Patents Examined by Curtis A. Cohen
  • Patent number: 6082049
    Abstract: A metal door frame reinforcing apparatus is of "U" shape and is attached to the inside of the door frame so as to enclosed that section of the door frame within the "U" shape and thus direct any striking forces toward that section of the wood that is enclosed by the apparatus thus increasing the amount of wood that must be broken in order to force the door. The apparatus has a main section and two side flanges that are connected to the inside and outside panels of the door frame and thus enclose the door jamb area of the door frame within the flanges. There is a hole in the main section for the placement of the dead bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventor: Justin Ray Hudson
  • Patent number: 6082046
    Abstract: An overhead door safety sensor mounting bracket allows overhead door safety sensors to travel beneath the leading edge of an overhead door for substantially the full travel path of the overhead door as the overhead door closes. The mounting brackets attach to the bottommost roller axles of the overhead door on opposite lateral sides of the overhead door. As the overhead door approaches a closed position, the mounting brackets for the overhead door safety sensors rotate about the bottommost roller axles of the overhead door. The safety sensors are rotated up above the ground so that neither the safety sensors, nor the mounting brackets touch the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventor: Kevin A. Simmons
  • Patent number: 6082050
    Abstract: A top-hung sliding door or window system for mounting within an opening in a wall includes upper and lower longitudinal tracks mounted to the upper and lower edges of the opening. A top rail is mounted to the upper edge of the glazing panel and is suspended from the upper longitudinal track for longitudinal movement. Vertical rails are mounted to the vertical edges of the glazing panel. A bottom rail is supported on the lower longitudinal track for longitudinal movement. A bottom rail insert is mounted to the lower edge of the glazing panel and engages the bottom rail for vertical movement relative thereto. Vertical rail inserts affixed to the ends of the bottom rail and projecting upward therefrom are movably attached to the vertical rails. When the upper edge of the opening is displaced downward, the first and second vertical rails move downward relative to the first and second vertical rail inserts, and the bottom rail insert moves downward on the bottom rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Alcoa
    Inventor: Richard F. Schilling
  • Patent number: 6079158
    Abstract: The assembly includes an integral corner door and a latch assembly, the latch assembly including a user acuatable element, a dog-ear element, a cam receiving element and a door extension. The integral corner door has a hinging portion hingedly connected to a first surface of the housing and a latching portion perpendicular to the hinging portion connectable to a second surface of the housing. The user actuatable element has a user manipulative portion and a rotatable shaft affixed thereto. The user manipulative portion is positioned on the second surface of the housing. The shaft extends through an opening through the second surface. The dog-ear element of the latch assembly is securely affixed to the shaft. The dog-ear element has a first hooked end and a second end. The first hooked end forms a recess. The hooked end has a terminal cam portion. The second end includes a door disengaging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Claney Systems International, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Brodbeck
  • Patent number: 6076303
    Abstract: A filtering gate for the protection of a site includes two boxes arranged side by side and forming two corridors allowing communication between an inside of the site and an exterior of the site. A first and a second pair of leaves are located at an inside front and an external front, respectively, of the boxes arranged side by side, the leaves of each pair being movable parallel with respect to each other and transverse to a flow passing in the corridors, each leaf being movable independent of the other leaf of the pair, between a first position in which it blocks passage through one of the corridors and a second position in which it blocks passage through the other of the corridors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Progetech S.r.l.
