Patents Examined by John P. Darling
  • Patent number: 5868346
    Abstract: A towel roll holder and towel dispenser includes a housing for retaining a roll of toweling. The housing is affixed to a support surface, and easily opened or removed for replacement of the roll. In one embodiment, Velcro strips mounted on the support surface releasably engage oppositely configured Velcro strips mounted on an outwardly extending flange on the base of the housing. In another embodiment, magnetic strips or ferromagnetic material mounted on the support surface releasably attach to complementary strips on the housing flanges. In another embodiment, one side or end of the housing base flange is hinged to the support surface, and the opposite side or end of the housing base flange is releasably attached to the support surface with Velcro or magnetic (or ferromagnetic) strips as referred to above, or a rotatable latch. Towels may be dispensed from a narrow end of a cone-shaped nozzle on the end of the housing, or through a slot in a housing wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Inventor: Charles R. Cobos
  • Patent number: 5868336
    Abstract: Tape guides for guiding a magnetic tape in a tape cassette including a two-half cassette housing one half of which holds a pair of tape reels and a length of magnetic tape wound on the reels, said housing half having openings formed on the front side for supply and takeup of the tape, said tape guides being located at both corners of the front side and adjacent the openings, are made basically of a composite resin material of polyethylene and polypropylene resins and contain a carbon black and an anisotropic inorganic filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kaneda, Masatoshi Okamura, Hiroshi Yasuda, Yukihiro Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 5865389
    Abstract: An air dam (35) is place between free tape (13) extending to a reel (11) and the reel (11). During high speed winding operations, the air dam (35) interrupts air flow toward the convergence (17) of the free tape (13) with the reel (11). This reduces a tendency for air entrainment in tape (15) packed on the reel (11) during the high speed winding operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Curtis Paul Gonzales
  • Patent number: 5865395
    Abstract: A paper towel supporting and dispensing system includes a paper towel supporting unit having hinged support arms releasably forced by a spring to hold a roll of paper towel for dispensing, and a dispensing mechanism having a gear transmission mechanism controlled by a spring supported lever to turn meshed cylinders in letting off the loaded roll of paper towel, the gear transmission mechanism including a transmission gear having a plain section for controlling the dispensing quantity upon each dispensing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Inventor: Kuo-Wei Wei
  • Patent number: 5865392
    Abstract: A coiled-tubing system having a reel onto which steel tubing is wound in layered coils. A layon roller comprised of a compliant material is maintained in physical contact with the tubing on the reel to prevent premature unwinding of the tubing during operation. The roller is moved towards and away from the tubing to maintain the roller in contact with the tubing as it is payed out and reeled onto the reel. The system includes a level wind mechanism having a means therein for adjusting the tension in the tubing as it passes through the level wind mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company
    Inventors: Curtis G. Blount, Bruce E. Smith
  • Patent number: 5863010
    Abstract: Apparatus for routing a resilient cable of specified length, such as an electric power transmission cable, across a rotary joint between first and second members, wherein the first member is supported for rotation with respect to the second member. The apparatus includes a first guide element disposed to rotate with the first member, for guiding a first component or portion of a cable along a first arcuate path of specified radius, the length of the first cable component disposed to vary as the first member rotates. The apparatus further includes a second guide element, in fixed relationship to the second member, for guiding a second component of the cable along a second arcuate path, the length of the second cable component disposed to vary in inverse relation to the length of the first cable component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jonathan C. Boomgaarden
  • Patent number: 5863009
    Abstract: An apparatus (40) pretensions seat belt webbing (16) which is extensible about an occupant of a vehicle seat (14). The apparatus (40) includes a housing (50) defining a chamber (56), a piston (90) in the chamber (56), and a coupling member (42) for coupling the piston (90) to the seat belt webbing (16). The coupling member (42) transmits force acting on the piston (90) to the seat belt webbing (16). The apparatus (40) further includes a first pyrotechnic device (200) for applying a first force to the piston (90) to move the piston initially in a first direction (B) in the chamber (56) to remove slack in the seat belt webbing (16). A second pyrotechnic device (220) applies a second force to the piston (90) in the first direction (B) to tension the seat belt webbing (16) against the occupant after the slack has been removed from the seat belt webbing (16) by the first force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Barney J. Bauer, Arnold J Herberg
