Patents Issued in December 25, 2001
  • Patent number: 6332708
    Abstract: A shipping method which reduces the potential hazards during shipment of manganese dioxide. The manganese dioxide is transported in suspension in a liquid contained in a container. The manganese dioxide is maintained in suspension by continuously agitating the manganese dioxide slurry in the container during shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Cametox 2000 Inc.
    Inventors: Jesus Gonzalez, René Bernier
  • Patent number: 6332709
    Abstract: A contact temperature probe having a probe head which includes a temperature sensor having lead wires which exit the head and run through a shield for shielding the wires from the process, wherein the probe head is supported for pivoting motion only by the lead wires and the shield is thermally isolated from the probe head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Burke, Andre B. Cardoso, Joseph G. McGinnity
  • Patent number: 6332710
    Abstract: A multi-channel remote diode temperature sensor that receives current flow across a plurality of remote diodes on a plurality of channels at a single negative data pin, is small in size and has reduced noise coupling between channels at the common negative data pin. The noise coupling of the multi-channel remote diode temperature sensor is minimized by placing an output of a low impedance buffer in electrical communication with the negative data pin. The voltage produced by the low impedance buffer automatically stabilizes the common mode voltage at the negative data pin. The size is minimized by configuring all channels of the multi-channel remote diode temperature sensor to share the sole negative data pin, thereby reducing pin count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Mehmet Aslan, Richard Henderson
  • Patent number: 6332711
    Abstract: A gusseted bag for medicinal or medical purposes comprises a gusseted bag body formed of a plastic film into a hollow shape; and a sealed portion formed at a bottom of the gusseted bag body. The plastic film is a laminate composed of a plurality of layers. The innermost layer of the plurality of layers essentially consists of polyethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Hosokawa Yoko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Inuzuka, Susumu Niwa, Takayuki Kotani
  • Patent number: 6332712
    Abstract: A pressure sealed bag made of a strong flexible plastic that has the structural integrity to remain upright when placed on its bottom surface while the upper portion of the bag has the flexibility to fold neatly over onto itself so that the bag can be readily grasped by the hand. An innovative dual locking mechanism ensures the contents of the bag are secure. The pressure sealed bag has a label area where information can be readily displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Inventor: Eva L. Headley
  • Patent number: 6332713
    Abstract: A bear proof, lightweight, food sack is made from puncture and tear resistant fabric (10) sewn with high strength thread (24) and secured with an abrasion resistant cord (12). The food sack is closed by tightening the cord (12), which encircles the top of the sack in a hem (14) and emerges through a grommet (16). The cord (12) is secured by means of a cord lock (18) and an overhand knot (20). Excess cord (12) is then tied with a secure knot (22) to a fixed object, such as a tree, so that the sack cannot be removed by a bear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Inventor: Thomas A. Cohen
  • Patent number: 6332714
    Abstract: An induction-hardened rolling bearing device used by disposing rolling elements in a raceway track member, with excellent cold drawability and improved wear resistance and extended service life, in which ingredients of an alloy for the raceway track member contain, from 0.40 to 0.90% of C, from 0.05 to 0.80% of Si, from 0.10 to 2.0% of Mn, from 0.05 to 0.50% of Ti and 0.03% or less of N, on the weight basis, induction hardening is applied at least to the raceway surface of the raceway track member, and Ti carbide and Ti carbonitride each having an average particle diameter of from 5 to 100 nm are dispersed on the surface and in the steels of the raceway track member to make the hardness of the raceway surface to HRC 59 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignees: NSK Ltd., Sanyo Special Steel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Takemura, Nobuaki Mitamura, Yasuo Murakami, Tomonobu Yoshikawa, Shuhei Kitano, Kazuhiko Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 6332715
    Abstract: The bearing device comprises a bearing 4, a washer 5 and a coupling piece 6 that couples the bearing 4 to the washer 5 and/or separates itself from the washer 5 and the bearing 4 by a pressure force applied thereto, wherein the bearing, the washer and the coupling piece are integrally formed with each other, and the base flap 7 is formed with a projection 7b. Due to this construction, an operator can easily hold the bearing 4 and the washer 5 as one component, and as the coupling piece 6 can be readily removed by the projection 7b, a working efficiency for installing this device can be drastically improved, and the automated mounting operation thereof can also be easily implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kuzuu, Takao Morimoto
  • Patent number: 6332716
    Abstract: A polytetrafluoroethylene is added to a base resin consisting essentially of polyether ether ketone so that the proportion of polytetrafluoroethylene becomes 0.1 to 50% by weight based on the resin layer and dispersed in the form of particles in the base resin, whereby when the resulting resin layer is bonded to a backing metal to form a composite bearing, the peel strength of the resin layer per se and mechanical strength such as bonding force or the like between the backing metal and the resin layer can be inhibited from being deteriorated. When polytetrafluoroethylene having a molecular weight of 300,000 to 500,000 is used, it can be more easily dispersed in the form of particles in the base resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Daido Metal Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Kato, Katsumi Sawano, Takayuki Shibayama
  • Patent number: 6332717
    Abstract: A rolling bearing for a rotary shaft of a disk memory device which can maintain high-accuracy optical or magnetic recording ability over a long period of time. The rolling bearing supports a rotary shaft of a disk of disk memory device or a rotary shaft of an arm of a head, and has an inner ring having an inner diameter of 8 mm or less, and a retainer formed by molding an oil-containing resin composition comprising 40-94 wt % of a synthetic resin, 1-40 wt % of oil conducting material, and 5-30 wt % lubricating oil. Lubricating oil is dispersed uniformly in the composition, and can bleed onto the surface through the fibrous oil conducting material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kouya Oohira, Masaki Egami, Yoshinobu Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 6332718
    Abstract: A rolling bearing device comprises an outer ring 105 provided with an internal raceway 106 formed on its bore, an inner ring 101 provided with an external raceway 102 formed on its cylindrical exterior surface, at least one row of rolling bodies 111 arranged between the two raceways 102, 106 and at least one sealing member 121 secured to one of the rings. The sealing member 121 comprises an annular metal reinforcement 123. The device comprises a part 126 for connecting between the reinforcement 123 and the ring which supports it, the connecting part 126 being formed by a filler metal which, after melting and cooling, provides attachment, sealing and molds to the shapes of the said reinforcement and the said ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: SKF France
    Inventors: Vedran Tadic, Manfred Brandenstein, Johannes Franciscus Van De Sanden
  • Patent number: 6332719
    Abstract: The optical transmitter/receiver apparatus of the invention includes: an optical fiber for transmitting/receiving an optical signal therethrough; and a first base including mutually spaced optical signal transmitting and receiving regions and a fiber end supporting region located between the optical signal transmitting and receiving regions. A semiconductor laser device for emitting the optical signal to be transmitted is secured to the optical signal transmitting region of the first base. A fiber end supporting portion for supporting one end of the optical fiber, to which the optical signal emitted from the semiconductor laser device is incident, is formed in the fiber end supporting region of the first base. A second base for supporting the body of the optical fiber is secured to the optical signal receiving region of the first base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tohru Nishikawa, Tomoaki Uno, Genji Tohmon, Masahiro Mitsuda
  • Patent number: 6332720
    Abstract: When an optical system is housed in a plastic case, an optical connection in the system might be changed by a deformation of the case due to heat and thermal resistance might be increased. It is important that the case has not only a function of housing the elements of the optical system, but also a function of ensuring that light is stably produced in the optical system, which, is the most important function of the case. Therefore, the deformation of the case due to a change in temperature is prevented by a frame inserted into the opening portion of the case and further by mounting the case on an external aluminum substrate. That is, stability in the optical connection is improved by improving the structure of the case and by mounting an case on the external substrate. Further, an increase in the thermal resistance is prevented in the same way by provision of the frame and the external aluminum substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Shimaoka, Tadaaki Ishikawa, Kazuyuki Fukuda, Katsumi Kuroguchi
  • Patent number: 6332721
    Abstract: An LD module is provided in having an LD light source having a CAN package structure in which an LD chip is incorporated with an LD preservation gas, an optical fiber on one end of which a convex fiber lens for condensing light is formed, and a lens system for coupling placed between the LD light source and the convex fiber lens, wherein the lens system is constituted to be capable of forming an image by condensing the LD light from the LD chip, and wherein the convex fiber lens is located so that a focal point coincides with the image forming point of the LD light. According to the LD module of the invention, the light coupling efficiency between the LD chip and the optical fiber can be improved without losing the life span reliability of the LD chip having a CAN package structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.
