Patents Assigned to Johnson Research & Development Co.
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Patent number: 6364162Abstract: A fluid gun (700) is disclosed having an electric pump (704) for conveying air to a pressure chamber (701) having a release valve (702) for controlling the release of fluid. The activation of the electric pump is controlled by a pressure sensitive actuation switch (713) which senses the pressure within the pressure chamber and activates the pump when the sensed pressure falls within a minimal range.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2000Date of Patent: April 2, 2002Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite, Jeffrey Shane Matthews
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Patent number: 6321737Abstract: A rocket launcher (10) is provided having a manual air pump (11) coupled to a base unit (12) through an elongated pressure tube (13) having a pressure release valve or trigger (20). The base unit has a pressure chamber (24), a launch tube (25), and an orientation sensitive safety mechanism (32) coupled to the end of the pressure tube. The safety mechanism is coupled to an internal pressure tube (33) which extends to a pressure sensitive release valve (34) that controls the release of pressurized air from the launch tube. The orientation sensitive safety mechanism prevents the launching of projectiles should the launch tube be offset from a vertical orientation and depressurizes the launcher should an operator attempt to fire the launcher while in an offset orientation.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 1999Date of Patent: November 27, 2001Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite, Jeffrey Shane Matthews
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Patent number: 5951354Abstract: A rocket (100) is disclosed having a body (101) with a bay (102) therein and a latchable hatch (109) which is movable between a bay opened position and a bay closed position by a spring biased hinge (110). A parachute (117) is mounted to the hatch. Upon unlatching the hatch, the drag upon the hatch causes it to move reward thereby pulling the parachute from the bay for deployment.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 1997Date of Patent: September 14, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5941751Abstract: A sound-generating unit (30) is encased within the body (20) of an article (10) which is to be launched by a burst of compressed and/or pressurized fluid (15) from a fluid launching device (11). The sound-generating unit (30) has the three main elements of a piezoelectric electromechanical transducer (32), a sound-generator electronic circuit (40), and a speaker (42). The body (20) of the article to be launched has a bore to receive the burst of fluid (15). The piezoelectric element (32) is positioned within the bore in alignment for receiving the impact of the burst of fluid (15). The piezoelectric element (32), the speaker (42) and an electrical energizer (36) are connected to the sound-generator circuit (40). Upon being impinged by a burst of fluid (15) projected into the bore of the body (20), the piezoelectric element (32) minutely deforms and generates a voltage that is processed by the sound-generator circuit (40) into a desired sound-effect signal that drives the speaker (42).Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1996Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite, John A. Alphonso-Gibbs
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Patent number: 5913304Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a pressure chamber (35), a moveable magazine (18) and a conduit conveying pressurized air from the pressure chamber to the magazine. The conduit has a resilient sealing gasket (42) which is reconfigurable between a relaxed configuration and an expanded configuration with the presence of pressurized air.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1997Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5711324Abstract: A hair drying curler apparatus (10) for curling and drying a lock of hair is disclosed having a tubular roller (11) and a retaining clip (12). The roller has a tubular support (14), a moisture permeable inner cover material (15) joined to a moisture permeable outer cover material (16), and a mass of hair drying expediting material (18) positioned between the inner and outer cover materials. The outer cover material is quilted to form a linear array of generally axially aligned, annular channels (22) containing the expediting material. Similarly, the retaining clip has a support (26), a moisture permeable inner cover material (27) joined to a moisture permeable outer cover material (28), and a mass of hair drying expediting material (30) positioned between the inner and outer cover material. The outer cover material is quilted to form a linear array of arcuate channels (33) containing the expediting material.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1996Date of Patent: January 27, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, Francis E. LeVert, John Applewhite
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Patent number: 5709199Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual air pump (14). The gun also has a magazine (18) having a series of barrels (26) for holding several projectiles (P). An actuator (50) indexes the magazine with each shot of the gun and automatically controls bursts of pressurized air. The magazine has a mounting plate (25) with two concentric annular arrays of opening (28). A sealing plate (38) is configured to seal one opening with each sequential indexing of the magazine.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1996Date of Patent: January 20, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite
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Patent number: 5653216Abstract: A toy rocket launcher (100) is disclosed for launching a rocket (125) having a fuselage (126) with an elongated tail bore (127) extending from a tail end thereof. The rocket launcher has a launch tube (108) adapted to hold and maintain a selected, elevated pressure level. The launch tube has an opening (109) therein and a valve for controlling the flow of pressurized air flowing from the launch tube through the opening. The launcher also includes a pump (103) for pressurizing the launch tube and a trigger (104) for controlling the launch tube valve.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 1995Date of Patent: August 5, 1997Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co, Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5626123Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual pump (14). The manual pump is coupled to a swivel joint (31) which provides pivotal movement of the pump relative to the barrel so as to allow for a variety of gun configurations and uses.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 1995Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John Applewhite
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Patent number: 5596978Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual air pump (14). The gun also has a magazine (18) having a series of barrels (26) for holding several projectiles (P). An actuator (50) indexes the magazine with each shot of the gun and automatically actuates a release valve (36) which controls the firing of the gun.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1995Date of Patent: January 28, 1997Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John Applewhite
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Patent number: 5592931Abstract: An air compressed gun (70) is provided having a housing (71), a magazine (75) having multiple barrels (89) for holding projectiles, and a manual air pump (76). The gun also has a pneumatic indexer (82) which indexes the magazine for firing with each shot of the gun and a harness (77) which enables the magazine to be supported adjacent the head of a person.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1995Date of Patent: January 14, 1997Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John Applewhite
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Patent number: 5553598Abstract: A plunger (34) directs pumped fluid through a conduit (40) into a piston sleeve (60) having a piston (66) that is reciprocally translatable within the piston sleeve (60). The conduit (40) terminates in a nozzle (49) which projects into one end, a posterior end, of the piston sleeve (60). The piston sleeve (60) also has a fluid passageway (62) connected with a fluid reservoir (50). A second nozzle (58) at the opposite end, an anterior end, of the piston sleeve (60) leads to a fluid passageway upon which a toy projectile (11) or similar object may be mounted. The piston (66) which is slidable within the piston sleeve (60) has a head (68, 69) at each end formed of compressible material such as soft rubber. A turret (70) enables several mounts (72) for toy projectiles (11) to be consecutively aligned for launching.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 1994Date of Patent: September 10, 1996Assignee: Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite