Patents by Inventor Rodger Thomason

Rodger Thomason 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: 20230276785
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system comprising a tub, a cover, a wick, and a diffuser cap. The tub defines a cavity. The tub is constructed to hold a liquid in the cavity. The tub comprises a top ring. The cover is constructed to be coupled to the top ring of the tub. The cover defines an aperture. The wick is constructed to convey a liquid via diffusion. The diffuser cap comprises a central stem. The central stem is constructed to engage with the wick. The diffuser cap is constructed to vent vapor conveyed to the diffuser cap via the wick.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Stephen G Hauser, Glenn W Willoughby, Matt Wallace, Jim Jernigan, Rodger Thomason, Paul Maguire
  • Patent number: 8864463
    Abstract: A rotating fan with a transmission mechanism and a blade deployment mechanism. In an energized state, an electromagnetic coil generates a magnetic force that causes a clutch plate to be in contact with a contact surface, thereby engaging a planetary gear system. In a de-energized state, the clutch plate is not in contact with the contact surface, thereby disengaging the planetary gear system. In a deployed configuration, a drive link activated by the planetary gear system rotates a blade link to cause a fan blade to pivot. The result is that the fan blade tip is farther from the motor shaft than the fan blade root. In a retracted configuration, the drive link rotates the blade link to cause the fan blade to pivot and retract. The result is that the fan blade tip is equidistant from the motor shaft as the fan blade root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Swiss Module Group LLC
    Inventors: William Conley, Rodger Thomason, Ricardo Lopez
  • Publication number: 20130084180
    Abstract: A rotating fan with a transmission mechanism and a blade deployment mechanism. In an energized state, an electromagnetic coil generates a magnetic force that causes a clutch plate to be in contact with a contact surface, thereby engaging a planetary gear system. In a de-energized state, the clutch plate is not in contact with the contact surface, thereby disengaging the planetary gear system. In a deployed configuration, a drive link activated by the planetary gear system rotates a blade link to cause a fan blade to pivot. The result is that the fan blade tip is farther from the motor shaft than the fan blade root. In a retracted configuration, the drive link rotates the blade link to cause the fan blade to pivot and retract. The result is that the fan blade tip is equidistant from the motor shaft as the fan blade root.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: William Conley, Rodger Thomason, Ricardo Lopez
  • Patent number: 7794378
    Abstract: An exercise chair primarily directed to employing an exercise method, with foot bars, high bars, and a foldable configuration. The seat is supported by a plurality of support elements, at least some of which are hingeably connected with the seat, so that the chair can be folded into a compact shape for storage or transport. The independent foot bars may each be attached to a lever that is hingeably coupled with one or more of the support elements. The position of the foot bars may also be adjustable by extending out of the levers and locking into the desired position. One or more resistance elements may be removably attached to a location below the chair seat, and individually connected with the levers via an adjusting assembly that can either slide or be placed in pre-set mounting locations along the lever to provide variable resistance, or can be equipped with a turnbuckle to provide varying resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Guthy-Renker LLC
    Inventors: Robson L. Splane, Jr., Rodger Thomason, Andy Tobias, Andrew Spivak
  • Publication number: 20090197746
    Abstract: An exercise chair primarily directed to employing an exercise method, with foot bars, high bars, and a foldable configuration. The seat is supported by a plurality of support elements, at least some of which are hingeably connected with the seat, so that the chair can be folded into a compact shape for storage or transport. The independent foot bars may each be attached to a lever that is hingeably coupled with one or more of the support elements. The position of the foot bars may also be adjustable by extending out of the levers and locking into the desired position. One or more resistance elements may be removably attached to a location below the chair seat, and individually connected with the levers via an adjusting assembly that can either slide or be placed in pre-set mounting locations along the lever to provide variable resistance, or can be equipped with a turnbuckle to provide varying resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Robson L. Splane, JR., Rodger Thomason, Andy Tobias, Andrew Spivak
  • Publication number: 20070271797
    Abstract: An assembly for use in continuously forming a plurality of lengths of flexible noise attenuating cutting line for use in rotary vegetation trimmers. The assembly includes a breaker plate having a conically shaped inner portion and a planar outer portion. A plurality of extrusion dies are disposed in the outer portion wherein each die defines a die hold configuration at its lower end for the extrusion of one or more monofilament polymer strands therethrough, and a drive assembly is provided for rotating each of the dies at a predetermined speed such that upon directing a flow of molten monofilament polymer material onto the breaker plate, the material is directed from the inclined central portion onto the planar outer portion where it is extruded through the rotating dies to create a plurality of twisted strands of polymer material that upon cooling, stretching and heating, define lengths of flexible noise attenuating cutting line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Proulx, William Conley, Rodger Thomason
  • Publication number: 20070017131
    Abstract: A lighting system for a real estate sign comprises an elongated illumination arm, a light source, an attachment housing, a power supply, and means for removably attaching the attachment housing to a real estate sign. The light source is connected to one end of the illumination arm, and the power supply is connected to another end. The lighting system may further have a switch to interrupt and reestablish the electrical communication between the power supply and the light source. In a version of the invention, the illumination arm is articulable and may be bent to direct light from the light source toward the sign.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Visotcky, William Conley, Rodger Thomason
