Patents Examined by B. Dayoan
  • Patent number: 6364369
    Abstract: A tube connecting device comprises a housing, a socket formed in the housing for receipt of a pipe to be releasably secured therein and a securing arm pivotally mounted to the housing. The securing arm is pivotable from a first, locked position in which a portion of the arm projects through an associated aperture in the wall of the socket to engage a complementarily-shaped portion of the pipe to be retained, to a second unlocked position in which the projecting portion of the securing arm is withdrawn from the socket. The device further comprises an actuator mounted on the arm and a locking member located in a chamber within the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Fort Vale Engineering Limited
    Inventor: David Bailey
  • Patent number: 6364368
    Abstract: A coupling 10 for use with composite coiled tubing 12 connects the coiled tubing 12 to a tool or other tubing member. The coupling 10 may include a female coupling component 26 and a male coupling component 28, with a substantially flush internal bore through the coupling 10 concentric with the coiled tubing. The female component 26 may include a tapered, negative flank thread profile 32 for engagement with the coiled tubing 12, and preferably provides a fluid tight seal and axial joint strength substantially as strong as the coiled tubing 12. Another embodiment of the coupling 70 may include a smooth tapered inner surface 76 for bonding engagement with the coiled tubing 12. In addition, a double male flush joint adapter 80 may be used to connect multiple strings of composite coiled tubing 12 and may also provide a substantially flush internal joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Inventor: Marion D. Kilgore
  • Patent number: 6360573
    Abstract: A mechanism for locking and unlocking an electronic safe lock barrel which is provided with a retaining long key and is fastened with a rotary mechanism located on the outside of the safe door. The lock barrel has a portion which is located in the inside of the safe door and is provided with a position confining slide sleeve. The position confining slide sleeve is fastened at the rear end with a motor having a rotary shaft which is engaged with a threaded sleeve capable of displacing back and forth. The threaded sleeve is provided with a retaining slot for retaining the retaining long key of the lock barrel so as to prevent the lock barrel from being turned by the rotary mechanism. The motor is operated by the circuit to enable the threaded sleeve to retain or release the retaining long key of the lock barrel, thereby controlling the locking and the unlocking mechanisms of the electronic lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Summit Automation Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Chen Ming-Chih
  • Patent number: 6360463
    Abstract: A convertible sign mechanism is provided which comprises a convertible sign member that is rotatable about an axis. The convertible sign member is capable of rotating at a variable velocity. A motor is operatively connected to a drive shaft, which is connected to a cam follower. The cam follower is slidably connected to a member receiving the cam follower, with the receiving member being connected to an output gear. The output gear is connected to a drive gear, which together provide a reduction ratio of at least 2:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Quality Manufacturing Incorporated
    Inventors: Mortimer Huber, Salvador Mendez
  • Patent number: 6361087
    Abstract: A locking fitting for a leaf of a door, French window or the like, such as a lock, espagnolette-lock or the like, at least one spring-lock (2) elastically restored into locking position and capable of being actuated, through an appropriate control mechanism, such as by a control handle or knob. This locking fitting includes a retainer associated to the spring-bolt and designed so as to be capable, on the one hand, of maintaining the latter in an unlocked or semi-locked position when the leaf is open and, on the other hand, of being made inactive in order to release the spring-lock by the sash-frame of the door or French window, in particular by a keeper this sash-frame is provided with and which is aimed at receiving the spring-bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Ferco International Ferrures et Serrures de Batiment SA
    Inventors: Jean-Yves Collet, Gerard Prevot
  • Patent number: 6357802
    Abstract: An air-pressure joint 1 comprising a pipe main body 2 made of a rigid thermoplastic resin and a release ring 3 made of a rigid thermoplastic resin inserted from one opening of the pipe main body, wherein the release ring includes a slip-off preventing protrusion 13 on an outer circumferential surface of its insertion site; and the pipe main body 2 includes a ring-shaped sealing portion 9 made of an elastic resin and integrally formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof, an insertion mouth pipe portion 7 made of a rigid rigid resin, coaxially disposed to abut one opening side portion of the pipe main body 2 and forming a recess groove 10 on an inner circumferential surface of an abutting portion thereof for stopping the slip-off preventing protrusion 13 of the release ring 3, and a ring-shaped connecting portion 8 made of a rigid synthetic resin and integrally molded to an outer circumferential surface of the abutting portion of this mouth pipe for connecting the insertion mouth pipe portion 7 to the p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignees: Mikuni Plastics Co., Ltd., Daicel-Hüls, Ltd., Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Nozato, Atsushi Inagaki, Shinichi Matsumoto, Hajime Komada, Mitsuteru Mutsuda, Masanori Hiraishi
