Patents Examined by Robert W. Gibson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6926160
    Abstract: A space-efficient workroom organization system comprising a slotwall panel with at least one repositionable slotwall-mounted storage cabinet, and a workbench system comprising a workbench having a work surface and defining a storage recess beneath the work surface, with at least one mobile storage cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Travis Michael Perkins, Thomas Wesley Arent, Todd Christopher Starr, Tyree Edward Sampson, Kenneth J. Rasche, Steven Edward Tolliver, Brent A. Junge, Duane A. Schmidt, Brian J. Stewart, Mark Allen Stout
  • Patent number: 6920987
    Abstract: A knife holder is disclosed. The knife holder includes a housing and a block portion for holding one or more knives. The block portion is pivotally attached to the housing such that the block portion may be moved between an upright position in which the block portion is substantially within the housing, and an extended position in which the block portion extends from the housing so that knives may be easily withdrawn therefrom. The knife holder may further include a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the knife block, for selectively locking the knife block in the upright position so that knives cannot be easily withdrawn therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Lifetime Hoan Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Siegel, Robert Reichenbach
  • Patent number: 6920988
    Abstract: A device for anchoring a towel bar, ring or hook to a supporting surface and for shielding the supporting surface from wet towel damage. The device includes a plate upon which the towel bar, ring or hook is mounted such that the plate extends a distance equal to or longer than one-half of a towel length below the towel bar, ring or hook. Fasteners are provided for attaching the towel bar, ring or hook to the plate and the plate to the supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Inventor: Calvin A. Ratliff
  • Patent number: 6918499
    Abstract: A shelving display system comprising a conventional gondola made up of a generally horizontal base and at least two upstanding posts to which generally horizontal top and bottom tracks are attached. Support/display members, such as decorative panels, standards for shelf brackets and shelves, and partitions may be attached to the top and bottom tracks to complete the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Martin L. De Land, D. Mark Pritchard, Steven C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6918496
    Abstract: A shelf constructed from lightweight sheet metal, which can be used in conjunction with a “French” type box easel, and carried and stored within the box of the easel. The shelf itself maintains a shelf supporting arm in an upright plane so that a holding end of the arm is able to support a vertical load from one and only one arm supporting hook thereon. The shelf assembly comprises: a horizontal shelf member having a vertically extending portion(s) having two vertically extending openings therein; two support arms each having a rear end portion having one, and only one rear hook extending from a top portion thereof, a longitudinal horizontal top side portion to carry the shelf member, and a vertically extending projection adapted to be closely received within the openings in the shelf member. When the arms are received in the shelf member the arms are maintained in an upright position and the shelf assembly is thereby stable under load when hung on and over the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Inventor: George A. Henson, III
  • Patent number: 6915914
    Abstract: The present invention is a display rack for goods and is primarily a wire formed structure that also employs channel rod as well as formed plastic top and bottom cap structures. In the preferred embodiment there exists a central rectangular frame structure having a base and extending upward there from to a top end portion. Each of the four sides of the central structure includes a rotating wall or door wherein each door includes a front retail side surface for retaining goods thereon and an opposite blocking paneled surface. The doors can be locked into either the retail or blocked position. Four carousels are also secured to and form an integral part of each of the four corners of the central frame. The carousels each have columns for retaining goods and one flat blocking panel column, all positioned vertically and symmetrically around each carousel perimeter. Each carousel can be locked into a gods blocking position or be unlocked and free to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Inventor: Todd Anthony Farrand
  • Patent number: 6910592
    Abstract: A fishing rod storage device and method for storing and carrying fishing rods such that the rods are held in a stable configuration without allowing the rods to touch each other, thereby avoiding damage during storage or transport. The device includes two racks, each having a paired plurality of holes and slots for accepting the rod tip and handle. The slots are preferably T-shaped. The rod storage rack allows fishing rods to be stored vertically by mounting on a wall or horizontally by mounting on a wall or a ceiling, for example. A retainer cord holds the fishing rods securely in the storage device to prevent accidental displacement during storage. The portable fishing rod storage rack typically includes two elastic cylindrical bodies each having a plurality of indentations or grooves which accept the rod element of the fishing rod and which are made of a plastic foam material that retains as many as about eight fishing rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Inventor: Richard Lindenmeyer
  • Patent number: 6910590
    Abstract: A method and a display rack apparatus for the efficient display of large or bulky inventory items. The display rack includes mounting brackets attached to sloping lateral frame arms to support similar parts of disassembled items of inventory in an inclined, raised array. The mounting brackets grip the frame arms by pressure of cam pins and may include associated fingers shaped to engage the parts being displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Inventor: Roger L. Meier
  • Patent number: 6902071
    Abstract: A system including pluralities of tubular lengths and T-connectors couplable with said lengths in a package for assemblage into an orthogonal frame of width, length and depth not in excess of 24 inches, 80 inches and 5½ inch, respectively, for securement to one of a planar wall and planar door surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Inventor: Steven J. Vitale
  • Patent number: 6899236
    Abstract: A combined rack and containers in the invention has an L-shaped rack provided with a plurality of engagement mounts disposed thereon, a plurality of mounting keyholes disposed in a rear wall thereof, and a plurality of recessed holes disposed adjacent four corners of an outside surface of a bottom thereof, each of the recessed holes provided with a non-slipping member securely fixed therein; a plurality of containers capable of being supported on the rack and each provided with an engagement recess disposed in a bottom thereof, by which the plurality of containers can be securely held on the rack in place by making the engagement recesses of the containers respectively engaged with the engagement mounts of the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Inventor: Heng-Te Yang
  • Patent number: 6899237
