Patents Examined by Alvin J Grant
  • Multipurpose grasping part holder
    Patent number: 7111528
    Abstract: A hand tool is provided with a flexible arm containing a flexible gripping strap. The strap forms an adjustable closed loop positioned at one end, and extends through the arm at the other end. The loop is used for securing to a nut, bolt, or similar part that is positioned in a difficult to reach place. The flexible arm may be bent and formed to hold a specific shape, thus allowing it to fit into areas where most common hand tools cannot. Tension on the loop is increased by pulling the rubber strap. A lock secures the strap to retain the tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Inventor: Marlene M. Foster
  • Slip-resistant magnetic sheath for a screwdriver
    Patent number: 7107882
    Abstract: A slip-resistant magnetic sheath includes a hollow sleeve that can be fit onto the screwdriver's shank. A magnetic part positioned at least on one end of the hollow sleeve, provides auxiliary attraction to improve the connection between the shank and the screw with a fastening rim and groove set correspondingly on the sleeve of the magnetic sheath and the shank. The groove allows the fastening rim to move within a pre-set distance so that the magnetic sheath can slide within certain distance and not fall off the shank. The invention installed on an electrical screwdriver can effectively address the slipping problem caused by shocking. The forceful magnetic attraction of the magnetic sheath can prevent the screws from slipping and therefore improve working efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Inventor: Wun-Hai Chang
  • Screw guides and cartridges
    Patent number: 7104167
    Abstract: A screw alignment device for assisting engagement of a screw driving tool during a fastening operation with a screw of the type having a shank disposed between a head end and a front end, the screw tool being of the type having a shaft with a gripping formation at one end thereof for engagement with the screw head. The screw alignment device includes a screw guide having a body of generally annular configuration formed from a resilient material and having an internal capacity of generally frusto-conical configuration. There is also a tool guide spaced rearwardly from the screw guide and aligned with the cone axis. The device further includes a connector which connects the screw guide to the tool guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Inventor: Alex Babij, Jr.
  • Engine valve adjustment device
    Patent number: 7104161
    Abstract: A combination of tools for use in adjusting the valves in an internal combustion engine, and particularly the movement of the valve contacting end of a rocker arm in a motorcycle engine, comprises a socket, a hollow rod sized to fit in the opening in the top of the socket and a screw driver sized to fit through an upper opening in the rod so that the valve adjustment screw can be adjusted while the locking nut thereon is easily unlocked using the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Inventor: Peter De Waal
  • Oneway ratchet wrench
    Patent number: 7100477
    Abstract: A oneway ratchet wrench includes a wrench body, a ratchet wheel, and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes a support plate, a oneway pawl member, and an elastic member. Thus, the elastic member is mounted between the support plate and the oneway pawl member, so that the wall of the receiving recess of the drive head needs not to additionally provide a blind hole for mounting the elastic member, thereby facilitating assembly of the oneway ratchet wrench, and thereby decreasing costs of fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Inventor: Yi-Min Lee
  • Apparatus and methods for texturizing tread surfaces of tires
    Patent number: 7101262
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a stand, a tire mount supported by the stand and releasably attachable to a tire, a tire rasp, and a tire rasp mount attachable to the tire rasp. The tire rasp mount includes a pair of handles. A four bar support pivotally attaches the tire rasp mount to the stand using hime joints. A motor operably rotates the tire and the tire rasp in opposite directions. An operator can manually move the tire rasp into contact with the tire and apply pressure between the tire rasp and the tire to texturize tread surfaces of the tire. A method is also disclosed which includes forming slices and grooves into the tread surfaces of the tire while maintaining the thickness of the tread. The slices and grooves may extend circumferentially around portions of the tread surfaces of the tire, and about 1/32-inch to about 1/16-inch deep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Inventor: Herbert C. Hilicus, Sr.
