Patents Examined by Chi Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7913465
    Abstract: An expandable frame for a storm door mounted onto the header and door jamb in an entrance, a frame kit, and method of installation. The expandable frame includes an expandable header assembly, an expandable lock-side assembly and a hinge-side piece. The header assembly includes a frame mount and a header stop mounted onto the underside of the header, the hinge-side piece is mounted vertically against the door jamb on one side of the entry, and the lock-side assembly includes a lock-side stop and a frame mount mounted vertically onto the door jamb opposite the hinge section. A user can adjust the position of the header assembly and lock-side assembly to accommodate a door having smaller dimensions than the height and width of the entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Inventor: Noubar Yeremian
  • Patent number: 7892077
    Abstract: Ridge strip apparatus. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Lafarge Roofing Components GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Sattler, Manfred Rinklake
  • Patent number: 7891141
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotatable gutter support assembly that can rotate the gutter from an operational position where the gutter is used to collect and divert water from a roof, to a cleaning or rotated position in which the gutter is sufficiently rotated downwardly so that its inside may be accessed from ground level. The cleaning position then enables one to clean the gutter by using a suitable brush or even simply by hosing with water. The present invention also relates to a gutter system using the above assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Inventor: Martin Anthony Kennedy
  • Patent number: 7882661
    Abstract: A board is provided that includes a pattern to facilitate attachment of the board to a frame structure. The pattern comprises a first array of marks disposed along a first imaginary line; a second array of marks disposed along a second imaginary line, said first and second imaginary lines being spaced a first predetermined distance apart; and a third array of marks disposed along a third imaginary line, said first and third imaginary lines being spaced a second predetermined distance apart. The board may be used in a variety of construction applications, where the pattern facilitates the quick attachment of the board to an underlying frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Huber Engineered Woods LLC
    Inventors: Thomas L. Schuman, Katie Shea Gagnon, Robert Stephen Potter, Roger William Latterell
  • Patent number: 7882673
    Abstract: A masonry flashing is disclosed having a polymeric membrane and a pressure-activated adhesive in a peel-and-stick product. The flashing is used in cavity walls, typically a wall with an inner wythe of masonry block and an outer wythe of brick. The adhesive layer is a hot melt with various additives, which additives provide reinforcement to the flashing structure. The reinforcement can be fiber glass or filamentous fragments of polypropylene that are admixed into the adhesive. The flashing has a release sheet and, after removal thereof, the adhesive is pressed against the rough surface of the masonry block creating a durable bond with the inner wythe. Incorporated into the masonry flashing are various high-strength, polymeric webs including a spun-bonded polyolefin, an ethylene propylene diene terpolymer, and a polyvinylchloride with an ethylene interpolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mitek Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Hohmann, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7882669
    Abstract: A composite concrete shear wall for heat insulation comprises a wall (1) and a link beam (2). The wall (1) is composed of a prefabricated concrete wall for heat insulation (11) and a cast-in-place concrete wall. The prefabricated concrete wall (11) is a concrete panel (5), one surface of which is covered with heat insulation layer (4), and steel members (14) are embedded in the prefabricated concrete wall (11). One end of the steel members is embedded in concrete panels, and the other is projected from the heat insulation layer. The steel members are connected and located along the prefabricated concrete wall to form a framework of steel reinforcement. The prefabricated concrete wall (11) and the cast-in-place concrete wall (12) are cast and folded to be an integral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventors: Ping Qu, Xinfu Chen
  • Patent number: 7877942
    Abstract: A device for controlling the atmosphere in a space (16) which is partly delimited by at least one glass component (12, 13; 61) and which is separated from the environment (17, 18), with at least one connection between the space and the environment, and with at least one electrically actuatable valve (32, 33; 47, 48) associated with the connection, which valve is connected to an electric control unit (24); the valve (32, 33; 47, 48) is arranged in a connecting passage (34) within a member (15A) delimiting the space (16), namely in the case of an insulating glass assembly (11), a connecting ledge (15) arranged between two glass panes (12, 13) or, in the case of a lamp (60), in a socket (64), and the control unit (24) provided for an automatic actuation of the valve is also arranged in said member (15A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventors: Ivan Tochev, Dimitre Tochev
  • Patent number: 7877955
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fire retardant roof system with a roof deck, a sealant material applied to the roof deck to prevent fluid migration, a polystyrene insulation board upwardly adjacent the sealant material and a sealing material upwardly adjacent the polystyrene material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventor: Thomas L. Kelly
  • Patent number: 7874122
    Abstract: Methods are provided for creating footings for structures proximate a wall face of a segmental retaining wall using a device that includes a sleeve and a reinforcing member having a base. The methods can include placing the device on a layer of backfill material behind the wall face so that the sleeve is located adjacent the wall face and the base of the reinforcing member extends away from the wall face, covering the base of the reinforcing member with at least one other layer of the backfill material, placing a bottom portion of the structure in the sleeve, and filling the sleeve with an anchoring material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Strata Systems, Incorporated
    Inventor: Jonathan S. Calle
  • Patent number: 7874117
    Abstract: A standing seam formed by overlapping male and female sidelaps, the male sidelap forming a male locking tab and the a female sidelap forming a female first cavity, a female second cavity and a female third cavity, the sidelaps hook and rolled and interconnected so that a female first portion and a male first portion are substantially parallel, a female second portion and male second portion are substantially parallel, and a female third portion and male locking tab are substantially parallel, the junction of the male first and second portions is disposed in the female first cavity, the junction of the male second and third portions is disposed in the female second cavity, and the male locking tab is disposed in the female third cavity, the female third portion and male locking tab extending toward the female and male first portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Harold Simpson, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold G. Simpson
  • Patent number: 7866111
    Abstract: Floor laying system for joining together floorboards, including grooves made in opposing side edges of the boards, and a separate profiled rail, which is disposed between the side edges of the boards and couples together the boards and which has legs projecting to opposite sides from a central section of the rail, which legs are designed to lockingly engage in the grooves in the respective opposing side edges of the floorboards. The legs of the profiled rail delimit a channel-shaped cavity which can accommodate at least one line element. The profiled rail has legs, which supportively bear against diagonally opposing beveled faces of the grooves in two adjacent boards, in addition to which a slot running substantially parallel with the top and bottom sides of the respective board opens into the groove to form a resilient tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: AB Gustaf Kahr
    Inventor: Roy Johansson
  • Patent number: 7866121
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to composite fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) wind tower systems and methods of manufacture. More particularly, the present invention relates to a composite FRP wind tower system including a plurality of tower cells for functional engagement with adjacent tower cells along mating surfaces to form a tower section, each tower cell including a lower end and an upper end for telescopic engagement with a tower cell of an adjacent tower section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Manitoba
    Inventors: Dimos Polyzois, Nibong Ungkurapinan
  • Patent number: 7866119
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of forming a multi-ply core component. A mold press is provided having an upper die and a lower die defining a mold cavity. At least one of the upper die and the lower die has a plurality of protrusions. A first wood composite board and a second wood composite board are disposed within the mold cavity. The first and second boards are fused proximate the plurality of protrusions by compressing the boards in the mold cavity through application of heat and pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Masonite Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey B. Hardwick, Randy C. McGuire
  • Patent number: 7861482
    Abstract: A locking system for a floor panel includes a first connecting device, a second connecting device, and a third connecting device. The first connecting device includes a combination lock including an upwardly directed locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove. The combination lock further including a flexible tongue in a displacement groove. The displacement groove and the flexible tongue of the combination lock are configured to cooperate with a tongue of a third connecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
    Inventors: Darko Pervan, Christian Boo
  • Patent number: 7856790
    Abstract: A building product is configured for attachment to a surface of a building. In one example, the building product includes a siding product including a first side and a second side. In one example, the siding product is a pultruded product. A first engagement feature is disposed on or near the first side. A second engagement feature is disposed on or near the second side. The second engagement feature is configured to selectively frictionally engage with the first engagement feature of another similar siding product such that any curvature in the siding product increases frictional engagement between the siding product and the other similar siding product. In one example, the building product includes a spacer clip for attachment of the building product to the surface of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Tecton Products, LLC
    Inventors: John Jambois, Robb Willgohs, Shane Allmendinger
  • Patent number: 7856779
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hollow core door is disclosed, as well as a corresponding hollow core door. The method includes the steps of providing a solid flat door skin, moisturizing the flat skin, applying a conditioning resin thereto, pre-heating the flat door skin, and thereafter pressing the flat door skin between a pair of heated platens in a press in order to reform the flat skin into a molded skin including a plurality of panels defined therein. The press continuously closes in order to reform the flat skin into the molded skin, with the rate of press closure being a function of the determined hardness of the flat skin to be reformed. The resulting door skins have an improved bond strength, and are efficiently manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Masonite Corporation
    Inventor: Hartley Moyes
  • Patent number: 7854095
    Abstract: The electrically connectable tile module includes a porous substrate having a top side, a bottom side, and at least two side edges. At least one connector is integrated into the porous substrate allowing adjoining electrically connectable tile modules to be electrically connected to the porous substrate. At least one electrical element is disposed over the top side of the porous substrate and electrically connected to the at least one connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Inventor: Mark Banister
  • Patent number: 7854100
    Abstract: Floor panels (2) are shown with a discontinuous surface (31) layer and core (30), which are mechanically connectable to each other along one pair of adjacent edges, said floor panels comprising at least two floor elements (1, 1?), which are connected with glue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
    Inventors: Darko Pervan, Christian Boo, Mattias Sjöstrand, Tony Pervan
  • Patent number: 7849658
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for tying down an existing roof frame to resist windstorm uplift forces, in which an elongate connector is inserted slantingly upward through a hole through the roof frame, allowing an upper end of the connector to protrude from the roof frame to receive a head member which is detachably attached thereto in order to prevent the roof frame from moving upward relative to the connector under an uplift force. The lower end of the connector is secured to an underlying wall such that the connector applies a restraining force against wind uplift forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Building Performance Americas Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert E. Platts
  • Patent number: 7849647
    Abstract: A shear wall construction and method for assembling the same is disclosed. A plywood sheet includes close laterally-spaced pairs of vertical studs or posts proximate each lateral end. A channel-defining member is fitted and fixed between the spaced studs. A tie member extends from the channel-defining member into a concrete foundation or other underlying building element. A track is also provided for sheathing a lower edge of the shear wall. Protrusions from the metal track aid in anchoring the shear wall to the concrete foundation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Trussed, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Donald Lucey, Ronald F Nelson