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...During the Civil War, the Confederacy established its own Patent Office which issued 266 patents, a third of which concerned implements of war.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6553123 | Conversation mirror/intercom A combined conversation mirror and intercom is mounted in a mirror frame pivotally mounted to a vehicle accessory, such as an overhead console. The frame is movable between an unobtrusive stored position and an extended use position located such that the ... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6394551 | Multi-function headrest A headrest is tiltably mounted to a passenger side seat and includes a lamp assembly for directing illumination rearwardly and downwardly from a rear surface in the headrest to illuminate the lap area of the seat located behind the passenger seat. The sea... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6259361 | Tire monitoring system A tire pressure monitoring system identifies tire locations by recognizing that certain characteristics are unique to front-located tires verses rear-located tires as well as left-side tires and right-side tires. A control circuit is coupled to a temperat... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6227505 | Adjustable accessory mount A mounting platform includes a slide having a mounting shoe thereon with the slide being mounted to the platform for movement between at least first and second spaced-apart positions. In a preferred embodiment, the platform includes a guide for the slide ... | 05/08/2001 |
| 6203161 | Visor with pivoting vanity mirror assembly A vanity mirror assembly is pivotally mounted within a recess in a visor body and pivots downwardly and rotates from side to side, thereby pivoting on generally mutually orthogonal axes to provide a high degree of adjustability for use of the vanity mirro... | 03/20/2001 |
| 6192315 | Dual-calibrated compass An electronic compass system of the present invention includes a sensor for detecting the earth's magnetic field and for providing electrical signals representing the direction of the vehicle, a heading indicator for indicating vehicle headings in respons... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6174019 | Extruded visor control A slide assembly for a sliding visor includes a sleeve which is concentrically positioned around a visor pivot rod and a polymeric slide extruded in situ with between the sleeve and pivot rod and extending along at least a portion of the sleeve to provide... | 01/16/2001 |
| 6154148 | Vehicle-to-individual paging system A docking station is incorporated within a vehicle accessory, such as a visor, and includes sockets for receiving paging receivers which include rechargeable batteries for charging the clip-on paging receivers to the visor when not in use. The visor inclu... | 11/28/2000 |
| 6135528 | Combined storage compartment and garage door opening transmitter storage and actuating compartment A storage compartment includes spaced-apart storage areas with a first area capable of holding a remote garage door opening transmitter and covered by a movable panel with a pocket facing the inside of the storage compartment. When the panel is moved from... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6137421 | Method and apparatus for storing a data encoded signal The data storing method includes the steps of: (a) receiving a data encoded signal; (b) sampling the received data encoded signal at a first sampling rate; (c) counting the number of consecutive samples at a first logic level; (d) storing the number of sa... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6132128 | Snap-on control member A polymeric torque control is secured to a vehicle armrest and includes an integrally molded coupling surrounding an aperture for receiving and lockably mounting the torque control to a pivot axle extending from a vehicle support member. The integrated co... | 10/17/2000 |
| 6095469 | Coat hook assembly with closeout panel A vehicle coat hook assembly is provided with a closeout panel coupled to the coat hook. When the coat hook is moved from a retracted position within a bezel or housing, to an extended use position, the closeout panel moves into and fills the opening in t... | 08/01/2000 |
| 6091343 | Trainable RF transmitter having expanded learning capabilities A trainable transmitter is described that is capable of learning and replicating both AM and FM signals. The trainable transmitter also has the capacity to learn and replicate RF signals in both the 27 MHz to 40 MHz and the 250 MHz to 450 MHz frequency ba... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6073987 | Integrated modular instrument panel assembly A modular instrument panel assembly for a vehicle wherein the assembly includes a base module having a transverse vertical wall located between the occupant compartment and the forward compartment of the vehicle and a transverse horizontal plenum above th... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6065729 | Slide-out container holder A tray-like container holder is slideably and pivotally coupled to one end of a pivot arm such that the container holder can both slide and pivot from a vertically stored position to a use position. The end of the pivot arm remote from the container holde... | 05/23/2000 |
| 6062623 | Latch for vehicle overhead storage bin A storage bin is pivotally mounted to a housing and includes a recess having a latching surface which extends in a plane generally orthogonal to the direction of angular motion of the storage bin when it moves from a closed to an open position. A pivoted ... | 05/16/2000 |
| 6059238 | Snap-in armrest An armrest mounting system in which one of an armrest mounting bracket or armrest includes spring-loaded pins and the other of the bracket and armrest includes apertures to receive the pins as the armrest is inserted into the mounting bracket. The pins ex... | 05/09/2000 |
| 6050202 | Storage divider shelf A storage divider includes a first frame which has one edge pivotally mounted to the floor of the vehicle and a second frame pivotally mounted to the first frame member remote from its connection to the vehicle floor. Together the frames move from a co-pl... | 04/18/2000 |
| 6047762 | Shade control for a vehicle window A shade control assembly cooperates with one edge of a shade mounted to a rigid bar for urging the shade into an extended use position from a roller. The control includes constant tension coil springs on opposite sides of the cross member for uniformly co... | 04/11/2000 |
| 6047237 | Compass precalibration method A method of installing a compass system includes the steps of mounting the electronic compass in a vehicle, coupling the electronic compass to a power source of the vehicle, downloading precalibration data into the electronic compass after the electronic ... | 04/04/2000 |
