Patents Examined by J. Welsh
  • Patent number: 4944510
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus which may be utilized to perform a variety of exercise routines and provides a frictional force for resisting the exercise movements of the user. The preferred apparatus has a unique modular construction which permits assembly of the apparatus in a variety of configurations for performing the various exercise routines. The apparatus may also be disassembled for storage, ease of transportion, and marketing of the apparatus in kit form. A novel friction rope brake mechanism for the exercise apparatus and other uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Inventor: Dennis L. Brady
  • Patent number: 4917128
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present cigarette comprise a roll or rod of tobacco wrapped by a paper wrapper, a short conbustible carbonaceous fuel element encircled by a resilient insulating member, a physically separate smoke generator including smoke forming substance located within a heat conductive container, the tobacco forming a jacket around the container and the smoke generator, and a relatively long mouthend piece.These cigarettes provide the smoker with the taste, satisfaction, feel and aroma of a cigarette without burning tobacco. Preferred cigarettes are capable of producing substantial quantities of smoke, both initially and over the useful life of the product, without thermal degradation of the smoke former and without the presence of substantial pyrolysis or incomplete combustion products or sidestream smoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1990
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
    Inventors: Jack F. Clearman, Thomas L. Gentry, Gary R. Shelar
  • Patent number: 4915117
    Abstract: A cigarette comprising a thin sheet for holding tobacco. The thin sheet is formed of a ceramic sheet by thermal decomposition of a woven or nonwoven fabric of ceramic fiber at a high temperature which produces no harmful organic substance with heat occurring with smoking of the cigarette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Inventor: Midori Ito
  • Patent number: 4911438
    Abstract: An exercising machine having a board slidable on a beam has a rope and pulley system by means of which an exerciser sitting on the board pulls himself up an incline. To increase the resistance rubber bands are looped between axles and on the board and the beam respectively. In other embodiments other pulley systems are used and a plurality of bands may be used on each side of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Verimark (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventor: Willem J. Van Straaten
  • Patent number: 4907571
    Abstract: An apparatus for the practice of ambulation comprises a suspension member for suspending a patient, a weight sensor for detecting a weight applied to the suspension member, an air cylinder or motor for producing a predetermined suspension force to be conveyed to the suspension member, a horizontal arm for supporting the suspension member, and a rotation axle for rotating the horizontal arm and the suspension member so that the patient who is suspended by the suspension member can be trained in walking in accordance with a predetermined suspension force which is proportional to a weight detected by the weight sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Infutec Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Futakami
  • Patent number: 4903423
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sign holder comprising a housing including a back wall, opposed and spaced side walls extending from the back wall and opposed and spaced top and bottom walls extending from the back wall and from the opposed side walls, a first panel of light transmitting plastic removably supported by the housing and providing a second panel of light transmitting plastic removably supported by the housing in closely adjacent but rearwardly spaced relation to the first panel and in forwardly spaced relation from the rear wall to provide an illumination space, an indicia on the second panel preventing light transmittal there-through, and a light bulb in the housing rearwardly of the second panel for illuminating the space between the second panel and the rear wall, whereby the indicia on the second panel is visually observable by being outlined by illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Inventor: William F. Hinca
  • Patent number: 4902005
    Abstract: A water exercise device for use under water including a main body comprised of a light weight synthetic plastic. The body has a fan-shaped intermediate body section. A pair of tubular sections are provided at opposite margins of the fan-shaped body section. The tubular sections are provided with inner and outer open ends and with the tubular sections being of such diameter for receiving hands and forearms of a person when extended through the inner ends of the tubular sections. Rotary turnable hand grips are disposed in each of said tubular sections generally at the outer ends thereof. The hand grips are held in the tubular sections to limit axial movement of the hand grips while allowing the hand grips to be freely rotated therein when the arms are extended through the inner ends into the tubular section and then into contact with the hand grips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Inventor: Michael R. McNeill
