Patents Examined by Brian L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6698769
    Abstract: A multi-wheel heeling apparatus is provided. The multi-wheel heeling apparatus has a sole with a first opening formed in a heel portion of the sole and a second opening in the sole formed adjacent the first opening. The multi-wheel heeling apparatus includes a first and a second wheel assemblies. The first wheel assembly includes a first wheel mounted on a first axle, and a first mounting structure operable to support the first axle so that a portion of the first wheel resides in the first opening. The second wheel assembly includes a second wheel mounted on a second axle, and a second mounting structure operable to support the second axle so that a portion of the second wheel resides in the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Heeling Sports Limited
    Inventors: Roger R. Adams, Michael G. Staffaroni
  • Patent number: 6698539
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding fresh ambient air to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, includes a front lamp assembly with an ambient air intake tract associated with the lamp assembly for providing an air communication passage between an exterior of the motor vehicle and an engine compartment. The air intake tract is adapted to direct an ambient air to an engine compartment bypassing an engine cooling radiator. The air intake tract is in the form of a flattened funnel secured to a lamp housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Almarv, LLC
    Inventor: Alex Decuir
  • Patent number: 6698787
    Abstract: Step-in snowboard binding designed to hold a boot by its sides. The binding comprises at least one jaw (2) secured to a driving arm (9) intended to be driven by the boot. The jaw has a cam-shaped part (9) collaborating with a locking element (12) which can move in a guide (13) in such a way that the jaw is locked for various positions of the jaw. The jaw (2) is equipped with a return spring which tends to keep it in the open position, and the jaw and the locking element cooperate to keep the locking element away from its locking position when the jaw is raised. In this way, the jaw cannot be closed inadvertently and the locking element does not hamper the closure movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Emery S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Gignoux, Alain Plassiard
  • Patent number: 6698794
    Abstract: A vehicle protector has a sheet with peripheral channels containing an endless elasticized cable, such as a bungee cord, chock cord. At the corners exposures exposing the cable, and karabiners engage the cable and attach to eyebolts mounted on vehicles. The protector is slung below a tow bar connecting the vehicles. The sheet has side exposures exposing the endless cable, to which is attached a support bar. This has end hooks engaging the peripheral cable at the side exposures, connected by a second elasticized cable, such as a bungee cord. This second cable passes through tubes and collars so the support bar can rest on top the tow bar and support the protector at its sides. A loop of another cable, such as bungee cord, is attached by grommet and knot or ball bungee in the middle of the protector. The support bar is passed through this loop supporting the protector in the middle. A kit of protector, support bar and eyebolts is supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: Klaus Trampe
  • Patent number: 6698772
    Abstract: An apparatus for use with umbrella types of folding strollers includes a platform with two casters disposed under opposite rear corners thereof. A pair of members are attached to the platform and extend vertically a predetermined distance from two opposite front corners. The pair of members each include a ninety degree radius turn and continue to extend in a direction away from the rear of the platform. The pair of members each terminate in a loop, at least one of the loops having an axial offset wherein an end thereof is disposed further away from a center of the apparatus than is the remainder of the loop. A rod with an offset weight at a first end is provided. The main longitudinal axis of the rod includes a jog at an opposite second end. The rod can be inserted through the loop having the axial offset only if the offset weight is held vertically above the main longitudinal axis of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: Carma Dee Cervantes
  • Patent number: 6698789
    Abstract: A golf bag cart (10) having a frame (14), a handle (22), first and second rear wheels (18, 20), and first and second wheel struts (52, 54), to which the first and second rear wheels (18, 20) are rotatably mounted, the first and second wheel struts (52, 54) being pivotally mounted to the frame (14) by mid-frame pivots (68). A front wheel (16) and a front wheel mount (44) are included, the front wheel mount (44) being pivotally attached to the frame (14) by a lower frame pivot (40). The golf bag cart (10) is movable from an extended configuration (12) to a collapsed configuration (13), such that the rear wheels (18, 20) pivot about the mid-frame pivots (68) to move towards the front wheel (14). The front wheel (14) and the wheel mount (44) pivot about the lower frame pivot (40) so that the front wheel (16) moves towards the rear wheels (18, 20), as the golf bag cart (10) is being collapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Mountain Sports, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Reimers, Mark Robirds
  • Patent number: 6698788
