Patents Issued in December 29, 2009
  • Patent number: 7636974
    Abstract: An article of apparel having a substrate layer and an incised layer is disclosed. The substrate layer is at least partially formed from a material having a first degree of stretchability. The incised layer is secured to the substrate layer and at least partially formed from a material having a second degree of stretchability, the first degree of stretchability being greater than the second degree of stretchability. In addition, the incised layer includes at least a first incision and a second incision that are concentric, the first incision being positioned within the second incision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: James Meschter, Susan Diane Cessor
  • Patent number: 7636975
    Abstract: An improved pool vacuum includes a filter cone and poppet valve combination which enables quick drainage of water which has passed through and been cleaned by the cleaner's filter. A charging circuit is provided with isolation so that the pool vacuum can be used in an electrolytic environment without battery drainage. A combination charger and hang bracket enables the pool vacuum to be stored in a vertical position to both drain and charge simultaneously. An interstitial open exhaust gap between a rear body and nose-cone shaped front section provides a low pressure drop free exhaust area for an impeller. An optionally obstructed bottom gap portion helps to produce a net downward thrust to assist in using the vacuum in deep pools from a long pole structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hydrodynamic Industrial Company Limited
    Inventors: Pat Y. Mah, Alexander Joseph Kalogroulis, Matthew Edward White
  • Patent number: 7636976
    Abstract: A power toothbrush with a drive train that is easy to manufacture, reliable in service and that enables multiple heads or other complex design or functional elements is provided. In an illustrative embodiment, the power toothbrush includes a sealed case that encloses a motor with a pinion gear joined to an eccentric link. This eccentric link can be a circular rack having an eccentric pin that rides in a slot on a drive plate. The drive plate is joined to a push rod, typically constructed of metal that passes up a hollow toothbrush shaft through an elastomeric seal to a head assembly. The head assembly includes one or more moving disks that are each connected to generally circular brush heads, which project outwardly from the head assembly. One disk receives a bent end of the drive shaft in a hole located eccentrically to the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Banning
  • Patent number: 7636977
    Abstract: A decorative piece in the form of a topper designed to seat at the base of the shaft and extending from the handle body of a powered toothbrush is provided. The topper is formed as a single molded piece on top of a base ring having a central hole that fits over the shaft and a lower skirt that mates with the handle. The base ring includes grooves or other indentations about the central hole that receive inflow from the topper when it is molded. According to one embodiment, to construct the topper, the base ring is held in place with respect to the topper mold and molten or otherwise-liquid plastic is injected into the mold so that it fills the mold cavity and thereby flows into the indentations in the base ring, thereby securing the topper to the base ring when the decorative feature hardens sufficiently. The base ring and topper can then be slid over the shaft into a final mounted position on the assembled brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Banning
  • Patent number: 7636978
    Abstract: A polishing implement for polishing a shoe or the like, including a structure to be handheld provided with an absorbing fiber layer for forming a first polishing layer; and a sachet provided on or to be provided on the structure for containing the polishing product. According to the invention, the sachet includes a fiber layer impregnated with polishing product and, in closed condition, screened off by a protective layer while in opened condition, the impregnated fiber layer forms a second polishing layer for applying the polishing product to the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Sara Lee/DE N.V.
