Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Tuttle
  • Method for limiting the force action of a robot part
    Patent number: 6748298
    Abstract: In order to reduce the risk of damage on external objects, material articles or persons during the operation of a robot, particularly a miniature robot, the invention provides a method for limiting the force action of a robot part, such as a robot arm, on such an external object during a collision in such a way that as a result of a maximum permitted force, maximum force Fmax, acting on the object in the case of a collision, a corresponding, maximum permitted kinetic energy, maximum energy Ekin,max of the robot part is determined, continuously and at adequately short time intervals the actual kinetic energy, actual energy Ekin, of the robot part is determined and on exceeding the maximum permitted energy Ekin,max, the actual operating speed V of the robot is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Heiligensetzer
  • Respiratory flow sensor with flow channel having a measuring transducer and air resistance body
    Patent number: 6742399
    Abstract: A respiratory flow sensor, which is suitable for use near a patient, covers a broad gas volume flow measuring range with a low breathing flow resistance and good, reproducible measured signal quality at the same time. The respiratory flow sensor has a first air resistance body (3) with a blunt end and with an opposite pointed end. The air resistance body (3) is arranged between the measuring transducer (5), of which there is at least one, and the patient-side end (P) of the respiratory flow sensor. The pointed end of the first air resistance body (3) points toward the measuring transducer (5). A second air resistance body (4) with a pointed end is arranged between the measuring transducer (5), of which there is at least one, and the end of the respiratory flow sensor that is away from the patient. The pointed end of the second air resistance body (4) also points toward the measuring transducer (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Dräger Medizintechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Kunz, Götz Kullik, Dieter Engel, Thomas Leyer
  • Moveable track connection
    Patent number: 6739267
    Abstract: A movable track connection between the ends of travel paths for wrap-around track-guided vehicles, especially magnetic levitation railway vehicles is provided. The moveable track connection has a set of S-shaped deformable bending points (1) for changing track. A bearing (4, 6) along half the length of deformable bending points has a vertical axis of rotation, which cannot move in the longitudial direction of the bending points (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Thyssenkrupp Transrapid GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Fichtner, Franz Pichlmeier, Michael Schöttl
  • Ball pivot
    Patent number: 6739788
    Abstract: A ball pivot (1) of a ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles with a joint ball (2) and with a pivot (3) connected to the joint ball (2) is presented, in which a substantial part (3.1) of the pivot (3) is made nonround for preventing the ball pivot from rotating. A wheel suspension is also disclosed in which a nonround ball pivot is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Jörg Hagemes, Martina Beyer
  • Temperature control system for a vehicle
    Patent number: 6739148
    Abstract: A temperature control system for a vehicle includes an air-conditioning device (12) with a compressor device (14, 40) for compressing a working medium of the air-conditioning device (12). The compressor device (14, 40) can be driven by a first drive unit (18), preferably the driving motor (18) of a vehicle, and/or a second drive unit (42), whereby the second drive unit (42) comprises a Stirling motor (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: J. Eberspächer GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Humburg
  • Surface coated aluminum fine powder and aqueous chromium-free corrosion inhibiting coating composition including the same
    Patent number: 6740424
    Abstract: A chromium-free corrosion inhibiting coating composition, which does not utilize harmful chromium compounds and can be used for corrosion inhibition of a metal surface, comprising a slurry mixture in which coated aluminum fine powder treated with a hydrophilic coupling agent is suspended in an acidic phosphate bonding solution and which can be stored in a refrigerator, is disclosed. A titanium-coupling agent is preferable to use as the coupling agent, which treats a surface of the aluminum fine powder. In this aqueous chromium-free corrosion inhibiting coating composition, 25 to 40% by weight of the aluminum fine powder a surface of which is treated with the coupling agent is suspended in the acidic phosphate bonding solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Endo, Tomio Sakai, Saburo Shimada
  • Winding structure of starter
    Patent number: 6737950
