Patents Examined by Wenceslao J. Contrera
  • Means for rendering controls tactually-sensitive
    Patent number: 4679342
    Abstract: The invention is a flexible, plastic sheet which, in one embodiment thereof, is uniplanar and has tactually-sensitive indicia fixed thereon, and adhesive strips are arrayed in adjacency to edges thereof. The sheet is adhesively emplaced over the only visually-sensitive or visually-discriminatory controls on a control panel to render the controls tactually-sensitive or tactually-discriminatory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1987
    Inventor: Donna Wilson
  • Price setting and display system for multiple unit merchandising machine
    Patent number: 4677777
    Abstract: An improved price display system for a multi-level merchandising machine in which the prices of articles at the respective levels are electronically displayed individually at locations immediately adjacent to the levels. Both the prices and the displays can be changed in a rapid and expeditious manner from a station within the machine cabinet. In addition, both the mode of operation and the compartment size of a level can be displayed and changed. The system may be provided with a timer for automatically changing all prices at a predetermined time. The system employs a small number of conductors to control a large number of displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1987
    Assignee: Rowe International, Inc.
    Inventors: David Hoffman, Lee C. Verduin, Ross Ouwinga
  • Sign
    Patent number: 4674214
    Abstract: A sign has a rigid peripheral frame extending around an opening lying in a plane, and a sheet of flexible sign material extends across the opening. The frame has an edge surrounding the opening, and the flexible sign material has a peripheral edge portion extending over the edge and rearwardly from the plane of the opening. A series of separate sheet tensioning devices is spaced around the frame rearwardly of the plane of the opening, each tensioning device comprising means for retaining the peripheral edge portion of the flexible sign material and means for adjusting the position of the retaining means relatively to the frame to cause the peripheral edge portion of the flexible sign material to be pulled rearwardly across the frame edge to tension the flexible sign material across the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Assignee: Signtech Inc.
    Inventor: James Gandy
  • Liquid crystal display
    Patent number: 4674210
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal display for the displaying of characters and symbols, having a liquid crystal cell 1 and polarizers 8 and 10, one arranged on the viewing side and one arranged on the rear side of the liquid crystal cell 1. Furthermore, a reflector 9 is arranged behind the rear polarizer 8. A surface of the viewing-side polarizer 10 is inclined to the plane of the liquid crystal cell 1. The surface of the viewing-side polarizer facing the liquid crystal cell 1 serves as a deflection surface 15 for light incident thereon approximately transversely to the plane of the liquid crystal cell 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG
    Inventor: Holm Baeger
  • Extruded aluminum sign frame section
    Patent number: 4674213
    Abstract: An extruded sign frame section for use with flexible sign facing. The flexible sign face material (2) is secured by gripping element (8), the gripping element hooking onto knob (29) and permitting the material (2) to be stretched tautly across the sign frame (3). In a preferred embodiment, the extrusion includes a stabilizing element (24) which abuts the material (2), tending to dampen vibration of the sign face when subjected to wind loading. In another embodiment, an inclined member (34) permits the sign face material to be stretched across the frame (31) so as to conceal the extrusion, thereby giving the sign a borderless appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Inventor: Cliff Keithley
  • Picture viewer
    Patent number: 4674209
    Abstract: Disclosed is a picture viewer for viewing a stack of pictures sequentially through a viewing window. The picture viewer comprises a housing member, a slider member, a bias means for urging the stack of picture against the viewing window, and an exchange means for sequentially changing the picture that is presented at the viewing window. The exchange means comprises: (a) a retentive element to hold one picture in the housing member when the slider member is moved out of the housing member and (b) a separator bar which pushes the remainder of the stack out of the housing when the slider member is moved out of the housing. To permit relatively smooth operation of the picture viewer, the bias means is mounted on the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Assignee: Licinvest AG
    Inventor: Peter Ackeret
  • Display system
    Patent number: 4672757
    Abstract: This invention relates to display systems for holding header cards for displaying information about merchandise being offered for sale. The invention includes header card holders that provide easy assembly and disassembly for use with vertically slotted walls or horizontally slotted walls. The display system further includes a header card holder that may be conveniently placed on a horizontal surface and a header card holder that may be mounted to an edge of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1987