    Inventor: Willem Peter Blokpoel
  • Patent number: 7636979
    Abstract: The present invention is a cleaning implement such as a scrubber brush attachment which permanently holds the scrubber brush attachment in place on a metal butterfly sponge mop head and will not fall off during the vigorous scrubbing action because it is locked in place by means of a novel attaching mechanism. The present invention is comprised of a molded plastic attaching mechanism which has a body having a generally flat plate which at one end is molded to a brush head which receives the scrubbing bristles of the brush. The fixed metal housing of the metal butterfly mop head is modified so that the front and rear of the fixed metal housing of the mop head have mating openings which receive corresponding teeth formed into the plastic attaching mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Worldwide Integrated Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred I. Morad, William P. Camp, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7636980
    Abstract: A wiper blade includes a wiper strip, a lever assembly and a cover member. The lever assembly has a connecting arrangement and holding claws. The connecting arrangement is connected to a wiper arm. The holding claws hold the wiper strip. The cover member has a cover opening, which is opened on a wiper strip side thereof. The cover member receives the lever assembly through the cover opening. In an interior space between the cover member and the wiper strip, holder end side openings, each of which is a part of the cover opening, are covered by two connecting arrangement end side cover parts. In this way, in the interior space between the cover member and the wiper strip, spaces, into which fluid intrudes, are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nakano
  • Patent number: 7636981
    Abstract: A wiper arm for a wiper assembly of an automotive vehicle, the wiper arm being formed in a single piece from a metallic blank and having an inner end portion of generally U-shaped configuration in cross-section that is formed by drawing the blank in a progressive die, and an outer end portion that is formed with a C-shaped configuration in cross-section, by hemming. The outer end portion has a central portion with edge portions that are reversely folded to underlie the central portion, edges of the edge portions being disposed in close proximity to one another. An end portion of the outer end portion of the wiper arm is reversely folded to be spaced from and underlie a portion of the outer end portion thereabove, and the end portion is provided with an opening by which a wiper blade may be attached to, or removed from, the wiper arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Concord Tool & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeff Vandine
  • Patent number: 7636982
    Abstract: An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising a housing infrastructure including a chassis, a power subsystem; for providing the energy to power the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, a motive subsystem operative to propel the autonomous floor-cleaning robot for cleaning operations, a command and control subsystem operative to control the autonomous floor-cleaning robot to effect cleaning operations, and a self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem that includes a deck mounted in pivotal combination with the chassis, a brush assembly mounted in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to sweep up particulates during cleaning operations, a vacuum assembly disposed in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to ingest particulates during cleaning operations, and a deck adjusting subassembly mounted in combination with the motive subsystem for the brush assembly, the deck, and the chassis that is automatically operative in response to an increase in brush torque in said brush
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
  • Patent number: 7636983
    Abstract: A floor care apparatus includes a telescoping handle stalk and a handle adjustment mechanism. The handle adjustment mechanism includes a control switch, an adjustment block, a linkage connecting the control switch and adjustment block and a locking pin for securing the handle stalk in a selected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation of North America
    Inventor: Eric E. Muhlenkamp
  • Patent number: 7636984
    Abstract: A hinge unit comprises a supporting bracket, a hinge shaft assembly, and a pressing member. The hinge shaft assembly is connected to the supporting bracket to rotate between first and second positions. The pressing member presses the hinge shaft assembly toward the first position (for example, a closed position) when the hinge shaft assembly is located in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-Kil Oh
  • Patent number: 7636985
    Abstract: Various embodiments of this invention disclose a dual stage vehicle door hinge that: allows a vehicle door to be opened at least one hundred and eighty (180) degrees; is compact; fits most production model vehicles, is inexpensive; is easy to install; is adjustable; and is off-the-shelf available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Inventor: Dan Greenbank
  • Patent number: 7636986
    Abstract: A tensioning device includes a pair of opposing first surfaces defining a first wedge opening. The first surfaces are fixed relative to each other. The first wedge opening is shaped to releasably secure a first portion of a cord. A pair of opposing second surfaces defines a second wedge opening. The second surfaces are fixed relative to each other. The second wedge opening is spaced apart from the first wedge opening. The second wedge opening is shaped to releasably secure a second portion of the cord. A cord block defines a support surface spaced from the first and second wedge openings. The support surface is positioned to slidably support the cord between the first and second wedge openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Nite Ize, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Sorensen
  • Patent number: 7636987
