Patents Examined by Sam Chuan C. Yao
  • Patent number: 7726147
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a storing unit for storing vegetables; a light emitting unit for irradiating light onto the vegetables stored in the storing unit to promote photosynthesis of the vegetables; an input unit for receiving an operation instruction on whether the light emitting unit is to be turned on or off; a timer for detecting a current time to output current time information; and a control unit for controlling the light emitting unit in response to the operation instruction. If the operation instruction requests that the light emitting unit be off, the control unit controls the light emitting unit to be off; and if otherwise, the control unit controls the light emitting unit to be on or off depending on the current time information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Kee Chul Lee
  • Patent number: 7721899
    Abstract: A toothbrush holder supports one or more toothbrushes in an equilibrium position between a retention cavity in an inclined base wall and a corresponding recess in an edge of a top wall. The retention cavity is preferably a hole in the inclined base wall and the recess in the top wall is preferably arcuate. The top wall is supported by a rear wall between the inclined base wall and the top wall. Support legs extending from the back of the rear wall allow the holder to be freestanding. Attachment means on a vertical upper portion of the rear wall allow the holder to be secured to a wall. The walls of the holder can be made from a single sheet of material, such as acrylic sheet or metal sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Inventor: Edward L. Lambert
  • Patent number: 7721432
    Abstract: An arrangement and method for producing a camshaft comprised of a shaft (2) and of a number of cams (3, 3?, 3?) pressed thereon comprises at least two machining stations (11) of which at least one is provided in the form of knurling station (4) and at least one is provided in the form of a press-on station (5). A shaft (2) is firstly fixed in a brandishing station (4) with the aid of a positioning element (7) fastened to the shaft, and the shaft is subsequently brandished. Afterwards, a cam (3) is pressed onto the shaft (2) in a press-on station (5). To this end, the press-on station (5) comprises a workpiece holder, which corresponds to the positioning element and which serves to provide a holding, particularly to provide an angle-precise holding, of the shaft (2) with the positioning element (7) fastened thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Inventor: Robert Burgler
  • Patent number: 7690421
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting low levels of humidity (i.e. less than 10%) inside an automotive vehicle is provided whereby the total absolute humidity inside the vehicle is determined by multiplying the number of occupants in the vehicle by an absolute humidity factor to obtain a total absolute humidity expelled by the vehicle occupants. The absolute humidity outside the vehicle is added to the total absolute humidity expelled by the vehicle occupants to arrive at a total vehicle cabin absolute humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Trevor Burns, Junichi Kanemaru
  • Patent number: 7676857
    Abstract: A toilet seat and lid lifter assembly which is constructed of a first frame member of generally U-shape and a second frame member of generally S-shape for gripping both a toilet seat and a toilet lid together such that the seat and lid can be simultaneously lifted or lowered without having to touch by hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Inventor: Shawn M. Zuidema
  • Patent number: 7677885
    Abstract: A material supply device for diffusion furnaces includes a main body, a fixing pedestal mechanism, a transmission mechanism and a cover mechanism for a furnace door. The main body includes a base portion and a main rod. The base portion is mounted on the main rod and the main rod extends through the base portion. The fixing pedestal mechanism is mounted on the main rod and is pivotedly mounted on a fixing pedestal. The transmission mechanism is mounted on the base portion and has a transmission rod slidably mounted on the base portion. The cover mechanism for a furnace door is fixed on an end of the transmission rod which is far away from the main body and is turnablely mounted on a cover of the furnace door. Based on the above assemblies, the present invention runs smoothly and improves production quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Lite-On Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Yi Lin, Ying-Chieh Chan, Hsun-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 7669430
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a reliable heat pump apparatus and heat pump apparatus having high recovering efficiency. The heat pump apparatus includes an expander 711 for expanding working fluid, a permanent magnet type synchronization power generator 710 which is disposed for recovering power by the expander 711 and which generates three phase AC power, and a first converter 708 which converts the AC power to DC power, and which rotates the power generator 710 at a predetermined target number of revolutions by switching of a switching element group 709. The generated electricity is consumed by connection of an AC power supply 701 to a DC power line which is rectified and smoothened by a rectifier circuit 702 and a smoothing capacitor 703, and by driving of an electric motor 706 which rotates a compressor 707 through a motor drive apparatus 704, and the power is efficiently recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keizo Matsui, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Fumitoshi Nishiwaki
