Patents by Inventor John Whispell

John Whispell 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).

  • Connecting system for surface coverings
    Patent number: 7849655
    Abstract: A system and method for joining floor planks includes two or more planks wherein each plank includes a tongue, a groove, and optionally a shoulder, and optionally a protruding lip, that provide a mechanism for connecting two or more planks together. The tongue can be on the opposing side of each plank from the groove. The groove can be defined between a first flange extending along a first edge of the plank and from one side of the plank, and a second flange extending distally beyond a distal edge of the first flange from the first edge of the plank and from a second side of the plank opposite from the first side. The tongue can be S-shaped to form an interlocking relationship with the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Mannington Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Hao A. Chen, John Whispell
  • Connecting system for surface coverings
    Publication number: 20070022694
    Abstract: A system and method for joining floor planks includes two or more planks wherein each plank includes a tongue, a groove, and optionally a shoulder, and optionally a protruding lip, that provide a mechanism for connecting two or more planks together. The tongue can be on the opposing side of each plank from the groove. The groove can be defined between a first flange extending along a first edge of the plank and from one side of the plank, and a second flange extending distally beyond a distal edge of the first flange from the first edge of the plank and from a second side of the plank opposite from the first side. The tongue can be S-shaped to form an interlocking relationship with the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventors: Hao Chen, John Whispell