Patents Examined by Stephanie Newton
  • Patent number: 7865995
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a gas tube includes an actuator and a plunger head attached to the actuator. The actuator is configured to reciprocate the plunger head along a longitudinal axis of the gas tube between a retracted position and an extended position and to rotate the plunger head from a first angular position to a second angular position. A method of cleaning a gas tube includes positioning a plunger head including a plurality of longitudinally extending tines in the gas tube, rotating the plunger head relative to a longitudinal axis of the gas tube, and scraping deposits from an interior surface of the gas tube using longitudinally extending edges of the tines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene J. Mayer
  • Patent number: 7865994
    Abstract: A vibrating hair brush for enhanced detangling of hair, comprising a head portion including a motor assembly for operating a vibrating actuator and a plurality of bristles depending from a bristle pad of the head portion, wherein the actuator is disposed for generating a vibrating movement of the bristles in a curvilinear direction generally within a plane parallel to the bristle pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Silver Taggart, Jeffrey M Kalman, John Richard Nottingham, John Wilford Spirk, Jay Tapper, Rachel Marie Nottingham, Carolyn Marie McNeeley, Richard Skinner, Brian Douglas Wall, Stephen Lee Wire
  • Patent number: 7861351
    Abstract: An electric cleaning sweeper comprises a housing, including a detachable dirt tray placed inside the housing; and at least one openable wall located on the dirt tray wherein the openable wall is responsive to movement of a device located on the handle which can pick up the dirt tray and remove it off the housing to discharge the dust and debris while direct contact of the dirt tray by a human hand is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Kwonnie Electrical Products Limited
    Inventor: Ka Nam Ho
  • Patent number: 7861354
    Abstract: A multipurpose gardening tool that comprises a broom assembly, a housing assembly for disposable bags, a spike assembly, a rake assembly, and a dustpan assembly. The multipurpose gardening tool can be readily assembled and disassembled into different configurations or can be combined to form one single tool. The multipurpose gardening tool can be utilized in commercial or residential settings for gardening and landscaping, whereby each can detach from each other to utilize each of the above defined in a manner that corresponds with the work to be accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Johnny Ray Williams
  • Patent number: 7861798
    Abstract: A hammer device in the form of a needle gun. The gun includes a cylinder housing containing a cylinder, in which a flying piston is displaced and an anvil, against which the piston strikes. A needle carrier is located on the anvil, and the needles of the gun are held in the carrier so that the needles can be longitudinally displaced. To reduce the wear on the needle carrier and to preserve the needle heads of the needles, the needle carrier is configured from several layers, at least in the vicinity of the guide plate. The layers are of alternating hard and soft material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Von ARX AG
    Inventor: René Amherd
  • Patent number: 7856690
    Abstract: The present invention provides a brushing assembly and a method of cleaning a surface. In one embodiment, the brushing assembly comprises a lint roller comprising a handle and a roll of adhesive tape supported by a barrel, wherein the adhesive tape has an exposed tacky surface. The brushing assembly further comprises a caddy cover comprising an opening for placement over the barrel and roll of adhesive tape of the lint roller and at least one working surfaces. In one embodiment, the method of cleaning a surface comprises providing a lint roller, providing a caddy cover having at least one working surfaces, placing the caddy cover over the lint roller, brushing the surface to be cleaned with at least one of the working surfaces of the caddy cover to gather debris, removing the caddy cover from the lint roller, and rolling the lint roller over the surface to be cleaned to capture the debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Scott J. Tuman, Eric B. Laughlin, Aaron J. Cherveny, Byron E. Trotter, Lloyd S. Vasilakes
  • Patent number: 7841034
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle drawn device for cleaning a fence line. The fence cleaner includes a movable main frame with an attached rotating vertical tube broom which tube broom bristles come into contact with the fence line to remove dead and dried out vegetation which has become affixed to the fence line. The tube broom is capable of being tilted for better access to a fence line. Once the vegetation is removed from the fence line by the tube broom, the tube broom rotates the dead and dried out vegetation to a rotating clean off assembly. The clean off assembly extends parallel to the tube broom and contains a plurality of protruding teeth. The protruding teeth remove the dead and dried out vegetation from the rotating tube broom and force the vegetation into a chopper drum. A rotating horizontal feed accelerator continuously pushes the vegetation into the drum to avoid a buildup of vegetation. Upon entering the drum, a plurality of chopping blades cut the dead and dried out vegetation into small sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Inventor: Mark Stelter
