Patents Examined by Dean Kramer
  • Patent number: 9357758
    Abstract: The fish grabbing tool is a device that is designed to grab the side of a fish in situations, such as ice fishing, where the use of a net is inappropriate or cumbersome. The fish grabbing tool positions a first jaw and a second jaw that can be positioned by the head or upper body of the fish. A pull ring is used to operate a grabbing mechanism that secures the first jaw and the second jaw around the fish. The fish grabbing tool comprises a grabbing device, a center post, and a handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Inventor: Darwin Smith
  • Patent number: 9355878
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including first and second chambers stacked one above the other; a first opening that is provided in a wall of the first chamber that faces the second chamber, and that allows a substrate to pass through the first opening; a second opening that is provided in a wall of the second chamber that is in communication with the first opening and that allows the substrate to pass through the second opening; an opening and closing member that is provided inside the first chamber so as to move up and down and that opens and closes the first opening; a substrate mounting member that is provided closer to the second chamber than the opening and closing member, and that moves the substrate between the first and second chambers; and a substrate processing member provided in the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Einstein Noel Abarra, Yukihito Tashiro
  • Patent number: 9353493
    Abstract: The shovel with living hinge is an improved manual snow shovel with a feature that adds efficiency when removing loose material from the surface of sidewalks, driveways, or pavements. The shovel with living hinge is made up of both conventional and unconventional parts that in whole provide benefits unlike other manual shovels. Located within the ribs of the shovel is a living hinge that aids in reducing the manual effort put forth by the user when pitching loose material away from a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Inventor: Donald French
  • Patent number: 9343341
    Abstract: An end effector device attached to a tip end portion of a robot arm includes a plurality of support units provided on a blade. Each of the support units includes: a plurality of nail pieces configured to support peripheral portions of a plurality of semiconductor wafers such that the semiconductor wafers are parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another; and a pitch changing mechanism configured to change upper-lower intervals of the nail pieces. The pitch changing mechanism includes: a coil spring configured to support the plurality of nail pieces such that the plurality of nail pieces are spaced apart from one another in an upper-lower direction and elastically deform in the upper-lower direction; and an operating mechanism configured to cause the coil spring to elastically deform in the upper-lower direction. The operating mechanism includes a piston pin fitted in the coil spring to move up and down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Shigeki Ono, Takayuki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 9339936
    Abstract: A device for lifting and positioning an object generates a low pressure by a whirlwind for suctioning the object. The device includes a housing having a suction opening. The housing has at least one friction element which at least partly covers the suction opening. The friction element can have a three-dimensional structure. The device can facilitate handling of objects having a curved shape or rough surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: BDT MEDIA AUTOMATION GMBH
    Inventor: Peter Xavier Kearney
  • Patent number: 9339013
    Abstract: A device for collecting the urine of a pet or farm animal is provided. The device has a housing having a front, a back, a first side, a second side, a top, a bottom and a generally hollow interior. A concave reservoir is located within the interior of the housing at the bottom of the housing and has a generally circular opening for receiving a removable hollow vial which collects the urine of the pet or farm animal. The housing has a narrow front which is easily inserted between the hind legs of the pet or farm animal to collect the animal's urine. The urine flows into the housing, then into the concave reservoir and then into the removable vial (located outside the housing), which is capped once filled, and then transported to a veterinarian for analyzation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Inventor: Karen Naponelli
  • Patent number: 9339945
    Abstract: Systems and methods for gravity independent gripping and drilling are described. The gripping device can also comprise a drill or sampling devices for drilling and/or sampling in microgravity environments, or on vertical or inverted surfaces in environments where gravity is present. A robotic system can be connected with the gripping and drilling devices via an ankle interface adapted to distribute the forces realized from the robotic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Aaron Parness, Matthew A. Frost, Nitish Thatte, Jonathan P. King
  • Patent number: 9321386
    Abstract: Compact tool carriers having a loader mounted to a low-profile mainframe are disclosed. In some embodiments, the pivot points of the mainframe about which the loader is pivoted are low relative to the mainframe to reduce the mainframe size and to lower the center of gravity to improve the stability of the compact tool carrier during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Brad Thomas, Louis Hartke, Greg Langenfeld, Matt Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 9322229
    Abstract: A slip for supporting a member, such as a pipe. The slip comprises one or more rolling elements, such as roller, for gripping the member. The rolling elements may contact each other. The slip may be formed from a plurality of pivotally connected segments. The rolling elements may be arranged to roll along ramps, arranged to urge the members into contact with a member to be gripped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: BALLTEC LIMITED
    Inventor: Richard James Taylor
  • Patent number: 9315322
    Abstract: A system for moving pallets can include a rectangular grid, pallets, a shuttle device, a motive assembly, and one or more processors. The pallets can be arranged upon a matrix of cells of the rectangular grid. The one or more processors can be communicatively coupled to the shuttle device and the motive assembly. The one or more processors can execute machine readable instructions to activate a vertical actuator to urge the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device into engagement with a shuttle engagement member of a selected pallet of the pallets. The motive assembly can be actuated to slide the selected pallet along the rectangular grid, while the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device and the shuttle engagement member of the selected pallet are engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Inventors: Fadi Mohammad Majed Hussain Abdel Majied, Eyad M. Yunis
  • Patent number: 9315224
    Abstract: Unit for picking up a spare wheel of a vehicle. According to one implementation the unit includes a gear assembly configure to apply a torque on a drum supporting a cable, the gear assembly having a cam that wobbles as the gear assembly transmits the torque. A rotatable stop is situated adjacent a side edge of the cam and is configured to act on the edge of the cam to limit the travel of the cam during the wobbling movement. The stop has a first contact surface and a second contact surface with the edge of the cam configured to slide along the first contact surface as the drum is rotated in at least one direction by operation of the cam. A guide surface is provided to interact with the second contact surface to limit the rotation of the stop when the edge of the cam acts on the stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Batz, S. Coop.
