Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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 |
| 8172024 | Airbag control system An airbag control system may include a sensor unit monitoring status of a vehicle being driven and an object located in front of the vehicle, an interior airbag deployed to an interior of the vehicle being driven, an exterior airbag deployed to an exterior of the ve... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8132639 | Nozzle actuated system for disabling a vehicle A system for disabling a vehicle carrying a substance in a storage tank includes a holster defining a cavity for receiving a nozzle in fluidic connection to the storage tank when not in use. The holster includes a main body and a bracket. The bracket is affixable to... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8033356 | External airbag system of vehicle An external airbag system of a vehicle may include an airbag housing that is disposed behind a bumper of the vehicle and is allowed to slide straight in a forward direction, an airbag cushion that is disposed inside the airbag housing, a sliding device that moves th... | 10/11/2011 |
| 8016066 | Pedestrian air bag An apparatus (10) helps to protect a pedestrian from impacts with a vehicle (12) that has a windshield (24) and a hood (32) covering an engine compartment (30). The apparatus (10) includes an air bag (14) that is infl... | 09/13/2011 |
| 7896121 | Automotive fuel storage system with in-tank fuel encapsulation system An automotive fuel tank storage system includes a fuel storage tank installed in a vehicle and a barrier fluid tank containing a supply of barrier fluid. A distribution system connected with the barrier fluid tank and with the fuel storage tank distributes barrier f... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7882921 | Collision air bag and flotation system A pre-impact inflation air bag system for a vehicle having a preselected decreasing distance between the vehicle and an object is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of nested inflatable air bags. A plurality of inflators are provided for inflating the plura... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7882922 | Agricultural machine having an emergency stop function A self-propelled agricultural machine comprises a travel drive, a control element (46), able to be moved by the driver, for controlling the speed of travel of the machine, and at least one work-performing unit (2, 3, 5-13, 24, 27, 28) which, whi... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7854288 | Automotive fuel storage system with in-tank fuel binder system An automotive fuel storage system includes a fuel storage tank and a binder fluid tank containing a supply of binder fluid. A mixer system connected with the binder fluid tank and the fluid storage tank mixes binder fluid throughout fuel contained within the storage... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7836996 | Pedestrian protection system A pedestrian protection system is mounted in the front portion of a vehicle, and includes a controller, a forward movement holding mechanism controlled in actuation by the controller, and a contact body that a pedestrian can contact. The controller, when having pred... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7823680 | Console box for heavy equipment having safety bar with function sound device A console box for heavy equipment having a safety bar with a function sound device is provided, which generates a function sound when an operator rotates a safety bar to be in a horizontal/vertical direction, so that the operator can accurately recognize the rotatio... | 11/02/2010 |
| 7784579 | Member disengagement apparatus A member disengagement apparatus comprises fastening release parts for disengaging fastened members fastened by fastening parts, a release operation unit for releasing the fastening release parts, an operation-inhibiting unit for inhibiting a release operation of th... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7779955 | Angularly disposed planar pedal system for motor vehicles The present invention relates generally to systems and methods designed to reduce the dangers presented by certain unintentional and intentional actions by drivers of motor vehicles, and more specifically to eliminating the panic-based, unintentional acceleration of... | 08/24/2010 |
| 7779954 | Apparatus to immobilize an internal combustion engine motor vehicle A readily transportable and rapidly deployable vehicle immobilization device is provided. The exhaust of an internal combustion engine is obstructed, resulting in choking off and stopping of the engine. In an aspect, a plug is provided having an extension fixed to t... | 08/24/2010 |
| 7775316 | Colliding object determination device and collision information detector for vehicle A colliding object determination device for a vehicle having a bumper reinforcement member (12) includes a sensor (20) and a determination circuit (40). The sensor (20) is located in a front portion of a vehicle for measuring a collision ... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7757803 | Motor vehicle operator identification and maximum speed limiter A programmable device that interfaces with a motor vehicle. The device is programmed to identify the operator who is gaining access to the motor vehicle. The device is further programmed to associate a maximum allowable speed with each person allowed to operate the ... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7690458 | Control apparatus and control method for vehicle-mounted fuel cell power generation system A control apparatus for a vehicle-mounted fuel cell power generation system in accordance with the invention predicts a possibility of collision of a vehicle. If determining that the possibility of collision is high (YES at S12), the control apparatus stops t... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7681684 | On-vehicle component fixation-release apparatus To readily remove on-vehicle components from a vehicle body, suitably reflecting the state of the vehicle or occupant in addition to the will of the operator. The safety confirmation device 11 determines whether or not to permit actuation of the separa... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7669685 | Pedestrian protecting apparatus for vehicle A pedestrian protecting apparatus is provided with a pedestrian protecting unit which is mounted at a hood of a vehicle to protect a pedestrian in a collision with the vehicle, a detecting unit for measuring an inclination angle of the obstacle entering a predetermi... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7624834 | System and method for identifying seat occupancy in a vehicle A single high-frequency transmitter emits radiation in a vehicle (1) comprising several seats (2), said high-frequency radiation being reflected depending on whether a seat is occupied, transmitted to a receiver and evaluated with regard to the radiati... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7610983 | Method for damage limitation in the event of an offset frontal collision, and motor vehicle having an apparatus which serves for this purpose A method for damage limitation in the event of an offset frontal collision between two motor vehicles, with a first signal which signals an imminent collision triggering the steerable front wheels (9, 10) to turn inward in opposite directions, is to minimize ... | 11/03/2009 |
