Patents Issued in November 13, 2007
  • Patent number: 7294019
    Abstract: A high speed stacking connector assembly includes a flexible extension portion. The flexible extension portion includes a first male connector, a center portion, and a second male connector. First and second flexible printed circuits (FPCs) extend parallel to one another from the first male connector, through the center portion, and to the second male connector. A rigid insulative center block of the center portion maintains the FPCs parallel to one another. The flexible portion can bend along a first axis between the first male connector and the center portion and/or along a second axis between the second male connector and the center portion. Due to this bending, the overall assembly accommodates lateral shifting of stacked PCBs. High speed signaling is facilitated by controlled electrical characteristics due to a novel contact beam design and due to the FPCs having a microstrip conductor topology. The contact beams self-adjust to accommodate PCB nonplanarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Myoungsoo Jeon
  • Patent number: 7294020
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical terminal for electrical connections formed from a metal stamping and including a coil spring interface. Broadly, the inventive electrical terminal includes a female terminal body having at least one opening for receiving an inserting portion of a male terminal body, the female terminal body including a stamped groove positioned about a perimeter of the opening; and a coil spring for providing an electrical interface between the inserting portion of the male terminal body and the female terminal body being positioned in the stamped groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Weiping Zhao, Stefano Spadoni, Ankoor Bagchi
  • Patent number: 7294021
    Abstract: A television card is provided to couple to a computer to transform input audio/video signals into output computer-displayable signals. The television card includes a card body, an Express Card connector and a USB connector. The Express Card connector is disposed on the card body. The USB connector is disposed on the card body or coupled to the card body by a USB cable. Either one of the Express Card connector or the USB connector is connected electrically to the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
    Inventors: Shih-Pin Lo, Li-Hsiang Liao, Chin-Yi Wu, Chun-Kai Chan
  • Patent number: 7294022
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle power plug with a control switch, comprising a body formed by two mating semi-circular arc covers; an electrode set having a positive pole and a negative pole; and a control switch having a press rod axially connected with an conductive blade, wherein a snappingly engaged structure is disposed in the body with two conductive blade clamps arranged on its two sides, respectively, one blade clamp being coupled with the positive pole, and the other blade clamp and the negative pole being coupled with a power cord, respectively, and then extending out of the body through line holes; consequently, the press rod extending out of a button hole of the body is applied with a force on its one end, and the locating structure longitudinally displaces in the snappingly engaged structure of the body to be selectively located, so as to render the conductive blade contact with or separate from the two conductive blade clamps and thus to control the connection or disconnection with po
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Tang Yang Dies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsu-Cheng Cheng
  • Patent number: 7294023
    Abstract: The coaxial plug-and-socket connector is for high frequencies, particularly in the GHz range, and comprises a socket part and a plug part as well as an elastic electrical contact element. The contact element connects the outer conductor of the socket part to the outer conductor of the plug part and is placed between the plug part and the socket part. The contact element comprises a number of elastic parts that, while under radial elastic stress, form a contact point to the outer conductor of the socket part and a contact point to the outer conductor of the plug part. Said contact points preferably lie in a plane running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plug-and-socket connector and near a face of the plug part. The connector is stable up to approximately 65 GHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Huber & Suhner AG
    Inventor: Mario Schneider
  • Patent number: 7294024
    Abstract: A telecommunications device comprising a faceplate including at least two adjacent jack receptacles, the two adjacent jack receptacles positioned vertically and horizontally offset to each other and a jack mounted in at least one of the two jack receptacles, the jack defining a port in the front end for receiving a plug, the jack also defining spring contacts within the port for making electrical contact with the plug, the jack including insulation displacement contacts electrically connected to the spring contacts, the insulation displacement contacts configured to establish electrical contact with conductors of a cable. A cap manufactured of a material configured to minimize transmission of electrical signal away from its intended path fits about the jack to cover at least a portion of the outer surface defined by the insulation displacement contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard Harold Hammond, Jr., Damon F. DeBenedictis
  • Patent number: 7294025
