Patents Examined by Kathleen I Alker
  • Patent number: 10219495
    Abstract: A fish calling device for attracting predatory fishes by mimicking all sensory characteristics of a prey including appearance, sound and smell is disclosed. The device is configured to spray water into a waterbody around the device in a circular or a semi-circular pattern, thereby mimicking the appearance of a group of bait fishes. The water is sprayed to create the sound of a bait fish trying to escape from the predatory fishes when sprayed onto the waterbody. A scent bag is attached to the sprayer for dispersing/dispensing a smell through the water sprayer thereby mimicking the smell of a bait fish. Thus the device activates three senses of the predatory fishes including sight, hearing and smell for attracting them while fishing/competition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Inventor: Mitchell Hines
  • Patent number: 10219453
    Abstract: A plant watering system is adapted to provide water to a plant both at and below a ground surface. The plant watering system includes a passive water manifold, connected to a fill tube. A first reservoir is connected to the fill tube. A first reservoir first plurality of water seepage panels and a first reservoir second plurality of water seepage panels are formed within the first reservoir and configured to disperse water from the passive water manifold below the ground surface. A spraying manifold is attached to a sprayer tube. A coupler sprayer is mechanically coupled to the sprayer tube; wherein the coupler sprayer is configured to disperse water from the spraying manifold above the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Inventor: Timothy Marvin Funk
  • Patent number: 10212894
    Abstract: Described herein is a module for covering a surface with vegetation. The module comprises a drainage board having an upper surface for supporting a growth medium. The drainage board has a plurality of moisture receptacles extending downwardly from the upper surface for collecting moisture. The module also comprises a plurality of sidewalls having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough. Each sidewall is coupled to the drainage board and extends upwardly therefrom. The sidewalls cooperate with each other so as to provide a perimeter for surrounding the growth medium. The module may also include other features. For example, the sidewalls may be pivotally coupled to the drainage board (e.g. along a living hinge), the module may include couplers for securing adjacent modules together, the sidewalls may include a reinforcing rib, the drainage board may include an opening for receiving an irrigation nozzle therein, and there may be edging for covering the sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignees: BIOROOF SYSTEMS INC., GREEN INNOVATIONS LTD.
    Inventors: Richard J. Buist, Walter A. Hermann
  • Patent number: 10202230
    Abstract: Provided is a package body packaging an animal litter box with a large opening in an upper part so as to be visually recognizable from the outside, which can secure strength required for distribution. An animal litter box package body includes an animal litter box with an open upper part that can store animal excrement, an accessory, and a case packaging the animal litter box and the accessory. The case includes a top face portion that covers at least the opening, a case bottom face portion that is in contact with a bottom face portion, and a pair of side face portions facing one another; at least the top face portion is configured of a transparent sheet-like member; and the package body further includes an accessory storage container that stores the accessory and has a height from a top face of the bottom face portion to the top face portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chiyo Takagi, Shinya Kaneko, Masanori Shibasaki, Yukihiro Otani, Nobuyuki Oka
  • Patent number: 10165753
    Abstract: A pet water fountain comprises a bucket, a pump, a cover body, a filter, a water platform and a flower nozzle, wherein the cover body is covered on the bucket, the filter is contained in a first recess formed in the center of the cover body, and a first hollow pipe extends from the bottom of the first recess into the bucket; the water platform has a second hollow pipe extending downwards to go through the first hollow pipe to connect a pump outlet of the pump, and has an inner flange higher than an outer flange, and further has an outer sidewall extending downwards to being supported on a first step surrounding the top of the first recess; the flower nozzle has a plurality of spouts and a third hollow pipe extends downwards from the center of the flower nozzle to be inserted into the second hollow pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Inventor: Junzhou Huang
  • Patent number: 10165771
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses are disclosed for attracting and/or repelling animals, more particularly methods systems and apparatuses for deploying and retrieving decoys, such as, for example, waterfowl decoy displays typically used in hunting, and particularly to attract overflying waterfowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHERN FLYWAY OUTFITTERS, LLC
    Inventors: John E. Evenson, III, Nathan L. Herrmann
  • Patent number: 10159228
    Abstract: A water delivery system for supplying water to an insect habitat. The water delivery system including a water tray equipped with a sensor to monitor an amount of water within a water tray. The sensor to cause water to be delivered to the water tray when the amount of water within the tray falls below a predefined threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Aspire Food Group USA Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Todd Hall, Gabriel Mott, Mohammed Ashour