    Abstract: According to the present invention, in a winding structure of a starter, in which a shunt coil 1 is wound around a bobbin 2 shaped like U in a cross section, the shunt coil 1 wound around the bobbin 2 is taped and fixed at a plurality of places together with the bobbin 2, and the shunt coil 1 is placed into a yoke of a starter in this state, the bobbin 2 has a notch 6 which is formed with a depth larger than a winding height of the shunt coil 1 on both of side winding frames of the bobbin 2 at a taping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignees: Sawafuji Electric Co., Ltd, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari Onaya, Syuuji Miyazawa, Syuichi Aoki, Yasuo Osawa, Youichi Hasegawa
  • System for sorting commercial articles and method therefor
    Patent number: 6737600
    Abstract: An inflow article management system is provided. The system comprises at least one inflow line; an input feeding means through which a vendor feeds vendor identification information when he puts his article into the inflow line; an article identification information reading means to read article identification information which is attached to an article and is related with its attributes; an article information storing means to store an article information table connecting the vendor identification information with the article identification information of articles and the number of the articles to be received; and an inflow article information control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Inventor: Chiyuki Takizawa
  • Clamping element with sliding clamping claw
    Patent number: 6736383
    Abstract: A clamping element is provided for clamping work pieces on machine tables and the like with a tiltably mounted clamping lever, which is longitudinally displaceable in the clamping plane. The clamping element includes a housing (1) provided with a fork head (3), in the forks of which holes (4) are provided centrally and into which a king pin (5) each is inserted in a rotatably mounted manner. The king pins (5) are provided with guide pins (6), which have two opposite flattened areas. The clamping lever is a square with two grooves (8) milled in, in opposite locations. The clamping lever (2) can be pushed with its grooves (8) onto the guide pins (6) of the king pins (5) inserted into the fork head (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: A Römheld GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rudolf Kohlert
  • Method for producing a housing for a ball joint
    Patent number: 6735997
    Abstract: A process is provided for manufacturing a ball-and-socket joint housing by cold forming from a blank (R), which is preferably produced from a bar or wire material and is prepared for forming. A first axial depression (1) with a diameter (D1) is first prepared by reverse cup extrusion. A second axial depression (2) with a comparatively larger diameter (D2) is subsequently prepared in the axial depression (1) by reverse cup extrusion. A diameter reduction (D3) also of the first axial depression (1) is formed in some sections by the deformation of the material during the second reverse cup extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Klaus Rosenberger, Markus Thölking, Detlef Schellack
  • Commissioning system with product storage compartments disposed in a shelf and with a positionable ejector unit
    Patent number: 6733222
    Abstract: A commissioning system (1) is provided with product storage compartments (2) vertically to horizontally disposed in a shelf, in which products are stacked. The product right at the bottom of such a stack of a selected product storage compartment can be ejected by a positionable ejector unit (4) in a direction transverse to the shelf. The inventive system is further characterized in that the shelf (5) is configured as a frame/component system, especially as a frame and plug-in modules system, which comprises modular elements. The shelf is variable in terms of height, width and/or length and can optionally be extended by adding modular elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Knapp Logistik Automation GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Freudelsperger
  • System for maintaining PBX license key information in the event of a hardware failure reducing MTTR
    Patent number: 6735297
    Abstract: A programmable telephone system including system software and system hardware. The system software includes instructions for operating the telephone system, and requires license information to operate. The system hardware includes a system specific memory and a system board. The system board executes the instructions of the system software. The system specific memory store is the license information and is separately replaceable from the system board in the system hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. McCormack, Paul Dryer
  • Mounting method for a handrail in a frame scaffolding
    Patent number: 6732836
    Abstract: A mounting method for a handrail capable of mounting and removal. The method uses frame with fittings and a lateral member. The frames are spaced laterally with a scaffolding plate erected between the lateral frames. A handrail is erected between the fittings adjacent to each other laterally to constitute a scaffolding frame. A plurality of the scaffolding frames are assembled vertically. The handrail includes a pair of longitudinal struts opposed laterally, and a lateral handrail frame erected between the struts, the struts including a first mounting member mounted on the lateral member or the fittings, a second mounting member mounted on the fittings, and a third mounting member for receiving an end of the handrail frame. The method includes mounting one strut on the upper end of one of the fittings via the first and second mounting members on the scaffolding plate of the lower stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Inventor: Tatsuo Ono
