Patents Examined by Kathleen Alker
  • Patent number: 9173352
    Abstract: A modular enclosure both permits gardening and accommodates secure storage. The modular enclosure includes a raised gardening bed capable of accommodating a pot, a container or a box which can be used to grow a plant or fungus without requiring a user to bend over to access the pot, the container or the box. The secure storage mechanically coupled to the raised gardening bed requires a physical test for the user to access the secure storage. A drip edge immediately adjacent to the raised gardening bed permits water to drain from the raised gardening bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Inventor: Tony Ray Moreland
  • Patent number: 9167755
    Abstract: A trellis support device includes first and second subassemblies, and each subassembly having one or more elongate support members joining together a plurality of ring portions. The ring portions are configured to align and connect together adjacent first and second subassemblies. The first and second subassemblies are configured to engage an underlying support material and to provide a structurally supported growth area for plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventor: Brian Kampman
  • Patent number: 9167806
    Abstract: The ice fishing alarm is constructed of a tripod that is placed over top of an ice fishing hole, and which positions a fishing spool there above. The fishing spool includes a knob for manually spooling fishing line. The fishing spool includes a magnet on an opposing side of the fishing spool with respect to the knob. The magnet is aligned adjacent to a spring-loaded alarm, and upon pulling of the fishing line, shall release the spring-loaded alarm. The spring-loaded alarm is in wired connection with an alarm member comprising of a speaker and/or light, which are turned on upon release of the spring-loaded alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventor: Brooks Hondl
  • Patent number: 9161497
    Abstract: An autonomously controlled greenhouse cultivation system includes a fuel cell module, an environment detection and control module, and environment set-up devices. The fuel cell module includes input terminals and output terminals. After fuel and air are received through the input terminals, the output terminals supply, respectively, various environmental products, including electrical power, thermal energy, carbon dioxide, and water, which are fed to the environment detection and control module that controls the output of these environmental products and includes detection units and control units to detect and effect feedback control of illumination, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, and water level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Electric Energy Express Corporation
    Inventors: Ling-Yuan Tseng, Mingfu Chu, Tzetzung Chen
  • Patent number: 9149027
    Abstract: A jig body adapted to at least temporarily mount a soft plastic lure relative thereto is provided. The jig body includes an elongate shank, a line attachment portion relative to a first end of the elongate shank, a hook mounting element along the length of the shank, a soft plastic lure retention portion, and at least one portion of positive or negative buoyancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: DOTDAN PTY LTD.
    Inventor: David Hyndman
  • Patent number: 9149006
    Abstract: A modular planter assembly having plural U-shaped planting containers including plural male open ends, drain holes in a bottom portion thereof and an underneath male drain channel, plural connectors having U-shaped cavities at each end and an underneath drain cavity with seal means disposed therein. The male open ends are secured within the U-shaped cavities and the drain channels are secured within the drain cavity of the connectors. Plural U-shaped end caps having U-shaped cavities with an underneath drain cavity with seal members disposed therein. Opposite male ends are secured within the end cap cavities and the male drain channel is secured within the drain cavity of the end caps forming a single planter assembly with a continuous drain channel to a drain adapter in the end caps to release excess water there from. Plural U-shaped brackets disposed about the containers to support and attach to an elevated wall structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Inventor: Albert J. Pope
  • Patent number: 9119382
    Abstract: A colony basket and method of using the same for handling poultry from DOC through the growing process and on to a production facility comprising a harvesting system, a loading system, a transport system, an unloading and storing system, hanging system and cleaning system. The system and method performs the steps of harvesting and colonizing live poultry into a singly stackable and transportable colony basket, stacking and loading the trays on a transport, unloading and temporarily storing the poultry for subsequent processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: TYSON FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Doug Foreman, Stephen Brannan, James Ruff, David Lee Mantooth, Theodore Burnett
  • Patent number: 9119373
