Patents by Inventor Michael John Stengel

Michael John Stengel 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: 7823857
    Abstract: A collapsible easel for holding items to be displayed, the easel having a top assembly and a base assembly. The base assembly includes two front legs and a rear leg, each leg pivotally mounted to the top assembly with cushion members forcing part of the top assembly to provide a slight restriction against pivoted movement of the two front legs. A V-shaped spring assembly is pivotally mounted on the rear leg, and is removably attached to each front leg. Insertion of portions of the spring assembly into apertures in the front legs, allows the easel to stand in a tripod configuration. Removal of portions of the V-shaped spring assembly from the apertures in the front legs allows the legs to be folded together. In another embodiment, a collapsible brace assembly connects the rear leg to the front legs. The collapsible brace assembly comprises a pair of lateral struts extending between and engaging each of the front legs and a bracket connecting the lateral struts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Swank Audio Visuals LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q Do
  • Patent number: 7740219
    Abstract: A collapsible easel with foldable legs adapted to support a display device comprising a combination display panel and folded legs. In one embodiment, a three-leg assembly is pivotally connected to the display panel. The portions of each leg are connected by a linearly flexible strap. The linearly flexible strap allows the upper and lower portion of each leg to be pulled in opposite directions relative to each upper and lower portion of each leg, enabling one portion of each leg to be folded over the other portion. In another embodiment of the easel, a channel is connected to each of at least three legs and the channels allow the legs to be individually nested in contact with the rear side of the display panel. Each front leg is connected to the rear leg by a hinge assembly that comprises two struts pivotally connected near a center of the hinge assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Swank Audio Visuals, LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Patent number: 7722007
    Abstract: A foldable easel strut assembly is provided for supporting the easel when the easel is in use, and for moving the legs of the easel to a storage position when the easel is to be stored. The invention comprises an easel support board to which a rear leg assembly is pivotally connected. A pair of forward struts are pivotally connected at a first end to the support board. A pair of rear struts each have a first end pivotally connected to a second end of a corresponding forward strut, and a second end of each rear strut is pivotally connected to the rear leg assembly. Each rear strut includes a stop flange that abuts an upper edge of a corresponding forward strut when the rear leg assembly is pivoted away from the support board to a maximum position. In an embodiment, two front legs are pivotally connected to the support board, and the rear leg assembly comprises a rear leg member that pivotally folds against a bracket, and the bracket folds against the support board, when the easel is in its storage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Swank Audio Visuals, LLC
    Inventor: Michael John Stengel
  • Patent number: 7654541
    Abstract: A cart for securing an transporting audiovisual equipment comprises two pairs of leg assemblies wherein each leg assembly is parallel and faces the other leg assembly. Each pair of legs further comprises individual legs secured to one another. Each leg has a bottom end, a top end, and an outer wall. In one embodiment, at least one of the legs has a hollow channel extending through at least on hollow leg. The hollow leg also comprises at least one aperture extending through the outer wall of the leg and communicating with the hollow channel. A top shelf is removably mounted at the top end of the legs and may also comprise at least one aperture near a corner of the shelf which communicates with the channel in the hollow leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Swank Audio Visuals, LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Publication number: 20090289167
    Abstract: A foldable easel strut assembly is provided for supporting the easel when the easel is in use, and for moving the legs of the easel to a storage position when the easel is to be stored. The invention comprises an easel support board to which a rear leg assembly is pivotally connected. A pair of forward struts are pivotally connected at a first end to the support board. A pair of rear struts each have a first end pivotally connected to a second end of a corresponding forward strut, and a second end of each rear strut is pivotally connected to the rear leg assembly. Each rear strut includes a stop flange that abuts an upper edge of a corresponding forward strut when the rear leg assembly is pivoted away from the support board to a maximum position. In an embodiment, two front legs are pivotally connected to the support board, and the rear leg assembly comprises a rear leg member that pivotally folds against a bracket, and the bracket folds against the support board, when the easel is in its storage position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventor: Michael John Stengel
  • Publication number: 20080173782
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a collapsible easel with foldable legs adapted to support a flip chart or other display device. The invention comprises a display panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side, a second side, a front side, and a rear side. The bottom edge of the display panel has a transverse shelf extending from the display panel to support writing instruments or other equipment. In an embodiment, a three-leg assembly, having a rear leg and two front legs, is adapted to be connected to the display panel. Each leg has an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of each front leg has a generally curved contour. The upper and lower portions of each leg are connected by a flexible strap having a first end and a second end; each end of the flexible strap has at least one aperture to connect the strap by a fastening mechanism to an interior wall of each upper portion and lower portion of each leg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Publication number: 20080129003
    Abstract: A cart for securing an transporting audiovisual equipment comprises two pairs of leg assemblies wherein each leg assembly is parallel and faces the other leg assembly. Each pair of legs further comprises individual legs secured to one another. Each leg has a bottom end, a top end, and an outer wall. In one embodiment, at least one of the legs has a hollow channel extending through at least on hollow leg. The hollow leg also comprises at least one aperture extending through the outer wall of the leg and communicating with the hollow channel. A top shelf is removably mounted at the top end of the legs and may also comprise at least one aperture near a corner of the shelf which communicates with the channel in the hollow leg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Publication number: 20080116347
    Abstract: A collapsible easel for holding items to be displayed, the easel having a top assembly and a base assembly. The base assembly includes two front legs and a rear leg, each leg pivotally mounted to the top assembly with cushion members forcing part of the top assembly to provide a slight restriction against pivoted movement of the two front legs. A V-shaped spring assembly is pivotally mounted on the rear leg, and is removably attached to each front leg. Insertion of portions of the spring assembly into apertures in the front legs, allows the easel to stand in a tripod configuration. Removal of portions of the V-shaped spring assembly from the apertures in the front legs allows the legs to be folded together. In another embodiment, a collapsible brace assembly connects the rear leg to the front legs. The collapsible brace assembly comprises a pair of lateral struts extending between and engaging each of the front legs and a bracket connecting the lateral struts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Patent number: D547096
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Patent number: D553366
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Patent number: D553863
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Patent number: D564252
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Inventor: Michael John Stengel
  • Patent number: D583167
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Inventors: Michael John Stengel, Trung Q. Do
  • Patent number: D584076
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Inventor: Michael John Stengel