  • Patent number: 10159221
    Abstract: An automated and motorized animal conditioning device that can be configured to tilt or pivot relative to a foundation or base. A shaft can be integrated into the animal conditioning device and configured to rotate via a serviceable motor, gears, and chain mechanism. Further, as the shaft rotates, arms emanating from a supporting structure of the conditioning device can continuously change angles relative to the ground. Further, a tether, cable, or other such object can be attached to an arm so that an animal connected to it is encouraged to move as the arm rotates. Here, the continuous changing of the arm's angle allows an animal either tethered to, or moving in between panels, to move more naturally without being confined to a strictly defined path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventor: Lloyd F. Estes
  • Patent number: 10154647
    Abstract: An animal toilet has a lengthwise direction, a horizontal direction and an up-down direction that are orthogonal to each other. The animal toilet is provided with an upper container that is provided with a plurality of holes through which urine passes below, a lower container that is positioned below the upper container and has formed an insert hole on a front face along the lengthwise direction, a tray that is housed from the insert hole into the lower container in a manner being allowed to be pulled out forward, and an absorbent sheet that is placed on a bottom face of the tray and receives and absorbs the urine that falls through the holes of the upper container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Chiyo Takagi, Shinya Kaneko
  • Patent number: 10154663
    Abstract: A bird capture net which allows the use of quickly adjusting the height for capture and release is described, which includes height adjustable poles attached to bird netting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Meridian Wildlife Services, LLC
    Inventors: David Henry Brugh, Brian Chandler Burke
  • Patent number: 10143180
    Abstract: A method of feeding a carnivore by untrained persons while providing safety the animal and the person feeding the animal. An enclosure for the animal has a transparent or substantially transparent barrier observation barrier. The observation barrier has a void formed therein into which a piece of meat may be pushed, such as by pushing with a finger of a person. The piece of meat is elongated and may be pushed through the void until a portion of the meat exits the void on the side of the barrier in which the carnivore is located. The void is of sufficient length that the user's finger will not exit the void on the side of the barrier in which the carnivore is located. The transparent or substantially transparent barrier provides the illusion that the person is feeding the animal by hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Inventor: Bhagavan Antle
  • Patent number: 10117441
    Abstract: A fish processing device and method of use, the device including: a channel; a sensor located within or adjacent to the channel; a barrier, the barrier to assist in preventing a fish passing through the channel; and a control system, wherein the control system controls the barrier in response to an output of the sensor. The method including the steps of: detecting that a fish is incorrectly orientated in a channel; and controlling a barrier to assist in preventing the fish from passing through the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Geoffrey Bruce Goodrick, Liam Alexander Goodrick
  • Patent number: 10111392
    Abstract: A system and method for providing light to a plant with a life cycle that includes a seedling growth period, a vegetative growth period, and a flowering growth period. Illumination to the plant is provided with an array of LEDs that contains red LEDs, blue LEDs and white LEDs. During the seedling growth period, no red LEDs are illuminated. Blue and white LEDs are lit, wherein the blue light is more intense than the white. During the vegetative growth period, white and blue LEDs are lit, wherein the white light is more intense than the white. During the flowering growth period, red and white LEDs are lit, wherein the red light is more intense than the white light. The change in coloring and intensity has beneficial effects during each growth period and at the same time inhibits insects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: LED Living Technology
    Inventors: Oliver Szeto, Gary Sigman, Kevin High
  • Patent number: 10085439
    Abstract: A casino mentality hog trap assembly is built into a trailer having a frame supported by a plurality of wheels, a hitch for attaching to a towing vehicle, and a platform. A hinged trap floor is located in the platform and is moveable between a horizontal closed position and a downwardly inclined open position for causing animals to fall into a holding pen. A plurality of feeder stations are positioned adjacent to the trap floor. The feeder stations each have feeder lids that can be raised by animals to access feed contained in feeder troughs. A trigger mechanism is arranged to be tripped when two of the feeder lids are raised at the same time. A scent roller is also positioned adjacent to the trap floor and is connected to the trigger mechanism by a linkage that causes the trigger mechanism to be tripped when the scent roller is lifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Inventor: Matthew J. Uhlik
