Patents Examined by Steve Varner
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Patent number: 6421963Abstract: A toy igloo device is disclosed for resting on the ground. The device includes a dome shaped housing which defines an enclosure and an entrance. The housing includes a plurality of selectively interlocking sections with each section of the plurality of sections having an edge which rests on the ground. A first section of the plurality of sections defines a first opening and a second section of the plurality of sections is disposed adjacent to the first section. The second section defines a second opening so that the first and the second openings cooperate with each other to define the entrance. Each of the sections has an external surface which defines at least two pockets for the reception therein of snow. The arrangement is such that when the sections are interlocked, with the edges of the sections resting on the ground, snow is received and gathered within the pockets such that the toy igloo takes on an appearance of an Eskimo dwelling.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2001Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Inventor: Anthony M Pratola
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Patent number: 6415554Abstract: A frame assembly for supporting a paint booth that includes a paint application chamber and a reclamation tank. A plurality of frame posts is spaced apart and affixed to a base floor. Opposing support members, each having a shell, are arranged end to end in a parallel column. Each of the shells is affixed to the upper end of at least two of the frame posts. The support member includes a horizontal structural element affixed longitudinally inside the shell, and at least one vertical support element affixed to the horizontal structural element inside the shell. Each of the shells forms a section of the reclamation tank and provides support to a section of the paint application chamber allowing the paint booth to be installed independently of a building that houses the paint booth.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2000Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Durr Industries, Inc.Inventors: Walter Stevenson, David John Cole
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Patent number: 6412505Abstract: An umbrella dispensing system is used in hotels to make umbrellas accessible to guests. The system combines a dispensing device and at least one umbrella that has a handle formed to receive a breakable seal. The dispensing device is mounted on a closet bar or on an optional wall-mounting adapter. The dispensing device and the umbrella handle have respective holes that are aligned when the umbrella is mounted in the dispensing device. The seal is preferably constructed from polypropylene or another suitable material, and is threaded through both holes to lock the umbrella in place. When the umbrella is removed, the seal is broken, indicating to staff that the umbrella has been used whereby a discretionary charge can be placed on the guest's room bill. The integrated components permit a hotel to make umbrellas accessible to guests in each guestroom and to determine when the umbrella is taken or used so that a guest can be charged for the use of the umbrella.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2000Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Inventor: Joshua D. Kaiser
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Patent number: 6397530Abstract: A sliding service window assembly may be provided with a weight that automatically closes a window. The weight may be attached through a wire to a bracket on the top of the window so that whenever the window is released, it automatically closes. Through the use of a weight, the window closes regardless of the misorientation of the window within a building. There is no need for adjustments between the window and the frame since the inclination of the assembly is not important. In addition, because the window moves in a horizontal direction parallel to the frame, there is no misalignment between the window and the frame in the closed position which could result in air exchange.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2000Date of Patent: June 4, 2002Assignee: Quikserv CorporationInventors: Dan L. Terry, Brian K. Coble
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Patent number: 6397553Abstract: An interior shock absorbing structure for a vehicle includes a shock absorbing member. A roof brace (lateral reinforcing beam) is attached to the inner surface of a roof panel facing a passenger room. The shock absorbing member is attached to the roof brace so as to cover the roof brace at positions nearer to the roof panel with respect to a lower wall member of the roof brace. The shock absorbing member has an inner wall spaced a predetermined long distance a corresponding to a shock absorbing stroke, apart from the lower wall member of the roof brace. The shock absorbing member is able to collapse through a sufficiently long shock absorbing stroke when shocks are exerted thereon.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2000Date of Patent: June 4, 2002Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tooru Horikawa, Mitugu Hashimoto, Hikaru Sunohara
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Patent number: 6393770Abstract: A screen applied to overlay a guttering (14) on an outside edge of a roof of a building to prevent the entry of unwanted materials such as leaves into the guttering. The screen has a panel (15) of mesh affixed along one of its edges to the roof and along the opposite edge to the top outside edge of the guttering (14). The mesh is formed of moulded plastics material and comprises a top face (38) and a bottom face (40), a first array of longitudinal strands aligned in the direction of the edge of the panel, and a second array of lateral strands, integrally moulded with and aligned at right angles to the first array. The arrays define mesh apertures therebetween extending from said top face to said bottom face. The thickness of the longitudinal strands extends for substantially the full thickness of the mesh while the thickness of the lateral strands extends along their full length, from said top face to less than 80% of the thickness of the mesh.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2000Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: LBI Holdings PTY Ltd.Inventor: Paul Anthony Groom
