Patents by Inventor Brandon L. Spoelstra
Brandon L. Spoelstra has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20240042798Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a retractable guard assembly coupled to a caster of a mobile equipment, comprising a housing and one or more guards at least partially disposed in the housing. The one or more guards are independently movably coupled to the housing. The retractable guard assembly further comprises corresponding one or more biasing elements coupled to the one or more guards and to the housing for biasing the one or more guards towards a fully deployed state. When the one or more guards are in the fully deployed state, contact between a fixed object and a portion of the one or more guards disposed outside the housing causes the one or more guards to transition into a retracted state, and when the contact is removed, the corresponding one or more biasing elements cause the one or more guards to transition into the fully deployed state.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Inventor: Brandon L. Spoelstra
-
Patent number: 11820170Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a retractable guard assembly coupled to a caster of a mobile equipment, comprising a housing and one or more guards at least partially disposed in the housing. The one or more guards are independently movably coupled to the housing. The retractable guard assembly further comprises corresponding one or more biasing elements coupled to the one or more guards and to the housing for biasing the one or more guards towards a fully deployed state. When the one or more guards are in the fully deployed state, contact between a fixed object and a portion of the one or more guards disposed outside the housing causes the one or more guards to transition into a retracted state, and when the contact is removed, the corresponding one or more biasing elements cause the one or more guards to transition into the fully deployed state.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2022Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventor: Brandon L. Spoelstra
-
Patent number: 11590798Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a retractable guard assembly coupled to a caster of a mobile equipment, comprising one or more first guards comprising corresponding one or more guard toeholds and one or more second guards. When the one or more first guards and the one or more second guards are in a fully retracted state, fully compressing any one of the one or more guard toeholds causes the one or more first guards and the one or more second guards to transition into a fully deployed state. When the one or more first guards and the one or more second guards are in a fully deployed state, fully lifting any one of the one or more guard toeholds causes the one or more first guards and one or more second guards to transition into the fully retracted state.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: William Monteleone, Marc Nestor, Brandon L. Spoelstra
-
Publication number: 20230001740Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a retractable guard assembly coupled to a caster of a mobile equipment, comprising a housing and one or more guards at least partially disposed in the housing. The one or more guards are independently movably coupled to the housing. The retractable guard assembly further comprises corresponding one or more biasing elements coupled to the one or more guards and to the housing for biasing the one or more guards towards a fully deployed state. When the one or more guards are in the fully deployed state, contact between a fixed object and a portion of the one or more guards disposed outside the housing causes the one or more guards to transition into a retracted state, and when the contact is removed, the corresponding one or more biasing elements cause the one or more guards to transition into the fully deployed state.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventor: Brandon L. Spoelstra
-
Patent number: 11421459Abstract: A hinge is coupled to a first component and a second component. The hinge supports the second component for movement relative to the first component between a closed position covering an opening through the first component and an opened position displaced from the opening. The hinge includes a first bracket coupled to the second component, a second bracket coupled to the first component, a support link coupled to the first and second brackets, and a control link coupled to the first and second brackets. Rotation of the support link relative to the first bracket causes rotation of the first component relative to the second component and relative to the support link.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Hartwell CorporationInventors: Brandon L. Spoelstra, Michael A. Grande
-
Patent number: 11358292Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing with a blade carrier configured for holding a blade, and a handle coupled to the housing via an engagement interface configured to allow a user of the cutter apparatus to selectively interfit together the housing and the handle in multiple different cutter apparatus configurations, wherein the engagement interface includes a coupler configured to permit the housing and the handle to be repositioned further apart in a housing/handle reconfiguring mode in which the coupler permits the handle to be rotatably repositioned in relation to the housing or vice versa while substantially limiting longitudinal movement of the housing relative to the handle.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2019Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: Pacific Handy Cutter, Inc.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus Gropl, Chris Lung, Mark Marinovich
-
