Patents Examined by Jaime F Cardenas-Garcia
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Patent number: 8146646Abstract: A window covering system used to adjust the position of window covers. Each cover hangs from a support that includes a roller. The covers are adjusted in position by the rotation of the roller. A slave gear is attached to each roller to facilitate rotation. A drive gear is provided that is sized to intermesh with each of the slave gears on the rollers. An adjustment mechanism is provided for rotating the drive gear. A second adjustment mechanism is provided for selectively moving the drive gear between various positions. At different points in its movement, the drive gear engages different slave gears from different rollers. Accordingly, a selected roller can be rotated. Thus, a single drive gear and a single manually operated mechanism can be used to individually rotate any number of rollers, thereby adjusting any number of window coverings.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2010Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Inventor: Ellis Toder
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Patent number: 8136568Abstract: A shade for an arched window including an arched track with a movable carriage and a shade member attached to the carriage. A cord actuates the carriage to move along the track and pull the shade member between collapsed and extended positions. A central hub permits the shade member to move laterally as the shade member is moved between the collapsed and extended positions.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2006Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Inventor: Alan F. DeBauche
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Patent number: 8132609Abstract: A pleated roller shade system allows a thin flexible shade fabric, such as, for example, silk, to be wrapped around a roller tube. The system comprises a pleating bar mounted parallel to the roller tube and having a fabric-receiving opening that defines, for example, a serpentine path. The shade fabric is received through the fabric-receiving opening and is folded by the pleating bar, such that the shade fabric is wrapped around the roller tube in folds as the roller tube rotates. The shade fabric is neatly wrapped around the roller tube (i.e., bunching of the shade fabric is avoided) and is stored out-of-sight when rolled up.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2010Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventor: David A. Kirby
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Patent number: 8123001Abstract: A combination of parts for and method of constructing a modular platform. A frame beam connector member is connected to respective end portions of a pair of frame beams while the pair of frame beams are in substantially a side-by-side relation. One of the frame beams is then swung relative to the other to a co-axial position of the frame beams relative to each other. Then another frame beam connector member is connected to the respective end portions of the frame beams while the frame beams are in the co-axial position thereby to maintain the pair of frame beams in the co-axial position. A deck support beam is connected to a frame beam while in substantially a side-by-side relation therewith. The deck support beam is then swung to a position normal to the frame beams. The deck support beam is then connected to another frame beam.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2009Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Paul Kristen, Inc.Inventors: Lambros Apostolopoulos, Davy E. Passucci
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Patent number: 8104527Abstract: A method and apparatus for joining angularly oriented side planar members into an otherwise orthogonal awning frame of open ended side plane and transverse members joined by fitted right angle connectors has the angularly oriented member cut to length at end angles that provide a flush fit to the side plane members at transverse member connections and lengths of formed right angle section material, cut at the same flush fitting angles as the tubing end angle cuts, for fastening to inwardly facing surfaces of the planar and transverse members, so as to present a smooth exterior surface for supporting an awning cover.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2005Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Inventors: Srinivas Konda, Katherine Ruth Konda
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Patent number: 8096342Abstract: A door package includes a door frame, a door, a handle, and a pivot plate. The frame has a top portion that includes tracks in which door panels can slide. The door includes two or more equal size door panels. The handle protrudes in a direction essentially perpendicular to the door panels and is connected to a latch mechanism for positively engaging with a corresponding latch mechanism in the door frame when the door is in a closed position. The pivot plate is attached to the floor and allows the door panels to pivot from a retracted position to a broken open position essentially perpendicular to the plane of the door. At least two of the door panels separate from each other while the door is pivoting from the retracted position to the broken open position, to allow the handle to be accommodated between the two door panels.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2009Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Assa Abloy IP ABInventor: Edward Scruggs
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Patent number: 8091605Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2007Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Jim Melhart Piano and Organ CompanyInventor: Jimmie Ray Melhart
