Patents Issued in April 24, 2012
  • Patent number: 8161583
    Abstract: A bed turning composite dual pad system to facilitate the care of a patient used in changing their position on a bed while providing clear access to their backside as required. A base pad is positioned under a patient with a centrally aligned longitudinally offset contoured opening within allowing the caregiver to easily turn and roll a patient with the base pad for ease of care access position. An adaptable absorbent cover pad is removably affixed over the contoured opening on the underside of the base pad for liquid containment management if needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Terry Lynn Palen
  • Patent number: 8161584
    Abstract: A bumper system having a fitted crib sheet with a secondary layer which is attached to a top surface of the fitted crib sheet using an attachment means which secures a perimeter of the secondary layer to the fitted crib sheet, a bumper component having a first, second, third and fourth side panel, wherein the bumper component is attached to the top surface of the fitted crib sheet so that when the fitted crib sheet engages a crib mattress, the bumper component extends upwardly with respect to the top surface of the fitted crib sheet, in which a bottom portion of the bumper is constructed from a material having mesh and a top portion of the bumper is constructed from a padded material, and an adjustable strap on the bumper component which has a latch where the adjustable strap is adapted to secure the bumper component to a slat of a crib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Javier Del Rio
  • Patent number: 8161585
    Abstract: A patient support device of a radiation therapy treatment system includes an electromechanical motor and control system for moving the support device. The control system utilizes regenerative braking concepts, converting the motor into a generator as the support device is moved such that no matter the load, the support device will be moved at a constant speed. The control system also allows for moving of the support device in the powered off situation (i.e., when there is no power to the support device).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Tomotherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Serge Nukhim Kuro, Graham T. Reitz, Bradley J. Brunker, Brent Harper
  • Patent number: 8161586
    Abstract: In an operating table comprising a table column (10) with a column foot (14) and with a column head (16) and also a patient bed (12) which is connectable to the column head (16) and which is pivotable in relation to the table column (10) about at least one axis parallel to the bed plane, the column head (16) has provided on it a guide track (42) which is curved continuously about an axis of curvature and on which a saddle coupleable to the bed (12) is mounted such that it can be adjusted along the guide track (42) by means of a saddle drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Maquet GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Guido Koch, Matthias Kobuβ, Heiko Kottmann, Jan Donat Olszewski
  • Patent number: 8161587
    Abstract: A therapy mat table has an upper surface and removable mat. A portion of the mat and a separate plate is rotatably mounted within the flat top so as to be capable of being selectively raised and lowered to form a seat back for a patient reclining or sitting on the pad on an elongated side edge of the table. The table may also include transfer bars which help to move a patient on and off the table or when moving to a standing position or while simply standing. The table may further include a stowable foot stop, which prevents backward movement of the patient's feet when the patient is standing between the transfer bars. The table may also include a knee blocker, which helps to limit or prevent buckling of the patient's knees when the patient is standing between the transfer bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Therapeutic Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Estrada, Laszo Bayer
  • Patent number: 8161588
    Abstract: An anti-aging pillow provides, in the exemplary embodiment, a top surface providing a substantially central supine section flanked by an upwardly sloping left side section and a substantially symmetrical right side section, the left and right side sections elevated relatively higher than the supine section. The supine section is configured for accommodating a user when lying in a supine position, while each of the left and right side sections is configured for accommodating the user when lying in a respective side position. This configuration enables the pillow to both substantially prevent the user from unintentionally changing sleep positions as well as substantially assist in physically directing the user in selectively transitioning between each of the supine position and left and right side positions as desired, while substantially maintaining the user's head, neck, shoulders, and back in neutral alignment and substantially preventing facial contact with the pillow or underlying sleeping surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: JuveRest, LLC
    Inventor: Goesel Anson
  • Patent number: 8161589
