Patents Examined by Evan H Langdon
  • Patent number: 7478776
    Abstract: A retracting tether apparatus is disclosed comprising a retractor housing having a locking post on its outside surface. The apparatus also includes an attachment mechanism, such as a belt clip, for attaching to a body and a retaining section, the attachment mechanism being integral to the retaining section. The retaining section has a retaining section hole sized to mate with the locking post and the locking post has a mechanism for holding the post in the retaining section hole. The inside surface of the retaining section hole rides on an outside surface of the locking post to provide for smooth rotation of the retractor housing in relation to the retaining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Hammerhead Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Salentine, Kenneth S. Collin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7464915
    Abstract: A binding device for pulling tight a belt comprises a first ratchet wheel and a second ratchet wheel, each having a plurality of mounting openings, a roll, having a plurality of roll sectors that are respectively mounted in the mounting openings of the first and second ratchet wheels, of which at least one roll sector is removable, a lever, connected with the first ratchet wheel, a frame, connected with the second ratchet wheel; an upper blocking assembly, mounted on the lever, blocking the first ratchet wheel from turning, and a lower blocking assembly, mounted on the lever, blocking the second ratchet wheel from turning. Due to removability of one of the roll sectors, the belt is easily mounted and dismounted, and a wide range of applications is provided for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Inventors: Kwang Wang Liu, Ko-Chin Shiao
  • Patent number: 7461810
    Abstract: A gravity-feed tissue roll dispenser for a plurality of tissue rolls includes: (a) a housing; (b) a supply turret with a plurality of spindles for mounting a plurality of tissue rolls for dispensing; (c) means for rotatably mounting the supply turret in the housing about a center of rotation such that a vertical line through the center of rotation of the turret defines a biasing sector of the dispenser and the spindles rotate between upper and lower positions, the dispenser also having a dispensing sector adjacent the biasing sector; (d) stop means adapted for securing a loaded spindle in an elevated dispensing position in the dispensing sector of the tissue dispenser, the dispensing position being elevated with respect to a lower limit of travel of the spindle upon rotation of the turret; wherein the stop means are responsive to depletion of the loaded spindle so as to allow rotation of the turret upon depletion of a roll of tissue mounted thereabout; and wherein further the turret and stop means are configu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacifiic Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Harold J. Goeking, Gregory D. Budz, Michael R. Kilgore, Karl D. Kissinger, Andy L. Kirkpatrick, John R. Moody
  • Patent number: 7461805
    Abstract: A fishing reel 100 includes a data communication unit 44 capable of wirelessly transmitting terminal tackle water depth data to a data communication unit 66 of a fishing data display device 60, which is arranged outside of a fishing reel 100. The fishing data display device 60 includes a display unit 65 that displays the terminal tackle water depth data obtained from the data communication unit 44 and fish depth data obtained from a data communication unit 91 of a fish finder 90. The fisherman is capable of easily performing jigging with a fishing reel, as well as ascertaining the water depth of terminal tackle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ikuta, Ken'ichi Kawasaki, Shouji Nakagawa, Yasuhiro Hitomi, Noboru Sakaguchi, Kazuhito Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7461721
    Abstract: An elevator hoisting rope set (3) suspends a counterweight (2) and an elevator car (1). The elevator has one or more rope pulleys provided with rope grooves, one of said rope pulleys being a traction sheave (7) that moves the hoisting ropes (3). At least the traction sheave (7) has against the hoisting rope (3) a coating adhesively attached to it and increasing the coefficient of friction. At least the traction sheave (7) and the hoisting ropes (3) together form a material pair in which the hoisting ropes (3) bite into the traction sheave (7), maintaining a grip sufficient for the operation of the elevator even in an exceptional situation where the coating (102) increasing the coefficient of friction on the surface of the traction sheave (7) is lost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Jorma Mustalahti
  • Patent number: 7451961
    Abstract: A tail section for a carpet stretching tool. The carpet stretching tool is the type having a carpet engaging head, an elongate body, a tail section and a lever mechanism allowing extension of the elongate body. The tail section includes a first leg and a second leg, each leg having a wall running face. The legs may be selectively positioned between at least two positions. In one positions the wall running faces form a substantially flat surface allowing use of the tool down a wall section. In a second position the wall running faces on the first and second leg of the tool may be positioned at an angle to allow the tool to be used on corner locations within a room or on a post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Crain Cutter Company, Inc.
