Patents Examined by Kyle Grabowski
  • Patent number: 9610796
    Abstract: A loose-leaf folder device includes a pair of main components. First half retaining rings and second half retaining rings are arranged on the housing of the main components. Two main components can be combined with or separated from each other. When combined together, the first half retaining ring can be combined with the first half retaining ring of the other main component to form a closed retaining ring to retain loose-leaf paper. When separated from each other, the main component along with loose-leaf paper retained by it can be separated from the other main component to form two independent parts. The second half retaining ring on the housing can rotate and can form a closed retaining ring with the corresponding first half retaining ring to retain loose-leaf paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Angel Hoi Ling Wong
  • Patent number: 9586430
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments relating to verifying a printed work comprises a correct number of pages. Associated with a stack comprising one or more pages is an identifier that may be used to obtain an expected value for a physical characteristic of the pages in the stack. A sensor may then measure an actual value for the physical characteristic of the pages in the stack. Before binding the pages in the stack, the expected value may be compared to the actual value in order to verify the stack comprises the correct number of pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Jones, Jeffrey R. Raines, Jeffrey I. Coker, Scott W. Horoho, Brian E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9583026
    Abstract: The invention relates to a prefabricated secure foldable multilayer label intended to be adhered onto a substrate, including built-in security means (13, 23), characterized in that it includes a first flap (1) and a second flap (2), each including a transparent substrate layer (11, 21), said flaps being separated by a folding line and capable of overlapping and being adhered along a first surface (61, 62) of said flaps (1, 2). According to one advantageous aspect, the prefabricated label includes a removable printable sheet (4), which can be used e.g. as a receipt. The invention also relates to the manufacture of said secure label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: HOLOGRAM INDUSTRIES
    Inventors: Fabio Tremolada, Hugues Souparis, Georges Houston
  • Patent number: 9573407
    Abstract: The security substrate includes an at least partially light transmitting carrier supporting a security feature and includes at least first and second layers, at least one of which covers an area which is less than a full surface area of the carrier and which at least partially overlaps the other layer. The layers have substantially the same color and texture, and the reflective contrast ratio of the overlapping areas and the non-over lapping areas is less than 20% and the transmissive contrast ratio of the overlapping areas and the non-overlapping areas is greater than 3%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: De La Rue International Limited
    Inventors: Simon Dexter Marchant, Paul Howland, Janina Möreke
  • Patent number: 9550390
    Abstract: An optical security component intended to be checked in reflection in a checking spectral band includes a layer that is reflective in the checking spectral band. The layer exhibits a structured zone that includes microstructures distributed spatially in a uniform manner over a whole of the structured zone so as to form an optical structure that is at least partially scattering in the checking spectral band. The microstructures have heights that are distributed according to a random function, modulated over the structured zone by a modulation function so as to form, after illumination of the optical security component at a given angle, an image identifiable by observation in reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Hologram.Industries
    Inventors: Hugues Souparis, Valéry Petiton, Vincent Tollet
  • Patent number: 9527330
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a device for forming the spine region and/or the adjacent joint areas of a book case prior to casing-in the book block by means of a forming component that lifts the spine region out of the extended starting position relative to rails that hold down the case boards or the joint areas, wherein the forming geometry of the forming component can be varied by means of motor-driven adjustments, and wherein a separate adjusting drive is assigned to each of the elements that can be adjusted relative to the base element and form the book case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Kolbus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Torsten Meineke, Bjorn Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9522561
    Abstract: A ring binder mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages has a housing and rings movable between closed and open positions. The rings are mounted on hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting movement relative to the housing. An actuator is moveable relative to the housing to pivot the hinge plates to move the rings between the closed and open positions. A travel bar operatively connected to the actuator includes a locking element. The travel bar is moveable between a locked position in which the locking element blocks pivoting of the hinge plates and an unlocked position in which the locking element permits pivoting of the hinge plates. The travel bar and housing each include a retaining formation. The retaining formation on the housing is adapted to contact the retaining formation on the travel bar to releasably hold the travel bar in the locked position when the rings are closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: World Wide Stationery Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chen Yuen To