    Abstract: An adjustable ramp apparatus installed as part of a flat surface, such as a deck, adapted for angular elevation to an inclined position for providing a ramp between the platform level and the entryway door sill level of a trailer-type home. The apparatus is elevated by means of an actuator-driven mechanical linkage located under the surface of the primary ramp platform adjacent to the trailer type home or structure. When the actuator is disengaged, the ramp returns to a lowered position so that the door to the home is not blocked. An alternative embodiment includes a secondary threshold ramp located beneath the surface of the primary ramp platform that moves into place as the apparatus is actuated to fill the gap between the door sill and the elevated primary ramp platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventors: Robert B. Heffernan, Joseph F. Llewellyn, Kirit Patel, James Finley Taylor
  • Patent number: 8161590
    Abstract: A shoe cleaning apparatus is formed with a series of rotary brushes operable to clean the bottom of a shoe placed thereon and spring-loaded linear side brushes to clean the sides of the shoe. A supply of cleaning or sanitizing fluid is retained in an elevated tank that feeds by gravity into the rotary brushes for application to the bottom of the shoe being cleaned. The flow of fluid is actuated by downward pressure on a hinged sub-frame that opens a valve. Each rotary brush is engaged by a comb that cleans the brushes upon rotation thereof. A removable debris tray is mounted within the frame to collect dirt and debris removed by the combs and to collect the cleaning fluid dispensed from the elevated tank. Resistance to the downward pressure is provided by springs to minimize accidental opening of the flow valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Berks Boys Company, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Feeg, Neil Vojtasek
  • Patent number: 8161591
    Abstract: An oral care implement with an oral care region having cleaning elements for engaging oral tissue and a body for gripping the implement including a handle with a front and a removable faceplate is described. The removable faceplate may be transparent or translucent and may also include design features. The faceplate may provide protection to a user inscription surface on one of the surfaces of the handle which is may be configured to receive user indicia that may later be removed and further indicia provided. A method for marketing the oral care implement and various features of the oral care implement including one or more thematic faceplates is also contemplated and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: John Gatzemeyer, Eduardo Jimenez
  • Patent number: 8161592
    Abstract: The broom may include a broom body. The broom body may include a shaft side, a shoulder disposed on the shaft side, a cleaning side, and a bump guard disposed on the shoulder. The broom may further comprise a shaft extending from the shoulder and a plurality of bristles extending from the cleaning side. The bump guard may be relatively softer than a main piece of the broom body. The broom body may also include a lower bump guard covering a toe and a heel of the broom body. In one embodiment, the broom body may be comprised of a core and a skin. The skin may be overmolded onto the core. The bump guard may be overmolded onto the skin. In another embodiment, the core and the skin may be molded together in a co-injection molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
    Inventors: Norbert W. Weis, Ralf G. Juergens
  • Mop
    Patent number: 8161593
    Abstract: A mop comprising a roller and mop pad system and a roll of absorbent mopping material operably coupled to the roller and mop pad system. The mop enables the user to replace the soiled mopping material with clean mopping material by using the roller system to roll the soiled mopping material away from the mop pad and thus replace the soiled mopping material with clean mopping material from a supply roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Noble Ideas II, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward J. Noble
  • Patent number: 8161594
    Abstract: A plural sided duster removably attachable to a handle. The duster may have two construction portions, each with an inwardly facing surface joined to the other to form a laminate construction. The construction portions may be longitudinally offset. The arrangement allows an attachment mechanism associated with the inwardly facing surface to be visible to the user, so the handle may be easily and removably attached to the duster at the attachment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Nicola John Policicchio, Andrea Pfarr Switzer
  • Patent number: 8161595
    Abstract: This patent discloses and electrical appliance device to scrub clean a floor using a cleaning solution and to collect resulting dirty water from the floor. The electrical appliance device may include an upright portion attached to a handle assembly and a horizontal portion connected at a bottom of the upright portion, where the upright portion may be configured to pivot relative to the horizontal portion. A dirty water reservoir may be connected to the upright portion. The horizontal portion may include brushes, a brush motor, a suction pipe, a suction bar, and a solution reservoir having a brush motor cavity formed within a lower side of the solution reservoir. The brush motor may reside within and be surrounded by the brush motor cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Javan E. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8161596
    Abstract: A tilt sensor for a cleaning device makes use of an optical sensor to interrupt operation of the device. In one implementation, the tilt sensor shuts off a UV light included in the cleaning device's operations. The tilt sensor includes a housing with at least one chamber defined therein. A sliding or moving element is located in the chamber. The optical sensor is operatively associated with the chamber so that, in response to certain movement of the element within the chamber, the optical sensor signals the tilt sensor to turn off the UV light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Oreck Holdings LLC