    Inventor: Frank P. Field
  • Alphabetic display
    Patent number: 4672759
    Abstract: Digits of a multi digit alphanumeric display have eight segments, viz a conventional seven segment arrangement plus an eighth. The attitude/position of the eighth segment differs from digit to digit, the pattern of variation being selected so that a limited repertoire of words and phrases can be displayed without the provision of full alphanumeric capability on all digits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1987
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Brian Docherty, Stephen Lambley
  • Device for displaying artwork
    Patent number: 4672758
    Abstract: One section (1) of a rectangular frame is releasably secured to the remainder of the frame, in which a backing board (7) is located. When the device is fixed to a site location, the said one section (1) remains removable without damaging the site location, so as to allow a sheet (8) of artwork to be inserted into the frame in a direction parallel to the backing board (7). The artwork sheet (8) projects at least partly beyond the edge of the backing board (7) adjacent the removable section (1) so as to be grippable to facilitate removal of the artwork sheet (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1987
    Inventors: Alex Le-Carpentier, Brian Davis
  • Surgical staple applying method
    Patent number: 4671279
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for applying a surgical staple which experiences some spring back following deformation. The invention enables the surgical staple to assume a rectangular shape with the tips thereof positioned together after the staple is closed. Specifically, the staple is deformed to overlap the tips so that release of deforming pressure results in tip-to-tip contact upon spring back. The invention addresses problems relating to skin being interposed between the spaced tips when a staple is closed. Also, as a result of the square-cornered rectangular shape of the closed staple, the problem of rotation of the staple after it is applied to the tissue is impeded. Preferably, the staple is heat recoverable having an open-shape memory configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: Beta Phase, Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Hill
  • Forceps
    Patent number: 4671283
    Abstract: A pair of forceps has a shank and a pair of resilient arms. A groove, running along the inner face of each arm and communicating with a channel in the shank, accommodates a fiber optic cable which provides illumination at the tip of the forceps for items handled by the forceps. The use of the forceps is particularly suitable for manipulating an artificial lens in a human eye because the surface of the lens is illuminated to make it stand out against the liquid of the eye which has substantially the same refractive index as the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: Micra Ltd.
    Inventors: William J. Hoskin, Dermot J. Pierse
  • Product identification tag with improved mounting portion
    Patent number: 4671002
    Abstract: An elongate product identification tag for displaying merchandise data forwardly of a horizontally extending hook on which the merchandise is suspended, has a mounting portion of specialized form for use in securing the tag in a channel on a support panel to which the hook is attached via a bracket with an upper portion in the form of an inverted U which fits over the forward web of the channel. The mounting portion of the tag is shaped as a wedge for fitting in the channel behind the bracket portion and has a projection in a forward surface thereof against which a lower edge of the bracket engages to stabilize the tag in the channel and prevent its withdrawal until the hook is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Inventor: Jacob J. Fast
  • Vehicle mounted portable sign
    Patent number: 4671004
    Abstract: A portable sign mountable upon the roof of a vehicle. The portable sign is in the form of a hollow body having three side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall interconnected in a triangular form. The forwardmost edge of the interconnected side walls is positionable towards the front end of the vehicle for reduced wind resistance. Suction cups are mounted on the bottom wall of the body and in conjunction with strap members also mounted on the bottom wall of the body and connectable to the vehicle to provide for secure and removable attachment of the sign body on the roof of the vehicle. Detachable cover members carrying printed indicia are attachable on the side walls of the body to change the printed indicia on the sign. An illumination source is mounted within the body for illuminating the printed indicia formed on the side walls of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Inventor: Marlin C. Berg
  • Picture frame
    Patent number: 4669209
