Patents Examined by Michael Wang
  • Patent number: 9485978
    Abstract: A pivoting fishing rod holder for a kayak having a structure pivotally holding a pair of existing fishing rods, the structure comprising, a pair of identical L-shaped mounts configured for spaced apart mounting to the existing kayak, a pair of identical upright members, pivotally affixed to the L-shaped mounts, a tubular rod holder affixed at an angle to a distal end of each upright member, the angle within a range of about 20-45 degrees upwardly from a horizontal, a pair of diametrically opposed rounded insets disposed within each holder outer end, and a horizontal crossbar connecting the distal ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Inventor: Robert Allen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9485979
    Abstract: One embodiment of a portable and convenient fishing tool is structured with multiple fishing related tools integrated into a single apparatus. One elongated member of the embodiment functions as a dual type fishhook removers with an inherent additional capability as a line knot maker. The shank part of the elongated member is mounted to a handle that carries a line clipper tool and a hook sharpener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Inventors: Nallathamby Kangatharalingam, Nirmalakanthi Kangatharalingam
  • Patent number: 9480242
    Abstract: An aquarium fabricated of a transparent material contains water. A housing retaining the aquarium has an opening for displaying the aquarium including fish swimming in the aquarium. Player components on the housing include a payment assembly and a feeding button. Operational components within the housing include a feeder assembly with fish food. An intelligent electronic controller is within the housing. A line couples the intelligent electronic controller to the feeder assembly for dispensing fish food in response to activating the payment assembly and depressing the feeding button. A timer allows dispensing of fish food at regularly timed intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Inventor: Nikolay V. Tumanov
  • Patent number: 9480245
    Abstract: A telescoping handle for a fishing rod includes a first cylinder having a first diameter, a second cylinder having a diameter greater than that of the first cylinder, and a third cylinder having a diameter greater than that of the second cylinder. The lumen of the second cylinder receives the first cylinder and the lumen of the third cylinder receives the second cylinder. The fishing rod has a butt end received within the first cylinder. An annular flange is formed in the proximal end of the first cylinder, a flexible and resilient material is wrapped around the distal end of the first cylinder and a radially inwardly extending annular crimp which the annular flange abuts is formed in the second cylinder. A cam is inserted into the lumen of the second cylinder at its distal end and locks the handle in its retracted or extended position and any intermediate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Inventor: Keith A. Palinkas
  • Patent number: 9475591
    Abstract: A space launch apparatus comprising a solid triangular space frame constructed of a plurality of connected truss members that are attached to each other at nodes and are also attached to at least one rocket motor and to at least one payload whereby the force produced by the operation of the rocket motor is transferred to the payload and aerodynamic and vibration loads are distributed through the truss members and their nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Arthur McKee Dula
  • Patent number: 9474267
    Abstract: An apparatus that mimics the courtship or mating ritual of a tom turkey and a hen turkey. The device has a base with a rotatable spool that is wound with a cord. A hen turkey decoy is stationary on this base while the cord is pulled forcing a tom turkey mounted on a rod and connected to the spool to rotate around the hen turkey. It has been discovered that the rotation mimics the mating ritual thus attracting other dominate tom turkeys. The simulation brings the other dominate tom turkeys into a close proximately to the decoy apparatus and close enough for a hunter to capture the dominate male turkey.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Donald J. Rutledge
  • Patent number: 9474260
    Abstract: A release weight includes a weighted element having a flat bottom portion and a top portion having a connection element; an attachment hook having a first portion connected to the weighted element and a second portion connected to the first portion; and an extension element connected to the connection element. The attachment hook is passed through the jaw of the fish and the fish is placed in the body of water. The weighted element and the fish sink to the floor of a body of water, the flat bottom portion is flatly positioned on the floor, and the attachment hook is disengaged from the fish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Peter Booth Huebner
  • Patent number: 9452832
