Patents Examined by Joshua Michener
  • Patent number: 7178757
    Abstract: An autogyro, or aircraft with a rotating wing, has an airframe providing a motorcycle-like configuration for the rider. The motorcycle-like straddle-type seat locates the rider in front of the rotating wing, behind a teardrop shaped simulated fuel tank, and above the motorcycle engine used for turning the front-mounted propeller. A motorcycle-like handlebar controls the aircraft, including the adjustment for the rotating wing axis of rotation with respect to the aircraft and the engine throttle. Additional controls for operating the aircraft on the ground, such as wheel brakes and the steering, are also controlled from the handlebar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Inventors: Charlene Breese, Vance Breese
  • Patent number: 7175131
    Abstract: A deployment and orientation device for projectile control surfaces, the deployment being carried out by means of springs between a loading position in which the control surfaces are folded inside the projectile and held against the action of the spring means using blocking means, and a deployed position in which the control surfaces may be oriented with respect to the projectile, device wherein it incorporates motors ensuring firstly the deployment of the control surfaces and secondly their orientation, the blocking means for the control surfaces being single means ensuring the immobilization of all the control surface and enabling them to be released simultaneously, the blocking means being immobilized by first locking means released by the pivoting of the bodies of the motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Giat Industries
    Inventors: René Dodu, Dominique Dion
  • Patent number: 7165510
    Abstract: A method and device for applying germicide solutions to a cattle teat or other item in a way that reduces the amount of waste that typically accompanies this process. The present invention provides a method for cleaning a teat which comprises the steps of dipping a teat into a quantity of a preselected germicidal solution so as to coat that teat, wiping excess material from that teat, collecting the removed excess material from the teat. The present invention also provides an improved germicide applicator for use in the invented method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Inventor: Dennis Lee Hakes
  • Patent number: 7163178
    Abstract: This invention relates to a seat rail (8) for an aircraft cabin, the rail comprising a web (22) located between a top flange (24) and a bottom flange (26) with an outer surface (26a) and an inner surface (26b) fixed to the web. According to the invention, the rail is also equipped with several connection devices (20) designed for its attachment onto an aircraft structure, and being made in a single piece with the web and the top and bottom flanges, each connection device (20) having at least one through orifice (32) and projecting from the outer surface (26a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventor: Alexandre Ricaud
  • Patent number: 7156264
    Abstract: A removable cap assembly having a cap, a stopper and a sipper tube. The cap has a curved side wall which has an inner and outer surface. From this wall extends a top portion. A boss extends perpendicularly from the top portion. The boss has a bottom portion and a top portion. A circumferential rib extends perpendicularly from the top portion of the boss. The boss and rib define an opening in the cap. A stopper is provided that is dimensioned to seal the opening of the cap. The stopper is maintained in the cap by the boss and circumferential rib. The stopper includes a disc-shaped base and a cylindrical wall portion that extends therefrom. Additionally, a first groove that is dimensioned to receive the bottom portion of the boss is positioned in the base around the wall portion. Also, a second circumferential groove is positioned in the top portion of the wall portion. This second, groove is dimensioned to receive the rib. The stopper has a hole for receiving a sipper tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: Richard P. Ver Hage
  • Patent number: 7156049
    Abstract: A device for interacting with biota either on a pre-specified schedule or via actuation by remote signal. Preferably, the biota are fauna and more particularly fish. In selected embodiments, it comprises frangible packaging enclosing means for timing interaction, at least part of the means for programming the device and means for opening the packaging. In select embodiments of the present invention, the apparatus is inserted in fish. Specific examples of the present invention are implanted in triploid grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) to facilitate control of aquatic weeds in bodies of water. When the carp have been in the water for a pre-specified period or, alternatively, long enough to effectively control the target aquatic plants, toxins in the device are dispensed to kill them. Otherwise, the carp may destroy all vegetation and harm the aquatic environment for other aquatic life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: James A. Evans, James P. Kirk, Leandro E. Miranda
  • Patent number: 7150242
    Abstract: An animal litter box which is configured to urge an animal toward a desired orientation in the litter box. The litter box includes a floor, a sidewall extending upward from the floor to define an interior of the litter box, which sidewall has an interior sidewall surface facing the interior of the litter box, and a cue associated with a selected portion of the interior sidewall surface, which cue urges the animal toward the desired orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Inventors: Harold Schuster, Roberta June Schuster
  • Patent number: 7131230
    Abstract: Game bird decoy having movable wings that exhibit a lifelike simulation of a game bird in flight. The invention also comprises a kit that can be assembled to form a game bird decoy and a method for using the kit and decoy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventor: Richard L. Gilsdorf
  • Patent number: 7124707
    Abstract: An apparatus for the dissemination of food to a first animal when the first animal is disposed proximate the apparatus includes a container for receipt of the food and a transmitter that is attached to the first animal and a receiver that is operatively attached to the apparatus. The transmitter emits a signal continuously according to a preferred embodiment or a signal only when it is proximate the apparatus, according to a modification. The apparatus is adapted to receive and respond to the signal to allow access to the food in the container when the signal is present. When the signal is not received by the apparatus, access to the food in the container is denied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Inventor: Jennifer Anne Clarke
  • Patent number: 7121512
    Abstract: A drain, for example for an aircraft engine support strut, arranged on the trailing edge of the rear secondary structure of the strut. The drain includes a conduit with a substantially horizontal axis and a substantially rectangular cross-section, taken in a plane parallel to the trailing edge, the conduit closed at an outer extremity by a terminal portion with a substantially ogival cross-section taken in the axis of the conduit and including at least one opening for drainage with an elongated shape on at least one of the opposing lateral walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventor: Cyril Bonnaud
  • Patent number: 7114461
    Abstract: A method of culturing aquatic animals utilizes a habitat including at least one habitat unit, each habitat unit being constructed of a plurality of concentric tubes with a fixed radial spacing. The habitat is immersed in an aquatic environment containing larvae of aquatic animals to be raised so that the larvae settle on the habitat, the aquatic animals are fed until the animals grow to a desired size, and the cultured animals are then harvested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Winterlab Limited
    Inventor: Henry D. Stence, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7114284
    Abstract: A joint type minnow having a body which is formed so as to imitate a bait fish and divided into a main body portion and a tail portion so that the main body portion and the tail portion are mutually swingably joined to each other through a latch structure, is further equipped with a structure for regulating the mutual swing motion between the main body portion and the tail portion. The structure regulates the swing motion of the tail portion at a casting time to reduce air resistance, thereby avoiding reduction in flight distance of the lure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Jackson Inc.
