Patents Examined by Dan Rohrhoff
  • Patent number: 7862132
    Abstract: A dishwasher is provided, comprising a door pivotably attached to a body and having a counterbalance assembly coupled therebetween for facilitating pivoting of the door, wherein the counterbalance assembly includes a biasing member coupled to the body and serially engaged with a flexible element coupled to the door, and a guide member secured to the body and including a fixed arcuate member defining a first guide track, and a pulley rotatable about an axis and defining a second guide track, wherein the flexible element is at least partially wrapped about each of the fixed arcuate member and the pulley so as to serially engage the first and second guide tracks, and wherein the first guide track of the fixed arcuate member is offset from the second guide track of the pulley along the axis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald G. Tynes, Daniel M. Stewart, John Helgesen
  • Patent number: 7854485
    Abstract: Closing and opening device for drawer pull-out guides (10) with a guide rail (12) to be fixed on a carcass wall of a piece of furniture and a running rail (14) which is mounted so as to be displaceable relative to the guide rail—optionally with a central rail (11) interposed—and is to be fixed on the drawer. On a latch housing (22) disposed on one of the two aforementioned outer rails there is provided a movable catch component (24) which is pretensioned by a spring arrangement in a bistable manner into two end positions spaced from one another in the direction of movement of the drawer, and the catch component has a seat (36) for a dog (26) which is provided on the other rail and which moves into the seat during the relative displacement of the rails as the closed position is approached and pivots the pretensioned movable catch component (24) and thereby unlocks it from the associated end position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Alfil AG
    Inventor: Horst Berger
  • Patent number: 7832570
    Abstract: Shelving construction for customizing shelves used on interior walls of homes, offices or other buildings is described. Longitudinal members are first attached to a vertical interior wall for receiving shelf arms which are adjustably attached therealong. The longitudinal members are covered with a wood veneer and the shelf arms are then inserted into box-like wooden shelves which provide an all-wood appearance. The shelving construction can be easily modified by adding to the existing configuration. Each longitudinal member includes a series of grooves for receiving threaded plates which rotate for releasable engagement with the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Inventor: Margaret M. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 7810657
    Abstract: A product display unit (10) has a product support surface of selectively adjustable area. The unit comprises an attachment (13, 14) for securing to a support structure (15) and a cantilevered support member (11) extending from the attachment in a first length direction. A plurality of elongate support arms (23) extend lengthwise in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first length direction. Each support arm (23) is pivotably attached to the cantilevered support member for movement between a first position and a second position to vary the area of the product display unit available to support product. Each support arm may also be telescopically movable from the second position to a third position to further vary the product support area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Cadbury Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Max Matthew Davison, Martin Cronje, Bevan Tilley, Melanie Lambrechts
  • Patent number: 7810890
    Abstract: A slide frame mechanism for a rollout accessory such as a wire drawer has two or more ball-bearing glides in a vertical orientation. Each of the glides includes a glide mount with a threaded aperture and cross-bars attached to extend between the glides. The accessory has a plurality of mounting tabs. Shoulder screws with partial threads pass through the accessory mounting tabs and threadably engage the threads of the slide mount apertures to secure the accessory to the glides. A compressible pad is positioned between the accessory mounting tabs and the glide mounts to provide a floating suspension which reduces binding of the glides when the accessory is rolled in and out. The screws fit loosely through oversized openings in the mounting tabs to allow limited movement of the accessory relative to the glides in a horizontal plane for further reduction of binding. Drawer dividers are constructed to detachably fit on drawers to provide separate compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Lynk, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard B. Klein, Mark A. Etter
  • Patent number: 7806491
    Abstract: A storage container for a refrigerator, which is configured to mount the storage container for storing articles therein to a storage container seating portion formed in a rear surface of a refrigerator door by using a mounting protrusion and locking mechanism provided on the storage container and a mounting groove and catching protrusion provided on the storage container seating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hang-Bok Lee, Sang-Sin Kwak, Seon-Kyu Kim
  • Patent number: 7802856
    Abstract: A drawer slide includes an outer slide, an inner slide moveable relative to the outer slide between a closed position and an extended position, a first engagement member, a second engagement member moveable by engagement with the first engagement member between a latched position to latch the inner slide in the closed position and an unlatched position disengaged from the second engagement member, and a first spring coupled to any one of the outer slide and the inner slide and configured to bias the inner slide to the extended position when the inner slide is proximate to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Accuride International Inc.
