Patents Issued in April 14, 2009
  • Patent number: 7516514
    Abstract: A door stopper for a motor vehicle door has a piston-cylinder unit arranged basically longitudinally inside the motor vehicle door. The unit is connected in a swiveling manner at a first end with the motor vehicle door and is able to interact at a second end with a stationary structural section of the motor vehicle. In order to ensure that the door stopper requires only a small installation space, the door stopper includes a multi-part lever mechanism, which transforms a swiveling motion of the motor vehicle door chiefly into a back and forth thrusting motion, upon door opening or closing, on the piston-cylinder unit. A first lever of the lever mechanism can be guided out of the motor vehicle door and can be connected with the stationary structural section on a first swiveling axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche Aktiengessellschaft
    Inventor: Klaus Rieder
  • Patent number: 7516515
    Abstract: A refrigerator incorporates a dual swing door including a dual hinge mechanism. The dual hinge mechanism includes a lock bar having a first end portion and a second end portion joined by an intermediate portion. Each of the first and second end portions includes first and second lobe elements. The hinge mechanism also includes a hinge plate having a first end section and a second section joined by an intermediate section. Each of the first and second end sections include a wedge member and a rudder member. The hinge plate further includes first and second hinge pins, mounted to corresponding ones of the first and second end sections, that define left and right pivot axes for the door. The rudder and wedge members interact with the first lobes to automatically force one of the second lobes into engagement with a respective hinge pin to establish a desired hinge axis for pivoting of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Scott W. Leimkuehler, Chad J. Rotter
  • Patent number: 7516516
    Abstract: A three-dimension adjustable hidden furniture door hinge is designed to include a travel member that can be fixed onto the door, an adjustable member that can be fixed onto the door frame and an arm segment connects these two members, the adjustable member includes three tiers of boards, a base board in the lower tier can be fixed onto a door frame, a middle board in the middle tier that can slide up and down on top of the base board, and an adjustable board in the upper tier on top of the middle board that can slide back and forth; there are matching grooves and directional tabs formed on the boards; three cam screws are used to provide up-down, back-forth, and left-right position adjustment, there is no need to loosen up other screws, the entire adjustment process is simple, quickly and energy saving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Inventor: Zhiyong Wu
  • Patent number: 7516517
    Abstract: A hinge device where height adjustment, depth adjustment and side adjustment are permitted, wherein a hinge flap is adjustably supported by a rotatable pin with a polygonal flange, the hinge for side adjustment having an adjustable screw body fastened into the door frame for abutment with the rear side of the hinge, and where depth adjustment is provided by allowing a tongue on the hinge flap to form rotatable engagement with a double-headed adjusting screw that is insertable into the door frame parallel to the plane of the hinge flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: FRIP AB
    Inventor: Bror Fries
  • Patent number: 7516518
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly comprising a door leaf (1), which has at least two undercut blind holes (26), and comprising at least two hinges (3) each consisting of a door-side and a wall-side hinge part (4,5). In order to fasten the door-side and/or wall-side hinge part, expanding plugs (20) are provided that have a distal expanding element (22) as well as a retaining and stop element (23). In addition, an expanding/fastening element (21) is provided that serves to expand the expanding elements and to fasten the hinge to the expanding plug. The expanding/fastening element can comprise a screw bolt (26) and a nut (28) or a mounting part (30) with a hole for accommodating a screw (31), with which the mounting part is screwed to the expanding plug. The invention also relates to a shower stall having one or more lateral walls and one or more assemblies of the aforementioned type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: NAOMI Rechte GmbH
    Inventor: Zoltan Anton Kiefer
  • Patent number: 7516519
    Abstract: The adjustable self-closing hinge (1) comprises a first hinge part (2), a second hinge part (3), a hinge shaft (10), a torsion spring (18) having a first end (19) fixed with respect to the first hinge part (2) and a second end (20) fixed with respect to the hinge shaft (10) to exert a moment onto the first hinge part, and means for adjusting the moment exerted by the torsion spring on the first hinge part. These adjusting means comprise a coupling element (21) which is interposed between the first end (19) of the torsion spring (18) and the first hinge part (2) and which is rotatably mounted in the first hinge part, and a screw-like element (24) which is rotatably mounted in the first hinge part (2) and which is arranged to cooperate with the coupling element (21) to rotate the coupling element with respect to the first hinge part so as to adjust the moment exerted by the torsion spring on the first hinge part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Inventor: Joseph Talpe