  • Patent number: 5860612
    Abstract: A guidance system for tape in a tape cartridge includes two corner guides and an optional third guide. The two corner guides may be angled or tapered to produce a bow or slope in the tape, and to steer the tape. If provided, the third guide is readily adjustable during manufacture to an exact predetermined distance from the two corner guides, thereby avoiding problems due to build-up of manufacturing tolerances. A method of constructing such a system provides an interference fit ferrule on a pin or a nail-like pin as the third guide, such that the position of the ferrule or nail head of the pin can be adjusted to the exact position desired during manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: John F. Runyon, Robert A. Muehlhausen, Charles L. Dennis, II, Leslie M. Milner, Mark D. Green, Keith T. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5860614
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for driving independently a first and a second coaxial reel, uses only a single rotatable driving unit for driving both coaxial reels. Independent drive is achieved by reversing the rotation of the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Deutsche Thomson-Brandt GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Oldermann, Martin Storz
  • Patent number: 5857642
    Abstract: A dispenser for feeding perforated paper towels from a continuous roll. The dispenser includes a dispenser body for containing the paper towel roll which may be mounted to a supporting surface such as a wall. A unique feeder assembly is attached to the dispenser body for dispensing an end portion of the continuous roll. The feeder assembly includes a feeder body having a back wall, first and a second side walls attached on each side edge and a bottom wall attached to the bottom edge of the back and side walls. A first aperture is located on the bottom wall of the feeder body and a face plate having a second aperture overlapping the first aperture also is attached to the feeder body. The pair of overlapping apertures are biased against one another for receiving and dispensing an individual paper towel. In the preferred embodiment, a removable flange attaches the feeder assembly to the dispenser body. The flange includes a locking mechanism for lockingly engaging the flange onto the dispenser body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Hygiene Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald B. Zinnbauer
  • Patent number: 5857634
    Abstract: A locking system for preventing a take-up reel of a tape drive from rotating when a tape cartridge is not inserted to the drive. Locking elements are defined about the take-up reel, a buckling mechanism, and a load ring to interact and provide locking engagement to prevent take-up reel rotation. The take-up reel, buckling mechanism and load ring rotate in concert during insertion and removal of the cartridge and are positioned relative to each other such that as the tape cartridge is inserted to the tape drive, locking elements disengage to enable rotation of the take-up reel. As the cartridge is inserted into the drive, locking elements return to locking engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Quantum Corporation
    Inventor: Greg Hertrich
  • Patent number: 5857636
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for unwinding ribbon from a supply spool, for rolling the ribbon to form a wound roll, and for cutting the roll free of the supply. The rolled ribbon segments resulting from this operation are transported to a conveyor for assembly with a toy balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: M & D Balloons, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard John Kurtz
  • Patent number: 5855334
    Abstract: A rectangular parallelepipedic case includes four or more walls formed by bending a single plate. To produce the case, a double plate is used. The double plate is formed from plastic by extrusion, and first and second plate elements confronted with each other. Partition portions interconnect the first and second plate elements, and extend in the direction of the extrusion, to define plural hollow chambers between the first and second plate elements. The double plate is bent along bend lines substantially at a right angle. At least one of the bend lines is at least partially curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Abe, Akihisa Inoue, Shinichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5855331
    Abstract: The reel unit for a dual-bearing reel is a reel unit for a dual-bearing reel in which a fishing line is wound onto a rotating spool, and comprises a frame, first and second covers, a front cover, and a fishhook stopping component. The frame has a pair of side plates disposed to the left and right of the spool, and a plurality of linking components that link the side plates. The first and second covers are mounted so as to cover the sides of the side plates. The front cover is mounted so as to cover the front of the frame, and in it is formed an opening that is longer horizontally and that faces the fishing line guide of a level winding mechanism. The fishhook stopping component is a rod-shaped member positioned along the opening and to the outside of and at a distance from the front cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Morimoto, Masakazu Iwabuchi
