Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Young & Basile, P.C.
  • Patent number: 6176288
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for inflating a tire mounted on a wheel having first and second rims spaced apart from one another includes a reciprocal inflation head moveable along a fixed path between a first position spaced from the wheel and tire, and a second position in operable engagement with a sidewall of the tire. The inflation head has an annular sealing surface engageable with the sidewall of the tire to provide a sealed passage for introducing compressed fluid between the tire and the wheel for inflating the tire on the wheel. A floating connection allows passive angular orientation of the inflation head with respect to the sidewall of the tire as the head moves between the first and second positions to achieve sufficient contact between the sealing surface of the head and the sidewall of the tire for creating the sealed passage and for maintaining sufficient contact during inflation of the tire on the wheel to maintain the sealed passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: AIM Automotive Integrated Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Kane, Karl D. Sachs
  • Patent number: 6178106
    Abstract: A power distribution center (PDC), such as those used in automotive vehicle electrical systems, has device for pivotally connecting a power supply terminal with the PDC such that pivoting movement of the terminal relative to a PDC housing inserts the terminal through an aperture formed in the housing and into contact with a bus bar retained within the housing. The pivoting connection between the terminal and the PDC allows the terminal to be securely connected with the bus bar without the need for any tools, and provides a degree of alignment to guide the terminal into the aperture. It also provides leverage so that a worker can easily generate sufficient force to insert the terminal into connection with the bus bar in the presence of a force resisting insertion, such as may be generated by a spring clamp or other device for urging the terminal into contact with the bus bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Yazaki North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Umemoto, Shenghua Yang
  • Patent number: 6173997
    Abstract: A flexible entry boot assembly provides a fluid-tight fitting between a wall of a fluid containment region and a conduit passing through the wall. The flexible entry boot assembly comprises a seal member disposed within the containment region. A securing plate, disposed within the containment region, is releasably mounted to the seal member. A hollow support sleeve, integral with the seal member, extends axially into the containment region. The support sleeve has an outer surface and an inner, conduit receiving surface, and further has a degree of flexibility sufficient to allow for the insertion of the conduit at angles equal to or other than an angle normal to the fluid containment wall while maintaining a fluid-tight environment. The flexible boot assembly further comprises a mechanism for releasably attaching the hollow support sleeve to the conduit. A flexible, corrosion resistant sealing ring member is disposed outside the containment region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Polymer Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel P. Nordstrom, Andrew Youngs
  • Patent number: 6174623
    Abstract: An electro-active compound particulate coated with a conducting polymer composition finds use in electrochemical cell electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Valence Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dale R. Shackle
  • Patent number: 6175168
    Abstract: An encapsulated stator for use in solenoid-actuated liquid metering device has a bobbin assembly and a plunger guide which are substantially surrounded by a plastic overmold to hold the assembly together and provide a protective housing. Upper and lower ends of the plunger guide are not covered by the overmold, but rather are left exposed so that additional manufacturing and assembly steps may be performed upon the stator. The plunger guide is formed integrally with a support plate and two threaded body for receiving bolts to secure the stator in its operating position. A plastic cap with an integrally molded electrical connector housing for mating engagement with an electrical power supply is secured to the bobbin assembly and retains the core and plunger guide in proper positions relative to the bobbin prior to the assembly being encased in the overmold. A method of manufacturing the encapsulated stator is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Pontiac Coil, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Budd, Steve R. Hojnacki
  • Patent number: 6173881
    Abstract: A vehicle body welding system includes a work station for welding components of a preassembled body with respect to one another. The body is moveable along a fixed path of travel through the work station. At least two moveable pillars are located on each side of the fixed path of travel through the work station for synchronized reciprocation between first and second end limits of travel toward and away from the fixed path of travel of the body. At least one gate is connectible in a repeatable located position with respect to the moveable pillars on each side of the fixed path for synchronized reciprocation between first and second positions toward and away from the fixed path of travel of the body. Locating members are engageable between each pillar and the corresponding gate for locating the gate with respect to the moveable pillar in at least two dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Progressive Tool & Industries Company
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Sloan, Leonard A. Zanger, Edward L. Jarvis, Johnny D. Lucaora
  • Patent number: 6168880
    Abstract: The use of a polymer mesh made of material that melts under thermal runaway helps improve the safety of an electrochemical device. The mesh material can increase the impedance of the battery during the thermal runaway and absorb some of the heat produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignees: Valence Technology, Inc., General Motors Corp
    Inventors: Kent Snyder, Wei Liu, Zhen Yang
  • Patent number: 6168429
    Abstract: An insert for generic or custom preadjusted edgewise brackets. The device is formed of metallic material or synthetic material, or resilient elastomeric material. The device will capture and retain the orthodontic archwire into the archwire slot of the orthodontic edgewise bracket. The device includes a region aligned with the archwire slot in the edgewise bracket to position, but not frictionally interfere with the archwire, because it does not put pressure on the archwire, but creates a tunnel for the archwire to easily slide through. The crescent shaped horizontal anchors defined on the device cooperate with the underside of the tiewings on the edgewise bracket to maintain the device in position. The crescent shape provides room for other ancillary devices to be placed on the bracket and secured behind the tiewings when the device is in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Jelaga Incorporated
    Inventor: William Burns Terrell Brown
  • Patent number: 6167756
    Abstract: A float for a liquid level detection apparatus including a tube extendable through liquid in a tank. The float is a buoyant body slidably mounted about the tube and having a diameter passable through an aperture in the tank. The float is preferably formed of two separate bodies joined by spacers positioned to allow the body to pivot from a first position substantially axially in line with the tube for insertion and removal of the float with respect to the tank to a second position substantially perpendicular to the tube in operative floating engagement with the liquid surface in the tank. The spacers, in one embodiment, are in the form of pins arranged in pairs along opposite side edges of the two bodies and spaced apart along the length of the two bodies such that the innermost pins of the two pairs of pins define an aperture for mounting the bodies transversely about the tube in the second, floating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Patriot Sensors & Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold William Everson, Jr., Anthony L. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 6168360
    Abstract: A hook and rail for use with tensioned webs and the like wherein the hook is defined by an opening in a stamped plate body having a throat through which a rail is received when the hook is angularly oriented to the rail in a particular manner. The hook body has a tension axis and the dimension of the hook throat parallel to the tension axis is less than the dimension of the rail in the direction of the tension axis during hook operation. The hook opening includes a recess and a guide surface whereby upon release of the tension in the web, and movement of the hook under gravity, positions the rail in the opening recess maintaining the anchor captured within the hook opening and the rail configuration prevents disengagement of the hook unless the hook is rotated through a specific motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: The Shane Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Howard T. Knox
  • Patent number: 6165485
    Abstract: A bentonite based organoclay, when mixed with a biocidal quaternary amine containing a benzyl molecule within its structure, acts as a reasonably effective biocide.When this organoclay is further treated with iodine and iodide compounds, its efficiency is greatly enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Biomin, Inc.
