Patents Examined by Amir A Klayman
  • Patent number: 9616353
    Abstract: A doll with reconfigurable hair and dress is disclosed. The hair is rotatably coupled to the top of the head of the doll and a switch within the head of the doll. Furthermore, the switch is connected to the output mechanism, dictating which output the output mechanism produces. When the hair rotates about the head of the doll, the switch is actuated, changing the output of the output mechanism. Additionally, the dress of the doll is capable from converting from a full gown that folds away to reveal a skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Patricia Chan, Steven D. Ryniker, Andrew Lourits
  • Patent number: 9599426
    Abstract: A crossbow includes a barrel having a bowstring rail with a slot including spaced first and second arrow rest areas aligned along said bowstring rail and an arrow clearance area therebetween, and an arrow retention spring carried by the barrel. The first arrow rest area is positioned adjacent to an end of the bowstring rail, and the second arrow rest area is positioned beneath the arrow retention spring directly beneath said arrow retention spring in a location where said arrow retention spring is adapted to contact said arrow. Provision of the spaced rest areas, particularly the second rest area beneath the arrow retention spring, stabilizes an arrow on the barrel prior to launch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventor: Rex F. Darlington
  • Patent number: 9593904
    Abstract: A conveniently portable archery device and a method for calibrating the center shot of a bow using the outer sidewall of a riser as a reference point, and without requiring attachment of the device to the bow. The device may easily and quickly allow the transverse position of the bow string to be marked, and also allow the position of the arrow rest to be adjusted so that an arrow may be correctly centered along its length with respect to the bowstring for more accurate firing. In one embodiment, the device is an improvement of a bow square article that in addition to being used to measure the nock point and brace height, equalize the tiller distances, and measure the peep sight, may also assist in calibrating center shot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Inventor: Barney Naki
  • Patent number: 9574841
    Abstract: A spring crossbow and, more particularly, a crossbow having a firing system with at least one compression style single spring assembly and a pair of cranks each having first legs engageable against the at least one single spring assembly and second legs to support rotatable archery cams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventor: Dirk Nebergall
  • Patent number: 9568271
    Abstract: An arm is pivotally mounted to a limb of a bow and has a pulley that engages the aft side of the bowstring when the bowstring is drawn. The arm is pivotally connected at a pivot axis to the upper limb of the bow at a position spaced from the upper end of the limb and is rotatable to extend aft of the limb. A pulley axle rotatably mounts the pulley to the arm at a position spaced from the pivot axis by a distance that permits the pulley to be positioned aft of the bowstring and the outer peripheral surface of the pulley to engage the bowstring when the bowstring is drawn. The purpose of the trolley arm is to loft an arrow shot from the bow so that its actual trajectory is above the line of sight of the archer to a target when the bowstring is drawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Inventor: Gene R. Archer
  • Patent number: 9551544
    Abstract: An improved crossbow lock mechanism includes the trigger housing, the seer lever, the seer lock lever, the latch, the trigger and an auto safety. The auto safety preferably includes a safety block, a safety lever arm and a safety lever arm lock. The safety lever arm lock is pivotally retained on one end of the safety lever arm with a safety arm lock pin. A finger engagement portion extends from one end of the safety lever arm lock and a stop portion extends from an opposing end thereof. A hand grip extends from the housing. The safety lever arm is pivotally retained in the hand grip with a safety lever arm pivot pin. A safety block actuator pocket is formed in a bottom of the safety block to receive the other end of the safety lever arm. A safety block spring biases the safety block away from the trigger lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Inventor: James J. Kempf
  • Patent number: 9522321
    Abstract: A toy bow assembly that is used to launch toy projectiles. The toy bow assembly includes a bow structure having a first arm section and a second arm section. Both the first arm section and the second arm section contain at least one translucent area. Lights are disposed within both the first arm section and the second arm section. The lights internally illuminate the translucent areas of the first arm section and second arm section when activated. An activation switch is disposed on the bow structure for selectively activating and deactivating the lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: KMA Concepts Limited
    Inventor: Peter Cummings
  • Patent number: 9518797
    Abstract: A leveraged bow for launching a projectile, the bow having a stock, a butt region and a grip region, and a fore-end supporting a pair of bow arms. The fore-end includes a top surface for receiving and supporting the projectile and a carriage assembly slidably mounted with an interior region of the fore-end. A main bow power string is coupled to the carriage. The carriage also has a launch string associated therewith which is powered by the movement of the main bow power string. A trigger and latch are used to release the bow power string and, in turn, the launch string to leverage the velocity of the arrow being propelled by the bow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Inventor: Willard D. Carroll, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9518796
    Abstract: A leveraged bow for launching a projectile, the bow having a stock, a butt region and a grip region, and a fore-end supporting a pair of bow arms. The fore-end includes a top surface for receiving and supporting the projectile and a carriage assembly slidably mounted with an interior region of the fore-end. A main bow power string is coupled to the carriage. The carriage also has a launch string associated therewith which is powered by the movement of the main bow power string. A trigger and latch are used to release the bow power string and, in turn, the launch string to leverage the velocity of the arrow being propelled by the bow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Inventor: Willard D. Carroll, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9513080
