Famous Patents
3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6739577 | Fluid coupling system A fluid coupling system is provided including a fluid coupling having a cooperative key coding system and latching mechanism, a valve biasing mechanism with corrosion resistance, and other advantageous features. The key coding system permits interconnection of only ... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6640524 | Latch for animal rigging and method of use A latch inserted in an animal rigging and controllably releasable for quick unlatching. Such a rigging is normally cinched about the body of the animal for various purposes, but with the latch in the rigging, the rigging can be quickly released from the a... | 11/04/2003 |
| 6588929 | Portable mixing and dispensing apparatus and method A portable mixing and dispensing apparatus, especially useful for spraying, including a fluid conducting, mixing and supporting framework for the hydraulic unit in the apparatus. The framework includes spaced end plates and a conduit assembly. Each end pl... | 07/08/2003 |
| 6574897 | Display frame assembly and method of use A picture frame assembly for enhancing the display of a picture and other viewable objects in a display frame and to a method of framing the picture and objects. The assembly includes a housing having a back wall, an annular side wall projecting from the ... | 06/10/2003 |
| 6564823 | Method and apparatus for testing plumbing installations A method and apparatus for testing plumbing installations including a tool for making an opening through a test cap or other blockage in a fluid-carrying line of a plumbing system. The tool and cap make the testing method possible. During the rough-in plu... | 05/20/2003 |
| 6561281 | Fluent material dispensing apparatus and method of use A portable apparatus and method for dispensing fire retardant or other materials into relatively inaccessible areas. The apparatus and method are particularly suited for releasing an extinguishing agent on a fire that is burning under the hood of a vehicl... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6523861 | Fluid coupling and method of use A fluid coupling including coded and non-coded embodiments and a method for their use. The coded embodiment allows connection of such lines while preventing the inadvertent connection of mismatched lines in a system where there are matched and mismatched ... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6499719 | Fluid coupling system A fluid coupling system is provided including a fluid coupling having a cooperative key coding system and latching mechanism, a valve biasing mechanism with corrosion resistance, and other advantageous features. The key coding system permits interconnecti... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6486868 | Two-handed input control apparatus and method An apparatus and method for inputting data including controls to a computer, or other equipment, such as for CAD, three-dimensional (3D) modeling and animation systems and for motion control. Included are a two-handed, hand-held apparatus and a method for... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6460187 | Medical clothing Multipurpose medical clothing, such as a gown or robe, that safely accommodates medical appliances attached to a patient, affords privacy, and thus encourages the patient to be up and ambulatory. The illustrated gown embodiment includes rectangular front ... | 10/08/2002 |
| 6461341 | Absorption of light bodily discharges A sanitary device for the absorption of light anal and vaginal/urethral discharges and a method for its use and disposal. The device includes a towelette and an attached string. The towelette is a thin, soft, dry, flexible sheet of absorbent paper materia... | 10/08/2002 |
| 6454631 | Polishing apparatus and method An apparatus and method for polishing, especially adapted for polishing fiber optic connectors and similarly configured industrial components. The polishing apparatus includes a first stage having a first mounting member and a first staging member support... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6449919 | Accessory for building construction A holder for use in building construction for holding anchor bolts, rebar, in-concrete plumbing, and the like, in predetermined positions during the pouring of concrete therearound. The holder is molded in one piece from a suitable plastic and includes an... | 09/17/2002 |
| 6427426 | Method and apparatus for safely riding an animal A method and apparatus for riding an animal using a rope that assists a rider in maintaining balance on the animal but allows the rider to be quickly separated from the animal if a limb of the rider becomes caught in the rope when the rider is thrown from... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6415462 | Apparatus for supporting bathing enclosure panels Apparatus for supporting heavy glass panels in a bathing enclosure without opaque metal frames or metal clips. The supporting apparatus includes transparent plastic support brackets and fasteners that attach to the heavy glass panels. These brackets and f... | 07/09/2002 |
| 6390118 | Apparatus and method for testing plumbing system A method and apparatus for testing a plumbing system in a more dependable and cost-effective manner. During the rough-in plumbing phase of construction, the drain pipe leading from the plumbing system in a building to the city sewer main or main sewer lin... | 05/21/2002 |
| 6382291 | Dispenser for self-adhesive material A device for separating stick-on material, such as self-adhesive stamps from a roll of backing tape to which the stick-on material is adhered, for dispensing and applying the stick-on material onto an application surface, and for storing the empty tape. T... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6382749 | Cabinet A wall-mounted cabinet that is especially adapted for use as a security cabinet in a security system includes the cabinet and the equipment secured by the cabinet in such a manner that the system does not rely on surveillance by security personnel. The ca... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6363547 | Apparatus for supporting bathing enclosure panels Apparatus for supporting heavy glass panels in a bathing enclosure without opaque metal frames or metal clips. The supporting apparatus includes transparent plastic support brackets and fasteners that attach to the heavy glass panels. These brackets and f... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6330834 | Liquid sampling tool A tool and method for its use in taking a sample of liquid from a tank. The tool is used to open the valve of the tank and cause a sample of the liquid in the tank to flow by gravity into a container below the tank without allowing the liquid to contact t... | 12/18/2001 |