    Inventor: Yukio Inokuchi
  • Patent number: 6332722
    Abstract: For optically connecting according to a given connection diagram optical components in an optoelectronic rig, there is provision for the execution of a tape fusion bond between two series of end sections of fibers of the components, after having selected, ordered and prepared these sections in two series in a suitable manner, so as to establish—when fusion bonding is completed—the desired connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi S.p.A.
    Inventors: Fausto Meli, Gianfranco Mozzati
  • Patent number: 6332723
    Abstract: In a state where a wafer is held by a wafer holding section and a temperature controlled liquid is discharged to a rim area on a rear face of the wafer from flow channels, a developing solution is heaped on a front face of the wafer. Thereafter, the wafer is rotated for a predetermined period of time in a state where the temperature controlled liquid is discharged to the rim area on the rear face of the wafer from the flow channels, whereby developing is performed. The wafer is heated by the wafer holding section with a large heat capacity in an area close to a center of the wafer, and a liquid film of the temperature controlled liquid is formed in the rim area of the wafer, whereby the wafer is heated. At this time, the wafer is rotated, so that the developing solution is stirred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Matsuyama, Shuichi Nagamine, Koichi Asaka
  • Patent number: 6332724
    Abstract: Outside air taken in from the outside is cooled to a predetermined temperature by a cooler, and the air cooled by the cooler flows through a low temperature side flow path in a heat exchanger, whereas outside air flows through a high temperature side flow path in the heat exchanger, which allows heat to be exchanged between the cooled air and the outside air. The air, flowing through the low temperature side flow path in the heat exchanger and warmed up by the outside air flowing through the high temperature side flow path, is warmed and humidified by a warmer and a humidifier, and the air with predetermined temperature and humidity is supplied to a coating processing unit. Moreover, the outside air, flowing through the high temperature side flow path in the heat exchanger and cooled by the air flowing through the low temperature side flow path, is warmed by a warmer, and the air with a predetermined temperature is supplied to a developing processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuteru Yano, Norio Semba, Kouzou Kanagawa, Issei Ueda, Masami Akimoto, Kazuhiko Ohi
  • Patent number: 6332725
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tape holding case housing a supply of image receiving tape and includes an angled surface to bend the surface of the tape approximately 90°, the angled surface being provided upstream of the printing position of the tape. The tape holding case also includes a casing that is designed to attach the tape holding case to an identically shaped tape holding case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Esselte N.V.
