Bizarre Patents
A fork with timer for providing a cue to a user after an elapsed period of time for indicating that another bite of food using the fork may be taken.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5634245 | Structured surface fastener A fastener having a first member and a second member, each member having structured surfaces thereon. The first member has two major surfaces oppositely disposed, at least a portion of each major surface having structured surfaces. The second member has a... | 06/03/1997 |
| 5631994 | Structured surface light extraction overlay and illumination system A light extraction overlay for extracting light from a desired location on a light guide includes a substantially optically transparent substrate which has a base surface and a structured surface opposite the base surface. The structured surface includes ... | 05/20/1997 |
| 5575550 | Pole light having a programmable footprint The present invention provides a pole light for directing or delivering light in a desired pattern to a surface proximate to the pole light. The present invention also provides a method for lighting a plurality of desired regions on a surface in a precise... | 11/19/1996 |
| 5551042 | Structured films and use thereof for daylight illumination A daylighting system usable in either a skylight or a dormer includes a film having a plurality of negative Fresnel lenses.... | 08/27/1996 |
| 5497294 | Conspicuity enhancer A conspicuity enhancer includes a case defining an optical cavity having an output optical window. The conspicuity enhancer also includes first and second linear light sources forming a V. Each linear light source has a light emitting device that inserts ... | 03/05/1996 |
| 5471348 | Directed reflection optical device An optical device having a transparent body and including two prism surfaces formed thereon. The composite structure exhibits two axis stability in that the angular relationship between the input beam and the output beam remains fixed for slight movement ... | 11/28/1995 |
| 5446768 | Configuration detection apparatus for data link Apparatus for use with a fiber optic data channel includes a configuration block that determines the configuration of a communication port associated with the apparatus. The apparatus further includes multiplexer/transmitter for transmitting data and conf... | 08/29/1995 |
| 5432876 | Illumination devices and optical fibres for use therein An optical fibre has a light emitting region. In the light emitting region are reflecting surfaces, at least one of which has a cross sectional area less than that of the fibre. Light striking the reflecting surfaces will be reflected out of the fibre.... | 07/11/1995 |
| 5425119 | Connector strain relief for optical fiber A fiber optic connector includes a collapsible crimp ring, a rigid strain relief member, and a deformable strain relief member. The rigid strain relief member, in conjunction with the crimp ring, will grip protective filaments from an optical fiber cable ... | 06/13/1995 |
| 5420958 | Optical fiber distribution center A compact optical fiber distribution center has a housing provided by a pair of stackable containers. One container encloses a fiber connector zone in which a plurality of card-like modules are slidably mounted, normally aligned in single file, and each e... | 05/30/1995 |
| 5406403 | Transmitter and receiver for data link system A transmitter for a data communication system includes a self configuration register for storing information about the configuration of a local data communication port and a data input register for storing data received from the port to be transmitted and... | 04/11/1995 |
| 5401913 | Electrical interconnections between adjacent circuit board layers of a multi-layer circuit board A multi-layer circuit board includes electrical interconnections between adjacent circuit board layers of the multi-layer board. A via hole is provided through a circuit board layer. The via hole is filled with a via metal. The via metal is plated with a ... | 03/28/1995 |
| 5355429 | Optical fiber strain relief apparatus A strain relief apparatus for use with at least one optical fiber mounted between plies within a matrix of a generally planar laminated composite structure wherein the fiber extends from a surface of the composite structure. The apparatus has an anchor th... | 10/11/1994 |
| 5337390 | Adhesiveless connector for optical fibers An adhesiveless optical fiber connector utilizes a mechanical gripping element to hold the fiber in place. The gripping element will receive an optical fiber when it is disengaged and hold the fiber when engaged. It is engageable by moving a plug in a dir... | 08/09/1994 |
| 5309544 | Light pipe having optimized cross-section A luminaire includes a light pipe having an optical axis. The light pipe includes a tube with a structured outer surface and a smooth inner surface. A reflective light extractor is positioned in the tube such that light reflected by the extractor will str... | 05/03/1994 |
| 5285314 | Superzone holographic mirror A diffractive mirror has a plurality of diffractive zones at least one of which has an optical step having a height equal to jλ/2 and at least one of which has an optical step having a height equal to kλ/2 where λ is a design wavelength of the mirror a... | 02/08/1994 |
| 5267069 | Fiber optic data link system Apparatus for use with a fiber optic data channel includes a configuration block that determines the configuration of a communication port associated with the apparatus. The apparatus further includes multiplexer/transmitter for transmitting data and conf... | 11/30/1993 |
| 5258896 | Line light source A line light source has a light-emitting element that emits light into an insertion conduit. A light absorber absorbs light that makes greater than a predetermined angle with the axis of the light conduit.... | 11/02/1993 |
| 5254388 | Light control film with reduced ghost images A louvered plastic film has louvers including central regions with a relatively high coefficients of extinction and outer regions with relatively low coefficients of extinction. Such a film provides a dramatic reduction in ghost images.... | 10/19/1993 |