    Inventors: William Kirker, Tan D. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7451902
    Abstract: A web transporting mechanism of a printing apparatus has a buffer mechanism section for absorbing a fluctuation of the web length from a transporting section to a fixing section generated by a difference between a speed of transporting a web in the transporting section and a speed of transporting a web in the fixing section. The web transporting mechanism includes at least one brake member suppressing a motion of a movable buffer. The brake member has a drive means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Ohmura, Tsukasa Onose, Takeshi Terakado, Hidenori Iwanaga
  • Patent number: 7445195
    Abstract: A pulley includes a tensioning device and a ratchet device disposed in the tensioning device. The tensioning device includes a first shell, a second shell installed to the first shell, and a first compartment defined in a side thereof. The tensioning device further includes a first block and a second block located in the first compartment, with the first and second blocks adapted to pivot in the tensioning device. The ratchet device includes an actuating element, a ratchet, a first gripping element and a second gripping element, with the ratchet, the first and second gripping elements mounted onto the first block in sequence, with the actuating element provided to control the pivoting direction of the ratchet as to limit the direction of pulling a rope, which is winded between the first and second gripping elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Inventor: Han-Ching Huang
  • Patent number: 7441721
    Abstract: Disclosed is a welding wire tangling-prevention device for preventing tangling of a welding wire received in a large-capacity pail pack in the form of a vertically-extending tube-shaped wound body including eccentrically-stacked continuous spiral loops, when the welding wire is drawn out from the pail pack. The device includes a ring member laid on the top surface of the tube-shaped wound body, the ring member including an outer ring having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pail pack, and an inner ring having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the outer ring, a plurality of comb teeth extending from an inner circumferential surface of the outer ring toward the inner ring, and a plurality of comb teeth extending from an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring toward the outer ring, whereby the welding wire is drawn out between the outer and inner rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Hyundai Welding Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyo-Young Bae, Yo-Seong Lee, Sae-Youl Ryu, Sang-Ho Choi, Myung-Sang Yun, Yong-Chul Seo, Jung-Ho Jung, Seok-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 7441749
    Abstract: A chain guide for guiding a chain within a chain hoist. The chain guide includes a substantially elongated body having an inner side and an outer side, along with first and second extremities. The substantially elongated body is made of a substantially flexible material for curving the substantially elongated body into a substantially arched configuration about a given wheel of the chain hoist. The chain guide also includes first and second chain receiving portions provided adjacent to the first and second extremities respectively of the substantially elongated body, on the inner side thereof. Each chain receiving portion comprises a pair of shoulders protruding from the inner side of the body and defining an open channel shaped and sized for slidably receiving a portion of the chain. The chain guide also includes a deformable connecting portion for interconnecting the first and second chain receiving portions of the chain guide. Also described is a chain hoist provided with the chain guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Canimex, Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Beaudoin, Pierre-Louis Foucault, Richard Tremblay, Vincent Roy, Helene Robert
  • Patent number: 7434761
    Abstract: A cable deployment and storage system includes a cable reel mounting device, and a cable reel for carrying a length of cable. The cable reel includes a hub that may be rotatably mounted on the cable reel mounting device during deployment of the length of cable, a pair of inner end flanges carried by respective opposing ends of the hub, and a pair of removable outer end flanges carried by respective inner end flanges to contain the length of cable therebetween during deployment. The outer end flanges may thereafter be removed to reduce a size of the cable reel. The pair of inner end flanges may store any remaining length of cable therebetween after deployment. The cable may include connectors installed at each end during manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Commscope Properties, LLC
    Inventors: Mark O. Vogel, Christopher P. Gemme, Mark E. Alrutz, Martin B. Lee
  • Patent number: 7434759
    Abstract: The present invention concerns forming wire coils by simultaneously winding a plurality of wires onto a dynamo-electric machine component. In order to maximize the amount of wire that can be placed in the spacings of the dynamo-electric machine component, the turns of the wire coil must be regularly disposed without twisting the plurality of wires onto each other. Current winding apparatus may allow certain portions of the wire turns to unevenly accumulate and locally bulge outward from the collection of wire coils. Such bulges, especially in consideration of the limited spacings available on an dynamo-electric machine component, may interfere with or access to the spacings by a wire dispensing member during the winding process. The present invention proposes to perform multiple-wire winding processes that avoid wire twisting and improper disposition of the wires. Further, the present invention proposes to improve the ability of the wire dispensing member to traverse the spacings on the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: ATOP S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Stratico, Antonio Lumini
  • Patent number: 7434760