    Inventors: Mathew Richard Palmer, Sam Cockerill, Costa Panayi, Robert Charles Lewis Day, Charles Robert Sims, Andrew Buchanan Halket
  • Patent number: 6332726
    Abstract: A container with an applicator has a container main body, which is composed of a flexible outer layer and an inner layer laminated on the outer layer so as to be freely peeled therefrom. The container futher is provided with an air introducing hole on the outer layer and a discharge opening connected with the inner layer, and an applicator provided at the discharge opening of the container main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Yamamoto, Mitsugu Iwatsubo, Kazunori Nobumoto
  • Patent number: 6332727
    Abstract: A ballpoint pen stand decorated with twist dancing ornament comprises an ornament, an ornament seat, a metal wire, a wire fastener, a pen barrel, an ink cartridge and a pen cap. When in complete assembly, the writer holds the ornament seat firmly with one hand, and turns the pen barrel lightly with other hand, as a result causing the wire fastener and the metal wire to rotate. At this moment, even though the ornament itself is motionless, however, the bent metal wire embedded in the ornament body will stir up diverse shapes and multiple change in direction to force the ornament the ornament making funny twisting dance along the rotating of the pen barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Inventor: Ming-Tay Hsu
  • Patent number: 6332728
    Abstract: A ball for a ball-point pen is provided which is composed of a sintered material obtained by sintering hard particles and having an average inter-particle diameter of not greater than 0.2 &mgr;m. The gaps between the hard particles are very small and, therefore, very few minute fragments of the hard particles are exposed from binder metal portions on the surface of the ball and fall off to act as an abrasive during use of the ball-point pen. Thus, abrasion of a pen tip body and sinkage of the ball into the pen tip body can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Sakura Color Products Corporation
    Inventors: Tadaaki Ito, Yasunori Nakatani, Atsushi Ito, Hiroyoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6332729
    Abstract: A pen-shaped applicator (1) for applying a liquid, in particular glue, on a substrate comprises a container (2) out of which the liquid can be pressed and a dosing part (6) arranged on one end face of the container (2) and having a dispensing layer (8) with openings for the liquid. A spring-loaded valve body (13) with which a valve seat (12) is associated is arranged inside the dispensing layer (8). The dispensing layer (8) is made of plastics and formed in a single piece with the dosing part (6), in particular by injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Kores Holding Zug AG
    Inventor: Peter Koreska
  • Patent number: 6332730
    Abstract: A container comprises a flexible body member (2) closed by a cap portion (26) having an outlet (28) therein, and a control assembly within the cap portion for controlling liquid flow from the body member (2) to the outlet (28), the control assembly comprising an integrally moulded seating (6) for location on the body member (2), including an outer annular sleeve (8) and an inner valve support chamber (12) and a control valve (16) of a one piece plastic moulding located on the seating (6) to define a closed volume therebelow and to seal the outlet, the closed volume being vented to atmosphere, the arrangement being such that, on pressurisation on the interior of the body member (2), the pressurised liquid flows between the sleeve (8) and the chamber (12) to distort the control valve (16) and enable flow through the outlet (28), and, on release of said pressure, the control valve (16) returns to a position sealing the outlet (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Veresk Biosystems Limited
    Inventor: Said Taghavi-Khanghah
  • Patent number: 6332731
    Abstract: The joint reinforcement member for a hollow structure of an automotive vehicle has a carrier portion with an outer surface. The carrier portion has a base portion with a first extension having a first longitudinal axis and a second extension having a second longitudinal axis. The first longitudinal axis and second longitudinal axis correspond to the hollow structure. A thermally expandable adhesive layer is disposed on the outer surface of the carrier portion and substantially covers the outer surface. A method for forming the joint member includes providing a carrier having a plurality extensions extending from a base portion that correspond to the hollow structure a layer of thermally expandable adhesive materials applied to the carrier portion. The carrier portion is heated to activate the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is cooled so that the adhesive layer is bonded to the structural member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Henkel Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph S. Wycech
  • Patent number: 6332732
