Patents Represented by Attorney VanOphem & VanOphem P.C.
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Patent number: 6330764Abstract: A door window mounting and regulator assembly and more particularly a door window assembly whereby an automotive window is firmly and fixedly removably retained in a mounting assembly and method for the assembly thereof. This door window mounting and regulator assembly includes a base member with a pair of clevis brackets mounted thereon. A retainer bracket pivotally attaches within each clevis bracket and includes an undercut area that cooperates with one of a pair of contoured portions of a door window to firmly, fixedly, and removably permanently retain the door window within the door window mounting and regulator assembly.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 1999Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Inventor: Larry G. Klosterman
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Patent number: 6331068Abstract: A lamp system for a vehicle having an impact-absorbing bumper that is designed to be mounted substantially flush with the surrounding vehicle body panels and bumper, and capable of deflecting with the stroke of the impact-absorbing bumper during impact to obviate the need for the lamp to pivot about an anchor point or to be mechanically displaceable with additional hardware. The lamp system is preferably formed from resilient, impact-resistant material, with a deformable resilient deflection member selectively located between the lens and the housing, between the inner lens and the outer lens in a dual lens system, or between the housing and the body of the vehicle or a member attached thereto. Further, the resilient deflection member may be the lens itself. The material for the resilient deflection member must have a yield strength that is adequate to sustain a predetermined degree of deformation, corresponding to the amount of deflection required to deflect with the bumper stroke.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2000Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Assignee: Lacks Industries, Inc.Inventor: Lee A. Chase
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Patent number: 6328073Abstract: A body that slides over an end, opposite end, and outer diameter of a conduit is presented. A passage through the body has a groove in which a seal is located. A portion of the conduit is expanded to create an interference fit with the passage, groove, and ends of the body. As a result, an enlarged outer diameter of the conduit axially interlocks with the groove and compresses the seal therein to create a fluid-tight seal. In one embodiment of the present invention, a second enlarged outer diameter of the conduit is displaced outward over the opposite of the body to help lock the body to the conduit. Additionally, an outside diameter of the body can accommodate grooves for retaining seals. These seals can create a sealed engagement to a housing or another fitting, to form a complete conduit connection. The body can take the form of a housing, a male fitting, or a female fitting.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 1999Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Automotive Fluid Systems, Inc.Inventor: Robert J. Slais
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Patent number: 6324939Abstract: A pedal adjustment system for an automobile having an accelerator cable and a master cylinder pushrod with a free end, the system having a brake pedal secured to a lower end of a brake pedal arm and an accelerator pedal secured to a lower end of an accelerator pedal arm. The adjustment of the brake pedal arm is effected by pivoting about the free end of the master cylinder pushrod, which pivotally engages the brake pedal arm between its ends, the pivoting being done by imposing a reversible force from an electric motor and gearbox assembly attached to an upper end of the brake pedal arm. The accelerator pedal arm, an upper end of which engages the accelerator cable, is adjusted in unison with the brake pedal arm by providing an accelerator pedal adjustment link, an upper end of which is coaxial with the brake pedal arm and a lower end of which is pivotally attached to the accelerator pedal arm at a location between the upper and lower ends of the accelerator pedal arm.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 1999Date of Patent: December 4, 2001Inventor: Edmond B. Cicotte
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Patent number: 6325461Abstract: A wheel cover retention system includes a wheel having lug studs extending through the wheel, with lug nuts fastened to the lug studs to retain the wheel to the vehicle. A full-face wheel cover includes a base portion having an inboard surface thereon and lug nut passages extending therethrough, and further includes lug towers circumferentially spaced and integral with the base portion. Each of the lug towers is concentric with each of the lug nut passages and extends axially inwardly from the inboard surface of the base portion thereby terminating in an inboard end. Each lug tower is slotted to define cantilevered fingers thereon. A groove located inside each lug tower positively fixes the axial position of each of the lug towers on each of the lug nuts.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2000Date of Patent: December 4, 2001Assignee: Lacks Industries, Inc.Inventor: Gregory R. Hauler
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Patent number: 6318765Abstract: A conduit mounting device for entrapping a conduit that includes a body having a U-shaped channel formed longitudinally through the body. The U-shaped channel receives the conduit therethrough and defines a leg on either side of the U-shaped channel. A retainer insert is mounted transversely in the U-shaped channel to sandwich the conduit between the retainer insert and the body in the U-shaped channel. The legs of the body are folded behind the retainer insert in the U-shaped channel to transversely entrap the retainer insert and conduit in the U-shaped channel. A device for further longitudinally retaining the retainer insert within the U-shaped channel, in addition to a device for rotatably locking the conduit within the U-shaped channel, may also be provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1999Date of Patent: November 20, 2001Assignee: Automotive Fluid Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Slais, Jerry H. Chisnell
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Patent number: 6317900Abstract: A method for removing pharmaceutical agents from human wastes. Such pharmaceuticals may include their metabolized byproducts, either or both of which may be harmful as a toxin or a carcinogen. The method generally includes the use of a portable human waste containment unit which is configured to serve as a toilet for an individual who has been treated with a pharmaceutical agent. The waste containment unit is preferably configured as a self-contained unit with a separate removable reservoir or plastic reservoir liner, such that it is capable of being sealed for transporting to a facility where human wastes contained within the waste containment unit or its separate reservoir or liner can be appropriately processed. An outer, upper surface of the waste containment unit forms a seat equipped with a cover for sealing the waste containment unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1998Date of Patent: November 20, 2001Inventor: Earl J. Braxton