    Inventor: Daniele Orsini
  • Patent number: 6073395
    Abstract: A window lift mechanism for raising and lowering a window in a vehicle door includes a support bracket mounted to the window and a motor supported on the support bracket. A vertical rack is mounted to the door and is positioned immediately adjacent the window, and a vertical guide track is also mounted to the door parallel to the rack and immediately adjacent the window. A pinion gear driven by the motor is supported on the support bracket and engaged with the rack to permit vertical movement of the window. A slide is supported on the support bracket and engaged with the guide track to provide support as the window is raised or lowered. Alternatively, a second rack and pinion are used instead of the guide track and slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Inventor: Paul J. Fenelon
  • Patent number: 6073397
    Abstract: An outside door handle assembly includes a door handle for opening and closing a vehicle door, a case for being fixed to a door panel which stores and retains the door handle and an elastic member generating an elastic force between the door handle and the case, wherein the door handle includes a pair of arm portions which are disposed on right and left sides of the door handle respectively, the case includes two pairs of stay portions each of which are disposed on right and left sides of the case and a storing portion storing the elastic member, each of the arm portions includes a pair of groove portions which are disposed on respective surfaces of the arm portion and an opening which is connected to one of the groove portions in the depth direction of the groove portion such that a depth of the opening is larger than that of the groove portion and such that a diameter of the opening is smaller than that of the groove portion, one stay portion of each pair of stay portions includes a first axle portion which
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuro Tanimoto, Morihito Nomura, Kouji Ooe, Kouichi Nagata
  • Patent number: 6073396
    Abstract: A gate hinge is provided which enables a gate to be maintained upright and level in a first closed position and to clear obstacles or follow the contour of the ground when swung into a second position. The gate hinge hereof can be used in combination with a support post, a gate and a conventional hinge. The gate hinge includes a hinge pin preferably mounted on a threaded rod and a bearing attached to a second rod. One of the rods is attached to the support post, the other rod is attached by mounting brackets to the gate. The pivot axis of the hinge is offset relative to the pivot axis of the other hinge, so that during swinging of the gate, its angle of inclination relative to the support post changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Inventor: Rudolph Kietzmann
  • Patent number: 6070362
    Abstract: A hinging fitting for joining a sash-frame to a leaf in which the hinging fitting has a fixed support adapted to be attached to the sash-frame, a movable support adapted to be attached to the leaf, a spindle pivotally affixed on the fixed support and a bushing affixed to the movable support. The spindle is subdivided into at least two spindle lengths. At least one of the spindle lengths is offset from a longitudinal axis of another spindle length. The bushing has a bore formed by at least two elongated holes arranged substantially in an extension of each other. The elongated holes receive respectively the spindle lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Ferco International Ferrures et Serrures de Batiment Societe Anonyme
    Inventor: Richard Strassel
  • Patent number: 6067754
    Abstract: An assembled basement window for insertion in a building form into which concrete will be poured around the window. The window will have an outer frame fabricated form pieces cut to length from a common extrusion. A header and jambs will be cut to length from a common extrusion. The header and jambs and a sill are assembled into the outer frame so as to form an inner window frame into which the window sashes can be removably inserted. The components of the inner frame can be removably inserted into the outer frame in different orientations. If the window as assembled is placed in a form upside down or inside out, the sashes and inner frame can be removed and reoriented without having to remove the outer frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Bellart
  • Patent number: 6062368
    Abstract: An automatic chute closure for covering a chute opening wherein the chute closure includes a frame disposed around a chute opening, a chute door pivotally connected to the frame for movement between an opened and closed position, a door movement mechanism for opening and closing the chute door, a switch mechanism for activating and deactivating the door movement mechanism and a latch mechanism for securing the chute door in a closed position until the switch mechanism is activated to open the chute door. The automatic chute closure allows an operator to conveniently activate a single switch to open and close the chute door and to insure once the chute door is closed it is properly locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Wilkinson Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Christian Philip Kamm
  • Patent number: 6055775
    Abstract: A liftgate self-closing device for a vehicle includes a power drive unit and a track drive member drivingly interconnected with the power drive unit. The power drive unit selectively drives the track drive member. A pneumatic actuator is pivotally coupled at one end to the liftgate and at the other end to the track drive member. The actuator exerts a force opposing retraction of the liftgate. The power drive unit is operable in a first and a second direction. The first direction of the power drive unit drives the track drive member such that the pneumatic actuator is lowered to a predetermined position to enable the liftgate to automatically close. The second direction of the power drive unit drives the track drive member in an opposite direction such that the pneumatic actuator is raised to a predetermined position to enable the liftgate to be opened by an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Dering, Kyle Montgomery, Michael Dettling
