Patents Examined by David Purol
  • Patent number: 9428956
    Abstract: A drive arrangement (1) for actuating a roller sun blind (21) of a motor vehicle has an actuation rod (2) with external thread (3) and a hollow cylinder (4) with internal thread (5). The actuation rod (2) is arranged coaxially in the hollow cylinder (4). The external thread (3) of the actuation rod (2) meshes with the internal thread (5) of the hollow cylinder (4). Thus, relative rotation of actuation rod (2) and hollow cylinder (4) displaces the actuation rod (2) axially relative to the hollow cylinder (4). The actuation rod (2) is guided in non-rotatable fashion, and the hollow cylinder (4) can be rotated by a drive (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Johann, Rainer Hilt, Jonas Kirchner
  • Patent number: 9416589
    Abstract: A deformable guide for a rollable door is disclosed. The guide has two wall portions. One wall portion defines a longitudinal edge while another wall portion defines an inner longitudinal planar face. Together, the inner longitudinal planar face and the longitudinal edge define a longitudinal slot. The guide receives, via the longitudinal slot, a longitudinal end section of a rollable door side strip, the inner longitudinal planar face of the guide providing a mating surface for a planar surface of the side strip. A longitudinal rib of the longitudinal end section of the side strip is maintained within the guide. The side strip is released by widening of the longitudinal slot upon application on the side strip of a force exceeding a predetermined threshold. A guiding system including the deformable guide and the side strip and a rollable door including the guiding system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Indotech Industrial Doors Inc.
    Inventors: Don McTavish, Juan Palencia, Daniel Deland
  • Patent number: 9410326
    Abstract: A retractable awning system includes an awning and a support structure therefor. The support structure includes a base and first, second, and third support arms. The awning is attached to a roller connected to the third support arm and to another structure. A telescopic actuator coupled to the first and second support arms is configured to bias the first, second, and third support arms to a deployed state. The awning may be wound onto the roller. Tension in the awning resulting from the rolling process causes the support structure to transition to a collapsed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: LIPPERT COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey K. Albrecht, Zachery B. Nelson, Andrew J. Papczynski, Brian M. Worthman, Michael J. Fiwek, David G. Skinner, Christopher S. Greer
  • Patent number: 9410372
    Abstract: An alarm system for rolling shutter comprised of plurality of alarm sensors is described. An alarm sensor is comprised of a conductive wire that is threaded within a slat and is connected in both sides to slat edge elements. The slat edge elements have a moving electrical contact that can be pulled out towards the inner wall of the shutter rail by a magnet. In selected heights along the rails, on both rails, a rail electric element comprising a magnet and a rail electrical contact are installed. A wire is connected from each rail electrical contact to an alarm control box. When the slat, which includes the slat-wire, is positioned in the same height as the rail electric elements, the moving contact on the slat makes a contact with the rail electric contact, thus creating a continuous electrical circuit from one rail electrical contact, through the slat, to the second rail electric contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: B.M.S. INVESTMENT GROUP (H.A.S.) LTD
    Inventor: Benny Hanuka
  • Patent number: 9410364
    Abstract: A sealed magnetic-controlled window blind between two panes of glass is disclosed. Raising or lowering the window blind which is sealed between two panes of glass is performed by the magnetic attraction between the between the raising outside control set and the raising inside control set (the magnets may be used). In addition, the operation of raising or lowering the window blind may be smooth due to the arrangement of the pulleys (or bearing) which are arranged on the raising inside control set and the outside control set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Supreme Plastic Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Song-Li Zheng
  • Patent number: 9394742
    Abstract: An example of a vertically operating door includes a flexible panel comprising two pliable sheets of material with a plurality of pads or mats of thermal insulation between the two sheets. In some examples, a plurality of horizontally elongate baffles made of pliable strips of material are installed between the two sheets. The baffles effectively divide one large interior volume between the sheets into more manageable smaller volumes or chambers. The baffles restrict the air between the sheets from being forced to the bottom of the panel as the panel ascends and bends across an overhead roller. Without the baffles and smaller chambers, the panel sheets in the area near the bottom of the panel would tend to bulge outward as the door opens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Perry W. Knutson, Mark Ungs
  • Patent number: 9395756
    Abstract: The telescopic privacy screen for a laptop or tablet is a privacy device that prevents unauthorized viewing of the screens of computers. The telescopic privacy screen for a laptop or tablet provides two side wings that prevent the screen from being viewed from the side. The side wings are adjustable and can be moved when sharing information. The telescopic privacy screen for a laptop or tablet comprises a plurality of wings, a left end structure, a right end structure, one or more adjustment structures, a plurality of connecting rods, and a plurality of holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Inventor: Maria Bernstein
