Patents Issued in October 30, 2001
  • Patent number: 6308365
    Abstract: A toothbrush for false teeth includes first and second sets of bristles respectively implanted in a bottom face and a top face of a brush head, and a handle integrally formed with the brush head, the handle having a first and second recesses defined in a first side and a third recess defined in a second side face opposite the first side. The recesses arranged such that the brush can be gripped using just the index and middle fingers, and the thumb, in either of two positions, one of which is especially suitable for cleaning surfaces of the teeth, and the other of which is especially suitable for cleaning metal parts and gaps in the false teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Shuang-Ho-E Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheng-Ho Huang
  • Patent number: 6308366
    Abstract: A brush attachment for use on a frame of a conventional dry mop. The brush attachment includes a clip assembly for releasably securing the brush to a portion of the mop frame with the brush also being adjustably connected to the clip assembly wherein the attack angle of the brush may be changed by the user. The brush attachment enables the user to clean both the floor surface with the dry mop as well as the baseboard and underneath display racks with the brush attachment, thus eliminating a second subsequent cleaning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Patrick William Hays
  • Patent number: 6308367
    Abstract: A toothbrush having a handle a head extending from the handle, and a plurality of tufts of bristles secured to the head. One of the tufts is secured to the head at a location such that no other tuft is secured to the head at a location which is more distal from the handle than the location where the one tuft is secured to the head. The one tuft is angled by about 81 degrees or less relative to an imaginary line which is tangent to or co-planar with a surface of the head through which the one tuft is secured to the head. The one tuft is tilted away from the handle towards a direction along which the head extends from the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Gillette Canada Company
    Inventors: Donna Beals, Maisie Wong-Paredes, Craig Masterman, Michael Roberts, Bradley Castillo
  • Patent number: 6308368
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cleaning pad mounted on a rotary pad base of a floor cleaning device when in use. The cleaning pad in accordance with the present invention comprises a base cloth and a fiber layer made by implanting threads made of 70 to 90 wt % cotton and 10 to 30 wt % nylon into the base cloth in a tufted manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Patent KG, Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuyoshi Tone
  • Patent number: 6308369
    Abstract: A wafer cleaning apparatus provides two opposed brushes for brushing a vertically disposed wafer in a tank which can contain a process liquid. A pressure controller adaptively controls the pressure exerted by the brushes on the wafer to compensate for brush wear. Rim driving wheels engage the wafer periphery with a porous jacket coupled to a fluid delivery system, thereby simultaneously rotating and cleaning the periphery of the wafer. The apparatus includes a fluid delivery system for separately and independently delivering a plurality of constituents of a cleaning solution to the brushes, thereby ensuring that a freshly mixed cleaning solution reaches the wafer. The tank can be filled with a process liquid through which megasonic waves provided by a transducer can propagate and impinge upon the wafer thereby enhancing the cleaning of the wafer or the brushes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Silikinetic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Garcia, Brent Krick, Anthony Nichtawitz, Daniel Nordeen, Josh Oen, Kenneth Smith, Vincent Suro, Daniel Wolf
  • Patent number: 6308370
    Abstract: A spreader for use in spreading a bed of predetermined thickness of adhesive material on a prepared floor surface prior to the laying of tiles. The spreader comprises a rectangular planar portion (2) having a serrated lower longitudinal edge (4) and flanges (6 and 8) extending substantially at right angles from the transverse edges of the rectangular planar portion (2). The flanges provide a barrier allowing a mass of adhesive to lie in front of the serrated edge (4) and between the flanges (6 and 8) as the spreader is drawn over the surface of the surface to be tiled. As the spreader is drawn over the surface the adhesive flows under the serrated edge thereby providing an even application of adhesive across the full width of the spreader. A height adjuster comprising an adjustable gauge (28) is provided as is a handle (10) or elongate handle (50) for convenient use by the tiler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignees: Dixie Gaye Southby Partnership
    Inventor: Roydon Charles Southby
  • Patent number: 6308371
    Abstract: A silicone paint brush artist's tool includes a handle and a novel painting tip. The painting tip is made of a resilient silicone having a generally three-dimensional paint contacting working surface that has a maximum cross-sectional diameter no larger than a maximum cross-sectional diameter of the handle. The tip is preferably attached to the handle using a ferrule and expansively locking the tip into a cavity of the ferrule by insertion of an insert. The insert may be a common screw or a barbed, fluted extension of the handle. The tips may include an insert cavity and have various shapes and hardnesses and may be optionally color coded. A formation method for the tool is disclosed with simultaneous insert insertion and joining of ferrules to handles. The ferrules also may be reversibly attached to the handle, in which case a kit comprising multiple interchangeable painting tips may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Royal Sovereign Limited
    Inventor: Ladd B. Forsline
  • Patent number: 6308372
    Abstract: A wiper apparatus including right and left hand pivot shafts and a wiper motor are incorporated into an integrated modular type holder member. A mounting section having a generally trapezoidal configuration is formed on a pivot holder to extend therefrom outwardly with respect to one of the pivot shafts. The wiper apparatus includes a trapezoidal insertion hole on a vehicle body side. The mounting section is inserted into the insertion hole loosely in a tilted posture when the pivot holder takes a mounting posture, and for mounting the wiper apparatus, using, as a lever, a supporting portion formed on the vehicle body side, the mounting section is pressed against an upper edge of the insertion hole having a smaller dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Abe
  • Patent number: 6308373
    Abstract: A wiper blade is proposed, which is used to clean motor vehicle windows. The wiper blade has an elastic, elongated load bearing element for an elongated wiper strip, made of a flexible material, that can be pressed against the window to be washed, which strip, on its long sides, has longitudinal grooves facing one another, in which spaced-apart longitudinal rails of the load bearing element are located, whose middle portion has a connection device for a driven wiper arm, and the cross section of the two longitudinal rails decreases from its middle region out toward the ends of the rails. A wiper blade that is especially easy to mount is obtained if the load bearing element takes the form of a hairpin, the two legs of which form the longitudinal rails, and the free ends of the two longitudinal rails are held together, in particular being joined together, by stabilizing means embodied as a separate component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Merkel, Thomas Kotlarski
  • Patent number: 6308374
    Abstract: Disclosed is a unique and novel air filtering, self-propelled upright vacuum cleaner. The filtration system utilizes a HEPA-rated air filter as a final filtering element. The disclosed vacuum cleaner contains numerous other features including a self-propelled drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent L. Bobrosky, Richard J. Eisenmenger, John A. Huebsch, Christer T. Kontio, Joseph L. Mulcahy, William R. Reimer, Timothy P. Toohill
  • Patent number: 6308375
    Abstract: A curved blower exhaust conduit, delivering an air stream carrying pulverized or granulated entrained solids to a substantially sealed cargo chamber enclosure of fixed volume, is provided with a pressure relief vent mounted at an “inner” peripheral region of the curved conduit having a smaller radius of curvature than the outer peripheral region of the conduit, thereby connecting the interior of the curved conduit to the external atmosphere at a point where the majority of entrained solids are carried adjacent to the outer peripheral region by the air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Woodland Power Products
    Inventor: James C. Whitney
  • Patent number: 6308376
    Abstract: A hinge with a safety shield plate unit is designed not to cover the hinge but to be rotatably fitted to the fixed front shaft of the hinge and be resiliently urged toward the cup-shaped fixing member of the hinge by a resilient member in such a way that the safety shield plate unit is prevented from unnecessarily moving toward the cup-shaped fixing member by causing the anchoring sections of the movable link arm to abut the respective anchored sections of the safety shield plate unit. The hinge main body includes a fixing member fitted to a fixed plate and a cup-shaped fixing member fitted to a movable plate. The members are linked together by movable arms. A safety shield plate unit fitted to the fixed front shaft linking the fixing member and the movable link arm is urged downward to follow and hide the hazardous area defined by the movable arms and the cup-shaped fixing member and having a volume that increases with the opening movement of the movable plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Sugatsune Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichirou Koshikawa
  • Patent number: 6308377
    Abstract: A hinged, at least two-parted, electronic device. The hinge of the device comprises a tapered hinge pin (140) supported to a first turning part (110) and, matching with the pin, a tapered bowl (170) fixed to a second turning part (120+130), against which bowl the hinge pin rubs pushed by a spring (150). The hinge pin has as an extension of the tapered section a cylindrical section. When the hinge pin and/or the tapered bowl are worn the hinge pin (140) sinks deeper in the tapered bowl maintaining its friction properties essentially unchanged. The device preferably comprises also a second hinge (190+191,160), and the spring preferably continues forming the hinge axis of the second hinge (160). The hinge construction preferably comprises also means for passing a thin coaxial cable (CBL) from the base of the hinge to the vicinity of the hinge line to a section essentially parallel with the hinge line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
    Inventor: Esa Määttä
  • Patent number: 6308378
    Abstract: An arrangement of frictional gripping zones on the handle of a power tool is disclosed. The power tool has a main body portion and a handle portion depending from the main body portion. The handle portion includes a first side region, a second side region opposite the first side region, a rear region connecting the first and second side regions along a rear of the handle portion, and a front region connecting the first and second side regions along a front of the handle portion. A plurality of alternating first and second gripping zones extend longitudinally along each of the first and second side regions of the handle portion. The first gripping zones are made the first gripping zones being made from a first material and the second gripping zones are made from a second material different from the first material. Preferably, the material of the second gripping zones have a hardness greater than the material of the first gripping zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Porter-Cable Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Mooty, Earl Clowers, Mark Etter, Daily Gist, Michael Lagaly
  • Patent number: 6308379
    Abstract: A liquid carrying container having a first outer semicircular concave wall and a second inner concave wall facing in the same direction. Both walls are joined together at matting side edges. The outer semicircular wall is considerably longer in length than the length of the inner second wall. The overall length of the upper rim of the first wall is approximately fifty percent greater is length than the length of the upper rim of the second wall. A recess in the inner wall forms a hand hold portion. Below this hand hold portion is a handle pivotally mounted to to the inner wall. The lower handle is formed by a U-shaped rod with two end pivot joints and a center covering cylindrical portion having a rod receiving hole along its length. This bucket construction provides a recess in the bucket's inner wall that allows a user's leg to be inserted to prevent contact with bucket's wall and lessen the possibility that is liquid contents may be tipped over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventors: Floyd H. Hendrickson, Mary Hendrickson, Keith Hendrickson
  • Patent number: 6308380
    Abstract: A pen clip mounting arrangement includes a penholder having two locating holes near an open top end thereof, a clip fastened to the penholder on the outside, the clip having an ornamental plate at one end and two hooked portions extended from the ornamental plate at two opposite sides and respectively hooked in the locating holes on the penholder, and a packing plate inserted into the penholder and retained between the hooked portions of the clip and an inside wall of the penholder to secure the hooked portions of the clip to the locating holes on the penholder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Di Do Cheng
  • Patent number: 6308381
    Abstract: Adjustable belts include new and improved belt buckles which allow for convenient adjustment of belt lengths, as well as secure and easily adjustable couplings of the two ends of the belts. This is accomplished by providing the belt buckles with an arrangement of slots and struts around which the belt is looped to selectively accumulate its length thereon and through which the belt is trained, so as to frictionally retain the belt on the buckle while determining the length of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Sport Supply Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Porter C Wilson
  • Patent number: 6308382
    Abstract: The present invention provides a clasp assembly for a metallic watch chain, mainly comprising: an inner bend plate, an outer bend plate, and a clasp cap. Said inner bend plate can fit into the narrow groove of the outer bend plate. A convex clasp is disposed on the inner bend plate and corresponds to a concave clasp disposed on the outer bend plate in shape, position and size, and the two clasps engage with each other. The lock and release of the convex and concave clasps causes the lock and release of the watch chain. The clasp cap pivotably connects with the inner bend plate through screws. The hole of the clasp cap connects with the watch chain, and the outer bend plate connects with the watch chain through the cylindrical bodies at the left end. The structure of the clasp assembly is simple and is easy to use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Garwin Enterprises Limited
    Inventors: Koichiro Takahashi, Kai Cheung Ho
  • Patent number: 6308383
    Abstract: A securement system includes a hook having a retaining clip, and an end cap that attaches to an end of a tubular structural member. The hook has a base with at least one channel having a lateral opening thereto. The clip is assembled with the hook such that the clip closes the lateral opening into the channel to define a longitudinal passageway through the hook. An elastic cord extends through the structural member, through the end cap and through the longitudinal passageway through the hook. A knot or some other stop is placed on the cord to prevent the end of the cord from moving through the passageway. The end cap includes V-shaped notches that receive and anchor the cord at desired positions to facilitate securement of cargo to the structural member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Schrader-Dane Corporation
    Inventor: Darren E. Schrader
  • Patent number: 6308384
    Abstract: A U-clamp which has an adapter plate attached to the U-clamp to securely mount the U-clamp to a supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventors: McKinley Normal, Jr., Elizabet A. Normal
  • Patent number: 6308385