    Abstract: Assembly comprising a passageway for livestock, the passageway being delimited by side delimitations, for passage of the livestock from a first space to a second space. The assembly comprises a gate system mounted in the passageway, the gate system comprising at least one self-closing gate leaf which is movable between a closed position and one or more open positions which include a pass position wherein passage to the second space is possible for an animal from the livestock, and wherein the gate leaf is moveable to an open position by pressure exerted by an animal from the livestock for passing through the passageway to the second space. The assembly also comprises a device for determining an ID of an animal from the livestock, and a device for blocking the gate leaf from moving to the pass position, wherein the blocking device can be activated to a blocking position in response to data from the ID determining device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventor: Michel Hubert Johan Huls
  • Patent number: 9119388
    Abstract: A method of selectively eradicating plants includes generating images of multiple plants arranged in a bed using a camera mounted to a mobile chassis moving along the bed, determining respective locations of the multiple plants from the generated images, selecting from among the multiple plants one or more target plants to be eradicated, and eradicating the one or more target plants by accelerating a blade of a rotary cutter to strike the one or more target plants as the mobile chassis moves along the bed, and to decelerate the blade to avoid eradicating unselected plants as the mobile chassis moves along the bed, wherein the rotary cutter is carried by the mobile chassis and rotatable about an axis extending in the direction along which the mobile chassis is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Harvest Moon Automation Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Jens
  • Patent number: 9108838
    Abstract: A composite pad for a saddle panel includes a first panel having a first firmness property and a second panel having a second firmness property that is different from the first panel firmness property. The first and second panels are configured whereby the first panel substantially nests in a cavity defined in the second panel. The second panel firmness is typically less than the first panel firmness, whereby in use the assembled composite pad the softer second panel will contact the back of an animal wearing the saddle. Saddle panels and saddles incorporating the composite pad of the disclosure are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Intec Corporation
    Inventor: Isidore N. Strauss
  • Patent number: 9107350
    Abstract: A barrier for deterring slugs, snails, and other gastropod mollusks from entering an area, and a method for using the same are provided. The barrier includes an elongate tubular support having a plastically deformable core member and an outer sheath. A plurality of outwardly extending projections are attached to the tubular support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Shields, William K. M. Shields
  • Patent number: 9107391
    Abstract: The multiple pet leash holding device is a device that is adapted to hold multiple pet leashes simultaneously and in an untangled arrangement so that a pet walker can walk multiple pets simultaneously. The device is constructed of non-moving parts, and includes a grip member perpendicularly oriented with respect to a support member. A distal end of the support member includes leash holder members that extend laterally therefrom, and onto which the looped end of multiple pet leashes may be placed. Each leash holder member includes a first holder member that is perpendicularly oriented on a distal end of the leash holder member. The first holder member includes a second holder member acutely oriented at a first distal end in order to prevent unintended separation of the looped end of the pet leashes there from.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Janis McGuire
  • Patent number: 9107353
    Abstract: A time saving snap on cloning mold for use in cloning a plant by air layering. The mold has a reservoir for storing liquid to keep the rooting medium in the air layer moist by wicking of the liquid throughout a long period of root development. The cloning mold quickly snaps on the branch that is being air layered. The reservoir is effective when the mold is used on both branches that are growing with an upward tilt and those growing with a downward tilt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Charles Albert Overbey
  • Patent number: 9107397
    Abstract: A fishing aid includes a tubular sleeve. The sleeve is divided into upper and lower compartments. The sleeve includes a pole holder including a biased bracket inside the upper compartment, and an indicator in the lower compartment. The indicator is triggered by a first contact and a second contact touching one another. The first contact is disposed in the upper compartment and the second contact is disposed on the pole holder. The spring actuating bracket is deflected by a fishing pole in the first compartment to cause the second contact on the pole holder to touch the first contact on the sleeve. A rod holder is disposed on an outer surface of the sleeve. The fishing aid further includes a rod with a spiked tip. The rod is received in the rod holder such that the sleeve is configured to be supported on the rod via the rod holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Roger M. Mora
  • Patent number: 9107388