| 6044315 | Vehicle non-volatile memory system An electronic vehicle accessory includes a non-volatile memory, and a controller coupled to the non-volatile memory and to a speed sensor of the vehicle for receiving speed data representing the vehicle's current speed. The controller determines when the ... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6040534 | Integrally molded switch lighting and electronics A display/switch/electronic control assembly includes a molded three-piece assembly in which displays/switches/electronics are integrally included on a flexible circuit material sandwiched between a polymeric substrate and a cover, which may include a swi... | 03/21/2000 |
| 6038937 | Shifter with integral connector A shift knob integrally includes one of a plug or socket having fixed contacts which are coupled to a control switch mounted to the shift knob. The plug or socket is mounted to a sleeve which integrally includes the other of a socket and plug with fixed c... | 03/21/2000 |
| 6028537 | Vehicle communication and remote control system The vehicle communication and control system of the present invention includes a transceiver for sending and receiving RF signals, a processor coupled to the transceiver, a location identifying sensor coupled to the processor for supplying vehicle locatio... | 02/22/2000 |
| 6026646 | Thermal storage system for a vehicle A thermal storage system providing a receptacle in a motor vehicle which can be used to keep refrigerated items cool or heated items hot during transportation of those items. The receptacle is removably mounted from the vehicle to facilitate carrying of t... | 02/22/2000 |
| 6025821 | Drive system for vacuum fluorescent display and method therefor The vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) system of the inventive invention includes a display matrix including an array of anodes, a processor, at least two anode drivers, and a grid driver to selectively activate the anodes of the display matrix. The system ... | 02/15/2000 |
| 6024397 | Rotating seat/storage unit A seat platform extends between the sidewalls of a vehicle and is mounted to rotating members and is offset from their axis of rotation such that the seat, when rotated to a seating position, is positioned above the floor level and, when rotated to a stor... | 02/15/2000 |
| 6019413 | Rotating storage seat A seating/storage system includes a seat which is rotatably supported on opposite ends between the sidewalls of a vehicle on a pivot axle in spaced relationship above the floor level of the vehicle. The seat pivot axle, in turn, is mounted to a rotating m... | 02/01/2000 |
| 6015071 | Vehicle storage divider A storage system in which a base is preferably blow-molded of a lightweight polymeric material and includes a peripheral raised edge including integral sockets for receiving pivoted front and rear walls, as well as end walls and dividers. The end walls of... | 01/18/2000 |
| 6000951 | Electrical ribbon wire connectors A connector for ribbon-to-wire conductors includes a clip for holding a ribbon conductor and a housing for retaining a series of wire conductors. To connect the system, a ribbon conductor containing exposed conductors on one surface of its free end is ext... | 12/14/1999 |
| 5997082 | Stowable container holder A container holder includes a base for mounting within a recess in a vehicle accessory, such as an armrest or console of a vehicle, a cover pivotally mounted to the base and movable between a position substantially flush with the surface of the accessory ... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5991976 | Assist handle mounting plate A backing member includes locking structure for locking a Z-axis clip in alignment with the aperture of the clip aligned with aperture in the backing member. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the backing member includes a track with spaced inwar... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5984416 | Adjustable armrest An adjustable armrest for a vehicle includes a molded shell and a blocking member, both rotatably mounted to a pivot pin that is attached to a vehicle such as to the seat. The shell houses a linearly operating control mechanism that allows the armrest to ... | 11/16/1999 |
| 5981611 | Thermoformable foam with infrared receptors A plastic sheet capable of being shaped by a cold room temperature tool, said sheet being a semi-rigid thermoformable plastic foam doped with carbon black having a concentration within a range of 0.0000081 to 0.0081% by weight of the foam. And a method of... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5975708 | Visor with pivoting vanity mirror assembly A vanity mirror assembly is pivotally mounted within a recess in a visor body and pivots downwardly and rotates from side to side, thereby pivoting on generally mutually orthogonal axes to provide a high degree of adjustability for use of the vanity mirro... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5970814 | Integrated floor console A housing supports a parking brake lever assembly, including a manual lever, a brake cable tension adjustment control, and a cable coupling assembly for coupling the lever to the vehicle's parking brake cables mounted to the chassis of a vehicle during as... | 10/26/1999 |
| 5967587 | Sliding visor The visor system of the present invention provides a unique visor control and visor in which a two-piece control receives an elongated pivot rod. The combined torque control and slide permit the visor panel to slide with respect to the pivot rod and compr... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5967584 | Expandable trunk storage system A storage system includes an elongated, generally rectangular housing which has a forward-facing surface in the vehicle defining the rear seat backs of a vehicle and which has an open opposite end for extending into the trunk of a vehicle. The housing is ... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5967588 | Visor control A vehicle visor having a pivot rod or a slip tube with a torque control disposed therein. The pivot rod or slip tube surface is provided with a layer of hardened material on the external surface to improve the wear and abrasion resistance of the pivot rod... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5959545 | Door actuated pager receiver A pager is powered by the vehicle's battery and coupled to a power control circuit for selectively applying power to the pager upon an operator initiated event. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the power control circuit is controlled by a switc... | 09/28/1999 |