    Abstract: A paper towel dispenser includes a housing with an inner chamber configured to support a paper supply and a dispensing aperture for dispensing paper from the paper supply. The paper supply includes a side that is formed by superimposed edge portions of paper from the paper supply. An indicator mechanism is affixed to the housing within the inner chamber and is disposed adjacent the paper supply. The indicator mechanism includes an indicator operably connected to a release mechanism. The indicator is movable between a retracted position and an indicating position. The release mechanism is pivotally biased away from the housing and is releasable in response to the paper supply being reduced below a predetermined amount. Upon release of the release mechanism, the release mechanism causes the indicator to move to the indicating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Gregory D. Budz, Thomas N. Kershaw, John R. Moody
  • Patent number: 7431268
    Abstract: A tire carrier assembly for storing a spare tire on a vehicle which includes a carrier adapted for supporting the spare tire and a winch operatively connected to the carrier to raise and lower the carrier between a stowed position wherein the carrier is inaccessible and a deployed position wherein the carrier is accessible. The winch has a flexible member secured to the carrier and one of an electric motor and a manual device which selectively raises and lowers the carrier between the stowed and deployed positions. A sensor is activated when the carrier is in the stowed position. A warning indicator is operably connected to the sensor so that the warning indicator is activated and provides the operator with a warning when the carrier is out of the stowed position and the sensor is not activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter J. Steiner, Charles Flynn, Madhu Posani, Rosanne Knox, John Truckey
  • Patent number: 7431236
    Abstract: An end plug (1) for insertion into an end of a paper roll includes an inner (2) and an outer piece (3), the pieces being rotatably attached to each other and prevented from axial movement in relation to each other by at least one protrusion (6) of one of the pieces running in an annular groove (7) in the other of the pieces. A method of manufacturing such an end plug is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Bjorn Larsson
  • Patent number: 7431232
    Abstract: A fishing reel including a housing and a nonrotatable main shaft fixed to the housing. A spool including a one-way clutch having a central bore rotatable about the main shaft is also provided. The reel further includes a sleeve located coaxial to and extending along the main shaft. The sleeve is supported for rotation by first and second bearing assemblies. The first bearing assembly has an inner race fixed with respect to the main shaft and an outer race fixed with respect to an inner surface of the sleeve. The second bearing assembly has an inner race fixed with respect to an outer surface of the sleeve and an outer race fixed with respect to the central hub. At least one drag washer is non-rotatably located on the sleeve. An end of the sleeve adjacent the first bearing assembly is received in the one-way clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Shakespeare Company, LLC
    Inventor: Young Kang
  • Patent number: 7427006
    Abstract: A pipe tensioner machine for offshore pipelaying operations comprises adjustable tension banks for the transfer of tension to the pipe string. Four tension banks (14, 16, 18 20) are provided in an angle of substantially 90 degrees to each other mounted inside a framework (12). The tension banks are movable along guides. The tension banks (14, 16, 18, 20) comprise revolving tracks (22) carrying traction pads (24) transmitting the squeeze force to the pipe (26). The lower tension banks (18, 20) are longer than the upper tension banks (14, 16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Inventor: Ottmar Diehl
  • Patent number: 7424964
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the automatic hauling of very long elongate objects. This device in particular allows very long tubular objects of relatively flexible and delicate structure such as, in particular, underwater cables, pipes or alternatively linear sonar antennas of the “streamer” type to be handled. The device chiefly comprises traction means consisting of at least two running strips with rough surfaces which are pressed on each side of the object and drag it along in a traction movement and gripping means which constantly keep the running strips pressed against the object in order to ensure good adhesion. Another subject of the invention is means for actuating the traction means and the gripping means in a coordinated manner so that the object that is to be hauled experiences continuous traction throughout the hauling operation. The device according to the invention has the advantage of being mounted on a stationary chassis and therefore of not requiring an operating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Vito Suppa, Christophe Borel
  • Patent number: 7422132
    Abstract: A vacuum belt conveyor for a web forming machine intended for transporting a web threading tail (24) has lateral guidance. The vacuum belt conveyor has a frame construction (16) with two rolls (17, 18), an air-permeable belt loop (21) and guiding equipment (22) for providing lateral guidance. The guiding equipment (22) is composed of air blows (25), which are arranged on both sides of the web threading tail (24) and near the web threading tail (24) receiving end of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Inventor: Juha Laitio
  • Patent number: 7419117
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for winding material. The apparatus includes first and second roll carriages that are each configured to support a roll shaft. At least one of the first and second roll carriages is configured to be rotated by a drive member. The apparatus also includes an engagement roller displaceable from a first engagement roller position where the traveling roller is free of a web to a second, different engagement roller position where the traveling roller is configured to engage the periphery of a roll of web material that is at least partially wound about the roll, a traveling roller displaceable from a first traveling roller position to a second traveling roller position and a cutter where the cutter is configured to cut through the web after the first roll carriage moves from a first roll carriage position to a second roll carriage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Oerlikon Textile GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bengt Arne Andreasson, Birger Elmgaard Sørensen