Patents by Inventor Lonnie G. Johnson
Lonnie G. Johnson 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).
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Patent number: 6000386Abstract: A fluid pulsator for a compressed gun (10) or water gun (30) is provided having a housing (604) with a fluid inlet (607) and a fluid outlet (608), an internal tube (605) reciprocally coupled to the housing, and a sealing member (606) reciprocally mounted to the internal tube. The housing and internal tube define a rearward pressure chamber (632) and a forward fluid pressure chamber (631). The fluid pulsator also has means for actuating the movement of the sealing member that can be manually manipulated to vary the actuation rate of the pulsator.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 1998Date of Patent: December 14, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite
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Patent number: 5982144Abstract: A rechargeable power supply overcharge protection circuit is provided with shunt circuits that shunt current about a battery or battery cell (15, 16 and 17) of a string of battery cells when it is charged to a maximum charge limit. The shunt circuit includes shunt regulators (20) connected across each battery cell.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1997Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, Yong Su
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Patent number: 5974977Abstract: A magnetic propulsion toy system is provided having a track (11), a boost station (12) and a car (14) made of magnetic material. The boost station has control circuit (18) with a battery (19), a wire coil (21), a capacitor (22), a manual triggering switch (24), an automatic triggering switch (27) and a manual delay triggering switch (29). An infrared emitter/detector (28) is coupled to the automatic triggering switch and manual delay triggering switch.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1997Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, Yong Su
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Patent number: 5957745Abstract: A gyroscopic figurine (10) is disclosed having a body (11) and a gyroscope (12) mounted within the body. The gyroscope (12) has a rotatable wheel (15) coupled with the shaft (23) of an electric motor (16). The shaft is oriented at an angle to the axis of rotation (21) of the gyroscope wheel to cause a slight unbalancing or wobbling effect as the wheel rotates. The body has a torso (26), a head (28), pivoting arms (29), a fixed leg (30), and a moveable leg (33). The relative positioning of the arms, legs and torso cause the figurine to become unbalanced and thus move while the gyroscope operates. The unbalancing of the gyroscopic wheel causes the figurine to vibrate and thus enhance the skating effect of the figurine upon an underlying surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 1998Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite
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Patent number: 5951354Abstract: A rocket (100) is disclosed having a body (101) with a bay (102) therein and a latchable hatch (109) which is movable between a bay opened position and a bay closed position by a spring biased hinge (110). A parachute (117) is mounted to the hatch. Upon unlatching the hatch, the drag upon the hatch causes it to move reward thereby pulling the parachute from the bay for deployment.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 1997Date of Patent: September 14, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5941751Abstract: A sound-generating unit (30) is encased within the body (20) of an article (10) which is to be launched by a burst of compressed and/or pressurized fluid (15) from a fluid launching device (11). The sound-generating unit (30) has the three main elements of a piezoelectric electromechanical transducer (32), a sound-generator electronic circuit (40), and a speaker (42). The body (20) of the article to be launched has a bore to receive the burst of fluid (15). The piezoelectric element (32) is positioned within the bore in alignment for receiving the impact of the burst of fluid (15). The piezoelectric element (32), the speaker (42) and an electrical energizer (36) are connected to the sound-generator circuit (40). Upon being impinged by a burst of fluid (15) projected into the bore of the body (20), the piezoelectric element (32) minutely deforms and generates a voltage that is processed by the sound-generator circuit (40) into a desired sound-effect signal that drives the speaker (42).Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1996Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite, John A. Alphonso-Gibbs
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Patent number: 5924413Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual air pump (14). The gun also has a control valve (200) which controls the flow of compressed air into a magazine (202). The control valve includes an external tube (204), an internal tube (205) reciprocally mounted within the external tube, and a plunger (206) reciprocally mounted within the internal tube.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 1997Date of Patent: July 20, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite
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Patent number: 5913304Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a pressure chamber (35), a moveable magazine (18) and a conduit conveying pressurized air from the pressure chamber to the magazine. The conduit has a resilient sealing gasket (42) which is reconfigurable between a relaxed configuration and an expanded configuration with the presence of pressurized air.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1997Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5878914Abstract: A water gun (10) is provided having a storage tank (18), a expandable pressure tank (19) having an elastic bladder (30) encased within an outer shell (29), and a pump (32) for conveying liquid from the storage tank to the expandable pressure tank. The conveyance of liquid into the expandable pressure tank causes the liquid to be pressurized by the biasing force of the elastic bladder. The pressurized liquid is released through a nozzle (21) coupled to the expandable pressure tank by actuation of a trigger (17). The storage tank may be collapsible to prevent the storage of air therein or be coupled to a fluid selective check valve to prevent air from being pumped into the pressure tank.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 1997Date of Patent: March 9, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5878734Abstract: An air compressed gun (210) is provided having a stock (211), multiple barrels (212), a trigger (213) and a manual air pump (214). A pressure chamber (216) and release valve (217) is coupled to each barrel which is controlled by the trigger.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 1997Date of Patent: March 9, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite, Jeffrey Shane Matthews
