Patents Examined by Shantese L. McDonald
  • Patent number: 7334509
    Abstract: A method for assembling a torque-limiting driver, and the resulting drive. The method comprises the steps of providing a handle having a housing, drive assembly, and a testing assembly. The drive assembly is assembled, inserted into the testing assembly and calibrated. The drive assembly is then removed and inserted into the housing of the handle and secured to the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Bradshaw Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Hua Gao
  • Patent number: 7313983
    Abstract: A compact, ergonomic, pocket-sized bottle opener having a thin, generally flat body. The bottom edge of the body includes a jaw opening and at least one area for receiving a lifting finger. A plug of resiliently yielding material is mounted in the finger-receiving area to cushion the lifting finger. A hook at the forward end of the jaw opening forms a fulcrum point for engaging the top of the bottle cap. The hook also serves to lift pull-tabs on cans. An opening at the rear of the body holds a key ring. The key ring can be slipped into the opening during assembly by flexing the leg so as to open a slot that separates the distal end of the leg from the body. The cushioning plug mounts over both the distal end of the leg and the lower edge of the body so as to hold the leg in place after the ring has been installed. The two sides of the body form broad, generally flat display surfaces for application of logos, advertising, or other information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Inventor: Steven C. Book
  • Patent number: 7275464
    Abstract: The wrench comprises a handle that is pivotably connected to a body portion. The body portion supports a fixed jaw. A movable jaw is slidably supported on the body portion such that the movable jaw can move relative to the fixed jaw to vary the spacing between the jaws. When the handle is rotated in a first direction the spacing between the jaws increases to allow the jaws to slip over a work piece and provide a ratchet function. When the handle is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction the movable jaw is moved towards the fixed jaw to close on and grip the workpiece. In one embodiment a link moves the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw and forms part of an dead/over-center locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Irwin Industrial Tool Company
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chervenak, Brett Lucus, Douglas J. Baxendell, James Michael Burry
  • Patent number: 7261135
    Abstract: A method of fitting a tire P and a removable tread support S on a one-piece wheel rim J, rim comprising a first rim seat, inclined outwards, and the tire P comprises a first bead and a second bead to be mounted respectively on the first and second rim seats, in which, before completion of fitting the support S on a rim bearing surface of the rim, the first bead is gripped at a given point and is moved radially outwards to radially separate this point on the first bead from the support S. The fitting of the support S on the rim bearing surface continues and the bead is released after completion of the fitting of the support S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Richard Abinal
  • Patent number: 7243388
    Abstract: A wrench includes a core plate made of metal and an outer portion such as rubber encloses the core plate. A driving member and a ratchet mechanism are received in the through holes in the core plate and the outer portion. A hammer piece is connected to a side of the outer portion and a chamber for receiving a bit connector and a plurality of notches for receiving bits are defined in an outer periphery of the outer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Inventor: Yi-Ting Lin
  • Patent number: 7235005
    Abstract: A sander comprised of a high voltage direct current motor for providing rotational torque to the sander is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a motor housing generally encompasses the motor for enclosure of the motor. The motor housing being generally contoured to be received by a human hand and sized to a generally sized human hand. Further, a sanding assembly is operationally coupled to the motor housing for providing an abrasive surface to be used to sand a desired surface. The use of a voltage direct current motor allows the belt sander to be generally the size of a human hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Schnell, Daniel Paxton Wall
  • Patent number: 7189147
    Abstract: This apparatus includes a unit for adhering an elastic seal to a lens holder, a unit for causing the lens holder, to which the elastic seal is adhered, to hold a lens, a pivotal arm, an arm driving unit for pivoting the pivotal arm, a clamp unit attached to the pivotal arm to be vertically movable to hold the lens holder, and a clamp driving unit for vertically moving the clamp unit. The pivotal arm is pivoted to sequentially adhere the elastic seal to the lens holder and hold the lens by the lens holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Igarashi, Shinichi Yokoyama, Michio Arai, Masahiko Samukawa, Shuichi Sato
  • Patent number: 7189139
