Patents Examined by James M Ference
  • Baseboard
    Patent number: 11414875
    Abstract: A baseboard having a profiled element with a substantially longitudinal extension. The baseboard further includes one or more facilitated breakage regions which define respective detachable portions which are configured to be detached from the profiled element. The facilitated breakage regions are mutually parallel and extend over the entire longitudinal extension of the profiled element. The facilitated breakage regions are equidistant and may have non-through longitudinal incisions defined on a face of the profiled element, configured to remain in view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: PROGRESS PROFILES SPA
    Inventor: Dennis Bordin
  • Universal pre-fabricated operating room ceiling system
    Patent number: 11408170
    Abstract: A pre-fabricated universal operating room ceiling system including red iron steel support frames and a track assembly immediately above the ceiling in the interstitial space of the operating room for supporting medical equipment including medical gas lines and electrical and data cabling and heating, ventilation and cooling trunk lines and ducts for reducing interference with such systems when installing or moving operating room equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Flexible OR Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Scott Hodsden, Julie Hodsden
  • Soffit vent
    Patent number: 11408179
    Abstract: An exterior elevated assembly with a walking surface is described which has features for facilitating inspection of the interior support frame of the assembly. The assembly includes a support frame for the walking surface, which defines an interior space and a soffit covering an underside of the support frame. The soffit provided with an opening. A vent panel is provided for covering the opening and a vent panel retention mechanism is provided for reversibly holding the vent panel in place over the opening. Methods and kits for installing a vent panel in a soffit of an exterior elevated assembly with a walking surface are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventor: James Robert Lyons
  • Energy absorbing vehicle seat
    Patent number: 11400839
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat that includes a seat cushion which is substantially horizontal with respect to a floor of a vehicle. The vehicle seat further includes a seat back including a proximal end and a distal end separated by a longitudinal length, such that the proximal end is pivotably coupled to the seat back. The vehicle seat also includes a track arranged adjacent to the seat cushion and the track has a longitudinal length. The track includes a proximal end and a distal end, such that the proximal end of the track is attached to a biasing element while the distal end of the track is attached to a portion of the seat back. In a crash event, the seat back is displaceable with respect to the seat cushion along the longitudinal length of the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Srinivas Reddy Malapati, Mangesh Kadam
  • Shipping container expansion insert
    Patent number: 11391036
    Abstract: An expansion insert for converting an ISO shipping container into a housing unit is provided, the insert having a compacted form reversibly convertible to a expanded form. The insert has a frame assembly torsionally hinged to a roof assembly and a floor assembly. Two pivot walls and a sidewall are also built into the insert. The insert may be compacted for shipping, expanded after insertion into an ISO container, and compacted again on the ISO container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Rebox Containers Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Crozier
  • Ceiling grid hanger holes
    Patent number: 11384536
    Abstract: A main tee for a suspended ceiling formed of metal sheet and having an upper reinforcing bulb, a lower flange and a web between the bulb and flange, the web having evenly spaced, generally vertical cross tee receiving slots along a length of the tee and a series of suspension wire receiving holes along the length of the tee, the lowermost edges of the holes being above a highest extremity of the cross tee slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: USG INTERIORS, LLC
    Inventors: Peder J. Gulbrandsen, Nathan Mathiot, Michael P. O'Donnell
  • Awning assembly
    Patent number: 11384560
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for an awning. An awning apparatus of the disclosure includes a plurality of vertical support members and one or more flexible connectors coupled to the plurality of vertical support members. The one or more flexible connectors are removably secured to an upper end of at least one of the plurality of vertical support members. The apparatus includes a cover adapted for engaging the plurality of vertical support members. The apparatus includes a clipping mechanism attached to the cover and configured to removably secure the cover to at least one of the one or more flexible connectors. The apparatus is such that the one or more flexible connectors is configured to provide tension to hold the cover in a stretched orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Moon Fabrications, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Pearson
  • Vault for active shooters and tornadoes
    Patent number: 11384530
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a protective enclosure to secure occupants against external threats, such as ballistic projectiles, blasts, or natural phenomena.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: James C. Brown, James R. Byrd, Jeffery L. Carson, John M. Evans
  • Beam and bolting construction system and method
    Patent number: 11377846
    Abstract: A beam and bolting construction method and an example dwelling (10) according to the method are provided. The method involves preliminary steps of selecting a site and determining a bolt array (19) and selection of dimensions and materials. Actual construction steps include forming a foundation slab (14) having vertical bolts (18) embedded therein in accordance with the bolt array (19). Alternating layers of beams (B), having aligned bolt bores (52) for receiving the bolts, are successively laid down over the bolts (18), with sides meeting at corners (29) with alternating sides encompassing the corner bolt. Once a desired height is achieved, washers (72) and nuts (78) are placed on the bolts and are tightened to desired pressure levels. The dwelling (10) is formed with beams (42) compressed together by threaded bolts (18) in a bolt array (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Stephen Hanson
  • Device to remove gravel from a roof
    Patent number: 11377817
    Abstract: The present invention is a device to remove gravel from a roof. The device is a blade assembly vertically mounted on a riding drive mechanism, such as a tractor, and the blade assembly has a smooth, horizontal blade, such as used for snow plowing, and mounted proximate and parallel to the smooth blade is a serrated blade having an up position and a down position. In the down position, the serrations extend to the roof to loosen and remove gravel. In the up position, the serrations are above the edge of the smooth blade which scrapes the loosened gravel. A downward force is provided to force the serrations between the gravel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Philip See
  • High solar-reflectivity roofing granules utilizing low absorption components
