Patents Examined by Tuyet-Phuong Pham
  • Patent number: 5655241
    Abstract: A mattress cover assembly for use with a zoned posturized mattress includes a cover with a stretchable top panel and a topper pad, lying generally loosely on the cover top panel. The mattress cover and topper pad are constructed so as to permit the direct application of and distribution of pressure from atop the mattress through the covering topper pad and cover and into the resilient mattress core without significant distortion of that pressure or weight and particularly without distortion which is not only caused by hammocking of the cover fabric or covering pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Larry Higgins, Earl W. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 5652983
    Abstract: The Sit/Sleep Constructed Pillow provides multiple uses in functioning as a sitting pillow that transforms into a sleeping pillow while providing an envelope that forms a self contained enclosure for compression and stowage. The Sit/Sleep Constructed Pillow is fabricated from one length of material that encloses the pillow loft and forms an envelope that is used along with fasteners to reduce the perimeter dimensions of the pillow for sitting purposes that in turn transforms into a larger dimensioned sleep pillow with a separate fabric head rest and cover while providing an enclosure for compression and stowage of the pillow, an enclosure that can also be used for stowage when not used for pillow compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Inventor: John A. Kraemer
  • Patent number: 5653563
    Abstract: A construction anchor for mounting an object on a structure of masonry, concrete, wood, metal or the like includes an anchoring portion and a cap. The anchor is adapted to be inserted, anchoring portion first into a pre-drilled adhesive-filled hole. The anchoring portion has a threaded bore, which includes an unthreaded close-fit-counterbore portion outward of a threaded portion. The cap prevents dust, dirt and adhesive from entering the threaded bore, and has an upper surface with a removable central area. When the adhesive has set, holding the construction anchor within the hole, the central area is removed, and a screw or bolt is inserted through the hole left by the removal and engaged with the threaded portion of the threaded bore. The unthreaded close-fit-counterbore portion of the threaded bore provides a stretch zone for the screw or bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Ernst, Mark S. Timmerman
  • Patent number: 5645386
    Abstract: A force fit connecting element (1), particularly a wheel stud, which may be force fit into in a drilled hole (3) through the exertion of an axial force, having a shank (5) and a stop (4) in the shape of a head, a collar or the like, having a diameter larger than shank (5). The shank (5) has on the side facing the stop (4) a force fit section (10), which is oversized with respect to the corresponding drilled hole (3). The shank (5) has on the side facing away from the stop (4) a section (22) with a fastening thread (23). The force fit section (10) has a multiple-threaded, preferably at least triple-threaded, helical profile (11). The helical profile (11), with respect to the cylindrical surface area of the drilled hole (3), has a contact area fraction (33) of at least 30% and is made by cold forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Kamax-Werke Rudolf Kellermann GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Damm, Walter Mages, Andreas Mohr
  • Patent number: 5641258
    Abstract: The screw, of the type provided with a coaxial recess adapted to mate with the tip of a screwing tool has in plan view a configuration in the overall form of a star with six chamfered points, with the lateral walls of the recess flared outwards and inclined to the screw axis by an angle of between 7 and 15 degrees. The sides of the chamfered points of the star consist of flat surfaces, pairs of which form on the lateral wall of the recess six corresponding ribs of isosceles triangle cross-section, the angle at the vertex of the isosceles triangle being substantially 90 degrees and the height of the triangle being substantially equal to one half the base length of said isosceles triangle. The screwing tool has a tip which mates with the lateral walls of the screw recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Inventor: Carlo Sala
  • Patent number: 5641186
    Abstract: A locking arrangement is provided for releasably locking door panels made of flexible material. The locking arrangement is adapted to be used on door panels of conventional vehicle shelters. The locking arrangement comprises a pair of generally hook-shaped locking members attached to the inner peripheral edges of the door panels. The locking members have mutually engaging hooking sections. A resiliently biased portion of the door panel biases the hooking members away from each other, thus lockingly forcing the hooking sections against each other. The specific configuration of the locking members is adapted to prevent the members from being unlocked by external pressure caused by the wind blowing onto the exterior surface of the door panels. A pair of gripping apertures extending through the door panels adjacent the locking structures facilitate the handling of the locking assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Inventor: Damien Ross
  • Patent number: 5630688
    Abstract: A self-tapping sleeve for providing a ceiling junction for a suspended lighting fixture has a cylindrical body, a center passageway for containing the junction, a thread structure on the perimeter surface of the cylindrical body, and two perimeter cutting elements at the top end of the cylindrical body for producing a circular cutting action in front of the sleeve when the sleeve is rotated in and advance rotation. A trim ring is additionally provided at the bottom end of the body to trim out the ceiling junction when the sleeve is installed. A key-shaped portion of the center passageway receives the key-shaped end of a drive tool used to install the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Peerless Lighting Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Tran
  • Patent number: 5628078
    Abstract: A side extender assembly for providing additional width to a surgical table. The side extender assembly includes an extender frame having at least one support leg integral therewith. The support leg includes a recess for receiving a side rail of the surgical table, and a tang defining an upper portion of the recess which extends over and behind the side rail in a mounted position. A stud is threadably engaged with the support leg for engaging a lower edge of the side rail to wedge the support leg into firm engagement with the side rail in the mounted position. A thumb screw is threadably engaged with the support leg for contacting the table frame to counteract a moment force applied against the side extender assembly by a patient. The extender frame includes an x-ray passage for permitting an x-ray panel to be inserted through the side extender assembly to a location within a frame of the surgical table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Pennington, Keith A. Stickley