  • Patent number: 6357806
    Abstract: An in-flight meal server 1 comprises a door 20 supported by a hinge 22 at the opening of a box-shaped main body 10. A main latch device 100 for locking the door 20 to the main body 10 has a handle 110, and when the handle 110 is pulled up, a lever 120 rises and pulls out the bolt from a catch in the main body side. The plural bolts may be operated through a link mechanism connected to the lever 120, but the bolt of an auxiliary latch device 150 may also be locked by operating a knob 180 manually. When the link mechanism fails, the door is locked manually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Jamco Corporation
    Inventor: Fumiaki Saku
  • Patent number: 6354031
    Abstract: A device for the presentation of documents, which includes a back element (3; 13; 17) and a frame (2) capable of surrounding the back element (3; 13; 17). The latter includes one or more fixing elements (9; 10), each comprising a part (20) capable of deforming elastically. When the device (1) is in the closed state, each of the elements applies a clamping force to the frame (2), causing the document (8) to be clamped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Art-Service, S.A.
    Inventor: Olivier Meur
  • Patent number: 6354107
    Abstract: An article of jewelry includes a first frame having a front portion and a rear portion and a second frame having a front portion and a rear portion. The first frame and the second frame cooperate to define an aperture therebetween, the aperture comprising a front portion which coincides with the front portions of the first and second frames and a rear portion which coincides with the rear portions of the first and second frames. The article further comprises a number of spokes connected between the front portion of the first frame and the front portion of the second frame, the spokes dividing the front portion of the aperture into a number of sub-apertures and a unitary core disposed within the aperture, the unitary core filling the rear portion of the aperture and the front portion of the aperture, including the sub-apertures, and encompassing all but an outer surface of the spokes, thereby giving an impression that the unitary core comprises a plurality of pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Verducci Creations, Inc.
    Inventor: Henry A. Verducci, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6354633
    Abstract: A high pressure swivel includes an inner and an outer annular wall. Each annular wall is connected to a respective distribution member via apertures which have an axial dimension which is smaller than the diameter of the inlet or outlet. In this way, the pressure area between the seals of the inner and outer rotatable walls is reduced. Each distribution member may include a chamber that is defined by the external surface of the inner and outer annular walls, and an enclosing wall. In this way, an effective thermal isolation is provided by the distribution chambers adjacent to the external surfaces of the inner and outer rings. Deformation of the distribution chambers of the swivel will tend to decrease the width of the seal extrusion gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings INC
    Inventor: Antoine Carrasco
  • Patent number: 6354106
    Abstract: A finger ring fitting aid is attached readily to a finger ring and has a sizing member selectively movable between a first position, wherein the sizing member lies outside the finger ring opening to enable unrestricted access to the opening for placement of the ring on a wearer's finger, and a second position, wherein the sizing member lies inside the finger ring opening to constrict the opening to a desired fitted size. A resilient biasing mechanism biases the sizing member into either one of the first and second positions such that movement of the sizing member to either position and retention of the sizing member in either position is accomplished with ease and without requiring any auxiliary tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Inventor: Kaled T. Kataw
  • Patent number: 6351903
    Abstract: A medical alert key tag that includes a translucent paper information disk having opaque writing thereon and a light source positioned there behind such that when the light source is illuminated, the information disk is easily readable in the dark. The key tag also includes a beam focusing lens to allow the light source to also be used as a flashlight for illuminating key holes and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Inventor: Christine M. Tuomi
  • Patent number: 6349568
    Abstract: A necklace has an adjustable loop size so that anyone having a thick or a slender neck can wear a necklace of one size so which is adjustable that it fits the wearer best. A hook formed by bending a material is provided at an end of the string necklace, formed by connecting pearls together with a string. A loop is formed by engaging the hook in a valley portion between any adjacent pearls. By engaging the hook in different valleys, it is possible to change the size of the necklace loop freely, so that it is possible to form a loop of the best size for each wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Rokko Pearl Trading Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 6347817
