Patents by Inventor Thomas L. Roberts

Thomas L. Roberts 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: 8864094
    Abstract: A mirror mount that mounts a mirror to a fender of a vehicle includes a base member having a first end generally vertical when the base member is affixed to a fender and arranged to receive a fastener passing through the first end, through the fender, and into the base member so as to fasten the base member to the fender, a second end, a side portion extending between the first end and the second end and having a contour that follows an exterior profile of the fender, and a reinforcement reinforcing the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Velvac, Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Jeffery R. Porter
  • Publication number: 20130334391
    Abstract: A mirror mount that mounts a mirror to a fender of a vehicle includes a base member having a first end generally vertical when the base member is affixed to a fender and arranged to receive a fastener passing through the first end, through the fender, and into the base member so as to fasten the base member to the fender, a second end, a side portion extending between the first end and the second end and having a contour that follows an exterior profile of the fender, and a reinforcement reinforcing the first end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: VELVAC INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Jeffery R. Porter
  • Patent number: 8517331
    Abstract: A mirror mount includes a one-piece molecularly continuous base member and a mirror arm. The mirror arm fastens a mirror to the base member. The base member may also have first and second ends, a side portion, and a reinforcement. The side portion extends between the first and second ends. The first end is generally vertical when the base member is affixed to a fender, and the first end receives a generally horizontal fastener that passes through the first end, through two portions of the fender, and into the base member so as to fasten the base member to the fender. The side portion has a contour that generally follows a profile of the fender. The reinforcement reinforces the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Velvac Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Jeffery R. Porter
  • Publication number: 20110284715
    Abstract: A mirror mount includes a one-piece molecularly continuous base member and a mirror arm. The mirror arm fastens a mirror to the base member. The base member may also have first and second ends, a side portion, and a reinforcement. The side portion extends between the first and second ends. The first end is generally vertical when the base member is affixed to a fender, and the first end receives a generally horizontal fastener that passes through the first end, through two portions of the fender, and into the base member so as to fasten the base member to the fender. The side portion has a contour that generally follows a profile of the fender. The reinforcement reinforces the first end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Jeffery R. Porter
  • Patent number: 7452088
    Abstract: A mirror unit for a vehicle includes a base from which extends an arm holding a mirror housing. The arm is pivotably mounted in the base to permit the mirror to be pivoted toward the vehicle in the event that the mirror is struck, for example. The extended position of the mirror when not folded is defined by a detent in the pivoting movement. The detent position of the mirror is the result of a bolt that presses a spring. The spring in turn presses a hub on the arm against an indexing pivot post, so that ramps on the hub bear against ramps on the indexing pivot post and define the detent position of the mirror. The indexing pivot post has an arrangement of teeth that engage into tooth recesses on the base when pressed thereagainst by the spring. The detent position of the mirror can be changed by the user by the user releasing the bolt to relieve spring pressure on the teeth so that the teeth of the indexing pivot post disengage from the tooth recesses and can be pivoted to a new detent position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Velvac, Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert R. Brester, Thomas L. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20070211356
    Abstract: A mirror unit for a vehicle includes a base from which extends an arm holding a mirror housing. The arm is pivotably mounted in the base to permit the mirror to be pivoted toward the vehicle in the event that the mirror is struck, for example. The extended position of the mirror when not folded is defined by a detent in the pivoting movement. The detent position of the mirror is the result of a bolt that presses a spring. The spring in turn presses a hub on the arm against an indexing pivot post, so that ramps on the hub bear against ramps on the indexing pivot post and define the detent position of the mirror. The indexing pivot post has an arrangement of teeth that engage into tooth recesses on the base when pressed thereagainst by the spring. The detent position of the mirror can be changed by the user by the user releasing the bolt to relieve spring pressure on the teeth so that the teeth of the indexing pivot post disengage from the tooth recesses and can be pivoted to a new detent position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Robert R. Brester, Thomas L. Roberts