  • Patent number: 6052946
    Abstract: A window regulator apparatus for moving a window glass in the vertical direction of a vehicle door incorporates a plurality of pulleys rotatably supported on the vehicle door, a drum rotatably supported to the vehicle door, and a cable jointed to the window glass, guided to the pulleys and looped around the drum. The drum includes a first spiral groove which supports one end of the cable and a second spiral groove which supports the other end of the cable. The second spiral groove is formed to spiral in a direction opposite the first spiral groove. The extending points of the cable relative to the first spiral groove and the second spiral groove are defined to gradually change where the cable releases from the drum in the radial direction of the drum by the rotation of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Isomura
  • Patent number: 6052947
    Abstract: A window regulator mechanism comprises an elongated guide rail member mounted within a vehicle door. A window moving structure engages the window panel and is slidably mounted on the guide rail member to allow the window panel to be moved generally vertically with respect to the vehicle door. An actuating mechanism slidably moves the window moving structure along the guide rail member. An elongated, flexible counterbalancing member applies a counterbalancing force to the window panel that opposes a force of gravity acting on the window panel. The counterbalancing member has a first end attached within the door, a second end attached to the window moving structure, and an intermediate portion extending over a guiding portion disposed above an uppermost position of the window moving structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Atoma International Corp.
    Inventor: Peter J. Smith
  • Patent number: 6052948
    Abstract: A method of attaching a vehicle door handle to the a vehicle door, and a door handle assembly to facilitate such attachment. The door skin includes a plurality of individual, spaced apertures. The door handle assembly includes a handle member, a base plate pivotally mounting the handle member and defining a planar surface, a plurality of lugs on the base plate each sized to pass through a respective aperture and each defining a web portion extending outwardly from the planar surface, and a flange portion rigid with the web portion and a spring clip device on the base plate biased outwardly from the planar surface and including a latching free edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: ADAC Plastics, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry W. Spitzley
  • Patent number: 6052945
    Abstract: A strong metal plate having flexibility includes a flat portion, a plurality of first protuberances projecting from the flat portion in one direction of the thickness direction of the flat portion and a plurality of second protuberances projecting from the flat portion in the other direction of the thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sukekazu Asada, Yukio Isomura, Kazuhide Itagaki, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Koichi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 6038815
    Abstract: A gate movement drive comprises a motor movement unit (11) with linear-movement actuator and a sensing device (14) for detection of an angle which is a function of the gate position. The linear movement actuator (11) has its ends pivoted to respective supports (24,32) designed for fastening of the actuator between a fixed part and a wing of a gate which is pivoted to a rotation axis (23). The sensing device (14) is connected between the actuator and one of the supports (24,32) for detection of the angle of rotation between the actuator and the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: FAAC S.p.A.
    Inventor: Michelangelo Manini
  • Patent number: 6032417
    Abstract: A tilt sash counterbalance system has a carrier shoe with a locking cam that moves a locking component to a corner-to-corner locking position within a shoe channel. This is done by moving the locking component to a locked position where the locking component simultaneously increases both the width and the thickness of the carrier shoe. This presses the locking component into one inside corner of the shoe channel while pressing an opposite edge of the carrier shoe in a diagonally opposite direction against a diagonally opposite inside corner of the shoe channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Caldwell Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Jakus, Robert M. Lucci, William P. Newton
  • Patent number: 6032419
    Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus is provided with sealing ports between adjacent evacuatable chambers that are actuated to compress elastomeric seals carried by the valve sealing elements to differing degrees of compression, based on the amount of pressure differential between the chambers when sealed. The degree of compression is controlled so that less compression of the seal takes place when less is required to seal, such as with lower pressure differentials, thereby avoiding unnecessary fatigue and wear of and around the seals that would otherwise increase the generation of particulate contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Steven D. Hurwitt, deceased
  • Patent number: 6032418
    Abstract: A driven hinge (20) has fixed and movable hinge sections (21, 28) that are arranged to be selectively rotated relative to one another about an axis (x.sub.1 --x.sub.1) between first and second relative angular positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Moog Inc.
    Inventor: Lowell Van Lund Larson