Patents Examined by Richard Smith
  • Patent number: 7194820
    Abstract: A punch press alignment instrument has upper and lower cylindrical components that are associated for vertical displacement relative to one another. Both components have outer tool holder engaging surfaces which are to be aligned with one another so as to in turn align the tool holders of the punch press when the upper and lower components themselves are in alignment. Alignment elements, e.g., ridges and grooves provided on mating surfaces of the components confronting each other are brought into contact with one another to move the components of the instrument into mutual alignment. An alignment control member, e.g., a screw is preferably provided for progressively bringing the upper and lower components toward one another and an indicator such as a lamp, a dial indicator or an audible indicator is provided for denoting the spacing between the upper and lower components to thereby confirm the alignment of the tool holders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Mate Precision Tooling Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Schweiger, Todd M. Knetsch, Phillip R. Lysdahl, Christopher D. Morgan, Joseph C. Schneider
  • Patent number: 7188426
    Abstract: An electronic inclination sensor is provided for the determination and display of surface inclination and the direction of such inclination. The information regarding the inclination and direction of inclination can be displayed such that an end user can readily and easily comprehend and use the information without additional interpretation. Further, when the inclination is displayed in decimal values, a large range of inclination angles can be displayed with significant accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Exelys LLC
    Inventor: Keith E. Barr
  • Patent number: 7178479
    Abstract: A speedometer face plate assembly that incorporates a border of light transmitting segments above the speed indicating numerals is disclosed. Each of the segments is a different color. The colored segments are lighted from behind as the speed changes so that colored light is visible both peripherally and directly to the driver. Each color is associated with a specific speed increment so that once the driver becomes familiar with this speedometer face plate assembly, he or she will be aware of the speed traveled according to the color of the light and will not have to look directly at the speedometer as frequently as is currently necessary. In addition to the colored light transmitting border, there may also be a colored light transmitting section under the numerals or at another area on the speedometer face to further enhance the colored light effect. This speedometer face plate assembly contributes to increasing driving safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Inventor: Milton Richter
  • Patent number: 7159534
    Abstract: A dial 21a is positioned in front of an LCD 21c, and has an inner periphery surrounding the LCD 21c. A pointer 21b is rotatable by a drive 21d positioned at a backside of the LCD 21c. The pointer 21b is extended from a rotation center in a direction Y1 against the rotation center along a back surface of the LCD 21c, then bent and extended along an outer periphery of the LCD 21c, and bent and extended in the direction Y2 toward the rotation center via a gap formed between a front surface of the display 21c and a back surface of the dial 21a. Then, the pointer 21b is extended along an inner periphery of the dial 21a, and bent and extended in the direction Y1 along a front surface of the dial 21a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Tanaka, Kengo Komura
  • Patent number: 7032534
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an article formed from a generally see-thru sheet of material and having a two-sided marking thereon and a method of applying the two-sided markings to the article. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the article comprises a see-thru sheet of material having a top face and markings thereon and a bottom face such that when viewed from the top face the markings are of a first color and when viewed from the bottom face the markings are of a second color. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the article formed by the process comprising the steps of selecting a sheet of material having a top face and a bottom face, positioning a two-color foil over the sheet of material, and applying heat and pressure to the two-color foil to bond the foil to selected areas of the sheet to form markings such that when viewed from the top face the markings are of one color and when viewed from the bottom face the markings are of another color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Knittel Engraving Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Thiemann, Hubert A. Thiemann
  • Patent number: 7017511
    Abstract: A flag holder for vehicles—such as motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles—mounts on a generally horizontal panel having a bolt hole stamped, punched or drilled therein. For a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flag holder includes a cylindrical main body having an axially-aligned cylindrical aperture for receiving the staff of a flag. The holder also includes a hollow threaded retaining fastener that is coaxial with the cylindrical aperture. A staff ejector pin, retained within the hollow threaded retaining fastener, may be employed to eject a broken end of the flag staff. Two alternative embodiments are provided. The first utilizes a threaded main body and a hollow retainer bolt. The second utilizes a threaded hollow stud and a nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Inventors: Kevin B. Fisher, Preston K. Fisher
