Patents Examined by Adam Barlow
  • Patent number: 9765513
    Abstract: A corner siding product may include a plurality of panels. Each panel may include a front face with a simulated pattern, a hollow back, a longitudinal length extending in an x-direction, a lateral width extending in a y-direction, and a depth extending in a z-direction. In addition, the corner siding product may include a living hinge extending in the y-direction between the panels along side edges thereof. The corner siding product can have an uninstalled configuration wherein it is substantially planar. Embodiments of the corner siding product also can have an installed configuration wherein the living hinge permits the panels to be non-planar relative to each other, such that they are complementary in shape to a corner of a building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: CERTAINTEED CORPORATION
    Inventors: David J. Stucky, Stephen W. Steffes
  • Patent number: 9758982
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flood vent panel includes a first area, a second area, and a first set of one or more perforations positioned on a first side of the flood vent panel in a location in-between the first area and the second area. The perforations are configured to break when at least a predetermined amount of pressure is applied to a portion of the second area. The flood vent panel is configured to be coupled, at least indirectly, to a structure so as to at least partially block a fluid passageway through an opening in the structure. The break is configured to completely separate the second area from the first area so as to reduce an amount of blockage of the fluid passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Smart Vent Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Winfield Scott Anderson, Jr., Tom Little, Michael J. Graham
  • Patent number: 9759363
    Abstract: A rotatable joint includes a body configured for connecting to an external system and provided with an internal hole arranged for being traversed by pressurised fluid, a tubular element on an end of which a hose can be inserted that is sealingly coupled with the joint and provided with a further through hole that defines, together with the internal hole, a longitudinal channel that extends parallel to a longitudinal axis within which the pressurised fluid flows. The joint further includes an annular closing element fixed to the tubular body by a threaded connection and a rotatable coupling arrangement that acts at least in a longitudinal direction to enable mutual rotation between the tubular element and the tubular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: MANULI HYDRAULICS ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Paolo Seghi, Luca Bechis
  • Patent number: 9752320
    Abstract: A decor apparatus is based on a flexible panel. In the apparatus, a support structure includes a rail, and a flexible panel having an edge is attached to the rail, with the attachment between the rail and the edge including a plurality of discrete attachment points. A trim piece for the flexible panel is connected to the rail from between the attachment points. The trim piece overlays the attachment between the rail and the edge outside of a plane of the flexible panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: John Bowen
  • Patent number: 9745711
    Abstract: A system for installing prefabricated wall panels in a building includes a lower sill plate adapted to be fastened to a foundation, an upper sill plate fastened to a bottom of the prefabricated wall panel and adapted to be inserted within the lower sill plate, and a plurality of openings in the upper sill plate. The openings are adapted to allow grout to be inserted between the upper sill plate and the lower sill plate after the upper sill plate is inserted within the lower sill plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventor: Scott E. Sluiter
  • Patent number: 9737738
    Abstract: A fall protection apparatus includes a heavy support base with a pivotal mast having a top member for rotation around the axis of the mast carrying a series of booms pivotal about respective vertical axes, each having an end coupling member for receiving a fall restraint harness. Each boom is formed by a tube which fractures on a fall and an elongate stainless steel strap inside the tube which bends without fracturing. The mast includes a series of telescopic rectangular mast sections with a winch driven cable and pulley arrangement for extending the first section which acts to pull the second inner section to the extended position as the first inner section moves out of the outer section. Each section includes first and second pulleys mounted at the same face of the section with the cable located between the face of the section and the face of the next section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Tuffbuilt Products Inc.
    Inventor: Jan Vetesnik
  • Patent number: 9739069
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to modules for heat exchange for use in cooling towers and methods of assembling cooling towers using such modules. The aforementioned modules for heat exchange may include fill packing and a structural system configured to provide support for at least the fill packing, in which the structural system includes a plurality of structural members configured to provide compression and tension support. The aforementioned modules for heat exchange may be assembled prior to being transported to a job site and installed in a cooling tower. A method for assembling a cooling tower using the aforementioned modules for heat exchange includes: constructing a cold water basin; assembling an air inlet structure on the cold water basin; and placing a heat exchange module on top of the air inlet structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SPX COOLING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Hongjun Jiang, Andjelko Piskuric
  • Patent number: 9732540
    Abstract: A system of for installing unanchored fence posts accurately with one or two persons comprising tools to align the fence post while it is being set into an anchored state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventor: Mark Edward Jansen
  • Patent number: 9725869
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a building assembly including a first upright, a first pivot mechanism, a second pivot mechanism, a first structure, and a second structure. The first upright is pivotally movable with the first pivot mechanism relative to the first structure. The first upright is also pivotally movable with the second pivot mechanism relative to the second structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth Kyle Friesen, John Friesen
  • Patent number: 9719248
    Abstract: A method of sealing a gap between construction slabs by deforming and inserting a sealing member of closed cell foam is described. An assembly including a deformed sealing member and construction slabs is disclosed. Also described is a joint seal configured to seal a gap between constructions slabs, which utilizes a deformed sealing member of closed cell foam installed within the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Polyset Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Meacham
  • Patent number: 9717934
    Abstract: A fall protection apparatus includes a heavy support base with a pivotal mast having a top member for rotation around the axis of the mast carrying a series of booms pivotal about respective vertical axes, each having an end coupling member for receiving a fall restraint harness. Each boom is formed by a tube which fractures on a fall and an elongate stainless steel strap inside the tube which bends without fracturing. The mast includes a series of telescopic rectangular mast sections with a winch driven cable and pulley arrangement for extending the first section which acts to pull the second inner section to the extended position as the first inner section moves out of the outer section. Each section includes first and second pulleys mounted at the same face of the section with the cable located between the face of the section and the face of the next section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Tuffbuilt Products Inc.
