Patents by Inventor Thomas Zebulon Franke
Thomas Zebulon Franke 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).
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Patent number: 10933260Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is related to a harness system including a waist member and a leg loop member. The two leg loop members are configured to encircle the legs of the user and are coupled to the waist member. The leg loop members each comprise a net-leg region, a waist coupling region, and two net-waist transition regions. The net-leg region comprises a load bearing net structure having a plurality of independent recesses defined by an intercoupled mesh material. The waist member may also include a similar net-waist region, leg coupling region, and two net-leg transition regions. The net-leg and net-waist regions may include at least one of edge tape, shape mesh, proximal fabric, and distal fabric. The net-waist transition regions and the net-leg transition regions may comprise either a non-stitch transition or a stitch coupling to the waist and leg coupling regions respectively.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2018Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.Inventors: Christopher Andrew Nance, Thomas Zebulon Franke, Brendan Perkins
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Publication number: 20200108294Abstract: A load bearing belay loop includes a load bearing inner structural ring that is formed by winding a single filament in many windings to form a coil, and an outer sheath made from a sheet material that is tubular in configuration and that is rolled axially to cover the ring. The outer sheath is not load bearing. The inner ring may be formed by winding a single filament in many windings to form a coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2018Publication date: April 9, 2020Inventors: Christopher Andrew Nance, Thomas Zebulon Franke
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Publication number: 20200078615Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is related to a harness system including a waist member and a leg loop member. The two leg loop members are configured to encircle the legs of the user and are coupled to the waist member. The leg loop members each comprise a net-leg region, a waist coupling region, and two net-waist transition regions. The net-leg region comprises a load bearing net structure having a plurality of independent recesses defined by an intercoupled mesh material. The waist member may also include a similar net-waist region, leg coupling region, and two net-leg transition regions. The net-leg and net-waist regions may include at least one of edge tape, shape mesh, proximal fabric, and distal fabric. The net-waist transition regions and the net-leg transition regions may comprise either a non-stitch transition or a stitch coupling to the waist and leg coupling regions respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2018Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.Inventors: Christopher Andrew Nance, Thomas Zebulon Franke, Brendan Perkins
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Patent number: 10143865Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is related to a harness system including a waist member and a leg loop member. The waist member is configured to encircle the naval region of the user and form a continuous loop. The leg loop member is configured to encircle the legs of the user. The leg loop member nay also be coupled to the waist member via a third loop. The leg loop member includes a continuous cord with at least two unbraided regions and at least one splice coupling. The unbraided regions are disposed between braided regions and are disposed on the leg loop member to correspond to the user's legs. The unbraided regions further comprise a plurality of separated strands oriented substantially parallel and equidistant to one another.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2015Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.Inventors: Thomas Zebulon Franke, Bill Belcourt, Brendan Perkins, Benjamin Mark Wheeler, Jake Hall
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Publication number: 20160096044Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is related to a harness system including a waist member and a leg loop member. The waist member is configured to encircle the naval region of the user and form a continuous loop. The leg loop member is configured to encircle the legs of the user. The leg loop member nay also be coupled to the waist member via a third loop. The leg loop member includes a continuous cord with at least two unbraided regions and at least one splice coupling. The unbraided regions are disposed between braided regions and are disposed on the leg loop member to correspond to the user's legs. The unbraided regions further comprise a plurality of separated strands oriented substantially parallel and equidistant to one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Applicant: BLACK DIAMOND EQUIPMENT, LTD.Inventors: Thomas Zebulon Franke, Bill Belcourt, Brendan Perkins, Benjamin Mark Wheeler, Jake Hall
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Patent number: 9254030Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a carrying system with an enclosure member and a shoulder attachment system. The shoulder attachment system includes a first and second shoulder strap individually coupled to the external surface of the enclosure member. The bottom ends of the first and second shoulder straps are intercoupled via a coupling member. The coupling member is slidably routed through a sleeve member within the internal region of the enclosure member. The sleeve member includes an internal channel having a cross-sectional shape that substantially matches the cross-sectional shape of the coupling member, thereby minimizing frictional resistance as the coupling member is translated through the sleeve member. The slidable intercoupling between the bottom ends of the first and second shoulder straps with respect to the enclosure member enables articulation of one shoulder strap to be balanced by corresponding articulation of the opposite shoulder strap.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.Inventors: Paul Terry, Thomas Zebulon Franke, Nathan M Kuder
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Publication number: 20100243693Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a carrying system with an enclosure member and a shoulder attachment system. The shoulder attachment system includes a first and second shoulder strap individually coupled to the external surface of the enclosure member. The bottom ends of the first and second shoulder straps are intercoupled via a coupling member. The coupling member is slidably routed through a sleeve member within the internal region of the enclosure member. The sleeve member includes an internal channel having a cross-sectional shape that substantially matches the cross-sectional shape of the coupling member, thereby minimizing frictional resistance as the coupling member is translated through the sleeve member. The slidable intercoupling between the bottom ends of the first and second shoulder straps with respect to the enclosure member enables articulation of one shoulder strap to be balanced by corresponding articulation of the opposite shoulder strap.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Paul Terry, Thomas Zebulon Franke, Nathan M Kuder