Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Watts, Hoffmann, Fisher & Heinke, Co., L.P.A.
  • Patent number: 6003168
    Abstract: Apparatus 10 for moving a person into and out of a bath 12. The apparatus comprising a seat 48 mounted by pivotal linkages 38 and 62. The seat 48 can be raised using a ram 56. The linkages 38,62 are arranged such that when the seat 48 is raised beyond a particular height the seat 48 tilts rearwardly whereby to raise the legs of a person on the seat 48 to permit same to be pivotted over the side of a bath without the requirement of lifting the seat 48 far above the bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventor: William David Steadman
  • Patent number: 6003198
    Abstract: A brushroll having a pulley driven spindle with an end assembly at each end rotatably mounting the spindle in a vacuum cleaner nozzle. On the pulley end of the spindle, a projecting pin is knurled at one end and inserted into the end of the spindle. An outboard portion of the pin is threaded. The knurling on the pin forms an abutment shoulder outboard of the end of the spindle. The drive pulley is threaded onto the threaded end of the pin until it contacts a bearing and presses it against the abutment shoulder, so as to prevent the pin from being jacked out of the spindle when the pulley is threaded onto the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: The Scott Fetzer Company
    Inventor: Alfred H. Stegens
  • Patent number: 6000612
    Abstract: A portable data collection device providing for optical character recognition. A housing defines an internal region and includes a user handle that allows a user to position the housing relative to an indicia carrying target. An imaging assembly includes a two dimensional imaging array supported within the internal region of the housing. The imaging assembly includes a capture circuit that generates a video signal representative of an image of a target zone. An optics assembly supported by the housing focuses an image of the target area onto the photosensor array. A character recognition processing circuit receives the video signal and categorizes the indicia on the target into a set of predefined characters. The character recognition processing circuit includes a discriminator for identifying a text region of the target and identifying individual character regions within the text region and a categorizer for identifying a character from a set of possible characters for an individual character region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Metanetics Corporation
    Inventor: Jianhua Xu
  • Patent number: 5996319
    Abstract: A packaging machine and process for loading bags of a novel web of side connected bags are disclosed. The web is fed through a bagger section by a pair of grooved main transport belts and a pair of lip transport belts each disposed in the groove of the associated main belt to trap bag lips in the grooves. Adjustable belt spreaders space reaches of the transport belt as they move through a load station whereby to sequentially open the bags into rectangular configurations. A closure section in the form of a novel and improved heat sealer is releasably connectable to the bagger section. The sections are adjustable together between horizontal and vertical orientations. Processes of opening, closing and sealing side connected bags are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hershey Lerner, Dana J. Liebhart
  • Patent number: 5998798
    Abstract: An ion implanter includes an dosage control apparatus for measuring and controlling ion beam dosage applied to workpieces disposed in an implantation station of the implanter. The dosage control apparatus permits the direct calculation of a calibration function. The calibration function includes at least one calibration factor, called a K value. The K value is used by dosage control circuitry of the dosage control apparatus to convert from a measured ionized beam current, I.sup.f, as measured by a Faraday cage disposed in the implantation station, to a true or effective beam current, I.sup.T. The K value is determined from a relationship between the measured ionized beam current, I.sup.+, and a pressure, P, in the implantation station. The relationship between the effective beam current, I.sup.T, the measured ionized beam current, I.sup.f, and the implantation station pressure, P, will normally take the form of an exponential relationship, e.g., I.sup.T =I.sup.f [e.sup.-(KP) ].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Alfred Mike Halling, Wade Krull
  • Patent number: 5989422
    Abstract: An oil skimmer of the endless belt type which is transportable as a unit is disclosed. The unit has an adjustment for adjusting the location of the axis of head pulley rotation and a floating tail pulley to assure accurate tracking of the belts on the pulleys and consistent and appropriate tension on the belt. The tail pulley features L-shaped spokes having legs that provide limited pulley-to-belt contact, minimizing oil transfer from the belt to the tail pulley, and also providing a mechanism for forcing oil against a descending belt reach to provide enhanced oil pick-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: Mark Thomas Hobson
  • Patent number: 5989460
    Abstract: An electrically conductive floor coating comprising a ferroalloy containing layer including particles of ferroalloy interspersed with a resinous binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Garland Floor Co.
    Inventor: William A. Corner
  • Patent number: 5987856
    Abstract: A sealing machine and process for sealing loaded bags of a novel web of side connected bags are disclosed. The web is fed through the sealer by a pair of grooved main transport belts. A holding belt is disposed in the groove of an associated main belt and extends into the groove of the other main belt as the belts move through the seal station. Processes of transporting and sealing side connected bags are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Hershey Lerner
  • Patent number: 5968900
    Abstract: Compositions herein increased creatine retention and/or glycogen storage in muscle. A composition comprises creatine or its derivative and a carbohydrate or its derivative. The carbohydrate is in an amount by weight which is greater than the amount of creatine. The amount of carbohydrate and the amount of creatine are effective for increasing creatine retention and/or glycogen storage in muscle. The compositions may be in the form of a pharmaceutical or a dietary supplement and are intended for use in the human or animal body. Other compositions comprise creatine or an active derivative together with insulin or an active derivative. The amount of creatine and the amount of insulin are effective for increasing creatine retention and/or glycogen storage in muscle. The compositions including creatine and insulin may further contain a carbohydrate or its derivative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: The University of Nottingham
    Inventors: Paul Leonard Greenhaff, Allison Lesley Green, Ian Andrew MacDonald, Eric Hultman
  • Patent number: 5960423
    Abstract: An index selection tool helps reduce costs in time and memory in selecting an index configuration or set of indexes for use by a database server in accessing a database in accordance with a workload of queries. The index selection tool attempts to reduce the number of indexes to be considered, the number of index configurations to be enumerated, and the number of invocations of a query optimizer in selecting an index configuration for the workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Surajit Chaudhuri, Vivek Narasayya
  • Patent number: 5956964
    Abstract: The invention provides a conversion means for converting a fixed type evaporative cooler (10) to a mobile type that includes a base with an opening (15), a sump (14) which can be of a size to suit one or more large coolers, means to accommodate a pump in the sump, wheels (24) firmly attached to the sump for support and mobility thereof, a filling station (22) for depositing water into the sump, and means to secure the sump to the base of a large cooler (12). The means to accommodate the pump includes a buoyant platform (16) thereby enabling the pump to remain in communication with fluid in the sump irrespective of the fluid level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: F F Seeley Nominees Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Peter Sydney Wright
  • Patent number: D415018
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: George J. Uhler
  • Patent number: D415302
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: The L.D. Kichler Co.
    Inventors: David H. Porter, Cindy Dreifort
  • Patent number: D415825
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Dynaflo Industries Corporation
    Inventors: Jack Chang, Mike Hsu
  • Patent number: D416350
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: The L.D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: David H. Porter
  • Patent number: D417519
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Frank T. Cutler
  • Patent number: D417523
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Kevin Von Kluck
  • Patent number: D417741
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: The L.D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Libbe A. Milicia
  • Patent number: D417742
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Kevin Von Kluck
  • Patent number: D417892
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventor: Stella R. Spence