Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Walker, McKenzie & Walker
  • Patent number: 8256467
    Abstract: A plug having a pressure release valve for releasing excess pressure within a bladder of the plug. The release valve has a valve core with a pressure release passage therethrough with an inlet in fluid communication with an interior void of the bladder and an outlet in fluid communication with the external environment outside the bladder. An elastomeric seal under hoop stress about a portion of the valve core seals the outlet until overinflation of the bladder causes the seal to become elastically deflected and unseal the outlet, thereby allowing excess pressure to be released. When the overinflation no longer exists because of the pressure release, the hoop stress of the seal causes resealing of the outlet. An inflation valve may also be provided to inflate the bladder, and with the inlet opening into an inflation passageway into the bladder's interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: IPS Corporation
    Inventors: Richard E. Larson, Steven R. Cole
  • Patent number: 8186400
    Abstract: A cover for a module of fibrous material consists of a top member; a first side wall member with a first gap at its midpoint; a second side wall member with a second gap at its midpoint; first and second end wall members; a channel running along the bottom edge of the wall members and interrupted by the firs and second gaps; a first support strap at the midpoint of the first side wall member and within the first gap; a second support strap at the midpoint of the second side wall member and within the second gap; a securing strap having first and second ends and running through the channel, said securing strap supported by the first and second support straps as it passes through the first and second gaps; and a buckle securing the first and second ends of the securing strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: L.P. Brown Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Lummis, Barton Wade Daniel
  • Patent number: 8082690
    Abstract: An avian decoy including a decoy body; a stake having an upper end for rotatably supporting the decoy body, and having a lower end for being anchored to a support surface; and a guide for guiding the upper end of the stake into proper position in the decoy body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Avery Outdoors, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Lee Zink, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8070172
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle suspension. Preferred embodiments have two transversely-mounted steerable front wheels and a single rear wheel, but the vehicle suspension of the present invention may be used with two-wheeled vehicles or four-wheeled vehicles, and front and rear coupled vehicle suspensions may be employed. Two preferred embodiments of the vehicle suspension of the present invention are described. Both have a transverse leaf spring, left and right rotary dampers, and independent left and right parallelogram transverse control arms movably mounting left and right wheel mounting members to the vehicle's frame. A rocker member, to which the rotary dampers and leaf spring are mounted, is pivotally mounted to the vehicle frame by a central pivot bearing, permitting the rocker member to pivot about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The parallelogram geometry holds the front wheels at even camber throughout the suspension travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: TreMoto, LLC
    Inventors: Edward M. Smith, Robert E. McIver
  • Patent number: 7946556
    Abstract: A resilient seat seal for a valve. The seal has a closed liquid-filled void therewithin, and the liquid redistributes within the seal as a portion of the seal is compressed, thereby causing effective sealing by all portions of the seal. Examples are shown with the seal used in a knife gate valve, a ball valve, and a butterfly valve. Preferably the seal is made of elastomer or polymer material such as GFLT (“good for low temperature”) FKM. The liquid within the void of the seal is preferably an antifreeze liquid such as ethylene glycol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: SISTAG AG Absperrtechnik
    Inventor: Donald R. Trott
  • Patent number: 7938115
    Abstract: A cardiopulmonary resuscitation device that combines ventilation of a patient's lungs with chest compressions on the patient's sternum area. The device includes a self-inflating bag having an outlet port through which the content of the bag is forced when bag is compressed; target indicia on the bag to indicate the proper position of the bag on the patient's sternum area and to indicate the proper location on the bag for applying force to the top side thereof; a face mask for placement over the patient's mouth and nose; and a tube extending from the bag to the face mask. The device may include indicia for indicating the amount of pressure applied to the self-inflating bag, and a backboard including belt/motor structure for providing repeated and rapid chest compression and forced ventilation of the patient's lungs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventors: Darrell K. Thompson, Phyllis D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7934344
    Abstract: A stairway with a finished skirt/fascia board is formed using parallel stringers and tread/riser support brackets spaced and aligned along the stringers. The brackets are temporarily and pivotally attached to stringers and the stringers are moved parallel to and relative to each other to orient the stringers for the slope of the stairway. The pivotal attachment of the brackets to one of the stringers and the unattached stringer is moved into contact with the other stringer at mating faces. The brackets are them permanently attached to the parallel stringers. The mating faces of the stringers form a finished skirt/fascia board for the stairway. Several variations in contoured faces, including tongue and groove contours, for the mating surfaces provide for a smooth and clean looking skirt/fascia board on a finished stairway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: EZ Stairs, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Truckner
  • Patent number: 7887127
    Abstract: A chair for supporting a couple. The chair has first and second backrests mounted to the seat of the chair for movement from a substantially upright first position to a tilted second position at an angle with respect to the first position. A couple sits facing each other in the chair, one member of the couple being seated in the lap of the other, each member of the couple being respectively supported by their respective backrest, allowing the couple to rock back and forth while seated in the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Inventor: William J. Albritton
  • Patent number: 7824546
    Abstract: A canteen including a reservoir for containing unfiltered water; a filter; a spout; and a pump for pumping water from the reservoir, through the filter, and then out the spout as filtered water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Inventors: Sandra Saunders Jones, David Bron Eaton
  • Patent number: 7806118
