Patents Represented by Law Firm Wood, Herron & Evans P.L.L.
  • Patent number: 5571498
    Abstract: Emulsions of paramagnetic contrast agents, and processes of making and using them are disclosed. The emulsions contain water, a dispersed oil phase and a complex of a paramagnetic metal ion and an organic chelator having a C.sub.10 -C.sub.30 unsaturated aliphatic group. The emulsions are very stable and therapeutically acceptable for intravenous administration to enhance MRI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: HemaGen/PFC
    Inventors: William P. Cacheris, Robert J. Kaufman, Thomas J. Richard, Raymond C. Grabiak
  • Patent number: 5571409
    Abstract: This invention is directed to an aquarium waterfall assembly which may be placed on top of a single aquarium tank and used to move water from the tank, over a decorative waterfall and back to the tank. If desired, the aquarium water also may be filtered using the assembly. The invention also is directed to an aquarium and waterfall system, a decorative cover for an aquarium water heater and a method of transporting water in an aquarium system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Inventor: Jerry L. Scarborough
  • Patent number: 5569363
    Abstract: A shade is disposed on the inner wall of an inductively coupled plasma chamber, covering a protected zone of the wall generally opposite to the inductive coil driving the chamber, preventing accumulation of material sputtered from a wafer in this zone, and thus restricting closed paths for eddy current flow along the chamber wall, improving inductive coupling of electrical power to the plasma in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Materials Research Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Bayer, Alexander D. Lantsman, James A. Seirmarco
  • Patent number: 5566697
    Abstract: An oscillator screen cleaning apparatus includes an enclosed housing which forms a cleaning chamber having a plurality of spray nozzles positioned therein to spray a printing screen with cleaning solvent. An oscillating mechanism is mounted within the cleaning chamber to move the screen in an oscillating motion in front of the spray nozzles to provide an efficient and effective cleaning of the printing screen. The spray nozzles are arranged in two opposing grid patterns and the screen is oscillated between the grid patterns to provide complete coverage of the screen with spray cleaning solvent. The sprayed solvent is collected, filtered and resprayed onto the screen, and the high spray rate of the apparatus ensures effective cleaning with the re-used solvent. The entire spray system is enclosed within a housing which is coupled to a vapor recovery system so that solvent and solvent vapors do not escape into the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Intercontinental Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Albert B. Cord, Cameron W. Cord, David N. Gehrich, Gregory N. Jensen, Ted K. Parr
  • Patent number: 5566930
    Abstract: A hardwood floor system has upper and lower subfloors of wooden panels, a plurality of elongated floorboards disposed above the upper subfloor and a plurality of uniformly spaced compressible, deflectable pads supporting the lower subfloor above a base. In free-floating embodiment of the invention, each of the pads includes a glide tip that is slidable with respect to the base. The pads are a compressible material having a flattened truncated first end and a larger second end. Each pad has at least one tab connected to and extending laterally from one of its ends to secure the pad to the floor system. The pad includes an internal hollow volume with a cross sectional area that decreases from an opening at the second end of the pad to a closed end of the hollow volume proximate the first end of the pad. The opening has a cross-sectional area greater than the area of the flattened truncated first end of the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Robbins, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Niese
  • Patent number: 5567243
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at temperatures substantially lower than conventional thermal CVD temperatures comprises placing a substrate within a reaction chamber and exciting a first gas upstream of the substrate to generate activated radicals of the first gas. The substrate is rotated within the deposition chamber to create a pumping action which draws the gas mixture of first gas radicals to the substrate surface. A second gas is supplied proximate the substrate to mix with the activated radicals of the first gas and the mixture produces a surface reaction at the substrate to deposit a film. The pumping action draws the gas mixture down to the substrate surface in a laminar flow to reduce recirculation and radical recombination such that a sufficient amount of radicals are available at the substrate surface to take pan in the surface reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Materials Research Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Foster, Joseph T. Hillman, Rene E. LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 5567765
    Abstract: This invention relates to physiologically acceptable emulsions of perfluorocarbon ether hydrides having 8 to 12 carbon atoms. These novel emulsions have various medical applications. They are especially useful medically as contrast media for various biological imaging modalities such as nuclear magnetic resonance, .sup.19 F-magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, x-ray, and computed tomography, as oxygen transport agents or "artificial bloods" in the treatment of heart attack, stroke, and other vascular obstructions, as adjuvants to coronary angioplasty and in cancer radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: George G. I. Moore, Richard M. Flynn, Miguel A. Guerra
