Patents Examined by Robert Sandy
  • Patent number: 12207752
    Abstract: A snap member of a fastener includes a base; a first engagement portion extending from the base and configured to engage with a first engagement portion of a mating snap member, the first engagement portion of the snap member including a protrusion defining an axial height, the first engagement portion of the snap member defining a cavity in the protrusion defining an axial depth, an axis of the protrusion and an axis of the cavity being collinear; and a second engagement portion extending from the base, the second engagement portion defining a hook shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: YKK Corporation of America
    Inventors: Chuck LeCompte, Jonathan Sharp, Kathryn Sullivan
  • Patent number: 12207710
    Abstract: Stop part includes a magnetic body and a base portion in which an entirety of the magnetic body is embedded. The base portion first and second resin portions which are distinguishable based on an interface formed between the portions. The first and second resin portions are arranged to cover separate first and second regions, respectively, in at least one surface of the magnetic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Yuchen Tung, Kazuo Tamura
  • Patent number: 12207706
    Abstract: A fastening device includes a case unit, a spool, a driving unit, a knob and a connecting unit. The case unit includes an annular wall surrounding an inner space, and a base detachably and directly coupled to the annular wall. The spool is located within the inner space. The driving unit is located within the inner space and selectively prohibits the spool from rotating in a loosening direction. The knob is disposed on the annular wall. The connecting unit is connected to at least one of the knob, the spool and the driving unit without passing through the base and restricted by at least one of the annular wall, the spool and the driving unit such that the annular wall, the spool, the driving unit and the knob are combined integrally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Inventor: Chin-Chu Chen
  • Patent number: 12212280
    Abstract: Multifunction spacer-wire clips provide spacing and protection during the shipping of solar panels. A multifunction spacer-wire clip can be subsequently used for wire management during installation and solar panel operation. One example of a spacer-wire clip includes a flange overhang portion, a main body portion. a frame arm portion, and a wire retainer extending from the main body portion sized and configured to selectively retain at least one wire within at least one wire cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Freedom Forever LLC
    Inventors: Brian Joseph Eglsaer, Matthew Thomas Markham, Ryan Tucker Silvernale
  • Patent number: 12201088
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a connector for connecting a lead rope to a harness worn on a body of a pet includes: a pair of rectangular strap connection portions for connecting a strap of the harness; and a connector body having a predetermined curvature and formed with a plurality of hook grooves to which a hook connected to the lead rope is caught.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Inventor: Deok-Han Kim
  • Patent number: 12201195
    Abstract: A slide fastener includes a pair of waterproof stringers comprising a pair of woven and/or knitted fastener tapes, a pair of coil elements respectively secured to opposing side-edge portions of the pair of fastener tapes, and waterproof films respectively overlaid via adhesives on tape top surfaces of the fastener tapes of the pair of fastener tapes, and a slider that moves forward to engage the pair of coil elements and moves rearward to disengage the pair of coil elements. Each of the waterproof films has a film edge positioned over a space between the opposing side-edge portions of the pair of fastener tapes, the film edge supported by a supporting portion made of the adhesive solidified, the supporting portion partially occupying the space between the opposing side-edge portions of the pair of fastener tapes, and the supporting portion having a thickness greater than a thickness of the film edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Toshimasa Konaka, Takayuki Ogyu, Mamoru Usuda
  • Patent number: 12201192
    Abstract: This application discloses a connecting buckle with a safety switch. The connecting buckle includes a male connecting piece, a female connecting piece and a buckling apparatus; the buckling apparatus includes a buckling piece, the buckling piece is arranged in match with a sliding frame arranged on the male connecting piece, a rotating shaft is arranged on the buckling piece; the rotating shaft and the rotating holes formed on the sliding frame are correspondingly arranged, a clamping part corresponding to the buckling hole is arranged at one end of the buckling piece, an upward supporting spring is arranged between the other end of the buckling piece and the sliding frame, and a pressure stopping apparatus is also arranged on the buckling apparatus. The connecting buckle with the safety switch has the advantages that the structure is simple, accidental loosening of the connecting buckle is completely avoided, and the universality is wide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Foshan Tuorun Precision Hardware Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Maoyang Gao, Yong He
  • Patent number: 12196283
    Abstract: A fastening element and a decoupling assembly, the fastening element for add-on parts connected to a body structure of a motor vehicle, a method for producing the de-coupling assembly and assembling it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Philipp NĂ¼bling
  • Patent number: 12185796
    Abstract: A tool-operated adjustment device includes a housing supporting a rotatable spool that is operably coupled to a tension line. The spool is configured to rotate about a first axis in a first direction to wind the tension line, and to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction to unwind the tension line. The device includes a socket pivotally coupled to the housing and configured to rotate about a second axis. The socket is selectively coupled to the spool to drive rotation of the spool in the first direction. The socket is configured to removably connect and disconnect to a tool configured to rotate the socket about the second axis. The device includes a release mechanism that is configured to selectively release the spool such that the spool is free to rotate in either the first or second direction in response to manual forces applied to the release mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Inventor: Garrett Ray Hurley
  • Patent number: 12185795
    Abstract: A shoe lace securement system has a pair of shoe lace securing mechanisms. Each of the pair of shoe lace securing mechanisms has a container having a hollow interior storing unused portions of the shoe lace. A mechanism secures one end of the shoe lace to the container. A first connector is coupled to a bottom surface of the container attaching the container to the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Inventor: James Terrell Rankin
  • Patent number: 12185826
