Patents Examined by Michael Ball
  • Patent number: 5358568
    Abstract: A spraying apparatus is disclosed, in which a manipulator consisting of a plurality of articulations (linear movement articulations and rotational movement articulations) is mounted on a carriage and a spraying nozzle member is mounted on the last stage rotational movement articulation, which are so constructed that material to be sprayed is supplied to this spraying nozzle member through a hose, and a piping path is formed in the interior of at least rotational movement articulations, for which it is feared that the hose becomes tangled therewith or twisted. A sensor is mounted on either the nozzle or the manipulator to detect the distance between the nozzle and the surface being sprayed. A controller responds to the signals produced by the sensor to maintain the nozzle at a substantially constant distance from the surface during spraying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignees: Shimizu Corporation, Nichias Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Okano, Jun Nishimura, Hajime Nomura, Takehiro Yoshida, Masahiko Jotani
  • Patent number: 5358022
    Abstract: A directional pneumatic tire having improved wet traction has an annular aqua channel and curved lateral grooves which direct water from the footprint to the shoulder area of the tire to help prevent hydroplaning. The pitch boundaries between the portions of the tire on either side of the aqua channel may be skewed. The curved lateral grooves and the skewing reduce noise properties of the tire. In addition, the lugs may have rounded or radiused leading and trailing edges, and a leading groove wall angle of about 5.degree. and a trailing groove wall angle of about 1.degree., which are believed to reduce noise and irregular wear. The lugs contain slots which change direction within the lug and tie bars in the slots at each point where the slots change direction. The tread has non-skid depth of 0.75 to 1 cm (0.030 to 0.40 inch) and a ratio of non-skid to tie bar depth of 0.42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: William E. Glover, John S. Attinello, Samuel P. Landers
  • Patent number: 5358588
    Abstract: A method of using a sealing material for an electric wire connection, comprising a tape-form releasable material, viscous sealing pieces comprising a waterproofing compound, each piece having a width narrower than the width of the releasable material and being releasably formed on one surface of the releasable material, and a sheet-form base material having a larger area than the viscous sealing piece such that each end of the base material projects over each edge portion of the viscous sealing piece formed in one body on each viscous sealing piece. The method includes supplying the sealing material from a tape-form releasable material, the sealing material provided thereon at a constant interval covering the electric wire connection, and pressing the sealing material to adhere to the surfaces of the electric wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Tahara, Kiyonobu Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 5358724
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved infusion bag, for containing tea, coffee or the like. The bag (10) incorporates means for compression, such as string (12) which is attached to bag (10), for example at its base (14) by knot (16). The bag of the invention may be single chambered or double chambered, inter alia. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Inventor: Peter R. Raffaele
  • Patent number: 5355926
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire for a two-wheeled vehicle, including a carcass constituted by at least one carcass ply composed of cords extending at an angle of 75.degree. to 90.degree. with respect to an equatorial plane of the tire, and a belt constituted by at least two belt plies. The belt plies is arranged radially outwardly on an outer peripheral side of a crown portion of the carcass, and composed of cords extending substantially in a circumferential direction of the tire. The number of the cords per unit width of an outermost belt ply is in a range of 30% to 80% of that of a belt ply adjacent radially inwardly to the outermost belt ply as considered on the average over the entire width of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Takase
  • Patent number: 5356648
    Abstract: A frozen dessert such as ice cream, and a process for manufacturing same, are described. The chocolate or other flavoring composition is injected into the stream of semi-frozen dessert in the form of a pumpable semi-liquid which freezes into ribbons or strands upon contact with the dessert. The fat and oil fractions of the flavoring composition are formulated so that the composition can be conditioned from a solid or semi-solid paste into a high-viscosity semi-liquid composition which can be pumped with a positive-delivery pump, and so that as soon as the composition is cooled a few degrees by being in direct contact with the ice cream, the viscosity rises rapidly and the composition once again becomes a solid or semi-solid. The conditioning can be accomplished in one of at least two ways. Firstly, the flavoring composition can be conditioned from the temperature at which is is a semi-solid paste, to a few degrees above that temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Research Applications Inc.