    Inventors: Pedro Corral Rodriguez, Ekaitz Urzelai Usaola
  • Patent number: 9309685
    Abstract: A cleaning tool for a pool skimmer basket has a handle with a grip and a lever, a tube that extends from the handle to a pivot assembly at its distal end, and a rod within the tube that connects the actuator to the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly is inserted into a basket fitting and is rotated about the longitudinal axis to secure the skimmer basket to the cleaning tool. The skimmer basket is then lifted out of its housing and the lever actuates the rod to force the rotation of the pivot assembly. As the pivot assembly moves from its initially aligned arrangement with the tube's longitudinal axis to a position that is askew from the axis, the skimmer basket is rotated so that the debris in the skimmer basket is dumped out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Inventors: David Henry Hull, Jacqueline Kay Hull
  • Patent number: 9307754
    Abstract: A seafood handling tool is provided that comprises a tong-like configuration with a first arm member and a second arm member in pivotal relationship to one another. The arm members are connected to one another along their proximal ends via a clevis, which extends from the first arm member and supports the second arm member from a pin joint. The clevis offsets the first and second arm member, while the pin joint allows the arm members to pivot relative to one another to accept larger or smaller seafood between the arm members along the distal ends. The distal ends of the arm members include elongated tines that extend from the inner surfaces thereof and towards one another. The tines engage an article of seafood while the user grips the proximal ends of the arm members, thereby separating the seafood from the handler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Inventors: Wiley Hill, Mark Hill, James Leland Hill
  • Patent number: 9302387
    Abstract: A tool for disconnecting a cable from a railcar is disclosed. The tool includes an elongated body having a first end and a second end. The tool also includes a handle portion disposed about the first end of the elongated body. Moreover, the tool includes an engagement member disposed about the second end of the elongated body. The engagement member may be configured to engage the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: GYPSUM MANAGEMENT AND SUPPLY, INC.
    Inventors: Michael R. Brown, Thomas A. Keely
  • Patent number: 9297124
    Abstract: Method of handling at least one mat with the use of a crane-mounted grab head includes extending the first tooth of a first jaw of the grab head at least partially through a first hole in the mat and the first tooth of a second jaw of the grab head at least partially through a second hole in the mat. At least one actuator moves the jaws toward one another. The grab head is raised to lift the first mat. The mat is positioned at the desired location and the grab head is disengaged from the mat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Inventor: Hugh Stewart Robertson
  • Patent number: 9291009
    Abstract: A method and device for moving racked tubulars, such as pipe and casing joints on pipe racks at oil and gas well sites. The pipe moving tool comprises a wheel assembly with a long straight handle. The wheels fit inside the pipe, which is then moved by simply pushing or pulling the handle forward or backward, as needed. Several wheel assemblies of different diameters may be used interchangeably with a single handle. An extension handle also may be included. The use of this tool makes moving the pipe safer as the worker's hands are not exposed to injury. Additionally, the handle on the tool makes it possible to easily and more safely reach and move shorter pipes racked above or below longer pipes in a multi-level pipe rack; it is not necessary for the worker to lean over or under the longer pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignees: Rolling Tool, LLC
    Inventor: Andrew J. Cogburn, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9279230
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an implement with a boom, wherein the boom is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis via a bolt connection on a basic unit of the implement, with the bearing of the boom on the basic unit being effected via three bearing plates with corresponding bearing points for the bolt connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Wager, Stefan Schott
  • Patent number: 9277842
    Abstract: A potato chip lifting apparatus has a elongated handle with a front side and a back side, the back side having a plurality of catching mechanisms extending from the back side of the elongated handle and away from the elongated handle, the catching mechanisms configured to engage a can in which potato chips are stored. The foot portion is rotatably attached to a bottom portion of the elongated handle, the foot portion movable between a first position and a second position, in the second position the foot portion extends in a direction away from the front side of the handle and generally orthogonal to the elongated handle and the front side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Inventor: Donald P. Berry
  • Patent number: 9278025
    Abstract: A handheld contact applicator system comprising a handheld contact applicator assembly having a handle body having a proximate end, a distal end, an aperture, and a length, an inserter/remover assembly having a shaft, a release button, and a contact engager; wherein the handheld contact applicator system comprises the handheld contact applicator assembly. The handheld contact applicator assembly comprises the handle body and the inserter/remover assembly in cooperative and functional combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Inventor: Robert Serna
  • Patent number: 9271485
    Abstract: An outdoor pull device comprising a handle; at least two through holes through the handle, the through holes running substantially parallel to each other; one or more cords traveling through at least two through holes of the at least two through holes of the pull device, wherein the one or more cords affixes to the handle at each through hole such that the integrated handle and one or more cords create at least one loop; and at least two fastening mechanisms on the cord to prevent the cord from exiting the handle, wherein the at least two through holes each have at least two distinct diameters in the handle, wherein the first diameter is sufficient to allow both the one or more cords and the affixed fastening mechanisms into the handle, and wherein the second diameter is sufficient to allow the one or more cords through the handle, but not the affixed fastening mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Inventor: Ryan Estey