Patents Examined by Joseph M. Moy
  • Patent number: 6318585
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a cover mounting structure for a webbing retractor. This structure relates to a mounting structure of a cover mount and a cover which hold a power spring used for taking up a webbing. By inserting a claw of the cover into an engagement hole portion of the cover mount, a claw on a folded member in which the engagement hole portion is formed enters into a hole portion of the engagement portion, so that the engagement portion is anchored by the claw. That is, the cover can easily be fixed onto the cover mount. Moreover, the engagement portion has elasticity and is constantly urged in the direction of withdrawal by the restoring force, so that the cover does not generate strange sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Katsuki Asagiri, Tomonori Nagata
  • Patent number: 6318574
    Abstract: A traffic control barrier consisting of an inverted, first barrel liner base, a circular connecting ring fitted over the bottom of the base, a second, upright, barrel liner fitted within the circular connecting ring, and an inverted, third barrel liner placed atop the second barrel liner and snapped together with a pair of rubber clips. A second embodiment eliminates the third barrel liner and a floor shelf is supported within the second barrel liner to form a product display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Inventor: Andy Holt
  • Patent number: 6318582
    Abstract: A slide-in unit for a baking oven with enameled guideways in oven muffle sidewall regions includes a tray with two opposite lateral supporting regions each respectively with a curled lateral edge region having at least one notch and a sliding clip clampingly secured in the edge region of the supporting regions, the clip protruding from the at least one notch and used as a sliding support for the tray. The slide-in unit can be, for example, a baking sheet. The invention also includes an improved support for a slide-in unit having two opposite lateral supporting regions each respectively with a downwardly curled lateral edge region having at least one notch for a baking oven with enameled guideways in the oven muffle sidewall regions. The improvement includes a sliding clip clampingly secured in an edge region of supporting regions of a slide-in unit, the clip protruding from notches of the edge region as a sliding support for the slide-in unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Mallinger, Peter Lohner
  • Patent number: 6311863
    Abstract: A covered beverage container with an internal baffle which forces aroma laden vapor between the lid and the beverage in the container out openings in the lid when the container is tipped from the level position to the drinking position, thereby allowing the user to more fully enjoy the aroma of the beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Inventor: Douglas H. Fleming
  • Patent number: 6311862
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a paint can having a bottom and an integrally formed side wall portion, having a top portion having an inwardly extending rim portion containing a plurality of spaced openings therein of sufficient size to return any paint which flows into the rim into the paint can. The openings are preferably placed on only one side of the rim so that the other side of the rim can be used for pouring without paint being spilled through the openings. The openings may be circular, square, rectangular, polygon eliptical, or any other convenient shape so long as they have sufficient size to avoid surface tension causing the paint to fill the opening and prevent flow back into the can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Inventor: Charles Barnes
  • Patent number: 6311859
    Abstract: A refuse and recycling receptacle assembly is constructed of two half round slatted receptacles hingedly secured to an intermediate stand upon which plastic garbage bags and the like can be attached. When it is wished to empty the plastic containers, the slatted receptacles can be pivoted out of the way allowing convenient access to the actual containers, which are protected at other times by the slatted half round receptacles which serve as covers for the actual trash receiving containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Inventor: Philip C. Haas
  • Patent number: 6308857
    Abstract: A vacuum chamber having at least one insulating cylinder whose end faces are closed with the aid of one cover each is described. The vacuum chamber has a movable contact stem and a movable contact piece that is attached thereto and opposite which there is a correspondingly constructed a fixed contact piece. Fastened in a vacuum-tight fashion between the one cover and the movable contact stem is a sealing element which permits movement of the contact stem and is constructed as a bellows. The cover is of cup-shaped construction in this case, and is fastened with its free edge end, which has a section of reduced wall thickness, on the end face of the insulating body, a support ring being provided which produces a mechanical reinforcement in the region of the connection of the free edge of the cover to the insulating body. Moreover, the bellows is also of multi-layered construction, if appropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Heimbach, Dietmar Gentsch
  • Patent number: 6308379
