Patents Examined by Emily M Morgan
  • Patent number: 12291907
    Abstract: A structure body having a resin molded body which can suppress deterioration of external appearance due to meander of the folded line formed in the hinge portion even when the resin constituting the resin molded body contains an inorganic fiber. The structure body has a resin molded body and the resin molded body includes: a first main body portion and a second main body portion; and a hinge portion; wherein the first main body portion and the second main body portion are connected at the hinge portion with each other so as to be rotatable with respect to each other; the hinge portion comprises a first thin portion, a second thin portion, and a thick portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: KYORAKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Kazuo Waki, Sho Nakajima
  • Patent number: 12281797
    Abstract: A hinge assembly includes a first hinge element having a hinge pin with upper and lower portions and an engagement portion outwardly extending from the hinge pin. The engagement portion of the first hinge element includes a lower surface having an upwardly angled portion and an abutment surface. A second hinge element includes a body portion surrounding a hollow interior portion and further includes a contoured upper rim having a downwardly angled portion and an abutment surface. The lower portion of the hinge pin of the first hinge element is slideably received in the hollow interior portion of the second hinge element. The first hinge element rotates between a first position, wherein the abutment surface of the first hinge element abuts the abutment surface of the second hinge element, and a second position, wherein the abutment surfaces of the first and second hinge elements are spaced-apart from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Randall Vernen Crawford, Kevin Dolezan, Joseph E. Rendzikowski
  • Patent number: 12281509
    Abstract: An automatic emergency door closure is provided that can be used with an existing door by inserting a hinge pin assembly into knuckles of hinge plates associated with the existing door. The hinge pin assembly is movable between a first position where the door is held in a regular use position in which it can be opened and closed and a second position where the door is released to a closed position. This movement from the first position to the second position may be as a result of a variety of triggers, including a message transmitted from a remote location or nearby heat. The assembly may include a hinge pin body that is inserted into the knuckles, a torsion spring that is configured to rotate the hinge pin body, and an activator that can be activated by the trigger to enable rotation of the hinge pin body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: JKO Improvements LLC
    Inventor: James L. Opgenorth
  • Patent number: 12265430
    Abstract: A foldable device may include a foldable layer and a hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism may include a plurality of rod assemblies, arranged side by side, each defining an individual pivot axis of the hinge mechanism. The rod assemblies may each include a plurality of segments. One or more of the plurality of segments of one of the plurality of rod assemblies may be coupled to one both of the adjacent rod assemblies, such that the rod assemblies pivot sequentially to guide the folding and the unfolding of the foldable layer of the foldable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Young Im, Kingston Xu
  • Patent number: 12240270
    Abstract: A wheel support assembly for a bottom drawer is disclosed. When the bottom drawer is open, the wheel support assembly may provide support in a deployed position. When the bottom drawer is closed, the wheel support assembly may be retracted in a cavity to be invisible to consumers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eric Scalf, Vinayak Naik
  • Patent number: 12239192
    Abstract: This disclosure includes jewelry that has an arcuate first body with opposite first and second ends, each end defining an opening. An arcuate second body has an end with a hinge element in the opening of the first end of the first body to provide pivot capability between the first and second bodies. An arcuate third body has an end with a hinge element in the opening of the second end of the first body to provide pivot capability between the first and third bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Inventor: Cecil James Pounder, III
  • Patent number: 12228800
    Abstract: An inventive hinge and fastener design includes a male connector having a plurality of lobes protruding from a pin, as well as a female connector having a plurality of indentations to accommodate the lobes. The male connector may also have an arm that rotates through a channel on the female connector and can be secured within the channel via retention teeth that protrude into the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: FGX International Inc