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Patent number: 6314899Abstract: An article, method, and related apparatus for a novel hook and loop lock stitch. The lock stitch is embodied in a stitched article that includes a workpiece including a series of stitch holes, or a seam, therethrough and further including a back side surface composed of a hook material including hooks therein. The lock stitch is provided through each stitch hole, and includes an upper thread extending down through each stitch hole, forming a loop underneath the workpiece, and extending back up through each stitch hole. A lower thread, or strip, is composed of a hook material including hooks therein. The loop is spread out amongst the hooks of the lower thread and interlocks therewith. The lower thread is thus entrapped between and within the loop and the back side surface of the workpiece. The workpiece can include the back side surface being composed of a loop material including loops therein for interlocking with the hooks of the lower thread.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2000Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Inventor: David B. Ballantyne
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Patent number: 6311514Abstract: An accumulator includes a housing having an open top end, an open bottom end, an outer wall, and an inner wall disposed within the outer wall to define an interior. The inner and outer walls are integrally interconnected by longitudinal partitions that define longitudinal channels with a downflow channel and an upflow channel positioned among the longitudinal channels. A top cover mounts to, and closes, the open top end of the housing, and has an inlet passage and an outlet passage therethrough. A refrigerant separator is positioned beneath the top cover for directing refrigerant from the inlet passage of the top cover to the interior of the housing, for venting gaseous refrigerant to the downflow passage of the housing while preventing ingress of liquid refrigerant therein, and for communicating gaseous refrigerant from the upflow passage of the housing to the outlet passage of the top cover.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2000Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Assignee: Automotive Fluid Systems, Inc.Inventor: Jerry H. Chisnell
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Patent number: 6308736Abstract: A pressure vessel including a mounting block for supporting and retaining an inlet and an outlet tube to the pressure vessel. The mounting block includes a valve that communicates with an interior of the vessel and fastens the mounting block to a top of the pressure vessel. The mounting block enables access to the interior of the housing for accessories such as the valve, a sight glass, or a pressure switch, and the accessories can be either permanently or removably attached to the pressure vessel at the top or sides thereof. The mounting block may accommodate more than one valve.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1999Date of Patent: October 30, 2001Assignee: Automotive Fluid Systems, Inc.Inventors: Larry Lafer, Robert J. Slais
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Patent number: 6306592Abstract: The invention relates to a method of detecting and identifying nucleic aicd (NA) molecules within a population (I) of NA molecules of identical, similar or different sequence, in which: (a) the single-stranded or duplex ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules or single-stranded deoxyribonucleic aicd (DNA) molecules contained in a population (I) iare convereted into a population (II) of duplex DNA molecules; b) the population (II) of duplex DNA molecules is subjected to denaturation and subsequent renaturation, so that a mixture of homo- and heteroduplex DNA molecules is present; c) heteroduplexes formed in the population (II) where unpaired of incorrectly paired nucleotides are present are reacted chemically with a carbodiimide compound; and d) the resulting carboddimide reactions products are characterized and quantified, characterized in that a chromatographic purification method is carried out between each of the steps a to d.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1998Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: november Aktiengesellschaft Gesellschaft fur Molekulare MedizinInventor: Wolf Bertling
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Patent number: 6299531Abstract: The display system includes a plurality of displays prominently positioned about a baccarat table so that the bettors and onlookers of the baccarat table can easily view the displays and know past game results. The system includes a first counter for inputting a bank-win outcome, a second counter for inputting of a player-win outcome, and a third counter for inputting of a bank-player-tie outcome. The displays illustrate a matrix to allow input of indicia into each cell based on the results of each hand completed. The arrangement of the input of gaming results in the matrix gives a new player, and/or onlooker a complete history of past games played and resulting winners (bank, player or tie), as well as the consecutive games won and the frequency of wins by either the bank or player.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 1999Date of Patent: October 9, 2001Inventor: Ted Bommarito
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Patent number: 6279425Abstract: A method of producing a tool or die from a model that includes producing a rigid mold from the model, forming a die shell of the model from a sheet of material in close conforming relationship over the rigid mold, and applying a reinforcing substrate to the die shell on a side of the die shell opposite that of the rigid mold. The applying step is performed while the die shell is still in close conforming relationship with the rigid mold, thereby forming the tool or die from the reinforcing substrate and die shell.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1999Date of Patent: August 28, 2001Inventor: Edmond Burton Cicotte
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Patent number: 6264145Abstract: A satellite designed to be spin-stabilized in geostationary orbit which has, coaxial with a spin rotation axis, a satellite body surrounded with a cylindrical solar generator, an apogee maneuver system disposed along the axis and two axially disposed equipments. The apogee maneuver system has opposite one of the equipments at least two thrusters oriented parallel to the axis but offset relative thereto by the same distance. Equi-angularly spaced around the other of the two equipments, the thrusters are connected to a common liquid propellant feed system.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1999Date of Patent: July 24, 2001Assignee: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale IndustrielleInventor: Patrick Maute
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Patent number: 5676080Abstract: Each keel panel for a punt-like boat is formed from aluminum sheet having a relatively low temper/high degree of extensibility and the bow portion is stretched formed over a die in a metal stretching machine. The hull construction of the boat has a keel, chines and gunwales formed from aluminum extrusions, interconnected by transverse ribs, where the keel panels are connected to the keel, chines and gunwales but are not connected to the ribs to permit limited movement relative thereto.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1996Date of Patent: October 14, 1997Assignee: Quintrex Australia PTY Ltd.Inventor: Terence Vance Allen