    Inventor: Cornelis Kortschot
  • Patent number: 5356501
    Abstract: A film applying apparatus includes upper and lower mounting members for upper and lower suction plates, which are driven by a servomotor through pinions and racks to move the suction plates to positions located at a prescribed distance from a base plate. Thereafter, power is applied to the upper and lower mounting members by common pneumatic cylinders to move the upper and lower suction plates from their positions toward the base plate to tentatively apply films to the upper and lower sides of the base plate. The tentative applying forces of the upper and lower suction plates are equal to each other. After the tentative film application, the suction plates are quickly moved away from the base plate. A film applying method also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Somar Corporation
    Inventors: Yoji Washizaki, Hiroyoshi Nakano
  • Patent number: 5356506
    Abstract: The invention comprises a modular pattern roll for embossing a cellulosic fibrous structure. The pattern roll is made by assembling separate components, rather than being one piece and chemically etched according to the prior art. The pattern roll comprises a cylindrically perforate outer shell having radially extending protuberances inserted through the holes in the cylindrical shell. The protuberances are provided with an interference fit and/or, if desired, a shoulder at the proximal end to prevent the protuberances from being extruded and expelled through the hole and creating a missile hazard during operation. The center of the hollow cylindrically perforate shell is filled with a base roll and a radially expanding internal locking assembly, to prevent the protuberances from moving radially inwardly under the compressive forces which occur during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Kevin B. McNeil, Donald D. Culver, James R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5353854
    Abstract: A directional pneumatic tire having improved wet traction is provided. The tread is divided into two annular portions, each annular portion comprising a plurality of block elements separated by lateral grooves. The block elements extend continuously from a shoulder area of the tire to a mid portion of the tread. The block elements have substantially circumferentially aligned notches in leading and trailing groove walls, wherein each notch is defined laterally by a narrow bridge of rubber. The tread has curved lateral grooves to direct water from the footprint to the shoulder area of the tire to help prevent hydroplaning. The pitch boundaries between annular portions of block elements may be skewed. The curved lateral grooves and the skewing reduce noise properties of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Samuel P. Landers, William E. Glover, John S. Attinello
  • Patent number: 5346385
    Abstract: An apparatus for achieving desired surface roughness characteristics on an electrode material that is coated on a substrate such that the electrode material has desired surface roughness characteristics includes a roller. The roller has surface roughness characteristics corresponding to those desired in the electrode material. The apparatus includes a device for rotating the roller. The apparatus presses electrode material coated on a substrate against the surface of the roller so that the electrode material assumes substantially the same roughness characteristics as the surface of the roller. A nip roller is used to press the electrode material against the surface of the roller, the position of the nip roller being movable to adjust the thickness of the electrode material. A refrigeration apparatus is provided to cool the roller to a casting temperature for casting electrode material that has been pressed against the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Valence Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mike McAleavey
  • Patent number: 5030305
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing thermoplastic structures wherein the structure comprises a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin. The fiber reinforcement may be in the form of a woven or non-woven web. The thermoplastic resin may be introduced therein in the form of staple fibers blended into the non-woven web or by melt-coating the web or by laminating a pre-formed thermoplastic resin film to the web. The latter technique allows uniform distribution of a radar-absorbing material, coated on or blended into the pre-formed thermoplastic film, throughout the honeycomb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Inventor: Barry M. Fell
  • Patent number: 5030314
    Abstract: The invention is generally accomplished by providing a roll having cavities suitable for retaining small quantities of particulate material. The roll further is adapted to be rotated such that the particulate material is deposited onto a web in discrete areas. These areas correspond to the depressions on the roll. The appartus and method of the invention further provides in its preferred form a roll applicator device for adhesive having a series of lands and valleys wherein the lands correspond to the areas between the discrete particulate material. The applicator roll provides adhesive on the land areas that is transferred to a web of material which is brought into contact with the substrate bearing the discrete deposits of particulate material and sealed thereto. There is thereby provided areas of discrete particulate material securely separated by the adhesive connected webs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Theodore B. Lang
  • Patent number: 4929293
    Abstract: The method of joining together the ends of ducts made of melt processible fluoropolymers such as Teflon PFA, which are characterized by a high degree of chemical inertness and a continuous service temperature in the range of 300.degree. to 500.degree. F. The joining of the ends together is accomplished by the use of infrared heat emanating from an infrared heat source with temperatures in the range of 1250.degree. to 2000.degree. F. and spaced from the ends of the duct by approximately 1/4" to 2 inches for a period of time approximately up to one minute which may be gauged by the appearance of the duct end as it becomes visibly molten to a depth of approximately 1/2". The infrared heater is then removed and the ducts are put together under almost no pressure and the ducts are held briefly, in one form, less than a minute, to quickly establish a joint that becomes at least as strong and expectedly stronger than the original ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Fluoroware, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael L. Osgar