    Abstract: The device for rapid tool coupling and release on tool arms comprises a first rapid-attachment organ associated to a tool arm and is provided with at least one tooth and with hollow coupling seatings destined to couple in seatings and also with at least one pivot predisposed on the tool. The rapid-attachment organ is provided with at least a portion of coupling surface destined to couple on contact with at least a portion of plane on the seatings; the coupling surface is oriented in such a way that a perpendicular thereof does not intersect an axis of the pivot coupled in a hollow seating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Mantovanibenne S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto Mantovani
  • Patent number: 6332733
    Abstract: A joint for two flat structural members, in particular floor panels, wherein a groove and tongue joint joining the two flat structural members is provided functionally separate from a twistlock locking the two flat structural members. The twistlock is formed on one of the structural members, the is spaced apart from the groove and tongue joint, and engages with a correspondingly formed engaging element of the other structural member. The locking is preferably formed both at the longitudinal edges and at the front edges of a rectangular structural member, such as a floor panel. The locking allows for a joint of the floor panels to occur in flat position, i.e. without twisting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Hamberger Industriewerke GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Hamberger, August Hipper
  • Patent number: 6332734
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting a supply roll to a rotatable support shaft in an imaging system. The apparatus includes a first collet/collar assembly for accurately positioning the supply roll at a desired location on the support shaft, and a second collet/collar assembly for frictionally coupling the support shaft to an interior surface of a supply core of the supply roll using a deformable gland.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Agfa Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas K. Hebert
  • Patent number: 6332735
    Abstract: A bicycle headset. The bicycle headset includes an upper bearing cover and a tapered ring that are made integrally in the form of a hollow arcuate circular ring capable of being fastened with precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Tien Hsin Industries Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Fu-Chun Wang
  • Patent number: 6332736
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for spreading paving materials. A chassis forms a support structure for the spreader and includes a front side facing toward a paving direction, a rear side opposite the front side, a receiving side facing toward a haul road and a far side opposite the receiving side. A receiving conveyor belt extends across the haul road and runs to a central point beneath the chassis, the receiving conveyor belt receives paving materials from delivery trucks traveling along the haul road and transports the paving materials to the central point where the paving materials fall off the receiving conveyor belt and onto a swinging delivery conveyor belt. The delivery conveyor belt includes a first end located at the central point beneath the receiving conveyor belt and extends beyond the rear side of the chassis to a second end of the receiving conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: James Cape and Sons Company
    Inventors: William R. Cape, Christopher C. Cape
  • Patent number: 6332737
    Abstract: A portable pollution control apparatus designed to span a creek or other small waterway. The apparatus includes an adjustable length boom which extends across the creek; an elongated, hydrocarbon-absorbent sock which is suspended from the boom and extends within the creek downstream from the boom; and a sheet of water-porous fabric connectable to the boom and extending upstream therefrom to function as a sediment trap. The fabric sheet in preferably deployed on the creekbed and banks to form a settling pond immediately upstream from said boom to permit settling of sediment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Inventor: Jack Mattson
  • Patent number: 6332738
    Abstract: A fiber optic cable (10) is buried below ground, either by direct burial, or by being pulled through a previously buried duct. During cable burial, the instantaneous resistance between the sheath and ground (the sheath-to-ground resistance) is continuously monitored. If the instantaneous sheath-to-ground resistance drops below a prescribed value, an alarm is generated, signaling a sheath fault. During burial, the length of cable paid out and placed underground is monitored, thus providing an indication of the relative location of the sheath fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Hossein Eslambolchi, John Sinclair Huffman
  • Patent number: 6332739
