Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Tony D. Chen
  • Patent number: 6502599
    Abstract: A vertical shock responsive fluid valve assembly capable of automatically closing a fluid valve in response to earthquake forces or other shock forces of a predetermined magnitude. The vertical shock responsive valve assembly has a flow control mechanism having a cradle that holds a movable ball in a recess at a point perpendicular in relation to a horizontal base plate, where the ball can be rotated 360° in any direction during seismic actions or other shock forces and rolls out of its recess at a predetermined force such that it ricochets off a housing cover covering the cradle and pushes a pipe that is mounted on a pivoting parallelogram lever mechanism, thereby releasing a swing arm which has a disc on the end that functions as a plug for the hole in the valve body to interrupt gas or fluid flow therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Pacific Seismic Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard D. Sibley, William F. Keller
  • Patent number: 6491606
    Abstract: The present invention is a spin bike pedal load changing means, and foot rest means for use in stationary training, that collectively greatly improves the capabilities of spin bikes over what is currently available in the art. The pedal load changing means allows the calibration of a range of pedal working loads, tailored to the individual rider's capabilities and at the same time can be used as an emergency brake. The foot rest allows for the safe parking of the rider's free leg during one-legged cycling training. The foot rest feature and pedal load change features both effectively increase the performance and safety of the spin bike in use, which is a much-desired feature for health clubs and gyms. The spin bike further allows the instructor to carry out a group class exercise routine, where each rider can set the pedal load changing means on each spin bike to fit their individual strength and stamina capabilities and also allows the rapid changing of pedal load settings to predetermined levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Inventor: Paul Swift
  • Patent number: 6490749
    Abstract: An universal adapter for adapting a sponge mop head assembly to a wide variety of conventional mop handles and includes a hollow body which slidably receives the sponge mop head assembly. The adapter has four different attachment mechanisms located on top of the hollow body for removably attaching four different types of mop handles. The first attachment mechanism of the adapter has two opposing bendable walls, wherein each bendable wall has an aperture for securely receiving a tongue and groove type mechanism of one of the plurality of mop handles. The second attachment mechanism of the adapter further has a central hook catch section for securely receiving a hook type mechanism of one of the plurality of mop handles. The third attachment mechanism of the adapter has a plurality of opposing engagement means for slidably receiving a slidable type mechanism of one of the plurality of mop handles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Worldwide Integrated Resources, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred I. Morad
  • Patent number: 6486107
    Abstract: The present invention is a liquid protectant which protects and extends the life of anti-reflective, hydrophobic (water repellent) and mirror coatings and all types of plastic lenses from scratches, abrasions and “wear-off” of the coatings by upgrading the performance of cleaning liquids and provides the highest level of protection against abrasion as well as optical clarity, ease of cleaning and anti-static properties. The present invention apparatus and method of producing the same is used to both clean and coat all types of optical lenses which includes a coating in the nature of an optical lens coating which bonds to the exterior surface of an anti-reflective coated optical lens to create a barrier between the anti-reflective coating and the cleaning surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Inventor: Carlos A. Khantzis
  • Patent number: 6481983
    Abstract: A handless or footless operation of an electrical automatic water flow control apparatus for turning water on and off without touching the faucet lever of a faucet. The electrical water flow control apparatus is installed in line between the water shutoff valves from the wall and the water supply lines that descend from a faucet. The flow control apparatus includes a housing which houses a pair of solenoid operated valves. Each solenoid operated valve has an inlet port and an outlet port, where the ports are protruding through a wall of the housing. The inlet ports are connected to the hot and cold water shutoff valves by flexible hoses. The outlet ports are connected to the water supply lines from the faucet by flexible hoses. The electrical flow control apparatus further comprises an elongated bar switch actuator and a transformer which supplies power to the solenoid operated valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Inventor: Gerald W. Miller
  • Patent number: 6470516
    Abstract: A portable double level cradle rocking bassinet including a standard bassinet onto which is formed lower fixed rockers and also formed elongated foldout rockers. The bassinet has a frame portion to which are attached the lower fixed rockers on either end of the frame portion. When the bassinet is to be rocked, the individual simply unfolds the bassinet to the open condition, places the baby in the frame portion and then rocks the bassinet back and forth on the lower fixed rockers at a ground level. The bassinet also has foldout rockers which can be unfolded to the extended condition, so that the bassinet can be rocked back and forth at a bed or chair level. The foldout rockers can be stored by folding upwardly against the underside of the frame portion and are retained thereto by mating fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Inventor: Clisthenes F. Lopez, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6440092
    Abstract: A harmonic vibration massage device for generating harmonic vibrations and including a transmitting plate and at least two vibration generators mounted underneath the transmitting plate. The transmitting plate has a plurality of protruding fingertips thereto. The at least two vibration generators generate two distinct vibrations at two distinct areas on the transmitting plate, where the two distinct vibrations are coupled together to produce harmonic vibrations such that the harmonic vibrations are transmitted to and through the transmitting plate which in turn is transmitted to and through the plurality of fingertips and the body part positioned on the massage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: D2RM Corp.