    Abstract: A liquid carrying container having a first outer semicircular concave wall and a second inner concave wall facing in the same direction. Both walls are joined together at matting side edges. The outer semicircular wall is considerably longer in length than the length of the inner second wall. The overall length of the upper rim of the first wall is approximately fifty percent greater is length than the length of the upper rim of the second wall. A recess in the inner wall forms a hand hold portion. Below this hand hold portion is a handle pivotally mounted to to the inner wall. The lower handle is formed by a U-shaped rod with two end pivot joints and a center covering cylindrical portion having a rod receiving hole along its length. This bucket construction provides a recess in the bucket's inner wall that allows a user's leg to be inserted to prevent contact with bucket's wall and lessen the possibility that is liquid contents may be tipped over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventors: Floyd H. Hendrickson, Mary Hendrickson, Keith Hendrickson
  • Patent number: 6308850
    Abstract: A liner for a container, such as a shipping container, including an end panel (11), a first side wall panel (12), a second side wall panel (13), a floor panel (14), a roofpanel (15) and a second end panel (16), the end panel (11) including flaps (17), (18), end panel (12) including top flap (19) and a lower flap (not shown) the side wall panel (13) including similar top and lower flaps to side wall panel (12), the floor panel (14) including a first flap (20) and a second flap (21), the roof panel (15) including flap (22) and another flap (not shown) on the edge opposed to the edge carrying flap (22), the second end panel (16) including flap (23) and another flap (not shown) on the opposed edge to that carrying flap (23), the panels (11 to 16) being formed from double faced corrugated paperboard. At least panel (11), and preferably panels (13 to 16), can have multiple fold or score lines (25a to c and 26a to c) to enable folding at selected lines to fit different containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: VISY R & D pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Noel Coom, Glenn Arthur Peters
  • Patent number: 6305569
    Abstract: A liquid containment device for capturing and retaining any liquid falling into the device, such as from a leak, spill or run-off of another liquid container, where the device is designed to fit between the parallel rails of a railroad track with a railroad car positioned above, comprising a generally rectilinear pan or tray and gasket members sealing the space between the pan and the rails. Multiple pans may be connected in line through connector fittings in their end walls, or drain conduits may be connected to the fittings for removal of the liquid from the pan. Apertured grating members and absorbent mats may be placed within the pans. The pans may be used in conjunction with lateral pans positioned on the outside of the rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: UltraTech International, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurence M. Bierce, J. Tad Heyman, Mark D. Shaw
  • Patent number: 6302268
    Abstract: A container for salad includes a base, a removable cover and a chamber insert which projects through the cover and into the container. The container is sealed by a removable cap. Pressure applied by a user to a portion of the chamber insert releases the cap and allows salad dressing which is stored in an enclosure in the chamber member to flow onto salad ingredients which are in the base. Shaking the container facilitates uniform mixing of the salad dressing with the salad ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Inventor: Daniel Reuven Michaeli
  • Patent number: 6296140
    Abstract: A container having an interior, a device for opening the container, the device for opening having an orifice, a straw arranged in the interior of the container, the straw having a first end, and a device for automatically extracting the straw from the interior of the container. The device for automatically extracting includes a straw supporting element movable between a free position in which the first end of the straw is located in the orifice of the device for opening the container and a locked position in which the first end is arranged in the interior of the container. A biasing device for stressing the straw supporting element is adapted to bias the straw supporting element from its locked position toward its free position. A locking device is adapted to lock the straw supporting element in its locked position. A releasing device is adapted to release the supporting element from its locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Inventor: Dany Prieto
  • Patent number: 6293419
    Abstract: A fuel tank cover assembly for a fuel tank of a vehicle includes a cover adapted to close an opening in the fuel tank having a fuel reservoir disposed therein and a universal joint coupling disposed between the cover and the fuel reservoir to allow the cover to be skewed from a bottom of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Lee Farrar
  • Patent number: 6293417