    Patent number: 11371244
    Abstract: An uncolored roofing granule including a low solar absorption base and a low solar absorption and solar opaque coating presented on the base, the coating including a binder, a pigment, wherein the binder includes a curable component and a non-clay, thermally reactive curing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Feng Bai, Kenton D. Budd, Rebecca L. Everman, Craig W. Lindsay
  • Device for draining a liquid, and building cladding element comprising such a device
    Patent number: 11371238
    Abstract: A device for draining a liquid from a first film layer which forms at least one part of a building cladding element. A first valve element can be arranged in the region of a first opening of the first film layer such that the valve element can be pivoted between a first position, which closes the first opening, and a second position, which at least partly releases the first opening. Additionally, a first opening and closing are configured to keep the first valve element in the first position if pressure of a liquid is less than or equal to a threshold, allow the first valve element to pivot from the first position to the second position if the pressure of the liquid exceeds the threshold, and pivot the first valve element from the second position to the first position if the pressure is substantially no longer present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: VECTOR FOILTEC
    Inventors: Florian Scheidig, Carl Maywald
  • Lower edge finish for drywall with installation aids
    Patent number: 11365548
    Abstract: A lower edge finish for a drywall includes a channel with first and second sidewalls, the channel sized to receive a drywall sheet. A base underneath the channel can support drywall sheet above a floor and has a recess below the channel that extends from the first sidewall toward the second sidewall and has a curved furrow upward toward the channel. A paint guard includes a sheet and an edge that is thicker than the sheet. The edge has a lip that is of a shape complementary to the furrow, so the lip can be passed into the recess and the lip becomes lodged in the furrow to retain the edge between the floor and the base, and the sheet extends away from the stud wall to protect the floor from drippings from the drywall sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventors: Robert B. Jordan, IV, Eddie Alexander Meeks
  • Gutter guard barrier
    Patent number: 11359379
    Abstract: A gutter debris preclusion device for use with a gutter having a support structure being substantially rigid; a screen having a plurality of apertures and being disposed on the support structure; and, a fastener member disposed on the support structure and having a barrier member and a protective film removably attached to the barrier member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GUTTERGLOVE, INC.
    Inventor: Robert C. Lenney
  • Building block, wall constructions made from building blocks, and methods
    Patent number: 11359371
    Abstract: A concrete building block includes indicators along each end to assist in aligning a pin placed in the block with a channel in a like block in a course below as a wall is being constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Anchor Wall Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Brian Burnquist, Jonathan Michael Schlueter
  • Constructing buildings with modular wall structure
    Patent number: 11352786
    Abstract: A method of construction of composite wall module system in which a first wall module and a second wall module are coupled to the first wall module by a vertical joint. The vertical joint is comprised of plurality of anchors and reinforcement bars as well as steel side plates allowing composite wall steel faceplates to be discontinuous across the vertical joint. The faceplates of the first and second modules are not made continuous across the vertical joint through continuous welding. The vertical wall joint further includes fill disposed between faceplates and side plates adjacent to anchors and reinforcement bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: WSP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Ahmad Rahimian, Konstantin Udilovich, Jeffrey Smilow, Mohammed M. Haque
  • Pre-compression system for pre-compressing a structure
    Patent number: 11346106
    Abstract: A pre-compression system for pre-compressing a concrete structure, the system comprising a first tubular element (31) that is expandable in a longitudinal direction and interposed between the first and the second head (21, 22). The first tubular element (31) is movable between a longitudinally elongated configuration, in which a pressurized fluid is placed inside the first tubular element (31), and a contracted configuration, in which said fluid is at least partly removed, the passage from the elongated configuration to the contracted configuration bringing about a compression on the concrete which at least partly envelops the first tubular element (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: FSC TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Claudio Subacchi, Giovanni Ferri
  • Dynamic, fire-resistance-rated thermally insulating and sealing system for use with curtain wall structures
    Patent number: 11339566
    Abstract: An approved dynamic construction is used for effectively thermally insulating and sealing of a safing slot between a floor of a building and an exterior wall construction. The exterior wall construction includes a curtain wall configuration defined by an interior wall glass surface including one or more aluminum framing members, wherein the vision glass extends to the finished floor level below. The dynamic, thermally insulating and sealing system includes a first element for receiving the insulating elements and positioned in the zero spandrel area of a glass curtain wall construction including only vision glass to maintain thermally insulating and sealing of the sating slot during exposure to fire and heat as well as movement in order to maintain a complete seal extending across the safing slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthew Zemler, Chad Stroike, Arndt Andresen
  • Enhanced roofing system
    Patent number: 11339573
    Abstract: A roof system includes a roof deck, a weighted cover board disposed upwardly adjacent the roof deck and a plurality of fasteners coupling the weighted cover board to the roof deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Inventor: Thomas L. Kelly
  • Roofing membrane with protrusions
    Patent number: 11332937
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate roofing membranes that may include at least one first layer including a first plurality of protrusions; at least one second layer including a second plurality of protrusions; and a plurality of inner regions disposed between a raised protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions and a raised protrusion of the second plurality of protrusions. Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods of forming roofing membranes. The methods may include applying a blowable ink onto at least one porous layer; sandwiching the at least one porous layer between the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer; and expanding the blowable ink, so as to form the first plurality of protrusions, the second plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of inner regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: BMIC LLC
    Inventors: Yan Zheng, Yixi Xiao