Patents by Inventor John S. Betts

John S. Betts 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: 8177106
    Abstract: An adjustable garment hanger including an overhead suspension element and a pair of hanger arms extending outwardly from a central housing. Arm inclination is adjustable relative to fabric being supported so as to minimize wrinkling deformation. Arms may collapse immediately downwardly on pivots to a generally vertical mode releasing the garment via its neckline opening. A central, flexible spring element includes ledges latching arms in a first, garment supporting position. When the spring element is driven upwardly or downwardly by twisting the suspension element in a mutually threaded boss, the ledges slightly adjust the arms upward or downward. Quick release tabs may be provided at an upper end of the spring element such that, when manually pressed, the ledges instantly withdraw allowing the arms to collapse and release the garment. With garment weight removed, springs attached to the arms act to bias their return to garment supporting position each collapse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: John S. Betts
  • Publication number: 20120018462
    Abstract: An adjustable garment hanger including an overhead suspension element and a pair of hanger arms extending outwardly from a central housing. Arm inclination is adjustable relative to fabric being supported so as to minimize wrinkling deformation. Arms may collapse immediately downwardly on pivots to a generally vertical mode releasing the garment via its neckline opening. A central, flexible spring element includes ledges latching arms in a first, garment supporting position. When the spring element is driven upwardly or downwardly by twisting the suspension element in a mutually threaded boss, the ledges slightly adjust the arms upward or downward. Quick release tabs may be provided at an upper end of the spring element such that, when manually pressed, the ledges instantly withdraw allowing the arms to collapse and release the garment. With garment weight removed, springs attached to the arms act to bias their return to garment supporting position each collapse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventor: John S. Betts
  • Publication number: 20100324770
    Abstract: A method of assisting a driver in aligning a vehicle hitch with a trailer hitch and electronic trailer alignment system includes providing a stereoscopic-imaging system and positioning the imaging system at one of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch. The imaging system includes at least two image sensors. At least two different images of a surface at the other of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch are captured with the at least two image sensors. Position data is captured from the at least two different images of the surface at the other of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch. The position data defines a position of the other of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch with respect to the one of the vehicle hitch or the trailer hitch. Steering data that will cause the vehicle hitch to approach the position of the trailer hitch is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: J. Edward Ramsey, John S. Betts, James D. Lark, Brian A. Mount, Robert J. Newton
  • Patent number: 7309075
    Abstract: A trailer hitch alignment device which allows a user to easily align a hitch of a vehicle with a trailer hitch of a trailer. The trailer hitch alignment device includes a control unit with a display that is viewable by the driver of a vehicle, a sensor releasably positioned on a ball hitch of the vehicle, and another sensor releasably positioned over a socket hitch of the trailer. At least one of the sensor and the another sensor communicates with the control unit. The control unit display displays the relative position of the sensor to the another sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Inventors: J. Edward Ramsey, John S. Betts