Patents Examined by Mark Wendell
  • Patent number: 9377160
    Abstract: An improved corner trim material construction such that a pair of flanges of the material, normally approximately perpendicular to one another, may “flex”, or change angle, relative to one another and the apex, or nose, of the material allowing the flanges to lay flat against the wall surface adjacent the corner onto which they are being bonded or attached. The present invention can use a single, twin or tri-hinge created by a groove running end-to-end to allow flexing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: CERTAINTEED GYPSUM AND CEILING MANUFACTURING, INC
    Inventors: Timothy Smythe, Douglas Wambaugh
  • Patent number: 9376816
    Abstract: In one aspect, a metal construction member can include at least two metal strips. Each metal strip can have a continuous nonlinear pattern along one lengthwise edge of the strip, where the continuous nonlinear pattern can include a plurality of repeating units. Each repeating unit can include at least one joining region, which can protrude away from a lengthwise axis of the metal strip. At least one of the metal strips can be joined to at least one other metal strip at a plurality of adjacent joining regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Inventors: Scott J. Anderson, Jeffrey A. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9371644
    Abstract: Fire block devices for application to a wall component. The fire-block device can be a wall component that includes a fire-resistant material strip that expands in response to sufficient heat to create a fire-resistant barrier. In some applications, the fire-block wall component is positioned to extend lengthwise along and across a gap between wallboard members. The fire-block wall component may have a U-shaped central portion and a pair of side portions extending in opposite directions from the central portion. The fire-resistant material may be positioned on the central portion of the fire-block device. The central portion may be positioned within the gap such that the fire-resistant material expands in response to sufficient heat to create a fire-resistant barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: California Expanded Metal Products Company
    Inventors: Donald A. Pilz, Raymond E. Poliquin
  • Patent number: 9366275
    Abstract: A controlled stress slatwall hanger. The slatwall hanger is attached to the slatwall by sandwiching at least one vertical face of a slat between a cover and a clamping member. The cover includes at least one outer lip residing against the front of the vertical face and the clamping member includes at least one inner lip residing against the rear of the vertical face. The clamping member is biased away from the cover by a spring to facilitate insertion of the inner lips between open spaces between consecutive slats. Screws connect the clamping member to the cover and are tightened to grasp the vertical slat face between the lips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: RUSS BASSETT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Trevor Simon
  • Patent number: 9366382
    Abstract: A regulation and/or locking device (1) of a plate (100) is suitable for cooperating with one of its sides (101, 102) so as to lock it in a predefined position. The device (1) has two gibs (10) facing one another, where each gib (10) has a support surface (11), positioned towards the outside and suitable for resting on the respective face (101, 102) of the plate or on a fixed element, and positioning surfaces (12), inclined with respect to the support surfaces (11). The device also includes positioners (50) interacting with the positioning surfaces (12) in such a way as to move the position of the gibs (10) locking the plate (100) and controllers (60) maneuverable to activate the positioners (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: METALGLAS BONOMI S.r.l.