    Abstract: A powder supply system including a powder replenishment device as a powder source, a suction device and a plurality of powder supply units connected in series. Each of the powder supply units sprinkles powders toward an object mounted on each processing device. An upstream end powder supply unit is fluidly connected to the powder replenishment device, and a downstream end powder supply unit is fluidly connected to the suction device. A suction force generated by the suction device sucks powders from the powder replenishment device through the powder supply units, and powders are successively accumulated in the powder supply units in the order from the upstream end powder supply unit to the downstream end powder supply unit. A powder sensor is provided between the rearmost powder supply unit and the suction device. If all powder supply units are filled with powders, residual powders are discharged out of the downstream end powder supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Rheon Automatic Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sakai, Masao Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 6332740
    Abstract: A device for conveying objects having a protuberance at their neck including a blowing chamber for blowing an air flux for driving the objects and a support rail cooperating with the objects at the protuberance. The chamber includes a body and a plate removably attached thereto. The support rail is fixed to the plate. There are at least two frame members on either side of the rail along the blowing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Rafale Technologies, Societe Anonyme
    Inventors: Frédéric Bernard, Philippe Bondepierre
  • Patent number: 6332741
    Abstract: An improved anchor device or fastening member which is particularly suited for use in the attachment of various fixtures and equipment to masonry, concrete, and other hard and/or friable substrates includes a head and a shank depending therefrom. The shank has a first threaded portion having a predetermined thread angle and a predetermined hardness, and a second threaded portion having a predetermined thread angle and a predetermined hardness. The first threaded portion is proximate to the head and the second threaded portion extends from the first threaded portion. The thread angle of the first threaded portion is different than the thread angle of the second threaded portion. In addition, the hardness of the first threaded portion is softer than the hardness of the second threaded portion. This provides for a more ductile anchorage when the fastening member is engaged with the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Textron, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Janusz
  • Patent number: 6332742
    Abstract: A binding machine for binding together punched sheets of paper includes means for temporarily retaining a wire binding element, to allow punched sheets to be hung thereon, and means for closing the retained wire binding element so that the closed points come into the vicinity of the open roots, in which the wire binding element retaining means includes a flap and finger plate having projections or fingers. The flap is mounted for pivoted movement such that the plate is pivoted away from an equilibrium position by insertion of the binding element but returns to the equilibrium position thereafter, thus retaining the wire binding element in a generally horizontal orientation between the flaps and the fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Inventor: Kevin Smith
  • Patent number: 6332743
    Abstract: An elevator type parking system is disclosed. The system includes a main frame having a plurality of vertical columns and horizontal columns for forming a hoist way in a center portion thereof a plurality of parking rooms at both sides of the hoist way, a lift movable along the hoist way formed in the main frame, a lift lifting and lowering drive unit for lifting and lowering the lift, a parking unit installed in each floor of the parking room and being horizontally movable, a parking unit actuating unit installed on the lift for horizontally pulling the parking unit from the parking room to the hoist way and pushing the same from the hoist way to the parking room, a driven unit fixed to the parking unit and driven by the parking means actuating unit for thereby horizontally moving the parking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Weon Park, Oh-Yeong Kong, Seon-Sun Lee, Jae-Whan Kim
  • Patent number: 6332744
    Abstract: A mast 18 of an automatic warehouse 10 is extended to a position under a floor 2 in a clean room in such a manner as to penetrate the floor 2, and a turn table 16 is installed under the floor. In addition, two types of stations, that is, a floor station 26 and an underfloor station 30 are provided, and shelves 14 are provided only in a floor space. The floor station 26 is connected to an unmanned carrier 34, while the underfloor station 30 is connected to a tracked cart 36. This automatic warehouse is easy to install and allows an underfloor space to be used to transfer articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Murata Kakai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masazumi Fukushima, Masatomi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6332745
    Abstract: An automated refuse vehicle that provides a fast-return cycle for an engaged container, and a series of “lock-out” zones to minimize the possibility of damaging the vehicle during automated use. Methods for using an automated compacting system and for operating the refuse vehicle also form part of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Galion Solid Waste Equipment Co.