  • Patent number: 7836540
    Abstract: Applicant discloses a broom that comprises at least one particle capture sheet. In various embodiments, the particle capture sheet can comprise a nonwoven material, a woven material, a knitted material, or a synthetic polymeric membrane. The particle capture sheet can be air permeable or air impermeable, and can comprise an electret material and/or an adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Lloyd S. Vasilakes, Scott J. Tuman, Gretchen A. Hauble
  • Patent number: 7827651
    Abstract: A quick-release paint roller having a roller cover that can be removed from a handle assembly without requiring the user to apply a force directly to the roller cover. The paint roller includes a tube-shaped roller cover having an outer surface of paint absorbing material and a rotatably mounted roller core. When the actuator is in the release position, the roller mounting device is free of the latching mechanism, thus permitting the roller core and roller cover to be removed from the handle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Zibra, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Simon Graham, Michael James Marchese, III, Michael Patrick Duffy, Edward Reynolds
  • Patent number: 7814601
    Abstract: A vibrating hair brush provides enhanced detangling of user's hair. The brush has a bristle pad comprising a plurality of bristles disposed in a brush head. The bristle pad is supported within the brush head by a vibrating motor and isolator assembly disposed for directing a vibratory movement of the motor to a bristle pad movement in a plane generally parallel to a user's scalp. The motor and isolator assembly effectively translate a circular vibratory movement of the offset weight into an elliptical movement of the bristle pad while insulating the vibration caused by the movement of the weight from a handle of the brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Silver Taggart, Jeffrey M. Kalman, John R. Nottingham, John W. Spirk, Jr., Jay Tapper, Rachel Marie Nottingham, Carolyn M. McNeeley, Richard Skinner, Brian Douglas Wall, Stephen Lee Wire
  • Patent number: 7814602
    Abstract: A hairbrush and method of brushing are provided in which tangled hair may be brushed out at a better rate and with less pain. The hairbrush includes bristles that are mounted on revolving track portions so that when the bristles encounter a tangle or a resistance in the hair, the bristles are free to rotate. The hairbrush further includes a thumb button to adjust the resistance of the revolving track portion from a freely rotating position to a fixed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Stydahar & Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: George Stydahar
  • Patent number: 7814605
    Abstract: A floor washing system includes a foot covering that with a sole, a heal end and a toe end. A panel has a bottom side, a top side and a peripheral edge. The panel includes a peripheral lip that is coextensive with the peripheral edge. The panel has a front edge, a back edge and a pair of lateral edges. The panel has a break therein extending through the lateral edges to define a first portion and a second portion of the panel. A coupler extends between and secures together the first and second portions at a selected length from each other. A plurality of cleaning assemblies is removably attached to the bottom side of the panel. The foot covering is positioned on a foot, the sole placed on the top side of the panel and the cleaning assemblies used to clean a floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventor: Austin L. Tippel
  • Patent number: 7814609
    Abstract: A scraping apparatus includes an elongated tubular shaft with open proximal and distal ends in fluid communication with each other along an entire longitudinal length of the tubular shaft. The apparatus further includes a funnel, a scraping implement positioned above the funnel, a mechanism for securely maintaining the scraping implement at an elevated position above the top opening of the funnel, and a top protrusion monolithically formed with the apex and situated substantially parallel to the top opening of the funnel and juxtaposed proximal thereto. Such a top protrusion has a planar top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventor: Christopher Shumway
  • Patent number: 7805798
    Abstract: A car wash brush comprises an axial core structure and a plurality of foam plastic media sheets attached to the core structure in angularly spaced relationship to one another. The media sheets are preferably made of closed cell, low absorbtivity foam plastic material between about ? and ½ inch thick and thermoformed into a pleated configuration with a surface pattern of raised and recessed geometric figures. The media sheets are split at least partially into individual pliant fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Belanger, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Belanger