    Inventor: Jan Vetesnik
  • Patent number: 9719622
    Abstract: An electrofusion fiting (20) comprises a fitting body (24) and an electrofusion collar (26). The fitting body (24) has an exterior surface (30), an interior surface (32), and a terminal portion (44) extending to a rim (34). The collar (26) has: an inner wall (42) having a heating element (60); a segmented outer wall (40) spaced radially apart from the inner wall; and a linking portion (46) linking the outer wall and inner wall. The fitting body terminal portion is between the inner wall and the outer wall. The collar and fitting body have interfitting features (150, 152) axially retaining the collar against extraction from the fitting body while permitting relative rotation of the collar and the fitting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Georg Fischer Harvel LLC
    Inventor: Phillip P. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9706849
    Abstract: The fastening structure includes an inner sleeve, a quick-release handle and an outer sleeve. The inner sleeve has an outer threaded conic surface, a through slot, shrinkable slots and claw plates between adjacent two of the shrinkable slots. The quick-release handle is provided at a bottom end of the inner sleeve for controlling a width of the through slot. The outer sleeve is used for connecting the footrest ring and has an inner threaded conic surface to screw the outer sleeve onto the inner sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: DONGGUAN KENTEC OFFICE SEATING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chih-Cheng Su
  • Patent number: 9708821
    Abstract: The subject invention provides materials and methods for repairing and/or improving the performance of concrete structures. In preferred embodiments, the methods comprise attaching a thin shell of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) over the area of interest, the shape of the shell substantially conforming to that of the area itself, and subsequently filling a cavity defined by the shell with UHPC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: THE FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
    Inventor: Atorod Azizinamini
  • Patent number: 9702466
    Abstract: A sealing element (10) of a deformable material for sealing an opening in a wall (16), which separates two different chambers, comprises at least one aperture (12) which is arranged in a sealing first region (20) and is designed to receive a tube (14), and a yielding second region (24) which is designed to be pressed against the wall (16), wherein the second region (24) is differentiated from the first region (20) at least in part by an indentation (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: VALEO KLIMASYSTEME GMBH
    Inventors: Armin Lüer, Oliver Strathenke, Jens Meyer
  • Patent number: 9702149
    Abstract: A tubular skylight is provided, comprising a roof mounted element for collecting exterior light, a ceiling mounted element, and a tube connecting the roof mounted element and the ceiling mounted element. The skylight includes a diffuser element mounted in the ceiling mounted element for distributing the exterior light in a room. The diffuser element includes a first diffuser pane having a translucent bottom portion and a sidewall portion with a translucent light path zone. The tubular skylight has means for affecting the luminance of the light exiting the diffuser such that the luminance of light exiting through the light path zone has a different luminance than light exiting through the bottom portion. The ceiling mounted element and the diffuser element provide a light passage from the light path zone to the room by a free space adjacent the light path zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: VKR Holding A/S
    Inventor: Kristian Nitzsch Kristensen
  • Patent number: 9695587
    Abstract: The present application describes an automated structure for reception of modular constructions and respective automation system comprised by a lower structure (1), which contains an opening (4) for accommodation of a fixed shaft, comprised by the element of attachment of the shaft with the exterior, where, preferably, the structure and the fixed shaft of fixation to the exterior (5) can be coupled, a lifting mechanism (2) preferably located in the side sections of said lower structure (1) which is coupled to an upper structure (3) allowing its movement through the joint and support (6). The axial movement and the upper structure (3) are managed through an automated system based on a programmable automaton and a set of sensors and actuators, namely anemometers and frequency inverters that control these movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Inventor: Manuel Vieira Lopes
  • Patent number: 9682640
    Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly includes a frame. A seat and seatback are disposed on the frame. A seating cushion assembly includes a plurality of closed base cells disposed on the frame. Each base cell includes a fixed volume of fluid disposed therein. A plurality of trim cells are disposed on the base cells and include a variable volume of fluid disposed therein. The trim cells are in communication with a fluid pump. An adjustable seatback support panel is disposed behind the base cells and is pivotally coupled to the frame. A static base is disposed behind the support panel. An adjustable reclination cell is disposed between the support panel and the static base. The reclination cell is adjustable between an inflated condition that pivots the support panel forward and a deflated condition that pivots the support panel rearward, thereby altering the reclination angle of the seatback relative to the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Alan George Dry
  • Patent number: 9683374
    Abstract: The invention provides a floor panel which can reduce a material cost and achieve a weight saving, by easily carrying out a press drawing process. In a floor panel in which an upper member and a lower member are joined in their peripheral edge portions and an internal space is formed in an inner portion of the floor panel, an opening portion intruding approximately as a rectangular shape into an inner side of the floor panel is formed in a side plate portion of each of the upper member and the lower member, and a shape of the opening portion is formed as such a curved shape that two internal corner portions intrude into the inner side of the floor panel than the other approximately linear portions than the internal corner portions, in a whole or a part of a horizontal cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SENQCIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Ohshima, Atsuhiko Kobayashi, Tsukasa Matsuzaki, Yuichi Nakabo
  • Patent number: 9680410
    Abstract: A corrugated roof sheet has a bottom, a first-side roof sheet edge portion, a second-side roof sheet edge portion, a retaining cap and a protruding portion. The first-side roof sheet edge portion has a height H1 from the bottom. The retaining cap covers the first-side roof sheet edge portion and has a lower fringe. The lower fringe has a height h2 from the bottom. The protruding portion is between the first-side roof sheet edge portion and the second-side roof sheet edge portion and has a height h3 from the bottom. The height h2 is greater than the height h3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Eterbright Solar Corporation
    Inventors: Shen-Shiou Sung, Ting-Hui Huang