    Abstract: The invention relates to compensation for the torque which is produced by the main rotor (110) of a helicopter (100). The apparatus according to the invention for torque compensation is intended for a helicopter whose main rotor rotates about a rotation axis (RH) during operation and thus produces a torque, which acts on the fuselage (120) of the helicopter and would cause it to rotate. The apparatus comprises a lateral flow fan (200) having a housing (210) and having a rotor (220) which is mounted in the housing, wherein the lateral flow fan is arranged on the tail boom (130) of the helicopter such that it produces a thrust effect (F) during operation which compensates for the torque of the main rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Oliver Heid
  • Patent number: 9452828
    Abstract: A vibration attenuator for an aircraft has at least one weight mounted in a rotating system of a rotor hub of the aircraft, each weight being rotatable about an axis of rotation of the hub relative to the hub and to each other weight. Drive means are provided for rotating each weight about the axis of rotation at a selected speed for creating oscillatory shear forces that oppose and attenuate rotor-induced vibrations having a selected frequency. A vertically oriented vibration attenuator is configured to oppose and attenuate vertical rotor induced oscillatory forces that would otherwise travel vertical down the rotor mast and into the airframe. A vibration attenuator having weights rotating about separate axes offset from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: David Heverly, David A. Popelka, Frank B. Stamps
  • Patent number: 9433185
    Abstract: A device comprising: a support base and an chamber, located on the support base, having an entry opening so that an animal can enter and exit the chamber; wherein the chamber includes an axis of rotation that forms an angle of about 80 degrees or less with a vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: AUTOMATED PET CARE PRODUCT, INC.
    Inventors: Brad Baxter, Jason Smith
  • Patent number: 9414577
    Abstract: A fish capturing device is provided. The device includes a pair of cage members having a first position in which an opening is defined therebetween through which a fish may be passed and a second position in which each of the cage members are pivoted until the cage members are nested together to form an enclosure for enclosing a fish therein. A latch is configured for latching the pair of cage members into the first position and releasing the pair of cage members into the second position. A tensioner applies tension to the pair of cage members to bias the cage members into the second position to enclose the fish within the pair of cages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Inventor: David Turner
  • Patent number: 9414583
    Abstract: A waterfowl decoy continuous motion system is provided. A self-propelled floating decoy is tethered to a submerged line supported below the surface of a body of water by stakes driven into the water bottom. The decoy has a skeg attached to the bottom of the decoy. The skeg is positioned at an angle offset from a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the body of the decoy. The tether is slidably attached to the submerged line, and a swivel located on the tether allows the decoy to rotate freely. The decoy is guided by the line as it moves across the surface of the water. When the tether reaches a stopper near each end of the line, the decoy makes a 180-degree turn in an arcing path and then travels in the opposite direction. The decoy repeats this process in a continuous loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Inventors: Kyle Allen Burton, Wesley Alan Goodman
  • Patent number: 9410779
    Abstract: A frangible fin ring for a low velocity, gun-launched projectile includes a circular base with a plurality of trunnions extending radially outward from the circular base. Fins are mounted to the trunnions. A line of frangibility between adjacent trunnions includes a rear notch, a circular opening and a front notch, preferably all axially aligned. Upon impact of the projectile with a target, the fin ring breaks apart at the lines of frangibility and separates from the projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Stephen Ginetto, Andrew Moramarco, Leanne Mohla
  • Patent number: 9402387
    Abstract: A waterfowl decoy motion system comprises a self-propelled floating decoy tethered to a submerged line supported below the surface of a body of water by stakes driven into the water bottom. A thruster is attached to the bottom of the decoy such that the direction of propulsion is offset from a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the decoy by an angle of at least one degree. The tether is slidably attached to the submerged line, and a swivel located on the tether allows the decoy to rotate freely. The decoy is guided by the line as it moves across the surface of the water. When the tether reaches a stopper near each end of the line, the offset propulsion angle causes the decoy to turn in an arcing path, turn around, and travel in the opposite direction. The decoy repeats this process in a continuous loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventors: Wesley Alan Goodman, Kyle Allen Burton
  • Patent number: 9394050
