Patents Examined by Jaime F Cardenas-Garcia
  • Patent number: 7987945
    Abstract: A method for regulating the traction in a line (13) of a ladder climbing assistance device, in which method any movement of the line (13) is sensed and in dependence of the sensed movement either increasing the traction in the line to a predetermined high level (L1), maintaining the traction at a predetermined high level (L1), or decreasing the traction to a predetermined low level (L0). Furthermore, a ladder climbing assistance device comprising a line (13) that is movable along the ladder (1) and a motor (8) with a power outlet arranged to provide an essentially constant traction in the line (13). The ladder climbing assistance device comprises sensing means (25) for sensing any movement of the line (13), which sensing means is connected to controlling means (26) for controlling the power outlet from the motor (8) in response to signals from the sensing means in the above-described manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Avanti Stigefabrik A/S
    Inventor: Peter Gunnar Petersen
  • Patent number: 7967051
    Abstract: A torsion coil spring type counterbalance system for an upward acting door includes one or more sleeves disposed over or within the spring coils and engageable with a pre-determined number of spring coils during operation of the spring to modify the spring rate to more closely approximate the required counterbalance forces exertable on the door when the door moves between open and closed positions. The counterbalance system is particularly advantageous for upward acting sectional doors which have one or more sections which are heavier than the other sections, including an uppermost section which may be heavier due to the provision of windows or other structural features of the section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation
    Inventor: Juan M. Diaz
  • Patent number: 7950438
    Abstract: A screen closure for a garage doorway has a plurality of screened panels movable from an elevated, stored position in which such panels are side-by-side to an extended, operative position in which the panels extend vertically a distance sufficient to close the doorway. Those panels which are at eye level and below when the panels are in their extended position are substantially coplanar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Inventor: Robert Albert
  • Patent number: 7938162
    Abstract: The invention relates to a roller blind having at least four layers. The outer layers form one sheet and the inner layers form one sheet. A cylindrical body is provided in the inner sheet. The outer sheet has a bending stiffness which is such that, at least at the location of the cylindrical body between the layers of the outer sheet and the layers of the inner sheet, a distance is maintained. The invention furthermore relates to an assembly of a roller blind according to the invention and a double glazing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventor: Martinus Laurentius Jozef Duineveld
  • Patent number: 7931066
    Abstract: Upper ends of the first fabric and the second fabric are attached to the head rail, respectively, and the first lift cord and the second lift cord suspended from the head rail in a liftable manner are coupled to the first fabric and the second fabric, respectively. The first lift cord is routed into a rear side of the first fabric and the second lift cord is routed into a rear side of the second fabric so as to come over an upper end of the second fabric. An extension member is provided so as to extend downwardly along with a lower edge of a rear portion of the head rail, and the upper end of the second fabric is attached to a front surface of the extension member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Toso Company, Limited
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Honda, Tomonori Muto, Hiroyuki Someya, Toshiyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 7931069
    Abstract: A tension device that prevents a window covering from operating properly until the tension device is installed. The tension device incorporates a drive wheel, casing, anchoring arm and drive stud. The drive stud has two sections, one keyed and one cylindrical. Before the tension device is installed, the keyed section of the drive stud engages the drive wheel and the casing, thereby preventing them from rotating relative to each other. When the tension device is installed, the drive stud must be inserted into the anchoring arm causing the keyed section of the drive stud to disengage the drive wheel and thereby allow the drive wheel to rotate relative to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: RollEase Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Cannaverde, Roger Redin
  • Patent number: 7926539
    Abstract: A flood vent access door assembly having a frame assembly defining a fluid entrance aperture; a door pivotally mounted in said frame assembly, where in the door includes at least one ventilation opening formed through the door; and at least one latching/release mechanism for releasably maintaining the door in a fixed position relative to the frame assembly if a level of fluid is not above a determined level and releasing the door to pivot relative to the frame assembly if the level of fluid is above the determined level, wherein the at least one latching/release mechanism comprises a float means coupled to an elongate release arm for determining the level of fluid and releasing a latch of the at least one latching/release mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventors: Steven L. Hurst, William R. Higdon
  • Patent number: 7918263
    Abstract: This high-speed door is provided for closing a bay made in a wall (4) delimited by a lintel and by two vertical sides. The door comprises: two lateral parts placed in an essentially vertical manner against each of the vertical sides of the bay; a shaft (12) positioned at the level of the lintel of the bay and rotationally driven by electromechanical means, and; a curtain (7) made of a flexible material having a first side (7a) and a second side (7b), joined to the shaft (12), the rotation of the shaft (12) being able to move the curtain (7) between a closed position in which the curtain (7) closes the bay and an open position in which the curtain (7) opens the bay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Nergeco
    Inventor: Bernard Kraeutler
  • Patent number: 7896056
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a manually operated internal Venetian blind for raising/lowering a plurality of slats is disclosed, and comprises a stationary bearing housing, a longitudinally displaceable bifurcated bearing block, a counterweight interconnected to the bearing block and housing at least one internal magnet, and a first linearly displaceable actuator disposed outwardly to one of two glass sheets and provided with at least one external magnet at a fixed distance from the internal magnet. The displacement of the first actuator is significantly less than the displacement of the longitudinally lowest slat due to the winding of central cords around a ball bearing housed within the bearing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Inventor: Avigdor Ben-David
  • Patent number: 7896058
    Abstract: A window roller blind that has a shade, the free end of which is connected to a pull rod. In order to guide movement of the pull rod during extension and retraction of the roller blind, a support rod is connected to pull rod by means of articulated connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: BOS GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Melf Hansen