  • Patent number: 5567483
    Abstract: A titanium nitride film is annealed at a temperature less than 500.degree. C. by subjecting said titanium nitride film to an RF created plasma generated from a nitrogen-containing gas in a rotating susceptor reactor. The formed film is comparable to a thin film annealed at significantly higher temperatures, making this process useful for integrated circuits containing aluminum elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Materials Research Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Foster, Joseph T. Hillman, Rikhit Arora
  • Patent number: 5567944
    Abstract: A source emitting gamma rays of discrete energy is imaged using a Compton type scattering camera. The source location of emitted gamma rays is determined from primary and secondary interaction positions and the energy deposited (.DELTA.E) when the gamma-ray Compton scatters mainly from a primary detector system. .DELTA.E is mainly determined by measuring the energy of the scattered gamma ray when it interacts in a secondary detector system and subtracting this value from a known energy value of the emitted gamma ray. Gamma rays that undergo only one Compton scatter interaction in the primary detector system are emphasized or preferred in the image reconstruction. The present invention optimizes the materials, geometrics, and electronics of the primary and secondary detector system so as to maximize the occurrence and acquisition of these preferred events while simultaneously maintaining close proximity of primary system to the photon source as well as high energy resolution in the secondary detector system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: University of Cincinnati
    Inventors: Ronald C. Rohe, John D. Valentine
  • Patent number: 5566788
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a caster wheel foot brake assembly which may be used with casters on items such as shopping carts, strollers, moving carts, furniture and the like.The brake assembly includes a foot pedal, pair of connector arms, brake arm, U-shaped braking foot and hinge spring which form an overcenter locking mechanism.In order to engage the braking foot with the caster wheel, the user pushes down on the rear portion of the foot pad, thereby moving the braking foot overcenter in toggle fashion into a releasably locked braking position. In order to disengage the brake, the user may either push down on the front portion of the foot pad or pull back on the shopping cart or other item attached to the caster, thereby moving the braking foot back overcenter into a disengaged nonbraking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: EPHTEC, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Smith, Ralph L. Powers
  • Patent number: 5566042
    Abstract: An improved power supply for an electrostatic spray gun device having a voltage multiplier circuit adjusts to variations in the output load conditions of the multiplier circuit and dynamically modifies the operational loadline of the multiplier circuit in order to maintain optimal operating conditions for the spray gun device notwithstanding output load variations. The power supply utilizes a loadline manipulation circuit coupled to a feedback circuit that monitors the output load, and the manipulation circuit, in response to a feedback signal from the feedback circuit that is proportional to the output load, varies the input voltage level to the multiplier circuit to modify the loadline of the power supply in response to varying load conditions. The manipulator means of the power supply has memory means to store a variety of external commands which will control the manipulation means and a user interface to enter the external commands into the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Perkins, Gerald W. Crum, John A. Hendricks, Jeffery E. Dailidas
  • Patent number: 5564857
    Abstract: A slotted drain includes a drain pipe having an elongated narrow slot extending lengthwise along its top surface. A lower grate is rigidly secured to the elongated slot and is formed by a pair of bearing plates connected to one another by a series of spacer plates and connected to the edges of the elongated slot. The lower grate is connected to an upper grate initially in an adjustable manner such that the height and angle of the upper grate may be adjusted with respect to the lower grate and the drain pipe. The height of the upper grate with respect to the drain pipe is dependent upon the intended depth at which the drain pipe will be situated and the angle of the upper grate may, for example, correspond to the drainage slope at which the drain pipe will be set. Once the upper grate has been adjusted to the desired height and angle, the upper grate is rigidly secured to the lower grate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Contech Construction Products Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Schluter
  • Patent number: 5564448
