Patents Examined by John M. Jillions
  • Patent number: 6676065
    Abstract: To shape paperboard sheets into cylindrical winding cores in a winder instead of using ready-made hollow core tubes thereby doing away with the necessity of waste disposal of used winding cores or facilitating the discarding disposal by restoring them to the original flat shape. In the winding of a web using a multi-spindle turret type of winder, the spindle positions of the turret are allotted to a winding core shaping station, a web winding-up station and a wind-roll removal station. At the winding core shaping station, each sheet of paperboard is rolled and lapped around a winding core shaft and butt joining parts are attached with a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape to shape each winding core, shaped winding cores are transferred to the web winding-up station by the turning movement of the turret to conduct the winding, each full wind-up roll is transferred with further turning movement to the removal station and removed from the winder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Tekko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Kashima
  • Patent number: 6676061
    Abstract: A rope retainer and method are disclosed which provides convenience to rodeo contestants and others that need to quickly and easily select a particular rope. The rope retainer holds a rope coil and allows the end of the rope containing information to be separated and apart from the displayed rope coil so that the information can be easily read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Cain
  • Patent number: 6676066
    Abstract: A spiral winder wrinkle remover capable of wrapping a material of varying thickness into a structurally stable, smooth coil. As a material is supplied to the spiral winder, the collecting device, such as a spool, rotates and oscillates linearly along the axis of rotation to distribute the material along the length of the collecting device and form a structurally stable coil of material. As the material is directed to the collecting device it is threaded through a tilting guide. The guide tilts with the linear oscillations of the collecting device and maintains a uniform tension across the width of the material. The oscillations and tilting guide ensure that a material, particularly if the material's thickness varies along its width, is wrapped into a structurally stable coil where the layers of the coil are wrapped smoothly, without folds or wrinkles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Wayne Keel
  • Patent number: 6676058
    Abstract: A webbing retractor is provided. A wire for increasing force limiter load spans between a spool and a lock base. A concave groove is formed in one end portion of the wire. A push nut of a lock plate cover engages with the concave groove and the wire is fixed. One engagement piece of the push nut is longer than other engagement pieces so as to push the one end portion of the wire toward the other engagement pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Tomonori Nagata, Katsuki Asagiri, Yasuho Kitazawa, Kazuhiko Aihara, Kenji Gotou
  • Patent number: 6669134
    Abstract: An automatic sliding door cable mechanism with a take up guide member (46) mounted in a drum (14) for taking up slack of a cable during installation of the cable. A second drum (16) has an elliptical profile drum helix (96) for increasing durability of the operating cable for the automatic door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Priest, Kevin Wright, Mark D. Nicholas
  • Patent number: 6669135
    Abstract: A reel (10), particularly for an electric cable (12), has a rotatable drum (14) supported at (16) and optionally swivel-mounted on a plinth (30) or other member. A removable motor module (60) can be attached to convert the drum to a motorized reel controlled by a switch (82), which allows the user to rewind the cable (12) onto the drum (14), when required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Inventor: Brian Hartley
  • Patent number: 6669133
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a spool mounted for rotation in the retractor for retraction or pay-out of seat belt webbing depending upon the rotation direction of the spool. A locking ring is attached to one end of the spool. A lock bar locks the locking ring against rotation when a crash is sensed. A load limiter allows further pay-out of the seat belt webbing after the spool has locked under the influence of a vehicle occupant's forward momentum. The load limiter is a torsion bar attached at one end to the locking ring and at the other end to the spool; and a wire releasably coupled in the force path between the spool and the locking ring. The resilient mechanism, i.e. the wire, decouples itself after a predetermined number of turns of the torsion bar. The thickness, length and composition of the wire, together with the number of wires may be chosen to suit a vehicle's crash criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martyn Neil Palliser, John Bell, Andrew Park
  • Patent number: 6663040