    Abstract: An electrical connector jack is provided including a body with a support portion and a plug receiving portion defining an opening. A circuit board is mounted to the support portion to position the circuit board relative to the plug receiving portion. The circuit board has interconnecting conductor circuit traces respectively extending from spring contact termination locations. A plurality of terminated spring contact conductors is provided with each terminating at a respective one of the spring contact termination locations, each of the terminated spring contact conductors having a contact zone. A plurality of supported spring contact conductors are supported by the body and extend therefrom. The supported spring contact conductors each have a plug contact zone and a terminated spring contact conductor zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Surtec Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Chou-Hsing Chen
  • Patent number: 7294026
    Abstract: A building automation system is provided in which a controller is connected to remote modules through a zone enclosure using RS-485 cables. Branches of modules extending from the zone enclosure are connected together by removable jumpers at the zone enclosure. Sets of branches of modules using different protocols are isolated from each other. Shorts in the RS-485 cables can be determined by disconnecting and reconnecting the branches from the network. The zone enclosure has a patch panel that contains modular RS-485 connectors. An RS-485 cable from the controller and pulled through the building along with other data cables is connected to the RS-485 connectors at the back of the patch panel. The modules are connected to the RS-485 connectors at the front of the patch panel through RS-485 cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Mark J. Donnell, Paul M. Herbst, Timothy M. Nitsch, Robert E. Fransen
  • Patent number: 7294027
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electrical terminal. The electrical terminal includes a frame, a first spring, and a second spring. The frame has a receptacle section adapted to receive a male contact. The first spring is movably captured in the receptacle section. The second spring is movably captured in the receptacle section. The second spring has a first side and a second side. The first side slidably contacts the first spring. The second side comprises a contact surface for contacting the male contact when the male contact is inserted into the receptacle section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam P. Tyler
  • Patent number: 7294028
    Abstract: An electric contact, in particular an electric contact of a plug-in connector, has a metallic substrate to which a contact layer is applied. The contact layer is arranged as a structured layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Rehbein, Volker Haas
  • Patent number: 7294029
    Abstract: A mount apparatus for a trolling motor provides latching positions for the stowed and deployed conditions of the trolling motor. Locking the mechanism in either the stowed or deployed positions is accomplished solely by moving the shaft of the trolling motor assembly in a lever-like movement about a pivot axis which extends through the base and transmission structure of the mount apparatus. This locking procedure is accomplished without the necessity of moving the shaft in a direction which is generally parallel to its central axis. As a result, the locking movement required by an operator to latch the trolling motor in its deployed and stowed positions is ergonomically preferable to known types of systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey S. Spaulding
  • Patent number: 7294030
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes an elastic seal lid attached to an under cover to form a hermetic seal between the under cover and an exhaust release pipe while closing an opening of the under cover from which an outlet portion of the exhaust release pipe projects outwardly. The seal lid includes a tubular seal portion projecting from at least one surface of a plate-like body of the seal lid. The tubular seal portion has annular seal lips fitted around an outer circumferential surface of the exhaust release pipe. The tubular seal portion is elastically deformable relative to the lid body to thereby take up or absorb an offset between the exhaust release pipe and the opening of the under cover produced due to cumulative manufacturing and assembling tolerances of relevant parts of the outboard motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yazaki, Shinichi Ide, Mitsuaki Kubota, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7294031
    Abstract: A marine vessel and drive combination has upper and lower mounting plates mounting a marine propulsion device to a hull at an opening with a sealing grommet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Davis, Christopher J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7294032
    Abstract: A water sport board locking system includes multiple key members that are insertable into a slot of a fin box of a water sport board (e.g., a surf board, for example a surfboard. The key members include a key member that operates as a rotation deterrent element which prevents rotation of another key member when the key members are located in the fin box slot and secured together with a tether or padlock. The system can be used to secure a water sport board while a fin of the watersport board remains located in the fin box slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Mark Ventura
  • Patent number: 7294033
    Abstract: A method for making a luminescent key. The key has a 3-dimensional shape and is extraordinarily thin. Besides, the key evenly emits luminescence. The key can be used in a mobile phone to save space so that more components can be put in to the mobile phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Speed Tech Corp.