  • Patent number: 6108921
    Abstract: Scraper for determining the position of pipelines with at least one scraper body and on the outer circumference of the latter are provided support elements for guiding in the pipeline, the scraper body containing a gyroscopic platform, as well as supply and processing means for measured results, characterized in that the scraper body is guidable by a combination of support elements under a defined, constant angle with respect to the pipe guidance axis, whereof a first part is radially rigid and a second part is radially resilient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Pipetronix GmbH
    Inventor: Hartmut Goedecke
  • Patent number: 6035540
    Abstract: An automatic optical levelling, plumbing and verticality-determining appartus includes: a base, a supporting and driving means adjustably standing on the base for supporting a frame having a plumb device secured to a horizontality calibrator universally pendulously mounted on the frame, a pair of plumb-line illuminators respectively secured on a top and a bottom portion of the plumb device for emitting an upper and a lower optical beam towards a ceiling and a ground floor for calibrating a vertical plumb line, a horizontal-line illuminator and a vertical-line illuminator symmetrically disposed on opposite ends of a T-shaped adapter mounted on a top of the plumb device and the horizontality calibrator for respectively emitting a horizontal optical line and a vertical optical line for determining or calibrating a horizontal plane and a vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Inventors: Chyi-Yiing Wu, Lin Chin Hsiung
  • Patent number: 6003235
    Abstract: A folding collapsible body-height measuring gauge including: a scale having a plurality of scale elements pivotably connected with one another in a series, each scale element having a coupling block at one end and a coupling open chamber at an opposite end for connection; a measurement indicator longitudinally slidably mounted on the scale; and a base having a coupling block at its one end adapted for supporting the scale in a vertical position for measuring the height of the body and two pivoted legs at its opposite end, the coupling block of the base having two coupling portions disposed at different elevations and adapted for coupling to the scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventor: Han-Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 6003467
    Abstract: A medication dosage indicator having two portions, a body portion and a cap portion. The body portion includes a circular top wall and a plurality of raised indicator tabs spaced apart in a circular fashion that have indicia corresponding to the day of the week or other unit of time. The cap portion includes a circular upper wall with a plurality of apertures sized and spaced apart to fit in a mating relationship with the indicator tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventors: Paige Shelton-Ferrell, David Valencia, Anthony J. Bova
  • Patent number: 5992032
    Abstract: An apparatus using piezoelectric effect is provided for measuring an angle between a reference plane and a plane to be measured. Such an apparatus can be used to measure the inclination of a plane or for leveling purpose. The main characteristics of the apparatus are simple in structure, no limitation in the measurement range, and less limitation to the environment. The apparatus also has the following advantages: compact, quick and accurate measurement, easy for multiaxial measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology
    Inventors: Chung-I Chiang, Chih-Wen Hsieh, Long-Jang Hu, Ming-Shing Jou, Shun-Lih Tu, Horng Chang
  • Patent number: 5987765
    Abstract: A supporting element having a base positionable on a table of a measuring machine; a rod in turn having a vertical axis, and which is fitted to the base and movable axially to adjust the height of the supporting element; and an end portion fitted to the rod and cooperating with a position reference fixture moved by the machine; the supporting element also having locking means interposed between the rod and the end portion, and which are releasable to permit a limited amount of movement of the end portion with respect to the rod when configuring the supporting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Brown & Sharpe DEA S.p.A.
    Inventors: Domenico Sola, Enrico Garau, Renato Causarano
  • Patent number: 5960550
    Abstract: Device and method for accurately recreating verification markings with removable ink on progressive ophthalmic lenses and molds are provided. The device includes (a) a stage which defines a coordinate system and which is adapted for receiving a lens or mold; (b) a magnifying device for locating the reference marks on the lens or mold surface; (c) a computer for storing coordinates from the platform wherein the coordinates represent the locations of two reference marks on the lens or mold surface; and (d) a pen device adapted to be positioned over the surface of the lens or mold wherein the pen device is controlled by the computer for applying the verification markings on the lens or mold surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Sola International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. Weir, Thomas J. Hawkins