Patents Examined by Gerald A. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5481987
    Abstract: Desk-mounted computer workstation modules are disclosed consisting of 1) a computer monitor support structure that affixes to an existing desk or other floor-supported platform, and 2) an extended work surface that partially surrounds the support structure at the rear and the user at the front of the surface. The support structure module extends beyond the back of the platform to which it is affixed, while providing variable tilt and functional stability for the work surface module through height-adjusting linkage. The work surface provides maximum unbroken work area for users while also providing continuous arm support that reduces user fatigue and injury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Inventor: Anthony J. Maitland
  • Patent number: 5480225
    Abstract: A foldable display unit having sections hingedly connected to a base wherein when the sections pivot inwardly toward the base, the sections and base fold into a self-contained portable shipping container. The unit includes a base, front section and top sections hingedly connected thereto. The top surface of the base is configured to nestingly receive the front and top sections when they are folded. The unit may also have side sections hingedly connected thereto. The side sections extend outwardly from the sides of the base in an unfolded state and pivot inwardly toward the sides of the base so that the sides are in face to face relation with the side surfaces of the base. Latching mechanisms secure the hingedly connected sections to the base when the unit is folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Inventor: Randall J. Bailey
  • Patent number: 5480224
    Abstract: A convertible computer workstation comprising a desk having a horizontal working surface, a front panel, a vertical side panel located at one end of the working surface to support the working surface, a second vertical side panel located at the opposite end of the working surface to support the working surface, a third vertical support panel located approximately mid-way between the first and second side panel, a plurality of computer component shelves located between one side panel and the third support panel, a retractable keyboard drawer with a rear surface located between the opposite side panel and the third support panel, a monitor housing for supporting a computer monitor located behind the keyboard drawer comprising a horizontal working surface located within the desk working surface and hingedly connected to the desk front panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, a bottom panel, and a rear panel, all attached to the underside surface of the monitor housing working surface, means to lock the mo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Continental Engineering Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Carlos V. Ugalde
  • Patent number: 5478144
    Abstract: The cassette holder for magnetic tape cassettes includes locking devices (14,15) for locking the reel hubs of a magnetic tape cassette mounted on a transversely displaceable sliding element (3). Control wedges (9,10) are formed on both sides of the sliding element (3) which, as a magnetic tape cassette is inserted, come into contact with an enlargement (24,25) formed on the flat faces of the magnetic tape cassette (23) so as to displace the sliding element (3) laterally. The sliding element (3) with its locking devices (14) is thus aligned exactly with the position of the reel hubs (26) for engagement of the locking devices (14,15) with the reel hubs (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: fischerwerke, Artur Fischer GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Torsten Bieck
  • Patent number: 5474376
    Abstract: A support linkage apparatus assembly provides a balanced extension and retraction of supported elements with useful inclination. The supported element comprises the coupler link element mass and is prepositioned between parallel linkage apparatuses. The support linkage apparatus assembly provides prepositioned support of elective elements. A display rack assembly provides storage and display of paper and materials of negligable mass. A drawer assembly provides cradled storage and a balanced opening and closing inclination of various supplies of three dimensional mass. A container assembly provides a balanced opening and closing inclination of various supplies of three dimensional mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Inventor: Donald W. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5474377
    Abstract: A movable storage container is provided for use under a piece of furniture having at least one leg. The container includes a frame, a basket mounted on the frame for movement therewith, and a hinge. The basket is formed to include an item-storage region therein. The hinge is formed to pivot about an axis of a leg of a piece of furniture and coupled to the frame so that the frame end basket are movable as a unit relative to the piece of furniture about the leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Cosco, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Cone, Dennis M. Turner
  • Patent number: 5474378
