Patents by Inventor Daniel G. Stafford

Daniel G. Stafford 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: 7372225
    Abstract: A motorized operator for moving a barrier, such as an upward acting garage door, between open and closed positions includes a support mounted adjacent one of a pair of barrier guide tracks or along a barrier counterbalance shaft and a drive mechanism mounted on the support and engaged with an elongated flexible member, such as a chain, cable or cog belt. A cog belt, for example, is connected to a drawbar connected to the barrier at one end and the belt is either connected directly to the barrier at the opposite end or to a storage reel supported for rotation on and with a shaft of a barrier counterbalance mechanism. The storage reel may include a spiral groove and be supported on the counterbalance shaft for axial translation to receive and dereel the belt as the barrier is moved between open and closed positions. One or more belt tensioning pulleys may be mounted on the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation
    Inventors: Larry D. Murphy, Aaron J. Potts, Daniel G. Stafford
  • Publication number: 20030071511
    Abstract: A car seat including a seat body having a seat back and a seat pan for supporting an occupant thereon, and at least one belt coupled to the seat body for retaining an occupant on the seat body. The car seat further includes a belt tensioning mechanism, the belt tensioning mechanism including a pawl coupled to the seat body and a rotatable spool coupled to the belt. The spool can be rotated to wind the belt upon the spool, and the spool includes a gear that can interact with the pawl such that the pawl can selectively block rotation of the spool and thereby block unwinding of the belt off of the spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: Daniel G. Stafford, Herman J. Shie, Jeffery A. Barger
  • Patent number: 5859390
    Abstract: A scale mounting apparatus is provided for coupling a fixed support frame to a movable weigh frame. The apparatus includes a load cell having a first end rigidly coupled to the support frame and a second, movable end, a mounting bracket coupled to the weigh frame, an elastomeric mounting block, and a fastener for coupling the mounting block and the mounting bracket to the second movable end of the load cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Hill-Rom, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Stafford, William E. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 5148562
    Abstract: A birthing bed has a base, an intermediate frame mounted on the base with a power-actuated linkage to raise and lower the intermediate frame with respect to the base. A main frame is pivotably mounted on the intermediate frame so that it can be shifted from a horizontal position to an inclined Trendelenburg position. The intermediate frame is adapted to be lowered to bring the patient support surface to a very low level. In that level, the bed can be shifted to a Trendelenburg position with limit switches causing the intermediate frame to rise in order to accommodate the shift of the main frame to the inclined Trendelenburg position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Borders, Daniel G. Stafford, Sandy M. Richards, Allen L. Walke
  • Patent number: 5129116
    Abstract: A hospital bed has a base and a patient support mounted on the base, the patient support including a head panel that pivots between a horizontal position and an upwardly-inclined position to raise the patient to a sitting attitude. The head panel is connected to a ball nut mounted on a screw driven by a motor to raise and lower the head panel. The ball nut has a ratcheting latch that enables the head panel to be lifted manually and prevents the head panel from being driven positively downwardly in such a way as to injure some thing or person in its path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Borders, David C. Newkirk, Sandy M. Richards, Daniel G. Stafford
  • Patent number: 5109554
    Abstract: A birthing bed has a base, a frame supported by a parallelogram linkage above the base and articulating body support panels mounted on the frame. A mechanism, mounted in the frame, is provided for raising and lowering of the frame with respect to the base and for operating the articulating body support panels. The body support panels include a head panel that is pivoted adjacent a seat panel. A flexible plastic shield overlies the joint between the seat and head panel to protect the operating mechanism from fluids discharged during the birthing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Borders, David C. Newkirk, Daniel G. Stafford