    Inventor: Giordano Bonomi
  • Patent number: 9364290
    Abstract: A stand for medical optical instrument capable of easily extending, adjusting easily a counter balancing according to a change of a weight of medical optical instrument such as microscope, as well as, maintaining stably a counter balancing regardless of a position of medical optical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignees: KOH YOUNG TECHNOLOGY INC., INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY ERICA CAMPUS
    Inventors: Byung-Ju Yi, Jong-Tae Seo
  • Patent number: 9366380
    Abstract: Improvements in a fixture housing with dog ears is disclosed that can be installed from one side of a wall or ceiling. This increases the ability of the installer to place the fixture in a desired location as opposed to using a location that provides the best access on stud or joists. Once the ideal location is identified the installer uses a saw to cut an opening in the desired location. The housing is pushed into the opening for installation without requiring access to the back of the wall, ceiling or floor. The fixture housing uses a plurality of spring loaded dogs that are operated from the visible wall or ceiling surface. It is also possible for the fixture to be removed by lifting the locking tabs and sliding securing ears where the entire fixture can then be pulled back through the open hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Inventors: Tyler Humphreys, Jeremy Burkhardt, Ken Humphreys, Edward Haase
  • Patent number: 9353538
    Abstract: A stiffening strut to be used in conjunction with a rear surface of a garage door panel having a given width-wise length, formed in a generally U-shaped body. First and second sidewalls each with a bottom side edge and a top side edge, a front edge and a rear edge, the bottom side edge extends to first lengthwise mounting sleeve having an interior edge aligned with said bottom side edge, the first mounting sleeve having an outer edge parallel to the inner edge, the first lengthwise mounting sleeve having a given width, the first lengthwise mounting sleeve having a multiplicity of spaced apart openings by which fastening means affix the stiffening strut to the top of a garage door panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Unique Garage Door Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Kelley
  • Patent number: 9353514
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for building, maintaining, and/or renovating buildings using reconfigurable, intelligent, and/or communicating components and connectors are provided. These reconfigurable building components and connectors are configured to communicate with each other and with the internal structures and services of a building, using various protocols, for more efficient reconfiguration, management, and maintenance as well as safety. Examples provide a Building Configuration and Management System which provides a set of “smart” components, connectors, and protocols and a Building Control System that connects all internal building structures and services together in ways that allow them to communicate their location, state, and other information to each other and to other entities and to control them, potentially automatically. The BCMS facilitates, among other things, more efficient reconfiguration of these structures and services without demolition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: IVP Holdings III LLC
    Inventors: David Wine, Wei Yang, Agnes Sauvage
  • Patent number: 9347518
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a vibration-isolating bracket assembly includes an elastic donut including a main aperture, a first bracket including a tongue with at least a portion thereof being received within the main aperture, the tongue including a first through-aperture, a first portion of the elastic donut being received within the first through-aperture, and a second bracket to support the elastic donut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sixin Fan, Mohammad Olfatnia, Yi Zhang, Daniel M Cragel, David Charles Secco
  • Patent number: 9350147
    Abstract: A rail for a cable tray having opposite longitudinal ends includes a generally vertical web having opposite upper and lower ends, an upper flange at the upper end of the web, and a lower flange at the lower end of the web. A splice plate retention groove outboard of the vertical web and generally adjacent at least one of the opposite longitudinal ends of the rail is configured to receive a splice plate therein to facilitate positioning of the splice plate on the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Brandon Michael Tally, Stephen Nathaniel Thompson
  • Patent number: 9347362
    Abstract: A mounting system for an exhaust system component may include one or more end mounting brackets and one or more intermediary mounting brackets. Each of the one or more end mounting brackets and the one or more intermediary mounting brackets may each include a vertical member, a horizontal member, one or more attachment openings, and an attachment strap configured to secure a component of an exhaust system to the respective end mounting bracket or intermediary mounting bracket. The one or more end mounting brackets and the one or more intermediary mounting brackets may be configured to be selectively attached and detached from a mounting surface via one or more surface attachment members and the one or more attachment openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Harrington, Ken Hummel, Karthik Muruganantham, Raghunath Thakar
  • Patent number: 9341307
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for displaying or projecting images on a vehicle are described herein. The system includes a mount bar for engaging a hitch receiver tube of a vehicle, and an intermediate arm having a first end rotationally coupled with the mount bar, where the first end is lockable in a position with respect to the mount bar. The system also includes a projector arm having a first end rotationally coupled with a second end of the intermediate arm, where the first end of the projector arm is lockable in a position with respect to the second end of the intermediate arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Hitch Demon, LLC
    Inventor: Trevor Seal
  • Patent number: 9341305
    Abstract: A tensile switchable supporting frame is provided. The supporting frame with an adjustable tensile structure includes at least two elastic modules, which are composed of a plurality of tension springs to achieve the objective of multi-stage adjustment. According to the weight of the loaded device, the user is capable of selecting the suitable elastic module to appropriately activate the amount of tension springs. The proper tension also provides the user with a better operative experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SYNCMOLD ENTERPRISE CORP.