| 6327991 | Boat maintenance An apparatus and method for cleaning a boat in the water without pollution. Included are a floating, water-impervious basin and a filtration system. Included are a floating, water-impervious basin and a filtration system. The basin has side walls sloped d... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6330706 | Method of interconnecting functional nodes and a hyperstar interconnection structure An interconnection structure (102) includes a plurality of nodes (108) and a plurality of information elements (106). The plurality of nodes are arranged in a regular array having a preselected number N columns and having a preselected number S rows. The ... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6302763 | Apparatus for polishing A machine or apparatus for polishing, especially adapted for polishing fiber optic connectors and similarly configured industrial components. The polishing apparatus includes a first stage having a first mounting member and a first staging member supporte... | 10/16/2001 |
| 6293028 | Construction tool and method of use A construction tool and method for its use in laying out stud marks. The tool is adjustable and is especially suited for laying out stud marks on a rafter of a pitched roof so as to be aligned with the corresponding stud marks on a sill beneath the rafter... | 09/25/2001 |
| 6279168 | Wrapping device and methods A wrap for conditioning the interface between a part of an article and a user's body and a method of making and using the wrap. The wrap provides a flexible, resiliently compressible, elastic pad that is flexed into a tubular configuration for tightly wra... | 08/28/2001 |
| 6251090 | Intravitreal medicine delivery An intravitreal medicine delivery device and method are provided and include an implant device through which a wide variety of beneficial medicines including drugs or other pharmacological agents can be introduced into the vitreous cavity over an extended... | 06/26/2001 |
| 6220266 | Plumbing installation A faucet assembly including dual handles whose position indicates, both tactilely and visually, the volume and exit temperature of the water flowing from hot and cold water valves to a faucet outlet. Such indication is achieved by the mounting and control... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6212792 | Basket and method of use A basket or dryer liner that has the usual basket shape, i.e, generally cylindrical, but is resiliently compressible or deformable along multiple axes for reshaping into irregular shapes. It has perforate bottom wall and side walls and an open top and is ... | 04/10/2001 |
| 6190239 | Polishing method using two stage members A method for creating and maintaining a substantially perfect figure eight polishing pattern for polishing fiber optic connectors and similarly configured industrial components. The method is capable of simultaneously performing this figure eight polishin... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6183343 | Polishing apparatus with defined pattern An apparatus for creating and maintaining a substantially perfect figure eight polishing pattern for polishing fiber optic connectors and similarly configured industrial components. The apparatus is capable of simultaneously performing this figure eight p... | 02/06/2001 |
| 6164683 | Load transporting trailer A trailer is provided that is especially suited for transporting bicycles and has load supporting, suspension, storage, parking, and rolling functions. The trailer has a main frame providing a trailer bed, adapted to support a plurality of bicycles, and a... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6161563 | Plumbing tool A plumbing tool for providing a passageway through a blockage, such as a test cap or other blockage, in a fluid-carrying line. During the rough-in plumbing phase of construction, the drain pipe leading from the plumbing system in a building to the city se... | 12/19/2000 |
| 6158952 | Oriented synthetic crystal assemblies An integrated continuous assembly of synthetic crystals of diamond, or like materials, which exhibits crystallographic characteristics substantially the same as a single crystal so that characteristics of diamond such as abrasive resistance, thermal condu... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6158623 | Packaging of flowable products A container for handling bulk flowable products including a housing having opposed first and second end walls and opposed first and second side walls, a partition in the housing dividing it into first and second compartments, an outlet for each compartmen... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6155004 | Plastic workpiece and sheet thereof A plastic shim or other workpiece useful in the construction industry. The shim or workpiece is an elongated tapered hard plastic body incorporating qualities of a shim lacking in wooden shims. Each shim has transverse break lines so that segments can be ... | 12/05/2000 |
| 6145670 | Bathtub spout with removable filter A bathtub spout water filter for use with a bathtub spout having a spout body with an open rear, and an open front for water egress with a female threaded fitting located behind the open front. The bathtub spout water filter has a frustum-shaped filter bo... | 11/14/2000 |
| 6130663 | Touchless input method and apparatus Touchless activation of a controlled element, such as a graphic element of a computer display, is provided in any one or more of several dimensions of multi-dimensional coordinate system on the display, in response to the presence of a controlling object,... | 10/10/2000 |
| 6126419 | Caustic pumping apparatus Valve heads for modifying a pump to handling corrosive liquids are made of the thermoplastic UHMW-PE machined into a generally rectangular block having longitudinally extending front, back, and opposite side faces and transversely extending top and bottom... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6123135 | Window-screen combination and method of use A window-screen combination wherein the screen is concealed when not in use but is readily accessible for servicing or replacement. The window-screen assembly includes a window frame circumscribing a window opening and including a peripheral outer frame p... | 09/26/2000 |
| 6105345 | Safety apparatus and method for riding an animal A safety apparatus and method for riding an animal using a rigging that assists a rider in maintaining balance on the animal but allows the rider to be quickly separated from the animal if a limb of the rider becomes caught in the rigging when the rider i... | 08/22/2000 |