    Abstract: A storage device adapted for storage of bedding underneath a bed includes a bottom section, side sections, end sections, and divider sections. The bottom, side, and end sections define an enclosure, and the divider sections are removably attachable within the enclosure to define storage compartments for bedding. In another embodiment, the bedding storage device includes top and bottom sections, and divider sections. The divider sections are removably attached between the top and bottom sections, and the top, bottom, and divider sections define the storage compartments for the bedding. A height, width, and length of the storage devices are adapted for placement underneath a bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Inventor: Cecilio Trent
  • Patent number: 6896146
    Abstract: A cremated remains container display and racking system has a pair of columns each having a back face, a front face and a flange with a plurality of bores. A pair of strips with a flat rear face and an outer face are adapted to be positioned over the flange of the columns. A plurality of urns have a front display face, a pair of side faces, a sealable bottom face, a rear face and a sealable cap. The display face has decorative indicia and a permanent picture thereon. The rear face has a pair of flanges projecting from the sides. A plurality of fasteners are adapted to couple the strips to the flanges of the urn to the interior flanges of the columns thus forming the display system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventor: Stephen Corrado
  • Patent number: 6892893
    Abstract: A holder for items such as eyeglasses, dentures and hearing aids is disclosed wherein the compartments for each item may be identified. The holder may also list information about the person that owns the necessary items so that any misplaced may be more easily located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Inventors: Romaine McNelis, John McNelis
  • Patent number: 6883671
    Abstract: A system and method for shipping and displaying merchandise items includes a shipping display container having a front, back, and two side walls, a bottom, and dividers between the front and back walls for aligning merchandise items in rows. The container includes notches on both side walls adapted to engage a support frame and maintain the container in stable position. Such a system and method for provide for efficient utilization of space in both shipping and display of merchandise items and for stable positioning of shipping containers during shipping in a retail display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Sara Lee Corporation
    Inventor: Tom Rushing
  • Patent number: 6880711
    Abstract: A storage rack provides a convenient means to both dry and store often cumbersome athletic clothing and equipment. The storage rack is of an endo-type design in the sense that the stored athletic equipment and clothing is substantially draped over or encapsulated various appendages of a hollow shell of the rack. Internal surfaces of the athletic equipment and clothing are dried by a series of air flow apertures carried by each appendage which communicate inwardly with a common air chamber held at superatmospheric pressure and defined by the shell. Preferably an inlet supply air passage is also carried by the shell for receiving superatmospheric air into the air chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: The Ultimate Group, LLC
    Inventor: James P. Collier
  • Patent number: 6877613
    Abstract: A bicycle storage apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus may have a collar within which a core member is rotatably engaged. A pair of locking arms is pivotally attached to the core member such that each of the locking arms has an open position designed to permit insertion or withdrawal of a bicycle wheel and a closed position designed to block withdrawal of the wheel. Rotation of the core member locks the locking arms in the closed position. A bicycle can be stored in the apparatus by elevating the front wheel above the rear wheel, inserting the front wheel into engagement with the locking arms, and rotating the front wheel from a substantially vertical plane to lock the locking arms in the closed position. The collar and the core member may be designed such that they can be formed by blow molding with a simple, two-plate mold system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Craig S. Bleazard
  • Patent number: 6877620
    Abstract: A holder for a plurality of coozies which can be mounted on a hanger such as a clothes hanger in an automobile, sport utility vehicle, or the like, is provided. Each of the coozies has an insulated and compressible side wall in the preferred embodiment. A bottom closes one end of the side wall of a conventional coozie. The holder includes a elongated rod having a length which substantially approximates the effective height of the stack or stacks of coozies to be carried thereon. The rod carries a fastener for securing it to the hanger. In one embodiment the header is interposed between the fastener and the rod at one of its end and serves to provide a mechanical limit for the uppermost coozie carried thereon. In another embodiment a plurality of mechanical adapters are secured along the length of the rod and designed to grip the side walls of the coozies at their upper and lower most ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Dexter O. Ratcliff
  • Patent number: 6877619
    Abstract: A toothbrush, toothpaste tube and solid soap keeping set provides a mechanism for installing a toothbrush, toothpaste tube and solid soap used in a bathroom. The toothbrush toothpaste tube and solid soap are installed on one equipment die, which is constructed by combining an equipment die having a plurality of hanger parts formed on a front face thereof and a plurality of stick-in flutes formed on a top surface thereof. The toothbrush, the toothpaste tube and the solid soap each have a ring part hanging on the hanger part and an insertion shaft for insertion into the stick-in flute. Thus, the keeping set can be conveniently used by hanging it on a wall or setting it on a flat part of the bathroom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Moon-Key Han
  • Patent number: 6877621
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a frame having a base and two guide posts coupled to opposite ends of the base forming a U-shaped member. The base may be attached to a stock shelf with the U-shaped frame located on the front portion of the shelf. Moveably coupled to the guide posts is a cover panel which may be moved to a closed position covering the space between the two guide posts and to a lower open position or to an upper open position to allow access to the shelf by way of the opening between the two guide posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Miramar Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom May, Mark Ritchmond, Rick Sherwood, Steve Wesstrom
  • Patent number: 6874645
    Abstract: The wall mountable Compact Disc Storage and Display Device of the present invention provides the user with a new and novel method for the storage of compact discs or jewel cases. Contents are stored in a forward facing manner within individual pockets incorporated into the design. Jewel cases are fitted within the pocket and may be easily removed by pivoting on the edge of a raised platform located within the pocket. Compact discs may be stored independently of the jewel case and are held in place by an interference fit to a clamp at the center of a recess in the platform. The invention presents the user with the advantage of being able to arrange the contents of the cabinet such that the graphic work printed on the compact disc or included as an insert to the compact disc jewel case may be used to create a decorative wall hanging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Inventor: David Lee Broderick