Patents by Inventor Richard Proulx

Richard Proulx 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: 7882642
    Abstract: A trimmer head for use with a length of flexible cutting line in a rotary trimmer comprising a housing operatively connected to the trimmer to effect rotation of the head and a spool for carrying the cutting line thereon. The spool is operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith and defines a line receptor channel having opposed open ends and traversing the spool. The channel can be aligned with the eyelets in the housing skirt such that cutting line can be inserted therethrough and wrapped about the spool upon relative rotation of the spool and housing without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween. A central portion of the channel intermediary its open ends is exposed to provide access to the portion of line therein so that line wound about the spool can be pulled from the head without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Publication number: 20110000091
    Abstract: A trimmer head for a rotary line trimmer including a housing operatively connected to the trimmer and a spool for carrying cutting line thereon. The spool is operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith and defines a pair of opposed line receptor channels having opposed open ends, traversing opposed portions of the spool and defining opposed outlet openings above a lowermost end of the spool. The channels can be aligned with the eyelets in the housing skirt such that lengths of cutting line can be inserted therethrough and wrapped about the spool upon relative rotation of the spool and housing without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween. The channel outlet openings provide access to the inner ends of the line so that the line also can be pulled from the head without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: 7797839
    Abstract: A trimmer head for a rotary line trimmer including a housing operatively connected to the trimmer and a spool for carrying cutting line thereon. The spool is operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith and defines a line receptor channel having opposed open ends and traversing the spool. The channel is formed by line guide inserts held within the spool body preferably utilizing the shrinkage of the molded spool material about the inserts. The channel can be aligned with the eyelets in the housing skirt such that cutting line can be inserted therethrough and wrapped about the spool upon relative rotation of the spool and housing without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween. A central portion of the channel is exposed to provide access to the line so that the line can be pulled from the head without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Publication number: 20100225021
    Abstract: A process for forming flexible noise attenuating cutting line for use in rotary vegetation trimmers formed of at least two monofilament polymer strands bonded together in a twisted disposition or a single strand twisted about its central axis in which the strand or strands are extruded in a molten disposition through a single die that is rotated during the extruding step either to twist the two strands together about a central longitudinal axis or a single strand about its own longitudinal axis such that upon cooling, stretching and heating, a flexible noise attenuating line is created in a continuous online process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Proulx, William P. Conley, Rodger D. Thomason
  • Patent number: 7762002
    Abstract: A trimmer head for use in a flexible line rotary trimmer including a housing adapted to be operatively connected to the trimmer to effect rotation of the head and a spool operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith. The spool defines at least one inwardly extending line receptor channel, preferably formed by a plurality of inwardly tapered walls so as to be polygonal in cross-section. So configured, the channel walls will securely grip the cutting line upon the line being inserted in the channel and wound about the spool. To provide uniform winding of the line, a plurality of cam, cam abutment and sliding surfaces are operatively connected to the housing and spool such that when the spool is manually rotated relative to the housing in the drive direction, the spool is caused to reciprocate axially within the housing evenly distributing the line about the body of the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: 7718103
    Abstract: A process for forming flexible noise attenuating cutting line for use in rotary vegetation trimmers formed of at least two monofilament polymer strands bonded together in a twisted disposition or a single strand twisted about its central axis in which the strand or strands are extruded in a molten disposition through a single die that is rotated during the extruding step either to twist the two strands together about a central longitudinal axis or a single strand about its own longitudinal axis such that upon cooling, stretching and heating, a flexible noise attenuating line is created in a continuous online process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Proulx, William P. Conley, Rodger D. Thomason
  • Publication number: 20090223065
    Abstract: A trimmer head for use in a flexible line rotary trimmer including a housing adapted to be operatively connected to the trimmer to effect rotation of the head and a spool operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith. The spool defines at least one inwardly extending line receptor channel, preferably formed by a plurality of inwardly tapered walls so as to be polygonal in cross-section. So configured, the channel walls will securely grip the cutting line upon the line being inserted in the channel and wound about the spool. To provide uniform winding of the line, a plurality of cam, cam abutment and sliding surfaces are operatively connected to the housing and spool such that when the spool is manually rotated relative to the housing in the drive direction, the spool is caused to reciprocate axially within the housing evenly distributing the line about the body of the spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: 7581322
    Abstract: A trimmer head for use in a flexible line rotary trimmer including a housing adapted to be operatively connected to the trimmer to effect rotation of the head and a spool operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith. The spool defines at least one inwardly extending line receptor channel defining surface irregularities therein for securely gripping the cutting line upon an end portion of the line being inserted in the channel and the spool rotated with respect to the housing. The channel is preferably tapered inwardly to hold different line sizes. To provide uniform winding of the line about the spool, the operative connection between the spool and the housing effects relative reciprocal motion therebetween when the spool is manually rotated relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: 7513046
    Abstract: A trimmer head for use in a flexible line rotary trimmer including a housing adapted to be operatively connected to the trimmer to effect rotation of the head and a spool operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith. The spool defines at least one inwardly extending line receptor channel, preferably formed by a plurality of inwardly tapered walls so as to be polygonal in cross-section. So configured, the channel walls will securely grip the cutting line upon the line being inserted in the channel and wound about the spool. To provide uniform winding of the line, a plurality of cam, cam abutment and sliding surfaces are operatively connected to the housing and spool such that when the spool is manually rotated relative to the housing in the drive direction, the spool is caused to reciprocate axially within the housing evenly distributing the line about the body of the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Publication number: 20080127496
    Abstract: A trimmer head for use with a length of flexible cutting line in a rotary trimmer comprising a housing operatively connected to the trimmer to effect rotation of the head and a spool for carrying the cutting line thereon. The spool is operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith and defines a line receptor channel having opposed open ends and traversing the spool. The channel is formed by line guide inserts held within the spool body preferably utilizing the shrinkage of the molded spool material about the inserts. The channel can be aligned with the eyelets in the housing skirt such that cutting line can be inserted therethrough and wrapped about the spool upon relative rotation of the spool and housing without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween. A central portion of the channel is exposed to provide access to the line so that the line can be pulled from the head without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D578843
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D578844
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D578845
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D579282
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D579283
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D579284
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D579285
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D579286
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D586191
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx
  • Patent number: D630068
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Proulx