Patents Examined by Gladys J P Corcoran
  • Patent number: 7159265
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cleaning brush for cleaning toilet bowls and the like. The brush has a permanent handle and replaceable/disposable brush heads that are flushable after each cleaning. The brush is a stack of sheets of water-dissolvable and/or agitation-dissolvable material. The sheets can be attached together at an end by pressure bonding or by a water-soluble adhesive and formed with bristles at an opposite end. The wand provides a remote system for clamping and unclamping the brush head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Soller, Simon M. Conway, Kenneth W. Michaels, Elias H. Shaer, Michael J. Banco, Terra J. Morgan, James S. Marschalek
  • Patent number: 7159950
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cosmetics brush for making-up 30 including an inner brush member 10 and an outer brush member 20 separated each other, wherein the inner brush member 10 has a color different from that of the outer brush member 20 to express specific design and/or pattern of logo and is fitted into inner side of the outer brush member 20 to be integrated together and, a method for producing such cosmetics brush. The produced cosmetics brush 30 can express the desirable logo by both of the inner and the outer brush members 10 and 20; thereby it allows the user of such cosmetics brush to easily recognize the company or products thereof from the logo represented by the brush and accomplishes effectiveness of advertising, in addition to function its true duty as the cosmetics brush 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Inventor: Byun Young-Chul
  • Patent number: 7141224
    Abstract: Vessels, or housings, and covers therefor are detailed herein. Loads and load-bearing surfaces exist principally at the periphery of the covers, by contrast with centralized loading utilized in other designs. In some versions of the vessels, a cover is sandwiched, at its periphery, between a cap assembly formed of both a jack ring and an upper component or cap and thus carried on and off the associated vessel when the cap is placed onto or removed from the vessel, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Zodiac Pool Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Alvin Costa, Richard A. Coffey
  • Patent number: 7137166
    Abstract: A toothbrush with a replaceable head in which the handle has a socket and the head has a pin for insertion into the socket and the socket side walls or the pin comprise a resiliently deforable elastomer material differnt to the material of the socket side walls or pin. A preferred form of the toothbrush has its socket in a tubular structure resiliently supported between two fork-like arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: SmithKline Beecham GmbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Hans Kraemer
  • Patent number: 7135144
    Abstract: The invention provides a device and method for the manipulation of materials (e.g., particles, cells, macromolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids or other moieties) in a fluid sample. The device comprises a substrate having a plurality of microstructures and an insulator film on the structures. Application of a voltage to the structures induces separation of materials in the sample. The device and method are useful for a wide variety of applications such as dielectrophoresis (DEP) or the separation of a target material from other material in a fluid sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Cepheid
    Inventors: Lee A. Christel, Gregory T. A. Kovacs, William A. McMillan, M. Allen Northrup, Kurt E. Petersen, Farzad Pourahmadi
  • Patent number: 7132084
    Abstract: A scent dispersion system, comprising a heating device having a top surface, and a container of scented wax disposed upon the top surface of the heating device. Upon heating, scent from the wax is caused to disperse into the surrounding environment. The system may further comprise an air circulating fan associated with the heating device, for circulating air around the container of scented wax, to help disperse the scent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Pende, Inc.
    Inventor: Deno N. Roumpos
  • Patent number: 7124467
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided with a canister assembly and a nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes both a main inlet and an edge cleaning inlet. A dirt container and a fan and motor assembly/suction generator are carried on either the nozzle assembly or the canister assembly. An airflow system conveys a vacuum airstream from the nozzle assembly to the dirt container. The airflow system includes a control valve, a first conduit between the main inlet and the control valve, a second conduit between the edge cleaning inlet and the control valve and a third conduit between the control valve and the dirt container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation of North America
    Inventors: J. Erik Hitzelberger, Eric J. Streciwilk
  • Patent number: 7124463
    Abstract: A street sweeper system is used typically in a motorized vehicle. The sweeper utilizes a cylindrical brush rotating about an axis that is typically perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of motion. A conveyor belt catches debris thrown forwards and upward by the brush and moves the debris to a hopper. A conveyor lip is mounted on a lower edge of the conveyor to improve sweeping performance. The conveyor lip covers a space between the lower edge of the conveyor and the ground. The lip's lower edge is angled towards the brush to deflect debris back towards the brush to recirculate the debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Tennant Company
    Inventors: Thomas P. Mathews, Michael H. Lenzmeier, Archie A. Weidner, Gregory J. Engel
  • Patent number: 7117555
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a powered toothbrush with two moving bristle bearing parts, the first such part is disc-shaped and rotates or oscillates back-and-forth, the second such part is coupled to the brush head by an elastomeric material, such that the second section can be moved either by the force of brushing or by selective engagement with the drive mechanism of the toothbrush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Joseph Edward Fattori, John J. Gatzemeyer, Eyal Eliav
  • Patent number: 7117554
    Abstract: A lateral transmission casing (6) for a self-propelled running swimming pool cleaner, comprises a housing, an input shaft provided with elements for removable coupling with a clutch shaft (2) of the apparatus, at least an output shaft provided with elements for removable coupling with a running member (13, 14) of the apparatus, elements for transmitting the powering rotary movement between the input shaft and each output shaft, the housing bearing and guiding the shafts and the transmission elements. Detachable mounting elements enable the casing to be rigidly and removably fixed (6) into a single-piece assembly on the side of the apparatus. The invention also concerns an apparatus equipped with such a casing (6), and its maintenance method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Zodiac Pool Care Europe
    Inventor: Philippe Pichon
  • Patent number: 7096530
