Patents Examined by Lanna Mai
  • Patent number: 6851775
    Abstract: A refrigerating unit includes a cooling chamber, a storage compartment removably guided within the chamber as far as a closing position, and a disengagement device. The chamber has a parallel-guide disposed on its sides. The guide has a mating toothed configuration, two rollers rigidly coupled, lying opposite each other, and each having an external toothed configuration with a pitch circle diameter to be rollingly coupled to the mating toothed configuration. The guide has an end section reached by the rollers near the closing position. One of the mating toothed configuration and the rollers is positionally fixed. The disengagement device disengages the mating toothed configuration from the external toothed configuration of the rollers and is at the end section and has a disengagement length compensating for oblique positioning of the compartment in and counter to a movement direction arising from an offset of the rollers along the mating toothed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH
    Inventor: Mario Kaiser
  • Patent number: 6851236
    Abstract: A horizontally level raised terrace floor system for mounting over a non-level or irregular substructure that includes a plurality of spaced apart support pedestals that are fabricated of a heat shearable foam material. Each pedestal is mounted upon the non-horizontally level substructure and the pedestals are heat sheared so that the top surface of each pedestal lies in a common horizontal plane above the substructure. A plurality of flat grates are placed directly upon the pedestals in an edge to edge relationship. A plurality of interlocking paving blocks are laid down over the grates to provide a tight deck over the grates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Syrstone, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey T. Harvey
  • Patent number: 6851376
    Abstract: A pull-down shelf for storage of articles has a lower shelf portion that contains a wind-up mechanism, which can be spring powered or motorized, an overhead mounting plate that attaches to ceiling joists or the like, and at least a pair of cables that are wound onto arbors of the wind-up mechanism for suspending the shelf portion from the overhead mounting plate. Scissors-action stabilizers hold the shelf from tipping or swinging. The user pulls the shelf down, and this unwinds the cables and charges the springs. A releasable ratchet wheel keeps the mechanism from turning in the rewind direction. The user can pull or actuate a release handle or button to release the shelf and let the spring rewind the cables to pull the shelf back to its overhead position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Inventor: James D'Agostino
  • Patent number: 6845723
    Abstract: A folding and tilting table which is versatile, simply constructed and easy to use. The table includes a table top, an elongated support member, two leg assemblies pivotally mounted to ends of the support member, a set of wheels connected to the leg assemblies and an elongated hinge connected to the support member and to the table top. A first pair of latch assemblies restrain the table top to the support member and a second pair of latch assemblies restrain the leg assemblies. Once released, the table top may rotate from an in-use horizontal position to a vertical position for storage. Also once released, the leg assemblies may move from the use mode to storage mode quickly and easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: HON Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Kottman, Josiah M. Ives, Mark Schaefers, William C. Cesaroni, Shawn O. Barrett, Robert J. Glenn, II
  • Patent number: 6846052
    Abstract: A desk unit incorporating a concealed pull-out keyboard well includes a work surface and a concealed keyboard platform mounted under a work surface. The work surface can have an apron on the lower front surface that conceals the keyboard platform. A movable section of the work surface at a front edge thereof is movable in a path that extends downwardly and under the front edge of the keyboard tray and then rearwardly under the keyboard tray, where the movable section can be stored or removed from the desk unit. When the movable section is thus positioned, the keyboard can be used or extended for use. This desk construction can be employed in a corner mounted desk, wherein the keyboard tray is mounted at an angle under a corner in the desk, or the invention can be employed in a conventional desk having a work surface with a straight front edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Sligh Furniture Company
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, Ralph J Byma, Gregg J. Persons
  • Patent number: 6843183
    Abstract: A telescoping assembly allows the length of an assembly to be readily adjusted. Desirably, the telescoping assembly is used in connection with a table to allow the height of the table to be easily adjusted. The telescoping assembly preferably includes one or more projections formed in telescoping members and the projections provide accurate, low friction contact areas between the telescoping members. Preferably, first and second plurality of projections are provided, and these plurality of projections can be located on either the same telescoping member or different telescoping members. The plurality of projections are preferably evenly distributed about the telescoping members and separated by a given distance, but the projections may be located in any suitable positions and the telescoping assembly can have any appropriate number of projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Lifetime Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Lynn Curtis Strong
  • Patent number: 6843025
    Abstract: A construction kit from which a do-it-yourself can erect a stable, strong structure whose predetermined geometry is maintained even when the structure is subjected to stresses. The kit includes a plurality of beams, a set of rectangular panels and two end frames. To assemble the structure, the beams are arranged to bridge the end frames and to snap-lock or screw onto the corners thereof to form a skeleton in which the beams are in parallel relation. The beams are profiled to form internal tracks for slidably receiving the panels, each panel being supported between a pair of adjacent beams to define a wall of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Keter Plastic Ltd.