| 7588115 | System and method for moving a headrest for whiplash prevention System and method for preventing whiplash injuries to an occupant, in particular, during rear impacts, includes a movable headrest associated with the seat and a system for positioning the headrest adjacent a head of the occupant in an impact involving the vehicle. ... | 09/15/2009 |
| 7568543 | Device for controlling restraining means in a vehicle A device for triggering a restraining arrangement in a vehicle in which the vehicle velocity is taken into consideration in the triggering. In the system, the vehicle velocity is checked for plausibility by the signal from a remote sensor so as to avoid faulty trigg... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7543676 | Enhanced operator presence system for a cotton harvester with an on-board module building capability An operator presence system for a cotton harvester including an on-board cotton module builder, the system including a mount for installing a ground access ladder at a first position for providing access to a service platform for routine service and maintenance, and... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7451851 | Method and apparatus to immobilize an internal combustion engine motor vehicle A readily transportable and rapidly deployed vehicle immobilization device is provided. The exhaust of an internal combustion engine is obstructed, resulting in choking off and stopping of the engine. In an aspect, a plug is provided having an extension fixed to the... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7441624 | Passenger restraint device of motor vehicle A passenger restraint device of a motor vehicle comprises a plurality of predicting devices each being able to predict or detect a collision of the vehicle with an obstacle in front of the vehicle. A sensitivity adjusting device is able to adjust a sensitivity of at... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7439866 | Child restraint system comprising event data recorder, and method for providing data relating to installation or adjustment A child restraint system includes an electronic control unit having an event data recorder for storing data relating to proper adjustment or installation of the child restraint system. The control unit receives an electrical signal from one or more sensors mounted o... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7438151 | Method for limiting damages in the event of a partially overlapping frontal collision, and motor vehicle comprising a corresponding device A method for damage limitation in a partially overlapping frontal collision of two motor vehicles involves a signal indicating the start of a collision or an imminent collision causing the steerable front wheels (9, 10) to be turned in such a manner that the ... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7436299 | Vehicle occupant detection using relative impedance measurements A passenger detection system is provided. A sensor measures capacitance, electric field effects or other characteristic responsive to a load in a seating area. The sensor uses one or more electrodes (e.g., a transmit and receive electrode or one electrode for transm... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7427924 | System and method for monitoring driver fatigue A method and apparatus for monitoring driver fatigue in a vehicle having a steering control includes connecting a sensor with respect to the steering control and a controller with respect to the sensor. A steering input count signal and/or steering wheel rotation si... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7426430 | Control unit for activating an occupant protection means in a motor vehicle and method for monitoring the proper functioning of a control unit preferably of this type The invention relates to a control unit for activating an occupant protection means in a motor vehicle and to a method for monitoring the proper functioning of a control unit preferably of this type. To this end, the control unit comprises a first and a second arith... | 09/16/2008 |
| RE40496 | Attitude sensing system for an automotive vehicle relative to the road A stability control system (18) for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of sensors (28-39) sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors may include a speed sensor (20), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a roll rate ... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7424353 | Safety device for a motor vehicle A safety device for a motor vehicle has at least one closable opening of the interior, and a closing element driven by a servo drive for closing the opening. A control unit evaluates the data relevant to safety when the vehicle is in motion and activates the servo d... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7419027 | System and method of increasing safety to occupants in a vehicle A method of increasing safety to occupants in a vehicle, the method comprising, monitoring an input from a user that identifies a presence of a non-autonomous entity; storing information relating to the presence of the non-autonomous entity; and, warning the user ab... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7410027 | Device for reducing the impact for pedestrians The invention relates to a device for reducing the impact for a pedestrian relative to a vehicle, which vehicle is provided with windshield and a hood covering an engine compartment or a similar compartment in front of the windshield, which hood is provided with at ... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7408445 | Proximity activated vehicle signaling system A system for generating a reminder signal to one or more individuals exiting a vehicle for purposes of preventing the inadvertent leaving of a child, pet or other object therein. A sensor assembly monitors the presence of an individual within a predetermined proximi... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7407188 | Roll bar assembly for a vehicle A roll bar assembly capable of punching through a rear window on deployment comprises a deployable u-shaped roll bar fitted with a pin made of hard material. The pin may be fixed to an upper surface of the roll bar or may be housed inside the top portion of the roll... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7395894 | Safety lever system in cab of excavator The present invention relates to a safety lever system in a cab of an excavator, which is capable of preventing an unintended descending of a control box without the operation of the safety lever, and promoting a safer tilting of the control box through a limit mean... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7394349 | Device and method to detect presence in a motor vehicle A device to detect the presence of a living being in a motor vehicle includes a carbon dioxide sensor to measure a concentration value representing the carbon dioxide concentration in the motor vehicle, an analysis... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7394355 | Vehicle collision detector A collision prevention detector (22), and a method therefor, to be mounted on a vehicle (10), transmits a sequence of transmissions of IR signals. The signals are transmitted in sequences alternating between at least one at the right and to the left po... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7389859 | Golf car having disk brakes and single point latching brake A golf car having a hydraulic fluid brake system. The hydraulic fluid brake system is implemented as a disk brake system which is responsive to hydraulic fluid pressure generated from a master cylinder. A brake pedal and associated linkage provides input to a master... | 06/24/2008 |
