Patents Examined by Benjamin A. Pezzlo
  • Patent number: 6405852
    Abstract: A transport device in a packaging machine, in particular a tube filling machine, comprises an endless belt guided via at least two deflection pulleys on the outer side of which a plurality of supporting devices are disposed. One end of each supporting device is borne for pivoting on the endless belt via a bolt extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the endless belt with the opposite end engaging with the neighboring supporting device in a pivoting manner and also in a displaceable manner in the longitudinal direction of the endless belt. For precision bearing thereof, the supporting device is connected to the neighboring supporting device via at least one joint plate, connected to the supporting device for pivoting about a first axis and connected to the neighboring supporting device for pivoting about a second axis which is parallel thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: IWK Verpackungstechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Richard Christ
  • Patent number: 6401881
    Abstract: A double action brake shoe comprising a shoe, a lining and an oscillator material as main components which function respectively as a reinforcing body of the brake shoe, a brake material and as a generator of certain vibration frequency when the shoe is applied to a hub. The lining is attached on the surface of the brake shoe and oscillator material is inserted between the shoe and the lining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Inventor: Heru Prasanta Wijaya
  • Patent number: 6401910
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a conveyor in tunnel ovens, the apparatus having a support frame able to be positioned in correspondence with a segment of the path of the conveyor, a plurality of nozzles positioned on the frame according to a line substantially transverse to the conveyor in such a way as to face at least a portion of the conveyor and a unit for feeding the nozzles with a washing fluid under pressure. The nozzles are mounted on a bridge able to translate from a first operative position to at least a second operative position according to a direction substantially transverse to the conveyor, in such a way as to cause the nozzles to face a new portions of the conveyor previously not hit by the jet of washing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Tre P. Eng. S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gaetano Pellini
  • Patent number: 6402266
    Abstract: In a pump apparatus having a plurality of rotary pumps, an axis of a drive shaft is disposed perpendicularly to the gravity direction and the respective intake and discharge ports of the pumps extend in a direction opposite to the gravity direction. A housing, in which the pumps are contained, is provided with brake fluid passages connected to the intake and discharge ports, respectively. The respective brake fluid passages also extend in a direction opposite to the gravity direction. As a result, air entered into brake fluid may be easily purged through the intake and discharge ports and the brake fluid passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiyoshi Ariki, Hiroyuki Shinkai
  • Patent number: 6402128
    Abstract: The air spring is comprised of a flexible airsleeve, a retainer, and a main piston. The airsleeve is secured at one end by the retainer and at the opposing end by the main piston. A hollow restraining piston extends from the retainer and into the main piston. The restraining piston acts as a lateral stabilizer, over extension restraint and height control. The hollow region in the restraining piston communicates through at least one passage with an air chamber formed between the airsleeve and the outer surfaces of the restraining piston and the main piston. Fluid is admitted to or exhausted from the air spring through a valve which functions relative to the displacement of the restraining piston and the main piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
    Inventor: Mark Guy Trowbridge
  • Patent number: 6401884
    Abstract: A fluidic dampening device having a housing containing a rotatably mounted wiper that sealingly moves past the side walls, bottom, and peripheral wall of the housing as well as a faceplate attached to the top of the housing. The housing contains a bypass channel that has a first port in the first side wall of the chamber and a second port in the second side wall of the chamber. A control shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. The control shaft has indentations of varying sizes formed at distinct points around the shaft with areas having no indentation between each consecutive pair of indentations and is so located in the housing that either no indentation or only one indentation lies within the bypass channel at a given time. When no indentation has been rotated into the bypass channel, the control shaft completely blocks the bypass channel. Optionally, channels exist in the bottom of the faceplate or in the portion of the housing which forms the bottom of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Inventors: Ralph S. Norman, Dennis Patterson
  • Patent number: 6397988
    Abstract: Vibration absorbers are provided which utilize a torsional spring and a dynamic mass to control vibrations that occur within the structure to which they are attached. Additionally, pipeline systems are provided which utilize such vibration absorbers including a mass and a torsional spring to control the vibrations that occur within the pipeline system. In various embodiments of the present invention, the torsional spring is one or more elastomer elements coupled between the dynamic mass and a support frame to produce a spring force responsive to pivotal rotation of the dynamic mass relative to the support frame. In various embodiments, one or more elastomer elements arranged in series or in parallel may be used as the torsional spring to provide a desired vibratory dampening characteristic for applications, such as pipelines. Use of such torsional springs may provide a more simplified design with less mechanical joints which may be less susceptible to failure in harsh environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Lord Corporation
