Patents Examined by Monica L Williams
  • Patent number: 10154650
    Abstract: An aquatic race assembly system and method of conducting canine races, which includes two lanes, separated by a partition and a platform with a start line, a predetermined distance from one end of the platform. The platform is positioned proximate to a body of water or a pool. A sensor is placed in each lane, to automatically monitor the dog's position at the start and sending a signal to the control system, which determines whether there was a false start. When a dog bites and pools the lure places at a set distance on the other end of the pool, the lure is disconnected from the control system, causing a signal with the timing information to be sent and processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Inventor: Grant Reeves
  • Patent number: 10136586
    Abstract: There is provided a seedbed holding unit capable of reliably and firmly holding a seedbed with a simple structure, causing no damage to a plant. A seedbed holding unit 160 that holds a seedbed B used in plant cultivation includes a first holding member 170 and a second holding member 180 that are rotatable relative to each other about a predetermined rotation axis A, the first holding member 170 is provided with a first claw part 173 in a fixed state, the second holding member 180 is provided with a second claw part 183 in a fixed state, and the seedbed B is held between the first claw part 173 and the second claw part 183 by rotating the first holding member 170 and the second holding member 180 relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: TSUBAKIMOTO CHAIN CO.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Tsutsumi, Go Ito
  • Patent number: 10136612
    Abstract: A modular vivarium is constructed entirely from transportable, sterile modules of distinct types, called pods. A hallway pod forms a spine, with cage-rack pods, ingress/egress pods and optional VHACPIT pods providing HVAC, power and IT services connected as spur pods to the hallway. Supplies and waste are also within modular pods. Temporary or single-use seals cover doorways during transit. Modules are joined or removed while maintaining sterility on both sides of the flush-to-wall doorway junction. Supply and return air for all pods is through hallway based ducting. Pods may be constructed from ISO intermodal containers. Embodiments have no permanent buildings. Pods may be moved, leveled and aligned for joining via special supports. Cage-rack pods are configured with two cage racks and a single isle permitting robotic cage placement and retrieval. Embodiments provide vibration, noise and earthquake isolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Vium, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Betts-Lacroix
  • Patent number: 10136617
    Abstract: A collar structure for pets includes a belt with a first elastic layer, a soft ribbon layer and a second elastic layer, wherein the soft ribbon layer is sandwiched between the first elastic layer and the second elastic layer, and an end of the belt is fixed onto a connector body while the other end of the belt wraps around a target position and penetrates through the connector body such that the other end of the belt can be fixed onto the connector body. Seeing that any one or ones of the first elastic layer, the soft ribbon layer or the second elastic layer is/are made of materials having at least a pesticide or fragrance additive, the collar structure for pets according to the present invention can achieve the effects of disinsection or aroma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: JC-SUNNY INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
    Inventor: Meng-Hsuan Lou
  • Patent number: 10136611
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a threaded gear assembly and a hand-held applicator for cleaning a teat of a milk-producing animal. In an embodiment, a threaded gear is provided which comprises a disk-shaped member having a perimeter and a plurality of radiating teeth circumferentially arranged and integrated with the perimeter of the disk-shaped member, the plurality of radiating teeth being configured to impart torque. The threaded gear includes a bore hole in a center of the disk-shaped member, the bore hole including internal threading along a surface within the bore hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: ALPHA TECHNOLOGY U.S.A. CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin Dole, Larry Bilskie
  • Patent number: 10136589
    Abstract: A device for fastening and adjusting the carrying wires on a row of plants, such as a vineyard, and in particular to support and manage the row of plants, so as to make both manual and mechanized operations simpler and more functional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Inventors: Claudio Bortolussi, Franco Bortolussi
  • Patent number: 10136650
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an anti-repellant compound and a method of using the same n a material to give them anti-repellant properties. Further, the disclosure also relates to a device to evaluate anti-repellant property of a fabric or any other material. The device calculate the average distance crossing by an insect or other parasites and then calculate the percentage of resistant fabric. Thus, giving an idea on how effective the fabric is for its anti-repellant properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Umm-Al-Qura University
    Inventor: Rasha Sameer Mohammad Mujallid
  • Patent number: 10136613
    Abstract: An animal litter container enclosure system includes an access chute, a housing, and a drawer. The access chute has a first access, a second access, and an exterior surface, and is configured to be inserted through a wall between a first space and a second space such that the first access is located in the first space and the second access is located in the second space. The housing has a back access aperture; an interior top surface adjacent the back access aperture, a mounting flange adjacent the back access aperture, a front wall with a front wall exterior surface, and a front drawer aperture. The housing is configured to be mounted to the wall in the second space through attaching the mounting flange to the wall and resting the interior top surface on the exterior surface of the access chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Inventor: Mark Sprague
  • Patent number: 10130078
    Abstract: An aviary cage having a cage tower is provided. The cage tower includes a nesting area positioned in the cage tower and a belt extending below the nesting area. A scratching floor extends from the cage tower and is oriented with respect to the belt such that a deposit on the scratching floor is directed back to the belt. The belt is configured to capture eggs laid outside the nesting area. The belt is configured to capture a deposit. The belt may be further configured to remove dead animals from the aviary cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Rose Acre Farms, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus Rust, David Hurd
  • Patent number: 10123514
    Abstract: A device is configured so as to restrain the movements of a pet. The device has a material which can be extended so that the device can function as a leash or which can be compressed so that the device can be secured around the neck of the pet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Inventor: Cory S Rice
  • Patent number: 10123508