  • Patent number: 9382756
    Abstract: A cable guided shade system can include a head rail at least one guide cable anchor spaced from the head rail, and at least on guide cable that is fixed to the head rail and extends to the guide cable anchor. The guide cable anchor is configured such that the guide cable can be tensioned at the guide cabled anchor. The system further includes a covering material that is fixed to the head rail and is configured to move along the guide cable between an open position and a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: William Edward Cheringal, Bradley T. Hibshman, Peter W. Ogden, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9382752
    Abstract: A roll down movable vertical screen, panel or shutter system (such as used for protecting against insects, solar wind, hurricanes, rain or providing for privacy and security having a bottom edge-weight bar and self-adjusting blade that automatically adjusts to variable pitched surfaces to seal the gap resulting from a roll down screen or shutter's bottom horizontal weight bar and a floor surface that is contoured or pitched in a non-horizontal direction running parallel to the direction of the weight bar. The self-adjusting weight bar for variable pitched surfaces generally including: a weight bar body, a self-adjusting blade, customizable attachment point, variable weights, and anti-warping stiffeners. These elements are to be found as the lowest element of a roll down screen or shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Inventor: Kenneth Zubay
  • Patent number: 9371686
    Abstract: An actuator (2) for driving a blind with adjustable slats, the actuator including a housing (20) inside which a motor (22) is installed, the motor driving a first output shaft (21) that projects on either side of the housing (20), characterised in that the actuator further includes a second output shaft (23) of which the axis of rotation (X23) is parallel to and not coinciding with that of the first output shaft (21) and controlled coupling elements (26) making it possible to selectively transmit a rotational movement from the first output shaft (21) to the second output shaft (23), and in that the second output shaft (23) projects on either side of the housing (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: SOMFY SAS
    Inventor: Eric LaGarde
  • Patent number: 9366081
    Abstract: An adjustable window covering system for substantially or partially covering a window to block light, provide privacy, reduce heating/air conditioning costs, reduce installation costs, or change the aesthetic appeal of the window or the area around the window is disclosed. A user can dynamically adjust the configuration, location, position, and material layer of the adjustable window covering system without the use of tools and without damage done to the walls of a window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Inventor: Nina Howie
  • Patent number: 9359813
    Abstract: The disclosure provides roll-up coverings for an architectural opening, and various embodiments of ladder tapes. Embodiments of the roll-up covering include a roller, a first outer elongate tape, a first inner elongate tape and a plurality of slats disposed between the outer and inner elongate tapes. The first inner elongate tape can further defines a plurality of collapsible hinge segments disposed along the length of the first inner elongate tape. The collapsible hinge segments can be configured to collapse in order to decrease the effective length of the first inner elongate tape when the first inner elongate tape is rolled up around the roller. The collapsible hinge segments can further be configured to expand in order to increase the effective length of the first inner elongate tape when the roll-up covering is unrolled from the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventor: Wendell B. Colson
  • Patent number: 9359816
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a roller shutter in which a slat connection structure is very flexible so as to reduce manufacturing and maintenance costs. The roller shutter of the present invention comprises: a plurality of slats continuously connected in the vertical direction; a winding unit for winding or unwinding the plurality of slats in the vertical direction; a shutter box arranged above a door frame of a building; and a guide frame for guiding the edges of the plurality of slats. The winding unit is arranged inside the shutter box. The plurality of slats are connected in the vertical direction such that the slats can be pivoted. One end of each slat has a hook, and the hook is curved with a predetermined radius of curvature. The other end of each slat has an accommodation groove curved at a predetermined radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Inventor: Rae young Lee
  • Patent number: 9359802
    Abstract: A drive arrangement to open and close a door curtain of an overhead sectional door. The arrangement includes a door guide track for guiding movement of the door curtain between a closed, lowered position and an open, overhead position, and a drive mechanism for driving the door curtain between the closed and open positions. The drive mechanism comprises a drive belt located to a side of the door opening, guided to follow an inverted L-shaped locus by a drive belt guide track, a linkage between the drive belt and the door curtain, and a drive motor which drives the drive belt to open and close the door curtain as the drive belt follows the locus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: DAYLEE PTY LTD.