  • Two-joint arrangement
    Patent number: 6733019
    Abstract: A two-joint arrangement is presented for the articulated connection of guide elements, preferably of a motor vehicle linkage with a common articulated part. Each of the two joints has a joint housing that is connected to a guide element each and a bearing shell that is accommodated within the joint housing, in which a pivot part which is rigidly connected to the common articulated part is accommodated in a rotatable and pivotable manner. In a first embodiment variant, a pivot part (26) of a joint (4) has an opening (24) running in the pivot part longitudinal axis, which the pivot part (17) of the other joint (5) having a screw bolt area (23) located thereon penetrates whereby a clamping nut is arranged on the free end of the screw bolt area (23) facing away from the pivot part (17) of the other joint (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: André Diener, Reinhard Buhl
  • Valve group for supply and control of hot, cold and mixed water flow
    Patent number: 6732754
    Abstract: This invention relates to a group of valve components to regulate the flow of water in hot and cold water mixer taps, which comprises a mixer valve with a cartridge type body provided with reference pins and is intended to be housed, superimposed and in association with at least a pressure regulator, in a tap body. The superimposed mixer valve (10) and al least pressure regulator (11) are assembled together by fastening screws (14, 16, 19, 111′) in order to form a block to be inserted into/removed from the tap body as a single group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Sitec S.R.L.
    Inventor: Carlo Ottelli
  • Transmit queue caching
    Patent number: 6735210
    Abstract: A computer network switch includes a receiving module for receiving packets, a packet memory with a plurality of buffer cells with each of the buffer cells having a buffer descriptor. A descriptor free pool lists available buffer descriptors that can be used for new incoming packets. A plurality of transmit queues hold the buffer descriptors. Each of the transmit queues include an input queue, an expansion queue and an output queue. The switch also includes control logic for directing the removing of one of the available buffer descriptors from the free pool and directing one of the packets from the receiving module into one of the buff cells corresponding to the one available buffer descriptor. The control logic places the one buffer descriptor in the input queue of one of the transmit queues. The control logic also monitors a load status of the input and output queues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventors: Carl John Lindeborg, James Scott Hiscock, David James Mannion
  • Fibre-reinforced plastic part
    Patent number: 6730394
    Abstract: On joining a fibre-reinforced plastic part, such as a plastic fibre-reinforced robot arm, to a functional element such as a gear, as a result of the flow characteristics of the plastic in the case of a high pressing action or high pressures, the joints are no longer stable or resistant and instead tend to loosen. To obviate this problem, the invention provides a fibre-reinforced plastic part, in which several metallic parts (6) engage through at least one fibre-reinforced shoulder (4). On one side of the shoulder or shoulders (4) is provided at least one metallic abutment (8) engaging over several metallic parts (6) and a functional element (2) is braced from the opposite side of the shoulder or shoulders (4) with the abutment (8) against the front ends (6a), facing the latter, of metallic parts (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Albert Bayer, Wolfgang Bohlken, Joachim Markert
  • Valve arrangement for controlling the flow rate of a gas
    Patent number: 6729343
    Abstract: A valve arrangement is provided with a very short minimum valve adjustment time. This is especially suitable for use in respirators or anesthesia apparatuses for metering gases for respirated patients. It has a valve (3, 4) with a seat (3) and with a valve closing part (4) for adjusting the gas flow rate, an inflow line (1) and a discharge line (2) as well as a drive system (5) for controlling the position of the valve closing part (4) relative to the seat (3). A gas flow rate measuring transducer (8) and a control unit (9) are provided for controlling the drive system (5) by means of a control signal. A velocity measuring transducer (7) for measuring the velocity of the valve closing means (4) relative to the seat (3) is present to provide an output signal used to calculate the control signal (40) for the drive system (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Dräger Medical AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Bernhard Ludwig, Tilmann von Blumenthal, Ralf Lorenzen
  • Combined wristwatch and bracelet
    Patent number: D490000
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Inventor: Patrick Joseph Lassigne
  • Vehicle seat cover
    Patent number: D490263
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Texcar S.R.L.
    Inventor: Fioravanti Sauro