    Inventors: William K. Y. Cheung, Ernest Matthew Chavana, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8161597
    Abstract: A shop vacuum cleaner has a series of dust separation stages, with the large majority of the dust being preseparated in a cyclonic separator and deposited into a first drum or barrel. The remaining dust is carried in the air stream is filtered out in a pre-filter in a second vacuum cleaner drum. A final filter cartridge is fitted onto the intake of the vacuum head. The vacuum cleaner machine exhausts clean, filtered air into the ambient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Oneida Air Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Witter, Jeffrey Hill
  • Patent number: 8161598
    Abstract: A filtering device filters out impurities contained in an air stream, and includes an inner filter plate, an outer frame that houses said filter plate thereinside, a structure for retaining said filter plate and conveying the shaking motion, a support socle applied on to said structure, a rotary electric motor, whose rotor is provided with one or more unbalanced masses, and which is fixedly mounted on said socle. The electric motor is operated in an intermittent manner, preferably with a direct-current, substantially square-wave supply voltage according to an ON-OFF cycling pattern, so as to generate a very broad spectrum of shaking frequencies that proves more effective in enabling impurities to be removed from the filter plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nilfisk-Advance SpA
    Inventors: John Black, Primo Granata
  • Patent number: 8161599
    Abstract: An upright cyclonic vacuum cleaner comprises juxtaposed first and second filters for filtering a working airstream on both the inlet and outlet sides of a vacuum motor. The first and second filters can be mounted in a common frame in the upright housing of the vacuum cleaner. The first and second filters can be juxtaposed to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Griffith, Alan J. Krebs
  • Patent number: 8161600
    Abstract: A dust-collecting pipe for a vacuum cleaner can efficiently and easily clean an area such as the top surface of a wardrobe, an area under the wardrobe, or a heat radiator of a refrigerator, which are not easily reachable by the suction port of the dust-collecting pipe. The dust-collecting pipe includes a coupling part detachably coupled to a front end of a telescopic pipe or a front end of a control handle of the vacuum cleaner; an extension integrally extending from the coupling part; and a suction part having a bent portion angled in one direction from one end of the extension and a hollow dust-collecting port formed in a terminal end of the suction part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Young-Doo Kwon
  • Patent number: 8161601
    Abstract: The invention relates to a door hinge system which includes an integral exposed vertically oriented pin as a portion of a doorframe bracket, and a central latch bracket as engaged to a door. The pivotal manipulation of the door engages the latch of the central latch bracket to the pin, to secure the door to the doorframe. The central latch bracket includes a channel for receipt of the pin which is securely and releasably retained in the channel by the leading cam edge of the latch and safety slide. Disengagement of the latch from the pin enables a door to be easily separated from doorframe for re-hanging at a future time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Industrilas AB
    Inventors: Benkt-Ake Alfredsson, Jasmin Insanic
  • Patent number: 8161602
    Abstract: A hinge assembly includes a mounting sleeve defining a pivoting hole, a fastening seat, an elastic member, and a right side cover. The pivoting hole is enclosed by an interior peripheral wall. The interior peripheral wall defines a stopping slot. The fastening seat defines a fastening hole. The elastic member is received in the mounting sleeve. The right side cover includes a pole. The pole includes a first resisting bar and a second resisting bar. The pole is received in the pivoting hole and the fastening hole. The first resisting bar is slidably embedded in the stopping slot. The elastic member compresses the first resisting bar to abut against the fastening seat. When the first resisting bar slides out of the fastening hole and abuts against the fastening seat, the second resisting bar is slidably embedded in the stopping slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Mu-Wen Yang, Chih-Chiang Chang
  • Patent number: 8161603
    Abstract: A hinge according to the present invention includes: a housing; a shaft received in the inside of the housing; a guide member linearly moving along the shaft; and a first elastic member compressed and expanded along the movement of the guide member, wherein any one of the guide member and the housing is formed with a track groove and the other is formed with a guide projection moving the track groove and, the track groove is formed to move the guide projection to different paths according to a forward rotation and a reverse rotation of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Ho Park, Ki-Hoon Song, Kil-Seok Jeong, Jeong-Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 8161604