    Abstract: A jewelry clasp with two ends for connecting to a necklace. A latch has an aperture in the periphery thereof and aligns with one of two apertures defined by the discontinuous periphery of the clasp. An actuator located on the latch is provided so as to move the latch. Once the latch aperture is aligned with one of the respective apertures in the clasp, a jump ring on the end of a necklace may be attached to an end of the clasp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Peter Franklin Ball
  • Patent number: 6308386
    Abstract: A unitary plastic fastener clip comprising a plurality of individual fasteners which are disposed in a substantially parallel, side-by-side, spaced relationship. Each fastener comprises an elongated flexible filament having a first enlarged end and a second enlarged end. In one embodiment, each of the first enlarged end and the second enlarged end is a substantially cylindrical transverse bar. In another embodiment, the first enlarged end is a transverse bar of non-uniform transverse cross-section and the second enlarged end is a generally knob-shaped head. A first connector post connects the first enlarged end of the first fastener to the first enlarged end of the second fastener at the approximate midpoints of their mutually-opposing sides. A second connector post connects the second enlarged end of the first fastener to the second enlarged end of the second fastener at the approximate midpoints of their mutually-opposing sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Cooper
  • Patent number: 6308387
    Abstract: An anti-friction device for the sliding of cloth rings of curtains, pelmets and similar which includes a shaped element out of wood, metal, plastic or other material, corresponding to the curving of the lateral surface of a support. The anti-friction device is provided with an applicator such as a hook and loop fastener combination for the application of the shaped element into the internal upper portion of each cloth ring, so as to be arranged between the ring and the support, thus helping the reciprocal sliding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Enzo Borzi
  • Patent number: 6308388
    Abstract: A texturing jet arrangement for treatment of a filamentary material. The arrangement includes at least two superimposed body members. A treatment duct formed in at least one of the body members extends between the superimposed body members. At least one jet body for feeding a gaseous treatment medium and at least one vent portion is provided in the treatment duct. The treatment duct includes at least a partial region with a material that is more wear-resistant than the material of the body member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: SML Maschinengesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Bruno Haider
  • Patent number: 6308389
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer. First, a plurality of printed boards in each of which a plurality of leads are formed in a line are stacked. The end portions of the leads protrude from each printed board. These lead end portions are inserted into a plurality of lead holes of an alignment jig. The plurality of printed boards are buried in the back surface of this alignment jig, and a backing layer is formed by resin molding. After that, the alignment jig is removed from the surface of the backing layer, and the surface of the backing layer is flattened. Since the end portions of the leads are exposed to this flattened surface of the backing layer, discrete electrodes formed on the back surfaces of transducer elements are electrically connected to these lead end portions. The accuracy of lead arrangement is thus improved by the use of the alignment jig. This reduces alignment errors of leads with respect to the discrete electrodes of the transducer elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Satoru Tezuka
  • Patent number: 6308390
    Abstract: A hand tool for use in removing a pintle from a door hinge, comprising a rigid, barrel with a slotted aperture enclosing a push rod affixed to a base adapted to thrust the pintle out of a door hinge when the tool is placed against the door hinge pintle and struck with a blunt object. A viewing window is defined by the barrel for providing proper visual alignment and placement of the push rod against the door hinge pintle. The base includes a notch for use in removing hinge pintle caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Loy David Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6308391
    Abstract: To produce a chamfer or a keyway on a workpiece, the workpiece is machined with a longitudinal feed following the course of the chamfer or groove. To obtain a clean chamfer or groove in an economic way, machining is effected by a peeling operation by means of a peeling knife, whose broadside forming a cutting edge is aligned transverse to the feed direction during the longitudinal feed, and which is guided parallel to the workpiece surface with a certain cutting depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: GFM Beteiligungs- und Management GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gottfried Blaimschein, Franz Heidlmayer
  • Patent number: 6308392
    Abstract: A method for making wire of brittle alloys including coating rods of the brittle alloy with refractory fluoride and organic polymer, loading the coated rods into a container, filling the container with metallic powder, sealing the container, heating the filled and sealed container, extruding the filled container into a diminished diameter and elongated length bar filled with reduced diameter wires, removing the container from the wires, and separating the wires. Alternatively continuously passing brittle alloy wire through a clamshell furnace, a liquid gas quench, roll reduction process, cleaning and polishing process, and final storage process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Welding International, Ltd.