  • Patent number: 7516520
    Abstract: A dual member handle system and method of operating the same. The system includes a body, a first handle rotably attached to the body, and a second handle rotably attached to the body. The first handle is attached adjacent the second handle. The first handle rotates about a first axis and the second handle rotates about a second axis that is different from the first axis. The method includes rotating a first handle about a first axis and rotating a second handle, while rotating the first handle, about a second axis. The second axis is adjacent to and different from the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporations
    Inventors: Daniel P. Kelaher, Pat Gallarelli, Seth D. Lewis, Timothy A. Meserth, J. Scott Womble, Richard M. Barina
  • Patent number: 7516522
    Abstract: A clamping collar comprising an open ring (10), each end of which carries a bearing tab (10A, 10B), and tightening means comprising a tightening bolt (14) whose shank passes through the bores (12A, 12B) in the bearing tabs, a nut (16), and a spacer (18). In order to tighten the collar, the head of the bolt or the nut are driven in rotation. The spacer is disposed between the element that is driven in rotation and the corresponding bearing tab. The spacer (18) is formed by a rolled-up blank disposed around the shank (14B) of the bolt (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Etablissements Caillau
    Inventors: Richard Chene, Didier Goussalt
  • Patent number: 7516523
    Abstract: A concealed zipper assembly includes a pair of zipper tapes and a pair of sliders movable along the zipper tapes and defining an opening therebetween. The sliders are configured to close the zipper tapes and the opening as they move toward one another along the zipper tapes. A cover is connected to each of the sliders and is movable along the zipper tapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Alex W. Okot
  • Patent number: 7516524
    Abstract: A molded plastic hook fastener component for hook and loop fastening has individual raised bases distributed over a common area, each carrying an individual hook element while a laterally contiguous portion of each raised base raises the lower bound for the loop region beneath the fastener head. During molding, fastener elements are pulled from their mold cavities through cavity portions of the raised bases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: George A. Provost, Mark A. Clarner, David P. Kraus
  • Patent number: 7516525
    Abstract: A process for making chemical protective wipes is disclosed. A top layer is fully needlepunched (102). A bottom layer is fully needlepunched (104). Then, an adsorption layer is sandwiched between the top layer and the bottom layer (106). Then, the sandwich is fully needlepunched (108).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Tech University
    Inventor: Seshadri S. Ramkumar
  • Patent number: 7516526
    Abstract: A spun metal form used to manufacture a dual alloy turbine wheel. The spun metal form prevents braze alloy contamination of the hub/casting interface by relocating the braze joint away from the interface. The spun metal form allows for the re-working of components after failed vacuum brazing and increases the time to failure of dual alloy turbine wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Derek A. Rice, Venkatesh S. Krishnan, David R. Waldman, Gary G. Capek, Devinder N. Katariya
  • Patent number: 7516527
    Abstract: A repair assembly for the skid plate of a circular saw and its associated method of repair. If a circular saw has a skid plate that is worn to a point where it needs replacement, this repair assembly is used to reinforce the worn skid plate so it can again be used. The repair assembly includes a flat plate structure having a sort extension and a long extension protruding from different sides. The long extension and the short extension mount directly onto the worn skid plate. The flat plate structure therefore covers the wear surfaces of the worn skid plate, therein providing new wear surfaces. The repair assembly attached over the worn skid plate so the worn skid plate does not have to be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Inventor: Edward A. Zuzelo
  • Patent number: 7516528
    Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a cathode filament of an X-ray tube and an X-ray tube formed by the method wherein the filament has at least two legs and one body, the filament being a single-piece filament. Spraying at least one material on a support by plasma spraying or by another deposition technique to obtain the filament molded on the support and separating the filament obtained from the support. The filament obtained has a variable thickness and a variable composition. The thicknesses of the legs and of the body as well as the composition of the filament can be modified according to the user's needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Gwenael Lemarchand, Jean-Marie Penato
  • Patent number: 7516529
