Patents Examined by Daniel Cahn
  • Patent number: 7861462
    Abstract: A window regulator including a drive rod having a linear axis; a runner connected to the drive rod for movement therealong; a window carrier pivotally secured to the runner for supporting a window; and a guide engaged by the window carrier having a radius of curvature such that the window carrier moves the window along a path coincident with the radius of curvature as the runner moves linearly along the drive rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Magna Closures Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Smith, Dan R. Gidden, Noel Chingcuanco
  • Patent number: 7856757
    Abstract: A sash window assembly includes: a window frame having upper, lower, and left and right vertical frame members; and at least one sash guided by the vertical frame members and supported to be openable and closable by being slid vertically. The sash has: latch devices provided respectively at left and right ends in an upper end portion of the sash; an upper frame element having first passage holes formed in a top surface thereof and through which respective operating members of the respective latch devices are exposed toward an indoor space; a lower frame element; left and right vertical frame elements, each having a second passage hole formed in a depth-direction surface of the vertical frame element and through which a fastening section of the latch device is passed; and a face material provided inside the upper, lower, and left and right vertical frame elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: YKK AP, Inc.
    Inventor: Akio Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7854466
    Abstract: A ballistic panel and mounting assembly for use with a vehicle door having a side impact structure. The panel having first and second separable members, and a plurality of upper brackets and side brackets used to secure the respective first and second members to both the beltline of the vehicle door and to the side impact structure. The brackets configured such that the panel is mounted outwardly of the window hardware and associated control mechanism and adjacent the side impact structure. In addition, connectors located on the first and second members operate to connect or join the respective members together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Paul Blackmer, John Scott, Scott Kahlbaum
  • Patent number: 7849967
    Abstract: A stepladder includes a longer inclined frame provided with steps coupled to a shorter stabilizer frame provided with rungs for movement relative to the longer inclined frame between an expanded use position and a collapsed storage position. The stepladder also includes a top-step lock to lock the top step in a fixed position relative to the two frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Cosco Management, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Gibson, Paul K. Meeker
  • Patent number: 7849964
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tree stands which grasp upright columnar members for example, trees, poles, which are arranged to facilitate climbing and adjusting the height of the tree stand to a desired level and angle. When assembled as a cart, the invention consists of an upper climbing member or frame, lower climbing member or frame, a mechanical-interlocking system, an axle, wheels and a wheel attachment device. The two-climbing-member tree stand may be of a manually adjusting type or of a self-adjusting type which permit adjustment of the spacing of the grasping members so as to effect adjustment of the angle of each tree climber relative to the upright columnar member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Inventors: Joseph Amacker, Thomas Lord
  • Patent number: 7849963
    Abstract: The ladder carrier apparatus provides a basic design for ladder carry with one end of the ladder angled upwardly. The apparatus provides for supporting a ladder's weight with a cushioned strap which is born on a carrier's shoulder. The apparatus is quickly affixed to or removed from a ladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Inventor: Jonathan G. D'Agostino
  • Patent number: 7849962
    Abstract: A rail vehicle step mounts to the sill step of a rail vehicle. The rail vehicle step comprises a support sized to support a rail worker. A coupling is supported in relation to an end of the support. The coupling is sized and configured to hold the support in fixed relation to the sill step. The support is sized to extend outward beyond the rail vehicle and support a rail worker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Coug Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan A. Barbara
  • Patent number: 7845467
    Abstract: A belaying device for a rope comprises a cam able to rotate between a securing position corresponding to securing the rope by jamming effect against the stud and a separated position allowing the rope to run freely in the gap between the cam and the stud. The cam is associated with a triggering ratchet able to occupy either a locked position blocking the cam in the separated position or an unlocked position following a deliberate control action releasing said cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Zedel
    Inventors: Paul Petzl, Christian Broquerie
  • Patent number: 7845468
    Abstract: A ladder bracket for hanging a ladder in a trench box is disclosed. The bracket includes a frame, a first arm and a second arm, and a lip. The first arm and second arm each have a first end attached to the frame and a second end extending in a direction away from the frame. The lip is attached to the second end of the first arm and to the second end of the second arm. A distance between the frame and the lip accommodates the bracket being removably hung from a top edge of the trench box. A method of use is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Independence Excavating, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas John Steblinski
  • Patent number: 7841448
    Abstract: An access panel is shown in the present invention to provide easy and safe access to an attic space or elevated structure. The access panel is fully automatic. During opening, the access panel only uses gravitational forces for opening a cover. Only during closing is the access panel motorized. The gravitational forces are used to both open the cover and extend the ladder sections, while the motor is only used to retract the latter sections and close the cover. A stow latch keeps the cover closed during non-use. A safety switch keeps the access panel from accidentally opening and the ladder sections from lowering if the stow latch is released. A mechanical lock keeps the cover open when the ladder sections have been lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Lair
  • Patent number: 7828118
    Abstract: A railcar step mounts to the stirrup of a rail vehicle. The railcar step comprises a support sized to support a rail worker. A coupling is supported in relation to an end of the support. The coupling is sized and configured to hold the support in fixed relation to the stirrup. The support is sized to extend outward beyond the rail vehicle and support a rail worker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Coug Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan A. Barbara
  • Patent number: 7814704
