Patents by Inventor Donald D. Grover

Donald D. Grover 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: 20110066232
    Abstract: A surgical apparatus for use with a prosthetic holder to which a prosthesis is secured by sutures. The apparatus includes an elongated handle having a grip end and a coupler end and defining a first aperture extending along a length from the grip end to the coupler end. The apparatus can also include a first shaft at least partially disposed within the first aperture with a first actuator at the grip end and a holder coupling mechanism at the coupler end. The apparatus can have one of a second shaft and a sheath disposed along the handle with a second actuator at the grip end and a cutting element at the coupler end. A force applied to the first actuator enables one of engagement and disengagement with the prosthesis holder, and a force applied to the second actuator enables deployment of a cutting element to cut the sutures securing the prosthesis to the prosthetic holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Fernando A. Riveron, Donald D. Grover, Fred P. Lane, Jan M. Pinkert Grover
  • Publication number: 20020005423
    Abstract: A hitch-mounted cargo carrier for a vehicle which includes a platform that can be selectively tilted downwardly to facilitate loading of the carrier. Upon loading the platform, the platform may be raised for transport of the load. The carrier includes a fixed frame which is removably mounted to the hitch. A pair of pivotable arms are attached to the frame. The other end of the arms are pivotably attached to the platform. A jack assembly associated with the frame pivots the arms to move the platform. The arms have different lengths such that pivoting movement cases one end of the platform to tilt downwardly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Inventor: Donald D. Grover
  • Patent number: 5911409
    Abstract: A power drive assembly is provided for an elongated turn buckle-type cable tightener having an elongated sleeve with a driven gear wheel on it, and two loop-defining cable and anchors respectively threadedly engaged in its opposite ends. A drive unit is adapted to be coupled to the sleeve and has a motor-driven gear engageable with the driven gear for rotating the sleeve. Two right-angle reaction bars couple the frame of the drive unit to the cable anchors each reaction bar having one end slidably received in openings in the drive unit frame and another and received through the loop of the associated cable anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventor: Donald D. Grover
  • Patent number: 5611521
    Abstract: A power drive for an elongated cable tightener having an elongated sleeve and a driven gear wheel supported on the sleeve is provided. The drive includes an outer frame having connected, and laterally spaced, elongated first and second outer side members, each outer side member having first and second ends, the second ends defining aligned outer notches opening longitudinally outward. The drive also includes an inner frame disposed between the first and second outer side members and supported thereby for movement between engaged and open positions, the inner frame having connected and laterally spaced first and second inner side members, each inner side member having first and second ends, the second ends defining aligned inner notches opening laterally outward of the side members, wherein when the inner frame is in the engaged position the inner notches are aligned with the outer notches whereby the sleeve may be disposed in both the inner and outer notches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Grover, Frank W. Randle
  • Patent number: 5199146
    Abstract: The tool includes a housing and a pair of forwardly projecting tubes respectively containing slidably mounted rods, one for use in tensioning a lock wire and the other for use in crimping a ferrule onto the lock wire. Camming structure moves the rods forwardly and rearwardly. First, the tensioning rod snaps back under the control of a spring to tension the wire. Then, the ferrule is crimped by forward movement of the other rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Donald D. Grover, Theodore H. Kunkel, Jr., Jeffery A. Stafford
  • Patent number: 4934222
    Abstract: The tool is a pliers or cutters having two members that are pivotally joined. The portions of the members on one side of the joint define cutter jaws or plier jaws as the case may be. On the other side of the joint, the members define handles located on the same side of the jaw axis. The rear handle has a first section nearest its associated jaw extending away from the jaw axis at an acute angle, and a second section extending from the first section at an obtuse angle. The other handle also has two sections, the first section nearest the jaws having a slight curvature and the second section having a curvature which is convex outwardly and is more pronounced than that of the first section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Nancy C. Rittmann, Donald D. Grover
  • Patent number: 4643030
    Abstract: A torque wrench having a torque plug integral with the back side of the torque wrench handle and with strain sensing elements mounted on the torque plug and connected to signal processing circuits supported by the handle which control a digital display unit mounted on the handle. The processing circuits include a peak hold detector enabling display of the peak torque value during a torquing operation, and a peak hold response delay insuring capture of the peak torque value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: Snap-On Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas P. Becker, Donald D. Grover, Christopher B. Stout, Glenn A. Kaufman, Gene E. Olson
  • Patent number: 4577496
    Abstract: An engine timing apparatus includes a piezoelectric transducer and a device for mechanically coupling it to a fuel injector body of the engine. A 6-inch clamping-type pliers is clamped to the injector body. A metal housing is fastened to the pliers at the jaw pivot, the housing having a cylindrical side wall and a circular bottom wall in positive contact with the pliers. The transducer is supported in a recess in a rubber sleeve in the housing and cooperates with the housing to define a resonant chamber at substantially 40 Khz. The dimensions of the pliers are such that the ultrasonic acoustic emissions of the injector body induce in the pliers a standing wave at substantially 40 Khz or a harmonic thereof, the jaw pivot being disposed substantially at an antinode, or point of maximum displacement, of the standing wave. The housing above the transducer is filled with an acoustically insulating foam and covered with a plastic cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1986
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Donald D. Grover, Glenn A. Kaufman
  • Patent number: 4506546