Publication number: 20220063330Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a retractable guard assembly coupled to a caster of a mobile equipment, comprising one or more first guards comprising corresponding one or more guard toeholds and one or more second guards. When the one or more first guards and the one or more second guards are in a fully retracted state, fully compressing any one of the one or more guard toeholds causes the one or more first guards and the one or more second guards to transition into a fully deployed state. When the one or more first guards and the one or more second guards are in a fully deployed state, fully lifting any one of the one or more guard toeholds causes the one or more first guards and one or more second guards to transition into the fully retracted state.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: William Monteleone, Marc Nestor, Brandon L. Spoelstra
-
Publication number: 20210260778Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing and a blade holder coupled to the housing, wherein the housing includes a distal portion (e.g., a blade storage compartment) that is both slidably and pivotally coupled to portions of the housing and configured to serve as a cover for the blade holder. The cutter apparatus can also include a cover release device configured to facilitate repositioning the cover between a locked position at which the cover is secured to the housing and a released position at which at least a portion of the cover is free to pivotally reposition away from the housing providing access to the blade holder.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2020Publication date: August 26, 2021Applicant: Pacific Handy Cutter, Inc.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus E. Gropl, Mark Marinovich
-
Publication number: 20200399942Abstract: A hinge is coupled to a first component and a second component. The hinge supports the second component for movement relative to the first component between a closed position covering an opening through the first component and an opened position displaced from the opening. The hinge includes a first bracket coupled to the second component, a second bracket coupled to the first component, a support link coupled to the first and second brackets, and a control link coupled to the first and second brackets. Rotation of the support link relative to the first bracket causes rotation of the first component relative to the second component and relative to the support link.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Brandon L. SPOELSTRA, Michael A. GRANDE
-
Patent number: 10857685Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing and a blade holder coupled to the housing, wherein the housing includes a distal portion (e.g., a blade storage compartment) that is both slidably and pivotally coupled to portions of the housing and configured to serve as a cover for the blade holder. The cutter apparatus can also include a cover release device configured to facilitate repositioning the cover between a locked position at which the cover is secured to the housing and a released position at which at least a portion of the cover is free to pivotally reposition away from the housing providing access to the blade holder.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: PACIFIC HANDY CUTTER, INC.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus E. Gropl, Mark Marinovich
-
Patent number: 10767404Abstract: A hinge is coupled to a first component and a second component. The hinge supports the second component for movement relative to the first component between a closed position covering an opening through the first component and an opened position displaced from the opening. The hinge includes a first bracket coupled to the second component, a second bracket coupled to the first component, a support link coupled to the first and second brackets, and a control link coupled to the first and second brackets. Rotation of the support link relative to the first bracket causes rotation of the first component relative to the second component and relative to the support link.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Hartwell CorporationInventors: Brandon L. Spoelstra, Michael A. Grande
-
Publication number: 20200114532Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing with a blade carrier configured for holding a blade, and a handle coupled to the housing via an engagement interface configured to allow a user of the cutter apparatus to selectively interfit together the housing and the handle in multiple different cutter apparatus configurations, wherein the engagement interface includes a coupler configured to permit the housing and the handle to be repositioned further apart in a housing/handle reconfiguring mode in which the coupler permits the handle to be rotatably repositioned in relation to the housing or vice versa while substantially limiting longitudinal movement of the housing relative to the handle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Applicant: Pacific Handy Cutter, Inc.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus Gropl, Chris Lung, Mark Marinovich
-
Patent number: 10343294Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing with a blade carrier configured for holding a blade, and a handle coupled to the housing via an engagement interface configured to allow a user of the cutter apparatus to selectively interfit together the housing and the handle in multiple different cutter apparatus configurations, wherein the engagement interface includes a coupler configured to permit the housing and the handle to be repositioned further apart in a housing/handle reconfiguring mode in which the coupler permits the handle to be rotatably repositioned in relation to the housing or vice versa while substantially limiting longitudinal movement of the housing relative to the handle.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: PACIFIC HANDY CUTTER, INC.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus Gropl, Chris Lung, Mark Marinovich