    Abstract: A reverse style crossbow preferably includes a bow riser, a barrel, a latch, a first limb, a second limb, a first cam, a second cam, a first string pulley, a second string pulley and a bowstring. The riser is attached to the barrel at substantially a middle thereof. The first limb extends from a first end of the riser and the second limb extends from a second end of the riser. The first cam is pivotally retained on a distal end of the first limb and the second cam is pivotally retained on a distal end of the second limb. The latch is attached to a top of the barrel. The riser may be located in front of the latch, behind the latch or under the latch. The first string pulley extends from one side of the barrel and the second string pulley extends from an opposing side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Inventors: James J. Kempf, Rex E. Isenhower
  • Patent number: 9513079
    Abstract: The device of the present invention employs a riser, bow limbs, and bowstring to shoot an arrow. The employed features are positioned horizontally relative to the ground and generally perpendicular to the device handle when in use. The device handle may be hinged, and is hinged in the same plane as the riser, bow limbs, and bowstring. The device handle is ambidextrous and may include an arm brace. The device handle may be adjusted to alter draw length, and the device limb pockets may be adjusted to alter draw weight. The device is completely user-adjustable, compact, and lightweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Inventor: Jonathan William Missel
  • Patent number: 9513082
    Abstract: A paintball transfer apparatus and method for operating the apparatus to move a paintball enable a user to load a paintball into a paintball marker. The apparatus has an housing forming a cavity for storing paintballs, a path around the wall of the cavity that is shaped to guide paintballs, and a driver that rotates a roller within the cavity. Rotation of the roller moves paintballs along the path. The path may have one of a variety of shapes, such as circular or helical. The surface speed of the roller may be greater than the speed of the paintballs along the path. The roller may be made of a high friction material, and also may be a brush. The apparatus may be used to move paintballs within and about a marker, such as vertically upwards or downwards, or horizontally left or right.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: PLANET ECLIPSE LIMITED
    Inventor: Steven John Monks
  • Patent number: 9506718
    Abstract: The paintball loader of the present invention includes a housing having a hopper for holding a supply of paintballs. An outlet tube connected to the hopper is adapted to be connected to the inlet tube of a paintball gun. Located within the hopper is an electric motor-operated agitator capable of directing paintballs within the hopper toward the outlet tube so that the paintballs can pass through the outlet tube and into the inlet tube of the paintball gun. A sensing system located at least partially within the outlet tube senses the movement of paintballs through the outlet tube. The sensing system includes a rotatable wheel having a plurality of angularly spaced apart radially extending members. The wheel is rotatably mounted relative to the outlet tube such that paintballs passing through the tube engage the radially extending members and cause the wheel to rotate. A plurality of magnets carried by the wheel pass by a Hall effect sensor mounted on the housing as the wheel is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Valken, Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Bell
  • Patent number: 9494379
    Abstract: A crossbow including first and second cams are mounted to first and second bow limbs, respectively. Each of the cams includes a string guide journal, an upper power cable take-up journal, and a lower power cable take-up journal. The draw string is arranged in a reverse draw configuration. The upper and lower power cables are received in each of the respective upper and lower power cable take-up journals and are displaced away from the respective draw string journals as the bow is drawn from the released configuration to the drawn configuration. In one embodiment, the upper and lower power cable take-up journals are helical in configuration. As a result of this configuration the cams can rotate more than 270 degrees, and preferably more than 300 degrees, as the crossbow is drawn from the released configuration to the drawn configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Ravin Crossbows, LLC
    Inventor: Craig Thomas Yehle
  • Patent number: 9492761
    Abstract: A model locomotive with vapor-smoking and furnace-firing-and-lighting effects comprises an outer body; a hollow body installed within the outer body for installing liquid of specific volume; a funnel smoking tube installed at a front wall of the inner body; a steam whistle smoking tube, a safety valve smoking tube and a generator smoking tube installed at an upper wall of the inner body; a wind inlet tube for a blower installed at a rear wall of the inner body; a vapor generator, an air-exhausting and water-draining tube for a cylinder, and a water level switch being installed at a lower wall of the inner body; and a plurality of transparent smoking tube installed at a front wall and a rear wall of the inner body for viewing an interior of the inner body; a plurality of lighting elements being installed at the interior of the inner body, an outer side of the rear wall of the inner body and an interior of an opening of a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Inventor: Shih-Ming Chao
  • Patent number: 9480900
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a ball throwing machine including a motor coupled to a rotary wheel and configured to rotate the rotary wheel at a rotational speed to throw a ball forward toward an athlete. A speed control module may be coupled to the motor and configured to rotate the rotary wheel, via the motor, at a first rotational speed during a fastball setting and a second rotational speed during a changeup setting. The speed control module may determine the second rotational speed based on the first rotational speed so that a ball thrown by the ball throwing machine will arrive in a target zone when the ball throwing machine is in the fastball setting and the changeup setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Jugs Sports, Inc.