    Abstract: A picture frame for a poster and the like is provided which has an edge support for the edge of the poster, the edge support extends substantially the length of the respective poster edge and includes a back plate extending the length thereof and a substantially C-shaped member extending from the plane defined by the back plate. The C-shaped member is connected to the back plate and a leg of the C-shaped member extends towards the back plate to define a gap between the terminus of the leg and the back plate for the purpose of receiving the respective edge of the poster. At least one fastening element is associated with the edge support for fastening the respective poster edge thereto, the fastening element is substantially C-shaped to overlay the C-shaped member of said edge support and includes means to engage therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Inventor: Ronald M. Pollack
  • Information board and snap-in plate used thereby
    Patent number: 4669210
    Abstract: The information board comprises a supporting board provided with grooves between which clip strips are formed, which clip strips have a groove in their lateral sides. Snap-in plates comprise a rectangular body and two backwards projecting legs having on the sides thereof facing each other two bosses. A projection is mounted, between the legs, on the body. When a snap-in plate is clipped over one or more clip strips said projection abuts against the clip-strip. The bosses enter in grooves in the lateral sides of the clip strips. By pushing on an edge of the body a leg can slide more deeply over the clip strip so that the snap-in plate tilts and snap-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Inventor: Robert T. M. Van Erum
  • Holder for adjustable indicating devices
    Patent number: 4669208
    Abstract: A holder for manually adjustable self-coiling tapes is mounted on shelf moldings in retail outlets by means of a pair of gripping edges projecting from the base of the holder the space between which may be varied by means of an adapter and which are engaged by a pair of spaced gripping ledges forming integral parts of the shelf molding the space between which may vary, the adapter unit having a pair of angularly related strips and being interrelated with a holder gripping edge so as to afford an additional edge to be gripped by one gripping ledge of the shelf molding. According to one embodiment of the invention a removable yieldable insert is provided for mounting on the holder and includes projections on opposite edges thereof for engaging opposite edges of the tapes thereby to position the tapes longitudinally of the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: The Mead Corporation
    Inventor: David C. F. Stoddard
  • Lavage system
    Patent number: 4669453
    Abstract: A mechanism, such as a motor driving a pump, creates a pulsating fluid flow. A sensor senses an operating condition of the system and provides a signal representative of the condition. A controller responsive to the signal controls the pulsating fluid flow mechanism in a predetermined manner in accordance with the condition sensed. In one aspect the sensor is a pressure transducer which senses when a throttle valve on a lavage head shuts off or turns on the fluid flow and provides a signal to a controller which shuts off or turns on the motor. In another aspect the sensor is a thermistor which senses the temperature of the motor and provides a signal for controlling the power input to the motor to compensate for the effect of temperature on the performance of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Snyder Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Atkinson, Michael J. Laco
  • Electromechanical controller
    Patent number: 4665640
    Abstract: A controller including a servo to time movement of an animated character with audible sounds reproduced in synchronism with control signals for the servo. A slippable friction drive also makes it permissible to interrupt movement of the character for any period of time. After such an interruption is terminated, the servo and friction drive return the movement of the character to a normal phase and amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1987
    Assignee: Gray Ventures, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl K. Forsse, Larry K. Larsen, John M. Davies
  • Page flipper for book copying
    Patent number: 4663873
    Abstract: An arrangement for turning the pages of a booklet within a copier. A air knife fluffer, the pages and a wheel is translated against the page to be turned and creates a buckle in the previously separated page. The vacuum wheel is then lifted bringing the page with it and rotated to flip the page. Afterwards, translation of the vacuum wheel without rotation continues in order to flatten the now flipped sheet. The vacuum is then returned to its home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Troy Shinbrot
  • Sign apparatus with movable sleeve
    Patent number: 4663872
    Abstract: A sign apparatus comprising a base member having first and second opposite ends and a longitudinal axis, the base member including a display surface adapted to have indicia thereon and having first and second portions adjacent the first and second ends, respectively, and a sleeve member slidably mounted on the base member for movement along the longitudinal axis, the sleeve member having a length such that the sleeve member alternatively covers the first and second portions of the display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: DCI Marketing
    Inventor: Otto R. Finger