    Inventor: Haggai Paz
  • Patent number: 6840591
    Abstract: In kitchen and bathroom type cabinets made from wooden material, the toe kick located in the toe kick recess at the base of the cabinets is provided with a metallic face. One of the preferred ways to provide this is through two layers of material including a metal plate secured to a wooden support backing material to facilitate mounting to the frame structure of the cabinets. The metallic toe kick may take the form of a kit in which metallic plates are mounted to the preexisting toe kick of kitchen or bathroom cabinets to provide a different aesthetic characteristic to this cabinetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Inventor: David A. Wessel
  • Patent number: 6840078
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tool for shaping a workpiece. The tool has two pivotally connected arms that are stroked between open and closed positions. Each arm has a handle, an intermediate coupling portion and a working portion. One working portion has a cutting block with a face and two sidewalls that form a pair of spaced apart cutting edges. The other working portion has a pair of spaced apart ramp or wedge shaped blades with cutting edges that are aligned to shearingly engage the cutting edges of the cutting block. The tool is stroked to its open position to align the cutting block with the workpiece. The tool is then stroked to its closed position to form a pair of opposed flaps in the workpiece. The flaps form a slot having a desired width. The tool preferably includes a depth adjustment mechanism for selectively setting the tool to open to a desired intermediate position so that when the tool is aligned with the workpiece it will cut the workpiece to a desired depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: HJ. Martin & Son, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Clover
  • Patent number: 6837555
    Abstract: An end cap for preliminary attachment of a control panel to a main body of an appliance includes a generally planar body having a front side and first and second supporting sides. The supporting sides are disposed at a rear and bottom of the planar body and are adapted for securement to the appliance main body. Each of the supporting sides has a plurality of securing tabs extending therefrom. The securing tabs are adapted to extend through an opening in the appliance main body and to engage the main body to preliminarily secure the control panel to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: American Trim, LLC
    Inventors: Robert M. Byrne, Kurt F. Hafeken, Sr., Richard J. Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 6832560
    Abstract: A work table includes a frame with a vertical central column as well as a base and a work surface, which is fastened to a support element. The height and angle of the work surface are adjustable. A joint seating device is provided on an upper end of the central column and a swivel arm is arranged in a pivoting manner about a horizontal axis of the joint seating device. The swivel arm contains another rotary joint, about whose horizontal axis the support element and the work surface connected with it are arranged in a pivoting manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sedus Stoll AG
    Inventors: Mathias Seiler, Martin Pabst
  • Patent number: 6824211
    Abstract: A head restraint of a vehicle seat has at least one elastically deformable container integrated therein. The container is at least partially filled with filling bodies and gas. An abrupt evacuation of the gas in the event of a crash changes the collision impact characteristics of the head restraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Franz Josef Bayer, Matthias Nohr
  • Patent number: 6820629
    Abstract: A leg assembly includes at least three upright support members and at least three horizontal link members. Each of the support members includes an adjacent pair of planar first and second leg frames that are connected pivotally to each other, and at least one connecting plate disposed between the first and second leg frames so as to form an angle between the first and second leg frames such that the first and second leg frames can stand stably on a ground surface. Each of the link members is connected detachably to an adjacent pair of the support members so as to interconnect and position the support members relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Shin Yeh Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chuen-Jong Tseng
  • Patent number: 6820950
    Abstract: A modular case is designed to hold articles and is formed by fitting together various panels of the standardized size and design. The panels are held together by retaining slots and retaining projections. A plurality of shelves are slidably disposed in the V-shaped grooves of the panels. One or more doors are pivoted to the panel by a plurality of pivoting lugs, each having an inclined guide face enabling the doors to swivel automatically. Certain retaining projections and retaining slots are provided with arcuate side walls to enhance the retaining effect. The rear panels have two wavy longitudinal sides to minimize the swaying of two rear panels which are joined together side by side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Ching-Ching Trading Co.