    Abstract: A manually adjustable support assembly for movably supporting an upper dishrack within a dishwasher. A plurality of support assemblies are provided for each dishrack and permit manual adjustments of the dishrack between predetermined vertically spaced positions. Each of the adjustable support assemblies comprise a housing for interconnection with the dishrack. A flex plate is disposed adjacent the housing and slidably interconnects with the housing. A wheel rotatably interconnects with the flex plate and is rotatably received into a track supported on the sidewall of the dishwasher tub. The flex plate includes a positioning rib which is received into one of a plurality of receiving slots formed into the housing. By flexing the flex plate, the positioning rib may be disengaged from one of the receiving slots and the flex plate moved longitudinally relative to the housing. By relaxing the flex plate, the positioning rib is engaged into the adjacent-most receiving slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: John I. Smith, Michael L. Giddings
  • Patent number: 5474373
    Abstract: A computer desk comprising a generally horizontal table top; a plurality of spaced legs extended downwards from the table top for contacting a recipient surface therebelow and thereby creating a plurality of lower holding spaces; a generally horizontal keyboard shelf extendably secured below the table top; a plurality of stacked drawers disposed within at least one lower holding space and slidably coupled between the adjacent legs with some of the drawers having a plurality of dividers arranged in sequence therein thereby creating a plurality of computer disk holding spaces; a rigid frame having a generally horizontal top wall offset above the table top and a pair of opposed spaced side walls each extended downwards and outwards at an angle from the top wall and coupled with the table top and thereby creating an upper holding space; and a plurality of shelves secured within the upper holding space and thereby creating a plurality of storage compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Inventor: John M. Forester
  • Patent number: 5472271
    Abstract: A hinge for an inset cabinet door includes door and frame wings which enable the door to be adjusted both horizontally and vertically relative to the surrounding face frame of the cabinet. An angled wall of the frame wing enables a locking screw to be driven into the frame at an angle by a power-operated driver without the driver being obstructed by the adjacent side panel of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Newell Operating Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Bowers, Jeffrey L. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 5472270
    Abstract: A drawer-type storage cabinet, particularly adapted for use in the health care industry is convertible from a cabinet which employs mechanical extension glides removably mounted on inner side walls, for supporting individual drawers, to a glide-type support in which a pair of molded plastic side wall liners are located on the inner side walls, after the removal of the removable mechanical extension glides. The side wall liners are formed with a plurality of shelf-supporting ledges for receiving thereon slide-type storage devices including wire shelves, molded plastic tubs and the like. The change over is accomplished without removing the cabinet from its installed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Czarnecky, Christopher J. Neff, Scott L. Strait
  • Patent number: 5470141
    Abstract: A filing system comprising a box file and a concertina file which is housed in the box file, the box file preferably being split into two parts along a diagonal of the end walls, so that it can be opened out onto a surface and the concertina file can then be extended out of it to allow access to the contents. In alternative forms the end walls are divided along different lines (for example into an L-shape) and the box may be formed from a blank of sheet material such as cardboard, or it may be moulded from a resilient plastics material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Inventor: Paul R. Billingham
  • Patent number: 5470142
    Abstract: A dishwasher having spray arm, motor and pump components configured and mounted so as to occupy very low height. In one form the complete wash system is arranged as a drawer which slides in and out of a cabinet. The cabinet opening is stiffened against racking forces by incorporating an inverse portal frame in the opening flange. A synchronous AC motor is used with the rotor running within the wash chamber driving a wash pump integrated with a rotating spray arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Limited
    Inventors: Adrian A. Sargeant, William H. Currie, Willem Ouwens, Philip J. Brace, Robert W. Todd, Hans-Joachim Scholz
  • Patent number: 5470138
    Abstract: A device for displaying sheets of promotional material includes a frame having a rear wall, a front wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall. The walls cooperate to define a sheet receiving cavity. A hinge can be provided for pivotally mounting the front wall or cover from the remainder of the frame. Alternatively, the cover can be a separate element secured by a catch to the remainder of the frame. A bracket construction is located on the rear wall for securing the frame to an associated support member. A slot is defined along one of the side walls for allowing the withdrawal of sheets, such as coupons and the like, one at a time from the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Fasteners for Retail, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Kump
  • Patent number: 5468063
    Abstract: A vertical panel is mounted in a cabinet for movement into and out of the cabinet. A plurality of removable accessory holders are attached to the panel for holding accessories. A drawer front is attached to the panel for closing the cabinet when the panel is in the cabinet. The drawer front is attached to the panel along a line that is offset from the midline of the drawer front, to provide more room on one side of the panel for larger accessories. In some embodiments, the panel is a pegboard. The accessories holders include racks for shoes, pegs on which accessories can be hung, or trays for holding rings, earrings, and similar items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Inventor: Laura M. Simonek