    Inventors: Kerry K. Paulson, Robert F. Harder
  • Patent number: 9480899
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a ball throwing machine including a motor coupled to a rotary wheel and configured to rotate the rotary wheel at a rotational speed to throw a ball forward toward an athlete. A speed control module may be coupled to the motor and configured to rotate the rotary wheel, via the motor, at a first rotational speed during a fastball setting and a second rotational speed during a changeup setting. The speed control module may determine the second rotational speed based on the first rotational speed so that a ball thrown by the ball throwing machine will arrive in a target zone when the ball throwing machine is in the fastball setting and the changeup setting. In some embodiments, the speed control module may utilize resistive braking to transition the rotary wheel from the first rotational speed to the second rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Jugs Sports, Inc.
    Inventors: Kerry K. Paulson, Robert F. Harder
  • Patent number: 9459066
    Abstract: A compound bow comprising a handle portion having a first limb and a second limb extending outwardly therefrom, a wide body cam assembly pivotally coupled to the first limb near an outer end thereof, and a dual wheel assembly pivotally coupled to the second limb near an outer end thereof. The wide body cam assembly comprises a main sheave and a collector sheave located on opposite sides of a cable sheave. The main sheave is spaced apart from the cable sheave by a first distance sufficient to permit arrows to be fired from the bow free from interference by a cable without the use of a cable guard. The dual wheel assembly comprises a feed out sheave and a take in sheave separated by a second distance which is larger than the first distance. The feed out sheave is positioned substantially within a plane defined by the main sheave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Inventor: John D. Evans
  • Patent number: 9429385
    Abstract: A drum magazine for loading paintballs and shaped projectiles into a magazine-fed firearm includes a spiral feed track that stores paintballs as well as a projectile feed assembly that pushes paintballs through the spiral feed track. Paintballs exit the spiral feed track through a feed port and through a modular feed adapter that is inserted into a paintball marker. A clock spring and a spring rotor are utilized in order to adjust the pressure that is exerted on paintballs within the spiral feed track. Tension in the clock spring may be increased to a desired level by rotating the spring rotor to wind the clock spring. Paintballs are prevented from loading when the drum magazine is not loaded into a paintball marker by a locking assembly. A ratcheting gear engages a gear locking pawl while the drum magazine is not loaded, preventing the clock spring from becoming unwound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Inventors: Scott William Allen, Pascal Deleporte, Jerome Charles Bernard Jean Klein
  • Patent number: 9404705
    Abstract: A crossbow trigger and bowstring release mechanism with improved bowstring retention and release characteristics. The device enhances accurate and safe shooting with the crossbow. The trigger mechanism comprises a spring operated pivotal cam string release mechanism for releasably holding a bowstring in a drawn position. The string release latch is pivotable about a pivot point and has associated therewith a first sear surface. The trigger mechanism further includes a pivotal rocker latch member having a second sear surface which engages the cam pivot mechanism. The sear has an extended arm that engages a safety hammer release. Finally there is an improved dry-fire prevention pivot mechanism that engages an arrow when loaded to launch. When no arrow is present the dry-fire rocker engages the cam mechanism and prevents the movement of the cam to release the bowstring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: Bennie Kennedy