back-support device providing for expansion of a surface contour of a backrest of a seat, bed, lounge, or other type of body support device. The device includes a back-support that is arranged in the backrest and is made of a pleated fabric. A line of top-stitching is stitched through each fold that forms the pleats. An expandable device such as an air bladder is embedded in the backrest and the back-support device is arranged in the backrest between the air bladder and an occupant of the backrest. The pleats of the back-support device expand outwardly from the backrest, so that the back-support device presses against the back of the occupant, in response to pressure applied by the air bladder. The configuration of the pleats allows the back-support device to readily adapt to the particular contour of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Inventor: Andrew J. LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 6379305
    Abstract: A Doppler fetal heartbeat measurement device and method of use for reliable, convenient and inexpensive detection of fetal heartbeat and measurement of its rate from seven to twelve weeks gestation. The device is a conventional, inexpensive Doppler base unit having an intravaginal probe. Use of the present invention eliminates the need for the expensive procedure of transvaginal ultrasonic imaging for early detection of fetal heartbeat in the event of complications (e.g. cramping, spotting, pain) or the observation of a uterine size that does not correlate to the date of the last menstrual period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Inventor: Janet Stoner Eugley
  • Patent number: 6357375
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling thrusters in small water craft. A water craft is provided with a bow thruster and a stern thruster. A control panel in the helm has a thruster control stick for controlling each thruster and a HOLD device associated with each control stick. When the boat is brought into the desired position, for example, alongside a dock, the HOLD device can be pushed for one or both of the thrusters. When the HOLD is pushed, a signal is sent to a CPU to ignore any changes in position of the corresponding thruster control stick and to maintain the current amount of thrust in the corresponding thruster. In an alternative embodiment, a fore-and-aft thruster is provided as a third thruster, in addition to the bow and stern thruster. This fore-and-aft thruster is controlled analogously to the control of the other two thrusters, and is used to maneuver the boat forward and backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Inventor: Donald Ray Ellis
  • Patent number: 6328260
    Abstract: A kit for reinforcing the wing spar attachment of Lake models of amphibious airplanes. The kit includes two filler-straps and two doubler-straps for each wing spar, and the necessary bolts, rivets, washers and nuts to attach the straps to the wing spar web. The doubler-straps are constructed to fit all models of Lake amphibious airplanes; the thickness of the filler-straps is, however, specific to the model of airplane or the model of wing in which they are to be installed. The doubler-straps and the filler-straps are pre-treated to protect them against corrosion and are marked so as to preclude incorrect inspection. The inboard end of the doubler-strap is angled to correspond to the angle of the wing spar relative to a vertical plane of the airplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Inventors: Jack M. Tarbox, Philip J. Baker
  • Patent number: 6309676
    Abstract: An oral hygienic compound and method for use in domesticated animals such as cats and dogs. The primary component of the oral hygienic compound is pure, natural garlic. The method involves coating or otherwise adulterating the animal's food with the oral hygienic compound in order to maximize garlic exposure within the oral cavity of the animal. Thus, the oral hygienic compound should promote chewing by the animal so as to evenly distribute the garlic within the animal's mouth. Garlic, in an uncooked state, has been found to substantially eliminate a pet's bad breath, whether by substantially reducing odor-causing bacteria within the oral cavity, and/or by other more systemic means when it is administered according to the inventive method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Joan Lewandowski
  • Patent number: 6286629
    Abstract: An inexpensive system for measuring and controlling the height of the platform of a lift, especially of a non-fixed lift such as fork-lift or scissors-lift. By the use of a time-monitoring microprocessor, this system carries out such measuring and controlling over a continuous range of height even though the direct-measuring operations just involve a small, discrete number of surrogate-height-markers and one or two off/on sensors. This is accomplished by incorporating into the control system (a) a geometric model relating the height of the platform to the value of a surrogate parameter and (b) dynamic model describing how the surrogate parameter changes with time during ascent and descent of the platform. With this data, the microprocessor can control the platform precisely, causing it to move to any vertical position within its normal range. The resolution is limited only by the precision of the geometric and dynamic models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Inventor: David N. Saunders
  • Patent number: 6279747
    Abstract: A device to aid in study and learning including a fabric bag having external pockets with transparent outer panels for holding study materials, such as homework or other papers associated with a course of study, and accessories for writing on and working with the study materials. The bag is made to the size of a standard breakfast cereal box so that the box can be placed inside of the bag so as to provide both support for the bag—so that the study materials are displayed upright for ready viewing—and a writing surface, so that the study material may be worked with by marking on the transparent outer panels. Closing straps are provided such that the straps may be secured out of the way for unhampered pouring of the contents of the box. Methods of use facilitate assisted study, such as a parent assisting a child during the breakfast hour, as well as individual study and study by two individuals concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Inventor: Diane Zegarra
  • Patent number: 6267080
    Abstract: An enclosure for pets mounted on a single axle with two large wheels and a handlebar, and attached to side frames that provide support in the stationary position. The enclosure is large enough to install lounging platforms and climbing devices for the pets and has an upper area and a lower area. The pet owner has access to the enclosed upper area and enclosed lower area through an uppper access door and a lower access door. The pet is placed in the enclosure through the upper access door and can have access to the lower area through an opening in the floor between the upper area and the lower area. This opening can be closed off by sliding a tray across the floor of the upper area. The enclosure can easily be wheeled to a desired location by lifting slightly on the handlebar and pushing the enclosure to the desired location. The enclosure is made of an open-mesh type material, such as a wire mesh. The lower area can be constructed with solid panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Gerald L. Roy
  • Patent number: 6267071
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing vertical and horizontal adjustment of a helm seat in the cockpit of a boat. The apparatus can be mounted on a wall of the cockpit, without requiring any floor-based support, thereby providing better access to the floor area beneath the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Donald Ray Ellis
  • Patent number: 6260293
    Abstract: A snow removal device that picks up snow from the ground and flicks the snow into impeller units that transport the snow into a discharge tube whence the snow is expelled from the system. The system primarily includes a pick-up assembly, an impeller assembly, and a discharge tube. The pick-up assembly has a drum array that includes rows of triple-stepped blade-like fingers distributed evenly around each drum of the array of drums. These fingers are stiffly flexible and can cleanly and efficiently pick up snow from uneven ground surfaces and flick the snow into the impeller assembly that is mounted parallel to the axis of the drum array. The impeller assembly includes a plurality of impeller units that transport the snow into the discharge tube. The impeller units are reversible in direction, allowing the snow to be discharged to the right or the left of the system, or to the right and left simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Snotech INC
    Inventor: James C. Monroe
  • Patent number: 6256955
    Abstract: A mesh device for retaining mortar and other debris within a mortar-cavity-wall so as to prevent such material from falling in front of and hence blocking the “weep holes” placed at the bottom of such a wall to permit the egress of moisture condensate that forms within this type of wall. The device of the present invention is a rectangle of thin, openly woven mesh of basically a planar shape but with “bumps” distributed across the plane in such manner that when the device is placed upright within the cavity the bumps form barriers to the dropping of mortar and other debris. The bumps themselves, being made of the same material as the rest of the device, are fully permeable to moisture working its way down the cavity. Furthermore, there is an offset of the bumps in one row from those in the next so as to further reduce the possibility of a blockage occurring, say by debris accumulated on the bumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Inventors: Richard A. Lolley, James R. Keene, Curtis McCorsley