    Abstract: A 360° bi-directional rotary hinge formed of a fixed bracket, a rotary bracket, a limiter plate, a stop plate, a positioning plate, a spring ring and a fastening member for use in a folding electronic device is disclosed. Subject to matching between bottom blocks of the limiter plate and arched sliding grooves of the stop plate, movement of the stop plate is constrained by the fixed bracket, and therefore rotation of the rotary bracket of the 360° bi-directional rotary hinge is limited to a forward and backward 360° angle. Further, the stop plate carries an index block corresponding to a ?180° angle indication hole and a 180° angle indication hole on the base member of the folding electronic device for giving an indication when the rotary bracket is rotated to +180° or ?180° angle relative to the fixed bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignees: Lianhong Art Co., Ltd., Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Tsu-Yu Lin, Cheng-Yo Hsiao, Chun-Meng Hsu, Chun-Mu Chen
  • Patent number: 8161605
    Abstract: A clamp is disclosed, especially for retaining hoses, pipes, cables or the like. The clamp includes an annular curved fixing strip including a first end and a second end, two flanges each connected to a respective end of the fixing strip, and openings in the flanges for guiding though a tensioning device. At least one of the flanges includes a connecting device for producing a riveted joint between flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Norma Sweden AB
    Inventor: Ralf Reichel
  • Patent number: 8161606
    Abstract: A cylinder 40 made of a magnetic material is fixed to an introduction pipe 34. An annular connection projection 401 is provided on the cylinder 40 and a disk 42 is connected to the connection projection 401 with an annular permanent magnet 43. The permanent magnet 43 is fixed to the disk 42 and connected to a distal end surface of the connection projection 401 by a magnetic force. A guide pipe 31 is fixed to the disk 42. The guide pipe 31 and the introduction pipe 34 are connected to each other in series by a connection portion 49 having the cylinder 40, the permanent magnet 43, and the disk 42. A fiber bundle F that is guided via a guide roller 33 is fed to an introduction hole 341 and a guide hole 311.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Genki Yoshikawa, Junji Takeuchi, Yoshiharu Yasui
  • Patent number: 8161607
    Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a method for opening a fabric, in which warp and weft yarns can be uniformly opened using a simple method without having to alter the fabric weaving procedure. The method is a method for opening a fabric (4) produced by weaving a warp yarn (2) and a weft yarn (3), each of which having a bundled plurality of fiber filaments (1). A contact body (6) is provided to a surface of the fabric (4) with a protective film (5) interposed therebetween, and the contact body (6) is caused to move over the fabric (4) obliquely, and in a relative manner, with respect to the longitudinal direction of the warp yarn (2) or the weft yarn (3), whereby the warp yarn (2) or the weft yarn (3) is spread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignees: Arisawa Mfg. Co. Ltd., Toho Tenax Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Hirai, Akihiko Machii
  • Patent number: 8161608
    Abstract: To provide a method of manufacturing a quartz-crystal resonator, in which without adding new processes, a desired quartz-crystal piece can be obtained from a quartz-crystal wafer by etching and electrodes can be provided without restraint. When a quartz-crystal piece 10 is formed, etching masks 6 having dummy regions 44, 48 that are provided at two positions corresponding to corner portions on a +X side of the quartz-crystal piece 10 and extend toward a +X axis direction of a wafer W are formed, and when the quartz-crystal piece 10 is formed, etching in groove portions 7 at positions corresponding to the dummy regions 44, 48 is delayed. Accordingly, it is possible to form the quartz-crystal piece 10 without chipped portions at the corner portions in a state where the quartz-crystal piece 10 and the wafer W are connected to and supported by a connection support portion 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Tashiro, Hiroyuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8161609
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating an array capacitor are disclosed, in which via structures of the array capacitor have increased uniformity in their transverse areas. One method involves perforating a capacitor body to form first holes extending from a first surface and partially through the capacitor body. The capacitor body may be further perforated to form second holes extending from a second opposed surface of the capacitor body. The second holes are to connect to the first holes to provide through holes extending across a thickness of the capacitor body. An appropriate conductive material may then be filled in the through holes to form via structures with increased uniformity in their transverse areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Sriram Dattaguru
  • Patent number: 8161610
    Abstract: A retaining clip fits on the exhaust rocker arms of a large diesel engine to hold the exhaust brake power pistons in place while performing service on the engine. The retaining clips are easily installed and removed from the rocker arm and prevent the loss or damage of the power piston due to the piston accidentally falling out of the rocker arms during service to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: RKR Ventures, LLC
    Inventor: Kendall Weaver
  • Patent number: 8161611