| 5237451 | Beam shaping system using diffraction A beam shaping system for an astigmatic light source utilizes two lenses, both having diffractive power. A first lens shapes the beam in a first dimension and a second lens shapes the beam in a second dimension perpendicular to the first.... | 08/17/1993 |
| 5229797 | Multifocal diffractive ophthalmic lenses A lens according to the invention has diffractive power and two primary foci, where one focus is associated with the first diffractive order and one with the second diffractive order.... | 07/20/1993 |
| 5227916 | Adjustable mounting mechanism for an optical filter screen An optical filter screen for a visual display monitor includes an optical filter supported by a support frame. A pair of adjustable mounting members support the support frame from the visual display monitor such that the optical filter is positioned adjac... | 07/13/1993 |
| 5224770 | Light box The light box is provided with a case having arranged therein a reflector directed to the front wall to be illuminated from the rear. The reflector surf ace has a concave curvature. An elongated light source is arranged in the center of the case. The refl... | 07/06/1993 |
| 5218652 | Depolarizer for electromagnetic radiation A depolarizer operates by splitting light traveling along an optical fiber into two sub-beams. One of the sub-beams is inserted into a recirculation loop, where it has its polarization state altered. The light in the recirculation loop is then reinserted ... | 06/08/1993 |
| 5204160 | Light-collimating film A plastic film has a series of grooves the interiors of which are rendered light absorbing to form a light-collimating film.... | 04/20/1993 |
| 5195818 | Elongated lamp The lamp has a case with a light exit opening. A reflector is arranged on the rear wall of the case facing the light exit opening, in front of which an elongated light source is arranged. Between the light source and the light exit opening there is a flex... | 03/23/1993 |
| 5179613 | Self-supporting coil of optical fiber and method of forming the coil A coil of optical fiber can be self-supporting by bearing a layer of brittle thermoplastic adhesive that adheres adjacent convolutions of the fiber together. Because it is self-supporting, the coil needs no hub so that either end of the fiber can be unwou... | 01/12/1993 |
| 5150966 | Uniform intensity profile catadioptric lens The present invention is a light fixture having a catadioptric lens designed to discard preselected amounts of light from a light source. The percentage of the light discarded will vary over the surface of the reflector in order to provide a predetermined... | 09/29/1992 |
| 5142415 | Back-lit display A back-lit display having a window including a light-collimating film. The light-collimating film has an opaque material on a surface thereof. A material of a predetermined color is on the opaque material in registration therewith.... | 08/25/1992 |
| 5130848 | Passive railroad crossing warning system A passive railroad crossing warning device has two input optical windows that receive light from the headlight of an oncoming locomotive. The light is redirected to an output optical window where a combiner causes it to exit at a predetermined angle to ma... | 07/14/1992 |
| 5129718 | Multi-focal diffractive ophthalmic lenses An ophthalmic lens exhibiting diffractive power has a plurality of diffractive zones and smooth surfaces. The zones are arranged such that R02 does not equal R12 -R02 where R0 is ... | 07/14/1992 |
| 5127070 | Optical fiber distribution module An optical fiber distribution module has a panel formed with a plurality of parallel lands having undercuts for releasably attaching a plurality of optical fiber connectors, each of which forms a bridge across the panel. The lands have sufficient length t... | 06/30/1992 |
| 5117478 | Device for redirecting light through a hollow tubular light conduit When two hollow tubular light conduits are interconnected at a miter joint, beamed light can be redirected from one of the conduits to the other by a thin transparent prismatic element that is mounted to extend along the plane of the miter joint. When the... | 05/26/1992 |
| 5116111 | Multi-focal diffractive ophthalmic lenses A multifocal ophthalmic lens has diffractive power produced by a plurality of concentric zones. The zones have radii that meet the condition R02 is not equal to R12 -R02 where R0 is the ra... | 05/26/1992 |
| 5098207 | Optical fiber switch An optical fiber switch has a substrate with a straight groove into which the free ends of two optical fibers are pushed into abutting relation to permit signals incoming on one of the fibers to be transmitted to the other. Preferably, the switch is a 2×... | 03/24/1992 |
| 5097395 | Multiple cavity light fixture A light fixture has an optical cavity having a first region and multiple additional regions, each of the additional regions, each of the additional regions having an optical window. Light from a light source in the first region is directed out of the opti... | 03/17/1992 |
| 5095415 | Light fixture for externally illuminated sign A light fixture has a housing having an axis and a light source for detecting light into the housing along the housing axis. A first section of the housing occupies a first portion of the housing's perimeter and includes a light guide material. A second s... | 03/10/1992 |
| 5078467 | Optical fiber connector including integral deformable housing and second-class levers A prior optical fiber connector includes an elongated mandrel of substantially uniformly elliptical cross section that is encompassed by a resiliently deformable housing which, in its relatively undeformed state, can optically interconnect two optical fib... | 01/07/1992 |
| 5076684 | Multi-focal diffractive ophthalmic lenses A multifocal ophthalmic lens has diffractive power produced by a plurality of concentric zones. The zones have radii that meet the condition R02 | 12/31/1991 |
| 5073027 | Fiber optic displacement measuring apparatus Apparatus for determining the displacement or position of an object comprises a light source and a light receiver for receiving light transmitted from said light source, and a fiber optic conduit of Y-shaped configuration having the end of one arm thereof... | 12/17/1991 |