  • Patent number: 4877471
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of multifilament, resin-impregnated rovings (18) is routed through orthogonally disposed guide rollers (222, 224; 242,244) for compaction to a predetermined width and thickness between the radial faces of a compaction backup roller (250) and a compaction roller (254). The force applied to the compaction roller (254) is varied to assure the dimensions of each compacted roving. The compacted rovings (18) are then routed through a bandwidth adjustment assembly (290) that controls the spacing between adjacent rovings such that they emerge in a side-by-side alignment forming a band (90). The band (90) then passes over the surface of a final deliver roller (296) before being wound onto a rotating mandrel (92) in a band edge-to-edge configuration to form a filament-aligned structure. The structure is then cured, causing the flow of the resin impregnation and forming a unified structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Peter D. McCowin, Brent R. Meredith
  • Patent number: 4834577
    Abstract: The protection of roadway surface dressings against the initiation and the propagation of cracks is accomplished by interposition between the base layer and the surfacing layer of a binding layer consisting of a nonwoven geotextile interface impregnated with modified bituminous binders. The textile interface is a nonwoven fabric composed of continuous synthetic filaments of flat cross-section (width-to-thickness ratio of between 10/1 and 5/1), and are resistant to the temperatures of application of bitumen or of bituminous materials, have a low void index, are resistant to aromatic and aliphatic solvents, have a low compressibility, are deformable in the plane of laying and have a surface density preferably of between 100 grams and 300 grams per square meter. The modified bitumen is preferably based on styrene/butadiene/styrene copolymer and has characteristics such as: penetration 180/220, ring and ball 74.degree. C., penetration index 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Rhone-Poulenc Fibres
    Inventor: Jacques Perfetti
  • Patent number: 4826549
    Abstract: A method of processing spliced filamentary materials within which the filamentary material is spliced with a hardenable friable, splicing material, the filamentary material then being processed to break the friable splice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Pollet, Joseph Yu
  • Patent number: 4818318
    Abstract: The instant invention involves a process used in preparing fibrous tows which may be formed into polymeric plastic composites. The process involves the steps of (a) forming a tow of strong filamentary materials; (b) forming a thermoplastic polymeric fiber; (c) intermixing the two tows; and (d) withdrawing the intermixed tow for further use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: Hoechst Celanese Corp.
    Inventors: Paul E. McMahon, Tai-Shung Chung, Lincoln Ying
  • Patent number: 4809756
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a structure of a pin for a spike tire to be mounted on a vehicle such as automobile when it runs on a road slippery with ice or snow. The pin is embedded in the tire tread, with the flat end thereof being exposed on the external surface of the tire so that it touches the ice or snow on the road to lower the freezing point thereof. The pin in accordance with the present invention is especially characterized in that the exposed end of the pin has two flat surfaces parallel to the tire side wall and two slightly convex surfaces which are vertical to the tire side wall, the cross-section of the body portion of the pin being substantially square and the outwardly spreading basal portion of the pin being oval-shaped, so that when the vehicle starts to move or is braked, said slightly convex vertical surfaces of the pin are selectively forced to project from the tire in accordance with the tire deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Inventor: Sakae Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4808257
    Abstract: A tread splicer (10) including two rows (60,64) of splicing blade assemblies (68) mounted with the blades (76) of one row (60) tilted toward and overlapping the blades (76) of the other row (64). Each of the blade assemblies (68) is operable independently to control the pressure applied to selected portions of the tread ends. Guide rollers (54,56,58) on the tread splicer (10) provide stitching of the tread (14) as well as positioning of the blades (76) relative to the tread (14) and tire building machine drum (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: William A. Rex, Robert S. Riggs
  • Patent number: 4805682
    Abstract: A tire comprising a tread portion, sidewalls and a pair of spaced-apart beads each containing a substantially enextensible annular bead core, having bead seats and an extended toe portion comprising elastomeric material extending axially and radially inwards of the bead, the toe being of a rigidity in the direction of its length so that in use of the tire on a wheel rim having a groove complementary to the toe and engaging the toe when an axially inward force is applied to the tread portion a radially and axially outwardly directed force is generated at the bead core to affect bead retention characterized by the toe being subdivided in the circumferential direction of the tire by a series of substantially radial cuts in the toe such that circumferentially adjacent portions of the toe are decoupled from one another and dislodgement or misplacement of one of said portions does not dislodge or displace an adjacent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: S P Tyres UK Limited
    Inventors: Phillip N. Griffiths, Mathew Simpson