    Abstract: A collapsible transport and storage container comprising a base member (2) and inwards foldable side walls (1) which are moveably attached to the base member (2) via hinges. The container is provided with upper hinge members (3′) at the side walls (1) and lower hinge members (3″) at the base member (2). The lower hinge members (3″) are provided with assembly grooves (36). The assembly grooves (36) are applied in an angle (A) from the base surface of the base member (2). The side walls (1) are provided with one or more locking profiles (37) at their respective lower ends (1′) which are intended to cooperate with the assembly grooves (36) during assembly and disassembly. The locking profiles (37) are provided with a locking edge (37′) which runs against a wall member (33) during the main part of the folding and unfolding motion of the side wall (1). The invention also relates to a method to assemble such a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Perstorp Plastics Systems AB
    Inventor: Rasmus Varfeldt
  • Patent number: 6290091
    Abstract: A substantially cylindrical beverage container holder manufactured from a sheet of recycled pressed paper pulp is provided. The sheet is die cut form a blank having large and small opposing substantially rectangular sides connected by a bottom portion. The large side has a center panel and two glue flaps attached to the center panel by vertical fold lines. The bottom portion is substantially circular to conform to the shape of a beverage can and has fold lines that allow the blank to be folded so that the two rectangular sides are brought together in facing relationship. The large side glue flaps are glued to the small side to form a flat holder having vertical edges. The holder is opened by gently squeezing along the vertical edges, thereby creating an open top end for receiving a beverage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Allen Ray Bell
  • Patent number: 6290088
    Abstract: A corrosion resistant gas cylinder and gas delivery system includes an electroless nickel-phosphorous layer overlying the inner surface of a steel alloy cylinder. The nickel-phosphorous layer has a thickness of at least about 20 micrometers and a porosity of no greater than about 0.1%. The electroless nickel-phosphorous layer has a phosphorous content of at least about 10% by weight and a surface roughness of no greater than about 5 micrometers. Prior to introducing liquefied gas into the gas cylinder, a cleaning process is carried out using a two-step baking process to clean the surface of the nickel-phosphorus layer. The nickel-phosphorous layer substantially reduces the contamination of liquefied corrosive gasses stored in the gas cylinder by metal from the steel wall surface underlying the nickel-phosphorous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignees: American Air Liquide Inc., Air Liquide Americas America Corporation, L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alan D. Zdunek, Eugene A. Kernerman, William Korzeniowski
  • Patent number: 6286706
    Abstract: A trash container liner holder is provided along an exterior of a trash can. The liner holder apparatus has a knob-like cleat around which is looped a gathered portion of the liner. A loose end of the gathered liner is then attached to a nearby clip, thereby preventing the liner from falling into the associated container as material is deposited into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Inventor: Renwick Tucker
  • Patent number: 6283321
    Abstract: A waste receptacle comprises two hinged sectional parts and a bag compartment at the bottom portion of the sectional parts to receive and to provide access to a roll of bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Zag Industries Ltd.
    Inventor: Yshai Meshorer
  • Patent number: 6283363
    Abstract: In the production of packages made of relatively rigid packaging material, e.g. cardboard, it is not possible to directly fold the blank around the pack contents, if the pack contents are composed of articles which may not be mechanically strained, as for example, soft packs. A folding sleeve (47) which can be moved together with the pack contents makes it possible to fold a cardboard blank (28) around the pack contents. The folding sleeve (47) surrounding the pack contents absorbs the mechanical strain occurring in the folding process. Before completing the package, the folding sleeve (47) is pulled out of the region of the pack contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventor: Heinz Focke
  • Patent number: 6279771
    Abstract: A vessel incorporating an improved article support surface for supporting an article, such as a food product, during processing (e.g., baking, thawing or freezing), has a surface for supporting a food product or another article and a pattern is formed or otherwise incorporated in the article supporting surface. The pattern incorporated into the support surface is comprised of a raised portion and a low portion or valley and combine to define or create a pocket underneath the supported article or food product in which air circulates or flows during processing. In a preferred embodiment various shapes of baking sheets incorporating a “pebble-grain pattern” is embossed on a metal sheet and the embossed metal sheet is then formed into the desired shape. The sheets are constructed of various aluminum alloys used in the food equipment industry including, but not limited to, 3003, 3004 or 5052 aluminum alloys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Doughmakers, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Willie Bryant