    Abstract: A micro aerial vehicle capable of controlled transitory or sustained gliding flight. The vehicle includes a fuselage. A pair of articulated wings are forward of a center of gravity of the vehicle, the wings being articulated and having trailing edge flaps, and having actuators for controlling the dihedral angles of the wings and the flaps for effective yaw control across the flight envelope. The dihedral angles can be varied symmetrically on both wings to control the aircraft speed independently of the angle of attack and flight-path angle, while an asymmetric dihedral setting can be used to control yaw and the actuators control the dihedral settings of each wing independently. The aircraft lacks a vertical tail or other vertical stabilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Aditya Avinash Paranjape, Soon-Jo Chung
  • Patent number: 9376207
    Abstract: A system is disclosed including at least one indexing stub secured to a fuselage in the place of one or more wing stubs and including indexing members protruding from opposite sides of the fuselage. A pair of receivers are mounted to a container and define channels to receive the indexing members. The channels may include an upper flared portion and a lower straight portion. The indexing members are lowered into the channels and the flared portions guide the indexing members into the straight portions. In some embodiments, a pair of clamping members are configured to selectively lock the indexing members within the channels. The indexing members may have a cylindrical shape and may be rotatably mounted to the at least one indexing stub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Becklin Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis S. Becklin, Dean A. Weathers, Adrian P. Tayne
  • Patent number: 9371125
    Abstract: A fuselage element including a fuselage segment including a skin and a junction means for connecting the skin to an adjacent fuselage segment. The fuselage segment extends along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and the skin includes a first section at at least one end of the fuselage segment. The fuselage segment includes at least one longitudinal stiffening element for the fuselage. A junction member is arranged so as to contact an outer surface of the first section of the skin, and the stiffening element partially extends to the junction member along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS S.A.S.
    Inventors: Guillaume Gallant, Romain Delahaye, Marc Dugerie, Marc-Antoine Castanet
  • Patent number: 9364692
    Abstract: An inflatable lifesaving device is designed to provide a user with an apparatus to escape a high rise building in emergency situations in a sufficiently rapid manner. It is simply composed of a hemisphere including a plurality of independent cell airbags, internal hoses, and check valves, a parachute integrated with the hemisphere, an air supply system, an external hose, a quick release hose coupler, a harness mounted on the body of the user, a connection rope that connects the harness to the inside of the building, a rope quick release to separate the connection rope, a descent rope, a backpack. To operate the inflatable lifesaving device, the user wearing the harness with the backpack exits a window or a balcony with the harness connected to the inside of the building through the connection rope with the release device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Inventors: Feng Wang, Wayne Li, Yunhua Hu
  • Patent number: 9341453
    Abstract: A method for stepping a first member relative to a second member associated with a projectile. The method including: providing one of the first and second members with one of a plurality of pockets and more than three movable pins offset from each other with a first spacing; providing the other of the first and second members with the other of the plurality of pockets and more than three movable pins offset from each other with a second spacing, where the first spacing is different from the second spacing; and engaging at least one of the movable pins into a corresponding pocket to step one of the first and second members a predetermined linear and/or rotary displacement. Where the engaging includes selectively varying a step size between the first and second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: OMNITEK PARTNERS, LLC
    Inventors: Jahangir S Rastegar, Jacques Fischer
  • Patent number: 9332737
    Abstract: A bird feeder is provided having adjustable port access. The feeder includes a seed reservoir with a side wall that has at least one seed access opening and an adjustable feed port element. According to one embodiment, the adjustable feed port element is a feed port assembly. The feed port assembly includes a base with a rotatable insert having a perch coupled thereto in fixed relationship so that the perch and insert rotate as a unit. According to another embodiment, the adjustable feed port element rotates around the perch between a first position in which the perch is below a feed port being accessed, enabling birds to feed while standing on the perch, and a second position in which the perch is above a feed port being accessed, requiring birds to hang upside down from the perch to feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: WOODSTREAM CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Ray Vaughn, Jr., Judith Kim Hoysak