  • Patent number: 7669723
    Abstract: A tool suspension device has a base bracket having a front surface, a rail bracket and multiple clamps. The rail bracket is attached securely to the front surface of the base bracket has a mounting panel, two opposite rails and two opposite channels. The channels are formed respectively in inner surfaces of the rails. The clamps are mounted slidably in pairs on the rails and in the channels and each clamp comprises a fastener to hold the clamps securely in position, the pairs of clamps clamp a tool securely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Inventor: Jui-Chien Kao
  • Patent number: 7661155
    Abstract: A lateral driving faucet water outlet seat comprises a water input outer tube placed; a surface of the water input outer tube being formed with a confining portion; a lower clamping stop having a polygonal outer sides; a limiting unit having a hexagonal engaging portion extended from a lower side of the limiting unit for engaging with the outer side of the lower clamping stop; a top of the engaging portion being enlarged with a resisting ring; an inner edge being formed with a limiting portion at a position corresponding to the confining portion of the water input outer tube for confining the rotation of the water input outer tube; an upper clamping stop having a polygonal outer side; and a water outlet base placed upon an upper side of the combining object; the water outlet base having a water outlet hole for receiving the combining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Inventor: Tsai-Chen Yang
  • Patent number: 7658006
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a beverage dispensing head, a first section is molded to include an exit channel and a first portion of a valve bore. A second section is molded to include an entry channel, a passage through the second section, and a second portion of the valve bore. A third section is molded to include a passage through the third section and a third portion of the valve bore. The first section is mated with the second section and the second section is mated with the third section to form a handle including a passageway therethrough. The mating of the first section with the second section and the second section with the third section aligns the first portion with the second portion and the second portion with the third portion to form the valve bore for the passageway. In addition, the entry channel is sealed to form a fluid entry aperture and a fluid entry conduit for the passageway. Further, the exit channel is sealed to form a portion of a fluid exit conduit for the passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Schroeder Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Alfred A. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7650927
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Outside or ambient temperature, evaporator temperature, and coolant temperature are measured with sensors. These values, along with a TAO, which is a calculated value of outlet temperature in the vehicle, are sent to a controller. The controller determines a predicted heater core outlet temperature based upon the coolant temperature. Based upon the outside air temperature and coolant temperature, the controller will decide whether to use the previously determined estimated heater core outlet temperature or to substitute an alternate value for the heater core outlet temperature to determine a position for the air mix door. After calculating the air mix door position, the controller signals an air mix door movement device to adjust the air mix door to the required position. Position of the air mix door affects the air temperature inside of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Trevor Burns
  • Patent number: 7644491
    Abstract: A device for assembling a composite structure is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the device includes a table module, a first plurality of flipper devices carried by the table module and a second plurality of flipper devices carried by the table module in adjacent and adjustable relationship with respect to the first plurality of flipper devices, respectively. The first plurality of flipper devices and the second plurality of flipper devices are capable of accommodating a variation in thickness of the composite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Joseph E. Absalonson
  • Patent number: 7543383
    Abstract: A floating collar is metal injected moulded with an excess portion intended to be separated, such as by shearing, from the reminder of the moulded floating collar to leave a chamfer thereon and/or remove injection marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Bhawan B. Patel, Lorin Markarian, Melissa Despres
  • Patent number: 7537608
    Abstract: A stent that has a middle section is that is engaged to the proximal section and the distal section by rotational links which extend about the circumference of the stent. The reduced diameters of the proximal section and the distal section are smaller than the reduced diameter of the middle section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Hans Valencia, Daniel Gregorich
  • Patent number: 7523632