    Inventors: Charles A. Duell, Thomas E. Pfeifer, Larry D. Horning
  • Patent number: 6332746
    Abstract: A locking mechanism is provided for a roll-off container hoist. The locking mechanism secures a roll-off container to the roll-off container hoist when the hoist is in a transport orientation and releases the roll-off container when the hoist is moved from the transport orientation toward a hoisting orientation. Also provided is a container hoist which includes such a locking mechanism, as well as a vehicle which carries a locking-mechanism-equipped container hoist. A method of using the container hoist likewise is provided. Preferably, the locking mechanism requires no springs or other resilient actuators and instead is freely actuated by gravity in one direction and by engagement with a preferably rigid actuating surface in an opposite direction. The locking mechanism includes a movable plate and a guide for the movable plate. The movable plate is freely movable through the guide, from a locking position to an unlocking position and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen M. Lang, Gordon C. Shaw
  • Patent number: 6332747
    Abstract: A coupling device for automatically coupling an excavating device or a hammer device to an excavator includes an arm coupler fixed to one end of an arm of the excavator and a link coupler fixed to an operation link of the arm of the excavator. The excavating device includes a pair of brackets having a pair of the assembling holes. Piston rods, contained in the arm coupler and the link coupler and inserted into the assembling holes, connect the brackets of the excavating device to the excavator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Daemo Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-Hae Lee
  • Patent number: 6332748
    Abstract: A latching device is provided for coupling a vehicle tool carrier with a variety of tools such as a bucket. The device serves to releasably secure the tool with the carrier once the carrier has been positioned with the tool. The latch includes a handle-actuated pawl and an over center linkage to retain the latching device in either its latched or unlatched position. A spring serves to hold the link in its over-center position. The pawl swings laterally to minimize interference with the carrier and tool structures and simplify activation by the operator from his seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: David Arthur Doering, Donald Rodney Flatau
  • Patent number: 6332749
    Abstract: A tortilla stack transfer system for moving a plurality of tortilla stacks from a counter-stacker machine to a packaging area comprises a plurality of transfer finger sets, a plurality of transfer stack supports corresponding to the transfer finger sets, a plurality of finger set actuators adapted to move each of the transfer finger sets from a loaded position to an unloaded position, a transfer conveyor located elevationally below the transfer finger sets and carrying a plurality of conveyor blocks, a block position detector, a conveyor position counter, and a processor in electrical communication with the finger set actuators, the block position detector, and the conveyor position counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Central Impulsors S.A. de C.V.
    Inventors: Silvestre Garcia-Balleza, Vincente Lojero Perez, Rafael Meza Loreto
  • Patent number: 6332750
    Abstract: Successive palletized stacks of blanks in a layer of such stacks on a penetrable support of cardboard or the like are lifted off the support by a substantially horizontal plate- or blade-like implement which is caused to penetrate between the upper side of the support and the underside of a selected stack prior to lifting of the selected stack off the support for transfer onto a conveyor or into a blank converting machine, such as a cigarette packing machine. An optical or other suitable monitoring unit has one or more sensors carried by the implement such that they share the movements of the implement to detect, and to effect the generation of defect signals in response to the detection of, improper operation of the apparatus, such as the penetration of the implement through and subsequent lifting of a portion of the support with a selected stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Knut Donner, Hans-Jürgen Hoppe, Uwe Keil
  • Patent number: 6332751
    Abstract: In centering a transfer device so that tweezers of the transfer device transfer a substrate to a predetermined delivery position on a spin chuck when the substrate is delivered to a coating unit by means of the transfer device, the substrate is transferred onto the spin chuck in the coating unit by means of the tweezers, a positional deviation amount of the substrate with respect to the delivery position on the chuck is detected by a detecting device, a positional deviation amount of the tweezers is computed based on this detection value, and a position at which the tweezers deliver the substrate is corrected based on the positional deviation amount of the tweezers. Thus, centering of the substrate transfer device can be performed automatically in a short time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Seiji Kozawa, Naruaki Iida, Jun Ookura
  • Patent number: 6332752