  • Patent number: 5622464
    Abstract: A screw for use with a washer as a sealing fastener having formations near the head of the screw to increase driving resistance when the portion having the formations reaches a surface into which the screw is being drilled. The screw includes a shank with a tip end and a head end. A head at the head end may be driven by a driving tool such as a pneumatic or electric drill. To facilitate retention of the washer the head has a flange that forms a recess. The shank has an enlarged portion near the head adjacent to the recess and the enlarged portion has ridges. The enlarged portion, including the ridges, increases the driving resistance of the screw. This increase in resistance gives notice to an operator of the driving tool that an appropriate driving depth and torque have been achieved. Preferably, the washer has an inner diameter surface with fully radiused projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Dill, James W. McElderry, Juergen O. Rathgeber
  • Patent number: 5621934
    Abstract: The invention relates to a mattress, particularly an air mattress. It comprises a bottom element (1) and a number of elongated, bag-like mattress elements (2), which may be inflated with gas such as air and are adjacently attached in the bottom element (1) of the mattress, transversally to the lengthwise direction (D--D) of the mattress and in such a fashion that they form, when inflated with gas, loop-like members, resembling an overturned U-shape or the like in cross-section, and extending outwards from the bottom element. The mattress may also comprise a number of second elongated, air-inflatable or similar resilient bag-like mattress elements. In that case, the first mattress element is arranged to encompass, at least partly, the second mattress element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: A. Ahlstrom Corporation
    Inventors: Kari Olkkonen, Simo Paltere
  • Patent number: 5617594
    Abstract: A foldable cradle frame including a front foot, a rear foot, and an upper rod that are interconnected by common connecting bodies. The rear foot and the upper rod are pivotally connected to the connecting members and are rotatable through respective openings in the connecting members toward the front foot. Accordingly, the entire structure may be folded to provide a relatively compact structure. The rear foot is compressible along its axial length via an intermediate spring, to contribute to a rocking motion of the cradle. In addition, the cradle frame includes a U-shaped tubular member pivotally coupled to the front foot for receiving a portion of a cradle seat that is adapted to be fitted therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Jina Manufacturing Thai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jui-lung Chien
  • Patent number: 5618143
    Abstract: A spindle nut and a locking device for securing the nut in a rotative position on a spindle. An anti-rotation spring and a back up plate are mounted on the spindle in a non-rotative manner with the back up plate in abutment with the bearings that rotatively mount the hub to the spindle. The back up plate has multiple grooves aligned with and arranged to receive multiple resilient tabs on the periphery of the anti-rotation spring. The tabs of the anti-rotation spring are formed to project axially from the spring. A flange of the nut has multiple slots around its periphery that are sized to receive a tab of the anti-rotation spring. A tool having extending ears that fit in the slots of the nut is utilized to install the nut on the spindle. The extending ears prevent the tabs of the spring from entering a slot of the nut until the tool is removed. As the nut is rotated by the tool, the nut abuts the anti-rotation spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Warn Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip J. Cronin, II, Lonnie G. Williams, Jr., Thomas F. Dunlap, David C. Wood
  • Patent number: 5613819
    Abstract: In a fastening arrangement for a sensor (1) which can be inserted through a bore (3) in a wall (2) of a housing and is sealed and held releasably by means of an O-ring (10) and a cup-spring-like retaining ring (11), the sensor (1), together with the cup-spring-like retaining ring (11) seated on a shoulder (7), can be forced in axially with the cylindrical outer circumference (12) of the retaining ring (11) in clamping engagement with the enlarged portion (4) of the bore (2) in the wall, the O-ring (10) can be axially loaded between the shoulder (7) and the step (5) which terminates the enlarged portion (4), and the sensor (1) can be fixed axially by the inner circumference (13) of the retaining ring clamping its cylindrical shaft (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Wilhelm Wehren
  • Patent number: 5606881
    Abstract: A key operable electrical safety switch includes a housing and a switch operator that is operated by an actuator. A slot in the housing receives the actuator. A plurality of pin stacks, the stacks having axes that are parallel and perpendicular to the slot, are spring biased to extend into the slot. At least one of the pins engages the actuator to lock it in a fixed position relative to the housing. The actuator is released from the locked position, and displaced a predetermined stroke to actuate the switch operator and thereby change the state of the switch contacts, by a key. The key has a coded pattern of pin receiving holes corresponding to the locking pins to align the pins and release the actuator. The pins are correspondingly codeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: K.A. Schmersal GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: David Drake
  • Patent number: 5607271
    Abstract: A fastening device for a fitting part, such as a hinge part, is provided with a fastening borehole. A bushing or a ring-shaped insertion part can be inserted in the previously drilled borehole and includes a continuous hole in an axial direction. A pin, provided with a head and penetrating the fastening borehole, is pivoted in the continuous hole. The continuous hole is positioned eccentrically in the bushing or in the ring-shaped insertion part. The pin is provided with an eccentric shaft part which protrudes over the hole and on which a clamping part is fastened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Arturo Salice S.p.A.