  • Patent number: 9519268
    Abstract: A card 1 includes: a card substrate 10; a transparent hologram layer 20 on a part of the substrate 10; and a surface layer 30 comprising a print layer 40 on the substrate 10 and the layer 20, is formed by a transparent material, and is printed with a color similar to the upper surface of the substrate 10. When a card surface 1a is viewed from the normal line, the layer 40 has the same color shading compared to the upper surface of the substrate 10, at the edge portion 22 of the layer 20. The layer 40 includes a gradation portion 43 wherein the color is gradually lighter from an outer edge portion 43a at the inner side of the edge portion 22 of the layer 20 toward the inner portion, a window portion 44 is formed at an image 21 portion of the layer 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Motoi, Toru Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9511617
    Abstract: A ring binder mechanism for retaining loose leaf pages has a housing and pivoting hinge plates supported by the housing. The mechanism has an actuator mounted on the housing and moveable between open and closed positions to pivot the hinge plates and thereby open and close rings of the mechanism. An elongate travel bar is operatively connected to the actuator for movement of the travel bar longitudinally in the housing by the actuator. The travel bar has a plurality of locking elements and a cam. The locking elements are positioned to block pivoting movement of the hinge plates when the actuator and rings are in the closed position and the locking elements are in a locking position. The cam extends into an opening in the hinge plates. The cam helps the actuator drive pivoting movement of the hinge plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: World Wide Stationary Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kei Cheng
  • Patent number: 9499007
    Abstract: A binder ring metal (10) includes binder rings (12-16) portions of which are installed on frame assemblies (18a, 18b) installed in a side-by-side relationship within a shield (20). A lever (22) is operatively connected with a travel bar (24) for movement of the lever to effect opening or closing of the rings. A gear mechanism (G) includes a plurality of gear teeth (30) are formed on lever, and a plurality of gear teeth (32) are formed on an adjacent surface of the travel bar. These teeth mesh with each other so movement of the lever by a user effects movement of the travel bar to respectively unblock or block movement of the frame assemblies, so the binder ring can open or close.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: U.S. Ring Binder, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Whaley, Chang Yuan Xu
  • Patent number: 9499004
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a pro label book includes printing static indicia on a web of label material, applying an adhesive to each portion of the web of label material that will become a label page in a pro label book that is not the portion of the web of label material that will become a top page of a label book to be formed if the adhesive is applied to a top surface of the web of label material or a bottom page of a label book to be formed if the adhesive is applied to the bottom surface of the web of label material, printing variable information on the web of label material, sheeting the web of label material to form label pages, and batching the label pages together utilizing the applied adhesive. Certain embodiments include attaching one of a backer or a cover to the web of label material following the printing static indicia step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Chicago Tag & Label, Inc.
    Inventors: F. Paul Valenti, Jr., Dan Hedger, Carl Opel
  • Patent number: 9493026
    Abstract: Binder apparatus are disclosed. An example binder apparatus includes a housing, first and second carrier rails supported by the housing and a slider comprising slots or protrusions. The slider is movable between a first position and a second position, where (a) in the first position, the slider to secure the first and second carrier rails in a closed position, in the second position, and (b) the slider to enable pivotable movement of the first and second carrier rails. The binder apparatus also includes a lever including a groove and gear teeth. The groove is to receive ends of the first and second carrier rails to pivot the carrier rails between the closed position and an open position. The gear teeth are to matingly engage the slots or protrusions to transition the slider between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: R.R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY
    Inventor: James Warmus
  • Patent number: 9469154
    Abstract: A flexible adhesive notepad has a tacky elastomeric layer made of a naphthenic oil-impregnated thermoplastic rubber, and a face layer made of a polymer film permanently adhered to the elastomeric layer by an oil-based adhesive. The face layer has graphics to emulate a notebook. The graphics include an image of a blank sheet of a bound notebook. The face layer and elastomeric layer have a common periphery that emulates a notebook. The periphery has the shape of a bound notebook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Inventor: Albert Chen
  • Patent number: 9469149
