Patents by Inventor Stefan A. Parks

Stefan A. Parks 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).

  • Method and system for marking tires
    Patent number: 7772521
    Abstract: A system and associated method of marking a molded vehicle tire with laser engraved information to provide both human visible and machine readable data concerning the tire. Information contained in a barcode on the tire is read at a first station and supplied to a control unit. The physical location of human visible information previously molded into the tire is read from the tire at a second station and supplied to the control unit which uses this information to position a laser located at a third station for engaging additional human visible information pertaining to the manufacture of the tire adjacent the existing visible information to satisfy the Department of Transportation (DOT) tire marking requirements. The additional information also can be laser engraved into the tire in a machine readable encoded format, such as 2D symbols, for subsequent control and verification throughout the life of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Inventors: Donald L. Smith, Jr., Daniel C. Orendorf, Stefan A. Parks, Thomas W. Bell, Joseph J. Peters, Ira L. Wood, Jason J. Para
  • Wheel assembly identification device
    Patent number: 7360700
    Abstract: An identification device modified to fit into a lug nut hole of a rim of a wheel assembly to supply information to a remote interrogator pertaining to the tire, rim, and valve stem prior to mounting the wheel assembly on the vehicle. The device includes a conical body molded of a plastic material and has a coded chip embedded in the plastic material. The chip is provided with either a passive or an active electronic circuit for relaying identifying information to a remote interrogator. A spring device is mounted on the body to removably retain the device within the lug hole until the wheel assembly is mounted on a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Stefan A. Parks
  • Wheel assembly identification device
    Patent number: 7243852
    Abstract: An identification device (6) modified to fit into a lug nut hole (20). The device (6) includes a conical body molded of plastic material and has an embedded codded chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Stefan A. Parks
  • Wheel assembly identification device
    Publication number: 20030150920
    Abstract: An identification device (6) modified to fit into a lug nut hole (20). The device (6) includes a conical body molded of plastic material and has an embedded codded chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventor: Stefan A Parks