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a complex composite metal structure having a metallic foam substrate. A sheet metal structure is provided having a metallic foam precursor formed of metallic particles and foaming agents. The sheet metal structure is formed using quick plastic or superplastic formation processes. After or during the formation of the metal, the temperature of the metallic precursor is raised to a point that the foaming agent produces a metallic foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Arianna T Morales, Paul E Krajewski
  • Patent number: 7516530
    Abstract: A method for picking and placing a clinging part. Gripper fingers spaced apart from each other by a central spacing on each of first and second gripper jaws are provided. The gripper jaws are moved between a grip position in which the gripper jaws grip the clinging part and a release position in which the gripper jaws release and retract from the clinging part. An ejector having a cling resistant part pusher movable in the central spacings is moved between a retracted position in which the part pusher is retracted and contacts the clinging part. and an eject position in which the part pusher ejects the clinging part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Sham S. Nayar, James J. Stirn, Terrence L. Grewe
  • Patent number: 7516531
    Abstract: A universal trim piece system for a refrigerator door having a decorative panel can be employed with either a front mounted door handle or a side mounted door handle. When employing the front mounted handle, the door is provided with a top trim piece, a bottom trim piece and first and second side trim pieces. When employing the side mounted handle, the door is provided with the top trim piece, the bottom trim piece and only the first side trim piece, with the side mounted handle replacing the second side trim piece. Interchanging the handles/decorative panels just requires loosening the top and bottom trim pieces, exchanging the handles and possibly the decorative panels, providing a second side trim piece or handle, and re-secure the top and bottom trim pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Crompton, Mark Jeffery Reimer
  • Patent number: 7516532
    Abstract: A method of urging one or more fasteners toward a nosepiece of a fastening tool generally includes placing one or more fasteners into a magazine and moving a pusher block that is pivotally mounted on a pusher bearing toward the one or more fasteners. The method also includes rocking the pusher block about the pusher bearing as the one or more fasteners are fed sequentially into the nosepiece to maintain a pushing surface of the pusher block in substantial abutment with a surface of a last fastener of the one or more fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Andrzej R. Wojcicki
  • Patent number: 7516533
    Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing a bedding foundation having a base and a wire grid of support wires comprises at least one vertically moveable staple gun having a staple head and a wire positioner associated with the staple head, the wire positioner being configured to engage one of the support wires and to position the one support wire relative to the staple head such that upon activation, the staple gun staples the one support wire in the intended position to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Niels S. Mossbeck, Franklin H. Rawlings, Michael L. Shelton
  • Patent number: 7516534
    Abstract: A method of installing fastening elements, and rivetless fasteners for use with the method. Rivetless nutplate fasteners are installed in metal structures by providing flush fit barrel shaped plug or bushing portions in a hole in the structure as defined by an edge wall. The barrel portion is acted upon axially, and expanded radially outward toward the edge wall of the hole, to provide an interference fit. The ends of the barrel portion are machined as desired for flushness. Also, a hole is installed as necessary. Rivetless nutplates are easily installed, and the installation enhances fatigue life of the hole surrounding the barrel of the nutplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Stresswave, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric T. Easterbrook, Milton Sigelmann, Michael Landy, Taeksun Nam
  • Patent number: 7516535
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for mounting a rotor to a motor shaft having a rotor with a main aperture defined by a first half and a second half. A C-shaped collar is disposed into the second half of the main aperture with the motor shaft passing through the first half of the main aperture and the interior curve of the collar. The collar is secured to the rotor by a plurality of fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Avtron Industrial Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Emery
  • Patent number: 7516536