  • Patent number: 6565512
    Abstract: A system for estimating the volume of fluid in the bladder sequentially scans the bladder with ultrasonic beams that section the bladder into a number of transverse planes. The system determines, from the scan lines associated with a given plane, a plurality of points on each of the front and back walls of the bladder. It then fits a curve to the set of front wall points and another curve to the set of back wall points, to determine an outline of the bladder in the plane. The system next calculates the cross sectional area of the bladder in the plane based on the two curves. After determining the area in each of the planes, the system determines the volume of the bladder by summing weighted version of the planar areas. The system includes a transducer that consists of a plurality of piezo-electric elements held in a relatively thin elastomeric pad and/or substrate that is acoustically impedance matched to skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: SRS Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dipankar Ganguly, Thomas L. Roberts, Robert F. McConaghy
  • Patent number: 6213949
    Abstract: A system for estimating the volume of fluid in the bladder sequentially scans the bladder with ultrasonic beams that section the bladder into a number of transverse planes. The system determines, from the scan lines associated with a given plane, a plurality of points on each of the front and back walls of the bladder. It then fits a curve to the set of front wall points and another curve to the set of back wall points, to determine an outline of the bladder in the plane. The system next calculates the cross sectional area of the bladder in the plane based on the two curves. After determining the area in each of the planes, the system determines the volume of the bladder by summing weighted version of the planar areas. The system includes a transducer that consists of a plurality of piezo-electric elements held in a relatively thin elastomeric pad and/or substrate that is acoustically impedance matched to skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: SRS Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dipankar Ganguly, Thomas L. Roberts, Robert F. McConaghy
  • Patent number: 5964710
    Abstract: A system for estimating the volume of fluid in the bladder sequentially scans the bladder with ultrasonic beams that section the bladder into a number of transverse planes. The system determines, from the scan lines associated with a given plane, a plurality of points on each of the front and back walls of the bladder. It then fits a curve to the set of front wall points and another curve to the set of back wall points, to determine an outline of the bladder in the plane. The system next calculates the cross sectional area of the bladder in the plane based on the two curves. After determining the area in each of the planes, the system determines the volume of the bladder by summing weighted version of the planar areas. The system includes a transducer that consists of a plurality of piezo-electric elements held in a relatively thin elastomeric pad and/or substrate that is acoustically impedance matched to skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: SRS Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Dipankar Ganguly, Thomas L. Roberts, Robert F. McConaghy
  • Patent number: 4408508
    Abstract: The cutting tool has a circular blade having a center hole and a plurality of pivot holes spaced apart on a common radius with a handle fixed to the center hole and one of said pivot holes. A pivot shaft extends between spaced side plates and the blade is mounted on said pivot shaft. Each side plate has a throat and an anvil welded to each side plate at the rear lower corner of the throat. Each anvil has a bed plate and a back plate on which and against which the material to be cut is positioned. A blade guard depends from the handle and is contoured to lie close to the adjacent circumference of the blade and extend across the throat when the handle is in its lowermost position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Velvac, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R. Brester, Thomas L. Roberts
  • Patent number: D320562
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Velvac, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R. Brester, Thomas L. Roberts
  • Patent number: D731374
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: VELVAC INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Tandrea L. Sperfslage, Brian D. Neeley, Bart T. Mayer
  • Patent number: D731375
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: VELVAC INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Tandrea L. Sperfslage, Brian D. Neeley, Bart T. Mayer
  • Patent number: D731377
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: VELVAC INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Tandrea L. Sperfslage, Brian D. Neeley, Bart T. Mayer
  • Patent number: D731378
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: VELVAC INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Tandrea L. Sperfslage, Brian D. Neeley, Bart T. Mayer
  • Patent number: D748024
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: VELVAC INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas L. Roberts, Tandrea L. Sperfslage, Brian D. Neeley, Bart T. Mayer