    Abstract: A modular rolling mill comprises a plurality of rolling units having work rolls configured and arranged to progressively reduce the cross sectional area of a product received along a mill pass line. Gear units are mechanically coupled to each rolling unit, with each gear unit in turn being mechanically coupled to a driven line shaft by first bevel gear sets. The ratios of the first bevel gear sets progressively increase from the first to the last of the gear units to thereby accommodate a progressively increasing speed of the product being rolled. A second bevel gear set is associated with the last gear unit. The ratio of the second bevel gear set is the same as the ratio of the first level gear set of the penultimate gear unit. The line shaft is selectively coupled to the last gear unit via one or the other of its first and second bevel gear sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Morgan Construction Company
    Inventor: T. Michael Shore
  • Patent number: 7513896
    Abstract: An electrosurgical generator is disclosed, which includes an RF output stage connected to a DC power supply and first and second connections. The first connection includes a first switching component and a first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit. The second connection includes a second switching components and a second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit. The first and second switching components are configured to open and close at a predetermined frequency based on a phase-correlated dual drive signal emitted by a driver and are in a 180 degree out-of-phase relationship. The first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is further configured to produce a first half-sinusoidal waveform and the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is configured to produce a second half-sin half-sinusoidal waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventor: James H. Orszulak
  • Patent number: 7370786
    Abstract: Disclosed are a bonding method for a semiconductor chip, which employs an ultrasonic bonding scheme that prevents wear-out of the top surface of a mount tool and ensures both high reliability and high productivity, and a bonding apparatus which is used to carry out the method. The bonding apparatus and method are provided with means for suppressing generation of a sliding friction. The apparatus and method execute a bonding process by controlling vibration-axial directional holding force and inertial force based on information given from control management means to thereby maintain a relationship of (vibration-axial directional holding force)>(die shear strength)+(inertial force) while applying an ultrasonic vibration to a region which is subjected to bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichiro Kurita, Jun Nogawa, Masato Maeda, Teruji Inomata
  • Patent number: 7270722
    Abstract: A process for placing elements of a self-stiffened panel of preimpregnated composite. The panel includes a base skin and a plurality of U-shaped stiffeners, with an interfacing structure including a nail and a nail-head. The process includes draping plies to form the base skin; placing and shaping at least one reinforcing ply on a set of punches; forming half-nails; placing a half-nail on the sides of each punch covered by the reinforcing ply; positioning the punches side by side in inverted U-positions; placing the nail-heads; compacting the set of punches; turning the punches 180 degrees; positioning the set of punches on the base skin; and withdrawing the set of U-shaped punches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventors: Georges Navas, Jean-Paul Petetin, Michle Fontayne, Pierre Lafon, Guy Hellard
  • Patent number: 7244322
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a fire combustion modified batt. The method comprises the step of forming a blend of nonwoven and oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers into a web. The oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers are fire resistant and when blended with nonwoven fibers are relatively easily processed into a batt. A second blend of nonwoven fibers can be formed into a web and layered with the oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber web to form the batt. The fibers are bonded together with heat, resin or other bonding material and are compressed and cooled. The fire combustion modified batt is useful as fire barriers and fillers in bedding, upholstery and vehicle and aircraft seats, as insulators for apparel, appliances, walls and ducting, as barriers to separate control systems from a heat source, and as components in fire safety gear such as race driver suits and oven and welding mitts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Steven Ogle, Karl Van Becelaere
  • Patent number: 7241354
    Abstract: A belt for conveying elements in provided wherein the belt comprises a compressible layer attached to the top surface of the belt. Preferably the compressible layer is resiliently deformable to cushion the impact of items on the belt or to provide a gripping surface. The belt preferably is a link belt and the top surface of the belt comprises a bonding layer for adhering the compressible element to the belt. The bonding layer may be a thermoplastic urethane that is heat fusible with the compressible layer to adhere the compressible layer to the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Fenner U.S., Inc.
    Inventors: Frank B. Fatato, Brian Roberts