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a grooved polishing pad wherein a large number of grooves, extending parallel to each other, are fabricated at specific intervals on at least one of a front surface and a back surface of a polishing pad substrate through a groove cutting process on the polishing pad substrate which is made from a synthetic resin material, the method comprising the steps of: cutting, by using a multi-edged tool having a plurality of pad groove machining cutting parts, arrayed at equal spacing p with the spacing p being an integer multiple no less than 2 of a desired spacing d of the grooves, a plurality of the grooves; and repeating the cutting of the plurality of grooves through shifting the multi-edged tool in a direction in which the pad groove machining cutting parts are arrayed, in order to fabricate the large number of grooves, extending parallel to each other, with the desired spacing d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Toho Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsutoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7516537
    Abstract: An existing disk drive storage enclosure is converted into a standalone network storage system by removing one or more input/output (I/O) modules from the enclosure and installing in place thereof one or more server modules (“heads”), each implemented on a single circuit board. Each head contains the electronics, firmware and software along with built-in I/O connections to allow the disks in the enclosure to be used as a Network-Attached file Server (NAS) or a Storage Area Network (SAN) storage device. An end user can also remove the built-in head and replace it with a standard I/O module to convert the enclosure back into a standard disk drive storage enclosure. Two internal heads can communicate over a passive backplane in the enclosure to provide full cluster failover (CFO) capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Network Appliance, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad A. Reger, Steven J. Valin
  • Patent number: 7516538
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head is disclosed. The steps of manufacture include the formation of an underlying layer made of a material whose etching rate of ion beam etching is higher than that of a magnetic alloy used to make a pole layer, and the formation of a magnetic layer, which includes a portion of the magnetic layer to be etched that will be formed into a track width defining portion by making its side surfaces sloped through etching. The magnetic layer is formed such that the portion to be etched is disposed on the underlying layer. The side surfaces of the portion to be etched by the ion beam etching are etched so that the magnetic layer is formed into the pole layer and so that the end face of the track width defining portion located in the medium facing surface has a width that decreases with decreasing distance from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sasaki, Hiroyuki Itoh, Shigeki Tanemura, Hironori Araki
  • Patent number: 7516539
    Abstract: An apparatus for transplanting a multi-board is provided. This apparatus includes an orientation device, a calibration device, and an image-adjusting device. The orientation device has a first movable platform, and the multi-board is fixed on the first movable platform. The calibration device has a second movable platform and is used for moving a substitution circuit board to a recombination position of the multi-board. The image-adjusting device captures image data of the multi-board and the substitution circuit board and compares the image data to obtain an error signal. The calibration device receives the error signal and moves the second movable platform according to the error signal in order to calibrate the relative position between the substitution circuit board and the multi-board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Unimicron Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Hsin-Sheng Hsia
  • Patent number: 7516540
    Abstract: A component fixing device includes a holding portion for holding a component with a hollow portion while restricting a movement of the component; and a fixed portion elastically connected to the holding portion and to be fixed to an object. The holding portion is inserted into the hollow portion of the component for holding the component. The holding portion may have a center holding portion abutting against an outer surface of the component and a pair of arm portions disposed at both sides of the center holding portion and capable of bending relative to the center holding portion, so that the center holding portion and the arm portions sandwich the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Ueda, Masato Yamazaki, Emiko Baba
  • Patent number: 7516541
    Abstract: Providing a terminal inserting apparatus which does not give a limitation to an assembled wiring harness thereby, the terminal inserting apparatus includes a jig mounting unit, a housing holding unit, an inserting unit and a jig transporting unit. The jig mounting unit has a plurality of holding jigs. The holding jig has a connector housing. The housing holding unit has one holding jig including the connector housing. The inserting unit inserts the terminal 6 connected with the electric wire into a terminal receiving chamber of the connector housing. The jig transporting unit transports the holding jig from the jig mounting unit to the housing holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Furuya, Kazuhiko Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7516542