    Inventors: Robert D. Leventhal, Paul B. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6438278
    Abstract: A fiber optical circulator in which is a light beam is fed from a fiber of a first port in a dual core glass capillary, then collimated before being passed to a birefringent crystal wherein the light beam is divided into two orthogonal components o and e with a displacement. The State of Polarization (SOP) of components then are changed into the same, perpendicular to the incident plane of the birefringent crystal prism by the group of Faraday Rotator and two Half-Wave Plates (HWP) that have different optical axis orientation and cover o and e components respectively. Then the light components with the same SOP pass into a birefringent prism where they receive angle correction to meet receiving requirement in incident angle for the fiber of port 2 without displacement due to their SOP. This is followed by a second group of HWP and Faraday Rotator that changes the SOP of two components back to orthogonal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Telelight Communication Inc.
    Inventors: Zhimin Liu, Jiwu Ling
  • Patent number: 6431854
    Abstract: A safety fuel lighter with an improved ignitor assembly, including a striker wheel which rotates about an axis in response to force applied to the striker wheel by a user's thumb or finger. The striker wheel has an annular center portion, two outer annular portions sandwiching the center portion, and a bore extending through the center portion and the two outer portions. An axle is positioned within the bore of the striker wheel, where the axle has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the bore. A mounting frame has a spring receptacle and a pair of mounting holes for receiving the axle so that the striker wheel can move from a first position to a second position. A spring is received within the spring receptacle and positioned below a flint. The spring exerts a compressive force against the flint and forces the flint into contact with the striker wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventor: Ming Fang
  • Patent number: 6424952
    Abstract: A method and system for financing expected future educational expenses. The method includes the basic steps of determining current educational expenses, reviewing past changes in educational expenses, calculating future educational expenses based on current educational expenses, past changes in educational expenses and assumptions on annual increase rates of educational expenses, establishing a target for future total investment payout based on calculated total future educational expenses and assumptions on expected investment yields, and deriving present investment amount needed to provide future educational expenses. Payment of the investment amounts are collected for investment of future payment of educational expenses. Additional insurance policies are purchased to providing cushion money to cover investment short fall and guarantee the payment for future education expenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: EDLife Holding Ltd.
    Inventor: Alazar Yinbal
  • Patent number: 6418931
    Abstract: An apparatus for protecting the user from contracting sexually transmitted diseases while engaging in cunnilingus and anal sex. The apparatus includes an oral condom mask and two opposite detachable adjustable fasteners. The detachable adjustable fasteners facilitate the fastening and releasing of the lateral portions of the oral condom mask. Each fastener includes a springy middle section between a front hook section and a rear ear engagement section for adjusting the length of the fastener so that any particular user can use the fasteners. A cylindrical locking sleeve is slidable installed on the fastener to secure the lateral end of the oral condom mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Inventor: Paula A. Bloodsaw
  • Patent number: 6412179
    Abstract: A cutting guide apparatus for use with a portable power cutting tool and including a guide base plate, locking mechanism for removably attaching the cutting guide apparatus to an upper blade guard of the cutting tool, and a control mechanism to control the position of the tool relative to a planar workpiece. The control mechanism includes a slidable member and is slidably disposed on a track which is attached on the guide base plate and moves along the direction of the cut to guide the cutting tool throughout the cutting process. The control mechanism further includes an abutment guide member for abutting against the workpiece to maintain the cutting tool in an accurate cutting position during the cutting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Inventor: Mathias Am Ende
  • Patent number: D463344
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Grand General Accessories Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Nan Huang Huang
  • Patent number: D463590
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Grand General Accessories Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Nan Huang Huang
  • Patent number: D463612
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Grand General Accessories Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Nan Huang Huang
  • Patent number: D463642
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Worldwide Integrated Resources, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred I. Morad
  • Patent number: D465860
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Grand General Accessories Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Nan Huang Huang
  • Patent number: D465861
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Grand General Accessories Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Nan Huang Huang
  • Patent number: D469213
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Grand General Accessories Manfacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Nan Huang Huang
  • Patent number: D469543
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Inventor: Xiaoming Wang