    Inventors: L. E. Mann, R. E. Simon
  • Patent number: 6308393
    Abstract: The remote control assembly 10 is characterized by a terminal mechanism 34 including a tubular anchor member 36 slidably supported on a tubular fitting 22 extending from the conduit 14. The anchor member 36 is secured to the outer end 30 of a rod 26 extending form the core element 12 and is disposed in close sliding relationship about the tubular fitting 22. The terminal mechanism 34 also includes a tubular connector member 44 and a coil spring 46. The connector member 44 is in telescoping relationship with the anchor member 36 and the spring 46 biases the connector member 44 in an extending direction yet for provides lost motion between the rod 26 and the control member in response to a predetermined collapsing force. A resilient cushion 48 is disposed in the connector member 44 for cushioning collapsing movement of the connector member 44 over the anchor member 36.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Triumph Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Haynes, Ronnie Benditt
  • Patent number: 6308394
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of removably mounting a planar electrical component, such as a computer motherboard, to a chassis. The method comprises positioning a first fastener of a mounting device adjacent a mounting slot in the chassis, inserting the first fastener of the mounting device through the mounting slot in the chassis, releasing the mounting device so that the first fastener clamps onto the chassis through the mounting slot, positioning a second fastener of the mounting device adjacent a mounting hole on the planar electrical component, and inserting the second fastener of the mounting device into the mounting hole until the second fastener clamps onto the planar electrical component through the mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig L. Boe
  • Patent number: 6308395
    Abstract: A flexible motion transmitting core element (12) is attached a rod (14) and a conduit (16) movably supports the core element (12) and has an end portion to which is attached an end fitting (18). An insert (20) has a neck portion (22) embedded in the end fitting (18) and a spherical portion (24) presenting a ball-shaped pocket and extending from said neck portion (22) through a maximum inner diameter D. A swivel tube (26) has a bore therethrough for movably supporting the rod (14) and has a convex spherical surface (28) slidably supported in the ball-shaped pocket for swiveling movement relative to the end fitting (18). The end fitting (18) embeds only a portion of the spherical portion (24) of the insert (20) for allowing the open end (30) to move radially to snap the convex spherical surface (28) of the swivel tube (26) into the ball-shaped pocket of the insert (20). The insert (20) includes an anchor flange (32) for anchoring the insert (20) in the end fitting (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Teleflex Incorporated, Inc.
    Inventor: Grant A. Webb
  • Patent number: 6308396
    Abstract: A secure enclosure (10) for an automated banking machine includes a chest portion (12) and a moveable door (14). The door is supported on hinge assemblies (20, 22) which enable mounting and accurately positioning the door despite misalignment of the hinges. The chest portion is manufactured from panels (28, 36, 38, 66, 76) which include interengaging projections and recesses. The projections and recesses ensure that the proper panels are used in the assembly of the particular type secure enclosure, as well as that the panels which make up the enclosure are properly oriented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: Kim R. Lewis, Richard C. Lute, Jeffrey A. Hill, Howard E. Antram
  • Patent number: 6308397
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing friction plates obtained by adhering friction members to substantially annular core plates, comprising the steps of simultaneously stamping a plurality of coaxial core plates having different diameters with a joint portion remaining therebetween, preliminarily adhering friction member segments to the stamped plural core plates, and stamping the joint portion during or after a main adhering step following the preliminarily adhering step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: NSK-Warner K.K.