    Inventor: Luciano Salice
  • Patent number: 5607272
    Abstract: An attachment plate is used to attach insulation panels to building substrates using internal combustion cordless nail setting tools loaded with collating strips for feeding and holding nails in the tool magazine. The attachment plate has a washer and an annular chamber at a first end. A wall of the annular chamber is defined by a band of fingers. The interior of the attachment plate has a recess. The attachment plate second end has flexible tabs. The attachment plate is placed on a pilot and against a flange of a tool adapter. The attachment plate is pushed into the insulation panel such that the tool muzzle bends the fingers and passes through the same. When the tool is fired, a nail and nail collating ring are forced into and captured within the recess. The tabs bend against the substrate if the insulation panel is of less than nominal thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Gilbert Olvera, Michael C. Dill
  • Patent number: 5605362
    Abstract: This exit device has a press bar and an elongated deadbolt adapted to be mounted horizontally adjacent the free end of the door and a pivoted retractor blade inward of the door. The blade is pivoted by the press bar and engages with its nose a projecting surface on the deadbolt and retracts the deadbolt. The blade also has a keeper contact surface which, as the door closes, is contacted by the keeper and the blade is pivoted inward to retract the deadbolt. The retractor blade also serves as an anti-friction bearing having a peripheral portion which rolls against the deadbolt and counters against the inward force on the deadbolt opposing to the opening force on the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Yale Security Inc.
    Inventor: Walter E. Surko, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5600978
    Abstract: A re-usable device for closing bags and the like, which may be sealed in a locked configuration by applying a security seal (24). The device (1) comprises two elongate parts (2, 3) the may be superimposed on each other, The first part (2), which is attached along one side of the mouth of a bag to be closed, is provided with a series of locking pins (6, 6') that--on closing the bag--pass into corresponding orifices (9) in the second part the which is attached along an opposite side of the mouth of the bag. The device is locked in this bag closed configuration by means of locking elements (13, 13') that slide longitudinally along internal passages (8, 8') in the second part until the reach a position where they lock the locking pins (6, 6'). The locking elements (13, 13') may be sealed in such configuration by applying a security seal (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: ELC Produtos de Seguranca e Comercio Ltda.
    Inventor: Eduardo D. C. Netto
  • Patent number: 5598727
    Abstract: A lock for a bicycle or the like comprises a first fixed casing member which is adapted to be secured to the frame member of a bicycle or the like and a second casing member which is movable relative to the first casing member. The first casing member is cup-shaped and is provided with frame mounting means on the outer surface of the cup wall. A raised boss extends from the base of the cup-shaped member. The second casing member is adapted to fit into the first casing member and to engage with the boss in such a manner that the second member is rotatable with respect to the first member. One end of a wire or cable is secured to the second casing member and the wire or cable is wound around the periphery of the second member. The other end of the wire or cable extends through a slot in the side wall of the first casing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Inventor: Peter A. White
  • Patent number: 5598728
    Abstract: A security device includes a case with a lid to receive merchandise and a locking mechanism for latching the case closed. The locking mechanism has a housing with parallel flanges to overlie a portion of the lid and another surface of the case, preventing the lid from being opened. One end of the locking mechanism is fixed and the other is movable between open and closed positions, and a mechanism in the housing retains the movable end closed. A decoupler is provided for opening the locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Autronic Plastics, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Lax