    Abstract: A wrapping material for wrapping an item about its circumference having a plurality of wrapping portions forming a continuous roll. Each wrapping portion has a length that is greater than the circumference of an item to be wrapped with a width that is transverse to its length. Each of the wrapping portions include at least one fastener secured in an area there such that the continuous roll includes a plurality of serially disposed fasteners that are spaced from one another along the continuous roll. Each fastener includes a plurality of engaging elements for engaging a plurality of fiber elements of an underlying or overlying segment of a respective wrapping portion during a wrapping cycle. With this arrangement, the tail end of a respective wrapping portion will be secured by the plurality of engaging elements to the underlying or overlying segment at the end of a wrapping cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Tama Plastic Industry
    Inventors: Daniel Eric Derscheid, Hagai Paz, Yair Efrati, Henry Dennis Anstey
  • Patent number: 7636988
    Abstract: There is provided a hook fastener comprising a base, where at least one surface has a multiplicity of engaging projections, which projections have a top surface and an attached end that are arranged in a region to form one or more shapes. There is also provided a method for forming the above fastener comprising dispersing onto a contact release surface polymer particles in at least one discrete area forming a predetermined shape and forming preform projections. The front surface of the base is fixed to the terminal ends of at least some of the preform projections and then removed from the contact release surface in the form of the predetermined shape. In an alternative method polymer particles are uniformly dispersed onto a contact release surface using electrostatic attraction and selectively transferred to the base in the predetermined shape by masks or selective adhesion or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Zhiqun Zhang, Janet A. Venne, Dennis L. Becker, Lori-Ann S. Prioleau
  • Patent number: 7636989
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a press-to-open zipper for reclosable packages are disclosed. In a first embodiment, extensions are formed obliquely on the consumer side the zipper profiles and are squeezed together to separate the zipper profiles and open the package. In a second embodiment, arched portions are formed on the product side of the zipper profile. These arched portions are squeezed together to separate the zipper profiles and open the package. In a third embodiment, one of the zipper profiles includes a rounded portion with a semi-circular cross section upon which interlocking elements are formed. By squeezing together the zipper profiles by the edges thereof, the profiles rotate with respect to each other about the rounded portion so as to release the interlocking of the interlocking elements and open the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Paul Plourde, Kevin P. Olechowski, Wendell T. Meeks, Thomas C. Carney
  • Patent number: 7636990
    Abstract: A snap-hook having a locking element and a gate, where the locking element cooperates with the gate to place stresses on the gate in tension instead of shear is disclosed. The tension loads are achieved by using mating generally cylindrical surfaces on the gate and on the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Inventor: Gary E Choate
  • Patent number: 7636991
    Abstract: A single grave site has upper and lower regions with a divider between the regions. A biodegradable primary container encompasses a primary remains in the lower region in closely spaced proximity to the divider. An electronic information assembly in the grave site is adjacent to the divider. The upper region is adapted to receive at least one additional biodegradable container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Inventor: Charles Scalisi, III
  • Patent number: 7636992
    Abstract: In a continuous-feed thermomolding machine a foil is advanced in a transport direction at a constant travel speed through a heat station where it is exposed to a heat source such that each piece of the foil is exposed for a predetermined residence time. When the machine is stopped, a shield is positioned in the station between the foil and the source so that substantially no heat is imparted to the foil from the source. The machine is started by accelerating the foil to the travel speed while simultaneously and synchronously accelerating the shield opposite to the travel direction such that, as the shield fully retracts from the station, the foil reaches the travel speed and, before the shield has fully retracted from the station, every piece of the foil in the station exposed by the retracting shield is exposed to the source for the residence time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Uhlmann PAC-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jürgen Matzenmüller, Wolfgang Grube
  • Patent number: 7636993
    Abstract: A method for producing a piezoelectric film actuator is provided. This method includes the steps of preparing an intermediate transfer member having a porous layer formed thereon, with a vibrating plate and a piezoelectric layer being provided on the porous layer; bonding the vibrating plate to a nozzle substrate to form a composite structure; and separating the intermediate transfer member from the composite structure at the porous layer to transfer the vibrating plate and the piezoelectric layer to the nozzle substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehito Okabe, Nobuhiko Sato, Makoto Kurotobi, Kenichi Takeda, Toshihiro Ifuku
  • Patent number: 7636994
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic device with improved characteristics and a method of making the electronic device. In a method of making an electronic device (piezoelectric device) 74 according to the present invention, an outer edge R1 of a piezoelectric film 52A formed on an electrode film 46A of a laminate 60 is located inside an outer edge R2 of the electrode film 46A. For this reason, in removal of a monocrystalline Si substrate 14 from a multilayer board 61, where an etching solution permeates between polyimide 72 and laminate 60, the etching solution circumvents the electrode film 46A before it reaches the piezoelectric film 52A. Namely, a route A of the etching solution to the piezoelectric film 52A is significantly extended by the electrode film 46A. In the method of making the electronic device 74, therefore, the etching solution is less likely to reach the piezoelectric film 52A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Tochi, Masahiro Miyazaki, Takao Noguchi, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Ken Unno, Hirofumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7636995
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head includes the steps of: forming piezoelectric elements on a diaphragm; stacking an intermediate plate which includes recess sections for covering the piezoelectric elements and drive wires connected to the piezoelectric elements, on the diaphragm; connecting an integrated circuit to the drive wires; forming an actuator function unit by electrically and mechanically bonding the diaphragm, the piezoelectric elements, the drive wires, the intermediate plate and the integrated circuit, in such a manner that the piezoelectric elements are electrically driven via the integrated circuit; measuring displacement of the diaphragm by operating the integrated circuit; and bonding a flow path forming member to the actuator function unit after the step of measuring the displacement of the diaphragm, the flow path forming member being provided for forming pressure chambers connected to nozzles and forming a common liquid chamber for storing liquid supplied to the pressure ch
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Seiichiro Oku
  • Patent number: 7636996
    Abstract: A tool is provided to facilitate the assembly of a seal ring. The tool comprises an elongated body and a flange projecting radially from the elongated body. A first portion of the tool is configured to receive the placement of a seal ring and a retainer cap thereon. The retainer cap may carry attachment elements, such as screws, used to secure the retainer cap on the housing. To mount the seal ring, the tool is inserted through a shaft hole of the housing to clamp the seal ring and the retainer cap between the housing and a flange of the tool. The attachment elements then are tightened to fix the retainer cap on the housing, which secures the seal ring sandwiched between the retainer cap and the housing. After the assembly of the seal ring is completed, the tool may then be slidably removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Hui Chen
  • Patent number: 7636997
    Abstract: Crimping apparatuses for reducing the diameter of an intraluminal medical device from a first diameter to a second diameter prior to loading the medical device into a catheter delivery system and loading apparatuses for introducing the medical device into a catheter delivery system, the devices constructed and arranged for matingly engaging one another, combinations thereof, and methods of using the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Perreault, Mark Edin, Bruce Asmus
  • Patent number: 7636998
    Abstract: An apparatus for compressing a coiled stent having at least one protrusion, such as an enlarged coil disposed at the end of the stent, has a mandrel insertable into a lumen of the stent for holding the stent by friction and a coil compressor coupled to the mandrel. The mandrel is rotatable on an axis relative to the coil compressor and the coil compressor has a tab extending therefrom towards the mandrel. A stent is placed on the mandrel with the enlarged coil extending toward the coil compressor. The tab presses the enlarged coil inwardly toward the lumen of the stent when the mandrel is rotated relative to the coil compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevor Tenhuisen, Joseph H. Contiliano, David W. Overaker
  • Patent number: 7636999
    Abstract: A method of retaining a substrate to a wafer chuck. The method features accelerating a portion of the substrate toward the wafer chuck, generating a velocity of travel of the substrate toward the wafer chuck, and reducing the velocity before the substrate reaches the wafer chuck. In this manner, the force of impact of the portion with the wafer chuck is greatly reduced, which is believed to reduce the probability that the structural integrity of the substrate, and layers on the substrate and/or the wafer chuck, are damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Byung-Jin Choi, Anshuman Cherala, Daniel A. Babbs
  • Patent number: 7637000
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an antenna includes the step of stamping an initial set of openings within a metal strip and then plating that metal strip on all exterior surfaces. Initial openings define portions of features of the completed antenna that require plating on all surfaces. Once the metal coil has been plated the metal strips are fed through a final stamping process that makes final cuts that correspond with the initially made openings. The final cuts are on surfaces that do not require plating on all of the exterior surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Clark
  • Patent number: 7637001
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head, the thin-film magnetic head including a recording head, includes the steps of: forming a first magnetic layer; forming a recording gap layer on the first magnetic layer; forming a second magnetic layer on the recording gap layer; and forming a thin-film coil. The recording gap layer is formed by stacking a plurality of insulating films formed by chemical vapor deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sasaki, Tohru Inoue
  • Patent number: 7637002
    Abstract: An assembly and a method for removing a removable device from a wall box are provided. The removable device forms a substantially fluid-tight wall box seal with a wall box opening when the removable device is in a first position. The assembly for removing the removable device includes a sealing assembly located adjacent to the wall box opening and forming a substantially fluid-tight seal with a sealing portion of the removable device when the removable device is in a second position with respect to the wall box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Diamond Power International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Shover, Clinton A. Brown