    Inventors: Li-Sen Chen, Lu-Chin Wu
  • Patent number: 7294034
    Abstract: The evacuated envelope of an image display apparatus has a rear substrate, a front substrate opposing the rear substrate, and a sidewall interposed between the rear and front substrates. A phosphor screen is formed on the inner surface of the front substrate. Electron-emitting elements are provided on the rear substrate. An indium layer is formed on a sealing surface lying between the front substrate and the sidewall. When the indium layer is heated and melted in a vacuum atmosphere, the front and rear substrates are sealed to each other, with the sidewall interposed between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Yamada, Takashi Nishimura, Hirotaka Murata, Kazuyuki Seino
  • Patent number: 7294035
    Abstract: A method of secondarily welding one end of a shroud glass tube covering an arc tube body having a discharge emitting portion, having the other end welded primarily to one of the arc tube body ends, to the other end side of the arc tube body, while discharging air from, and introducing an inactive gas into, the tube through the opening end of the glass tube to hold a negative pressure. Heating and melting from a side is carried out. The opening end of the glass tube is connected to a piping passage component for discharging air and introducing an inactive gas through a rotatable magnetic fluid seal unit. Secondary welding is carried out with the rotation of the glass tube around an axis. The glass tube rotated with respect to secondary side heater is uniformly heated, molten and softened circumferentially, and welded along the arc tube body outer periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayasu Hirata, Hiromi Kubota, Shinya Misonou
  • Patent number: 7294036
    Abstract: A circular planform wing includes a contiguous thin central plate having top and bottom surfaces. An outer annular rim encompasses the central plate. The rim has a lower edge defining a lower plane of the wing, and the central plate has an upper zone defining an upper plane of the wing. The rim has a cross-section with a lower rounded corner forming the lower edge, an outer rounded corner, and an upper corner merging with the central plate, the outer corner being located between the upper plane and the lower plane. The rim cross-section has a convex upper curve joining the outer rounded corner to the upper corner, an inside rim surface joining the lower rounded corner to the upper corner, and a convex lower curve joining the outer rounded corner to the lower rounded corner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Jonathan Potts
  • Patent number: 7294037
    Abstract: A remote-control toy is provided that includes: a controller (2) that transmits a control signal according to an operation by a user; a movable body that is controlled to drive based on the control signal from the controller; and a field in which the movable body can move. The movable body includes a detecting unit that reacts to a predetermined object to be detected and outputs a detection signal, and a processing unit that performs predetermined processing in response to the output of the detection signal. The object to be detected can be placed in the field in such a manner that the position of the object to be detected can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Konami Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7294038
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a pad assembly for electro-processing a substrate is provided which includes a first conductive layer having a working surface adapted to contact the substrate during a polishing process, an intermediate layer coupled to the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer coupled to the intermediate layer. The second conductive layer may have a plurality of independently electrically biasable zones and is configured to be coupled with a power delivery arrangement. The intermediate layer may contain a polymer material support disk, a backing layer, or combinations thereof. Generally, the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the intermediate layer are adhered or secured together and removable as a unitary replaceable body. In one example, the intermediate layer may contain a plurality of perforations or cannels that have a diameter within a range from about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Antoine P. Manens, Liang-Yuh Chen
  • Patent number: 7294039
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for process control in chemical mechanical polishing in which an initial pre-polishing thickness of a substrate is measured at a metrology station, a parameter of an endpoint algorithm is determined from the initial thickness of the substrate, a substrates is polished at a polishing station, and polishing stops when an endpoint criterion is detected using the endpoint algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Boguslaw A. Swedek, Bret W. Adams, Sanjay Rajaram, David A. Chan, Manoocher Birang
  • Patent number: 7294040
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, one surface of the microelectronic substrate is engaged with a planarizing pad and the opposite surface of the microelectronic substrate is positioned proximate to a substrate support. A bearing liquid, such as a planarizing liquid, is directed toward the second surface of the microelectronic substrate to form a liquid bearing between the substrate and substrate support. The microelectronic substrate can precess relative the substrate support as the substrate support moves relative to the planarizing pad. The substrate support can include a sensor to determine a characteristic, such as a thickness, of the liquid bearing. In another embodiment, a portion of the liquid bearing can be removed from the second surface of the microelectronic substrate to control the thickness of the liquid bearing and/or to remove particulate matter from the liquid bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott E. Moore
  • Patent number: 7294041
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a moving head for a semiconductor wafer polishing apparatus. The semiconductor wafer polishing apparatus has a table on which a polishing pad is formed, and the moving head mounted via a support unit to hold a wafer relative to a polishing surface of the table. In this case, the moving head includes a sensing means having a load cell and a piezoelectric sensor to measure pressing force and frictional force acting on the wafer provided in the moving head. The present invention relates to the polishing of a semiconductor wafer material from which an integrated circuit is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Inha-Industry Partnership Institute
    Inventors: Eun Sang Lee, Jong Goo Won, Jung Talk Lee
  • Patent number: 7294042
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of handling abrasive solids materials used in an abrasive cutting procedure which jets a high-pressure abrasive slurry through a nozzle (7) onto a work piece over and/or in a catcher tank (8). This handling method includes catching the used abrasive slurry together with work piece kerf material in the catcher tank, and passing at least some abrasive solids collected in the catcher tank as a slurry to a partitioning apparatus which includes a vibratory sieve (27). The handling method also includes partitioning the slurry with the partitioning apparatus in order to provide at least two solids streams. One of the solid streams passes through the sieve and the other passes across the sieve whilst entrained as a slurry. The handling method further includes passing as a slurry to the nozzle (7) for jetting a pressurised or pressurisable slurry that has partitioned solids stream which has passed through the sieve (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Jetsis International Pte Ltd
    Inventor: Michael William Gadd
  • Patent number: 7294043
    Abstract: A CMP apparatus and process sequence. The CMP apparatus includes multiple polishing pads or belts and an in-line metrology tool which is interposed between adjacent polishing pads or belts in the apparatus. A material layer on each of multiple wafers is successively polished on the polishing pads or belts. The metrology tool is used to measure the thickness of a material layer being polished on each of successive wafers in a lot prior to the final polishing step, in order to precisely polish the layer to a desired target thickness at the final polishing step. This renders unnecessary an additional process cycle to polish the layer on each wafer to the desired target thickness. The metrology tool may be modularized as a unit with the polishing pads or belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Shien Chen, Yai-Yei Huang, Ming-Hsiang Kao, Yih-Shung Lin, Winata Karta Tjandra
  • Patent number: 7294044
    Abstract: The present invention provides a slurry composition and method for polishing organic polymer-based ophthalmic substrates. The slurry composition according to the invention includes an aqueous dispersion of abrasive particles and a pyrrolidone compound. The abrasive particles can be alumina, zirconia, silica, titania or combinations of the foregoing. Slurry compositions according to the invention can be used to polish all types of organic polymer-based ophthalmic substrates, but are particularly useful for polishing organic polymer-based ophthalmic substrates having an index of refraction greater than 1.498 because they remove such materials at a greater efficiency than conventional slurry compositions without detrimentally affecting the quality of the resulting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventor: Steven A. Ferranti
  • Patent number: 7294045
    Abstract: An apparatus for edge processing of a glass sheet, the apparatus including a shroud, a finishing member and a wiping device. The finishing member is substantially enclosed by the shroud. The apparatus uses pressurized air emitted by at least one slot in the wiping device to prevent contaminants resulting from the edge processing from settling on and/or adhering to surfaces of the glass sheet. The wiping device may include a jet of washing fluid directed at the glass sheet to further wash the surfaces and the processed edge of the glass sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: James William Brown, David Francis Castellana, Toshihiko Ono, Ye Guang Pan, Ljerka Ukrainczyk
  • Patent number: 7294046
    Abstract: A method for dressing an essentially cylindrical grinding worm on a machine suitable for continuous generation grinding in the diagonal method. The dressing tool is an essentially cylindrical gear wheel, having an abrasive coating on the surface that effects the dressing, which is brought into engagement with the grinding worm to move relative to the grinding worm in axial direction of the same to profile the flanks of the grinding worm. A periodically alternating movement in axial direction of the dressing gear wheel is superimposed on the relative movement of the dressing gear wheel, with the wavelength of the oscillating relative movement being the same or smaller than the usable width of the grinding worm in its axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: The Gleason Works
    Inventors: Antoine Turich, Gerhard Reichert
  • Patent number: 7294047
    Abstract: A sander device includes a housing pivotally attached to a supporting base and rotatable between a horizontal position and a vertical position, a driven roller and an idle roller rotatably disposed in the housing, and an endless driving belt engaged over the driven roller and the idle roller and also rotatable between the horizontal position and the vertical position together with the housing, a table is used for supporting the work piece, and a moving device may support and move the table and the work piece to the sanding belt when the driving belt is located at either the horizontal position or the vertical position. An actuating device is attached the housing for selectively forcing the driving belt to sand the work piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Kun Yi Lin