    Abstract: A cardiopulmonary resuscitation device that combines ventilation of a patient's lungs with chest compressions on the patient's sternum area. The device includes a self-inflating bag having an outlet port through which the content of the bag is forced when bag is compressed; target indicia on the bag to indicate the proper position of the bag on the patient's sternum area and to indicate the proper location on the bag for applying force to the top side thereof; a face mask for placement over the patient's mouth and nose; and a tube extending from the bag to the face mask. The device may include indicia for indicating the amount of pressure applied to the self-inflating bag, and a backboard including belt/motor structure for providing repeated and rapid chest compression and forced ventilation of the patient's lungs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Inventors: Darrell K. Thompson, Phyllis D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7788769
    Abstract: A drapery carrier comprising a carrier body with first and second coaxially joined wheels on opposite sides of the carrier body, and bearings entrapped within the drapery carrier between raceway seat portions of the wheels. An axial finger extends from the first wheel and is engagingly held within an axial bore of the second wheel. Respective outer circumferential wheel surfaces of the first and second wheels define first and second wheel outer diameters of the first and second wheels, and the bearing center-to-center orbit diameter is less than the first and second wheel outer diameters. Three embodiments of a carrier strip hold a plurality of the drapery carriers prior to and during insertion within a drapery track, and permit easy insertion of the drapery carriers into the track by sliding the track onto the drapery carriers while they are held by the carrier strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventors: Joe D. Wicker, Yu-Ting Kao
  • Patent number: 7788838
    Abstract: A waterfowl decoy has a body with a motor rotatably driving a shaft. A support rod is movably and eccentrically connected to the shaft. The support rod extends outwardly through an orifice in the body, rotation of the shaft causing the support rod to move inwardly and outwardly of the body through the orifice, and to swing upwardly and downwardly about the orifice. A foot on the outer end of the support rod performs a kicking action when the decoy floats in water. There may be two support rods extending through the belly portion of the waterfowl and reciprocating out of phase with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Avery Outdoors, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Michael Anthony
  • Patent number: 7770612
    Abstract: A pressure-actuated air gun having an actuating port in the nozzle of the gun such that, when the actuating port becomes blocked, as by inserting the nozzle of the gun into a coupling on an article to be inflated or deflated, air is caused to pass from a source of pressurized air to the gun. When the actuating port becomes unblocked, as by disengaging the nozzle of the gun from the coupling, air is inhibited from passing from the source of pressurized air to the gun. An air pilot actuated valve is interposed between the source and the gun, and is controlled by air pressure that builds up when the actuating port becomes blocked by the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Inventor: Jimmy Earle Brown
  • Patent number: 7757347
    Abstract: A drapery carrier comprising a carrier body with first and second coaxially joined wheels on opposite sides of the carrier body, and bearings entrapped within the drapery carrier between raceway seat portions of the wheels. An axial finger extends from the first wheel and is engagingly held within an axial bore of the second wheel. Respective outer circumferential wheel surfaces of the first and second wheels define first and second wheel outer diameters of the first and second wheels, and the bearing center-to-center orbit diameter is less than the first and second wheel outer diameters. Two embodiments of a carrier strip hold a plurality of the drapery carriers prior to and during insertion within a drapery track, and permit easy insertion of the drapery carriers into the track by sliding the track onto the drapery carriers while they are held by the carrier strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Inventor: Joe D. Wicker
  • Patent number: 7721888
    Abstract: A product packaging container including end caps with reciprocating pins moved by rotating cams that secure a sidewall sheet fabricated of a flexible material capable of receiving ink or laser printing on one surface, and an end cap may include a sound-playing circuit that plays when the pins are actuated to release the sidewall sheet. Embodiments of a frusto-conical floral stand with a nutrient-filled bladder are provided. A frame kit is provided that, when assembled, holds the sidewall sheet of the container therewithin. A method for processing orders and shipping parcels such as horticultural articles in such containers is also provided, and the orders may specify a personalized sound and a personalized message on the sidewall sheet for framing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Inventor: Igal R. Elfezouaty
  • Patent number: 7717428
    Abstract: A game board and rules that allow three players to play a game based on traditional checkers but requiring additional moves through a triangular central field of play. In one version, the central field is composed of three concentric equilateral triangles made up of discs. In another version there are two concentric equilateral triangles of discs arranged around a triangular central void. The rules of play differ between the two versions because of the difference in configuration of the game board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Inventor: James C. Turner, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7716866
    Abstract: An avian decoy including a decoy body; a stake having an upper end for rotatably supporting the decoy body, and having a lower end for being anchored to a support surface; and a guide for guiding the upper end of the stake into proper position in the decoy body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Avery Outdoors, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred Lee Zink, Jr., Thomas B. J. Matthews
  • Patent number: 7703471
    Abstract: A single-action discharge valve for discharging a vessel's contents. The valve has a valve body with a passage therethrough through which the contents are discharged, a frangible seal held within the valve body and sealing the passage while the seal is intact, and a solenoid including an armature moveable from a first to a second position. As the armature moves, pins or teeth impact and break the frangible seal. Magnets hold the armature in the first position until the solenoid is actuated. The armature is substantially exterior of the passage so that discharge is unimpeded. In one embodiment, the pins reciprocate radially when cammed by the armature and impact the sidewall of a frangible dome seal. In other embodiments, teeth on the armature, or pins in the armature's path, reciprocate parallel to the armature's movement and impact a frangible disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: TSM Corporation
    Inventor: Richard H. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7703233
    Abstract: An avian decoy comprising a body having a hollow interior; a support movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and an extremity movable between a retracted position and an extended position; the extremity including a foot and a leg; the leg having a first end positioned within the hollow interior of the body and having a second end attached to the foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Avery Outdoors, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred Lee Zink, Jr., Thomas B. J. Matthews
  • Patent number: D629930
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Henry Edward Cotter, William Harry Hessen, William Lionel McCracken, III, Yasuki Tsutsumi