    Abstract: A strapping machine for positioning a strap material around an associated load and tensioning the strap material around the load includes a frame for supporting the load, a chute positioned on the frame for receiving the strap material and orienting the strap material around the load, a strap supply and a strapping head for extracting the strap from the supply, feeding the strap through the chute around the load, passing the strap from the chute around the load, retracting and tensioning the strap. The strapping head includes feed rollers and retraction rollers for feeding and retracting the strap and a winder for tensioning the strap around the load. The winder is positioned between the feed and retraction rollers and the strap supply. The winder includes a rotating head portion having a stationary element and a pivotal element. The stationary and pivotal elements each define an outer surface around which the strap material is wound and a slot therebetween for receiving the strap material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Haberstroh, Robert J. Kobiella, Timothy B. Pearson, Mark B. Renz
  • Patent number: 6663037
    Abstract: A pretensioner having a plurality of force transmitting members contained in a tube. One of the force transmitting members is configured to be difficult to deform, to thereby provide for smooth movement of the force transmitting members. A piston receives gas pressure from a gas generator. When gas is released by the gas generator the piston deforms and wedges into a space between the outer peripheral surface of the adjacent force transmitting member and the inner peripheral surface of the tube. Then, the barrel-like force transmitting member presses the piston backward due to force produced by the withdrawing of a seat belt due to the operation of EA. The force transmitting members and the piston can smoothly move because the wedging amount of the piston into the space between the tube wall and the force transmitting member is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Norio Matsumura
  • Patent number: 6659387
    Abstract: A rewinding machine for the production of logs of web material around a tubular core includes a first winding roller around which the web material is fed, a second winding roller forming a gap with the first winding roller, through which gap the core is inserted, and a third roller mounted movably to allow the diameter of the log to increase and the log to be discharged at the end of winding. A blade is carried by a rotating member which is pivoted on the axis of said first winding roller and protrudes from the profile of the roller. The blade rotates in the same direction as the first winding roller at different speeds, so as to undergo a deceleration or an acceleration when it is in contact with the web material in the winding space defined by the three rollers to cause severing of the web material at the end of winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Paper Converting Machine Co.
    Inventors: Mauro Biagioni, Sergio Casella
  • Patent number: 6659389
    Abstract: A dual-mode hose roller including a crank and a mounting plate may be used to roll up collapsed hose into either a compact hose roll or an expanded hose coil. The crank and mounting plate are arranged to facilitate transmission of torque from the crank to the desired type of hose winding. When a compact hose roll is desired, torque is transmitted directly to the hose. When an expanded hose coil is desired, torque is transmitted to the hose through the mounting plate and several extension arms. The extension arms are sized so that the hose roller forms an expanded hose coil having a suitable diameter for structural fire hose. The mounting plate is rotatably mounted on a fixed support through a bearing and, optionally, a ratchet mechanism. Using the hose roller, preparation is made for fighting a structural fire arranging a section of collapsed hose into a hose bundle. A section of hose is rolled up into an expanded hose coil and arranged into a number of hose loops to form a hose bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Inventors: Richard W. Hoffmann, Richard L. Garner
  • Patent number: 6659388
    Abstract: A contact roller system of a winding machine for thin strip material has a shaft and pivot levers arranged in a row adjacent to one another on the shaft. The pivot levers have two contact roller segments moveable against slit rolls during a winding process by an actuating drive of the pivot levers. The two contact rollers are arranged on opposite sides of the pivot levers, respectively, and form a contact roller segment pair positioned adjacent to one another such that between neighboring end faces a gap required for rotational movement of the contact roller segment pairs is formed. The contact roller segment pairs are freely rotatably supported and rotate about an axis of rotation extending parallel to the pivot axis of the pivot levers. The axes of rotation of the contact roller segment pairs have a common pivot radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: WT Wickeltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Frank, Dieter Pflitsch
  • Patent number: 6651924
