Patents by Inventor Dale E. Barker

Dale E. Barker 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).

  • Patent number: 6213617
    Abstract: A fan blade illumination apparatus associated with a fan for illuminating indicia associated with at least one fan blade, the apparatus including at least one strobe light unit associated with the fan, the strobe light unit being positioned and located so as to direct light onto the at least one fan blade at a particular location during the rotation of such fan blade, an emitter associated with the fan operable to emit a signal therefrom, a sensor positioned to sense the rotational motion of the at least one fan blade based upon the signal emitted by the emitter, and a controller coupled to the sensor and to the at least one strobe light unit, the controller being operable to control the operation of the at least one strobe light unit based upon the rotational speed of the fan as determined by the controller based upon signals received from the sensor, the at least one strobe light unit being synchronized with the rotation of the at least one fan blade such that indicia associated with the fan blade will appe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Inventor: Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 6019479
    Abstract: A fan blade cover and strobe light for illuminating the same adapted for use with fan blades of ceiling fans and the like. The fan blade cover is a substantially rigid cover panel with dimensions corresponding to at least one major surface of a fan blade, and includes at least one member adapted for securing the cover panel to the fan blade surface in such a way as to cover the fan blade surface. The fan blade cover has at least one surface adapted for having designs, signage and other indicia thereon for illumination by a strobe light or lights. The cover panel can be constructed of materials such as, but not limited to, cardboard, poster board, fiber board, and other paper materials; solid and foamed plastics; and vinyl sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Inventor: Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 5862951
    Abstract: A replacement fluid cartridge for a dispenser has three parts: an injection molded nozzle, a thermoformed reservoir portion, and a cover sheet. The nozzle has a substantially flat top portion, an outer portion adjacent to the flat top portion, an outermost end, and a plurality of orifices extending through the nozzle. The second part is a piece of flexible film having a plurality of depressions surrounded by a flange. The flange is continuous and in a plane except at a nozzle-fitting portion. The nozzle-fitting portion is shaped to wrap around the outer portion of the nozzle where it is bonded to the nozzle in a fluid-tight manner. The flat top portion of the nozzle resides substantially within the plane of the flange. Each of the plurality of depressions has an inside, a continuous sidewall, and a closed bottom. The third part is a substantially flat cover sheet bonded to the flange and to the flat top portion of the nozzle such that the plurality of depressions are sealed closed by the cover sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Dana P. Gruenbacher, Gary E. McKibben, Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 5720121
    Abstract: Illuminated footwear having a power source, at least one light source operatively connected to the power source, a switching circuit for selectively illuminating the light source, and a linear side-glow optical conduit located on the footwear so as to be visible when illuminated, the linear optical conduit having opposed end portions and being capable of emitting light conducted therethrough radially outwardly from its circumferential periphery substantially along its entire length, at least one end portion of the linear optical conduit being positioned and located in close proximity to the light source so as to receive light therefrom when illuminated, the linear optical conduit being illuminated substantially along its entire circumferential periphery when the light source is selectively illuminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Inventor: Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 5664346
    Abstract: A self-contained portable illumination unit removably attachable to a wide variety of footwear having a body assembly capable of housing and securely holding a power source, a switching circuit for selectively illuminating the light source, and one end portion of a linear side-glow optical conduit capable of emitting light conducted therethrough radially outwardly from its circumferential periphery substantially along its entire surface area, the one end portion of the linear optical conduit being positioned and located in close proximity to the light source so as to receive light therefrom when illuminated. The body assembly further includes a removable cover member for providing access to the power source and a removably adjustable mounting clip for removably attaching the body assembly to the footwear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Inventor: Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 5604999
    Abstract: Illuminated footwear having a power source, at least one light source operatively connected to the power source, a switching circuit for selectively illuminating the light source, and a linear side-glow optical conduit positioned exteriorly on the footwear so as to be visible when illuminated, the linear optical conduit having opposed end portions and being capable of emitting light conducted therethrough radially outwardly from its circumferential periphery substantially along its entire length, at least one end portion of the linear optical conduit being positioned and located in close proximity to the light source so as to receive light therefrom when illuminated, the linear optical conduit being illuminated substantially along its entire length when the light source is selectively illuminated. In the preferred embodiment, the linear optical conduit extends substantially around the outer exterior front and side portions of the footwear, although other arrangements are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Inventor: Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 5511697