  • Patent number: 5855333
    Abstract: A tape cartridge in which it is possible to suppress warping otherwise produced in a lower cartridge half in its entirety on insert molding a meal plate on the lower cartridge half. A reel lock unit 21 having a reel lock member 37 and a mistaken recording inhibiting member 39 is mounted on a backside outer peripheral wall section 16. Formed adjacent to the corners intermediate between the reel lock unit 21 and the corners are cut-outs 16C, 16D in the outer peripheral wall section 16. The cut-outs 16C, 16D are of cut-out depths coincident with the boundary line of a label area L bonded on the backside of the main cartridge body portion 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kiso, Masanori Abe
  • Patent number: 5855338
    Abstract: A multi-roll toilet paper holding device including a support bracket including a back panel. The support bracket includes upper and lower panels. The upper and lower panels extend outwardly from respective upper and lower ends of the back panel. The lower panel has a recess extending inwardly of an outer edge thereof. A support rod is pivotally coupled with respect to the support bracket. The support rod holds a plurality of rolls of toilet paper thereon. The support rod has an upper end pivotally coupled with respect to the upper panel. The support rod has a narrow extension extending downwardly from a lower end thereof. The narrow extension is dimensioned for being received within the recess of the lower panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Inventor: Seymour Berger
  • Patent number: 5853138
    Abstract: A plastic film processing apparatus adapted for processing tiny pores in a plastic film, enabling it to be torn in any direction, the apparatus including two lifting blocks vertically adjusted by a respective adjusting screw, an impression cylinder revolvably mounted between the lifting blocks by bearings, a film transfer cylinder having fine grains raised from the periphery and peripherally disposed in contact with the impression cylinder for processing tiny pores in the plastic film passing through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Inventor: Chi-Ping Chang
  • Patent number: 5853140
    Abstract: A peripheral re-reeling machine including a first winding roller around which a band-shaped material to be wound is guided; a second winding roller, there being defined between the first and second winding rollers a throat into which winding cores are introduced in succession; a feeder for successively introducing cores into the throat, and control apparatus for bringing about, on each insertion of a new winding core, a variation in the winding conditions for insertion of a new core. A sensor associated with the throat is provided which detects passage of a core at a predetermined point and emits a signal on the passage of the core, with cyclical operational variation in the winding conditions occurring based on the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Fabio Perini S.p.A.
    Inventor: Guglielmo Biagiotti
  • Patent number: 5853142
    Abstract: A hose guide device includes a plurality of rotatable elements and a holder defining a passageway having an arcuate inverted hook shaped profile and an side opening to the passageway spaced downwardly from an upper portion of the holder through which a hose can enter the passageway as the hose is pulled past the device. The rotatable elements are rotatably mounted on the holder so as to dispose the rotatable elements in a generally single file arcuate arrangement conforming in shape to the arcuate inverted hook shaped profile of the holder such that the hose upon entering the passageway through the side opening thereof will slidably contact the rotatable elements and be retained within the passageway of the holder below the upper portion thereof due to the arcuate inverted hook shaped profile of the passageway of the holder and the single file arcuate arrangement of the rotatable elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Inventor: John V. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5853141
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for automatically exchanging foil rolls, particularly in the manufacture of folding boxes with foil windows, wherein the end of one foil web is automatically connected to the beginning of the next following foil web. The method includes the steps of temporarily holding the end portion of the foil web which is about to run out, simultaneously connecting the end portion to the beginning of the next foil web, releasing the end portion after the connection has been effected, subsequently severing the end of the first foil web and, during these steps, further conveying without interruptions the foil web from a loop. The apparatus includes a connecting station arranged upstream of a folding box production plant in the sequence of operation, the connecting station including a turnstile on which the foil rolls with foil webs are arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Inventors: Wolfgang Heiber, Julius Schroder-Frerkes