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus can detect completion of initialization of a polishing pad quantitatively. The polishing apparatus has a polishing table having a polishing pad attached thereto and a substrate holder configured to bring a surface of a substrate into contact with the polishing pad and press the substrate against the polishing pad. The polishing apparatus also has a drive mechanism operable to drive at least one of the polishing table and the substrate holder so as to provide a relative movement between the polishing pad and the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a current sensor operable to detect a drive current supplied to the driving mechanism. The polishing apparatus also includes a polishing pad condition detector operable to detect a condition of the polishing pad based on the drive current detected by the current sensor when the dummy substrate is polished by a relative movement between the polishing pad and a dummy substrate held by the substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 7179155
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for grinding a liquid crystal display panel improving the efficiency of using equipment by independently operating first and second grinding units for grinding the unit liquid crystal display panel. The present invention includes a first grinding unit grinding edges of short or long sides of the unit liquid crystal display panel in a normal mode and a second grinding unit grinding the edges of the short or long sides of the unit liquid crystal display panel that are not ground by the first grinding unit in the normal mode or grinding the edges of the long and short sides of the unit liquid crystal display panel in an emergency mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Sun Shin, Jong-Go Lim
  • Patent number: 7163041
    Abstract: A tool is provided for assistance in removing and installing tires on wheel rims. The tool can be provided with a handle having a tool head disposed at each end. Each tool head is designed to fit between a tire bead and an associated wheel rim so that when the handle is levered, a force is applied to the bead and rim that moves the bead over the rim. Each tool head has a substantially flat portion which can be easily fit between opposing tire and wheel rim surfaces. One tool head has a slightly hooked distal tip to enable axial engagement with a flange of the wheel rim, and thus can be used either for installing a tire on a rim or for removing a tire from the rim. Another tool head has a protrusion disposed near the tool midpoint to engage a flange of the wheel rim. The protrusion can be a roller member having a pin axis perpendicular to an axis of the tool handle. This roller can be fabricated from a soft polymer or rubber material so that the tool will not damage soft-metal wheel rims such as aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Inventor: Loi Van Tran
  • Patent number: 7146888
    Abstract: An adjustable pliers having first and second elongated members, each elongated member comprising a handle, a jaw, and a intermediate portion between the jaw and the handle. The intermediate portion of one of the elongated members includes an elongated slot, while the intermediate portion of the other elongated member includes a pivot pin that is slidingly captured in the elongated slot. A spring is captured in the elongated slot and engages the pivot pin so as to bias the jaw of one of the elongated members toward the jaw of the other elongated member. One of the handle members also includes a stop pin in its intermediate portion that abuts the intermediate portion of the other elongated member to limit the degree to which the elongated members can pivot with respect to each other about the pivot pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Adjustable Clamp Company
    Inventor: Charles Martinka
  • Patent number: 7147549
    Abstract: The present invention describes a plate comprising a mono-block body through which a plurality of holes pass, and a deflector that covers at least the external part of the upper surface of said mono-block body. The mono-block body is made up of a rigid support sunk into a flexible body and provided with a holed peripheral part. Said deflector partially or completely covers said peripheral part of the rigid support and presents in the second case a plurality of slits for the passage of the dust sucked through said holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Inventor: Guido Valentini
  • Patent number: 7146886
    Abstract: A wrench includes a handle and a set of driving members to be selected to be coupled to the handle. Each of the driving members has a connecting portion complementary to the connecting portion of the handle. A coupling device is disposed at the connecting portion of the handle to detachably coupling the connecting portion of the driving member and the connecting portion of the handle. The coupling device forms a rotation axis of the driving member, such that the driving member can rotate. As a result, the driving members can be replaced quickly to the handle to meet the specific work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Proxene Tools Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Arthur Wu
  • Patent number: 7131354
    Abstract: A spanner includes an upper jaw, a handle, a lower jaw, and a resilient member. The upper jaw includes an upper jaw portion, and a pivot portion, and has a front pivot hole and a rear pivot hole both of which extend through the pivot portion. The handle has a connection end extending into the pivot portion and pivoted to the upper jaw at the rear pivot hole. The lower jaw has a lower jaw portion, a tail portion, and an insert part projecting into the pivot portion of the upper jaw. The insert part is pivoted to the upper jaw at the front pivot hole. The resilient member is disposed between the tail portion and the connection end to bias the tail portion away from the connection end so that the lower jaw portion is biased toward the upper jaw portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventor: Chiu-Ta Huang