  • Publication number: 20060261510
    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 5, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Richard Proulx, William Conley, Rodger Thomason
  • Publication number: 20060186298
    Abstract: A clamp is provided suitable for clamping an object to a balustrade or other analogous structure. The clamp is attached by clamping the slats or spindles in the balustrade between a clamping nut and an adjustable jam plate. When the clamping nut is disengaged from the clamp, the jam plate may be slide along a shaft to position the jam plate. When the clamping nut is engaged with the clamp, the jam plate is locked in place on the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Rodger Thomason, William Conley
  • Publication number: 20050227831
    Abstract: An exercise device in which removable weight may be provided in a housing of the device. Two rotatable handles may be provided in the housing, permitting various hand orientations during exercise. The removable weight may be received within and/or removed from a cavity of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Alden Mills, Mark Friedman, Stephen Hauser, William Conley, Rodger Thomason
  • Publication number: 20050022566
    Abstract: A security device secures an apparatus having a wall (1110) with a slot (1120). The security device includes first and second shafts. The shafts have arms (10) rotatable about their respective axis into and out of their respective unlocked positions. Each of the axes of the arms are different from each other. The shafts also have tangs (12) extending from the arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Stephen Bellow, Rodger Thomason, William Conley, Lawrence Kurland, George Chen
  • Publication number: 20050003931
    Abstract: An exercise device, method of making the device and a method and system for interaction with an exercise device, in which removable, variable weight may be provided in a housing of the device. Two rotatable handles may be provided in the housing, permitting various hand orientations during exercise. The removable weight may be provided near the center of the exercise device, with the handles substantially outboard the weight. Weight may thus be efficiently added or removed in a central area of the housing between the handles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Inventors: Alden Mills, Mark Friedman, Stephen Hauser, William Conley, Rodger Thomason
  • Patent number: 5772678
    Abstract: A manual dilating trocar uses an automatically retracting stylet. The stylet is threaded through a dilating obturator which is, in turn, inserted into a trocar sheath. A spring near the handle of the stylet serves to urge the stylet cutting tip into a retracted position so that it can be held within the dilating tip of the dilating obturator. When a surgeon seeks to pierce a body cavity so as to perform laparoscopic surgery or the like, the handle is engaged to overcome the bias of the spring so that the stylet's cutting tip is exposed. Upon piercing of the exterior body-cavity layer, the stylet may be withdrawn to ensure that no underlying organs or tissue are damaged by the sharp stylet tip. Once the dilation of the initial stylet wound has been completed and the trocar sheath has been introduced into the body cavity, the dilating obturator may also be removed from within the trocar sheath in order to provide a channel into the body cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Inlet Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger Thomason, James E. Carter, Neil H. Naves, Mark J. Legome, Jose M. Velez
  • Patent number: 5507758
    Abstract: A surgical instrument, guide and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to accurately passing suture material through a guide into tissue with the tip of the surgical instrument in a standard suture/needle driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip and inserting the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision, wherein the suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip from the guide, and recovered by using the guide to redirect the tip and puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion wherein the tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture through the guide, and outside the wound providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision, and wherein a guide insertable within the wound to be closed guides the surgical instrument at a predetermined angle from the longitudina
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Inlet Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger Thomason, James E. Carter, Mark J. Legome, Neil H. Naves
  • Patent number: 5496335
    Abstract: A surgical instrument and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to passing of suture through tissue with the tip of the surgical instrument in a standard suture/needle driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip and inserting the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision wherein the suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip and recovered by puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion wherein the tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture outside the wound providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Inlet Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger Thomason, James E. Carter, Mark J. Legome, Neil H. Naves
  • Patent number: D536238
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Slimvac, Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Conley, Rodger Thomason
  • Patent number: D554477
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Slimvac, Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Conley, Rodger Thomason
  • Patent number: D564340
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Slimvac, Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Conley, Rodger Thomason
  • Patent number: D623706
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Guthy-Renker LLC
    Inventors: Rodger Thomason, Andy Tobias, Andrew Spivak