    Inventors: Darush David Hashemi, Atma Kainth Singh
  • Patent number: 7798341
    Abstract: The present assembly provides a suspended shelving system. The shelving system includes a shelving panel supported by a plurality of hanger members. The shelving panel includes a plurality of longitudinal members constructed of wire or plastic. A plurality of cross members are arranged substantially transverse with respect to the longitudinal members and generally parallel with respect to each other. At least a portion of the longitudinal members and the cross members are bonded together at crossing points to comprise the shelving panel. A plurality of hanger members are rotatably secured to the cross members positioned at the distal ends of the shelving member so that they may be rotated between a storage position that is generally parallel to the underside surface of the shelving member for shipment and storage, and a support position that is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the shelf for suspending the shelf from an overhead member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Suncast Corporation
    Inventors: Jed C. Richardson, Robert Kopp
  • Patent number: 7798339
    Abstract: In general, this invention is directed to a rail and slider system having residential and commercial organizational applications. In one aspect, the system comprises at least one rail and a slider mounted on the rail for sliding movement along the rail. The rail and slider have teeth which releasably engage with one another for locking the slider at selected positions along the rail. A spring device on the slider urges the slider toward a locked position. The slider is manually movable against the urging of the spring device from its locked position to an unlocked position in which the teeth on the arms and the tracks are disengaged to permit sliding movement of the slider along the rail to a different selected position. Various items can be attached to the slider, e.g., a funnel-shaped holder and shelf bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Funnel Fits L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Brooks, Gregory A. Wirtel
  • Patent number: 7770986
    Abstract: A pivot assembly that can be inserted into kitchen cabinets to utilize otherwise unused and unreachable overhead spaces over kitchen wall cabinets. The pivot assembly has a pair of pivot arms pivotally connected to opposite sides of a frame, the frame slidably attached within a cabinet. A drawer is connected to the pivot assembly between the pivot arms. The drawer slides out of the cabinet on a pair of drawer slides and rotates down and out 180 degrees on the pivot arms, from an up position to a down position, wherein the drawer remains stable even as the pivot arms pass through a middle position. The pivot arms form a primary and secondary parallelogram shape during operation, the secondary parallelogram supporting the primary parallelogram at its weakest point in the middle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Inventor: Vaidotas Joseph Simaitis
  • Patent number: 7765939
    Abstract: A foldable stand includes a platform for holding a power tool, four legs, and a connecting device set, which has four connecting devices respectively pivotally secure the legs to the platform for allowing the legs to be set between a collapsed status received inside the platform and an extended status to support the platform above the floor. The third and fourth connecting devices are respectively disposed at two opposite sides relative to the connection line that is defined between the first connecting device and the second connecting device. The leg that is coupled to the first connecting device is disposed near the connection line between the first connecting device and the second connecting device and far from the third connecting device, and the leg that is coupled to the second connecting device is disposed near the connection line between the first connecting device and the second connecting device and far from the fourth connecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Rexon Industrial Corp., Ltd
    Inventor: Jung-Huo Chen
  • Patent number: 7765940
    Abstract: A kit for converting a standard sit-down desk to a stand-up desk. The kit includes a frame having a plurality of leg extensions secured with end rails and a plurality of side supports of selected length. Selected of the leg extensions are pivotally carried between retracted and extended positions. The kit also includes a foot rail, a shelf, a plurality of spacers and a plurality of collars. For shipping, the pivotable leg extensions, shelf and foot rail are placed parallel with the end rail. In use, the pivotable leg extensions are moved into an extended position and secured by the foot rail and shelf. The desk legs are interconnected with the leg extensions by the collars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Inventor: Graham Peterson
  • Patent number: 7758134
    Abstract: A drawer fixing apparatus includes a bottom rail on a cabinet and having a movable latch member and at least one slide. The slide has a brake connected to a fixing member by a resilient member and an inner rail slidable on the slide and combined with a drawer. The inner rail includes a driven member having an embedding groove and a movable turning member pivotally connected to the driven member. As the inner rail moves with the drawer into the cabinet, the slide moves accordingly. The brake pushes the driven member to drive the turning member to rotate and press a latch member. When a user releases his/her hand, the resilient member pulls the brake backward slightly to resume the turning member to its original position, while the latch member falls naturally into the embedding groove of the driven member by gravitational force to achieve the positioning effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Nan Juen International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuo-Sheng Huang