  • Patent number: 7294048
    Abstract: An abrasive article includes a substrate having opposed first and second surfaces, a make coat on at least a portion of the first surface, abrasive mineral particles on at least a portion of the make coat to provide an abrasive surface and a size coat arranged over at least a portion of the abrasive surface, wherein the size coat has a Young's modulus of less than 100,000 psi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Eric W. Nelson, Chris A. Minick
  • Patent number: 7294049
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for removing materials from microfeature workpieces. One embodiment of a subpad in accordance with the invention comprises a matrix having a first surface configured to support a polishing medium and a second surface opposite the first surface. The subpad in this embodiment further includes a hydro-control agent in the matrix. The hydro-control agent has a hydrophobicity that inhibits liquid from absorbing into the subpad. The hydro-control agent, for example, can be coupling agents that are generally hydrophobic, surfactants that are hydrophobic, or other agents that are compatible with the matrix and at least generally hydrophobic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney C. Kistler, Andrew Carswell
  • Patent number: 7294050
    Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a loop to the end of a chub package formed by a chub machine. The apparatus includes a drive sprocket and variable speed drive motor for feeding a roll of loops to a clipping head assembly of the chub machine and positioning the loops sequentially for capture by the wire to be cinched around one end of the chub package. A chub machine incorporating the loop attachment apparatus is provided for forming chub packages have a loop attached under the clip at one end of each package. A method for attaching the loop to chub packages is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Packaging Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Steinke, Ricky G. Franks
  • Patent number: 7294051
    Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus dispenses coins by squeezing them substantially chordally between first and second elements. The second element is carried on the underside of a disc-like portion of a rotor which rotates about or with a central shaft. The disc-like portion has an opening, allowing coins to move axially therethrough from a supply side to a position aligned with the second element. The opening has a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the radius of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Money Controls Limited
    Inventor: Malcolm Reginald Hallas Bell
  • Patent number: 7294052
    Abstract: In an air handling unit for discharging a flow of air into the surrounding ambient, having a series of horizontal louvers and a series of vertical louvers mounted in the discharge flow. A first multi-phase stepper motor is arranged to step the horizontal louvers to deflect the air flow in a vertical direction and a second multi-phase stepper motor is arranged to step vertical louvers to deflect the flow in a transverse direction. A controller is programmed to alternately apply power from a single power source to each of the motors during each phase to step each motor in equal increments during each phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Robert P. Dolan, Douglas C. Lynn
  • Patent number: 7294053
    Abstract: A prescription paper has reproduction material placed on selected areas of the back side of the paper so that prescription information can be transferred directly onto the patient's records while the prescription writer is writing the prescription. The reproduction material can be a carbonized backing or any other suitable reproduction material. The front side of the prescription paper comprises at least two lines that are separated by a pre-selected distance to match the distance between adjacent lines on the medical record. The prescription writer can align the lines on the prescription paper to the lines on the medical record so that information can be neatly transferred to the space between the lines on the medical record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Brian A. Williams
  • Patent number: 7294054
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage, for wagering on a game of chance which includes (a) offering, before a game of chance progression commences, an initial wager on any of a plurality of pieces to first complete the progression, an initial payout for the initial wager based on the pieces having equal chances of winning; and (b) offering, during the progression, a real time wager on any of a plurality of pieces to first complete the progression, a real time payout for the real time wager based on computed chances of a selected piece first completing the progression based on current positions of the plurality of pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventors: David Schugar, Michael Shackleford
  • Patent number: 7294055
    Abstract: A gaming device having a game with a plurality of selections, where each selection has at least two characteristics. The gaming device is controlled by at least one processor to display a plurality of the selections; display an indication of one of the selections functioning as a base; determine at least one optimal selection from the displayed selections for providing a highest obtainable award for the game; display an indication of the optimal selection; and enable a player to input a pick of one of the plurality of displayed selections, other than the selection functioning as the base, where the picked selection has at least one characteristic that matches one of the characteristics of the selection functioning as the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, William J. Bussick, James R. Chance
  • Patent number: 7294056
    Abstract: An enhanced gaming system through which a variety of games of chance and/or games of skill can be made available to players. The gaming system separates game outcomes from game themes and game payout/buy-in information, thereby enhancing game flexibility. The gaming system also allows different games of chance and/or games of skill to be available to different subsets of player units, and gives a gaming hall operator the ability to dynamically control the size and distribution of such subsets. An “apparently random” permutation production technique is disclosed for use in certain games and regulatory environments. A PKI-based architecture is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: GameTech International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Lowell, Michael W. Hartman, Calvin Nicholson, Hong J. Kim, Joseph Kisenwether, Stephen E. Patton
  • Patent number: 7294057
    Abstract: A game management center linked to at least one remote game terminal, sends the terminals to which it is linked, a message containing a game identifier and a question. The response from a player entered via a remote game terminal is transmitted in a form blinded with the aid of a secret to the game management center so as to guarantee the anonymity of the player. If the blinded response message is received before the instant of broadcasting of the response, the game management center sends an acknowledgement of receipt to said game terminal. The response in answer to the question is subsequently broadcast to all the remote game terminals. If the player has given the right answer, the terminal must, to claim its prize, send a message containing the acknowledgement of receipt and an item proving that it is in possession of the secret used to blind the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Stéphanie Lion, Yan-Mei Tang-Talpin
  • Patent number: 7294058
    Abstract: A gaming machine and method for operating the same has gameplay elements provided in a manner that can be visualized, with the gameplay elements having a specific nature which is revealed to the player at a beginning to the game. That is, the player knows the value, or ranking, or position, etc., of the gameplay elements upon inception of the game. In a base level for the game of the gaming machine, no unknown gameplay element or random event is injected into the gameplay elements. This is a full information format for the gaming machine and method, and success is measured by the player's ability to manipulate the gameplay elements presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Case Venture Management LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Slomiany, Lawrence E. DeMar, Duncan F. Brown
  • Patent number: 7294059
    Abstract: A gaming apparatus includes a display unit for generating gaming images and a value input device. The apparatus includes a touch pad assembly capable of generating a touch detection field, a portion of which defines a touch area. A user touch in the touch area creates a disturbance in said touch detection field to generate a switch activation signal. A controller is operatively coupled to the display unit and value input device and includes a processor and memory. The controller is programmed to allow a person to make a wager and cause a gaming image to be generated on the display unit representing a game selected from a group of casino games. The controller determines a value payout associated with an outcome of the game and responds to the switch activation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Greg Silva, Harold Mattice
  • Patent number: 7294060
    Abstract: An interactive device includes a base unit and at least one interchangeable cartridge. The base unit comprises a transparent pressure-sensitive touchscreen overlying the cartridge and a microphone. The cartridge comprises a scroll having a plurality of image frames which are sequentially viewable through the transparent touchscreen and a digital memory. The cartridge is configured to key into a cartridge receptacle in the base unit and couple the memory with a processor in the base unit. The cartridge includes release levers which prevent rotation of the scroll when the cartridge is removed from the base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Al Ferrigno, Dan Muldoon
  • Patent number: 7294061
    Abstract: A billiard cue less bendable than a standard wood cue, which is manufactured by dividing a square lumber (20), sawed from a wood material (10), into a central member (21), having a cross-shaped section in which longitudinal sides thereof are perpendicular to transverse sides lines thereof and end terminals thereof contact edges of the square lumber (20), and peripheral members (22, 23, 24, and 25) cut off from the central member, and the peripheral members (22, 23, 24, and 25) are then bonded to the central member (21) so that the direction of the annual rings of the peripheral members (22, 23, 24, and 25) is opposite to the direction of the annual rings of the central member (21), thereby offsetting stress applied to the central member (21) due to the orientation of the annual rings of the original square lumber (20), and applied to the peripheral members (22, 23, 24, and 25), and allowing maintaining its straight state without deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Oh Chul Kwon
  • Patent number: 7294062
