Patents Examined by Laura C Cole
  • Patent number: 6705792
    Abstract: A cleaning attachment for converting a cleaning implement to a mop is in the form of a flexible cover having spaced walls for being disposed on opposite sides of the cleaning head of the implement. The walls are connected together at the bottom portion by a central support surface. Wings extend outwardly from each side of the support surface. A container having cleaning solution is mounted to the attachment between one of the walls and its wing. Cleaning solution may be dispensed from the container through slots in the bottom of the container and then through a sponge pad covering the slots so that the cleaning solution could flow onto a wipe detachably mounted to the bottom portion of the attachment. Alternatively, the container could be a compressible container which would be squeezed between the wing and the wall by lowering the implement toward the floor to thereby force cleaning solution from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Watch Hill Harbor Technologies
    Inventor: James A. Smith
  • Patent number: 6701565
    Abstract: An electric toothbrush includes a handle, a brush head defining a brushing plane, and a guide arrangement supported by the handle and, in turn, supporting the brush head to undergo movement along an endless path of revolution having an axis extending substantially parallel to the brushing plane such that the brushing plane is maintained in the same orientation relative to a surface of a set of teeth throughout movement of the brush head along the endless path of revolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Wik Far East Ltd.
    Inventor: Klaus Hafemann
  • Patent number: 6702394
    Abstract: In a method of melting together axial ends of bunched fibers of thermoplastic material, the fiber ends are brought into contact with the heated surface of a stamp. The body of the stamp is heated by controlling an electric current passing through it. In one embodiment the stamp is cooled by a flow of compressed air before the stamp is separated from the fiber ends. In another embodiment, the stamp is separated from the melted fiber ends, heated to a higher temperature to vaporize any residual fiber material, and cooled by exposure to compressed air until it has no more than the temperature for melting the fiber material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: G. B. Boucherie N.V.
    Inventor: Bart Gerard Boucherie
  • Patent number: 6701567
    Abstract: A cleaning attachment for converting a cleaning implement to a mop includes a cover having end sections which are interconnected by a central section. The end sections are secured together to form an enclosure around the cleaning head of an implement. The central section is of V-shape to provide a pair of support surfaces. A wipe or cleaning cloth is attached to the central section thereby resulting in two separate cleaning areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Watch Hill Harbor Technologies
    Inventor: James A. Smith
  • Patent number: 6687938
    Abstract: A screen delinter to delint a computer screen or television screen comprises a planar rectangular plastic body. A handle encloses the body leaving one edge of the body exposed. When not in use, the delinter is stored in a case lined with a wool material. As the delinter is removed from the case, the exposed edge is rubbed against the wool such that a charge is induced on the exposed edge. As the delinter is waved proximate a screen, the lint thereon is attracted to and adheres to the exposed edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Inventor: Jimmy D. Harmon
  • Patent number: 6687950
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus comprising a holder (2) for a doctor blade and a blade (1) to be fitted in the holder for use in a paper or board machine. The holder (2) and/or the blade (1) comprises a composite material of whose surface or on a part of whose surface a ceramic coating (6) has been made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Ilkka Rata, Kari Niemi, Heikki Toivanen, Timo Lintula, Ilkka Eskelinen
  • Patent number: 6684450
    Abstract: A wringing device for cleaning elements of wet and damp mopping devices, including a liquid-permeable holder (1), which can be attached to a container (6) by a holder frame (5) and in which a cleaning element can be wrung out by pressing it in, the cleaning element being able to be brought towards the holder through an insertion funnel (2) which is separate from the holder and is fastenable in place on the holder frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
    Inventor: Uwe Dingert
  • Patent number: 6681434
    Abstract: A disposable dual sided cleaning cloth is in the form of a laminate having outer layers which are preferably made of non-woven material. The outer layers are secured together by an intermediate hydrophilic polyurethane absorbent foam coating which contains at least one cleaning ingredient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Watch Hill Harbor Technologies
    Inventor: James A. Smith
  • Patent number: 6681435
    Abstract: A hairbrush head is connected to a front end of a handle and includes a solid cylindrical body having a bristle holder made of metal sheet attached to a circumferential surface thereof. The hairbrush head is so shaped that a space is provided between the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body and the bristle holder, so that hot air from a hairdryer passes through holes provided on the bristle holder into the space to circulate therein and thereby evenly distributes heat over the hairbrush head to facilitate easy hair setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Gim-Hwa Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tso Min Wang
  • Patent number: 6678912
    Abstract: A sweeping unit which can be affixed to a carrier vehicle or a trailer, comprising a supporting frame and at least one motor-driven rotary brush which is rotationally mounted around the longitudinal axis thereof. The supporting frame is provided with supporting wheels, whereby the vertical distance of said wheels from the axis of the rotary brush can be modified by means of an adjusting device comprising at least one adjusting member and a control unit. A sensor is provided for the detection of driving torque or the driving power of the rotary brush or an associated variable, whereby the signal from said sensor is switched to the control unit. The control unit determines the working position of the adjusting member corresponding to an optimum contact surface between the brush and the ground as a function of the contact position between the ground and the adjusting member, characterized by a sharp increase in said sensor signal when the rotary brush is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignees: Schmidt Holding GmbH, Patria Vammas Oy
    Inventors: Mauno Olavi Ruuska, Janko Tuskan, Clemens Rosa
  • Patent number: 6671921