    Abstract: A ring binder mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages has a housing having a cavity formed in the underside of a central portion of the housing. A pair of hinge plates are disposed between the sides for pivoting movement relative to the housing to open and close rings of the mechanism. The mechanism has an actuator moveable relative to the housing for opening and closing the rings. The actuator has a body, an opening arm extending from the body, a closing arm extending from the body, and a locking finger extending from the body. The closing arm extending into a space between the hinge plates and the central portion of the housing. The hinge plates extend between the opening and closing arms. The locking finger extends into the cavity in the central portion of the housing when the actuator is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: World Wide Stationery Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming Hua Huang
  • Patent number: 9463659
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for producing a film element having mutually registered metallic layers (11, 16) and a film element which can be produced by such a process. A first metallic layer (11) provided on a first surface of a flexible single-layer or multi-layer carrier film (10) and a masking layer (13) provided on the second surface of the carrier film (10), opposite to the first surface, are structured in accurate register relationship with each other by means of mutually synchronized structuring procedures. After structuring of the first metallic layer (11) and the masking layer (13) one or more further layers are applied to the first metallic layer (11). Applied to the one or more further layers (15) is a second metallic layer (16) to which a first photoactivatable layer (17) is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: LEONHARD KURZ STIFTUNG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Ludwig Brehm, Haymo Katschorek, Norbert Laus
  • Patent number: 9464385
    Abstract: The invention relates to a security paper consisting of at least two paper fiber webs, wherein the first web is embodied in the form of an external we provided with at least one authentication element and the second web comprises a reinforcing element which is substantially absent in the first web and selected amongst materials improving mechanical strength, and/or another authentication element and the authentication element of said first web substantially absent in the second web. A method for producing the inventive security paper is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: ARJOWIGGINS SECURITY
    Inventor: Henri Rosset
  • Patent number: 9440477
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for a flexible book binding with interchangeable pages are presented. A plurality of elongate rods include tips disposed on ends of the elongate rods. A plurality of flexible, elongate link members includes one or more openings disposed in the elongate link members. The one or more openings are formed to receive the tips of the elongate rods. A plurality of pages includes rod couplers disposed along edges of the plurality of pages. The rod couplers are formed to receive the elongate rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Wuka, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Hein, Matthew D. Hein, Lindy S. Shock
  • Patent number: 9428000
    Abstract: A scrapbook and/or photo album system is disclosed. The system includes a top cover panel, a bottom cover panel, a stack of plural pages, a replaceable spine and plural fasteners. The spine is a unitary member made up of a plurality of disks fixedly secured together by a common rod. Each of the pages has an inner edge including a plurality of generally mushroom shaped slots. Each of the disks is circular and has a generally planar central section and an enlarged peripheral rim shaped to mate with and be received in a respective one of the slots of the page to secure each page to the spine. The common rod of the spin includes plural hollow portions, each configured to receive a respective fastener to secure the cover panels to the spine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Accessory Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Koeppel, Richard P. Koeppel
  • Patent number: 9424762
    Abstract: A label assembly including a label having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, where the top surface includes indicia printed thereupon, and a layer of a first adhesive is coated on the bottom surface. The label assembly also includes a dome cover coupled to the label, the dome cover being formed of a substantially transparent material and having an underside, where a layer of a second adhesive is coated on the underside, the second adhesive having a greater holding capability than the first adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY, INC.
    Inventor: James Peterson
  • Patent number: 9421811
    Abstract: A case assembly of a media binder includes a front surface board and a back surface board. Each surface board includes an inwardly facing surface and an outwardly facing surface and a cover sheet, and each cover sheet is wrapped around the outwardly facing surface of one of the surface boards. A marginal edge is attached to the inwardly facing surface of the surface board, and another marginal edge is unattached to the inwardly facing surface of the surface board. An end of the unattached marginal edge includes an extra edge extended from the unattached marginal edge, and the extra edge is folded against the unattached marginal edge. The unattached marginal edge is attached to the inwardly facing surface of an adjacent surface board to form a corner wrap around a corner of the adjacent surface board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Eric Hoarau, Kimberly Ann Pratten, Gary James Watts, Keely Van Patten