    Abstract: An indoor putting game device includes a main body, a plurality of goal boards with different patterns and ball holes of different numbers optionally selected to be mounted on the main body, and a flexible ball course member wound on a shaft in the main body possible to be pulled out from a front end of the main body. The main body has the shaft for winding the ball course member while not used or releasing it out for use. The goal board can be adjusted in its inclination by optionally inserting position pins in a pair of pinholes in two sidewalls of the main body. So the device can be used in playing putting game in various modes, boosting users' interest in playing and achieving game and exercise effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: James Ting
  • Patent number: 7294063
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a training aid which may be used with a playing device such as a golf club or baseball bat. Embodiments of the present invention may be temporarily attached to a playing device and modify how a person holds, or grips, the playing device. The present invention comprises a first portion that may be temporarily attached to part of the playing device that is gripped by a person. When the present invention is temporarily attached to a playing device and a person grips the present invention, a second portion extends at least part of one finger of the person a distance from the playing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Scott Aaron Jacobs
  • Patent number: 7294064
    Abstract: In a driver golf head (1) comprising a face (4) having a hitting surface, a sole (3) forming a lower portion, and a crown (5) forming an upper portion, the sole (3) is improved. The sole (3) in the position close to the face (4) was formed into an elastically deformable recess-projection shape, and part of the face (4) was formed into a projecting shape and integrated with the sole (3) to increase rigidity. Using a configuration with increased rigidity and decreased rigidity between the face (4) and sole to obtain an elastically deformable portion and providing a high-rigidity body (12) increased the repulsion force in the lower portion of the face and extended the traveling distance of the golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: K.K Endo Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masaei Tsurumaki, Katsuhiro Kobayashi, Takayuki Ando
  • Patent number: 7294065
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body, a weight, and a positioning resilient member. The body includes an engaging seat having a perimeter wall and a perimeter groove defined in the perimeter wall. The weight is mounted in the engaging seat, and includes a main body having a perimeter wall with a plurality of latching grooves corresponding to the perimeter groove of the engaging seat. The positioning resilient member is initially mounted in the perimeter groove of the engaging seat prior to receiving the weight. The positioning resilient member includes at least one engaging point pressing against a perimeter bottom wall of the perimeter groove. The positioning resilient member is further engaged in the latching grooves of the weight to thereby resiliently retain the weight in the engaging seat when assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Fu Sheng Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Ching Liang, Chen-Lung Chien, Hsing-Cheng Tsai
  • Patent number: 7294066
    Abstract: A putter head having a face and a sole, the putter head comprising a front segment of the sole angled downward and rearward from the face, the front segment fading into two approximately ninety (90) degree angles and forming a radius that flattens through the approximate center of the sole then flares outward from the radius and curves upward toward the back of the sole; a first side segment of the sole angled upward from the flattened portion of the radius and blended with the front segment of the sole and the outward flaring segment of the sole; and a second side segment of the sole angled upward from the flattened portion of the radius and blended with the front segment of the sole and the outward flaring segment of the sole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Joseph K. Richard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7294067
    Abstract: A golf ball having, as a constituent element, an article molded under heat from a rubber composition which includes: (a) a base rubber containing polybutadiene having a stress relaxation time (T80), defined as the time in seconds from the moment when rotor rotation is stopped immediately after measurement of the ML1+4 (100° C.) value (the Mooney viscosity measured at 100° C. in accordance with ASTM D-1646-96) that is required for the ML1+4 value to decrease 80%, of at most 3.5, (b) an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a metal salt thereof, and (c) an organic peroxide. The golf ball has an excellent rebound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Shindo, Atsushi Nanba
  • Patent number: 7294068
    Abstract: A multi-piece solid golf ball has a solid core, an envelope layer that encloses the solid core, an intermediate layer that encloses the envelope layer, and a cover that encloses the intermediate layer and has a plurality of dimples on a surface thereof. The diameter of the solid core, the center hardness, surface hardness and hardness difference between the center and surface of the solid core, the thickness and surface hardness of the envelope layer, and the thickness and surface hardness of the intermediate layer are each optimized within specific ranges. Moreover, the intermediate layer is formed so as to be harder than the envelope layer and the cover. In addition, the thickness and surface hardness of the cover, and the combined thickness of the envelope layer, intermediate layer and cover are each optimized within specific ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Higuchi, Naoki Miyakoshi, Akira Kimura, Toru Ogawana