    Inventor: Roy Kenneth Williams
  • Patent number: 12189214
    Abstract: The invention relates to an eyeglass joint for an eyeglass frame with a first joint part assigned to a rim of the eyeglass frame, and a second joint part assigned to an eyeglass temple of the eyeglass frame, wherein the joint parts are movably connected to each other by means of at least one spring element attached to both joint parts, wherein the spring element preferably has a closed annular shape and/or is rubber-elastic. Furthermore, the invention relates to a joint set, an eyeglass frame, an eyeglass frame set, and the use of a spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Rolf-Roland Wolf GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Iljazovic, Roland Wolf, Johannes Wacker
  • Patent number: 12168899
    Abstract: A window balance assembly and a mounting bracket for a window balance assembly are provided. The mounting bracket includes a planar-shaped body having opposed planar surface with an opening extending through the body from one surface to the other. The mounting bracket further includes first and second hooks extending from the same edge of the body that selectively engage a curl spring and a carrier of a window balance assembly. The first hook is oriented in a different direction than the second hook such that the first hook has an upward bend and the second hook has a downward bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY FENESTRATION, LLC
    Inventors: Richard S. Denormand, Andrew Baglio, Eric Mertz, Jay Sofianek
  • Patent number: 12134923
    Abstract: A hold open rod is configured to provide switched damping movement includes an inner tube assembly coupled to an outer tube assembly, the inner tube assembly movable within the outer tube assembly. The hold open rod also includes a damping mechanism configured to damp movement of the outer tube assembly with respect to the inner tube assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: MARATHONNORCO AEROSPACE, INC.
    Inventors: Ben Dyer, Neil Christian
  • Patent number: 12048389
    Abstract: A panel hook configured to hook a panel, such as a curtain, to a carrier, such as a rail. The panel hook includes a panel fastening element configured to fasten the panel to the panel hook by arranging the panel fastening element in a pocket of the panel in an arranging direction, and a hook element arranged on a first outer end of the panel fastening element and configured to hook the panel hook onto the carrier. The panel fastening element includes at a second outer end lying opposite the first outer end a barb configured such that a distance between a free outer end of the barb and the first outer end is at least the same as the dimension of the pocket in the arranging direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: 2SECURE HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Adrianus Maria Vernooij
  • Patent number: 12037829
    Abstract: A hinge device includes a fixed element with a plate that can be anchored to a stationary supporting structure, and a movable element with a hinge body that can be anchored to a closing element. Adjustment elements for the position of the hinge body and the plate include a pair of opposite longitudinal projections integrally joined to a pin that can be inserted into a slot defined in the plate. A pair of adjustment grub screws at the slot promotes the joined rotation of the longitudinal projections and the pin. The hinge body further includes a seat, for the mutual movement of the pin and of the hinge body, with a damping system interacting by friction with the pin to differentially dampen the rotation of the pin and the hinge body. The hinge device may be fixed to the closing element with a pair of clamping elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Inventors: Luca Benedetti, Mihai Mesaros
  • Patent number: 12030341
    Abstract: The invention provides a caster having a wheel and a wheel lock assembly that is configured to lock the wheel against rotation about a first axis. The wheel lock assembly allows the caster to move between a locked configuration, in which the wheel is engaged by a detent of the wheel lock assembly, and an unlocked configuration, in which the detent is spaced from the wheel. In certain embodiments, the caster moves between its locked and unlocked configurations in response to rotation of a rotatable cam. Other embodiments provide a wheel lock assembly including a rotatable track wall, which comprises a generally cylindrical wall configured to rotate about a second axis. In such embodiments, the caster is configured such that the rotatable track wall rotates about the second axis when the caster moves between locked and unlocked configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: OMCO SUMO, INC.