    Abstract: A turbo-molecular pump of high safety and reliability has been developed so that if an abnormal condition should develop on the rotor structure, it will not lead to damage to the stator or pump casing to cause loss of vacuum in a vacuum processing system. The turbo-molecular pump comprises a pump casing housing a stator and a rotor therein, a vane pumping section and/or a groove pumping section comprised by the stator and the rotor, and a constriction releasing structure for releasing constriction of at least a part of the stator when an abnormal torque is applied to the stator by the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuma Ikegami, Matsutaro Miyamoto, Hiroyuki Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 6332754
    Abstract: A steam turbine comprises, in combination, at least two of a high pressure turbine section, an intermediate pressure turbine section and a low pressure turbine section in a single turbine casing and the steam turbine generally satisfies such design requirements as: a main steam pressure of 100 kg/cm2 or more; a main steam temperature of 500° C. or more; a rated output (power) of 100 MW or more; and a unit rotated at a rotation speed of 3,000 rpm equipped with a last-stage movable blade of the turbine having an effective blade length of 36 inches or more, or a unit rotated at a rotation speed of 3,600 rpm equipped with a last-stage movable blade of the turbine having an effective blade length of 33.5 inches or more. In such steam turbine, a turbine exhaust chamber of the low pressure turbine section has a structure extending towards both sides of a transverse direction of the turbine casing, towards the upper side thereof or in the axial direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Minoru Matsuda, Masataka Kikuchi, Nobuo Okita, Kouichi Kitaguchi
  • Patent number: 6332755
    Abstract: The present invention provides a blower that improves the P-Q characteristic and reduces noise. The apparatus is a blower that sucks air inside through slits (6) provided in an annular wall (2), wherein the blade thickness near a blade end s is progressively reduced toward the front end, and the location F of the maximum thickness gradually moves back toward a blade trailing edge side u2 so as to make the blade advance angle near the front end larger than in other locations. In addition, the width of a slit is made wider in sections near a spacer than in other sections. Alternatively, notches are provided in the outer perimeter of annular plates near the spacers so as to reduce the radial length of the annular plates. This arrangement improves the P-Q characteristic and reduces noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Fujinaka, Shigeru Otsuka
  • Patent number: 6332756
    Abstract: The multi-functional motion converting unit can be compact, efficient and inexpensive. In the motion converting unit of the present invention, a holding member is provided in a plane. A swing fin is extended, from the holding member, in a direction perpendicular to the plane. The swing fin has a first face and a second face, which cross a swing direction of the swing fin. The faces are capable of guiding a flow of a fluid. A swing width of a free end of the swing fin is wider than that of a base end thereof when the holding member is moved in the direction parallel to the plane. Guiding means guides the movement of the swing fin with the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Yugen Kaisha Sozoan
    Inventor: Ken Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 6332757
    Abstract: A valve housing has a communication passage communicating a suction port of the compressor with a crank chamber of the compressor. A valve element opens and closes the communication passage, and a spring member resiliently biases the valve element toward the closed position. A pressure actuated unit moves the valve element toward the open position by a suction pressure of the compressor. The spring member includes a spring made of a temperature responsive material. The spring decreases in its resilient force in an opening direction of the valve element with increase of an outer-air temperature. The spring member has a primary spring made of an ordinary resilient material for resiliently biasing the valve element toward the closed position and a correction spring made of a material having a temperature positive characteristic. The correction spring provides a correction spring force smaller than a primary force of the primary spring in the opposite direction to the primary force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Saginomiya Seisakusho, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Morio Kaneko, Ichiro Ohkawara, Masaki Ota, Ken Suitou, Kenta Nishimura, Taku Adaniya
  • Patent number: 6332758
    Abstract: Air-bearing fan includes a dust-proof cover, a fan blade structure, a magnet, a stator, a sleeve, an electronic circuit board, a housing and a thrust disk. While the fan blade structure is rotating, air can be induced into a ring-shaped gap so that an air-bearing is formed. And, air is also induced into a thrust gap and forms a thrust bearing. Therefore, this invention significantly reduces the noise and increases the fan's rotating speed, fan capacity and life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Hsin-Mao Hsieh
    Inventors: Ping-Huey Tang, Chi-Wei Tien, Hsin-Pu Chen