  • Patent number: 7637003
    Abstract: In this crimping device, a press slide (5) is provided with a crimp-height adjuster (20) for the insulation crimper (9). The crimp-height adjuster (20) arranged on the press slide (5) above an upper tool (7) consists essentially of a rotationally hindered eccentric disk (21), a lever (22), and a magnet (23) with plunger (24). The eccentric disk (21) is mounted rotatably on an axle (25). During production of crimp connections, the plunger (24) is at rest outside an elongated hole (28) of the lever (22). The press slide (5) with the upper tool (7) can be moved up and down without hindrance. With the plunger (24) inserted into the elongated hole (28) and with an upward motion of the press slide (5), after overcoming the friction of a disk-spring assembly the eccentric disk (21) executes rotational motion in clockwise direction. The lever (22) that is rigidly connected to the axle (25) turns the eccentric disk (21) about the axle (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Komax Holding AG
    Inventors: Peter Imgrüt, Enrico Gasparini, Marc Speck
  • Patent number: 7637004
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electronic device includes: preparing an electronic component having an electrode; fixing the electronic component to a supporter, the supporter having a support surface and an inlet disposed in a position that is at a side of the support surface and lower than the support surface, by supporting the electronic component with the support surface so that the electronic component does not come into contact with the inlet and so that a part of a surface of the electronic component adjacent to the support surface is exposed out of the support surface and by attracting a region of the electronic component exposed out of the support surface toward the inlet; and electrically coupling the electrode and a conductive pattern with the electronic component fixed to the supporter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Kuroda
  • Patent number: 7637005
    Abstract: A cable-processing machine includes a swiveling device with a swiveling arm and a gripper for moving cable-ends to and from processing stations. A belt-drive advances a cable supplied from a reel or drum to a cutting and stripping station where the leading and the trailing cable-ends are cut from the cable and stripped to form a cable-length. After the leading cable-end has been processed, the cable-length is laid on a continuously driven cable transportation belt and the trailing cable-end is processed. After processing, the cable-length is laid in a cable tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Komax Holding AG
    Inventors: Alois Lustenberger, Matthias Lüscher
  • Patent number: 7637006
    Abstract: A method for fabricating beams for a probe card includes dividing a large beam panel into smaller sub-panels before attaching the beams to corresponding posts on a substrate. Each sub-panel may have a sufficient number of beams to test several devices under test. The beam sub-panels may be aligned to the space transformer using alignment fiducials on the beam sub-panels that correspond to opposing alignment features formed in the space transformer or other substrate. Special tie-bars may be formed between: (1) rows, for example, of beams and the frame/frame splines (i.e., quadrant tie-bars); and (2) adjacent beams within any such rows on the beam panel (i.e., beam tie-bars). The approach may also include the use of tip tie-bars and/or tail tie-bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: SV Probe Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Bahadir Tunaboylu, Horst Clauberg, John McGlory, Anh-Tai Thai Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7637007
    Abstract: An approach for fabricating cantilever probes for a probe card assembly includes forming posts on conductive traces on a substrate. A beam panel having beam elements formed therein is aligned to the substrate so that the beam elements are in contact with the plurality of posts. Each beam element is in contact with a post at a portion of the beam element so that both a first end portion and a second end portion overhang the post element. Each beam element is also attached to the beam panel by the first end portion. The beam elements are bonded to the plurality of posts. The first end portion of each beam element is cut, for example using an electrode, laser ablation or by dicing, to release the beam element from the beam panel. The beam panel is then removed, leaving the beam elements attached to the posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: SV Probe Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Bahadir Tunaboylu, Horst Clauberg, Mark Cunningham, Senthil Theppakuttai, John McGlory
  • Patent number: 7637008
    Abstract: A package includes at least one electronic component mounted on an imprinted substrate. In an embodiment, the substrate may comprise conductive traces, vias, and patterns of lands on one or more layers. Such features may be formed by imprinting in one operation rather than sequentially. Conductor features, such as trenches, holes, and planes, may be formed of different sizes simultaneously. One or more vias may be formed in one or more trenches. Methods of fabricating an imprinted substrate, as well as application of the imprinted package to an electronic assembly, are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas S. Dory, Michael Walk, Robert L. Sankman, Boyd L. Coomer
  • Patent number: 7637009