  • Electrically powered hand-held screw driver
    Patent number: 7100482
    Abstract: An electrically powered, hand-held screw driver (2) has a housing (4), a depth stop (6) arranged on this housing (4), a drive motor (20), an axially displaceable tool spindle (8) operatively coupled with a tool holder (11), and a torque coupling (16) arranged between the drive motor (20) and tool spindle (8) and which has a motor-side coupling part (22) and a tool-side coupling part (24) connected to the tool spindle (8) so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it. The two coupling parts (22, 24) can be made to engage with one another and the tool spindle (8) is biased away from the motor-side coupling part (22) by means of a coupling spring (34). The tool-side coupling part (24) has axial movement play (a) relative to the tool spindle (8) and is mechanically coupled with a movement transmitter that is separate from the coupling spring (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Anton Neumaier
  • Rotating cap opener
    Patent number: 7100473
    Abstract: A screw lid opener is disclosed which can be converted in an extremely simple manner from one lid radius to another With a screw lid opener having a lever-like handle with a clamping device thereon for holding a screw lid, the lid radius is set by three clamping cheeks for clamping on a screw lid. The clamping jaws are arranged at a distance from a center between the clamping jaws. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, at least one clamping jaw, whose distance from the center can be changed, is provided. This permits the conversion from one lid radius to another. Advantageously all three clamping jaws are embodied to be movable in the same way. With the same spectrum at various radii of lids, this results in a shorter travel for the individual clamping jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Heftitec SA
    Inventors: Rolf Hefti, Walter Ruffner
  • Ergonomic tool handle and related hammer system
    Patent number: 7096761
    Abstract: An ergonomic handle for a hand tool includes a main portion extending in a longitudinal direction between a gripping portion and a tool head supporting portion opposite the gripping portion. Both the gripping portion and the tool head supporting portion are offset at an inclination in relation to the longitudinal direction of the main portion at a compound angle including a lateral angle and a vertical angle to ensure proper alignment while improving the line of sight to the tool head. The handle is suited for a hammer system in which removable fastening means secure the tool head to the handle to permit various adjustments to be made to the tool head. A tension member is also received through the handle under tension so that the handle is pre-stressed under compression for added strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Wolfgang Schoor
  • Sleeve device with stepped structure
    Patent number: 7096766
    Abstract: A sleeve device comprises a sleeve portion, the sleeve portion having a first opening; a first sleeve extending from an upper side of the sleeve portion; the sleeve portion having four sides; two opposite sides of the four sides being suitable for one kind of spanner and the other two opposite sides being suitable for another kind of spanner; a second sleeve; the sleeve portion having four sides; two opposite sides of the four sides being suitable for one kind of spanner and the other two opposite sides being suitable for another kind of spanner; the first sleeve and the second sleeve being formed as a stepped structure; the second sleeve having a second opening. The second sleeve has a shape similar to that of the first sleeve and the size of the second sleeve is smaller than that of the first sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Chih-Ching Hsieh
  • Granite slabs cut with frame saw employing blades with diamond-containing segments and method of cutting thereof
    Patent number: 7096863
    Abstract: A graphite block cut into slabs by a sawing device comprising a plurality of generally parallel, spaced-apart blades with each of the blades having a plurality of cutting segments mounted thereon, each of the cutting segments comprising a continuous phase impregnated with a superabrasive material selected from one of natural diamond, synthetic diamond, cubic boron nitride, and combinations thereof; wherein each of the granite slabs as cut from the block has a surface roughness Ra of less than 500 ?-in, and with thickness variation of 2 mm or less from a nominal slab target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Diamond Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernesto Dossena, Markus Jakobuss, Andre Kuehn, Kurt Proske, Dennis Turner, Michael H. Zimmerman
  • Tool handle in particular of screwdriver, corresponding tool, and range of tools consisting of said tools
    Patent number: 7093523
    Abstract: A tool handle having a core (2) adapted to be secured to a screwdriver blade (1), and a sleeve (3) of plastics material placed around the core. The core and the sleeve have portions in relief (9, 20) for mutual positioning in rotation, and mutual positioning devices (5, 10, 11, 14, 17, 21, 22) for mutual positioning in axial translation. The sleeve (3) is a part that is distinct from the core, and is made of a semi-rigid plastics material and is engaged on the core (2) from in front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Bost Garnache Industries
    Inventors: Catherine Gamba, Fabrice Brocard
  • Gear wrench allowing easy force application
    Patent number: 7093520
    Abstract: A gear wrench allowing easy force application, having: a head, formed with a receiving compartment thereon for receiving a gear ring, the head extending along a first plane; a tail, extending along a second plane; and a neck, provided between and integrally formed with the head and the tail; characterized in that: the first plane is parallel to the second plane, and the neck obliquely extends from the head towards the tail to form a height difference between thee head and the tail. As such, the vertical component of force may be eliminated or minimized so as to effectively reduce occupational hazards; the horizontal component of force may also be increased such that the operator only requires a lower force to effectively tighten or loosen up a fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Lea Way Hand Tool Corporation
    Inventor: Tom Tuanmu