    Abstract: A reclosable pouch package for dispensing a product has a fitment in a folded end of the pouch. A substantially rigid fitment has an inner end, an outer end, and an orifice therethrough extending from the inner end to the outer end. The fitment also has a planar flange at the inner end. The pouch is formed from a substantially rectangular piece of thermoplastic film. The piece of film has a hole therein. Around the hole a depression is formed in the film either by thermoforming or cold forming. The depression is sized such that when the flange of the fitment is bonded to the film at the hole, and the piece of film is folded away from the fitment and fin-sealed closed, the folded end of the resulting pouch has minimal concavity and the pouch has parallel side seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Dana P. Gruenbacher, Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 5502903
    Abstract: Illuminated footwear having a power source, at least one light source operatively connected to the power source, a switching circuit for selectively illuminating the light source, and a linear side-glow optical conduit positioned exteriorly on the footwear so as to be visible when illuminated, the linear optical conduit having opposed end portions and being capable of emitting light conducted therethrough radially outwardly from its circumferential periphery substantially along its entire length, at least one end portion of the linear optical conduit being positioned and located in close proximity to the light source so as to receive light therefrom when illuminated, the linear optical conduit being illuminated substantially along its entire length when the light source is selectively illuminated. In the preferred embodiment, the linear optical conduit extends substantially around the outer exterior front and side portions of the footwear, although other arrangements are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Inventor: Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 4550862
    Abstract: A liquid dispenser package is described which is adapted to dispense liquids without mess and which incorporates a measuring cup which is also the closure for the package. The package of the present invention includes a container having a dispensing orifice for storing the liquid product, a transition collar to be attached to the container finish surrounding its orifice and having an extended pouring spout and a transverse partition with drain to collect and return residual liquid to the container, and a measuring cup with an open mouth having threads on its exterior to attach the cup to the interior of the transition collar where it functions as the closure for the package. Because of the extended pouring spout, the residual liquid drain back feature, and the exterior threads on the measuring cup, virtually all mess normally associated with liquid product measuring and dispensing is obviated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1985
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Dale E. Barker, Griscom Bettle, III, Robert H. Van Coney
  • Patent number: 4516689
    Abstract: A container having an upstanding rim running around the periphery of its top lid and a pre-cut dispensing aperture therein is provided with an integral pouring lip/drain surface between the container's rim and dispensing aperture. The container is also provided with an easy-open/reclosing element that is hingedly attached to the container's top lid. The hinge, which is commonly referred to as an "over-center hinge", keeps the easy-open/reclosing element in a locked-open position while the container's contents are dispensed. The easy-open/reclosing element has a depending plug that is shaped complementary to the dispensing aperture. When pressed into the aperture, the plug initially seals the container and, if desired, can be used to reclose the container. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the easy-open/reclosing element is provided with a U-shaped flange that is shaped complementary to both the top lid's pouring lip and upstanding rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1985
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Dale E. Barker
  • Patent number: 4436269
    Abstract: A hanger for supporting an article such as a dispenser for toilet tank chemicals on a vertical wall member such as a toilet tank at a predetermined height adjustably selected by the user. The hanger includes a means for securing its uppermost end to the wall member, a bayonet member, a channel means into which the bayonet member inserts, at least one resiliently deformable projection located along a longitudinal edge of either the bayonet member or the channel means and a multiplicity of spaced, projection receiving means, complementary to the projection, located on a longitudinal edge of the other of either the bayonet member or the channel means and in the same plane as the projection. The projection extends outwardly from the longitudinal edge and is resiliently deformable in the plane of the member to which it is attached. The hanger is manually adjusted by the movement of the resiliently deformable projections between the projection receiving means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1984
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert S. Dirksing, Dale E. Barker