Patents Examined by Michael S. Lee
  • Patent number: 10499712
    Abstract: A fastening system for a zipper is disclosed which includes locking or interlocking first and second zipper pull tabs. A first zipper pull tab comprises a first base, a hook extending from the first base, and a moveable gate coupled to the first base. A second zipper pull tab comprises a second base, a cover coupled to the second base, and a post extending between the second base and the cover. For interlocking, the moveable gate and hook are further coupled around the post to provide the interlocking configuration of the first and second zipper pull tabs. The first zipper pull tab may be utilized separately from the second zipper pull tab, such as to lock to a coupling ring or another component of a carrying bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Travel Caddy, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry J. Cowdery, Donald E. Godshaw, Du Hai
  • Patent number: 10501047
    Abstract: A seat belt latch plate assembly includes a latch plate and a latch plate cover carried on the latch plate. That latch plate cover is made by means of a two-shot injection molding process and includes integral bumpers that are made from a soft, sound dissipating material and have an energy absorbing cross-sectional shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Edwin C. Chiu
  • Patent number: 10480686
    Abstract: A cord management kit to help manage cords. The cord management kit includes one or more base members removably affixed to a planar member designed to retain one or more base members. Each base member includes a lower side and an upper side, wherein the lower side of the base member includes a fastener, such as adhesive, designed to removably secure the base member to a surface. A clip is on the upper side of each base member, wherein the clip includes a pair of opposing arms composed of a padded material that form a gap, wherein the gap is designed to receive a cord therethrough. The arms are biased toward one another such that pressure is exerted against opposing sides of the cord received through the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Inventor: Glenda Herbert
  • Patent number: 10480705
    Abstract: A heatshield for a band clamp, the heatshield having: an attachment member configured to be inserted axially into the clamp; and a thermal insulator secured to the attachment member, the thermal insulator being configured to at least partially extend over an outer surface of the clamp when the attachment member is inserted into the clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: James Donnelly
  • Patent number: 10477927
    Abstract: A fixturing apparatus that includes a housing defining an interior space and having a trapezoidal cross-section, a first end, and an opposing second end, and is formed to include an aperture extending therethrough from the first end to said second end. The fixturing apparatus further comprises a flexible strap and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip to allow identifying and tracking the fixturing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Inventor: Michael P. Fennell
  • Patent number: 10472148
    Abstract: An article for coupling bands, cords, straps and the like to bundle items. The coupling article comprises a body having at least two end sections each having a cutout and passage means formed therethrough to removably retain a portion of a tensile line. A user may use an end section of the coupling article to engage a first portion of a closed-loop tensile line, encircle one or more objects, and engage a remaining portion of the closed-loop tensile line with an opposing end section, thus holding the objects together. A user may also secure objects using the coupling article in combination with an open-loop tensile line by wrapping the tensile line around a first end section, within the cutout and securing with a knot. With the remaining open-loop tensile line, the user would encircle one or more objects, and then wrap the open-loop tensile line around a second end section, within the cutout and secure with a knot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Inventor: Stephen LaMont Tribbett
  • Patent number: 10463108
    Abstract: A lacing device includes a lace body, the lace body having a length, width, depth, and cross-sectional area spanning the width and the depth of the lace body, the cross-sectional area of the lace body shaped such that the lace body is prone to folding about a middle area of the width when the lace body is compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Nite Ize, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Martinson
  • Patent number: 10455903
    Abstract: A buckle device including: a tongue plate; and a buckle main body configured to be engaged with the tongue plate, the buckle main body including: a cover having a tongue plate guide portion; a resin release button forming a tongue plate insertion port between the tongue plate guide portion and the release button; and a frame configured to slidably support the release button and having a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, wherein protruding portions protruding inward so as to overlap with the tongue plate inserted from the tongue plate insertion port are provided on end portions of the pair of side walls of the frame on the side of the tongue plate insertion port, respectively, and wherein the release button has a front wall and at least one extending portion extending from the front wall through a space between the protruding portions and the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ASHIMORI INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nimura, Hiroki Yamakawa, Shogo Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10458580
    Abstract: A hose clip includes a clip band and a clamping device. A receiving region is configured between axial edge regions of the clip band. The receiving region extends radially outwardly and in the circumferential direction. The receiving region is interrupted in the region of the clamping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: NORMA Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Detlef Henrich, Mathias Krauß
  • Patent number: 10441035
    Abstract: A cord lock has a housing with an interior cavity and an opening extending between the front and the back for receiving a cord, and an actuator having two legs that are configured to slide within the interior cavity of the housing. A spring is disposed between the housing and the actuator to bias the actuator in a raised position relative to the housing. There is a cam disposed in the interior cavity of the housing. The bottom of the cam is rotatably connected to the housing and the top is rotatably connected to the legs of the actuator. In a resting position, the spring presses the top of the cam against the housing such that when a cord is extended through the opening, the cam locks the cord in place between the cam and the housing. Depressing the actuator compresses the spring and rotates the cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Duraflex Hong Kong Limited
    Inventors: Kevin Wellhausen Dee, Yick Fai Chan, Ying Kwan Wong
  • Patent number: 10441036
    Abstract: At a present buckle device, lateral slits are formed in lateral portions of a slider of a buckle switch. A tab is formed at a portion, which is further toward a device upper side than the lateral slit, of a lateral portion that is at a device left side. A portion, which is further toward a device lower side than the lateral slit, at the lateral portion is an elastic portion, and a magnet is held thereat. Therefore, even if the tab receives pushing force from an ejector and is deformed, deformation arising at the elastic portion can be suppressed, and holding of the magnet can be stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Koji Hayashi, Tomotaka Suzuki, Tetsushi Urushibata
  • Patent number: 10436233
    Abstract: A spring clip includes a first frangible feature extending between a first cantilever bar and a support post and a second frangible feature extending between a second cantilever bar and the support post. The frangible features provide a readily perceived indication of proper spring clip installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Diego Santillan Gutierrez, Alejandro Rosas Vazquez, Fernando Paisano Rodriguez, Jezahel Lara Sandoval
  • Patent number: 10427850
    Abstract: Quick-adjust tensioner that exerts a braking torque on a spool. The tensioner includes a stop configured to fit onto a rod supporting the spool. The location of the stop on the rod is adjustable by the user. The stop is connected to a foot by a biasing member. The biasing member presses the foot against the spool to create a braking torque on the spool. The force of the biasing member on the foot is predetermined by adjusting the distance between the stop and the foot, thereby adjusting the foot's braking torque on the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Akerworks, Inc.