  • Patent number: 5467720
    Abstract: A supporting device for supporting a member having an inside movable portion includes a main frame, a supporting reference plate on which the member is to be placed and a plurality of driving mechanisms each being disposed between the main frame and the supporting reference plate and each having a high-rigidity displacement providing element and a low-rigidity supporting element of low damping factor, disposed in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobushige Korenaga, Kazunori Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 5466062
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a drawer front having a front panel and a pull attached thereto. The front panel has a front wall with a top flange extending rearwardly from a top portion of the front wall and a back flange extending downward from the top flange. The pull has a generally inverted J-shaped cross-section. The pull has a front portion for a user to grasp with his fingers and a rear portion spaced apart from the front portion. A middle portion interconnects the front portion and the rear portion. A locking element is attached to one of the back flange of the front panel and the rear portion of the pull. A first aperture is located on the other of the back flange of the front panel and the rear portion of the pull. The locking element mates with the first aperture to thereby secure the pull to the front panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James I. McPherson, Daniel R. Kinney, William E. Jeannot, Jr., Thomas R. Karel
  • Patent number: 5462348
    Abstract: A utensil holder or tray is provided for use in a dishwasher for holding odd-shaped utensils. The tray is movably supported upon the upper perimeter edge of a conventional dish rack. Rollers or hooks are provided for rollably or slidably supporting the tray upon the rack. Movement of the tray upon the rack is limited by detents or the like. The tray can be quickly and easily installed on or removed from the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: David I. Ellingson, Daryl A. Michael, William M. Nelms
  • Patent number: 5462350
    Abstract: An equipment cabinet employs a rack-mountable equipment enclosure surrounded by a base, a cap, and front and rear covers. Each cover consists of a bezel and a door reversibly mounted thereon via removable hinge pins. The bezels have sidewalls that rest against ledges on the edges of the enclosure to receive support therefrom. The door has a centrally-located latch, the latch having a pawl with an eccentric catch portion that engages a latch opening on a ledge extending from the bezel. The pawl also has a tab that rests between the ends of an arcuate raised portion on the rear of the door to limit the rotational travel of the pawl. The base, cap, and covers are configured so that the enclosure is surrounded by hollows forming a peripheral passageway for cabling and the like. The base and cap have front and rear handle-like projections through which cables may be routed, and the covers have inward-facing snap tabs that engage the handle-like projections to secure the covers to the base and cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy H. Brightman, Kenneth Gulick, Robert L. Hanson, Brian R. Herrick, Edwin A. Jeffery, Maria J. Kozo, Carl A. Swanson
  • Patent number: RE35120
    Abstract: A substantially transparent single-pane insulating structure, positionable between a warmer region and a colder region having a substantially transparent pane wherein one surface is exposed in use to the warmer region and the opposed surface in use facing the cold region and a reflecting material applied to the surface of the pane which faces the colder region for reflecting a substantial portion of infrared radiation incident on the reflecting material through the pane to the surface of the pane exposed in use to the warmer region to restrict substantial transmission of infrared radiation from the warmer region to the colder region and to heat the surface of the pane exposed in use to the warmer region sufficiently to prevent formation of a visibility-impeding layer thereon without using electrical energy therefor and wherein the reflected infrared radiation is reradiated into the warmer region so as to inhibit reradiation thereof into the colder region and for transmitting a substantial portion of visible l
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Anthony's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Heaney
  • Patent number: RE35131
    Abstract: Broadly, the present invention is directed to paperboard runners and paperboard pallets constructed therewith. One aspect of the invention comprises a paperboard pallet comprising an upper deck and a lower deck having a plurality of runners interposed therebetween and affixed to each of said decks. Each of the runners comprises a sheet of paperboard that has been folded into a rectangular form having top and bottom walls, a pair of sidewalls, and a central vertical wall (e.g., the two ends of the sheet pressed together) interposed between the sidewalls. The top wall has openings. The central wall has quarter-round cut-outs located at the longitudinal ends of the top wall cut-out areas. The top wall openings are adapted to receive flaps having central slots cut in them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: American Corrugated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Youell, Jr., Donald R. Youell, III