Patents Examined by Sam Rimell
  • Patent number: 6168495
    Abstract: A portable child's amusement and educational center comprises a tent suitable for children's play of the type generally having flexible walls supported by a frame and a portal for entering and exiting, and a learning board for educational learning attached to the tent. The learning board is removable and interchangeable, and may contain educational exercises, allow for writing on its surface, or for attachment of alphanumeric characters or figures. The learning board is removably contained in a transparent pocket assembly preferably provided with transparent sub-pockets for containing various children's play articles bearing corresponding indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Inventor: Young W. Yoon
  • Patent number: 6165042
    Abstract: A bob toy device has a male disk, a female disk, a hollow bobbin disposed between the male disk and the female disk, a first cover disposed on the male disk, a generally T-shaped block disposed in the female disk, a second cover disposed on the female disk, and a shaft passing through the first cover, the male disk, the hollow bobbin, the female disk, the generally T-shaped block, and the second cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Inventor: Lin-Chi Chin
  • Patent number: 6165037
    Abstract: A toy, preferably a plush toy, includes a main body and an electroluminescent display panel arranged on and forming a surface portion of the main body. When the plush toy is a toy pony, the electroluminescent display panel is placed, for example, on the blaze on the pony's face. The power source is arranged within the main body and a first ON switch is placed within one front hoof of the pony while a second OFF switch is placed within the other front hoof of the pony. The hooves are soft and deformable so that they can be compressed when squeezed to selectively actuate one of the switches. In this way, application of power to the electroluminescent panel by squeezing of the ON hoof energizes the panel and causes it to generate illumination in the region of the toy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: WildHeart Ranch, Inc.
    Inventor: Dawn L. Van Zant
  • Patent number: 6165040
    Abstract: A musical entertainment device is provided having a hoop which plays a musical tune as the user spins it around his/her waist. Inside of the hoop are located a series of pneumatic tone generators or reeds. As the user spins the hoop around his/her waist, diaphragms are compressed by the waist of the user, forcing air through the corresponding tone generators and emitting the notes that comprise the specific tune to be played.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Inventor: Don Burich
  • Patent number: 6165041
    Abstract: A liquid-type rocking ornament includes a transparent container and a seat assembled to a bottom of the container. The transparent container has a dual-liquid and some floating decorative articles seal therein. Differently shaped recess, hole or slit may be formed on outer surface of the transparent container at suitable position for holding clips, pen or cards. The seat includes a semispherical shell and a weight fixedly connected near an inner bottom center of the shell, so that the whole liquid-type ornament could rock under a minor push without easily tumbling over. The liquid in the rocking ornament presents dynamic and interesting scenes that last for a period of time in the transparent container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Inventor: Rich Lin
  • Patent number: 6165035
    Abstract: An exterior covering for various types of medical equipment is disclosed to reduce some of the intimidation created by medical equipment. The interior of the covering is configured to receive the medical equipment while the exterior is shaped to portray an object, such as an animal, plant, vehicle, building, etc., and can include a removable figure. The cover has recesses and channels, such as a lens viewing channel, corresponding to the specific equipment to permit unobstructed use of the equipment. The covering can include a filling to provide a three dimensional sculpted appearance to the object. The covering encompasses at least a portion of the medical equipment and, where necessary, has a method to secure the cover. When manufactured in multiple pieces, the cover can have a bottom portion containing a receiving sleeve that is dimensioned to receive the base of the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Inventor: David B. Avner
  • Patent number: 6164976
    Abstract: A creativity center includes a base portion that is connected by a hinge to a board that has opposed drawing/design surfaces on which artistic designs and markings can be made. The board can rotate with respect to the base via the hinge and can be slid with respect to the hinge such that the board can be repeatedly flipped over and slid between two opposed "use" positions with respect to the base. Thus, an opposed drawing/design surface configured in a "use" position is presented to a user each time the board is flipped over. An eraser can be located on either the base or on the hinge to automatically remove designs or markings located on the board when the board is slid through the hinge. In addition, the base can include a storage compartment for storing art supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Wilson
  • Patent number: 6162109
    Abstract: A yo-yo includes a string gap in-between first and second side members. The string gap setting is adjustable by relative rotation of the first and second side members. The yo-yo includes an indexing mechanism for resiliently maintaining the string gap setting at discrete increments. The yo-yo axle includes a bore permitting the application of lubricant to the yo-yo bearing without changing the string gap setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Flambeau Products Company
    Inventor: Harry Baier
  • Patent number: 6162128
    Abstract: A ferrule mounted on one end of a billiard/pool cue shaft has greater compressibility than the compressibility of the shaft to compress on impact of a tip mounted on the ferrule with a ball to absorb a portion of impact forces and to provide easy outward flexure with minimal buckling of the end of the shaft during impact. A bore extends a predetermined distance from the one end of the shaft toward a butt end of the shaft. The bore in the shaft communicates with a bore in the ferrule when the ferrule is mounted on the shaft. The ferrule is mounted on the shaft by means of a tenon formed on one end of the shaft or on the ferrule, which tenon tightly engages the other of the ferrule or shaft. The tip has a smaller than conventional radius to centralize impact forces toward the line of stroke extending along the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: The Lorraine C. McCarty Trust
    Inventors: Allan McCarty, Steve Titus
  • Patent number: 6162061
    Abstract: A ski simulator apparatus is provided in which two rebounders or miniatures trampolines are maintained and secured in a common framework. The rotatable frame members supporting each trampoline are adjustable to vary the incline of one trampoline relative to the other so as to simulate different size and shapes of moguls. The framework includes receptacles for accepting and securing the legs of conventional rebounders or trampolines therein. The entire unit may be disassembled by removing trampolines and folding the framework upon itself to facilitate storage and transportation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Inventor: Rogan L. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6162191