    Abstract: A locking device installed in a cargo support to lock a retractable tube, including a holder frame fastened to the outer tube of the retractable tube, a rack moved in a longitudinal sliding way defined between two parallel lugs of the holder frame, a driving lever pivoted to the holder frame for moving the rack, and a locking block pivoted to the holder frame and retained by a spring to lock the driving lever, wherein a L-shaped locating plate is mounted in the holder frame for the positioning of the outer tube of the retractable tube, having a round hole on a transverse section thereof through which the inner tube is inserted into the outer tube, two stop flanges bilaterally extended from a longitudinal section thereof and respectively engaged with respective end notches on the holder frame, and a lug extended from one stop flange and fastened to a lug at the holder frame; the holder frame and the locking block are respectively made of iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventor: Yeh-Chien Chou
  • Patent number: 6347439
    Abstract: A self-mountable niche for remain ashes has a substantially closed box, a receptacle for accommodating ashes and insertable in the box, a supporting element connected with the box and supporting the latter, and a fastening and locking element connected with the supporting element for placing the niche at a corresponding location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventor: Santiago Bach Lahor
  • Patent number: 6347468
    Abstract: Currently at airports, cruise ship terminals and the like disembarking travellers are met by travel personnel such as travel agents, taxi drivers etc. who have been hired to transport a particular traveller to a destination but do not personally know their target traveller and so display a hand-written sheet or sign with the traveller's name written thereon so that the target traveller will see his/her name and identify himself/herself to the travel personnel. Such greeting signs are often difficult to read due to poor lighting and are unprofessional looking. The present invention provides an illuminated greeting sign on which the greeting message can be easily changed, in particular by using a translucent back-lit panel, illuminated by a battery-powered light, on which erasable marker messages may be written.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventor: Abdulahi Mohamed
  • Patent number: 6347736
    Abstract: A nestable mailbox (10) having a tapered body (12) with an open first end (24) and a second end (30). The tapering of the body (12) is such that the first end (24) circumscribes a greater surface area than that circumscribed by the second end (30). A door (26) for the mailbox (10) is connected to the body (12) at the first end (24). The mailbox can then be nested with other like mailboxes by inserting the second end (30) of one mailbox into the first end (24) of another mailbox. The door of each mailbox in the nested arrangement can point downwardly frontwardly or downwardly rearwardly. The nestable mailbox may additionally, if desired, carry another door (76) at the second end (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: R.W.L. Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Lackey, Robert C. Beckman, Gregory A. Harris
  • Patent number: 6347471
    Abstract: A transportable sign or message holder supports and displays replaceable signs or messages. A transparent front panel of polymeric material permits a sign or message to be viewed through the front panel. A rear panel, located behind the front panel, forms a cavity between the two panels and receives and supports a replaceable sign or message. The front and rear panels are attached at the bottom of the cavity and support the lower edge of a sign or message in the cavity. A pair of suction cups are mounted along the side edges for holding the two panels together and for detachably mounting the panels on a supporting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventor: Muhammad Zubair Mirza
  • Patent number: 6347814
    Abstract: Integral joint of two pipes which comprises a first box element, equipped with an internal two-step thread, situated on the end of a first pipe, a second pin element, equipped with an external two-step thread, situated on the end of a second pipe, two metal-to-metal seals located at both ends and with at least two shoulders arranged at one end and at the centre of the joint respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: ENI S.p.A.
    Inventor: Sergio Cerruti
  • Patent number: 6347737
    Abstract: A specialized receptacle accommodates secure delivery of mail and small packages. The receptacle has a loading door hinged on the receptacle structure. The loading door has a main section and a secondary section that telescopes out of the main section as the loading door is opened. The telescoping section supports packages as they are delivered and prevents unauthorized access to the storage compartment of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventor: Tony O. Madruga