-
Patent number: 10294011Abstract: A blade dispenser apparatus includes a body, a blade receptacle coupled to and repositionable in relation to the body, a blade holder coupled to and repositionable in relation to the blade receptacle, and an actuator coupled to the blade holder, the actuator being deployable for repositioning of the blade holder to dispense a blade or for disengaging a portion of the blade receptacle from the body allowing a user of the blade dispenser to access the blade receptacle.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: PACIFIC HANDY CUTTER, INC.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus Gropl
-
Publication number: 20180326599Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing and a blade holder coupled to the housing, wherein the housing includes a distal portion (e.g., a blade storage compartment) that is both slidably and pivotally coupled to portions of the housing and configured to serve as a cover for the blade holder. The cutter apparatus can also include a cover release device configured to facilitate repositioning the cover between a locked position at which the cover is secured to the housing and a released position at which at least a portion of the cover is free to pivotally reposition away from the housing providing access to the blade holder.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Applicant: Pacific Handy Cutter, Inc.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus E. Gropl, Mark Marinovich
-
Patent number: 10093027Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing shaped to be hand-held, the housing including first and second handle portions shaped and/or adapted to interfit together, a blade holder configured to support a blade, and a lock/unlock mechanism for securing the handle portions together, the lock/unlock mechanism including multiple actuators operable for extending the blade from the housing, the actuators including a primary actuator coupled to the blade holder and repositionable in relation to the housing, and at least one auxiliary actuator including a first auxiliary actuator supported by and repositionable in relation to the first handle portion. The primary and auxiliary actuators are biased toward and/or repositionable to respective locations at which an aperture of the first auxiliary actuator coaligns or registers with an opening in the first handle portion in an unlock configuration that allows a user of the cutter apparatus to reposition/separate the handle portions from each other.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: PACIFIC HANDY CUTTER, INC.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus Gropl, Chris Lung
-
Patent number: 10093026Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing, a blade carrier configured to support a front blade, the blade carrier being coupled to and repositionable in relation to the housing, an auxiliary tool configured to be deployable from another portion of the housing, and a selector repositionable in relation to the housing and configured for mutually exclusively facilitating the user-controlled actions of setting a maximum blade depth to which the front blade is extendable from the housing and activating the auxiliary tool. The selector includes, for example, a biasing component for selectively engaging stop surfaces and a counter-biasing component configured to disengage the one or more biased engagement portions from the stop surfaces in response to a user of the cutter apparatus initiating an action of repositioning the selector along the path.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: PACIFIC HANDY CUTTER, INC.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus E. Gropl, Mark Marinovich
-
Publication number: 20180216379Abstract: A hinge is coupled to a first component and a second component. The hinge supports the second component for movement relative to the first component between a closed position covering an opening through the first component and an opened position displaced from the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Brandon L. SPOELSTRA, Michael A. GRANDE
-
Patent number: 9840013Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing and a blade holder coupled to the housing, wherein the housing includes a distal portion (e.g., a blade storage compartment) that is both slidably and pivotally coupled to portions of the housing and configured to serve as a cover for the blade holder. The cutter apparatus can also include a cover release device configured to facilitate repositioning the cover between a locked position at which the cover is secured to the housing and a released position at which at least a portion of the cover is free to pivotally reposition away from the housing providing access to the blade holder.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: PACIFIC HANDY CUTTER, INC.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus E. Gropl, Mark Marinovich
-
Patent number: 9676106Abstract: A cutter apparatus includes a housing shaped to be hand-held, a blade holder configured to support a blade, and multiple actuators for extending the blade from the housing, the actuators including a safety actuator (e.g., a blade guard) that drives at least one of the other actuators while repositioning to extend the blade. The multiple actuators include, for example, a slider and a blade guard configured such that the slider when pushed forward repositions independently of the blade guard to extend the blade from the housing and such that the blade guard when pushed forward repositions the blade as the blade guard is deployed.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: PACIFIC HANDY CUTTER, INC.Inventors: Joseph P. Garavaglia, Brandon L. Spoelstra, Markus E. Gropl, Mark Marinovich