    Inventor: Keith R. Ptak
  • Patent number: 6398011
    Abstract: The conveyor according to the invention provides a supporting device for goods containers positioned in the rear part of an inclined surface of the conveyor. The supporting device provides a supporting surface that can be moved vertically and horizontally with respect to the ground in order to adapt to the different types and sizes of the containers to be supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Construzioni Meccaniche Crizaf
    Inventor: Oreste Cribiu′
  • Patent number: 6397989
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece, such as a brake rotor to be resurfaced or refinished, is provided. A plurality of interconnected chain links are included. The plurality of chain links are sized for maximum contact with the rotatable base piece. The plurality of chain links are interconnected to form a belt assembly open at the ends. One or more demountably selectively attachable connectors for securing the belt assembly to the rotatable base piece also are included. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more demountably selectively attachable connectors is a spring member. Each spring member includes a nonidentical length arm extending monolithically from the ends of the spring member. In addition, a semi-circular hook members is provided on one end of the nonidentical length arm. No other mechanical structural elements are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Sun Standard, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Turos
  • Patent number: 6399167
    Abstract: An ornament having a printed insert bearing a personalized message or picture that is suspended within a transparent bulb. The printed insert is produced by printing the personalized message or picture onto transparency paper using a computer and color printer, and cutting the transparency paper to form a disk-shaped insert that is sized to fit within the transparent bulb. The printed insert is then curled and inserted through the opening of the transparent bulb, and is then suspended within the transparent bulb from a cap using a hitch pin (fastener).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Inventor: James W. Lewis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6394241
    Abstract: A simple, low cost energy absorbing shear strip bender that provides constant load, tailored load, or adjustable load/displacement profiles for use in any application where a single use energy absorber is required. Examples include, but are not limited to: a spinal load attenuator for use in crash-resistant aircraft seats; crash-resistant aircraft landing gear; aircraft or automotive restraint harness attachments; cargo or high-mass item tie-downs; automotive bumper attachments; and collapsible steering columns. The present invention comprises a shear plate or other base material, a shear strip integral to the shear plate, and a shear strip tab, all of which are formed from a single sheet of ductile material. The energy absorber attaches to two objects and begins to displace when opposing forces applied to the shear plate and shear strip tab reach the design limit value such that shear strip shears and plastically deforms, i.e., bends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Simula, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley Desjardins, Gary Brown
  • Patent number: 6394436
    Abstract: A McPherson strut bearing for the upper connection of a McPherson strut in a motor vehicle has an inner part (1) with a central through hole (2) for accommodating the upper end of the McPherson strut. An elastomer body (3) is arranged circularly on the outer circumference of the inner part (1). A cage (4) accommodates the inner part (1) with the elastomer body. An elastic bearing body (5) completely accommodates the cage (4) up to a bilateral opening cross section (6, 7), where at least the cage (4), the bearing body (5) and a circlip (9) surrounding the bearing body are divided in a plane passing through the central longitudinal axis (10) of the McPherson strut bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schnaars, Ulrich Lux, Peter Kainz, Michael Sand
  • Patent number: 6390244
    Abstract: A brake wear indicator to provide visual and tactile indication of unacceptable brake wear. The brake wear indicator has a hub drive attached to a cam shaft, a brake wear disk attached to the hub drive and a body attached to a slack adjuster lever. The brake wear disk has a wear detector lug. The body has two the travel limit lugs which extend towards the centerline of the brake wear disk and are on the end of flexible fingers. When the brake linings are approaching unacceptable wear, the wear detector lug contacts one of the travel limit lugs and pushes the travel limit lug and the end of the corresponding finger away from the adjacent outer surface of the body. The rising of the end of the finger above the adjacent surface provides visual and tactile indication of unacceptable brake wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Don H. Sitter
  • Patent number: 6390248
    Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide a drum brake device which solves a problem of decreasing the strength of a back plate near an anchor block and reduces potential damage to the parking brake cable. A pivot lever 60 is pivotally mounted on one brake shoe 20. Upper and lower portions of the pivot lever functionally engage with the other brake shoe 30 via struts 81, 70. A parking brake actuator 90 which pivotally supports on the upper strut 81 and activates upon an activation of a parking brake is arranged to be adjacent to a service brake actuator which activates upon an activation of a service brake. Preferably an operational part of the parking brake actuator is projected out from the brake back plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Nisshinbo Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6390515