  • Patent number: 7753217
    Abstract: A retainer is shaped and sized to accommodate within it a bracket of a hanger in order to prevent an upward, vertical translation of the bracket, followed by its pivoting and finally fall to the ground, by using one end of the retainer for positioning and stabilizing, with respect to one channel of a slatwall track, one extremity of the bracket, while another end of the retainer, vertically spaced from the aforementioned one, is inserted by snapping into another parallel channel of the slatwall track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Inventor: Stephen Lawson
  • Patent number: 7753458
    Abstract: A mounting apparatus for holding an expansion card with a slot cover, the mounting apparatus comprises a rear panel and a fastener. The rear panel defines a slot, and forms a holder above the slot. The holder forms a pivoting axis at a free end thereof, and the pivoting axis is in parallel with the rear panel. The fastener is pivotably attached to the pivoting axis, and comprises a pressing portion pressing the slot cover to the holder and a locking portion locked to the rear panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Chi Liang, Hsuan-Tsung Chen, Ji-Guo Xu, Guang-Ming Wang
  • Patent number: 7748802
    Abstract: A rack mounted inside a cabinet in which a number of office files are supported, wherein the rack can be extended outward of the cabinet allowing all of the files to be visibly seen for easy identification along with the easy removal of any file. The files are supported one above the other so that each file tab is higher than the lower one. The rack is shaped to fit inside a cabinet that is substantially as tall and as wide as a conventional filing cabinet but is thinner and capable of being wall mounted and thereby consuming a minimum amount of floor space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Inventor: Victor Mario Peruzzi
  • Patent number: 7748801
    Abstract: A fully extendable telescopic drawer guide (10; 10?) for furniture components, such as drawers, work surfaces and the like, that can be extended from the body of an item of furniture, with a guide rail (12) facing the body, a running rail (14) associated with the extendable furniture component, and an intermediate rail (16) arranged between these two rails, wherein rolling elements are provided which are supported in cages (24; 26) and which transfer the load of the extendable furniture component by way of rolling surfaces disposed on the rails, and wherein at least one rotatably supported supporting roller (30) for the running rail is provided on the front end of the intermediate rail. The intermediate rail (16) is implemented as a profile rail which encompasses the region of the guide rail (12) provided with the rolling surfaces and which has on the bottom side an elongated opening for insertion of the support region of the guide rail to be secured to the body wall of an associated item of furniture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Alfit AG
    Inventor: Christian Prenter
  • Patent number: 7748330
    Abstract: A heavy load support made of plastic includes at least a rectangular bottom part with a leg part into which the fork of a forklift engages and which is provided with props located at least in the four corner areas of the bottom part. Metallic U-shaped profiled rails that are open towards the outside are provided between the props along the bottom edge of the load support. The props can be removably fixed to the bottom face of the bottom part of the load support and are provided with a support area for the corner areas of the bottom part as well as an edge which rises vertically from the support area and encloses the edges of the load support at a right angle, pegs being molded onto the free final leg surfaces of the edge to accommodate and fix the U-shaped profiled strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Georg Utz Holding AG
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Dubois, Jürgen Straub, Christian Mathews, Thomas Feilner
  • Patent number: 7744177
    Abstract: A mounting apparatus is configured for mounting a slide rail to a bracket. The bracket includes a flange with a plurality of mounting holes defined therein. A plurality of mounting rods is arranged on the slide rail for engaging in the corresponding mounting holes of the flange. The mounting apparatus includes a resisting member fixed to the slide rail, and an operating member pivotably attached to the resisting member. The resisting member includes a resisting portion configured for engaging with the flange. The operating member is capable of urging the resisting portion of the resisting member away from the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Tang Peng, Mo-Ming Yu, Ke Tang
  • Patent number: 7740143
    Abstract: A portable sports equipment rack is provided with two relatively foldable sections. Each section has a top wall and a bottom wall below the top wall. End walls and a rear wall hold the top and bottom walls vertically spaced. Along the front edge of at least one of the bottom walls are located a number of handle receiving structures. At least one hinge joins adjacent end edges of the bottom walls. When the portable sports equipment rack is suspended, chiefly by its ends, the weight of the rack will tend to keep it in an open deployed configuration. The sections can be folded against one another, and held together by a latch. A handle on one of the top walls facilitates carrying of the rack when it is folded. A further embodiment of the sports equipment rack is formed from an assembly of modules, each containing a top wall, bottom wall, sidewalls, rear wall, and handle receiving structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas White