Patents Examined by Leslie J. Grohusky
  • Patent number: 5970865
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for printing multi-color images onto a cylindrical body includes ink adhesion mechanisms that adhere different colors of ink to an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body. Ink drying mechanisms are included for drying the different colored inks adhered to the cylindrical body after the completion of the respective ink adhesion processes. Each of the ink adhesion mechanisms is arranged such that a mandrel, about which the cylindrical body is held, is moved in an arc along the outer periphery of a cylinder-shaped blanket which is disposed around the outer peripheral surface of an blanket cylinder. Ink is applied to the cylindrical body from the blanket at a position where the cylindrical body contacts the blanket. The blanket cylinder is rotated about an axis thereof in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the mandrel. The mandrel is rotated about an axis thereof so that a relative velocity of the cylindrical body and the blanket at the contact portion is zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Roland Horth, Karl Fleischer, Paul Choate, Craig Whipple
  • Patent number: 5971635
    Abstract: The present invention is a piano-style attachment apparatus for a computer keyboard comprising a base, a plurality of piano-styled keys hinged to said base, and anchors for anchoring the apparatus over the computer keyboard. Each piano-styled key has a protrusion extending downwardly for striking a corresponding computer key. The anchors comprise walls which extend deep in between computer keys in order to secure the apparatus to the computer keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Music Sales Corporation
    Inventor: Herbert H. Wise
  • Patent number: 5971638
    Abstract: In a printer sheet feed mechanism for feeding a sheet such as a paper sheet, an OHP sheet and the like with a pinpoint accuracy, maintaining a sheet feed accuracy to a high level for a long time and improving recording quality, a sheet feed roller is composed of a metal shaft having a plurality of projections formed on the surface thereof and pressure rollers to be abutted against the surface of the sheet feed roller have hardness and a pressure contact force to the sheet feed roller which are selected suitably. The surface of each of pressure roller shafts formed rotatably integrally with the pressure roller is subjected to surface processing having a lubricating property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sato, Takanobu Matsuura
  • Patent number: 5961229
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette includes a lid member that is not abruptly opened when a cassette is loaded into a printing apparatus and/or a facsimile apparatus using the ribbon cassette. Retained parts are provided on both side faces of a supplying part main body of a ribbon supplying part in a ribbon cassette and retaining parts which are detachably engaged with the retained parts to retain a lid member by the supplying part main body are provided on side faces of the lid member. While each of the retained parts is a protrusion projecting sideward, each of the retaining parts on the side faces of the lid member via a hinge part and has an engagement hole with which the protrusion is detachably engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshikatsu Kameyama
  • Patent number: 5960716
    Abstract: The invention relates to an impression cylinder (1) intended for a sheet-fed machine and having at least one cylinder gap (3) in which sheet grippers (4) are arranged in such a manner that, when closed, they do not project over the envelope of the peripheral area of the impression cylinder (1). The cylinder gap (3) is provided with a cover (7) which can be adjusted by a controlling unit (9, 10, 11, 12) and is subsequently always in its closed position in which it completely covers the cylinder gap (3), when said gap (3) passes through the nip. Consequently, the impression cylinder rolls with a continuous, closed peripheral area on the cylinder printing the image. In the zones where the sheet is transferred to and from the impression cylinder (1), the cover (7) (preferably controlled by a fixed cam (11) while the cylinder is rotating) is opened to such an extent that the sheet grippers (4) can move into the open position thereof to pick up or release a sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: De La Rue Giori, S.A.
    Inventor: Johannes Schaede
  • Patent number: 5957595
    Abstract: A type of multimedia keyboard device, designed with two positioning depressions at the bottom of casing of a keyboard device, between said two positioning depressions is the formation of a separating unit, said positioning depressions and separating unit will be properly positioned between the user's thighs and on his lap, on one side or two sides of the casing is the design of a handgrip, at somewhere suitable for operation on the left and two sides of the casing is the design of press keys; so designed that it will be suitable especially for applications to wireless remote control keyboard, and will achieve such purposes that the keyboard may be positioned on the user's lap, may be held in both hands and its keys may be conveniently pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventor: Kuo-An Chen
  • Patent number: 5953993
    Abstract: A leading edge side shaft 6, a tail edge side shaft 12 and a pulling shaft 14 are interlocked with one another through gears. The gears are rotated by using rotation of the plate cylinder. A leading edge side part 10a of the plate 10 is clamped with a leading edge side clamp 4 in accordance with the rotation of the leading edge side shaft 6. Thereafter, a tail edge side part 10b of the plate 10 disposed on the cylinder surface of the plate cylinder 60 is clamped with a tail edge side clamp 5. The plate 10 is pulled in a plate tensioning direction as a result of moving the tail edge side clamp 5 in the direction of the arrow 90 in accordance with the rotation of the pulling shaft 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Ryobi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 5953992
    Abstract: There is disclosed an ink roller assembly and a method of making an ink roller assembly. The assembly includes a base comprised of closely spaced connected discs providing capillary chambers and a porous sleeve. The method uses air under pressure or vacuum to expand the porous sleeve while the sleeve is being slipped onto the base. The sleeve has an internal diameter less than the external diameter of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald G. Calloway
  • Patent number: 5949643
    Abstract: A retrofitting, folding, portable keyboard for a notebook computer consists of two, pivotally-hinged halves. The two halves are hinged so that may be assume a perfectly flat, horizontal position, or, alternatively, a laterally raised and sloping configuration that provides an enhanced, ergonometric configuration to the user. Each half has its own set of keys and space bar. The keyboard of the invention has its own pointing device that takes over the pointing function of the pointing device of the dedicated keyboard provided with the notebook computer. The portable, folding keyboard of the invention also has a joystick-adapter by which a conventional joystick may be operatively coupled to the notebook computer by which games may be played. Four, bottom, pivotal feet support the keyboard on and/or above the existing keyboard provided with the notebook computer. A carrying case is provided in which the folded-up keyboard may be stored and transported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Inventor: Jeffry Batio
  • Patent number: 5947025
    Abstract: A tape dispenser is capable of printing patterns and words on the tape dispensed thereby and is composed of a main body, a tape roll holding portion mounted on the main body, a printing wheel fastened pivotally with the main body, an ink supplying device fastened with the main body such that the ink supplying device is capable of inking a printing plate of the printing wheel, and a tape cutter for severing the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Inventor: Harrison Huang
  • Patent number: 5943956
    Abstract: A dry cleaning system for removing dust and lint on the fly from blanket cylinders in offset printing presses. The cleaning system includes a relatively small brush mounted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the blanket cylinder. In operation, the brush can be reciprocally moved across the surface of the blanket cylinder and selectively moved into and out of contact with the blanket cylinder. The contact pressure of the brush is pneumatically controlled to maintain a predetermined, set pressure and the brush automatically retracts should the pressure source fail. The system can be operated to clean the entire width of the blanket cylinder or only the portion of it actually being used to print. A vacuum pickup is included with its separately mounted housing and the entire cleaning system is carried on a unitary support structure that is removably secured at its ends for quick and easy installation and removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Machine Design Service, Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel E. Marquez, Boris Rozenfeld, Peter Nemeth
  • Patent number: 5927202
    Abstract: A cam shaft 23 is rotated 90 degrees when the plate 10 is fitted on the plate cylinder 60. Thus, as a result of the rotation, a flange part 3T of the tail edge side clamping base 3 is pushed by movement of a spring base 15 which receives a pushing force generated by springs 16. Therefore, the plate 10 is pulled in a tension applying direction. Since the tail edge side clamping base 3 does not receive the limitation of the cam shaft 23 directly, the tail edge side clamping base 3 can be moved in a direction parallel to a shaft of the plate cylinder 60. Thus, a diagonal image adjustment of the plate can be done easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Ryobi Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsushi Hirokawa, Hiroyuki Sarada
  • Patent number: 5929357
    Abstract: A keyboard assembly comprises at least one key unit including a plurality of keys each having a front end and a base end, a common key support supporting the keys, and a connecting portion provided on the base end of each of the keys and connecting between each of the keys and the common key support. The keys are formed integrally with the connecting portion and the common key support in a manner such that the keys are each connected via the connecting portion to the common key support for swinging about the common key support in a direction of depression and release of the keys and in a direction in which the keys are juxtaposed. The keys define gaps therebetween, each of which becomes progressively larger toward the front end of an associated one of the keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Takamichi Masubuchi
  • Patent number: 5924358
    Abstract: In a stencil sheet clamping construction for clamping a leading end portion of a stencil sheet to a stencil printing drum, a press plate is set at a half open position making an acute angle against an upper surface of a base portion when the leading end portion of the stencil sheet is mounted. This allows the leading end portion of the stencil sheet to be lifted above the upper surface of the base portion by floating up of an elastic film belt when the stencil sheet is discharged. This also prevents obstruction of the smooth advance of the leading end portion of the stencil when it is mounted due to the floating up of the elastic film belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuro Motoe, Mitsuru Takeno, Toshihiro Bansyo
  • Patent number: 5913621
    Abstract: The invention provides an ink ribbon cartridge which ensures proper, reliable mounting of an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon cartridge of the invention includes a pair of spools, an ink ribbon including a band-like sheet wound around the pair of spools and provided with a layer of ink formed on one surface thereof, four spindles which have disk-shaped sections at one end and can be placed, for a specific length in both ends of the pair of spools, and a cover covering the pair of spools around which the sheet is wound and having four round holes in which the disk-shaped sections of each of the spindles are loosely fitted. In one of the four ends of the pair of spools, only the other end of a specific one of the four spindles can be inserted for a specific length, and one of the four round holes formed in the cover is formed such that only the disk-shaped section on one side of the specific spindle can be loosely fitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikatsu Kameyama, Hiroaki Yazawa
  • Patent number: 5740727
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for printing a decorative pattern of differing colors on the cylindrical outer surface of a can body wherein a pattern of one color is applied and dried on the outer surface and a pattern of a different color is applied to the cylindrical outer surface of the can body with only portions of the pattern of a different color superposed over portions of the pattern of one color and repeating the steps for a plurality of additional patterns and different colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Coors Brewing Company
    Inventor: Frank L. Shriver
  • Patent number: 5738046
    Abstract: A safety jacket and harness system including a body harness formed by a pair of torso bands and a pair of shoulder straps. The torso bands form an upper torso band and a lower torso band. Each torso band has a fastening member that is attached to end portions. The pair of shoulder straps each have a first shoulder strap portion and a second shoulder strap portion. Each shoulder strap portion is coupled together by a fastening member when each shoulder strap is attached to the pair of torso bands. Included is a center strap that is fixedly attached to the pair of torso bands and has a locking member at a top end. A safety strap has a first safety strap end that can couple with the locking member of the center strap, and a second safety strap end that can be looped and fastened around a tree trunk. An escape strap is attached to the safety strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Inventors: Tommie Ann Williams, David A. Williams