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, computing devices, and/or the like are provided. An example method may include rotating a rotatable mounting apparatus. An example rotatable mounting apparatus may include a first mount engagement element, a second mount engagement element, and a spring disposed between the first mount engagement element and the second mount engagement element. An example first mount engagement element may include a plurality of slots. An example second mount engagement element may include one or more tabs. The example method may include translating the first mount engagement element with respect to the second mount engagement element to compress the spring and disconnect at least a first tab of the one or more tabs from at least a first slot of the plurality of slots. The example method may also include rotating the first mount engagement element with respect to the second mount engagement element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Hardik Yomesh Jani
  • Patent number: 12187179
    Abstract: Provided is a ratchet tie down including a main body portion, a reel assembly rotatable relative to the main body portion, a first sprocket surrounding the reel assembly, a second sprocket surrounding the reel assembly, at least one first noise reduction disk, at least one second noise reduction disk, and a release pawl biased in a locked position to land on the noise reduction disks to dampen the sound as the release pawl engages teeth of the sprockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Winston Products LLC
    Inventor: Troy Hatcher
  • Patent number: 12188507
    Abstract: A closure device has a first closure part including a body and a second closure part. Closure parts for closing the closure device are placeable against one another along a closing direction and in a closing position being connected to one another. The closure device also includes at least one locking element which is disposed so as to be adjustable on the body of the first closure part, and at least one engagement portion which is molded on the second closure part. The at least one locking element and the at least one engagement portion in a closing position are mutually engaged in such a manner that the first closure part and the second closure part are locked to one another. The first closure part has a first magnetic installation and the second closure part has a second magnetic installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Fidlock GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Fiedler, Breido Botkus, Lasse Hiller
  • Patent number: 12179333
    Abstract: A bit or tool holder attachment including: a main body, having a connecting body mounted on electric drill or electric driver or power tool or manual tool, and a string and a cable retracting device are arranged in the main body, and one end of the string is fixed on a fixing body; and at least one bit or tool holder, having a movable body and a fixing ring, an attaching hole is arranged in middle of the fixing ring for a bit or tool to pass through and be attached in the fixing ring, and a ring-shaped recess is also arranged on outer surface of the fixing ring, and the movable body is sleeved on the ring-shaped recess, and one end of the movable body is connected with the fixing body, so that the bit or tool holder can be extended and retracted relative to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Inventors: Aragorn Zolno, Wilson Fajardo
  • Patent number: 12178272
    Abstract: A fabric buttoning apparatus, including a plate, a needle, and a string, a first end thereof being fixed to the plate, and a second end thereof being fixed to the wide end of the needle, and a slit crossing from side to side of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Inventor: Simy Heimlich
  • Patent number: 12178295
    Abstract: A magnetic buckle includes first and second buckle members. The first buckle member includes a first end and a second end adapted to engage a strap, a mounting surface, a latching aperture defined in the mounting surface, and a first magnet. A release direction extends along a longitudinal axis of the first buckle member from the first end to the second end. The second buckle member includes a joining surface adapted to be joined with the mounting surface, a latch hook adapted to engage the latching aperture extending from the joining surface, and a second magnet. The magnets pull the latch hook into engagement with the latching aperture when the joining surface is placed in proximity to the mounting surface. Engagement of the latching aperture by the latch hook prevents the second buckle member from being pulled apart from the first buckle member in a direction orthogonal to the mounting surface or against the release direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Groove Life Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Goodwin, George Brooks, Cody Hutchins, Salmon Nortje
  • Patent number: 12172811
    Abstract: An elongated fastening strap of touch fastener material has a head with a grommet defining a slot through which the other end of the strap is received. Selective interference at the ends of the slot with the width of the strap alter the resistance to motion within the slot. The grommet provides a smooth surface within the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Velcro IP Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Jerry G. Hodsdon, David D. Cianciolo, James L. Tardiff
  • Patent number: 12171310
    Abstract: The front stop is oriented, when the slider is prevented from moving forward by the stop portion of the front stop, to allow a contact portion in the front region of its second side surface to touch an inner wall surface of the flange of the slider and to allow at least a part of the rear region of its first side surface to touch a wall surface of the interconnection pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Inukai, Jun Shitaka, Kentaro Mori
  • Patent number: 12171308
    Abstract: A buckle assembly includes a male component with a body portion from which a first latch extends in a first direction and a female component, including a frame member having a first lateral side spaced apart from a second lateral side with a gap positioned therebetween. A first aperture extends through the frame member with the first lateral side extending about and defining a first opening of the first aperture, and the second lateral side extending about and defining a second opening of the first aperture, and with the gap in communication with the first aperture. Inserting of the first latch through the gap and into and extending across at least a portion of the first aperture, access is provided, through one of the first opening or the second opening, to a side, positioned within the first aperture for receiving a force for first latch in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Central Lake Armor Express, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A Criswell, Steven R Murphy, Monica L Russ
  • Patent number: 12173775
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an attachment and cinching system. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method to attach objects to a stationary vertical support where such objects include a climbing stick and/or climbing tree platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Hang Free LLC
    Inventors: Van Taylor Wilkes, Wyatt David Wilkes