  • Patent number: 4900017
    Abstract: This invention relates to an inertial force, accommodating resistance exercise device and method. The subject device includes a nonrotating structure of enhanced mass and at least one wheel connected to the nonrotating structure to permit the device to be rolled to enable a user to perform accommodating resistance exercise. The mass of the nonrotating structure may be varied according to the requirements of the exercise by substituting inertial disks of different size and/or an inertial cradle or cage member. In exercises utilizing the instant invention resistance is accommodating in direct proportion to the speed with which the mass of the nonrotating structure is translated and direction in which it is translated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Inventor: Thomas P. Bold, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4900016
    Abstract: A method of use of an exercise device for strengthening a user's targeted muscle, such as a bicep or the like. The device includes a spherical housing having a weighted casing disposed. The housing has a cut-away portion and further has an opening formed therein which are in communication with each other. When the hand of the user is disposed in the opening, a forceful grip is not required during use of the exercise device. Thus the conjunctive use of adjoining muscles is substantially obviated, and the development of the targeted muscle is substantially improved. The user moves the exercise device alternately between a stressed position and an at rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: DAR Products Corporation
    Inventor: Scott Caruthers
  • Patent number: 4899739
    Abstract: An adhesive bandage comprising a pad for absorbing a medicine which is separately stored from the pad by means of a medicine covering film interposed between the medicine and the adhesive tape or by means of a capsule enclosing the medicine in it until the bandage is applied to a local site of body such as wound, an adhesive tape carrying the pad thereon, a release sheet provided with a blister portion adapted to placing the medicine in it and attached to the adhesive tape in such a manner that the open side of the blister may face the adhesive tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryusaku Konishi
  • Patent number: 4898145
    Abstract: An arrow rest and holder having a generally flat mounting plate for securement to an archery bow on one side and on the other side having holding means for detachably holding an arrow rest. A retractable arrow rest having an arrow support wire bearing hole angled forwardly and upwardly so that the outwardly extending portion moves forwardly and downwardly to clear an arrow shaft and fletching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Inventor: Miroslav A. Simo
  • Patent number: 4896880
    Abstract: An exercise device is intended for strengthening a user's targeted muscle, wherein the user may manipulate the device without the necessity of a forceful grip that employs the user's conjunctive muscles. The device includes a housing having a pair of diametrically-opposed portions (preferably hemispherical) each of which has a peripheral edge. The peripheral edges are formed so as to provide a solid mating relationship therebetween. A single weight structure is disposed in the housing, and the weight structure has a pair of opposite ends, each of which is secured to a respective diametrically opposed portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Dar Products Corporation
    Inventor: Scott Caruthers
  • Patent number: 4891897
    Abstract: A display panel comprising a substantially planar structural layer of rigid material, a plurality of slats fastened to the structural layer, and a fastener for attaching the structural layer to a wall. The slats have a first surface that fastens flush against the structural layer. The slats also have a substantially planar second surface opposite the first surface. A horizontal slot is defined by the area between adjacent slats. A receiving slot is formed within each of the slats and extends upwardly transverse to the horizontal slot has an angled portion extending outwardly from the horizontal slot, and communicates with the horizontal slot. The fastener is a cleat which is fixedly attached to the side of the structural layer opposite the slats. The cleat has an angle cut along its lower edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Inventors: Detlef J. Gieske, David B. Kawchak
  • Patent number: 4892304
    Abstract: An isotonic exercise apparatus for stretching and strengthening leg muscles of a user comprises a body support and an exercise leg support extending outwardly therefrom. The exercise leg support is hinged to allow a user to flex an exercise leg at the knee. Conventional mechanical deadweights attached to the exercise leg support resist rotation of the exercise leg support during flexing of the exercise leg, thereby strengthening the leg of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Inventor: Vincent L. DeNiro