    Abstract: A foldable structure for an infant stroller has a frame of an extended length for holding one or more seats. The frame is foldable and includes a handle bracket, armrests, front wheel brackets, rear wheel brackets and a seat bracket. The seat is mounted to the seat bracket. The seat has a backrest supported by an extendable rod. The extendable rod consists of an inner rod and an outer rod. The outer rod has a longitudinal trough to allow the inner rod to slide reciprocally therein. For installation, the inner rod is inserted into the longitudinal trough of the outer rod, pivotally engaged with the armrest, and the outer rod is pivotally engaged with the seat bracket. After completing all pivotal fastening, the armrest and seat bracket form a restriction to prevent the extendable rod from separating from the structure. When the frame is folding, the extendable rod is safer to use and more appealing because of no jutting screws or pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Link Treasure Limited
    Inventor: Cheng-Fan Yang
  • Patent number: 6698770
    Abstract: In a cart and a carrier for medical equipment, the carrier has a bottom section and a back section and a pair of wheels and is arranged on an axle at the junction between the bottom section and the back section. The axle functions as a pivot axle and the back section as a lever for lifting the entire bottom section off the floor when the carrier is moved. Smooth and convenient interaction between the cart and carrier is achieved because the cart has a receiving part and a first locking part, and the carrier has a coupling arrangement and a second locking part. The coupling arrangement can be inserted into the receiving part and serves as a pivot axle for the carrier. The carrier locks to the cart when the second locking part is moved toward the first locking part when the carrier is lifted around the pivot axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Elema AB
    Inventors: Bernt Eriksson, Ulf Österberg, Daniel Höglund, David Crafoord
  • Patent number: 6698774
    Abstract: The invention relates to a parallel spacing guide that when attached to a hand-held marking device (spray gun), it enables the user to mark an accurate and consistent extended line one to four feet from a curb, wall, or other vertical surface; and one to four feet from a line or score mark along the ground in cases where a vertical surface is temporarily absent. This is achieved by having the parallel spacing guide soundly attached to a hand-held marking device. While holding the parallel spacing guide in one hand by the embodied handle and the attached marking device by it's handle in the other hand, the user pushes the invention along the street or highway with the end of the parallel spacing guide butted against the curb or wall while simultaneously using the marking device to mark the line by discharging paint or chalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: James Alvin Duncan
  • Patent number: 6698773
    Abstract: A detachable mounting arrangement, for a stroller front guard adapted to transversely extend from a seat frame of the stroller to form a front boundary thereof, includes two joint members provided at two ends of the front guard for detachably mounting on the seat frame, wherein each of the joint members has a base joint having two supporting walls to mounted on the seat frame. Each joint member further has at least a locking slot provided on one of the supporting walls and has an opening formed at an edge of the respective supporting wall. Two locking shanks, which are provided on two sides of the seat frame, each has a neck portion protruded from the seat frame and arranged to slide into the locking slot so as to lock up the joint member on the seat frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: Ben M. Hsia
  • Patent number: 6695083
    Abstract: Separation of, or damage to, the inlet duct and outlet duct connected to a belt-type variable transmission is reduced, and durability of the belt-type variable transmission is improved, by preventing induction of foreign matter such as water, mud, sand or dust into the inlet duct. An induction box is provided between a front cover and a front upper part of a vehicle frame that extends above the front wheel axle shaft, and this induction box is fixed to a side of the vehicle frame. A cooling air induction port is provided in an upper face of the induction box adjacent to the bottom face of the front cover. A duct linkage port in the bottom face of the induction box and an air induction port of the belt-type variable transmission are connected by an inlet duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Nakamura, Kazutatsu Suzuki, Mitsuhiro Sugimoto, Hiroyasu Yada
  • Patent number: 6695346
    Abstract: A polygon-shaped air bag for use in vehicle restraint system is constructed from two panels of different sizes, each of which is in the form of an n-sided equiangular polygon, where n may be five or greater but is preferably six or eight. The panels are cut from a blank which is comprised of fabric or other suitable material, then superimposed in concentric relation onto one another with the perimeter portions of the larger panel folded and adhesively secured to the corresponding perimeter portions of the smaller panel for the purpose of distributing the stresses of inflation and impact across an area wider than the conventional equatorial seam and transferring such stresses into shearing, rather than tensile forces. In a preferred embodiment, the width of the overlapping panel portion is equal to the distance between an edge of the smaller panel and a corresponding parallel edge of the larger panel, where the panels are superimposed in concentric relation to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventor: Ramesh Keshavaraj
  • Patent number: 6695327
    Abstract: A convertible toy walking or riding device or mechanism includes a body portion and a seat portion coupled to the body portion. The seat portion is moveable relative to the body portion to position the device in a walking configuration or in a riding configuration for use by a child.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert P. Maggiore, Carol D. Snyder