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Patent number: 8074699Abstract: The present application is directed to a manual or automatic flush threshold door seal system used on folding exterior doors along with an alternate embodiment for conventional exterior entryway doors that will not impede the passage of a wheelchair. A flexible weather seal can be put in a retracted or down position within an aluminum extrusion imbedded within the threshold providing a flush access surface and may be raised up into the upright position providing an adequate weather seal.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: La Cantina Doors, Inc.Inventors: Toby Jones, Matthew W. Power
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Patent number: 8056680Abstract: A wearable, self-deploying fall arrest device to resist sliding movement of a climber on a climbing surface includes a pick blade pivotable between a retracted position and a deployed position. A tip of an out-turned tooth on the pick blade can be oriented downwardly and outwardly in the retracted position to engage and catch the climbing surface. An out-turned fin can be disposed on the opposite end of the pick blade above the pivot to urge the pick blade out of the retracted position upon pressing the fin against the climbing surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2009Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Inventor: Neil E. Broten
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Patent number: 8051891Abstract: A bracket member (9) of a supporting means for supporting a screening device in a frame structure, which has at least one pair of opposed frame pieces (5, 6), said supporting means comprising a pair of bracket members (9, 9?) provided for mounting on a respective frame piece (5, 6) of said pair of opposed frame pieces and a pair of coupling members (30) positioned at either of two opposing ends of the screening device. The bracket member (9) comprises a base (10) for abutment on the frame piece (5), a main face (11) opposite the base (10) and at least one bracket member engagement side (12) for engaging a coupling member of the screening device. A part of the main face (11) is provided by a releasable cover member (15), below which an electrical contact point is provided. The coupling member comprises a recess having at least one coupling member engagement side for engaging a bracket member (9) and an electrical terminal in the recess.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2006Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: VKR Holding A/SInventor: Martin Birkkjær
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Patent number: 8042652Abstract: The tree stand has a lower rectangular platform with an extended opening from the center to an outer edge of the platform for installation around a tree trunk. An upper platform provides a secure seating area. A plurality of support members are pivotally attached to the lower surface of the lower rectangular platform and have teeth on their lower end adapted for securing into the bark of a tree. The tree stand is further secured to the tree by a plurality of angle irons that are mounted at the center of the upper and lower platforms. Adjustable tension straps attach to the angle iron and tighten the platforms to the tree preventing vertical movement of the tree stand. The support members on the lower platform have a hook on the lower end opposite the teeth, and an adjustable tension strap that engages the hooks further tightens the support members against the tree.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Inventor: Joe A. Weir
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Patent number: 8042597Abstract: A pleated roller shade system allows a thin flexible shade fabric, such as, for example, silk, to be wrapped around a roller tube. The system comprises a pleating hembar contained within a hembar pocket of the shade fabric. The hembar is characterized by a non-linear shape, such as a serpentine shape, for causing the shade fabric to hang with a plurality of pleats. The hembar may comprise a plurality of C-shaped hembar sections flexibly coupled to each other. The system may also comprise an elongated pleating assembly mounted parallel to the roller tube and having a fabric-receiving opening that defines a non-linear (e.g., serpentine) path. The shade fabric may be received through the fabric-receiving opening and folded by the pleating assembly, such that the shade fabric is wrapped around the roller tube in folds as the roller tube rotates.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventor: David A. Kirby
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Patent number: 8042595Abstract: The invention relates to an awning case assembly including a housing for a winding tube for winding the canvas, a load bar fixed to a front edge of the canvas, and foldable arms hingedly connected to the housing and to the load bar. The load bar including a second longitudinal coupling configuration which can be coupled to a second longitudinal coupling edge of the housing to form a fulcrum line about which the load bar can rotate under the action of a pulling force exerted by the canvas until a first longitudinal coupling configuration of the load bar is coupled to a first longitudinal coupling edge of the housing, the first longitudinal coupling configuration being disposed at a distance from the second coupling configuration and adjacent to a canvas fixing configuration.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2006Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Llaza, S.A.Inventor: Joan Llagostera Forns