  • Patent number: 10051799
    Abstract: The hydroponic growing system may include a gutter assembly configured to manage flow of a liquid solution to one or more components of the hydroponic growing system. Further, the hydroponic growing system may include at least one growing trough movably engaged to the gutter assembly and configured to hold one or more plants. Moreover, the hydroponic growing system may include an automation assembly movably engaged with the at least one growing trough and configured to move the at least one trough from a first position on the gutter assembly to a second position on the gutter assembly via one or more engagement devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Inventor: Johannes Cornelious Van Wingerden
  • Patent number: 10039243
    Abstract: A self-watering system includes a watering member, a pot support member, and a water container member. The watering member includes a support tube member and a water transfer member. The supporting member includes a head portion, a body portion, and a bottom portion. The head portion has a conical shape. The body portion has a hollow cylindrical shape, and includes a body groove formed in a longitudinal direction and at least one air hole formed in the body groove. The water transfer member serves to absorb water and transfer the water to soil and a root of a plant in a pot. The pot support member serves to support the pot, and includes a fixing hole. The water container member stores water to be absorbed by the water transfer member. The watering member is fixed to the pot support member such that the bottom portion is inserted into the fixing hole of the pot support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Inventor: John Heungman Jeon
  • Patent number: 10034469
    Abstract: A device for assisting a fisherman in retrieving stranded or snagged fishing lures that can be attached to the end of a fishing rod is described and taught. The device has a number of mechanisms of attachment to prevent the device from parting with the fishing rod during the retrieval process. On one end of the device is a component that has a cutting surface with a magnet located in a proximity thereto. The fishing lure is attracted to the magnet, adhering it to the device. The fishing line can then be cut using the cutting surface. Thus, the fishing lure is quickly freed without damaging the fishing tackle or causing bodily injury. The device can then be removed and the fishing lure retied to the fishing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Inventor: David E. Olexson, Sr.
  • Patent number: 10035695
    Abstract: A buckle assembly for a stirrup strap is disclosed, one aspect comprising a plate connectable to a first end of the strap, the plate having a tongue extendable from the first end of the strap, the tongue having at least one pin extending perpendicularly from the first side, the pin being insertable in a strap through-hole near a second end thereof; and a receiver having a sleeve with a first side and a second side, the sleeve being configured to slidably receive the second end of the stirrup strap and the tongue when the pin of the first side of the tongue is positioned in one of the through-holes, the receiver further having a spring latch with a distal end having an opening for receiving the pin, the spring latch moveable between a locking position and a release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Inventor: Jimmy R. Rider
  • Patent number: 10021860
    Abstract: A kit for an aquarium aquaponic assembly is disclosed. The kit comprises generally an aquarium module, a garden module, a reservoir module, drain conduits fluidly connecting the modules and a pump. The reservoir module has a top opening adapted to receive and maintained both the aquarium module and at least one garden module. Each garden module supports terrestrial plants and is located directly adjacent to one side of the aquarium module and located below a predetermined operating water level of the aquarium module. The aquarium module comprises a transparent tank adapted to be partially supported by the reservoir module. The system is designed such that the waste water from the aquarium module flows to the garden module for irrigating and feeding the plants. The waste water flowing from the garden module is filtered and directed to the reservoir module then pumped back to the aquarium module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Inventor: Robin Plante
  • Patent number: 10010051
    Abstract: A squirrel bungee apparatus is shown. A first plate member is suspended from an overhead structure. A second plate member is pivotally secured to the first plate member whereby the first and second plate members may be moved between first and second positions. A torsion spring interconnects the first and second plate members and yieldably maintains the first and second plate members in their first position. An elongated flexible chain has its upper end secured to the second plate member and has a food item or the like at the lower end thereof. When a squirrel jumps onto the food item, the weight of the squirrel causes the first and second plate members to move from their first position to their second position thereby causing the food item and the squirrel to move downwardly and thence upwardly in a bungee fashion due to the action of the torsion spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Paul L. Cote