    Abstract: A method for controlling a power slide door having an operable window for a vehicle for preventing an entrapment between the power slide door and a vehicle body by limiting a slidable range of the power slide door by portion of a stopper, which the stopper functions in a condition where the window is opened more than or equal to a certain range, the method comprising steps of judging if the entrapment is generated within a predetermined range in which the power slide door can be stopped by portion of the stopper in a condition where the entrapment with a foreign object is generated during an opening operation of the power slide door, performing a reverse operation of the power slide door in a closing direction by a certain distance in a condition where the entrapment is generated within the predetermined range, and stopping the power slide door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shintaro Suzuki, Eiji Itami, Masahiko Ito, Masayuki Nomura
  • Patent number: 7815015
    Abstract: A towable elevatable stand includes a platform that is always elevated above a trailer bed to at least a minimum elevation, but can be easily raised to selected elevations up to almost double the minimum elevation. This allows for carrying ATV, supplies, etc. on the trailer bed under the platform. Telescoping corner posts with latch pins for securing the platform at selected elevations can be combined with a simple winch, pulleys and cables for raising/lowering the platform. Commercially available parts, light weight materials, and a simple elevating apparatus produce a light weight, cost effective stand that is easy to use, tow and maintain, and which minimizes wind resistance. The platform is perforated for drainage and light weight, and the blind is a pop-up tent that is stowed for towing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventor: James P. Kerns
  • Patent number: 7798288
    Abstract: The invention relates to a climbing aid for ladders or the like, comprising an endless traction means running between guide pulleys, from which a person may optionally hang by means of a suspension device, with a drive device (20) comprising a drive motor (21), by means of which one of the guide pulleys may be driven as the drive disc (12) for the drive means (13), with a traction force limitation device and with a device for switching the drive device on/off, which can be actuated by the endless traction means (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Greifzug Hebezeugbau GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Blasek
  • Patent number: 7766125
    Abstract: A collapsible work horse has legs pivotally mounted to opposing surfaces of a support beam. The legs are secured in the extended position by a two-part locking arrangement. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a first part of a locking arrangement is mounted to each of the first ends of the legs adjacent the pivot point of its respective leg, and a second part of the locking arrangement is mounted to the supporting member. When the legs are in the extended position, the first and second parts of the locking arrangement engage one another to securely fix the legs in the extended position. In another non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a plurality of work horses are assembled with a tool support and work piece supports to provide a work station. The tool support and work piece supports are designed to be fixable in a compact storage arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Inventor: Gerald L. Fowler
  • Patent number: 7757813
    Abstract: The ladder system is disposed between two spaced storage shelves of the types found in crowded warehouses. The ladder is mounted on overhead guide tracks and may be moved longitudinally along the shelves and laterally between the shelves. Locating means are provided for immobilizing the ladder against movement laterally and longitudinally. The locating means includes a pair of spring-loaded casters and rubber pads at the lower end of the ladder and a pair of braking mechanisms overlying and engageable with the guide tracks when subjected to the weight of the user to prevent movement of the ladder at the top thereof either intentionally or unintentionally. Finally, a lateral brake is carried by the ladder which prevents the roller carriage from moving laterally. The brake is applied when the ladder is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Material Control, Inc.
    Inventor: James F. Kerr
  • Patent number: 7740107
    Abstract: A maintenance platform for suspension on support cables, in particular for maintaining rotor blades of wind turbines, wherein the maintenance platform is formed by at least two sub-platforms defining a working plane, wherein said sub-platforms are swivably connected to each other by a swivel joint with a swivel axis substantially perpendicular to the working plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Aeroconcept Ingenieurgesellschaft für Luftfahrt-technik und Faserverbundtechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Christian Lemburg, Johannes Lemburg, Thomas Schäfer, Carsten Weber
  • Patent number: 7717232
    Abstract: A portable ladder stand for supporting a hunter or naturalist above the ground includes a ladder portion, an upper assembly portion and a seat portion. The ladder portion includes a plurality of components including an intermediate ladder segment, ladder extension segment and lower ladder segment. The ladder segments are include vertical rails and horizontal rungs extending between the rails, and the segments are nestingly connected together. The vertical rails include male peg connectors and female socket connectors that are configured in such a way as to limit the number of ladder extension segments that can be included in the ladder portion of the ladder stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Gorilla Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Butcher
  • Patent number: 7712256
    Abstract: An opening and closing apparatus is provided with a foreign material detecting sensor, a position detecting apparatus and a control circuit apparatus. The foreign material detecting sensor has a sensor electrode, and is arranged in a front end of a door panel. The foreign material detecting sensor outputs an electrostatic capacity detection signal corresponding to a change of an electrostatic capacity between the sensor electrode and a foreign material coming close to the electrode. The position detecting apparatus outputs a position detection signal corresponding to a position of the door panel. The control circuit apparatus compares a change amount of the electrostatic capacity detected on the basis of the electrostatic capacity detection signal with a threshold value so as to judge, on the basis of a result of comparison, whether or not a foreign material exists between the door panel and a vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Kato, Masaaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7708116
    Abstract: A catch device, as part of a fall protection for ladders and similar climbing devices, for application in a guide rail with a C-profile, includes a body and at least two pairs of rollers, arranged in the body so as to run inside the guide rail. At least one pair of rollers is rigidly fixed to the body and one roller pair is arranged to pivot about an axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the guide rail and which runs up to the rotational axis of the roller pair. The pivoting roller pair can be fixed in a secure position such that the pivoting roller pair is fixed on a shaft, mounted so as to rotate in the body, the upper end of the shaft projecting from the body and having an indent. A hanging latch is connected to the body which may engage in the indent. The hanging latch can be locked in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Christian Dalloz Holding Deutschland GmbH & Co. K,
    Inventors: Frank Martin, Markus Krauβ