    Abstract: A wiring board is manufactured by a step of forming a meshy cylindrical body, where plural conductive rings are connected to each other at plural positions in the respective peripheral direction, a step of forming laminated meshy sheets, by squashing the meshy cylindrical body in the radial direction, a step of inserting an insulation sheet between the meshy sheets, and a step of forming lacking portions at a position in the peripheral direction of conductive rings of the meshy sheets. It becomes possible to directly join a semiconductor chip to the conductive ring of the meshy sheet, and therefore, a wiring circuit can be obtained without using a solder joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Temba
  • Patent number: 7516543
    Abstract: A semiconductor component includes a media channel and at least the following components: a semiconductor chip on a wiring substrate, electric connecting elements disposed between the semiconductor chip and the wiring substrate, and a plastic housing mass that embeds these components. The media channel is impressed into the plastic housing mass and extends along the interfaces between the plastic housing mass and the components. The media channel is produced by applying a sacrificial polymer including a media channel structure to the components before embedding the components in the plastic housing mass. The sacrificial polymer is then destroyed after the components are embedded, thereby forming the media channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Holger Woerner
  • Patent number: 7516544
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention is a method for reducing crosstalk and maintaining clearances between traces on a printed circuit board design. Crosstalk caused by placing traces a virtual printed circuit board are reduced by placing artificial obstructs, called spacers, between traces and/or between traces and nets to create a user-specified clearance between the traces and/or nets. As additional traces and/or nets are added to the virtual printed circuit board, the spacers are dynamic and adjust accordingly to maintain the specified clearances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventor: Vladimir V. Petunin
  • Patent number: 7516545
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board having a landless via hole. Specifically, this invention provides a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board having a landless via hole without the upper land of a via hole using a photoresist (P-LPR) which is loaded in the via hole. Therefore, in this invention, since a circuit pattern is formed using only copper of a copper clad laminate, the width thereof is minimized, thus easily realizing a fine circuit pattern. Further, the landless via hole structure is applied, resulting in a highly dense circuit pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung Sam Kang, Shuhichi Okabe, Jung Hyun Park, Hoe Ku Jung, Ji Eun Kim
  • Patent number: 7516546
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a connecting rod assembly having a stepped small end. The method includes defining a small end of a connecting rod assembly having a terminal end and defining a pin bore extending therethrough. A pair of channels are formed on opposite sides of the small end, perpendicular to the pin bore and a bushing is subsequently installed into the pin bore. Where a connecting rod assembly does not include a bushing the method includes defining a small end having a pin bore and forming pair of channels on opposite sides of the small end. A contact surface is then defined within the pin bore to engage a piston pin and the small end is machined to provide a stepped configuration. The connecting rod assembly is then machined to reduce the width of the small end to provide a stepped configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: MAHLE Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Stephen McEwan
  • Patent number: 7516547
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade having a dovetail with an enhanced surface for durability is disclosed. The blade includes an airfoil section and a dovetail section disposed opposite the airfoil section. The dovetail section has an outer surface, at least a portion of which has residual compressive stresses resulting from a plurality of peening operations. The dovetail section also includes a copper-nickel-indium wear coating layer disposed over the outer surface having residual compressive stresses and a lubricant coating layer disposed over the copper-nickel-indium wear coating layer, wherein the lubricant coating layer is lead-free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Edward McCann, Sang Y Park
  • Patent number: 7516548
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fibre reinforced metal matrix composite article, the method comprising placing metal coated (18) fibers (14) between a first metal ring (30) and a second metal ring (36). Each of the metal-coated (18) fibres (14) having a glue (22) to hold the metal-coated (18) fibers (14) in position. A solvent is supplied to the glue (22) on the metal-coated (18) fibers (14) to soften the glue (22) and pressure is applied to allow the metal-coated (18) ceramic fibers (14) to become more closely packed. Thereafter the glue (22) is removed and the metal coated (18) fibers (14) and first and second metal rings (30, 36) are consolidated and diffusion bonded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Edwin S Twigg
