Patents Examined by Patrick Brinson
  • Patent number: 6520212
    Abstract: A protective endpiece for the end of a tube (100), the endpiece comprises a sheath (2) about an axis (3) possessing a central housing (4) for receiving the end of the tube (100) and has an open end (5) and a closed end (6). The sheath is provided at its open end (5) with a ring (10) that is detachable from the sheath so that after the sheath (2) has been removed and the end of the tube (100) has been coupled to a piece of equipment (200), the ring forms a stopper on,the end of the tube (100) for closing the gap that exists between the end of the tube (100) and the equipment (200).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Legris S.A.
    Inventor: Philippe Blivet
  • Patent number: 6517524
    Abstract: A unitary, integral dual lumen occlusive cannula having two lumina of a size, e.g. 0.05 to 0.15 cm2, sufficient for bypass blood flow, having an inlet formed in a configuration for complete removal of residual air and debris from the circulatory system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Genesse Biomedical, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. M. Wright
  • Patent number: 6513550
    Abstract: The vent hose cap includes a base and a head. The base includes cylindrical walls and partially cylindrical interior skirt sections. The interior of the skirt sections form an aperture for receiving a vent hose, while the space defined between the cylindrical walls and the skirt sections, including the gaps between the skirt sections, define a longitudinal gas passageway. Radial slots formed in the base provide gas communication from the interior of the gas vent hose to the longitudinal gas passageway. The cap includes a barbed shaft with an H-shaped cross-section for insertion into the base and through the interior of the vent hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Illinois Took Works Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Kwilosz
  • Patent number: 6510870
    Abstract: A fluid conveying tube for a vehicle cooler comprises at least two longitudinal ducts, each comprising two opposite, longitudinal primary heat exchange surfaces. At least one primary surface in each duct of the tube has a projecting surface structure. In a method of manufacturing such a tube, starting from a blank, use is made of a device, which has a feeder for feeding the blank through the device and a surface forming station for forming the surface structure on a portion of the blank surface. Furthermore, the device comprises an edge forming station for forming two opposite edges of the blank into two upright edge portions, which between themselves define an at least partly essentially flat web portion. In addition, the device comprises a duct forming station for making the edge portions abut against each other and against the web portion with a view to defining said ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Valeo Engine Cooling AB
    Inventors: Laszlo Valaszkai, Esad Celik
  • Patent number: 6508277
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a flexible pipe including a pipe body that extends along a central longitudinal axis. The pipe body is made from a strip that is helically wrapped in a plurality of convolutions. The strip includes inner and outer hook portions that interlock to form an interlock seam between adjacent convolutions. The pipe body includes a mid-portion positioned between first and second end portions. At least the first end portion has an axial length L1 that traverses at least several of the convolutions of the pipe body. The first end portion is crushed radially inward relative to the mid-portion such that the first end portion has an effective outer diameter D1 that is smaller than an effective outer diameter D2 of the mid-portion. A first transition region is positioned between the first end portion and the mid-portion. The first transition region provides a diameter transition between the outer diameter D1 of the first end portion and the outer diameter D2 of the mid-portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Julian A. Imes, Wayne M. Wagner, John T. Herman
  • Patent number: 6505649
    Abstract: A hose or flexible pipe (100,200) which has an inner lining (116; 216) composed of fluoropolymer. This gives the hose an improved capacity to withstand high temperatures, chemical degradation and embrittlement along with flexibility and light weight. The hose wall structure (102) is preferably fully bonded to improve support for the fluoropolymer lining (116; 216). The fluoropolymer lining (116; 216) also makes practicable the use of rubbers having the ability to withstand high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Inventor: Keith Dixon-Roche
  • Patent number: 6502604