    Inventors: Kyle C. Stoehr, David A. Neis
  • Patent number: 12006750
    Abstract: A hinge device includes a first hinge body 10, a second hinge body 20 and a link mechanism 6. The link mechanism includes a moving link 30 having a rear end rotatably connected to the first hinge body and a front end rotatably connected to the second hinge body, a front connecting link 50 having a proximal end portion rotatably connected to a front end portion of the first hinge body and an intermediate portion rotatably connected to an intermediate portion of the moving link, and a supporting link having one end rotatably connected to a distal end of the front connecting link and the other end rotatably connected to the second hinge body. The front connecting link has a pair of resin spacers 57 interposed between the pair of side walls 11 of the first hinge body 10 and the pair of side walls 31 of the moving link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: SUGATSUNE KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Kashiwaguma, Yukihiko Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11982041
    Abstract: A spring-loaded hinge assembly including a hinge support bracket and a leaf that is pivotally mounted to the hinge support bracket. A coil spring is supported on a spring support member, which includes a pivot bush. The coil spring applies a biasing force to the spring support member, which operates to push the pivot bush against a cam on the leaf. A lock configured to rotate between locked and unlocked positions includes a finger that engages an engagement feature on the hinge support bracket when the lock rotates to the locked position as the leaf swings toward the open position. In the locked position, the lock holds the coil spring in a partially compressed, pre-load condition and the pivot bush at a partially retracted position relative to the cam until the lock is subsequently released by contact between the cam and the pivot bush during subsequent closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Linden, Velan Kaveri, Sagar Kumar
  • Patent number: 11975568
    Abstract: A self-leveling caster assembly includes a caster frame and a castor fork which is configured to pivot relative to the caster frame. A spring or other biasing mechanism biases the caster fork away from the caster frame, to maintain contact between the ground and a wheel supported by the caster fork along a travel range of the wheel. Even if a frame supporting the self-leveling caster assembly is bent, pulling the wheel away from the ground, the biased caster fork will maintain contact between the ground and the wheel, allowing continued use of a shopping cart or other wheeled apparatus including the self-leveling caster assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. McKay
  • Patent number: 11970895
    Abstract: A hinge bracket assembly includes an appliance wrapper defining a first receiving space extending in a first direction, a second receiving space extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third receiving space extending in a third direction oriented at an acute angle relative to the first direction. An anchor plate is engaged with the appliance wrapper and includes a retention member received by the first receiving space, a first flange received by the second receiving space, and a second flange received by the third receiving space. A hinge plate is coupled with the anchor plate and includes a protrusion received by a slot defined by the retention member. The appliance wrapper is positioned between the anchor and hinge plates. A locking arm is selectively engaged with the anchor and hinge plates and is rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Ian Pavnick, Ryan M. Post, Michael S. Richards, Chad J. Rotter
  • Patent number: 11969062
    Abstract: A jewelry chain having a plurality of links including a plurality of connecting links and one or a plurality of decorative links. Each decorative link comprises an outline of an alphanumeric character and becomes part of the chain by connection from at least two connecting links. The connecting links can easily pass through open sections of the alphanumeric character outline to allow rotation and sliding movement in at least two different directions so that the alphanumeric character can provide different appearances when the jewelry chain is worn. The chain can form or be incorporated in necklaces, bracelets or earrings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: K Kane, LLC
    Inventor: Katherine Kane
  • Patent number: 11963588
    Abstract: Provided are devices that can comprise a rotatable image wheel. The rotatable image wheel can comprise a plurality of image panels arranged radially around a central axis and radially offset relative to the central axis. The rotatable image wheel can also be rotatable about the central axis. The device can further comprise a face plate disposed coaxially with the rotatable image wheel and arranged to cover a portion of the rotatable image wheel. The face plate can describe an aperture radially offset with respect to the central axis. The device also comprises an actuator mechanically coupled to the rotatable image wheel and configured for causing rotation of the rotatable image wheel about the central axis relative to the face plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Inventor: Matthew Owensby
  • Patent number: 11944169
    Abstract: An earring having an earring back to securely attach an accessory. The earring back is designed to securely retain the accessory within an enclosure by means of a shaft of a stud earring. The accessory may be a hooped accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventor: Robyn Gandia