  • Patent number: 7516549
    Abstract: A method for producing a nozzle plate comprises a liquid-repellant coat removal step for conducting a plasma treatment to each chip from a same side as a liquid droplet ejecting surface under an atmospheric pressure, while supplying a gaseous mask material for protection of the liquid-repellant coat through nozzle holes from an opposite side of the liquid droplet ejecting surface in such a manner that the gaseous mask material is leaked out over the liquid droplet ejecting surface around the nozzle holes, to thereby remove the liquid-repellant coat exposed outside the mask material; and a bonding step for bonding each chip to the nozzle plate body at the area from which the liquid-repellant coat is removed by the liquid-repellant coat removal step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shintaro Asuke
  • Patent number: 7516550
    Abstract: A tool is provided into which a saw blade can be mounted and removed therefrom. The tool includes a housing have a groove therein. An attachment assembly is mounted in the groove and can be slid within the groove. The attachment assembly includes a first part, a second part, and a member attaching the parts together, while allowing the parts to move relative to each other. The saw blade is inserted between the first and second parts and is removable therefrom. A spring retainer is affixed within the housing. The attachment assembly is moveable within the housing to abut against the spring retainer. When the attachment assembly abuts the spring retainer, the second parts can be moved out of engagement with each other to allow the removal of the saw blade from therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Hagan, John W. Kroening, Ronald G. Axon
  • Patent number: 7516551
    Abstract: In a portable electric circular saw (portable cutting tool) including a cutting tool body having a motor serving as a driving source and a saw blade (cutting tool) driven to rotate by the motor and a base guiding the cutting tool body along a surface of a material to be cut, and allowing a parallel ruler to be mounted on the base, guide bars respectively inserted through insertion holes formed in the base are provided with a dust guard that can slide parallel to an end face of the saw blade and can abut against the end face of the saw blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7516552
    Abstract: A portable cutting tool includes: a cutting tool main body having a motor, a rotating blade and a saw cover for covering a part of the rotating blade, a base including a slide surface and a supporting part, and a guide including a pole supported by the supporting part, and a guiding part having a guide surface substantially orthogonal to the slide surface. An interposition member can be disposed so as to interpose between the guide and a side end of the base. The distance between the rotating blade and the guide surface is adjustable by changing a position of the guide. The portable cutting tool includes a contact preventing unit is provided for regulating an adjustment range of the guide to prevent contact of the guide surface and the rotating blade when the guide is attached to the base with the interposition member removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7516553
    Abstract: A portable electric cutting device includes housing, a saw blade, a saw cover, a base linked to the housing, and a centrifugal fan. The saw cover has a partition wall formed with a plurality of division walls including front and rear divisional walls. The plurality of division walls have an inclined part that extends at an angle with respect to a radial direction of the rotary axis of the fan such that a radially outer part of the inclined part locates upstream from a radially inner part of the inclined part with respect to the rotary direction of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichirou Yoshida, Hideyuki Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 7516554
    Abstract: A hack saw having a blade holding assembly and a blade lock assembly. The blade lock assembly having moveable blade lock means adapted to receive a blade therebetween, mechanism for moving the blade lock means to a position to hold a blade in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Great Neck Saw Manufacturers, Inc.
    Inventor: Qiu Jian Ping
  • Patent number: 7516555
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a footwear characteristic measuring system designed to determine measurements of a particular footwear wedge insert which may be used to encourage correct knee alignment in an article of footwear. The system includes a base, a stepped member, a platform, and an illumination system. The stepped member or piano hinge is positioned on the top surface of the base adjacent to or partially under the platform. The platform is disposed above the top surface of the base and connected on a first side to the base via a hinge. A second portion of the platform is positioned on top of a portion of the stepped member so as to form a particular angle with respect to the base depending on the height of the particular stepped member surface. The illumination system is oriented to transmit an illumination output upward or perpendicular to the top surface of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Somnio, Inc.