    Inventors: Shigeharu Nishimura, Nobuhiro Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 6308398
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for simultaneously producing a plurality of capacitive electroacoustic transducers. The method comprises forming a plurality of electrically insulative substrates by cutting circular slots to an insulating wafer. Each slot is interrupted by at least two tabs connecting a circular area with the remainder of the wafer. The conductive diaphragms are supported on diaphragm mounting rings disposed upon the substrate, spaced from a first electrode. The mounting rings space the diaphragm from the electrode to define a capacitor operative to convert electrical and acoustical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: Bob Ray Beavers
  • Patent number: 6308399
    Abstract: High-Tc superconducting ceramic oxide products and macroscopic and microscopic methods for making such high-Tc superconducting products. Completely sealed high-Tc superconducting ceramic oxide provides are made by a macroscopic process including the steps of pressing a superconducting ceramic oxide powder into a hollow body of a material inert to oxygen; heat treating the superconducting ceramic oxide powder packed body under conditions sufficient to sinter the ceramic oxide powder; and then sealing any openings of the body. Optionally, a waveform or multiple pulses of alternate magnetic filed can be applied during the heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Dawei Zhou
  • Patent number: 6308400
    Abstract: A method of forming a DSMR head comprises the steps of forming a first ferromagnetic (FM) strip on a substrate with a first anti-FM (AFM) pinning layer over a portion of the first ferromagnetic strip, the first AFM pinning layer being composed of a first material. Then perform a first high temperature annealing step. Form a non-magnetic layer over the strip and the pinning layer. Then form a second FM strip on the non-magnetic layer, and form a second AFM pinning layer over a portion of the second FM strip, with a second AFM pinning layer being composed identically of the first material. Perform a second high temperature annealing step on the first and second FM strips and the first and second pinning layers and the intermediate non-magnetic layer in the presence of a second magnetic field antiparallel to the first magnetic field. A head with NiFe FM strips and FeMn or MnPt, etc, AFM layers for both strips is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon H. Liao, Min Li
  • Patent number: 6308401
    Abstract: An improved transformer coil of the type characterized as a shell-form or pancake coil used in large scale power transmission transformers. The improvement adds strength to resist lateral edge coil deformation as a result of handling the coil during transformer assembly and as a result of fault current surges. The improvement is directed to tightly spread tapeing some of the inner and outermost conductor turns together with preferably a heat shrinkable structural tape. This spread tapeing is periodic or spaced along the outer periphery of the coil for economy and may be staggered in terms of the number of conductor turns wrapped together. Preferably, the innermost conductor turns may also be spread taped in this same manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Ohio Transformer
    Inventor: Matthew L. Gress
  • Patent number: 6308402
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are for use in the manufacture of self-sealing reinforcement tie rods for reinforcing HVAC ducts, of the type including an elongated threaded rod having fastened inwardly of each end thereof an abutment structure comprising an elongated hollow tubular body having a bore therethrough for coaxially receiving the rod, the tubular body having a longitudinally inwardly located tubular crown portion for attachment to the rod, and a longitudinally outwardly located, radial outwardly protruding annular flange portion for abutting and bracing a duct wall. The apparatus includes a work plate having in the upper surface thereof a slot having a lower wall which slopes downwardly and radially inwardly towards the center of the work plate, on which are positioned a single file line of abutment structures, flange down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Stanley J. Ellis
  • Patent number: 6308403
    Abstract: A head assembly for a part mounting apparatus includes a housing, a plurality of rod housings installed to be capable of elevating with respect to the housing, a plurality of voice coil motors fixed to the housing to be capable of elevating the respective rod housings, a plurality of spindle motors, each having a part picking device at an end portion thereof, installed to be capable or rotating with respect to the respective rod housings and elevating together according to the elevation of the rod housings, a plurality of linear position transformers installed at the respective voice coil motors for detecting and controlling the position of elevation of each of the rod housings, a first pinion gear installed at the outer circumferential surface of the spindle unit to rotate the spindle unit, a rack gear engaged with the first pinion gear and reciprocating with respect to the housing, a rack gear driving motor installed at one side of the housing to linearly reciprocate the rack gear, and second pinion gear co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Aerospace Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-soo Hwang
