Patents by Inventor John M. Tannehill

John M. Tannehill 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: 5158310
    Abstract: A display system (299) includes a visual display unit (300) mounted on a shopping cart (12d). In one preferred embodiment, a low-intensity ultrasonic signal is emitted by a transmitter (308) positioned at a desired location within a store for reception by a transducer (306) mounted on the shopping cart. The signal from the transducer (306) is transmitted to a switching circuit (316) to activate visual indicators in the form of directional lights (320, 322) thereby to direct the shoppers attention to a particular item located adjacent the transmitter (308).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Inventors: John M. Tannehill, John B. Tannehill, Steven L. Kramer
  • Patent number: 5072956
    Abstract: A powered display is mounted on a shopping cart (12'") and powered by movement of the shopping cart. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the powered display includes an electronic display (260). Rotational power from a wheel (22'") of the shopping cart is transmitted through a bowden cable (16'") to a generator (262). The generator converts the rotational power to electrical energy to power the electronic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Inventors: John M. Tannehill, John B. Tannehill
  • Patent number: 4930795
    Abstract: A rotary display (10) for printed advertisements (40) is mounted on a shopping cart (12) and advanced by movement of the shopping cart. The rotary display includes an elongated rotary display drum (14) on which the advertisements are disposed. The display drum is drivingly linked by the meshing of a follower gear (62) with a drive gear (60) that is attached to one end (54) of a bowden cable (16). The opposite end of the bowden cable is drivingly linked to a wheel (22) of the shopping cart by a follower gear (64) that meshes with a drive gear (66) mounted on the wheel. Rotation of the shopping cart wheel is transmitted via the bowden cable to the display drum to cause rotational display of the advertisements contained thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Inventors: John M. Tannehill, John B. Tannehill