  • Patent number: 6695324
    Abstract: A 3-fold folding collapsible golf cart, which includes an upper rod member, a bottom rod member, and a lower rod member, the lower rod having a top end pivoted to the upper rod member and locked by a locking mechanism and a bottom end coupled to the bottom rod member by a coupling device, the coupling device having a locating frame supported on a torsional spring and adapted for locking the lower rod member in the operative position and, the lower member being disengaged from the locating frame for folding when the user presses the locating frame with a foot to conquer the spring force of the torsional spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventor: David Wu
  • Patent number: 6695348
    Abstract: An adaptation to coach landing legs of a recreational vehicle, trailer or the like improves vehicle stability through the use of crossed and clamped stabilizer rods attached by pins or by magnet attachment to the landing legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventor: Richard J. Holly
  • Patent number: 6695082
    Abstract: A vehicle having a transmission for transmitting a torque from a drive machine to drive wheels, with the transmission having a transmission output shaft and a transmission input shaft, in which the torque can be transmitted from the drive machine to the transmission output shaft, and having an electrical machine which has a rotor and a stator, with means being provided in order to connect the electric-motor torque of the electrical machine optionally to the transmission input shaft or to the transmission output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Otmar Bitsche, Karl-Ernst Noreikat, Tobias Ostertag, Alfons Rennefeld, Wolfgang Schwienbacher, Sven Stephan, Lars Weinschenker
  • Patent number: 6695322
    Abstract: An ice skate comprising a blade and a blade holder. The blade holder providing decreasing, non rigid, and/or no lateral support in a rearward region of the blade so that it may facilitate increased or freer flexibility of the blade and improved maneuverability. The blade is rigidly laterally supported at a front end section of the blade holder and preferably also at a back end section of the blade holder so that it may facilitate efficient transfer of force between the skater and the blade. One or more non-rigid support members may be employed to control, absorb and/or cushion the flexing of the blade. The ice skate may be tuned to reflect the desired performance requirements of the individual skater and/or use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Jas. D. Easton, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Goldsmith, Richard D. Grossman
  • Patent number: 6695081
    Abstract: A build-up light motor driven car includes a car body, which is composed of a car frame and an outer shell enclosing the car frame, and a seat part. The car body is provided with a guide groove at two lateral sides thereof respectively, the guide groove having an engaging part, the outer shell having a shell chamber behind the respective guide groove. The seat part has two seat frames corresponding to the two guide grooves, the seat frames at upper parts thereof being attached with a seat cushion and at lower parts thereof connecting with a horizontal level respectively for locating a battery and the respective horizontal level at an end thereof having an engaging part. The horizontal levels is inserted into the guide grooves such that the engaging parts can be inserted into the joining parts so as to fixed to each other, and the batteries can enter the shell chambers to constitute connection of a circuit such that seat part can be joined to or detached from the car fast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventors: Simon Chu, Chih-Chin Hsieh, Tseng-Chien Lin
  • Patent number: 6692015
    Abstract: The frame is collapsible longitudinally to the extension of the stroller to change from an open position to a folded position and the handlebar has arms (19) engaging in a sliding manner in corresponding seats (20) in the frame to enable traversing downward thereof upon folding of the frame towards the folded position so as to move from a use position to a retracted position. Locking devices (21) operate upon reaching the folded position to hold this position permanently. The locking devices are kinematically connected to the handlebar to be released upon traversing movement of the handlebar towards its use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Peg Perego S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianluca Perego
  • Patent number: RE38436
    Abstract: A push cart comprises includes a main frame, a handle, a front support, two wheel frames, two wheels, and a retractable rod and a rear support , wherein the main frame has a pair of side rods connected with a pair of rods of the handle in a slidable manner, the center portion of the main frame is connected to each other, and the lower portion of the main frame has is connected with a the wheel frame frames and a wheel respectively the wheels. The lower respective ends portion of the main frame are is connected with respective ends sides of the front support which then meshes with the wheel frame frames. The respective lower ends of the handle are connected with one end of the retractable rod whereas the other end of the retractable rod is connected with the inner center portion of the front support, thus, support. Thus, by operating the handle, the retractable rod is linked to move which then links the front support and the wheel frame to retract or to expand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventor: Chung-Shiu Su