    Abstract: A container washing apparatus for washing containers such as beverage cans. An elongated liquid supply pipe includes a plurality of angled fittings connected along opposite sides of the pipe. Each fitting includes quick connect and disconnect structure on its outer end for mating with like structure of a fan spray nozzle. The fan spray nozzles may be turned onto the ends of the angled fittings in a quick twisting bayonet motion to align each of the elongated fan spray patterns parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. In a preferred embodiment, the container washing apparatus is used in a washing system including a liquid permeable conveyor for moving a plurality of containers, such as beverage cans, past a plurality of elongated spray pipes of the invention which are mounted adjacent upper and lower sides of the conveyor in a perpendicular orientation relative to the movement of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas C. Lincoln
  • Patent number: 5564663
    Abstract: A base unit for mounting a head support to a medical table wherein a generally U-shaped frame of the base member is mounted with respect to the table. A transitional member has a first end adapted to support the head support and a shaft extending from a second end. A base clamp is mounted on the generally U-shaped frame and has a bore sized and shaped to receive the shaft of a transitional member. The shaft of the transitional member and the bore of the base clamp include a pivot joint comprised of a spring biased plunger that is located in an annular groove that together function to maintain the shaft of the transitional member at a desired axial position with respect to the bore of the base clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Ohio Medical Instrument Company, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Cook, Charles Dinkler
  • Patent number: 5564463
    Abstract: An insulative cover assembly for insulating a P-trap drain piping assembly comprises a unitary first cover piece having a generally elongated body terminating in an approximately 180.degree. bend at the end of the body. The elongated body is longitudinally slit along its length for being positioned over the straight and J-shaped pipe sections of the P-trapped pipe assembly and is configured and dimensioned for continuously and simultaneously covering the joint straight and J-shaped pipe sections and the juncture therebetween. A second cover piece has a generally elongated body terminating in an approximately 90.degree. bend at one end of the second cover piece. The second cover piece is longitudinally slit along its length to be positioned over the L-shaped pipe section of the P-trap assembly with a portion of the second cover piece body proximate the 90.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Inventor: John A. Helmsderfer
  • Patent number: 5564564
    Abstract: A collated stack of U-shaped sheet metal clips, each of which has an arcuate crown portion and first and second parallel leg portions depending from the crown portion. The first leg portion of each clip is juxtaposed immediately adjacent the second leg portion of the adjacent U-shaped clip. Each clip has two parallel slots through the arcuate crown portion and at least one upstanding tab adjacent the edge of each slot into which a non-metal elongate flexible connector is inserted and secured by folding the tab or tabs downwardly over the top of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventor: John D. Poffenberger
  • Patent number: 5564151
    Abstract: A method for cleaning surgical implements comprising attaching to a support surface a device having a base and upstanding bristles, including at least one sharp vertical edge and a flat top. The bristles of one section are short and rigid, the bristles of the second section are long are relatively flexible, and the bristles of an intermediate section vary in length from short to long with a substantial portion of the intermediate bristles being relatively rigid so that a suction tube can be cleaned by pressing it downwardly over the bristles. The base carries a resilient pad and a securing member such as a double-faced adhesive tape for mounting the unit upon a support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Inventors: Gale W. Miller, Charles W. Gay
  • Patent number: 5562947
    Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently heating a wafer within a CVD environment isolates the heating element of the apparatus from the CVD environment and includes a susceptor body defining a sealed space therein for containing the heating element and a surface coupled to the heating element for supporting and heating the wafer. The susceptor space is sealed from the CVD environment and is vacuumed to a first pressure. Heating gas is delivered through a space extending through the susceptor body which is sealed from the susceptor space containing the heating element and is vacuumed to a second pressure which is preferably less than the CVD reaction pressure to vacuum clamp a wafer to the susceptor. The heating gas delivery space is formed by an elongated sheath surrounding a hollow wafer lift tube and the sheath is sealed at one end to the backplane of the susceptor and at the other end to the tube. The wafer lift tube moves up and down within the sheath to lift a wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Materials Research Corporation
    Inventors: Carl White, Jon R. MacErnie, Joseph T. Hillman
  • Patent number: D374545
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: `totes`, incorporated
    Inventor: Jean Cionni
  • Patent number: D375379
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: LSI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent C. DiCola, Michael D. Wyatt, Jerry F. Fischer