    Abstract: A method of making wet rolls includes providing a web of material, applying a wetting solution to the web to produce a wet web, and winding the wet web into a roll. The wetting solution may include an inorganic salt and at least one preservative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian James Gingras, Daniel Hoo, Paul Kerner Pauling, Clayton Taylor Gann, Robert Eugene Krautkramer, James Monroe Perkins, Anthony Mark Gambaro, Robert Alvin Barkhau, Andrew Peter Doyle, James Leo Baggot, Joe Cwiakala, Valter Di Nardo, Massimiliano Adalberti, Stefano Petri, Giulio Betti
  • Patent number: 6651919
    Abstract: A device for transferring fishing line between a supply spool (90) and a fishing reel (94) has a post (22) mounted between two rotatable footholds (30, 60) which are adapted to allow the user to hold the device between his feet as the line is fed from the spool to the reel. The post (22) is adapted to receive the fishing line supply spool, and to hold the spool (90) tightly on the post as line is pulled from the spool. The device of the present development is relatively small, can be used by one person unassisted, and does not require any particular mounting surface so it can be carried with the fisherman to any location where he is using his reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: TBC Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: G. Thomas Wethington, Bill Mann, Craig Mueller, Steven M. Prentice, Wade L. Hehr
  • Patent number: 6651926
    Abstract: A metallic reel construction wherein spokes (C) are welded at spaced locations directly to end plates (B) and to rims (A). The end plates receive the staves (D) that are directly and rigidly affixed thereto in spaced relation to provide a relatively small hub providing rigidity and yet being capable of receiving a large amount of flexible material. Threaded members (E) rigidly connect the rigid rim and hub end plate assemblies adjacent to the ends of the staves for speedy assembly permitting shipment while disassembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: William J. Alexander, III
  • Patent number: 6651923
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device in a paper machine, coating machine, intermediate winder, unwind stand of a slitter-winder, or in any other device for treatment of a web. In the event of disturbance, the web (P) is made to be wound in a controlled way around at least one web guide roll (18a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Jorma Kinnunen, Silvo Mikkonen, Jukka Linnonmaa
  • Patent number: 6651921
    Abstract: A spool winder includes a holder for a filament bulk roll, a cantilever member to receive a weed trimmer filament spool, and a crank handle device rotating on the member while holding and interlocking into openings in the trimmer spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Weldon L. Travis
  • Patent number: 6651925
    Abstract: A take-up reel has a diameter equal to or more than 85 times a thickness of a veneer sheet wound thereon and equal to or more than 300 mm so as to be of a curvature of the take-up reel to reduce cracking in parallel to fiber orientations that occurs in winding a veneer sheet after drying on a winding surface of the take-up reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Taiheiseisakusho
    Inventors: Youichi Ohshio, Yasuyuki Ohdaira, Akihiro Mizuno, Shinichi Nakagawa, Yasuyuki Kohara, Mitsumasa Narita, Hideki Kawamori, Reiji Yamada, Masanori Murakami, Kazumi Sugiyama, Tomoharu Okada
  • Patent number: 6648261
    Abstract: An extendible and retractable lead that can be extended or retracted and locked in position in a single action. The lead comprises a casing (4) housing a reel (14), a lead windable about the reel, the casing having an outlet (8) for passage of the lead and further comprising a moveable member (12) for engagement and disengagement with the reel, a part (32) of the moveable member being engageable with a retainer (52) on movement of the member towards the reel to lock the member against the reel in a single action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Harry Irving & Co. Limited
    Inventor: Andy Irving
  • Patent number: 6648260
    Abstract: A selectable load limiting seat restraint retractor for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a take-up spool connected to webbing of a seat restraint system for winding and unwinding the webbing. The selectable load limiting seat restraint retractor further includes a rotatable first torsion bar to provide a first level of load limiting on the webbing during an impact. The selectable load limiting seat restraint retractor includes a rotatable second torsion bar orientated parallel to the first torsion bar to provide a second level of load limiting on the webbing during an impact. The second level of load limiting is less than the first level of load limiting. The selectable load limiting seat restraint retractor further includes a selectable load limiting mechanism cooperating with the first torsion bar and the second torsion bar to select between the first level of load limiting and the second level of load limiting to provide digressive load limiting on the webbing during an impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Lloyd Webber, Connie M. Hardig