    Abstract: A canine ventral chest and lower abdomen protection garment is disclosed for protection of a canine from impact with an obstacle. The garment mounts to the canine via a collar, a thoracic strap and a lumbar strap for a secure placement. A caudal portion of the garment rear of the lumbar strap protects the lower abdomen and urogenital regions. This caudal portion is allowed to gravitationally fold distal from the skin of the canine allowing for unobstructed urination. The same caudal portion of the garment, when impacted by an obstacle, returns proximal to the skin of the canine and acts to protect the lower abdomen and urogenital regions of the canine. The caudal portion of the garment is stitched in multiple lines allowing for permanently sizing the garment for a specific canine while retaining the integrity of the overall garment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: BYMOMS4PETS, LLC
    Inventor: Dawn Marie Howell
  • Patent number: 9107387
    Abstract: A portable dog pen assembly facilitates transport and temporary installation of an enclosure for an animal. The assembly includes a series of panels defining a sheet of material. Tubes are provided including medial tubes and end tubes. Each medial tube is positioned between an associated adjoined pair of the panels and each end tube is coupled to and extends along a free end of the sheet of material. Looped ends of stabilizer bars are alignable with a selectable one of the tubes to extend each stabilizer bar along a top edge of an associated one of the panels. Each of a plurality of posts is insertable through an associated one of the looped ends and the tubes and engages a ground surface such that the post extends upwardly from the ground surface. A connector couples the end tubes together such that the sheet of material forms an enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Patty Pavlik
  • Patent number: 9107382
    Abstract: A liquid-permeable panel is mounted on a portion of a system toilet for animals, and a 15-degree bending strength defined below the liquid-permeable panel is at least 0.2 N and no greater than 10 N. The 15-degree bending strength is the load that is applied at a velocity of 500 mm/min to the central section of the liquid-permeable panel from the direction perpendicular to a plan view using a round plunger having a diameter of 8 mm, while both sides in the Y-direction in a plan view of the liquid-permeable panel are being supported, that deforms the liquid-permeable panel into the shape of a concavity along the X-direction such that, in a cross section of the concavity, the angle (?) formed by a horizontal line that contains the bottommost point of the concavity and an oblique line linking the aforementioned bottommost point and either of the aforementioned both sides is 15 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Matsuo, Tomoko Hirao
  • Patent number: 9107380
    Abstract: A rack apparatus for managing laboratory animals and is easy to clean includes a plurality of animal cages (1) stored at intervals in a storage space (16) on a shelf plate (15) supported by frame structure (13). The rear of the storage space (16) is closed by a back plate (12b), the exhaust box (19) is installed at the top of the rear side, and a cage top cover (23) is installed at the top of the front side. A back stay (25) is demountably attached to the back plate (12b), a movement-restricting bar (27) is attached to the back stay (25), and spacers (29), which maintain intervals between the animal cages (1), are demountably attached to the back stay (25). The spacers (29) are selectively installed by mounting to/dismounting from the back stay (25) to maintain planned storage positions corresponding to sizes of the cages (1) in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Dai-Dan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Yoshida, Yuichi Miura
  • Patent number: 9107398
    Abstract: The present invention provides metal alloys that comprise at least copper, zinc and aluminum and, in addition, include manganese and iron, for the production of horseshoes that have bactericidal and fungicidal properties, impeding the proliferation of bacteria and fungi specific to equines and mitigating the effects of vibration on equine joints, absorbing impacts known as “absolute shock”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: COMERCIALIZADORA KRAVIVA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Diego Alexander Valer Fuentes
  • Patent number: 9107381
    Abstract: A liquid-permeable panel that is of a system toilet for animals and that can prevent urine wetting resulting from torsion or folding over of a pee pad. The liquid-permeable panel covers the excrement containment section of the system toilet for animals. Of the aforementioned panel, the side-surface 1 cm compression deformation load, which is the load necessary for at least 1 cm of torsion to arise with respect to load from the side-surface direction that is perpendicular to the direction of thickness of the panel, is at least 5 N and no greater than 20 N. Preferably, the liquid-permeable panel has a plurality of holes that penetrate the liquid-permeable panel in the direction of thickness, and has as a material corrugated cardboard in which liquid goes through the aforementioned plurality of holes, passing through in the direction of thickness of the aforementioned liquid-permeable panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Uni-Charm
    Inventors: Takayuki Matsuo, Tomoko Hirao