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Patent number: 6385918Abstract: An energy absorbing bearing with a primary application in the seismic isolation of structure from the ground or parts of other structures. It may also be used to dampen other forces on structures on which it is installed. The bearing consists of end plates separated by a laminate of resilient and stiffening layers. There is a plastically deformable insert within the laminate. The laminate interfaces with the end plates in each bearing and is secured near the central axis from end plate to end plate, but not near the peripheries. The advantage provided is allowing a wider range of forces to be absorbed than with known bearings of this type.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2000Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: Robinson Seismic LimitedInventor: William Henry Robinson
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Patent number: 6385938Abstract: A pair of curved arms attached to a body form an annular seat for holding a first diameter rebar, a slot through the outer diameter of the body forms a radially inward pathway to the seat for rebar, the apex of a convex bar attached to the body is yieldable radially outward to pressure of a second, larger diameter rebar in the seat and is not significantly moved by the first diameter rebar when the smaller diameter first diameter rebar is in the seat. The seat springally grips either diameter rebar.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2000Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Inventor: Norman W. Gavin
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Patent number: 6378257Abstract: A component made of natural or synthetic stone for cladding protruding parts in the building field, for example the front part of the steps of a staircase, comprising a tile which has, at its front edge, a first strip and a second strip which are respectively arranged at right angles and parallel to the tile, are mutually rigidly coupled and form a sort of a reversed L-shaped profiled element, the exposed surface of the profiled element being faced and fixing materials being interposed in the interspace between the strips and the front edge portion of the tile.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2000Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Sistema S.R.L.Inventor: Giancarlo Guerri
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Patent number: 6374570Abstract: A preformed component or “preform” for a structural member has a planar base with two longitudinal legs extending in parallel from the base. A channel is defined between the legs for insertion of a flat panel that forms the web of the structural member. The preform is a composite material having continuous filaments of woven or braided fiber. The preform is impregnated with a thermoset resin that bonds the web to the flange of the structural member. The preform provides excellent structural support even if the web and the flange are formed from dissimilar materials such as metallic and composite. The resin is structurally reinforced with oriented fibers in such a manner as to provide coupling strength between the joined members.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2000Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventor: Elbert Lee McKague, Jr.
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Patent number: 6370834Abstract: The intrusion of insects into a home or similar building is controlled by utilizing insect controlling plastic materials in the construction of the building. The insect controlling plastic building materials are manufactured by first blending one or more plastic resins with one or more insect controlling chemical agents to form a blended plastic resin/insect controlling chemical agent material. The blended plastic resin/insect controlling chemical agent material is then utilized to manufacture plastic films, sheets, non-woven fabrics, woven fabrics, insulating foams, flooring materials, wall covering materials, and the like utilizing conventional manufacturing techniques.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Super Sack Mfg. Corp.Inventors: Craig A. Nickell, Cynthia B. Finley, Norwin C. Derby
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Patent number: 6367213Abstract: A wall spine assembly for a modular office system comprises a plurality of individual panel assemblies. Each of the panel assemblies includes a vertical support structure and mechanically affixed lower panels in a rigid box-beam structure. Facing panels are removably attached to support brackets mounted on the vertical supports. A cavity exists between the facing panels and vertical supports to permit the lay-in of cabling through the office system. A crown member is provided on the top of the vertical support and is adapted to receive brackets for the mounting of accessories above a desk or other work surface attached to the panel. The panels, and especially the crown, permit the mounting of office components such as shelves, storage cabinets, lighting fixtures and the like anywhere along the horizontal length of the wall. A horizontally telescoping vertical end post is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2000Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Knoll, Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Reuter, Charles P. Rozier, Jr., Wallace C. Bullwinkle
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Patent number: 6360490Abstract: The containment system of this invention is an enclosure that includes an air supported canopy having walls and flooring to enclose a portion or an entire structure. The canopy is generally a flexible, puncture, air impermeable, and cut resistant canopy supported by air beams and customized air bladders. Side and end flaps or tarps hang downward from the canopy and may be held outward from the structure by air bags. The air bladders are used to support the enclosure above the structure and to hold side flaps out and away from the structure. Lower air bladders can be used along lower edges if needed. A system of wire cables enclosed in smooth, lightweight casings, or equivalent, attached and secured to the air bladders provides for movement of the enclosure along the structure. The entire enclosure can be moved without disassembly and reassembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2001Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Inventor: Richard J Cotriss