    Abstract: Compensating and identifying caps and cap assemblies for temporarily capping fittings. Each cap comprises a generally or pseudo cylindrically shaped member that includes a plurality of substantially planar panel segments contiguously connected to form a symmetrical polygonal cup-shape (e.g., a hexagon). One end is closed to complete the formation of the cup. Each cup has an outwardly flaring lip to facilitate mounting on a fitting, and the substantially planar panel segments slope inwardly slightly to facilitate molding and mounting. At the intersection of at least two of the panel segments, there are included resiliently expandable relief recesses so that if the member is force-fit mounted on a fitting slightly larger than its un-expanded dimensions, the material of the relief recesses expands correspondingly to permit such mounting. Pairs of such caps are connected by an easily frangible connecting strip to form assemblies which facilitate concurrent mounting on disengaged ends of tubing connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Inventor: Michael Joe Lewis
  • Patent number: 6503209
    Abstract: A non-invasive focused energy blood withdrawal and analysis system (1) is provided. A laser energy source (11) and a vacuum pump (9) are mounted within a portable housing. A focused laser beam is directed on an epidermal layer to create a microscopic incision in the epidermis of a patient. Vacuum pump (9) draws a blood sample from the microscopic incision through a disposable fluid displacement device (2). A removable dry slide is placed in the fluid path of the blood sample to receive the blood sample. Further, sensor elements (6 and 7) are mounted within the portable housing on either side of the removable dry slide (8) to perform blood analysis. A logic processing unit (5) is provided in electrical communication with sensor elements (6 and 7) for performing the necessary blood analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Inventors: Said I. Hakky, A-Hamid Hakki
  • Patent number: 6502602
    Abstract: A flow meter including at least one flow valve used to performance test system compressors is described. The flow meter includes a pressure vessel including at least one exit port. A flow valve is coupled to each vessel exit port, and each flow valve discharges fluid from the vessel at a pre-determined flow rate. The flow valve includes a first end, a second end, and a bore extending therethrough. The bore includes an entrance portion and an exit portion. The bore entrance portion is frusto-conical and curves outwardly from the bore exit portion such that a diameter of the bore entrance portion is variable and larger than a diameter of the bore exit portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Airometrix Mfg., Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Stroup
  • Patent number: 6494232
    Abstract: A modular protective sleeve for underground utilities may be pulled into an underground utility duct by using lanyards extending between two adjacent manholes through the utility duct. The modular protective sleeve may be assembled over an existing and active utility service such as electrical or telephone cables, optical cables, or gas lines, without disrupting the utility service. The protective sleeve comprises at least one bottom half-shell and two top half-shells which are interlocked on to another in such a way that they may be pulled in either direction. Once the protective sleeve is in place, the concrete casing surrounding the utility duct may be broken without danger to the utility service, after which repair or splicing to the utility can be carried out. The sleeve may then be retrieved for re-use, or left in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Inventor: Lawrence F. Waddleton
  • Patent number: 6494234
    Abstract: A pipe bend for a pipeline for transporting abrasive materials, includes a pair of coupling collars having an outer ring, which has an outer circumferential anchoring groove, and an inner ring secured in the outer ring against axial displacement and made of a more wear-resistant material than the outer ring. Extending between the coupling collars is an arcuate outer pipe portion which is welded at both its ends to the outer rings of the coupling collars, and has a greater inner diameter than the outer rings. Extending at a radial distance to the outer pipe portion between the inner rings of the coupling collars is an arcuate inner pipe portion made of more wear-resistant material than the outer pipe portion and having opposite ends of an inner cross section in coaxial alignment to an inner cross section of the inner rings, for radial support upon the outer pipe portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Esser-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alexander Esser
  • Patent number: 6494233
    Abstract: An insert with connecting outlet for flexible hoses, particularly for hydraulic and industrial applications, comprising a body which is suitable to be inserted, with a first end, in a flexible hose to be connected and, with a second end, in a port of an apparatus, by locking through a rotatable male element; the end of the body of the insert that is suitable to be inserted in the apparatus port being provided with a retention element which is suitable to lock in its seat the rotatable male element when the insert is inserted, with its second end, in the rotatable male element, the rotatable male element being externally threaded for engagement with the port of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Manuli Rubber Industries S.p.A.