    Inventors: Ching-Yi Yeh, Juei-Hsien Wang
  • Patent number: 9333714
    Abstract: A vehicular armor system to prevent ballistic projectiles from penetrating a vehicle includes a panel having a perimeter defining an area sized to cover at least a portion of an exterior vehicular surface, generally a door, and having a contour within the perimeter configured to generally conform to the portion of the vehicular surface. The panel includes a layered arrangement including a protection layer comprised of a ballistic material and an outer cosmetic layer on which color and/or graphic matter can be applied. The panel is mounted to the vehicle, such as with a removable magnetic mounting system. The panel can also be configured for use as a personal shield when removed from the vehicle. A method of manufacturing the armor system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Hardwire, LLC
    Inventors: George C. Tunis, III, Scott Kendall, Justin Tucker Gordon
  • Patent number: 9322178
    Abstract: A skylight with a sunlight pivot is provided. The skylight includes an external cover, a light channel, and a sunlight pivot disposed between the cover and the light channel. The sunlight pivot may include a periphery, a plurality of struts, and first and second prisms connected to at least two of these struts. The first and second prisms may define a void between them. The first prism has a cross-section configured to redirect light incident upon the exterior of the pivot to increase the amount of light passing into the light channel. The second prism is configured with a cross-section configured to redirect light incident upon the exterior of the pivot to decrease the amount of light passing through the periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: VKR HOLDINGS A/S
    Inventors: Steve Roy Kastner, Charles Joseph Rimsky
  • Patent number: 9326400
    Abstract: Disclosed are a bracket apparatus applicable to a keyboard, and a keyboard comprising the bracket apparatus. The bracket apparatus comprises a shell, wherein: a support plate is hinged to the shell through a hinge shaft, a releasably-connected support shaft being disposed between a free end of the support plate and the shell, a torsion spring being sleeved onto the hinge shaft, two ends of the torsion spring being respectively connected to the shell and the support plate; and the shell is further provided with a push switch with a built-in spring apparatus, a locking bump being disposed on the push switch, a locking mating bump mating with the locking bump being disposed on a side portion of the support plate. The bracket apparatus has the advantages of simple operations and convenient in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Anker Technology Co., Limited
    Inventor: Tao Gao
  • Patent number: 9316467
    Abstract: An armored door panel includes a planar device having a layered arrangement including a protection layer comprised of a ballistic material and an outer surface layer arranged on the outer side of the protection layer. The planar device is affixed to an existing door to prevent ballistic projectile from penetrating the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Hardwire, LLC
    Inventors: George C. Tunis, III, Scott Kendall, Emily Heinauer
  • Patent number: 9307855
    Abstract: The cane clamp is a device for securely clamping a walking cane to a table, chair or any conventional, sturdy surface that is up to five inches thick. The cane clamp consists of a body configured to securely hold a tubular device such as a walking cane, a bracket which provides two planar contacts to a projecting surface, and a constant force spring which provides a third planar contact to a projecting surface. The end of the constant force spring is attached between the body and the bracket, and may be opened easily by a user, preferably with a single finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Inventor: Jim Widess
  • Patent number: 9308873
    Abstract: A bracket to facilitate mounting of emergency apparatus such as an extrication tool utilized by emergency personnel which bracket is positionable with respect to environmental structure such as an emergency vehicle, that is, fire trucks or ambulances and the like, which includes a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate which together define therebetween a box housing with a main mounting location positioned in the interior chamber within the two mounting plates which is specifically defined between mounting recesses defined in each respective mounting plate. The bracket can include recess arms adjacent each recess to facilitate usage of this bracket with emergency apparatus of various different external constructions. The recess arms are movably attached with respect to the plates and the bracket includes an adjustably positionable environmental mounting construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Inventor: Michael P. Ziaylek