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Patent number: 5878735Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual air pump (14). The gun also has a mounting tube (201) configured to be received within the tail bore (203) of a projectile (P) and a barrel (200) in which the projectile is positioned for launching. The mounting tube has a tapered air exit end (210), a safety bar (211) and safety vents (220). The barrel has an elongated slot (217) for venting compressed air.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1997Date of Patent: March 9, 1999Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5850941Abstract: A water gun (10) is provided having a pressure tank (19) in fluid communication with a coupler (20) adapted to be received upon a conventional water faucet, and a pump (42) for conveying additional air to the pressure tank. The flow of water from the water faucet draws ambient air which is compressed within the pressure tank to pressurize the water therein. The pressurized liquid is released through a nozzle (21) coupled to the pressure tank by actuation of a trigger (17).Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 1997Date of Patent: December 22, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, Shane Matthews
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Patent number: 5838240Abstract: A wet diaper detector comprises an elongated strip of material sized to be positioned in a diaper with a portion of the strip residing in a region of the diaper subject to wetness and an end of the strip protruding from the diaper at the upper rear or front portion thereof. The strip carries a pair of spaced conductors that extend along the length of the strip and terminate at the protruding end thereof. A detector and alarm assembly is adapted to be releasably coupled to the protruding end of the elongated strip and is configured to monitor the electrical resistance between the spaced conductors of the strip. When the diaper is wet by its wearer, the resistance between the spaced conductors of the strips falls below a pre-established value whereupon the detector activates the alarm to alert an attendant to change the diaper. In one embodiment, wetness is detected capacitively.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 1995Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5826750Abstract: A water gun (10) is provided having a storage tank (18), a pressure tank (19), a pump (32) for conveying liquid from the storage tank to the pressure tank, and a control valve (39) which determines whether water or air is to be drawn by the pump and deposited within the pressure tank. The pressurized liquid is released through a nozzle (21) coupled to the pressure tank by actuation of a trigger (17).Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 1997Date of Patent: October 27, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Corporation, Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5819717Abstract: A launching chamber (20) with an exhaust orifice (32) covered by an obstruction member (34, 36) is in fluid-pressure dependent mechanical communication with an equilibrium chamber (40) such that when the two chambers are in fluid pressure equilibrium and fluid pressure in the equilibrium chamber is decreased to a predetermined amount less than the fluid pressure in the launching chamber the obstruction member uncovers the exhaust orifice. The equilibrium chamber (40) is vented through a turbine tube (70) which drives a turbine wheel (72).Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 1997Date of Patent: October 13, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research and Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite
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Patent number: 5787869Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual air pump (14). The gun also has a mounting tube (201) configured to be received within the tail bore (203) of a projectile (P) and a barrel (200) in which the projectile is positioned for launching. The mounting tube has a tapered air exit end (210) and a safety bar (211). The barrel has an lelongated slot (217) for venting compressed air.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 1997Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Corp., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite, Shane Matthews
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Patent number: 5779100Abstract: A water gun (10) is provided having a storage tank (18), a pressure tank (19), and a pump (32) for conveying liquid from the storage tank to the pressure tank. The conveyance of liquid from the storage tank creates a vacuum which is controller through a control valve (43) to refill the storage tank with water in an efficient manner.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 1996Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Corp, Inc.Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
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Patent number: 5724955Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual air pump (14). The gun also has a magazine (18) having a series of barrels (26) for holding several projectiles (P). An actuator (50) indexes the magazine with each shot of the gun. The triggering of the gun is controlled by a voice activated triggering system (215) which includes a microphone (216), a control circuit (220) and a control valve (219).Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1997Date of Patent: March 10, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite
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Patent number: 5711324Abstract: A hair drying curler apparatus (10) for curling and drying a lock of hair is disclosed having a tubular roller (11) and a retaining clip (12). The roller has a tubular support (14), a moisture permeable inner cover material (15) joined to a moisture permeable outer cover material (16), and a mass of hair drying expediting material (18) positioned between the inner and outer cover materials. The outer cover material is quilted to form a linear array of generally axially aligned, annular channels (22) containing the expediting material. Similarly, the retaining clip has a support (26), a moisture permeable inner cover material (27) joined to a moisture permeable outer cover material (28), and a mass of hair drying expediting material (30) positioned between the inner and outer cover material. The outer cover material is quilted to form a linear array of arcuate channels (33) containing the expediting material.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1996Date of Patent: January 27, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, Francis E. LeVert, John Applewhite
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Patent number: 5709199Abstract: An air compressed gun (10) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual air pump (14). The gun also has a magazine (18) having a series of barrels (26) for holding several projectiles (P). An actuator (50) indexes the magazine with each shot of the gun and automatically controls bursts of pressurized air. The magazine has a mounting plate (25) with two concentric annular arrays of opening (28). A sealing plate (38) is configured to seal one opening with each sequential indexing of the magazine.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1996Date of Patent: January 20, 1998Assignee: Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, John T. Applewhite