    Inventor: Masao Kato
  • Patent number: 7100885
    Abstract: A seat mounting rail for securing seats to a floor of a passenger aircraft is made of a seat securing upper section and a rail mounting lower section. Both sections are made of different metals. The upper section is made of a titanium alloy for corrosion protection. The lower rail section is made of an aluminum alloy for weight reduction. The interconnection between the two sections is made as a thermal joint for example formed as a laser weld, which is preferably a butt weld to save welding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Zerner
  • Patent number: 7096827
    Abstract: A combination training lead and multiple animal leash comprising, a leash-forming strap having a handle at a first end thereof and having at least two branches at a second end thereof with a snap connector carried by each of the branches and including a D-ring attached to the leash-forming strap, intermediate its first and second ends, and adapted to interconnect with one of the snap connectors to form a second handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Joseph S. Sporn
  • Patent number: 7096821
    Abstract: An accessory for wild birds is formed from a plurality of ceramic clay flowerpots disposed in preselected relation to each other. The accessory includes a receptacle formed from a ceramic flowerpot. The receptacle has a first end and a second end and a continuous side wall of the receptacle extends between the first end and the second end of the receptacle. The continuous side wall defines a plurality of openings of preselected sizes disposed at preselected positions. At least one of a top and a bottom formed of a ceramic clay flowerpot are positioned coaxially and adjacent to at least one of the first end and the second end of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Ruff
  • Patent number: 7089884
    Abstract: A pet's dressing cart for carrying a pet for dressing includes a mobile cart body, two bearing blocks axially movably supported on the base of the mobile cart body for carrying a pet for dressing, a horizontal adjustment mechanism for adjusting the pitch between the bearing blocks, and a holding down mechanism adjusted to hold down the legs of the pet on the bearing blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Inventors: Jin-Shan Wang, Shang-Lan Huang, Ting-Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 7083146
    Abstract: A seating arrangement in an aircraft passenger cabin includes rows of seats, one behind another at a prescribed seat pitch. A wider transverse aisle is formed between successive seat rows at a normal exit or an emergency exit. At least one seat row bordering on and facing the transverse aisle is equipped with foldable passenger seats that each have an upwardly tiltable seat bottom and armrests. By tilting up the seat bottom and the armrests, an enlarged width of the transverse aisle is provided in the event of an emergency evacuation. In normal operation, the prescribed transverse aisle width does not need to be maintained, i.e. can be reduced, so the seat bottom and armrests are tilted down into the normal-use position for a passenger to be seated on the seat. Thereby the seat pitch of this seat row can be reduced and the total seating capacity can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Hiesener
  • Patent number: 7069686
    Abstract: The adjustable spring activated fishing tackle device of the invention is a simple but effective device used inline with any fishing rod and lure that aids in the capture of fish. The device is comprised of a cylindrical shaped casing with an interior chamber which houses an adjustable, triple action, spring mechanism that automatically maintains a constant counter force on the fishing line against the tugs and pulls caused by the erratic movements of a caught fish, whereby not only helping to hook the fish but also preventing any slack in the fishing line that could cause the loss of said fish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Inventor: Richard Tamian
  • Patent number: 7063290
    Abstract: This invention relates to a mounting system (1) inserted between an aircraft engine and a rigid structure of an attachment strut, the system particularly comprising a thrust resistance device (20). The thrust resistance device (20) comprises two lateral actuators (30) each provided with a rod (34) in which a forward end (34b) is a piston located inside a chamber (38) of a central casing (22) of the engine, the chamber (38) comprising a forward compartment (40) and an aft compartment (42). Moreover, the thrust resistance device (20) comprises a device (32) including a piston (48) fixed to the forward mount (16) and located inside a chamber (50) fixed to the central casing, the chamber (50) comprising a forward compartment (52) and an aft compartment (54), the forward compartment (52) of the chamber (50) being hydraulically connected to the aft compartments (42) of the actuators (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventor: Hervé Marche
  • Patent number: 7059274
    Abstract: A combinative pet cage comprises a front meshed board, a rear meshed board, a left meshed board, a right meshed board, a top meshed board, a bottom meshed board, a plurality of screw parts, and a plurality of connecting parts. The frame of each of the meshed boards is provided with screw holes for the insertion of the screw parts, whereby the meshed boards will be assembles to form a cage body. The top and bottom faces of the frames of the front meshed board and the rear meshed board are further provided with a plurality of insertion holes, whereby two such combinative pet cages can be connected vertically by the connecting parts. A plurality of pet cages can be connected in the same way, and the combined structure thereby formed will be stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Inventor: Kuo-Ho Cheng