    Inventor: Gregory Brian James
  • Patent number: 9359804
    Abstract: At least one panel including a trolley is fed to a first drive mechanism of a plurality of drive mechanisms adjacent a main track configured to engage the trolley of the at least one panel. The first drive mechanism is initiated to drive the at least one panel to a second drive mechanism of the plurality of drive mechanisms to move the at least one panel farther along the main track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ADVANCED EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Scott Dickson
  • Patent number: 9353529
    Abstract: A modular awning assembly incorporating a flexible sheet; a shade frame fitted for supporting the flexible sheet, the shade frame having left and right arms and having a cross beam spanning between the left and right arms; sheet fasteners interconnecting the flexible sheet and the shade frame; left and right vertical support columns; shade attaching joints pivotally connecting the shade frame's left and right arms to the left and right vertical support columns; and column mounting brackets operatively connected to the left and right vertical support columns, the column mounting brackets being adapted for moveably attaching the left and right vertical support columns to a structure selected from the group consisting of vehicles, recreational vehicle side walls, vehicle hitches, boats, boat deck rails, building side walls, and fences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Inventor: Douglas W. Richmeier
  • Patent number: 9347257
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lifting door, comprising a movable door leaf made of slats, the slats being connected to one another so as to bend, and comprising structure-mounted frames. Lateral guides for the door leaf having a vertical section and a lintel section, and frame sealing elements of a sealing assembly are arranged thereon, which close a gap between the door leaf and a section of the frames facing the door opening when the lifting door is closed. The lintel sections of the guides, together with the vertical sections of the guides, are displaceably mounted on the frames, wherein the guides can only be displaced in a direction that is diagonal to the door leaf plane, but not in a moving direction of the door leaf. Thus, an improved lifting door having greater operational safety, and at the same time an improved sealing effect between the door leaf and the door opening can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: EFAFLEX IN{hacek over (Z)}ENIRING d.o.o. Ljubljana
    Inventors: Jure Letonje, Janez Küzmi{hacek over (c)}, Andrej Mazej
  • Patent number: 9347259
    Abstract: A portable arrangement is provided for ensuring privacy during use of a public toilet. The arrangement includes a screen in the form of a generally rectangular or square piece of sheet material with an embedded suction cup or other attachment means at each corner. Secured to the screen is a smaller pouch into which the screen can be folded for transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Inventor: Anissa Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9341020
    Abstract: A single pull-cord controller of roman shade comprises: a main control unit, a winding member, a first shaft member, a second shaft member, an inner bushing, an outer bushing, and a coupling unit. By the single pull-cord controller of the present invention, the up-down operation of the roman shade can be controlled by the pulling or releasing of a single pull-cord, and the pull-cord after manipulation can be wound within the controller by the recovery of the clock spring. Therefore, dangerous state of strangulation by wrapping around children's neck can be effectively avoided to achieve the object of safety precaution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Uni-Soleil Ent. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Ting Kao
  • Patent number: 9320380
    Abstract: A cubicle curtain loading system, including: a first member having proximal and distal ends and configured to selectively retain a cubicle curtain, wherein the distal end of the first member is configured to engage a track system configured to selectively hold the cubicle curtain; and a second member having proximal and distal ends and disposed at an angle to the first member, wherein the distal end of the second member is coupled to the proximal end of the first member. The first member includes a slot traversing its length along a bottom or side surface thereof. Retainer structures coupled to the cubicle curtain selectively engage the slot and are gathered along the length of the first member. Alternatively, no slot is used and retainer structures coupled to the cubicle curtain are selectively disposed about the first member and are gathered along its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: EMEH, Inc.
    Inventors: Dave Bronovicki, Eric Keith Wiedman, Scott Oliveira, Russell Geist, Janine Hildebrandt, Mark Grace