  • Patent number: 6308404
    Abstract: A pair of axles are mechanically lifted onto the underside of a vehicle chassis to facilitate an axle-mounting process. The lifting action is achieved with a scissors jack that is powered by a hydraulic cylinder supplied with hydraulic fluid from an accumulator. The accumulator is initially charged by a hydraulic pump that is driven by an air motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Hirschmann, Anna Hui
  • Patent number: 6308405
    Abstract: An electrode substrate and a recording medium having a smooth surface with surface unevenness of 1 nm or less and a size of 1 &mgr;m□ or more are disclosed. An electrode substrate and a recording medium having a concave-shaped groove for tracking on the surface, which groove has a depth which can detect of the tunnel current from the bottom thereof by a probe electrode for scanning the surface are also disclosed. Information processing devices equipped with the smooth recording medium, an electroconductive probe arranged approximate to the recording medium and a pulse voltage application circuit for recording are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Takamatsu, Katsunori Hatanaka, Kiyoshi Takimoto, Haruki Kawada, Ken Eguchi, Yuko Morikawa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Toshihiko Takeda, Yoshihiro Yanagisawa, Hisaaki Kawade, Hideyuki Kawagishi
  • Patent number: 6308406
    Abstract: At least one conductive circuit 46 is formed on a substrate 12 that has a conductive layer 28 and a cover layer 40 bonded thereto. The conductive circuit 46 is formed by the severing of the conductive layer 28 into a conductive circuit 46 and a remaining portion 48 by a cutting edge of a cutting tool 50. The edge of the tool also causes the severed edges of the conductive path and the remaining portion to form a gap 52. An electrical insulating coating 54 covers the cover layer while filling the gaps 52. The insulator coating 54 is allowed to set for maintaining separation and integrity of the conductive path 46. The method of the present invention lends itself to manual, semi-automatic and/or automatic production of discrete articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Thermotrax Corporation
    Inventors: Peter L. Gill, Joseph W. Ramsey
  • Patent number: 6308407
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a plurality of steam turbines for use in various applications which differ in the respective thermodynamic parameters such as, for example, cooling-water temperature, ambient temperature, given boiler data, process-steam requirement, etc., the steam turbines in each case having at least one high-pressure part with first blading and a control-wheel stage for part-load operation, a simplification and cost saving is achieved owing to the fact that standard blading, which is identical for all the steam turbines, is used as first blading, and in that the adaption of the individual steam turbine to the thermodynamic parameters of the respective application is carried out by appropriate design or variation of the control-wheel stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Alstom Power (Schweiz) AG
    Inventors: Peter Graf, Maurus Herzog, Pierre Meylan, Harald Römer
  • Patent number: 6308408
    Abstract: An integral, lightweight combustion chamber/nozzle assembly for a rocket engine has a refractory metal shell defining a chamber of generally frusto-conical contour. The shell communicates at its smaller end with a rocket body, and terminates at its larger end in a generally contact contour, which is open at its terminus and which serves as a nozzle for the rocket engine. The entire inner surface of the refractory metal shell has a thermal and oxidation barrier layer applied thereto. An ablative silica phenolic insert is bonded to the exposed surface of the thermal and oxidation barrier layer. The ablative phenolic insert provides a chosen inner contour for the combustion chamber and has a taper toward the open terminus of the nozzle. A process for fabricating the integral, lightweight combustion chamber/nozzle assembly is simple and efficient, and results in economy in respect of both resources and time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: W. Neill Myers, Charles S. Cornelius
  • Patent number: 6308409