    Abstract: An approach is provided for fabricating probe elements for probe card assemblies. Embodiments of the invention include using a reusable substrate, a reusable substrate with layered probe elements and a reusable substrate with a passive layer made of a material that does not adhere well to probe elements formed thereon. Examples of probe elements include, without limitation, a cantilever probe element, a vertically-oriented probe element, and portions of probe elements, e.g., a beam element of a cantilever probe element. Probe elements, or portions of probe elements, may be formed using any of a number of electroforming or plating processes such as, for example, plating using masking techniques, e.g., using lithographic techniques such as photolithography, stereolithography, X-ray lithography, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: SV Probe Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Keith Heinemann, Jamin Ling, Richard McCullough, Brian McHugh, Jordan Lane Wahl
  • Patent number: 7637010
    Abstract: A method for machining a blank includes machining a first pocket in the blank having a first sidewall, machining a second pocket in the blank, machining a groove within material located between the first and second pockets to expose a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, machining the first and second sidewalls, and alternately repeating machining the grove and the sidewalls to step mill the groove deeper in the blank and form a third pocket along which the second sidewall extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Greg M. Burgess, Donald D. Lowe
  • Patent number: 7637011
    Abstract: A process for producing a structure in a smooth sheet-metal strip includes multiple process steps. In a first step, a first section of a smooth sheet-metal strip is fed to a first tool and a second section of the sheet-metal strip is fed to a second tool in a direction of advance. Then the sheet-metal strip is stopped. A sheet-metal machining of the first section of the sheet-metal strip is carried out using the first tool. A sheet-metal machining of the second section of the sheet-metal strip is carried out using the second tool, with the first feeding step being carried out simultaneously. An apparatus is provided for producing a sheet-metal strip of such a complex structure, which produces the structure with a very high degree of accuracy even when the materials properties differ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brück, Ludwig Wieres, Jan Hodgson, Gottfried-Wilhelm Haesselmann
  • Patent number: 7637012
    Abstract: A method of forming a plurality of protrusions on the inner surface of a tube to reduce tube side resistance and improve overall heat transfer performance. The method includes cutting through ridges on the inner surface of the tube to create ridge layers and lifting the ridge layers to form the protrusions. In this way, the protrusions are formed without removal of metal from the inner surface of the tube, thereby eliminating debris which can damage the equipment in which the tubes are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Wolverine Tube, Inc.
    Inventors: Petur Thors, Nikolai Zoubkov
  • Patent number: 7637013
    Abstract: A method, which is capable of manufacturing an ink jet recording head with a high degree of accuracy even though the density of an ink passage pattern is increased, includes the steps of forming an ink passage pattern on a substrate formed therein with an ink discharge pressure generating element from dissoluble resin; depositing an organic material on the substrate formed thereon with the ink passage pattern from the dissoluble resin by a vapor growth process at a temperature at which the dissolubility of the dissoluble resin is not lost, so as to form a coated resin layer; forming an ink discharge port in the coated resin layer in parts located above the ink discharge pressure generating element; and eluting the dissoluble resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 7637014
    Abstract: Handles are provided for battery operated razors. In some implementations, the handles include (a) a housing including a grip portion defining a chamber having an interior wall, and a battery cover removably mounted on the grip portion, the housing being configured to contain one or more batteries, and (b) a closing system, including a first component within the battery cover, and a second component secured to the interior wall of the grip portion, the first component being configured to move axially within the battery cover during engagement of the battery cover with the grip portion, and being biased toward a predetermined axial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Fred Schnak, Luis Burrel, Stefan Rehbein, Gerrit Rönneberg, Uwe Schaaf
  • Patent number: 7637015
    Abstract: A utility knife system for cutting objects The utility knife system has an external handle, an internal housing assembly, and a retracting and latching assembly slidable within the internal housing assembly. The internal housing assembly has a base featuring support ridges to come in contact with the external housing when in a closed position, a sliding track adjacent the base, and at least one latching notch. A hinge is provided for pivotally connecting the external handle to the internal housing. The retracting and latching assembly is receivable within the sliding track of the internal housing and is removably engageable with the latching notch of the internal housing assembly. The retracting and latching assembly is adapted to removably retain a cutting blade and retract the cutting blade in and out from the internal housing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Inventor: Robert F. Biolchini, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7637016
    Abstract: An extended-life cutting blade is adapted for mounting on a hand-held cutting tool in multiple operative orientations. A single cutting blade may provide up to four independent shear edges, each of which has a useful life. The blade can be easily changed from an orientation adapted to cut a workpiece with one shear edge to a different operative orientation adapted to cut with a different shear edge by selecting an appropriate mount on the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: PacTool International Ltd
    Inventors: Lloyd E. Fladgard, Scott C. Fladgard
  • Patent number: 7637017