    Inventor: Adan Akerman
  • Patent number: 10413023
    Abstract: A slider may include a slider body, a pull-tab attachment portion provided at the slider body, and a resin-made pull tab attached to the pull-tab attachment portion. The pull tab may include an axial portion and a pair of bars extending from respective ends of the axial portion. The pull-tab attachment portion may include a pair of claws that axially support the axial portion of the pull tab. Each claw may be held by and between the respective paired bars while the pull tab pivots. A width of a terminal end of each claw in an axial direction of the axial portion may be less than a width of a base end of each claw in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Hsien Hsiang Hsu, Yuichi Iwase
  • Patent number: 10405612
    Abstract: An adjustment system has a housing, a cam lid and a ratchet strap. The housing has an elastic arm connected to each one of its side walls, a front opening and a rear opening. The cam lid is rotatably connected to the side walls of the housing, and has two elastic arms extending under the bottom surface, and a locking element disposed in an interior cavity of the cam lid. The cam lid locks the ratchet strap to the housing when the ratchet strap is fed through the housing and cam lid so that the locking element engages teeth on the ratchet strap. Pressing the elastic arms of the housing toward each other presses against the sides of the cam lid and causes the cam lid to rotate and release the locking element from the teeth of the ratchet strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Duraflex Hong Kong Limited
    Inventor: Yick Fai Chan
  • Patent number: 10405614
    Abstract: A fastening strip for touch fasteners is provided which includes a corrugated portion as well as fastening elements. The corrugated portion allows the strip to be bent in a plane perpendicular as well as parallel with the longitudinal axis of the strip such that it may be applied to curved surfaces and remain substantially flat. Fastening elements such as hooks, loops, mushroom-shaped, bulbous and double hooks may be included on both sides of the strip and on the walls of the channels that form the corrugations as well as between the corrugations. The corrugated fastening strips may be useful for automotive seating and diaper applications. Processes for forming the corrugated fastening strip area also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Inventor: Gerald Rocha
  • Patent number: 10399754
    Abstract: The collar has a looped metal strap (10) and a transverse buckle (12) retained at the first end of the strap and forming, on the outer side of the first end, a passage (13) through which the second end (10B) of the strap can be inserted over the first end, the second end of the strap as inserted in this way being suitable for being indented so as to co-operate with at least one of the elements including the transverse buckle (12) and the first end (10A) of the strap, in order to be retained so that it is prevented from moving in the direction in which the diameter of the collar increases. The buckle (12) carries at least one radially projecting outer tab (20, 22), the tab having the shape of a hook having a stem carrying a head under which a recess is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Etablissements Caillau
    Inventors: Fabrice Prevot, Nicolas Rigollet, Julien Beauvais, Quentin Esperet
  • Patent number: 10383408
    Abstract: A slide fastener chain includes a first tape and a second tape. A row of coupling elements is fixed along an inner edge of the first tape. A row of coupling elements is fixed along an inner edge of the second tape. The coupling elements of the first and second tapes being arranged such that the coupling elements of the first tape interdigitate with coupling elements of the second tape so as to secure the first and second tapes together. The chain includes a bottom stop. At least one of the tapes is provided with an extension portion which extends beyond a bottom stop portion of the tape. A width of the extension portion is less than a width of a portion of the tape which does not form part of the extension portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Tamura, Haruo Matsushima
  • Patent number: 10378236
    Abstract: A bungee ball device includes a ball and a cord loop having a pair of cord segments. The ball has a flat part on it where the cord loop segments extend therefrom. The cord segment has at least one flat surface that engages the flat part of the ball when the bungee ball device is in use. The cord can include a tab extending from a portion thereof. The tab makes it easier to grasp the cord and stretch it to allow the ball to be removed from the space created by the cord segments and release the bungee ball device from its secured position. The ball and cord loop have a one-piece molded construction. The flat part on the ball and flat surface on the cord segment can be optional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Dershem, Deborah L. Dershem
  • Patent number: 10376037
    Abstract: A cell phone holder, for attaching to a user while wearing a bra having cups. The holder has a carrier and a bilateral clip assembly. The bilateral clip assembly attaches to the cups of the bra. The carrier secures to a cell phone and has a pair of magnets. A neck chain allows the carrier to be tethered around the neck of the user, while the magnets allow the carrier to be selectively secured against the torso garment of the user with the weight of the carrier and its contents fully supported by the bilateral clip assembly and bra, and selectively detached when desired to access the cell phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Inventor: Angela Brasfield