    Abstract: Recuperators include a core which is commonly constructed of a plurality of relatively thin flat sheets having an angled or corrugated spacer fixedly attached therebetween. The sheets are joined into cells, sealed and form passages between the sheets. These cells are stacked or rolled and form alternate air (recipient) cells and hot exhaust (donor) cells. Compressed discharged air from a compressor of the engine passes through the air cell while hot exhaust gas flows through alternate cells. The exhaust gas heats the sheets and the spacers, and the compressor discharged air is heated by conduction from the sheets and spacers. The need for repeatability of construction of each cell assures that the final recuperator is economically and easily assembled. Examples, of such repeatability required includes length, height, thickness, weld size, weld position, weld splatter and others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Doug R. Ervin, Bruce D. Harkins, Michael Nowak, Tod Papai
  • Patent number: 6308410
    Abstract: The partitions are inserted through an open end of the cylindrical tubular wall of the fluid box, positioned and immobilised by means of deformations in the tubular wall, before the tubes are inserted and the assembly is soldered in a fluidtight manner. According to the invention, the deformations are localised on the outside of the region of the perimeter of the tubular wall on which the passage openings for the tubes extend, so as not to affect these openings. The method may be used in a condenser for a motor vehicle air conditioning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Thermique Moteur
    Inventor: Pierre Sabathie
  • Patent number: 6308411
    Abstract: A sidewall skin is provided having a front edge, rear edge, top edge, and bottom edge, and a first exterior side and a second interior side. An inwardly directed front flange is provided along the front edge, and an inwardly directed flange is also provided along the top edge. The sidewall skin has a inwardly stepped transition region spaced rearwardly of the front edge. A rear corner is formed in the skin at a location forwardly of the rear edge and rearwardly of the transition region. A portion of the skin between the rear edge and rear corner forms part of the back wall of the truck cab. The sidewall skin is preferably adhesively secured to a sidewall framework with fasteners being virtually eliminated during the sidewall assembly process. The adhesive may be heat cured, which may involve a first partial heat curing step to provide the sidewall with handling strength followed by a second heat curing step. The second step is typically accomplished during curing of paint after a truck cab is assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Freightliner LLC
    Inventors: Homer Franklin Wright, Jr., Edmond Kalstiantz, James Edward Hill
  • Patent number: 6308412
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle frame assembly includes the initial steps of providing first and second side rails and providing first and second cross members. Each of the first and second cross members has first and second ends extending from a central portion. A desired torsional stiffness is determined for the first cross member. In response to this determination, the first and second ends of the first cross member are enlarged so as to achieve the desired torsional stiffness for the cross member. A similar process can be conducted for the second cross member. Then, the first ends of the first and second cross members are secured to the first side rail, and the second ends of the first and second cross members are secured to the second side rail to form a vehicle frame assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Christofaro, Mark W. Kiehl
  • Patent number: 6308413
    Abstract: The system includes an appliance for personal body care, a pump and a holder. The appliance includes a treatment device for carrying out a body-care treatment under the influence of a fluid. The fluid is held in the holder and can be pumped to an outlet opening by means of the pump. The holder includes a flexible wall, and the pump is detachable from the holder and is detachable from the appliance. This combination of measures makes it possible to adapt the dimensions of the holder to an ergonomic shape of the appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Willem A. Westerhof, Marinus C. Hansen, Johannes H. Van Toor
  • Patent number: 6308414
    Abstract: Dry shaving apparatus comprises a drive source provided in a housing; a first shaving unit (111) having a first outer cutter and a first undercutter coupled to the drive source and mounted for movement beneath said first outer cutter, and a second shaving unit (112, 113), having a second outer cutter and a second undercutter coupled to the drive source and mounted for oscillatory movement beneath said second outer cutter. The first outer cutter is coupled to the drive source and is mounted for oscillatory movement to serve as a skin agitation member; and the first outer cutter and the second undercutter are arranged to be driven at the same frequency by the drive source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Ray Parsonage, Terry Royle, Peter Soul, Andre Nauber, Michael Harms, Michael Odemer