  • Patent number: 7124665
    Abstract: A screw positioning device for a screwdriver comprises a connecting rod assembly, a screw positioning sleeve and a magnetic member. The screw positioning sleeve is axially defined with a slide hole for insertion of an end of the connecting rod assembly, the magnetic member is installed on inner peripheral surface of a front end of the screw positioning sleeve, the screw positioning sleeve is axially positioned at the end of the connecting rod assembly, and the positioning sleeve can move back and forth a predetermined distance with respective to the connecting rod assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Inventor: Hsiu-E Chen
  • Patent number: 7121922
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for machining a workpiece surface, wherein an area to be machined of the workpiece surface is machined under the influence of a polishing operation and wherein, during the machining, the displacement of the area to be machined relative to a reference area rigidly coupled to the workpiece surface is monitored by means of interferometry. The invention further relates to a machining apparatus, comprising a polishing tool and a measuring tool, while the measuring tool comprises an interferometer. Preferably, the polishing tool comprises a fluid jet polishing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
    Inventor: Hedser van Brug
  • Patent number: 7114228
    Abstract: A spring compressor comprising an actuator with a body and a rod that are telescopically movable relative to each other and two jaws each comprising an attachment portion (2) for attachment to the actuator and a working portion (3) for engaging a turn of a helical spring (8, 9), the working portion (3) of each jaw comprising a first part (4) and a second part (12), one of the parts being connected to the attachment portion (2) and defining a track segment (5) for bearing against a portion of a spring turn, and the other part forming an arm (12) hinged to the attachment portion (2) or to the first part (4) in the vicinity of one end (5c) of the track segment (5) about an axis (11) that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the track segment (5), and forming at its free end a zone for taking charge of a turn of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Mecanique Energetique
    Inventor: Patrick Lambert
  • Patent number: 7111533
    Abstract: A multiple bit screwdriver comprising a plurality of tool bits, an elongate member defining an axial passage adapted to receive said bits therein positioned tip to end so that the foremost bit operably extends from the passage and is rotatable with the elongate member, first and second retainers connected to the elongate member near each end of the passage and extending radially inward into the passage to engage frictionally the foremost and last bits to prevent said bits from falling out of either end, and a motion restricting member within the passage having an expandable engagement portion that cooperates with at least one tool bit to permit the movement of bits within the passage in one direction only. The engagement portion is expandable in response a tool bit being pushed therethrough in one direction, but resists expanding when a tool bit is being pushed in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Inventor: Yaar Ran
  • Patent number: 7108035
    Abstract: A bead breaker device (1) having an arm (2) able to slide horizontally along a sliding axis (X—X), in a pipe (3) supported so that it can slide vertically on a post (4) projecting cantilevered from a base; an orientable bead breaker tool (10) associated with an end of said arm (2) and suitable for breaking the bead of a tire of a wheel removably fixed onto rotary support and locking apparatus of the rim; an actuating device (14, 15, 17) suitable for orienting said tool (10) between a first thrusting configuration and a second penetration configuration, said actuating device (14, 15, 17) including a thrusting body (14) and an elastic element (17) cooperating with said tool (10), said thrusting body (14) being able to be actuated between a first extension position against the action of said elastic element (17) and a second release position in which the force exerted by said elastic element (17) prevails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Corghi S.p.A.
    Inventor: Remo Corghi
  • Patent number: 7108579
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing method for polishing a workpiece by pressing the workpiece, to be polished, against a fixed abrasive and bringing the workpiece into sliding contact with the fixed abrasive. The polishing method includes a first step of polishing the workpiece while supplying a polishing liquid which contains an anionic surface-active agent and does not contain abrasive particles, and a second step of polishing the workpiece while supplying a polishing liquid which contains a cationic surface-active agent and does not contain abrasive particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Wada, Tomohiko Akatsuka, Tatsuya Sasaki