    Abstract: A carpet is cleaned by drawing the broom over it, capturing animal hair and other objects from the carpet. The broom has a handle, preferably round of ½″ to 2″ diameter made of relatively rigid material such as wood, plastic, metal, or composite material. The handle is from about 4′ to 5′ long, providing comfort for the user while affording good control of the broom head. The handle is attached to the head by means of a threaded connection, adhesive, or other suitable means adequate to ensure the handle remains connected to the head, and preferably is removable for storage and/or travel. The head is 2″ to 6″ deep and comprises a base made of relatively rigid material such as wood, plastic, metal or other suitable material, having an arcuate long dimension of ½′ to 1 & ½′ at an angle of 5 to 25 degs., and a short dimension of 2″ to 6″.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Inventor: Bradley L. Hickman
  • Patent number: 6668414
    Abstract: A scuff mark removal tool for removing scuff marks from tile floors with little effort. The scuff mark removal tool includes a flexible ball member having a wall and being adapted to remove scuff marks from a tile floor; and also includes an elongate handle member being removably and securely engaged to the flexible ball member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Inventor: James Benjamin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6665902
    Abstract: A strip brush assembly for sweeping devices or machines comprises a plurality of metallic wires with attachment ends thereof being secured to a polymeric hub. The hub, while retaining the wire ends together is bonded or attached to a polymeric base that is configured with a channel to receive the hub. The base also has members shaped to secure the base to a brush assembly holder. An apparatus for making the brush assembly includes an extruder/shaping device that takes lengths of wires and continuously extrudes and shapes the hub around ends of the wires. The hub is then continuously attached to a polymeric base using fusion, adhesives, a combination of the two, or the like. The hub-containing base can then be cut to length as a metallic wire strip brush assembly for use on a mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: United Rotary Brush Corporation
    Inventor: Hinderikus A. Vegter
  • Patent number: 6666524
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for end rounding filaments for use on brushes. The devices include an air driven planetary gear system rotating a sanding wheel through a varied elliptical path that attacks the filaments from all sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventor: William Motherway
  • Patent number: 6655746
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a paint roller having a roller body comprised of a synthetic foam with an inner recess for placement on a support arm. The invention is characterized in that the roller body is expanded in a molding tool. Towards this end, the expansion pressure is set such that a closed compact covering of the synthetic material, preferably a polyester polyurethane foam, is formed on the outer surface of the roller body and/or on the wall of the inner recess. The coating is at least partially opened or removed in a successive method step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sterkel GmbH Pinsel-und Frabrollerwerk
    Inventor: Georg Weihrauch
  • Patent number: 6654981
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cosmetic applicator for applying a cosmetic product having an applicator body with a first longitudinal axis and defining external and internal walls. The internal walls of the present invention define at least one internal member having a second longitudinal axis and capable of movement between a retracted first position and a second projected position. The internal member of the present invention provides the consumer with one application surface adapted to apply relatively small amounts of one or more cosmetic products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Harvey Stanley Benson
  • Patent number: 6647579
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer chemical mechanical treatment apparatus having a sectional extended arm carrying a head. The sectional arm is comprised of a fixed yoke and an elongated arm positioned in said yoke on a pivot. The elongated arm carries a first means thereon for establishing and maintaining a given loading or pressure on the head. A second means, is positioned on the yoke, adjacent to the elongated arm for temporarily altering the given loading or pressure on the head established by the first means without disturbing the setting of the first means such that when the second means is reset the given head load or pressure established by said first means is automatically restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Paul A. Manfredi, Douglas P. Nadeau
  • Patent number: 6643890
    Abstract: A composite doctor blade is provided that is suitable for use in the manufacture of paper, particularly for use in calenders. The composite doctor blade includes multiple layers of composite material in which a substantial proportion of the fibers are aligned in a direction substantially parallel to the long axis of the doctor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: S. D. Warren Services Company
    Inventor: Gordon Eugene Carrier
  • Patent number: 6640375
    Abstract: A brush assembly is provided in a movable sweeper in which the sweeper includes a vehicle frame to which a rotatable cylindrical brush is connected. The sweeper comprises a turning equipment to turn a brush frame around the vertical axle. The turning equipment comprises a first hydraulic cylinder by means of which an articulated auxiliary bar is turned around its articulating joint. A second hydraulic cylinder is fixed to the auxiliary bar from one of its ends and the second hydraulic cylinder is fixed to the brush frame on its other end. The working positions of the brush are obtained by driving one of the hydraulic cylinders to its longest or correspondingly shortest position. A transporting position for the brush is obtained by driving the other one of the cylinders (first or second one) to its extreme position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Patria Vammas Oy
    Inventor: Mauno Ruuska
  • Patent number: 6640376
    Abstract: A hand held cleaning device that has a self wringing mechanism for extracting liquids from a flexible cleaning element. A wringer mechanism is mounted at the end of an elongated handle. A slidable mop head base is mounted on the bottom of the handle and slides along the elongated handle. When the mop head is moved from its first cleaning position, the flexible cleaning element is drawn through the wringing assembly to remove absorbed liquids from the cleaning element. A pivotal gate opens, allowing the mop head and cleaning element to pass back through the wringing mechanism to assume its original cleaning position. In an alternate embodiment the mop head is attached to the elongated handle and the wringer mechanism is mounted for slidable movement with respect to the elongated handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Inventor: Bryan Kaleta