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus of measuring the amount of feed. The apparatus includes a feed tank, a plurality of sliders, a case, a plurality of guides, and a weight sensor. The feed tank includes a discharge tube disposed at a lower part thereof and includes a body filled with feed. The plurality of sliders is radially and vertically disposed on an outer surface of the feed tank. The case has a discharge tube insertion hole at a lower part thereof to receive a discharge tube of the feed tank and receives the feed tank. The plurality of guides is radially and vertically disposed on an inner surface of the case. The weight sensor is disposed under the guide and makes contact with a lower end of the slider of the feed tank to measure the weight of the feed tank and feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOVSS
    Inventors: Joontaik Lee, Dong Kun Chung, Chang Hwa Jeong, Shin Jeong Song
  • Patent number: 10117420
    Abstract: An adapter for connecting a pet restraining mechanism with a seatbelt of a vehicle having an elongated opening in a form of a slot that receives a webbing of the seatbelt and a narrow cut in a form of a slit for insertion and removal of the webbing into and from the elongated opening. The adapter also includes an opening for connecting the pet restraining mechanism with adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Inventor: Grigoris Manssourian
  • Patent number: 10117418
    Abstract: A pet grooming assembly includes a panel that may be coupled to a vertical support surface thereby facilitating the panel to be accessible to a pet. An adhesive layer is coupled to the panel. The adhesive layer may adhesively engage the vertical support surface. Thus, the panel is retained on the vertical support surface. A plurality of bristles is provided and each of the bristles is removably coupled to the panel. Thus, each of the bristles may frictionally engage the pet thereby facilitating the pet to groom themselves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Inventor: Mark Sterling
  • Patent number: 10111402
    Abstract: Provided is a litter box for animals in which a suitable amount of excretion treating agent can be determined visually. A litter box for animals is provided with a granule accommodating container that accommodates a plurality of granules. The granule accommodating container is provided with: a container main body, which has a lower surface part and a side wall part standing up from the peripheral edge of the lower surface part; and a protruding part, which has a protruding part lower surface, which sticks out toward the outside from the side wall part on the container main body and is curved at a prescribed angle with respect to the side wall part, and a protruding part side wall. The lower end part of the protruding part lower surface is positioned above the upper end part of the lower surface part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chiyo Takagi, Shinya Kaneko, Tomoko Hirao, Nobuharu Namikawa
  • Patent number: 10111401
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a three-dimensional camera and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor is operable to determine a first hind location of a first hind leg of a dairy livestock based at least in part on visual data captured by the three-dimensional camera and determine a second hind location of a second hind leg of the dairy livestock based at least in part on the visual data. The processor is further operable to determine a measurement, wherein the measurement is the distance between the first hind location and the second hind location. Additionally, the processor is operable to determine whether the measurement exceeds a minimum threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • Patent number: 10111400
    Abstract: A claw for a milking machine includes an enclosure having an upper part and a lower part and enclosing an inner space for a milk flow during a milking operation. A center axis extends through the enclosure and through the upper lower parts. The upper part includes an upper end defining an upper end point, and a lower annular end extending along a periphery of the claw in a connection plane. The lower part is detachably connected to the upper part along the connection plane, and rotary symmetric with respect to an axis of rotation being perpendicular to the connection plane. The connection plane is inclined with respect to the center axis so that the enclosure has a first height at a first peripheral position greater than and a second height at a second peripheral position diametrically opposite to the first peripheral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: DELAVAL HOLDING AB
    Inventors: Tor Bonnier, Nathalie Back, Emil Olsson, Markus Stridsberg
  • Patent number: 10111549
    Abstract: A stand may be provided. The stand may include a base portion. The base portion may be a hollow cylinder with an open top, capable of retaining liquid. The base portion may also have support legs extending therefrom. There may be brace members situated within the base portion that may form a socket for receiving a securing portion. The securing portion may be able to rotate and tilt within the socket formed by the brace members. The securing portion may be a hollow sphere with receiving aperture defined by an open ended cylinder extending therefrom. There may be locking members for locking the securing portion in a desired orientation and there may be fastening members for securing an object within the securing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Inventor: Larry L. Nally
  • Patent number: 10104868
    Abstract: A livestock feeder is provided with a feed discharge assembly for dispensing a premeasured amount of feed into the trough of each feeding stall. The livestock feeder includes individual feeding stalls wherein the same amount of feed is dispensed for each animal such that the feeding of each animal may be monitored and controlled. Indicator lights may be provided to attract the livestock to the individual feeding stalls during feeding periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Inventor: Dave Barney
  • Patent number: 10104843
    Abstract: A self-watering portable greenhouse is disclosed having a tubular frame constructed of light-weight, water-tight tubular members which serves as a combined structural skeleton for external walls, a platform for plant containers, and a reservoir for liquid nutrients provided to plants in plant containers by self-watering through a wick connecting the reservoir and the plant containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Inventor: Michael A. Stewart
  • Patent number: 10104845
    Abstract: A hydrophonic planter for growing plants, comprising one or more growing cups filled with growing bed substrate, one or more dry tubes attached to a bottom side of the growing cup(s) where the dry tube(s) is mechanically coupled to a container containing nutrient solution, one or more water pumps driving a sprinkle of the nutrient solution through water pipes into the growing cup(s), a controller controlling operation of the water pump(s) and a communication component electronically coupled to the controller for communicating with one or more remote devices to transfer data between the controller and the remote device(s). Wherein the sprinkle flows over roots of one or more plants planted in the growing cup(s). A residue of the sprinkle flows through one or more holes located at the bottom side of the growing cup(s) and through the dry tube(s) to be accumulated at the bottom of the dry tube(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: EZinGrow Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomer Cohen, Amir Kariv