  • Patent number: 7891400
    Abstract: Overhead door assemblies having both interlocking and releasable guide assemblies, and guide track assemblies for use with same are disclosed herein. An overhead door track configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a first side portion spaced apart from a second side portion to define a channel or gap region therebetween. The first side portion has a first guide surface and a first retention surface. Similarly, the second side portion has a second guide surface and a second retention surface. In this embodiment, the first and second guide surfaces diverge outwardly from the gap region in a first direction, and the first and second retention surfaces diverge inwardly from the gap region in a second direction, opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: 4Front Engineered Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael M. Meichtry
  • Patent number: 7874343
    Abstract: A spring motor having a pot shaped housing in which a flat spiral spring is housed. The flat spiral spring is connected at one outer end to the pot-shaped housing while the inner end is coupled to a shaft or axle. To prevent radial vibrations of individual spring layers when the spring motor is wound or unwound, a damping plate is housed in the pot-shaped housing and held in pressed engagement with a side edge of the flat spiral spring. This spring motor can be combined with the wind-up shaft of roller-blind arrangements for motor vehicles, including fixed roller blinds, storage-area covers, or separating screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: BOS GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Melf Hansen
  • Patent number: 7874342
    Abstract: A door system (20) having a door (21) movable between a closed position and an open position, a plurality of panels (40-43; 140-143; 240-243), a facer (45; 145; 245) generally defining the configuration of the panels, hinges (50; 150; 250) joining adjacent of the panels for articulation in moving between the closed position and the open position, a reinforcing member (65; 165; 265) associated with the facer extending substantially the longitudinal length of at least one of the panels, a roller assembly (80; 180; 280) mounted on the reinforcing member, and a track system (31, 32; 131, 132; 231, 232) operatively interrelated with the roller assembly, whereby forces imparted to the facer are transferred to the track system through the reinforcing member and the roller assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation
    Inventors: Willis J. Mullet, Thomas B. Bennett, III, Albert W. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 7866367
    Abstract: A control device for blinds includes a transmission unit, a scrolling unit and a tilting unit, the transmission unit includes a case in which a coil spring and a gear unit are received. The coil spring is connected between the gear unit and the case. The scrolling unit includes two scrolling rods which are rotated with a transmission rod. Each scrolling rod has a lift cord wrapped thereon and extending through slats of the blinds. The tilting unit includes two tilt members connected to two respective end sections of the two scrolling rods. Two tilt cords have two respective positioning members which are clamped in two clamp grooves of the two tilt members and the tilt cords extend through the slats. The gears in the gear unit can be adjusted so as to cooperate with slats of different weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ching Feng Home Fashions Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Wen Ying Liang, Sheng Ying Hsu, Wu Chung Nien, Chien Chih Huang
  • Patent number: 7861762
    Abstract: Overhead door guide assemblies, guide tracks, and guide track support brackets are disclosed herein. An overhead door track assembly configured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a vertical track segment mounted to a wall adjacent an opening therein, and a curved track segment operably coupled to the vertical track segment. The curved track segment includes a first guide surface spaced apart from a second guide surface to define a first gap region that movably receives the door guide members as the door moves away from the opening. The track assembly further includes a non-vertical track segment operably coupled to the curved track segment. The non-vertical track segment includes a third guide surface spaced apart from a fourth guide surface to define a second gap region that movably receives the door guide members from the curved track segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: 4Front Engineered Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael M. Meichtry
  • Patent number: 7810543
    Abstract: A roller screen device includes a fixed sectional element (10) and a mobile sectional element (11) that is able to move parallel to the fixed sectional element inside a frame contained in which is a screen (13), the mobile sectional element (11) bearing a roller (12) inside it, wound on which is the screen (13), which, at the other end, is anchored to the fixed sectional element (10). Guide elements (14 and 24) for guiding the mobile sectional element (11) are positioned at the top and at the bottom of the screen (13) and fixed at one end to the mobile sectional element (11), while the other ends of the guide elements (14) slide into the fixed sectional element (10). Moreover provided is a system for tensioning the guides (14 and 24), which acts during the steps of opening and closing of the screen (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Effe S.r.l.
    Inventors: Francesco Donatelli, Samuele Donatelli, Michele Motolese
  • Patent number: 7810542
    Abstract: A flexible guide (1) for a mosquito net (100) of a type which is fixable to a window opening, comprising a plurality of rigid adjacent links (2a, 2b, 200), in which each link (2a, 2b 200) exhibits a pair of opposite flanks (5a, 5b, 205) which between them receive the mosquito net (100), and a connecting portion (6, 206) arranged transversally and fixed to the flanks (5a, 5b), each link (2a, 2b, 200) being provided with a seating (4, 204) for receiving a flexible strap element (3, 203) in order to form, with adjacently-situated links (2a, 2b), a single chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: I.R.S. S.p.A.
    Inventor: Nardo Bonini
  • Patent number: 7810544
    Abstract: A door system has an axis, a door attached at a first end to the axis for winding and unwinding upon the axis, and a tensioned member surrounding and partially engaging an outer layer of the door wound upon the axis. The tensioned member exerts a radial force to the outer layer of the door wound upon the axis, thereby ensuring that the door is consistently wound tightly upon the axis and permitting the fast unrolling of the door from the axis. Although the tensioned member exerts a radial force upon the door, it imparts no significant lateral forces to the door. Accordingly, the door can have a simple construction with material, cost and space savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Peter A. Spiess
  • Patent number: 7802609
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Kirby
  • Patent number: 7802605
    Abstract: A retractable barrier system comprises a plurality of barrier posts interconnectable by flexible barrier material, and a dispenser device upon which the posts can be carried and from which the posts can be dispensed, in sequence, to erect a barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Primac Limited
    Inventor: Ian James Prismall