    Inventor: Chun-Hsia Sun
  • Patent number: 6814009
    Abstract: A novel pillar is provided. The pillar having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, an outer skin, an extruded support structure disposed within the outer skin, with the support structure including multiple cells arranged along the longitudinal axis for support of longitudinal loads, and a tension bar disposed at least partially within the extruded support structure. The outer skin and extruded support may include structural plastic, and the extruded support structure may be separately insertable into the outer skin. However, in an alternative embodiment the outer skin and extruded support structure are co-extruded as a single monolithic piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Mario Acevedo, Hirokazu Goto, Brian Kim
  • Patent number: 6814010
    Abstract: Knockdown furniture including a table with flat, interlocking, planar parts assembled or disassembled without tools or fasteners. Planar legs oriented in radially, spaced apart, mutually abutting relation upon erection, compressively grasp and support an elevated top. Each leg has a foot touching the ground, an integral, upwardly, outwardly diverging arm for grasping the top, a vertically upright protrusion of gradually decreasing width, and a junction region from which these parts emanate. A planar lock includes slots through which the protrusions pass when the furniture is press-fitted together. Lock notches aligned with the slots concurrently engage the arms. Each protrusion decreases in width, with the outside of each protrusion forming a ramp, and the inside forming an elongated, vertical edge. The wedging action resulting from slot-to-ramp engagement locks the legs together, with the complimentary protrusion edges firmly abutting one another and with the top compressively grasped by the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Inventor: Franciscus P. Bart
  • Patent number: 6814008
    Abstract: A mounting device has a first member attachable to a vertical surface, a first channel for releasably receiving a planar member forming a writing surface to dispose the writing surface at a generally horizontal position and a second channel for releasably receiving the planar member to dispose the writing surface at an inclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Inventor: Neal B. Schultz
  • Patent number: 6814417
    Abstract: A switchgear cabinet that has a frame stand with vertical frame profiles. According to this invention, a lateral casing is attached on at least one side of the frame stand to two vertical frame profiles that are assigned to the side. A mounting wall is arranged at a distance from the lateral casing while facing the interior of the switchgear cabinet. A cable installation space is formed between the mounting wall and the lateral casing, and the mounting wall is detachably fastened to the frame stand by retaining elements. This invention increases the number of possible ways of installing cables in a switchgear cabinet of this type. Thus, according to this invention the mounting wall is arranged between the vertical frame profiles of the side of the frame stand. An edge cable feedthrough is formed between at least one of the vertical sides of the mounting wall and the assigned vertical frame profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Marc Hartel
  • Patent number: 6811236
    Abstract: An apparatus assists a user to move a door between closed and open states. The apparatus includes a permanent magnet provided on the door. An electromagnet is located on the door frame adjacent thereto when the door is closed and is energizable to provide a magnetic field which reinforces the permanent magnetic field or to provide a magnetic field in opposition to the permanent magnetic field. A detector detects the state of the door and an interface detects the presence of a user. A controller receives input from the detector and the interface and energizes the electromagnet to provide a reinforcing magnetic field if a user is attempting to open the door and provides an opposing magnetic field to the permanent magnetic field if the door is closed and the user is attempting to open the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Limited
    Inventors: Keith Brookes Spong, Graeme Colin Fuller, Gerald David Duncan
  • Patent number: 6808239
    Abstract: Casing, in particular plastic casing (1; 101; 201; 301) of a hand-held electronic apparatus, having a first and a second casing shell (3, 5; 103, 105; 203, 205; 303, 305) and connecting means pressing the first and second casing shells against each other along the contact region, the connecting means having at least one holding element (17), arranged on the first casing shell (5), for a separate locking element (7; 107a, 107b; 207; 307) and at least one hook element (13) arranged on the second casing shell (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Harald Bader