    Inventor: Sean Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7516556
    Abstract: For an article of a given type, in particular a garment, a grading mask is used that has images of the pieces of a reference article, geometrical grading regions, each of which contains one or more characteristic points of a piece of the reference article, and grading formulae associated with respective ones of the various regions, each grading formula making it possible, in the associated grading region, and as a function of the variation in one or more magnitudes of a scale of measurements, or of a predetermined increment value, to determine a displacement to be applied to each characteristic point contained in said region for going from the base size to another size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Lectra
    Inventors: Ramon Yepes Segovia, Maria de los Angeles Encinas Arias
  • Patent number: 7516557
    Abstract: An apparatus receives a digital image of a sun trace chart having time gradient lines and a sun trace extent line for a site. A selector defines on a display points along the solar trace extent line to define a solar opportunity region. An adjuster adjusts the digital image based on the magnetic declination of the site. The solar exposure potential is determined based on the proportion of solar trace extent lines within solar opportunity region and potential solar exposure. Site adjustments to increase solar energy potential are facilitated. A method of evaluating a site for solar energy potential is disclosed. A solar exposure device for recording and analyzing a solar trace is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Inventor: Anthony Courter
  • Patent number: 7516558
    Abstract: A spacer providing a substantially uniform space between adjacent tiles includes spacer legs extending radially from a common junction. The spacer legs, made from a porous material, are permanently adherable to a tile bonding material utilized to adhere the tiles to an underlying surface, and/or a grout material filling a gap between tiles. A process for making a tile spacer includes providing thinset material to which a liquid latex admix material is added. The materials are distributed evenly to a consistency of a damp fluffy sand-like mixture which is then placed into a mold of a desired shape and packed into the mold to bond the materials while still damp to form the tile spacer. The spacer is extracted from the mold and placed on a flat rigid sheet. The spacer is moist cured and dried at room temperature environment with 40-99% humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Inventors: Keith Frank, Scott Gerling
  • Patent number: 7516559
    Abstract: A device (100), for the checking and measurement of the journal bearing clearance between the outer bearing on the rudder shaft (25) of a rudder for water-borne craft and the inner bearing (32) on the rudder trunk (20) corresponding with the outer bearing (31), is characterized by a measurement rail (70) made of a springy elastic material having internal stiffness, which can be introduced by means of a guide rail (60), provided with a grip-type handle (61), into the gap between the outer bearing and the inner bearing and hence into the clearance measurement region, with a measurement probe (80) located at its free end (70a) for the clearance width measurement, wherein the measurement rail (70) with the measurement probe (80) with a prescribed thickness (a) are exchanged for measurement rails with measurement probes with other thicknesses until the achievement of an agreement of the clearance width with the thickness of a measurement rail (70) with the measurement probe (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Becker Marine Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Mathias Kluge, Dieter Plappert
  • Patent number: 7516560
    Abstract: A method of making an article of footwear includes obtaining a girth measurement of the article of footwear. The girth measurement device includes an expandable and retractable ribbon. The girth measurement device may be used to measure samples from a production run to ensure consistency of the run with a standard. The girth measurement device may also be used to measure an article of footwear post-production to determine an accurate size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Nick R. Long
  • Patent number: 7516561
    Abstract: An optical position measuring arrangement for detecting the position of a first object and a second object which are movable in relation to each other in a measuring direction. The optical position measuring arrangement including a scale which is connected with the first object, the scale including an incremental graduation extending in the measuring direction and having the graduation period (TPINC). The optical position measuring arrangement including a reference marking at a reference position, wherein the reference marking includes a structure with a graduation period (TPREF), which changes locally, wherein the reference marking has a mean graduation period (TPREF,m) within a range of the graduation period (TPINC) of the incremental graduation. A scanning unit connected with the second object and including a scanning system for generating a reference signal at the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Holzapfel
  • Patent number: 7516562
    Abstract: A multi-function cycling shoe includes a sole in which a fixing device is provided for a pedal attachment device. The sole includes a pair of projections of predetermined thickness which are fitted removably to the sole laterally and which stand out above the fixing device to form, when fitted to the sole, a recess to protect the fixing device and the pedal attachment device from impact with the ground, and to enable an attachment device for road racing to be mounted when these projections are removed from the sole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Sidi Sport S.R.L.
    Inventor: Dino Signori
  • Patent number: 7516563
    Abstract: A control system for a machine operating at a excavation site is disclosed. The control system may have a positioning device configured to determine a position of the machine, and a controller in communication with the positioning device. The controller may be configured to receive information regarding a predetermined task for the machine, receive the machine's position, and receive a location of an obstacle at the excavation site. The control system may also be configured to recommend placement of the machine to accomplish the predetermined task based on the received machine position and obstacle location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Roger D. Koch
  • Patent number: 7516564
    Abstract: A ground-engaging wear member is releasably retained on an associated support structure by a specially designed hammerless C-clamp and wedge connector system extending through aligned openings in the wear member and support structure. Illustratively, the wear member is an adapter, and the support structure is a bucket lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Hensley Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Ruvang