    Abstract: A tool for installing tubing in channels of floor panels comprises a handle attached to an upper portion of a front frame and a pair of wheels attached to a bottom portion of the front frame, a pneumatic drive, mounted between a front frame spacer and a bearing block, drives a hammer assembly for pushing the tubing into the channels, and a steering block is secured under the bearing block by a bearing assembly which enables the steering block to rotate about a bearing. An upper portion of a rear strut attaches to the bearing block and a pair of wheels attach to the lower portion of the rear strut. The tool quickly and efficiently installs the tubing into the flooring channels as the tool is rolled along the floor panels when an air source is attached to an air coupling on the pneumatic drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventors: Dominic A. DiMambro, Raymond T. Kapala, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8161612
    Abstract: A broken tee extractor has a bulbous handle portion and a pair of tweezer arms extending downwardly from the bulbous handle portion. A narrow neck extends upwardly from the bulbous handle portion. A platform terminates the narrow neck and is supported by the narrow neck. A tee pulling member is mounted to the platform and a notch is formed between a pair of hook arms. The tee pulling member comprises the pair of hook arms and the notch. The broken tee extractor also has a pair of points disposed on the pair of tweezer arms. The pair of points are oriented inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Man-Young Jung
  • Patent number: 8161613
    Abstract: The invention is based on a method for producing a screw connection by means of a cutout screwdriver (10) that terminates a screw driving operation when a predetermined torque is achieved. According to the invention, data relating to an operation are detected in the cutout screwdriver (10) and transmitted to an external monitoring unit (20). The invention also discloses a device for executing the method as well as a cutout screwdriver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Schuele, Mike Voigt
  • Patent number: 8161614
    Abstract: A cast iron brake caliper with improved fatigue life, and a process and process equipment for pre-stressing a cast iron brake caliper to provide improved fatigue life, is provided. In the process, a load is applied to a cast iron caliper, where the load is high enough to locally yield and plastically deform the cast iron material, but not high enough to cause material failure, such as cracking. Upon load removal, residual compressive stresses in the cast iron caliper lower the mid-point of the stress range the plastically-deformed region of the caliper sees during in-service use, and thereby lowers the peak stress seen in this region, increasing fatigue life. The process permits a cast iron brake caliper to be designed to use less material and thus fit within constrained wheel rim envelopes, without the need to resort to high cost materials or other alternative design strategies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC
    Inventors: Ronald S. Plantan, Richard Lee Lantz, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8161615
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for clamping and processing conveyor belt ends includes a stationary stand and a clamping member supported on the stand and configured to selectively retain an associated conveyor belt end therein. A belt processing member is configured to process the conveyor belt end retained in the clamping member, and a rail is detachably mounted on one of the stand member and the clamping member, and movably supports thereon the belt processing member for movement of the same along the conveyor belt end retained in the clamping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Mato Maschinen-Und Metallwarenfabrik Curt Matthaei GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Borner, Thomas Wilk
  • Patent number: 8161616
    Abstract: A captive panel fastener is manufactured by first overmolding a plastic cap around the head of a screw, the cap having a cylindrical plastic skirt extending downwardly beyond the base of the screw head and formed with a circular opening at the bottom. After a compression spring is placed around the shank of the screw, the screw is pressed against a top surface of a ferrule to a point where the capped-skirt extends downwardly below a ferrule flange. At that point, heat and pressure are applied radially inwardly around the periphery of the plastic skirt along its bottom edge until it is permanently deformed to a point where the bottom of the skirt is smaller in diameter than the ferrule flange. The screw is thereby captivated to the ferrule between extended and retracted positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: PEM Management, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian G. Bentrim, David Bruno
  • Patent number: 8161617
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disc-shaped device for storing and dispensing perfume which has a plurality of compartments for storing different perfumes by molding a unitary piece of plastics material to form at least one wall of a compartment, resilient bands, a sealing stem flange and an actuating stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Gerald Hagop Alticosalian
  • Patent number: 8161618
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a barbed medical device which includes the steps of providing a blank workpiece and forming at least one barb on the blank workpiece by applying vibrational energy to a tool and bringing the tool and the blank workpiece into contact with each other at an angle such that the tool cuts into the surface of the blank workpiece. A barbed medical device formed by this method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP
    Inventors: Nicholas Maiorino, Mark S. Buchter, Matthew D. Cohen, Michael Primavera, Timothy D. Kosa
  • Patent number: 8161619
    Abstract: A torque tube includes a composite body and an end fitting. The composite tube includes a body having a body interior diameter, wall thickness, an end having an edge, and a set of grooves. Each groove of the set of grooves passes through the wall thickness. Each groove of the set of grooves begins at the edge and ends in the body. The end fitting includes a sleeve configured to mate with the body interior diameter and a set of ribs configured to mate with the set of grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Steven P. Wanthal
  • Patent number: 8161620
    Abstract: In a cold rolling method for producing annular composite workpieces, at least two hollow cylindrical workpieces made of different materials are inserted into one another. The at least two hollow cylindrical workpieces are roll formed by pressing the at least two hollow cylindrical workpieces against each other between two diametrically opposed external roll forming tools and an internal rolling arbor or between two diametrically opposed external roll forming tools and an internal roll forming tool to form a composite workpiece. The composite workpiece is a bearing ring or a gear ring. One of the hollow cylindrical workpieces can be a nonferrous material such as aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Technische Universität Dresden
    Inventors: Thomas Ficker, Andrá Hardtmann, Mario Houska, Volker Thoms
  • Patent number: 8161621
    Abstract: Fastening plastic drivers in a washing machine drum having at least two domes on the inside, which comprise a cavity extending along its center line, and are oriented perpendicular to the sheet casing of the drum and which serve to fasten the driver. A hole pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the domes of a driver is punched into the sheet casing of the drum. The driver is placed with its dome ends, which project beyond the contact surface of the driver with the sheet casing, onto the sheet casing so that the dome ends pass through the holes of the hole pattern. Counter holders are inserted from the opposite side into the cavities of the domes. From the fastening side, hold-down elements are driven against the sheet casing. Heated form punches are driven against the dome ends until the dome ends have mushroom-shape ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Ratfisch
  • Patent number: 8161622
    Abstract: A riveting tool for placing a blind breakstem rivet includes a body; a nose casing securable to the body, the nose casing having a nose tip having a nose tip; a jaw housing inside the nose casing, the jaw housing containing jaws for gripping and pulling a rivet stem in use, the jaw housing having an end which incorporates an aperture through which the jaws are urged towards the nose tip by resilient biasing means; and adjustment means configured to adjust a distance from the end of the jaw housing to an inside of the nose tip. Also provided is a nose casing for a riveting tool and a method for altering the jaw separation distance of a riveting tool prior to gripping a rivet stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Avdel UK Limited
    Inventors: Richard Paul King, Terence Gilbert
  • Patent number: 8161623
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an articulated shaft structure for the transfer of torque from a transmission to a differential drive, including a connecting flange having a tube section, a shaft plate disposed between the connecting flange and a transmission output flange and forming a torsion element for accommodating some articulation of the connecting flange relative to the output flange, and a centering part extending from the connecting flange for aligning the articulated shaft relative to a transmission shaft, the connecting flange is formed integrally with the tube section by deep-drawing in follow-on tool the tube section and, in the same manufacturing step, punching openings into the flange, and deep-drawing the centering part and pressing it into the tube section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: IFA Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Bernard Bächle, Andreas Mahling, Hans Roth
  • Patent number: 8161624
    Abstract: Weatherstrips (13, 15) having opposed pile sealing elements (226) are installed in opposed slots in a frame member (14) so that the piles may engage opposite sides of a panel, shutter or screen (203), by insertion apparatus having laterally-movable slotted guides (60, 62). The weatherstrips are driven through the slots in the guides by a drive wheel (42). A laterally reciprocating cutter (48) has openings (107, 109), through which the weatherstrips are driven, and shearing edges (98) for cutting ends of the weatherstrips to facilitate entry of the weatherstrips from the slots in the guide into the slots in the frame member. Metering wheel (44) engages at least one of the weatherstrips moving through the guides, and provides for actuation of the cutter, when the desired length of the weatherstrips is driven through the guides; the length corresponding to the length of the frame member which receives the weatherstrips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ultrafab, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Richter, Yogesh Borkar
  • Patent number: 8161625
