Patents by Inventor David C. Munkwitz

David C. Munkwitz 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).

  • Highly compliant and highly repeatable retention mechanism for attaching and quickly releasing components
    Patent number: 6584655
    Abstract: A retention mechanism has a base and a snap ring that are mounted to two components. The snap ring has a hole for attaching a first component. A conical element with a rounded knob protrudes from the snap ring. The base is cylindrical and has a cap with a rounded face and a conical opening that tapers to a cylindrical hole. Both the knob and the base are slit for greater compliance. After the base and snap ring are mounted to their respective components, the snap ring may be removably connected to the base by inserting its knob into the conical opening in the base. The complementary shapes of the snap ring and base allow for significant axial and angular misalignment. The slits allow the snap ring and base to elastically deform. The snap ring and base are disengaged by pulling the snap ring away from the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Vermillion Corporation
    Inventors: Walter Wilcox Cardwell, III, Stephen Andrew Stickel, An Tran, Richard P. Manahan, Scott R. Stone, David C. Munkwitz
  • Tape measure
    Patent number: D487025
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: The L. S. Starrett Company
    Inventors: Jerome Allan Grunstad, Michael Horvath, David C. Munkwitz, Wayne Patrick Phillips