Patents by Inventor Paul A. Womack

Paul A. Womack 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).

  • Publication number: 20090152059
    Abstract: A rotational resistance apparatus and method of use is disclosed to control movement of a carriage across a surface. The apparatus includes a disc having an axial rotational axis, an axial first end portion, and second end face portion that is substantially perpendicular to the axial rotational axis. The first end portion rotationally engages a rotating element of the carriage. Also included, is a cover having an axial longitudinal axis, an axial outer end portion that removably engages a frame of the carriage, and an axial inner face portion positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The longitudinal and axial rotational axes are approximately co-axial and the inner face portion and the second end face portion are in a selected rotational frictional contact. Further included, is a first structure for selectable axial urging of the cover toward the disc, being operational to further selectably alter the selected rotational frictional contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Nathan Paul Womack, Edmund Charles Burke, JR., John Harold Burke
  • Patent number: 7080103
    Abstract: An improved technique for facilitating user co-action with a portable electronic device having one or more embedded applications. The application presents information to the user on a display of the electronic device, and the user selects the particular item or data that they want to work with, such as by a double-tap and hold of a stylus over such item or data. In response to such tap and hold selection, a menu appears that prompts the user to select what the next action or step the user desires to invoke. User selection of the next action/step causes creation of a new data record, with information from the current application being automatically included or appended to the next action/step's application record, along with a date stamp. This enables creation of an audit trail or log of the user's actions with the electronic device's applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan Paul Womack
  • Patent number: 6971588
    Abstract: A cleaning head for installation in a swimming pool floor fitting (9) includes a pop-up cylinder (5) having a plurality of first camming elements (44) disposed on its outer wall, a compression spring (6) disposed around it, and an outer cylinder (11) having a plurality of second camming elements (42) and third camming elements (40) disposed along the inner wall (47A) of the outer cylinder (11) for engagement with the first camming elements. A nozzle cap (15) is removably attached to the upper end of the pop-up cylinder (5), and includes a plurality of nozzles having various diameters, respectively, only a selected one of the nozzles being aligned with a clearance opening (20) of the pop-up cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Shasta Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Tarr, Andy F. Blake, Paul A. Womack
  • Publication number: 20040225695
    Abstract: An improved technique for facilitating user co-action with a portable electronic device having one or more embedded applications. The application presents information to the user on a display of the electronic device, and the user selects the particular item or data that they want to work with, such as by a double-tap and hold of a stylus over such item or data. In response to such tap and hold selection, a menu appears that prompts the user to select what the next action or step the user desires to invoke. User selection of the next action/step causes creation of a new data record, with information from the current application being automatically included or appended to the next action/step's application record, along with a date stamp. This enables creation of an audit trail or log of the user's actions with the electronic device's applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan Paul Womack
  • Patent number: 6189556
    Abstract: A distribution valve for a swimming pool cleaning system includes a housing with a high pressure fluid inlet disposed on a side of the housing, a plurality of outlet ports for connection to a plurality of return lines, respectively, a plurality of valves opening or closing the outlet ports from the interior, and an impeller-driven gear assembly to sequentially open and close each valve in response to rotation of the impeller. A cover unit is connected to the housing, and includes an impeller chamber connected to an underside portion of the cover unit, with the impeller disposed concentrically in the impeller chamber. The impeller includes a circular disk base that forms a bottom of the impeller chamber. A guide passage extends from an inlet window of the impeller chamber to guide a stream of water from the inlet into the inlet chamber against blades of the impeller causing it to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Shasta Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Andy F. Blake, Paul A. Womack