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Patent number: 8037922Abstract: A device for monitoring motion of a movable closure arranged for travel between limit positions, comprising an absolute position encoder for identifying whether the closure is in one of a plurality of sectors of travel, a relative position encoder for monitoring the speed and relative position of the closure, and a drive means for operatively coupling the relative position encoder and the absolute position encoder to the closure, such that there is a fixed relationship between motion of the closure and movement of both encoders, wherein the absolute position encoder features an adjustment assembly comprising a first element and a second element, the first element being selectively adjustable in position relative to the second element to adjust the absolute position encoder without movement of the drive means or the relative position encoder.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2006Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Automatic Technology (Australia) Pty LtdInventors: Ray Hawkins, Toan Dang
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Patent number: 8025088Abstract: A dual roll blind system is able to adjust a light shading rate or extent and comprises a winding roll which includes a roll casing rotatably supported between both side plates of a ceiling bracket; a driving winding roll which includes a moving member disposed between both side plates in parallel with the winding roll and is thread-engaged with a screw shaft rotating by means of a blind winding device of one side, a straight moving member which is provided for left and right straight movements by restricting the rotation of the moving member, and a roll casing engaged with the moving member and the straight moving member; a first blind material of which upper end is fixed at the winding roll and in which a light transmission part and a light non-transmission part having constant widths are alternately formed in a width wise direction; a second blind material of which upper end is fixed at the driving winding roll and which has a light transmission part and a light non-transmission part corresponding to the fType: GrantFiled: July 3, 2007Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Inventor: Jung-Min Kim
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Patent number: 8025126Abstract: A roof bracket for easy attachment to various types of roofs for construction, maintenance and repair purposes. The roof bracket can be used singularly to hold materials, tools or for attachment of a workman's lanyard or can be used in multiples to form a set of steps or for a scaffolding assembly. The roof bracket is formed of metal and is easily assembled, installed and removed as required for shingled and metal standing seam roofs.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2009Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Inventor: William J. Lefavor
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Patent number: 8020602Abstract: A control system for a top down/bottom up covering for an architectural opening includes a common drive shaft for raising and lowering a middle rail and a bottom rail between which a flexible shade material extends. A control element operates a spool lift system and a roller lift system, with the spool lift system being associated with the middle rail and the roller lift system being associated with the bottom rail. The lift systems are sequentially operated when the drive shaft is driven in either direction by the control element.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2009Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.Inventors: Stephen P. Smith, Kent A. Smith, James L. Miller, Terrence M. Drew, Suzanne M. Fujita
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Patent number: 8011476Abstract: A ladder attachment for use on ladder tree stands, conventional ladders and otherwise to temporarily secure the top of the ladder to a tree or post. The ladder attachment includes a pair of pivotable jaws which can be closed around a tree and locked in place while standing on the ground. The ladder is temporarily secured so the user can climb the ladder and attach a more permanent, standard anchor belt. The method includes steps for affixing the ladder attachment to a ladder, positioning the ladder and ladder attachment against a tree, securing the ladder attachment to the tree and thereafter removing the ladder attachment and later the ladder for further use.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2009Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Inventor: C. Jerry Alcon
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Patent number: 8002012Abstract: A Venetian blind includes an upper rail, a lower rail, a slat assembly, an automatic retraction means and a slat opened/closed control means equipped with an adjustment member. The automatic retraction means is installed on one side of the upper rail which has a first cord wheel set and a second cord wheel set near two sides to direct a first lift cord and a second lift cord. The automatic retraction means has a retaining set to pivotally couple a transmission set inside that has a first transmission wheel and a second transmission wheel. The first transmission wheel and second transmission wheel are linked by an elastic element which provides an elastic force to drive the transmission set. The second transmission wheel controls the slat opened/closed control means. When the lower rail is pulled downwards or pushed upwards, the slat assembly can be opened or closed at different angles.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2009Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Inventor: Li-Ming Cheng
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Patent number: 7997324Abstract: A support assembly for a barrier movable between open and closed positions over an opening comprises a track. The track is attached to the wall for guiding movement of the barrier between substantially vertical closed position and a substantially horizontal open position. A jack shaft assembly is attached to the track and to the barrier for movement thereof. A mounting assembly is attached to the track for receiving a drive unit comprising a motor for supplying power to the jack shaft assembly to move the barrier and for limiting rotational movement of the drive unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2006Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.Inventor: Robert Olmsted