Patents by Inventor Merrill M. Miller

Merrill M. Miller 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: 4998902
    Abstract: An improved toppling toy is characterized by a resetting capability that comprises a plurality of finger tip operated actuators, each of which is associated with and coupled to an associated one of the pivotally mounted tiles for joint pivotal movement therewith; and each actuator contains an outer actuator surface exposed on the upper surface of the track to a players finger, such outer surface having a frictional characteristic, whereby dragging movement of the players finger along a finger dragging lane on the track and across and transverse the actuator when the tile is in the down position causes pivoting of the actuator and thereby uprights the associated tile. Suitably the actuator and tile are formed in a unitary one piece structure of molded plastic material. A novel track contains rods to serve as a pivot for the tiles and is also formed of a unitary one piece assembly of molded plastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Universal Product Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold E. Garner, Merrill M. Miller, Brian E. Kavanagh, Gorden W. Spring