    Inventor: Paolo Seghi
  • Patent number: 6491671
    Abstract: A catheter device for therapeutic and diagnostic use within a human vascular system has a catheter body with a hub located at a proximal end of the catheter body, and a tip located at a distal end of the body. A guide structure is connected to the catheter body proximate the tip, with the guide structure having a wing shape that provides hemodynamic lift in response to laminar blood flow around the catheter. The wing shape of the guide structure tapers down from a leading edge to a trailing edge, with the leading edge facing the catheter tip so that when the catheter is positioned inside a vessel wall of the vascular system and oriented in a downstream direction, the lift created by the laminar blood flow biases the catheter tip toward the vessel wall. Preferably, the distal end of the catheter body comprises a flexible material so that the catheter tip can deflect laterally towards the vessel wall in response to the hemodynamic lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Vanderbilt University
    Inventors: Theodore C. Larson, III, Mark K. McQuain, Robert J. Roselli
  • Patent number: 6491638
    Abstract: A blood-circulation monitor including a heartbeat-synchronous-wave sensor, a first judging device for judging whether an arrhythmia has occurred to a living subject, based on a heartbeat-synchronous wave detected by the sensor, a first determining device including a cuff and determining a first blood pressure of the subject based on a first pulse wave produced in the cuff, an information obtaining device for iteratively obtaining a piece of blood-pressure-relating information which changes in relation with blood pressure of the subject, a relationship determining device for determining a relationship between blood pressure and blood-pressure-relating information, a second determining device for iteratively determining, according to the relationship, a second blood pressure of the subject based on each of the pieces of blood-pressure-relating information, a calculating device for calculating a change value of the second blood pressure values, and a second judging device for judging that the condition of blood
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Colin Corporation
    Inventor: Tohru Oka
  • Patent number: 6491067
    Abstract: A flexible protective sleeve for use in protecting an elongated member comprises a generally-tubular wall which has a longitudinally-extending slit therethrough. The sleeve also comprises a lining contained in the space enclosed by said wall. The lining also has a longitudinally-extending slit therethrough which provides access to the interior thereof. Said lining is formed by a preformed tube made of resilient material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Technology Limited
    Inventors: Adrian Charles Davenport, Mark Cook, John Molloy
  • Patent number: 6488052
    Abstract: A tube made of profiled strip has an inner edge, an outer edge parallel to the inner edge and projecting away from the inner edge, a double-thickness outwardly directed inner lip forming between the edges an outwardly open inner slot, and a double-thickness inwardly directed outer lip forming between the inner slot and the outer edge an inwardly open outer slot. The strip is formed into turns centered on an axis with the inner slot of each turn axially slidably receiving the outer lip of the adjacent turn on an inner side and the outer slot of each turn axially slidably receiving the inner lip of the adjacent turn on an outer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Westfalia Metallformtechnik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Günter Hupertz, Dietmar Baumhof
  • Patent number: 6488053
    Abstract: In a corrugated tube, a tubular body is provided with a first slit which extends in an axial direction of the tubular body, and the tubular body is formed with a plurality of hollow ridge portions extending in a circumferntial direction of the tubular body on an outer peripheral face of the tubular body to form a bellows portion. A lap portion is protruded from at least one of opposed end portions of the tubular body separated by the first slit, and the lap portion extends along the first slit. The lap portion is provided with a second slit which extends in the circumferential direction of the tubular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Tadokoro
  • Patent number: 6484757
    Abstract: An assembly for introducing a pipe liner into a branch line includes a launcher defining a passageway through which a resin impregnated pipe liner and bladder tube assembly passes. An inflatable member mounted to the launcher assembly is actuatable between an inflatable condition and a deflated condition. The pipe liner and bladder tube are secured in place by expanding the inflatable member outward against the inner surface of the branch line. Air pressure drives the bladder tube and pipe liner into the branch line. The bladder tube remains in place until the pipe liner hardens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Liqui-Force Sewer Services Inc.
    Inventor: Darcy Warren
  • Patent number: 6484756
    Abstract: A hydraulic accumulator, especially a hydraulic damper, includes a connecting piece for producing fluid communication between the interior of the hydraulic accumulator and at least two fluid connecting lines in a fitting. The connecting piece is connected to the fitting. The connecting piece is provided with at least one annular channel in its outer periphery in such a way that the connecting section of the connecting piece leading to the interior of the hydraulic accumulator is in fluid communication with the connecting line in the fitting through the annular channel. A compact construction is obtained that avoids the disadvantages of long lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Hydac Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Norbert Weber
  • Patent number: 6478052
    Abstract: A flexible diaphragm is disposed in a housing between a working fluid and a gas-charged chamber to damp pulsations in the working fluid. The diaphragm has a flat base that, when fully distended by pressure in the gas chamber, lies against a flat, perforated circular metal sheet. The perforated metal sheet is closely spaced from a planar backing surface that prevents the sheet from permanently deforming under the force exerted by the pressurized diaphragm. An annular channel formed in the backing surface places the working fluid in contact with the perforated metal sheet. Pressure in the working fluid displaces the diaphragm away from the perforated metal sheet. A flat retaining wall in the gas chamber limits the travel of the diaphragm away from the metal sheet. Pressure pulsations in the working fluid move the diaphragm back and forth between the retaining walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Inventors: Jeff Alan Conley, Michael Don McNeely