    Abstract: A self contained sensor apparatus generates a signal that corresponds to at least two of the three orientational aspects of yaw, pitch and roll of a human-scale body, relative to an external reference frame. A sensor generates first sensor signals that correspond to rotational accelerations or rates of the body about certain body axes. The sensor may be mounted to the body. Coupled to the sensor is a signal processor for generating orientation signals relative to the external reference frame that correspond to the angular rate or acceleration signals. The first sensor signals are impervious to interference from electromagnetic, acoustic, optical and mechanical sources. The sensors may be rate sensors. An integrator may integrate the rate signal over time. A drift compensator is coupled to the rate sensors and the integrator. The drift compensator may include a gravitational tilt sensor or a magnetic field sensor or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Eric M. Foxlin
  • Patent number: 6159068
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a turkey call comprising a substantially oval shaped, partially hollow body of wood or other suitable material, open on one long side to form a sound chamber, the exposed edges of the opening forming an effective striking surface; and an elongated striker made of wood or other suitable material having one face at least partially treated with a substance to increase the frictional properties of the striker when it contacts the sound chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Inventor: Charles Trotter
  • Patent number: 6155566
    Abstract: A board game for two players, including the apparatus and method of play, is described. The playing board is comprised of two substantially identical playing areas. Play comprises picking up playing pieces from one playing area and distributing them onto the other playing area, according to the rules of the game. The two players play in turn. The winner of the game is the player who forces the other player to move the last playing piece from one playing area to the other. The game is simple to learn, quick to play, and yet challenging for players of superior intelligence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Victor Martin Benatti
  • Patent number: 6155902
    Abstract: A wagon has a body with front and rear ends. Front wheels are rotatably coupled to the front end of the body and rear wheels are rotatably coupled to the rear end of the body. Each of the front wheels is pivotally coupled to the body. The wagon has front and rear steering members coupled to the respective front and rear ends of the body. The front and rear steering members are coupled to the front wheels so as to control the pivoting of the front wheels and thus the steering of the wagon. The rear end of the wagon has foot cavities therein which face rearward and have a bottom wall. Thus, a child pushing the wagon from the rear end can coast with the wagon by having the child's feet or foot inside the cavities. The wagon also has center wheels located between the front and rear wheels. The center wheels are raised above the front and rear wheels to provide a smoother ride over bumpy terrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventors: James S. Kole, Jr., Christene Denise Garner
  • Patent number: 6155837
    Abstract: A device for simulation of fire for use during fire drills and similar exercises, includes one or more chambers, each of which is connected to one or more air tubes made of a flexible, preferably substantially gas-tight fabric, where the air tubes may be supplied with air through the chamber to which they are connected, and where movers are provided on the device to cause the air tubes to swing from side to side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Kjell Korneliussen
  • Patent number: 6152741
    Abstract: The invention is a training device for illustrating electrostatic charges. The training device consists of a transparent tube that is capped at each end. Retained within the tube are a plurality of metallic beads. Each bead has a metal skin and a low density interior core made of plastic. The beads pickup electrostatic charges when the tube is rubbed and thereby demonstrate how these forces are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Inventor: Gloriane Hirata
  • Patent number: 6152740
    Abstract: A learning block chair with a number of removable and rearrangeable blocks is disclosed. The learning block chair includes a seat frame with a top surface and an array of block-receiving apertures therein. A back frame has a front surface with an array of block-receiving apertures therein. The back frame is connected to the seat frame with the top surface of the seat frame being positioned at least 90.degree. relative to the front surface of the back frame. Legs are disposed below the seat frame to support the seat frame. A number of blocks removably reside in the block-receiving apertures in both the seat frame and the back frame. The blocks each have instructional indicia thereon. The blocks are removable and rearrangeable in the block-receiving apertures to create user-defined patterns and arrangements of the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Inventor: Marylena Corrado
  • Patent number: 6152798
    Abstract: A reed type of game call for attracting waterfowl, other birds and animals, the preferred embodiment particularly adapted for use in calling ducks. Raised ridges or ribs along the tone board surface operatively support the reed and thereby reduce reed malfunction caused by accumulation of moisture from condensate, saliva and spittle. The operator of the game call thus also has better control over the tone produced during repeated operation on a given occasion. The raised ridges, combined with an O-ring-type seal between the mouthpiece and sound assembly and a reed which tapers in width toward its distal end, permit the game call to be operated with less blowing effort by the caller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Inventor: Chris Raburn
  • Patent number: 6152799
    Abstract: A toy figure includes a body, a pair of wings, a pair of legs, a tail, and a head converted to generally resemble a bird or other flying creature. The legs and wings are pivotally mounted to the body using a mechanism by which the pivotal movement of the legs in response to the user squeezing and releasing them repeatedly produces a corresponding wing-flapping action. A spring urges the wings to a raised position and urges the legs to a spread position. The head is pivotally supported by the body and a cam follower and cam arrangement couples the head to the wing movement apparatus such that the head moves side-to-side simultaneous with the wing-flapping movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin F. Arriola
  • Patent number: 6149486
    Abstract: A bubble producing assembly has a plurality of bubble producing devices. Each bubble producing device has at least one loop, a fan positioned adjacent the at least one loop, and a motor coupled to the fan. The assembly has a control mechanism coupled to each motor of each bubble producing device for simultaneously actuating each motor to cause separate bubbles to be simultaneously produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Placo Corporation Limited
    Inventor: Douglas Thai