    Abstract: There is provided a rotating electric machine capable of reducing torque pulsation, even when a slight stepped portion is present in an inner diameter shape of a stator core formed by allowing coupling split cores divided in every magnetic pole to be in an annular shape. The stator core is formed by stacking a plurality of laminates prepared by stack of coupling split core members formed by punching steel sheets in an annularly arranged shape in a state where the laminates are rotated one another by a predetermined angle. With such a configuration, it is possible to mutually offset torque pulsation components caused by the shape asymmetry of the laminates and reduce the torque pulsation components of the stator core on the whole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Akita
  • Patent number: 8161626
    Abstract: A suspension for supporting a magnetic head is provided with a load beam formed of a thin-plate spring. A recess for accommodating a damper is formed in the load beam. The damper is affixed to a bottom surface of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoichi Ikeji
  • Patent number: 8161627
    Abstract: A method in one embodiment includes forming an electric lapping guide layer; forming a write pole; forming a first gap layer over the write pole; masking a portion of the first gap layer for defining a window over the write pole and at least a portion of the electric lapping guide layer; and forming a bump over the write pole in the window. Additional methods and systems are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Christian Rene Bonhote, Jeffrey S. Lille, Vladimir Nikitin, Aron Pentek, Neil Leslie Robertson
  • Patent number: 8161628
    Abstract: An assembling device for attaching a light guide plate and a reflecting member together is provided. The assembling device includes a first receiving member and a second receiving member. The first receiving member defines a first recess therein for accommodating the light guide plate. The second receiving member defines a second recess therein for accommodating the reflecting member. The assembling device has an open position and a closed position. The light guide plate is capable of being loaded in the first recess and the reflecting member is capable of being loaded in the second recess when the assembling device is in the open position. The first receiving member and the second receiving member are aligned with and parallel to each other when the assembling device is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 8161629
    Abstract: A backlight module assembling apparatus for attaching a reflector plate to a driving circuit board is disclosed. The backlight module assembling apparatus includes an assembling portion and a pressing movably connected to the assembling portion. The assembling portion defines a receiving space configured for receiving and positioning a driving circuit board therein. The assembling portion includes a top plate and a first opening defined in the top plate. The first opening communicates with the receiving space. The assembling portion includes a number of blades arranged around the first opening for cutting a reflector plate. The pressing portion includes a pressing plate. The pressing plate is movable toward and away from the blade and configured for pressing the reflector plate against the blades thus allowing the blades cutting the reflector plate to a shape conforming to the first opening and attaching the reflector plate to the driving circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: I-Thun Lin
  • Patent number: 8161630
    Abstract: A rotor attachment apparatus for attaching a rotor of a motor coaxially to a crankshaft by inserting the rotor into a rotor housing that is attached to an engine, including: a rotor support member; rotor positioning members that engage some of a plurality of bolt insertion holes provided in the rotor, to thereby position the rotor; a temporary fixation bolt that temporarily fixes the rotor on the rotor support member; a drive shaft a tip portion of which is engaged with a shaft end portion of the crankshaft, and which supports the rotor support member movably in an axis direction via a screw mechanism; a base member that moves the rotor support member toward and away from the rotor while rotatably supporting a base end of the drive shaft; base positioning members that engage the rotor housing; and a fastening mechanism which engages a head of a coupling bolt inserted into at least one of the bolt insertion holes, and which is supported by the rotor support member so as to bias the coupling bolt toward the rot
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takehara, Kiyoshi Inoguchi
  • Patent number: 8161631
    Abstract: A motor control bucket replacement tool, such as for circuit breakers, that is portable, and rugged for providing electrically operated controlled insertion and removal of electrical equipment by an operator from a remote location using an easily detachable magnetic coupling device for engagement with the electrical equipment and using a linear actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventors: Finley Lee Ledbetter, Ashley Sue Ledbetter
  • Patent number: 8161632
    Abstract: An inflator device is disclosed. The inflator device includes a seal assembly that maintains, while sealing from ambient pressure, an open air passageway between a tire bead and wheel bead seat during an inflation procedure. A seal for the inflator device is also disclosed. The seal includes a ring-shape having a flexible inner periphery that is adapted to maintain, while sealing from ambient pressure, an open air passageway between a tire bead and wheel bead seat during an inflation procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Android Industries LLC
    Inventors: Robert Reece, Lawrence J. Lawson