  • Microelectronic substrate having conductive material with blunt cornered apertures, and associated methods for removing conductive material
    Patent number: 7094131
    Abstract: A microelectronic substrate and method for removing conductive material from a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the microelectronic substrate includes a conductive or semiconductive material with a recess having an initially sharp corner at the surface of the conductive material. The corner can be blunted or rounded, for example, by applying a voltage to an electrode in fluid communication with an electrolytic fluid disposed adjacent to the corner. Electrical current flowing through the corner from the electrode can oxidize the conductive material at the corner, and the oxidized material can be removed with a chemical etch process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Whonchee Lee, Scott G. Meikle, Scott E. Moore
  • Granite slabs cut with frame saw employing blades with diamond-containing segments and method of cutting thereof
    Patent number: 7089924
    Abstract: A graphite block cut into slabs by a sawing device comprising a plurality of generally parallel, spaced-apart blades with each of the blades having a plurality of cutting segments mounted thereon, each of the cutting segments comprising a continuous phase impregnated with a superabrasive material selected from one of natural diamond, synthetic diamond, cubic boron nitride, and combinations thereof; wherein each of the granite slabs as cut from the block has a surface roughness Ra of less than 500 ?-in, and with thickness variation of 2 mm or less from a nominal slab target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Diamond Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernesto Dossena, Markus Jakobuss, Andre Kuehn, Kurt Proske, Dennis Turner, Michael H. Zimmerman
  • Power driven wrench
    Patent number: 7089827
    Abstract: A power driven wrench comprises a head having an opening which carries a toothed or threaded rotary member substantially completely within the head. A shaft is present having a toothed or threaded inner end which engages the toothed rotary member, extending through an aperture in the head, to cause the rotary member to rotate as the shaft rotates. The shaft also has an outer end that can engage a power source to rotate the shaft. The rotary member defines an aperture capable of firmly holding within the head a driver member having a polygonal opening for receiving heads of objects to be rotated by the wrench. The driver member is replaceable by another driver member having a different polygonal opening without any disassembly of the head. A short wrench embodiment is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Inventor: Norman Wexler
  • Compact wrench with three-stage control
    Patent number: 7089830
    Abstract: A wrench includes a handle, a head, a drive member rotatably mounted in the head, two pawls, an elastic element for biasing at least one of the pawls to engage with the drive member, and a pivotable switch. An end of each pawl defines a space. The end of each pawl further includes a protrusion. The spaces of the pawls overlap with each other and the protrusion of each pawl is located in the space of the other pawl. The switch includes an actuating member extending into the overlapped spaces of the pawls and between the protrusions of the pawls. The actuating member of the switch is pivotable to engage with and thus move the protrusion of one of the pawls, disengaging the pawl from the drive member and thereby changing a driving rotation direction and a free rotation direction of the wrench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Inventor: Bobby Hu
  • Flexible polishing fluid delivery system
    Patent number: 7086933
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering a polishing fluid to a chemical mechanical polishing surface is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for delivering a polishing fluid to a chemical mechanical polishing surface includes an arm having a plurality of holes formed in the arm for retaining a plurality of polishing fluid delivery tubes. Each of the tubes are disposed through one of the holes and coupled to the arm. The number of holes exceeds the number of tubes, thereby allowing the distribution of polishing fluid to a polishing surface and correspondingly the local polishing rates across a diameter of a substrate being polished to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lidia Vereen, Peter N. Skarpelos, Brian J. Downum, Patrick Williams, Terry Kin-Ting Ko, Christopher Heung-Gyun Lee, Kenneth Reese Reynolds, John Hearne, Daniel Hachnochi
  • Non-slip bottle opener
    Patent number: 7086310
    Abstract: A non slip bottle cap opener (100) for installing onto a key ring or key chain with other keys is formed with the approximate length and thickness of a standard key to allow it to be comfortably carried on the key ring or chain like an ordinary key. The opener includes a pry element (120) formed with a narrow leading edge (140) for installing within the annular gap (60) between the bottle cap and the bottle top. The pry element further includes an engaging surface (165) that acts upon an inside surface of the annular lip of the bottle cap to forcibly engaged with the annular lip to prevent the opener from slipping off of the bottle cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Inventor: John R. Oleksy
  • Sliding rail containment device for flexible collated screws used with a top feed screw driving tool
    Patent number: 7082857
    Abstract: A portable hand-held screw driving tool is provided for use with collated strips of screws. A collated strip of screws enters from an upper-rear area of the tool and runs through a pathway or slot in an elongated, movable upper guide mounted at the tool's upper housing, then to a movable slide body having that receives and indexes the collated strip so a screw can be driven by the tool. The upper guide provides containment that prevents the flexible collated strip becoming substantially misaligned while moving through the guide's slot. When the tool is actuated to drive a screw into an object, the sliding guide moves longitudinally along the top of the tool, along with the tool's front-end screw-driving mechanism. Thus the flexible collated strip is always in a relatively fixed orientation as compared to the movable front end portion of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Senco Products, Inc.
    Inventor: William H. Hoffman