  • Patent number: 7805794
    Abstract: A vibrating hair brush provides enhanced detangling of user's hair. The brush has a bristle pad comprising a plurality of bristles disposed in a brush head. The bristle pad is supported within the brush head by a vibrating motor and isolator assembly disposed for directing a vibratory movement of the motor to a bristle pad movement in a plane generally parallel to a user's scalp. The motor and isolator assembly effectively translate a circular vibratory movement of the offset weight into an elliptical movement of the bristle pad while insulating the vibration caused by the movement of the weight from a handle of the brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Conopco Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Silver Taggart, Jeffrey M Kalman, John Richard Nottingham, John Wilford Spirk, Jay Tapper, Rachel Marie Nottingham, Carolyn Marie McNeeley, Richard Skinner, Brian Douglas Wall, Stephen Lee Wire
  • Patent number: 7793379
    Abstract: An inter-dental brush device has a handle with a cartridge removably housed therein. The cartridge has a plurality of chambers each appointed for housing at least one replaceable inter-dental brush. The cartridge is appointed to be rotated to align and select one of the chambers for feed out of the selected inter-dental brush. A base portion is removably attached to the handle, which includes rotation engagement means adapted to interact with the cartridge for rotational engagement, alignment and selection of the chamber and visa vie the inter-dental brush housed therein. An oral portion is removably attached to the other end of the handle, and includes an aperture for feeding out the selected inter-dental brush. A delivery means in association with the handle and the oral portion is provided and is adapted to feed out the selected inter-dental brush. Used, worn out brush is removed or cut off by an optional slidable cutter provided on the brush device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Inventor: Roger E. Weiss
  • Patent number: 7784135
    Abstract: A tool assembly provides for brushing circumferential welds in a restrictive access area between a cylindrical inner member and a cylindrical outer member such as the shroud and vessel in a nuclear reactor. The tool assembly includes a circumferential plate sized larger than an outside diameter of the inner member and smaller than an inside diameter of the outer member. At least one renew brush is coupled with the circumferential plate, and a motor is coupled with the renew brush that rotates the renew brush. A driving assembly mounted between the inner member and the outer member engages the circumferential plate and circumferentially drives the circumferential plate in the restrictive access area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Frank Ortega
  • Patent number: 7779503
    Abstract: A quick-release paint roller having a roller cover that can be removed from a frame without requiring the user to apply a force directly to the roller cover. The frame includes a pair of arms having base portions received in a hand grip. The arms diverge outwardly to form a Y-shaped frame, wherein distal ends of the arms have mounting cones configured to receive opposing ends of the tube-shaped roller cover in a rotatable manner with respect to the frame. The paint roller has a roller capture mechanism that pivots the arms between a roller-capture position in which the roller cover is captured between the arms and a roller-release position in which the roller cover is decoupled from the arms. A roller-release button is configured to actuate the capture mechanism to pivot the arms between their roller-capture positions and their roller-release positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Zibra, LLC
    Inventors: James C. Dale, Michael M. Sherman, Scott A. Pyle
  • Patent number: 7774890
    Abstract: A sink drain insert for use with a sink equipped with a powered garbage disposal unit. The insert comprises a cylindrical base having debris dislodging means which may be one of brushes, a scraper or some combination thereof, wherein food debris that are adhered to utensils may be scrubbed or scraped to dislodged the debris, allowing the debris to fall into the garbage disposal. The outer wall of the sink drain insert further comprises a circular sealing member for affixing and restraining the insert into the sink drain at the user's discretion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventor: Walter Weiss, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7765633
    Abstract: A broom (10) having a stick (20) insertable on a top side (11?) of a shaped batten (11) from the bottom side (11?) of which there extend bristles (12) adapted for sweeping surfaces. The broom (10) is provided with a casing (30) made in the shape of a shell, shaped so that in a first lowered position, it covers the bristles by at least a portion of the length thereof, and in a second raised position, it allows the use of the broom for sweeping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: ESSEPLAST S.p.A
    Inventor: Michele Zen