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Patent number: 6360509Abstract: A truss for supporting a roof of a building and the like includes a bottom chord member having a first end and a second end, and a top chord member fixedly attached to the bottom chord member and having arcuately curved upper surface. The upper surface is flanked by a pair of spaced leg members, which are corrugated to provide the upper surface with a generally smooth arcuate shape. In one aspect of the present invention this upper surface and depending leg members essentially comprise the top chord, while in another aspect of the invention, the upper surface and corrugated legs comprise an upper truss cap which sits over a conventional segmented chord. In addition, the same techniques can also be employed to provide a bottom chord with an arcuately curved lower surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2000Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Inventor: Scott E. Sluiter
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Patent number: 6357186Abstract: A hollow window frame structure is provided with a one way valve to permit flow from the exterior of the building to the interior of the building through the hollow frame when the air pressure is higher outside than in the interior of the building and impair flow from the interior of the building to the exterior of the building when the air pressure in the interior of the building is higher than the exterior pressure.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2000Date of Patent: March 19, 2002Assignee: Marzen Artistic Aluminum Ltd.Inventor: Charles H. Gould
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Patent number: 6354043Abstract: A privacy screen is configured for use with systems furniture and the like, such as post and beam arrangements that spatially partition an open office space into multiple workstations each having an interior with an opening into an adjacent space. The privacy screen is shaped to enclose a substantial portion of the opening of an associated workstation, and includes a generally flat lower portion, and a bowed upper portion that extends outwardly from the interior of the workstation to provide within the interior of the workstation a sense of spatial openness, as well as enhanced air and light influx, without detracting substantially from useable space on the opposite side of the privacy screen. The privacy screen may be constructed from a woven fabric with a single layer at the upper portion for greater visual porosity, and two layers at the lower portion for visual privacy.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1999Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: David E. Simon, Chris L. Domina
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Patent number: 6354052Abstract: A method of forming a composite profile including a hollow body with approximately parallel opposite walls and a covering sheet fixed against a first one of the walls includes heating a portion of the composite profile to form a temperature gradient. A hot forming projection is then pressed against a second one of the walls so as to bring the first wall into contact with the second wall at a formed region. At least one section of the profile is then pivoted about the formed region so as to produce a folding line.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 1999Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: SEVAInventor: André Guinet
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Patent number: 6354045Abstract: A system for roofing a substructure has a plurality of roof panels, a plurality of support members and a plurality of cap members. The roof panels each have a horizontal channel section bounded on a pair of opposing side edges by side flanges, with an upper end of each side flange bent to provide a groove opening outwardly laterally from the panel. The support members each have a pair of oppositely extending base flanges and a pair of oppositely extending top flanges, the base flanges and top flanges being positioned along a vertical web member. The top flanges are adapted to be received in the groove of one of a pair of adjacent roof panels and one of the base flanges of each support member is adapted to fasten the support member to the substructure. The cap members have side walls to retain the top flanges in the grooves without fastening the roof panel to the support member, thereby allowing some relative movement upon deflection of the roof panel.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2000Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Inventors: Mark Boone, Frank Resso, George Jones, Joseph Orlando, Bruce Boss
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Patent number: 6347497Abstract: Although hitherto known machine frameworks of O-form are sufficiently stable, they can only be installed subsequently in an assembly station if a conveying belt is disengaged, a belt section is removed, a framework is assembled with the removed belt section, and the two are reintroduced together into the assembly station. Although the machine framework of C-form construction can subsequently be pushed onto the transporting system formed of the conveying belts, it is necessary, for stability reasons, for them to be made of considerably thicker material than the O-frameworks. The intention is therefore to specify a process, for constructing an assembly installation, for which a machine framework of O-form is sufficient and which nevertheless contains the subsequent-fitting advantages exhibited by the C-form. For this purpose, transverse struts of the machine framework are removed. They are fastened on the underside of a conveying-belt section.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1998Date of Patent: February 19, 2002Assignee: ABB Patent GmbHInventor: Gerhard Simonis
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Patent number: 6343446Abstract: There is disclosed a sign post anchor system that provides omni-directional stabilization of a sign post. The inventive anchor system includes a tubular anchor sleeve having a square cross-section for receiving at one end the sign post and at the other end the tubular post anchor. The anchor sleeve includes a plurality of spaced apart holes located along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve for permitting selective mounting of the sign post. The anchor sleeve further includes a plurality of fins secured to the corners of the anchor sleeve and extending outward from the sleeve. The plurality of fins provide stabilization of the anchor sleeve and accompanying sign post.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2000Date of Patent: February 5, 2002Assignee: Unistrut International CorporationInventor: Ty Beard