Patents by Inventor Charles D. Kim
Charles D. Kim 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).
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Patent number: 8745885Abstract: A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A topnotch is formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. A central vial is within the topnotch. The frame includes an inner horizontal wall extending between the sidewalls at the notch-defining bottom edges. A central-vial reference surface is formed in the inner horizontal wall parallel to the top and bottom measuring surfaces and defining a notch-bottom. The central vial is supported against the central-vial reference surface in accurate orientation without calibration. The central vial is secured with respect to the inner horizontal wall by mechanical fasteners. The frame further preferably includes an integral inner vertical wall extending between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2013Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventors: John Christianson, Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: 8375591Abstract: A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A topnotch is formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. A central vial is within the topnotch. The frame includes an inner horizontal wall extending between the sidewalls at the notch-defining bottom edges. A central-vial reference surface is formed in the inner horizontal wall parallel to the top and bottom measuring surfaces and defining a notch-bottom. The central vial is supported against the central-vial reference surface in accurate orientation without calibration. The central vial is secured with respect to the inner horizontal wall by mechanical fasteners. The frame further preferably includes an integral inner vertical wall extending between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2010Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventors: John Christianson, Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: 8291604Abstract: A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A central vial is within a topnotch formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. The frame includes an inner horizontal wall extending between the sidewalls at the notch-defining bottom edges. The central vial is supported in accurate orientation without calibration against a cental-vial reference surface formed in the inner horizontal wall parallel to the top and bottom measuring surfaces and defining a notch-bottom. An integral inner vertical wall extends between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length. A plumb-vial structure has a viewing-end region and an opposite-end region. The viewing-end region includes an elongate ramp sloping along a level-longitudinal axis toward the plumb vial with an inclination permitting vial viewing from shallow angles.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventors: John Christianson, Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: 8291605Abstract: A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A central vial is within a topnotch formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. An integral inner vertical wall extends between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length. The inventive level further preferably includes an external brace reinforcing a central frame portion weakened by forming the topnotch. The external brace includes first and second plate members each against one of the sidewalls about the notch-defining bottom and side edges and each substantially spanning a respective one of the sidewalls. A fastening member extending through the sidewalls and pulling the plate members toward each other to sandwich the sidewalls therebetween, thereby reinforcing a central frame portion weakened by forming the topnotch.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventors: John Christianson, Charles D. Kim
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Publication number: 20110265338Abstract: A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A central vial is within a topnotch formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. The frame includes an inner horizontal wall extending between the sidewalls at the notch-defining bottom edges. The central vial is supported in accurate orientation without calibration against a cental-vial reference surface formed in the inner horizontal wall parallel to the top and bottom measuring surfaces and defining a notch-bottom. An integral inner vertical wall extends between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length. A plumb-vial structure has a viewing-end region and an opposite-end region. The viewing-end region includes an elongate ramp sloping along a level-longitudinal axis toward the plumb vial with an inclination permitting vial viewing from shallow angles.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2010Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: EMPIRE LEVEL MFG. CORP.Inventors: John Christianson, Charles D. Kim
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Publication number: 20110099823Abstract: A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A topnotch is formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. A central vial is within the topnotch. The frame includes an inner horizontal wall extending between the sidewalls at the notch-defining bottom edges. A central-vial reference surface is formed in the inner horizontal wall parallel to the top and bottom measuring surfaces and defining a notch-bottom. The central vial is supported against the central-vial reference surface in accurate orientation without calibration. The central vial is secured with respect to the inner horizontal wall by mechanical fasteners. The frame further preferably includes an integral inner vertical wall extending between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2010Publication date: May 5, 2011Applicant: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventors: John Christianson, Charles D. Kim
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Publication number: 20110099824Abstract: A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A central vial is within a topnotch formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. An integral inner vertical wall extends between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length. The inventive level further preferably includes an external brace reinforcing a central frame portion weakened by forming the topnotch. The external brace includes first and second plate members each against one of the sidewalls about the notch-defining bottom and side edges and each substantially spanning a respective one of the sidewalls. A fastening member extending through the sidewalls and pulling the plate members toward each other to sandwich the sidewalls therebetween, thereby reinforcing a central frame portion weakened by forming the topnotch.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2010Publication date: May 5, 2011Applicant: EMPIRE LEVEL MFG. CORP.Inventors: John Christianson, Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: 7150107Abstract: A level and a method of forming such a level are disclosed. The level comprises a body having a measuring surface and a recess, a vial positioned in the recess at an angular relationship to the measuring surface, and a ring member enclosing the vial within the recess, the ring member engaging the vial and the body and fastened to the body, the ring member having a beveled edge forming a funnel-shaped surface defining slope lines, the slope lines intersecting the vial, whereby the vial is protected by the level and ring member while visibility of the vial is enhanced. The method comprises providing a level with a recess and a measuring surface, positioning the vial in the recess at an angular relationship to the measuring surface, and enclosing the vial within the recess with a ring member, the ring member having beveled edges forming a funnel-shaped surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2004Date of Patent: December 19, 2006Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: 7073270Abstract: An impact-absorbing level is disclosed. The level comprises a body including a level face for measuring a surface, a vial mounted in the body at a predetermined angular relationship to the level face, and a first end cap fixed with respect to the first end, the first end cap comprising an outer layer and an intermediate layer, the intermediate layer fixed to the outer layer and having lower density than the outer layer, the intermediate layer positioned between the outer layer and the body, such that the first end cap absorbs impacts to the outer layer to prevent damage to the body. Also disclosed is a method of providing impact-absorption to a level in which a dual-density end cap is adhered to each end of the level.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2004Date of Patent: July 11, 2006Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D503636Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2004Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D513391Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2005Date of Patent: January 3, 2006Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D514961Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2004Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Co.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D518745Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: Ruud Lighting, Inc.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D518746Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: Ruud Lighting, Inc.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D519043Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Ruud Lighting, Inc.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D519044Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Ruud Lighting, Inc.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D526224Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2005Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventor: Charles D. Kim
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Patent number: D537000Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2006Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignee: Empire Level Mfg. Corp.Inventor: Charles D. Kim