    Abstract: The adapter includes a luminosity probe for replacing the glow plug associated with the selected cylinder in a diesel engine, a timer circuit responsive to inception of each electrical signal generated by the luminosity probe to produce a timer signal. The timer signal is differentiated to produce a spike. A pickup loop receives the spike and produces an inductive signal for application to the clip of a spark-ignited-engine timing meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Snap-On Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Gene E. Olson, Christopher B. Stout, Donald D. Grover, Thomas P. Becker
  • Patent number: 4493208
    Abstract: The probe includes an elongated body having a reduced diameter portion at the front thereof. A light-transmitting tube is located in the bore of the body and abuts against the shoulder defined by the reduced diameter portion. A microwave conductor in the tube protrudes from the front end. A plastic tubular shield is located at the rear end of the body and is held in place by a sleeve encompassing both shield and the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1985
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventor: Donald D. Grover
  • Patent number: 4484469
    Abstract: The luminosity probe includes an elongated tubular member having a bore extending therethrough. Within the bore is a light pipe having a diameter less than the diameter of the bore so as to create an annulus therebetween. Such annulus is filled with epoxy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1984
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Donald D. Grover, Ralph H. Mueller
  • Patent number: 4469952
    Abstract: The adapter includes a housing containing a rectifier for supplying flash voltages to an LED. The rectifier rectifies inductive signals derived from an inductive pickup. The adapter can be used to enable a spark-ignited engine calibrator to calibrate a diesel-engine-timing meter by converting the inductive electrical signals from the calibrator to light signals for the diesel timing meter. The adapter also can be used to enable a diesel-engine-timing meter and analyze and time a spark-ignited engine by converting the inductive pulses derived from a spark plug wire into light impulses for the diesel-engine-timing meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Gene E. Olson, Thomas P. Becker, Donald D. Grover
  • Patent number: 4441021
    Abstract: The probe includes a tubular housing having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is adapted to be mounted in place of the glow plug of a selected engine cylinder. A light pipe within the first portion directs light from the combustion zone to a phototransistor within the second portion. The front of the first portion has a reduced size aperture defined by an internal shoulder against which the front of the light pipe is seated. The rear of the first portion carries resilient sealing means which is deformed when the second portion is telescoped thereon so as to provide a detachable, frictional, light-tight thermally insulated connection therebetween. A phototransistor is mounted within the second portion to convert light passing through the light pipe into electrical signals. A cable carries these electrical signals to processing equipment. A base resistor is located in the second portion between the base of the phototransistor and the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1984
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Gene E. Olson, Jerome A. Thompson, Donald D. Grover, Christopher B. Stout, Thomas P. Becker
  • Patent number: 4402222
    Abstract: A first signal at a first frequency which is a selected harmonic of the resonant frequency of a bolt in a first loaded condition is determined. Then there is determined a second signal at a second frequency being the same harmonic of the resonant frequency of the bolt in a second loaded condition. Both frequencies are multiplied by a factor M. The up input of a counter receives one of the signals for a predetermined duration, and the down input receives the other signal for the same duration. The number of pulses remaining in the counter is representative of the difference in load between the first and second loaded conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Gene E. Olson, Donald D. Grover, Christopher B. Stout, Thomas P. Becker, Glenn A. Kaufman, Norbert J. Kot
  • Patent number: 4373384
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a luminosity probe to provide an electrical signal in response to the combustion event in a diesel engine and also comprises a probe to provide another electrical signal indicative of top dead center. Both electrical signals are processed and applied to a circuit which generates an output pulse having a duration corresponding to the time between the start of the electrical signals. A meter displays the angle represented by the duration of such pulse. Circuitry is provided to compensate for offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Gene E. Olson, Jerome A. Thompson, Donald D. Grover, Christopher B. Stout, Thomas P. Becker, Glenn A. Kaufman
  • Patent number: 4302724
    Abstract: A pickup probe for engine timing which is responsive electrically to an indicator on a rotating engine part. The free end of the probe is adapted to extend through an access opening in an engine member into proximity with the indicator on the rotating engine part. A sensor is contained within the free end portion of the probe. The probe includes a mounting means adapted to be detachably secured to the engine member adjacent the aforesaid access opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1981
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Donald D. Grover, Norbert C. Neumann
  • Patent number: 4262527
    Abstract: A self-adjusting engine timing pickup probe adapted to be received in a tubular engine mounting bracket, the probe extending into close proximity with a position indicator on a rotating engine part to provide an air gap. An elongated sensor assembly extends through the tubular member and has relative axial movement therewith for initial manual adjustment of the sensor assembly to provide an effective air gap. Interference means are provided between the tubular member and the sensor assembly, the interference means establishing substantial resistance to relative axial movement between the tubular member and the sensor assembly. The tubular member has a spring means which engages the engine mounting bracket and holds the two together in a yielding manner. The spring means urges the tubular member and associated sensor assembly inwardly toward the rotating engine part. However, during engine operation, the rotating engine part, due to tolerances, wear, vibrations, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1981
    Assignee: Snap-On Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Donald D. Grover, Jerome A. Thompson
  • Patent number: D274496
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Donald D. Grover, David J. Draeger, Frank Mikic
  • Patent number: D472690
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Fulton Performance Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald D. Grover