    Abstract: A clipper with a cutting head and having an actuator. The heads contain a structural profile-specific channel into which structural material having the profile for which the head is designed is inserted and clipped. The head is designable for various structural profiles and, in one embodiment, multiple heads are interchangeably operated by a single actuator. In the interchangeable embodiment, a release button having two sections of differing diameters is disposed in the actuator and communicates with a connector slot of the head to permit attachment and detachment of the head from the actuator. The structure-specific clipper increases the quality of cuts and decreases the amount of deformation caused to the material. The clipper reduces buildup of waste material by ejecting cuttings from the head upon clipping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Midwest Tool and Cutlery Company
    Inventors: Todd Retterer, Donald Drown
  • Patent number: 7637018
    Abstract: A power tool includes a housing, a rotary motor disposed in the housing, a jack shaft coupled to the motor and a spindle mounted in the housing for carrying a tool. A first wobble plate assembly is coupled to the jack shaft for driving the spindle to reciprocate at least approximately linearly in a linear path along a predetermined axis. A counterweight is mounted in the housing for performing a rotative reciprocating motion and pivoting relative to the housing about a pivot axis. The pivot axis is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the predetermined axis and fixed relative to the housing. A second wobble plate assembly is coupled to the jack shaft for driving the counterweight. The use of the counterweight results in no friction or restriction with a large stroke and large area, so that stability is improved, fitting of the counterweight is simple and cost is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Positec Power Tools (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Shisong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7637019
    Abstract: A rotary encoder includes a first component group and a second component group, the two component groups being rotatably arranged relative to each other in a measuring operation. The first component group has a detector system, a housing part having at least one wedge-shaped element, and a clamping ring having at least one cam. The second component group includes a code disk and a shaft. The housing part is arranged radially outside of the shaft, and a force having a radial directional component oriented toward the axis is applicable on the at least one wedge-shaped element via the at least one cam by a turning motion of the clamping ring relative to the housing part such that the shaft is able to be clamped on the housing part outside of the measuring operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alois Brandl
  • Patent number: 7637020
    Abstract: A sensor determines the absolute angular position of a body that can rotate through rotations. The sensor includes two code wheels which rotate as the body rotates. The code wheels are driven at a different gear ratio such that the code wheels rotate faster than the body and the code wheels rotate at different rates. Two sensor elements respectively determine the rotational angle positions of the code wheels. The difference between the rotational angle positions is a beat angle. The different gear ratio is selected such that beat angle periods are in an angular measuring range of the sensor and the absolute angular positions of the code wheels in the beat angle periods is different. The absolute angular positions of the code wheels in successive beat angle periods is offset by the nth part of the measuring range of a sensor element, where n is number of beat angle periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Oliver Maier, Christian Schirp
  • Patent number: 7637021
    Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle confronting apparatus and a vehicle confronting method for a vehicle, which enables to confront a vehicle surely for a short while. A vehicle confronting apparatus 1, comprises: a guide-type confronting device 2 guiding a wheel of a vehicle 7 entering to a confronting position, and regulating both sides of the wheel of the vehicle; a run-out-type confronting device 4 rotationally driving the wheel of the vehicle reaching the confronting position; and a control device 6 controlling motions of the guide-type confronting device 2 and the run-out-type confronting device 4. The control device 6 cancels the regulation of the wheel by the guide-type confronting device 2 within a period between a time of starting of the rotational driving of the wheel of the vehicle 7 and a time when the rotation speed of the wheel reaches a predetermined run-out speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutsugu Suita, Keiichiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 7637022
    Abstract: A damping system and method for a pendulously supported crossline generator is disclosed. The crossline generator comprises a support body pendulously supported and having ear portions and a paddle. A rotation damping device having cages each with a magnet set is provided, wherein the ear portions extend into respective ones of the cages. A pitch damping device having a damping housing and a ring magnet supported in the damping housing is also provided. The paddle has a plate portion situated below the ring magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: James Hayes
  • Patent number: 7637023
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a position measurement adapter for attachment to a threaded stud, the adapter having an elongate rigid member with a first end and a second end. The elongate rigid member has a threaded aperture that extends along an axial direction from the first end to a distance that is spaced apart from the second end. In addition, the elongate rigid member has a hollow shaft that extends in the axial direction from the threaded aperture towards the second end. The hollow shaft is radially larger than the threaded aperture. A contrast target can be located on the second end. In some instances, the hollow shaft extends to the second end and the elongate member has a cylindrical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian R. Dickinson