    Abstract: An extendable handle for a paint applicator includes an first shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and a second shaft with a distal end and a proximal end and which is telescopically disposed within the first shaft. A guide block is disposed on the second shaft and defines a curved channel. A third shaft has a distal end and a proximal end and is telescopically disposed within the second shaft. An advancement strip has a first end connected to the distal end of the first shaft and a second end connected to the proximal end of the third shaft and is disposed through the curved channel of the guide block. The advancement strip can both push and pull the third shaft relative to the second shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Newell Operating Company
    Inventor: Matthew G. Goulet
  • Patent number: 7086116
    Abstract: A dental cleaning implement such as a toothbrush, having longitudinally disposed first and second parts flexibly joined together. Between the first and second parts is a rotatable member such that when the implement bends the first parts adjacent to the member bear upon the member. The rotatable member has circumferentially disposed relatively softer and harder regions, so that as the member is rotated the parts can be caused to bear compressibly upon selected softer or harder regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerd Broecker, Matthias Georgi, Berthold Meyer, Wolf-Dieter Müller
  • Patent number: 7086117
    Abstract: A grill rack cleaning device is disclosed for efficiently cleaning grill racks having parallel metal rods. The cleaning device comprises a rigid main body and plurality of substantially cylindrical clip members. The clip members are spaced apart from each other in transverse direction; and are secured to said main body in a parallel manner with respect to the longitudinal direction. The clip member comprises a thin, elastically deflectable and substantially cylindrical wall member which surrounds a substantially cylindrical hollow interior, and has an opening along the longitudinal direction. The clip members are sized such that the circular cross section of the hollow interior is approximately the same as the circular cross section of the metal rods in a grill rack to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Inventor: Daniel Howard Lann
  • Patent number: 7086115
    Abstract: A cordless hand held duster comprising a handle and a small feather duster head attachable thereto. An internal battery and motor provides power to rotate or vibrate the duster head for removing dust and debris. The duster head can attach directly to the tool for dusting tables or other low surfaces, or various extension arms can be used, including a straight arm or variously angled arms. One extension arm, or a combination of extension arms, may be used to accommodate removal of dust, dirt or debris from elevated spaces, recesses or objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Inventors: Suzzy Rex, Brandi Sislo
  • Patent number: 7082638
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electromotive toothbrush and more particularly, to an electromotive toothbrush, comprising upper and lower tooth covers surrounding and covering upper and lower teeth, respectively, and having bristles formed at a surface contacting the teeth; a first driving rod combined with a surface of the upper and lower tooth covers where there are no bristles; a second driving rod combined with a left side of a surface of the upper and lower tooth covers where there are bristles; a third driving rod combined with a left side of a surface of the upper and lower tooth covers where there are bristles; a plurality of sensors independently sensing positions of the first, second, and third driving rods; reciprocation means driving the first driving rod and the second and third driving rods in opposite directions to move the upper and lower tooth covers in opposite directions and thereby clean the teeth, the reciprocation means driven by power supplied from a motor, in response to position
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Inventor: Kyung-Yong Koh
  • Patent number: 7080424
    Abstract: The invention concerns a swimming pool cleaner utilizing the induced flow to a filter plant pump to cause interrupted movement while cleaning the surface over which it operates. The cleaner incorporates a valve with a hollow domed perforated closure member operating in a body with the valve mounted on a stem carrying a rolling diaphragm or a piston subjected intermittently and automatically to the pressure induced by the filter plant pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Corrupipe CC
    Inventors: Dieter H F Kallenbach, Manfred Stahle
  • Patent number: 7076825
    Abstract: A floor machine for cleaning floors with a rotary brush or buffer includes (1) a base assembly having a motor and skirt with no frame and (2) a handle and frame assembly. The frame/handle assembly can readily be attached to the base assembly by a simple engagement of the frame to a support mounted on the housing of the motor. This permits (1) the handle and frame assembly to be packaged in a shipping carton which need only be tall enough to accommodate the wheel diameter of the handle/frame assembly and (2) the base assembly of motor and skirt to be packaged in a second carton having a size which need only accommodate such base/motor and skirt assembly with no significant wasted space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: NSS Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffery R. Fellhauer
  • Patent number: 7078003
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the transfer between a solid matter and a liquid, comprising an outer drum and a perforated inner drum, means for commonly rotating the drums, and means situated inside the inner drum for moving the solid matter. In between the two drums, a number of troughs are formed which, during the rotation of the drums, bring up liquid and pour it out higher up through the inner drum. Along the front rim of each trough, the drum is provided with a drain opening, opposite to which means are provided for preventing, when the drain opening, during the rotation of the drums, is at the bottom, the penetration of solid matter through said opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: De Smet Engineering naamloze vennootschap
    Inventors: Jean Baie, Fédérico Lopez, Etienne Le Clef
  • Patent number: 7076828
    Abstract: A gutter cleaning tool with a curved blade and a shovel blade is disclosed. The curved blade is used to collect debris in the gutter, and the shovel blade is used to push debris under a gutter strut. The present invention also includes a handle attachment means, for attachment to standard handles, including telescoping poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Inventor: Mark Philip Hewlett
  • Patent number: RE39412
    Abstract: The disk-shaped optical information medium of this invention includes: a first substrate having a center hole; a second substrate having a center hole; and a radiation curable resin interposed between the first and second substrates for bonding together the first and second substrates, wherein the optical information medium further includes a stopper for preventing the radiation curable resin from protruding into the center holes of the substrates, and a space between the first and second substrates of at least half of a clamp region for clamping the optical information medium is filled with the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisaki Miyamoto, Michiyoshi Nagashima, Kiyoshi Inoue, Sakae Noda