  • Patent number: 4892303
    Abstract: A sport fencing device comprises an oblong striking element made from a foam material, a handle attached to the striking element, and a stabilizing element interconnecting the handle with the striking element. The sport fencing device further includes a contact detector, for example, a pressure sensitive switch located in the forward end of the striking element. When the forward end of the striking element makes contact with an opponent's body, the switch is closed and a point is scored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Inventor: Gunther Lohre
  • Patent number: 4889336
    Abstract: A martial arts development device having first and second arm cords with hand attachments at their free ends, longitudinal leg cords shorter than the arm cords with foot attachments at their free ends, a junction connecting the arm cords and the leg cords at a junction point, and a transverse foot cord extending between the free ends of the leg cords, and the arm cords, leg cords, and foot cord being of an elastomeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Inventor: Simon Schneiderman
  • Patent number: 4887617
    Abstract: A tobacco product for the personal preparation of a cigarette, in particular a filter cigarette, includes an inherently stale tobacco portion (10) corresponding to the tobacco filling of a finished cigarette. The surface of the tobacco portion is defined by a wrapping or sheath (13), which consists of completely smokeable material. The sheath is permeable to air and the tobacco portion can only be smoked after tight wrapping of the sheath 13 with cigarette paper. The diameter of the tobacco portion (10) is smaller--preferably only slightly--than the inner diameter of the wrapping of cigarette paper or the like such as a preformed cigarette paper sleeve (11) for easy insertion of the tobacco portion (10) into the sleeve. In order to ensure that the tobacco portion (10) bears tightly within the cigarette paper, the tobacco portion (10) is responsive to heating to expand and tightly engages the cigarette paper and at least in the region of the glowing area (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: EFKA-Werke Fritz Kiehn GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich W. Ruppert, Klaus G. Gatschmann
  • Patent number: 4885859
    Abstract: The invention relates to a folding card 1 with a cover 2 that is connected to a back 3 by at least one fold line F.sub.1 and with an internal folding system 4, that is connected at least to the inside surface 3a of the back 3 and can assume a three-dimensional form when the card is unfolded. In order to achieve a particularly effective and optimal effect, the internal folding system 4 consists of at least two superimposed frame elements that change their relative positions when the card is unfolded and whose windows are of differing sizes, whereby the size of the windows increases in the order of the successively overlapping frame elements. The largest window is the one located furthest from the back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: Refeka Werbemittel GmbH
    Inventor: Joachim Gasser
  • Patent number: 4886050
    Abstract: Apparatus is described which allows a user to simulate crawling motions and provides enhanced movements of the person's truncal spinal muscles and joints. The apparatus comprises a first means for supporting a person in position where there is minimal axial gravity loading of the spine and second means to permit relative motion between axial portions of the spine trunk, especially the upper (thoracic) and lower (pelvic) portions of the person's trunk, while the person remains in the gravity unloaded position. The device contains a fixed portion and a pivoting or swiveling portion, the swiveling portion comprising a pair of pivoted supports which can move in circular lateral paths independent of each other. In the preferred embodiment the user assumes an all fours position and by kneeling or leaning on the swiveling portion engages in a crawling motion alternating movements of each leg or arm, which causes the upper and lower portions of the trunk to move relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: Superspine
    Inventors: John F. Iams, Robson L. Splane, Jr., John A. Drusch, III
  • Patent number: 4884802
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a carriage supported on a track assembly by rollers. Energy absorption and release apparatus biases the carriage toward an at-rest position approximately midway between the ends of the track assembly. The user lies back-down on the carriage and, using handles and a foot rest provided for the purpose, sets the carriage into reciprocating motion. The effort used in causing the motion and the acceleration forces experienced as a result of it provide effects beneficial to the user's voluntary muscles, skeletal muscles and internal organs. The energy absorption and release apparatus comprises primary and secondary apparatuses. The forces and energy levels involved in the operation of both the primary and secondary apparatuses is adjustable while the apparatus is in use, the secondary apparatus being adjustable by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Inventor: Gary A. Graham