    Abstract: An anti-theft latch is proposed. The anti-theft latch has a movable stud having a driven means therein. A pin serves to connect the movable stud with the driven means. The driven means is pivotally installed with a static latch. A guide groove is formed on the static latch. The pin is matched with the guide groove. The guide groove of the static latch is formed with a buckling portion. When the movable stud is to be unlocked by an outer force, the pin will eject and buckle the buckling portion so that the static latch can not retract to the movable stud to achieve an effect of statically locking. An auxiliary spring is further installed for pushing the driven means to move forwards. Therefore, in a normal condition, the static latch will achieve an effect of statically locking. As a result, the thief has no possibility to unlock the movable stud to move inwards and therefore, a preferred anti-theft effect is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Inventor: Mao-Lien Huang
  • Patent number: 6386525
    Abstract: A dual volume air spring for a truck suspension, which has an air bag chamber providing a variable volume and a fixed volume chamber. The chambers are interconnected by a closable orifice. The air bag is provided with a post-like orifice closer which is pushed into the orifice when the air bag is sufficiently compressed ad withdrawn from the orifice when the air bag is not compressed. In normal operation the orifice is open and the combined volumes of the chambers are available resulting in a low spring rate. The orifice closer has an orifice closing portion which is relatively pliant and a rigid or semi-rigid portion which acts as a bump-stop when the pliant portion is substantially completely compressed. When the orifice is completely closed the spring has a high spring rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: The Boler Company.
    Inventor: John W. Stuart
  • Patent number: 6386337
    Abstract: An improved trailer coupling with integral brake actuator that employs sturdier telescoping inner and outer casings and adjustable rollers there between to compensate for wear and tear tolerances over time. The outer casing is a hollow tubular outer beam, and the inner case is formed as a section of hollow I-beam adapted for a telescoping fit inside the outer case. A plurality of rollers are secured to each side of the outer case and project inwardly to provide bearing support against the outwardly-projecting lateral ridges of the I-beam, and this results in a substantially frictionless telescoping extension. Each roller is selectably offset on an axle to allow adjustment of the degree of support against the lateral ridges of the I-beam, thereby allowing compensation for increased wear tolerances over time. The device also employs an improved damping system including a pair of damping cylinders between the telescoping inner and outer casings, plus a master brake cylinder mounted on damped spring-brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Inventors: Timothy J. Pribula, Brian Breidenbach
  • Patent number: 6382637
    Abstract: A device for controlling the flow rate of hydraulic fluid in a supply line for the cylinder chambers of suspension cylinders in vehicles, especially tractors, having a permanent suspension axle, whose height is regulated by a level control device, a choke being inserted into the supply line for limiting the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid, the supply line (2) being furnished with a bypass line (15) circumventing the choke (4), an auxiliary choke (16), controlled by a control unit (17) having level sensors, being inserted into the bypass line, the auxiliary choke being switched on in response to pronounced static load change when the limit stops of the vehicle axle are reached, permitting a larger flow rate of the hydraulic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
    Inventor: Walter Brandenburger
  • Patent number: 6382689
    Abstract: A security device for a sliding door or window assembly having a sliding panel in a frame. The device comprises a bar. A structure is for pivotally attaching a first end of the bar to an inner side edge of the panel. A fixed pin is secured longitudinally to a second end of the bar. The bar can pivot down one hundred and eighty degrees from an upright storage position to a downward locked position, allowing the fixed pin to engage with one of a plurality of spaced apart holes in a bottom track of the frame, thereby preventing the panel from being opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Inventor: Rodney James Brown
  • Patent number: 6382370
    Abstract: A suspension system with a shock absorber having a manually adjustable lock-out valve and a blow-off valve for controlling damping characteristics suitable for a wide variety of large, medium, and small bumps, and rider induced suspension action, while selectively providing a stiff suspension for increased drive line efficiency. The shock absorber includes a damper containing a non-compressible fluid. A piston dividing the chamber into two portions has a primary channel and a secondary channel. A lock-out valve is coupled to the primary channel and is manually movable from an open position to a closed position. In the closed position, the hydraulic fluid is blocked from flowing through the primary channel to provide stiffened damping characteristics of the damper. In the open position, the hydraulic fluid can flow through the primary channel to provide softened damping characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: K2 Bike, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert H. Girvin