    Inventor: George Alther
  • Patent number: 6161606
    Abstract: An overhead garage door having a plurality of pivotally interconnected panel structures and a reinforcing strut to allow use of the door in hurricane prone environments. The reinforcing strut extends the full width of the door across the inside rear face of the door and includes widely spaced straight upper and lower horizontal legs extending rearwardly from the rear faces of the stiles of the panel structure joined by a semi-circular top section extending in a continuous convex curvilinear sweep between the two legs. The radius of curvature of the semi-circular section is relatively large compared to the length of the upper and lower leg sections, giving the beam a wide stance. For example, the radius of curvature of the top section may be approximately 1.25" and the leg section length may be between about 2.5" and 5". The strut may be roll-formed or shaped by bending flat stock on, for example, a press brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Inventors: David K. Wegner, Brian A. Jones
  • Patent number: 6162837
    Abstract: A method and device for recovering linear polyesters, such as PET and PBT, from polyester waste of the most varied form, in a continuous manner, in which undried or not dried-through waste is melted, the polymer chains being hydrolytically degraded by adhering moisture, and in which diol, corresponding to the basic constitutional unit of the polymer, is added to the melt resulting in glycolytic degradation, and the melt so treated is further condensed to the desired degree of polymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Karl Fischer Industrieanlagen GmbH
    Inventors: Luder Gerking, Rainer Hagen, Dieter Otto Taurat
  • Patent number: 6160763
    Abstract: An omni-directional dual bilaminar hydrophone particularly suitable for use in a towed array consisting of a cylindrical tubular housing whose ends are sealed by bilaminar piezoelectric ceramic/diaphragm subassemblies capable of axially deforming to produce an electric signal proportional to the intensity of the sound vibrations sensed. The density of the air-backed hydrophone may be readily predetermined by the spacing between the ceramic/diaphragm assemblies, and/or diameter of the housing. A plurality of such hydrophones internally connected in series assembled within a cylindrical flexible fluid filled support, such as a hose, may be used as a towed array wherein the separate hydrophones thereof are electrically connected in series parallel, or series-parallel, to produce a signal from sonic vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: SeaLandAire Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry C. Cole
  • Patent number: 6158626
    Abstract: A cover for a beverage dispenser stanchion, such as a draft beer tower or the like, having a front containing a tap and a back substantially distal to the tap. The cover comprises a housing shaped to contain at least the stanchion back. The housing comprises a body having a top region, a bottom and a longitudinal opening extending substantially from the body top region to the body bottom, the opening for receiving the stanchion, and adapted to have at least the stanchion front extending outwardly therefrom, the opening further adapted to have the tap extending outwardly and operatively therefrom. A mechanism is provided for quickly and removably mounting the housing to the stanchion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Inventors: Jack A. Guerra, John R. Testori, James J. Testori, Richard J. Spray
  • Patent number: 6155922
    Abstract: Materials not releasing gaseous organic materials during use are used as a dry-type sealing material such as a gasket disposed upon mounting an air filter to an opening of a ceiling or the like, a wet-type sealing material filled and used in a gap for connecting wall materials or partitionings, a vinyl chloride sheet or a vinyl chloride cloth as a facing material for walls and floors. Specifically, a carboxylic acid ester having a molecular weight of not less than 400 is used as a plasticizer, a phenolic compound having a molecular weight of not less 300 is used as an antioxidant, an aliphatic hydrocarbon having not less than 19 carbon atoms (for example, microcrystalline wax) is used as a lubricant, and an alkylamine ethylene oxide adduct having a molecular weight of not less than 350 is used as an antistatic agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Taisei Corporation
    Inventors: Sadao Kobayashi, Masayuki Imafuku, Yoshihide Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6157307
    Abstract: A device for detecting and warning of floodwater about a building structure, the device including a plurality of selectable remote alarm indicators, a matching plurality of alarm selector switches for selectively enabling and disabling the remote alarm indicators, means for detecting the presence of water, a power circuit with backup battery capability, a selectable intermittent alarm signal generator, a master remote alarm enabler switch, an automatic audio alarm indicator which emits different alarm noises depending on a floodwater condition and/or a low power condition, an alarm priority override circuit, a power status light indicator, and a selectively activatable self-test circuit for simulating a floodwater condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hardin
  • Patent number: D436392
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: The Shane Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith A. Addleman
  • Patent number: D434889
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: You/Nique Picture Frames, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Krohn
  • Patent number: D435279
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Ball-O-Matic, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee A. Hope, Charles E. Rhodes