Celebrity Inventors
Glam girl Heddy Lamar may have used her good looks to good effect on the silver screen, but she put her smarts to better use as an inventor. During World War II, she co-patented a frequency-switching system for torpedo guidance that was considered years ahead of its time.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7364109 | Cable reel The present invention discloses a cable reel, which comprises a casing, a movable latch member pivotally coupled into the casing, a protrusion disposed at one end of the latch member, a turntable disposed under the latch member and pivotally coupled into the casing,... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7344102 | Method and apparatus for variable tension cord recoil and tethered user interface Variable tension is applied to a cord as it is drawn from a spool. More tension is applied to the cord as more cord is drawn preventing impulse stress. Cord used to attach user interface device for receiving input and presenting information. ... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7317446 | Method for entering data into a computer using a peripheral input device having a retractable cord The invention, in one embodiment, is a method for entering data into a computer. The method includes anchoring an electrical cord connecting a peripheral input device to the computer, positioning the peripheral input device, and retracting slack in the electrical co... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7309041 | Retractor and housing for a retractor Belt retractor and a belt-retractor spring-cassette housing for a belt retractor. The belt-retractor spring-cassette housing can be installed in a particularly simple and therefore cost-effective manner. The belt-retractor spring-cassette housing has a spring core a... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7228797 | Cordless blind A cordless blind includes a headrail, a bottom rail suspended from the headrail by a first cord and a second cord, a wall covering disposed between the headrail and the bottom rail, and a drive actuator. The drive actuator includes a spring motor, a spool coupled to... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7222812 | Positioning shaft of a dual direction cable reel A positioning shaft of a dual direction cable reel is disclosed. The cable reel comprises an upper cover, a pad, a reeling disc, a coiled cable, a spring, and a lower cover, characterized in that the reeling disc and a positioning element mounted at the inner edge o... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7219767 | Serving utensil on retractable tether A serving utensil, used for serving food on a salad bar, is attached to a retractable tether device. The retractable tether device is coupled to the under surface of a sneeze shield extending over the food on a salad bar, effectively elevating the retractable tether... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7216665 | Retractable reel A retractable reel includes a housing having a front cover and a rear cover, the rear cover including a first opening and the front cover including a second opening, a trough extending radially inward from the second opening to a center of the front cover, the troug... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7193873 | Cradle for receiving an adapter A cradle casing has a DC/DC adapter to receive DC power from a DC power source and generate a first DC power signal. A sleeve accepts an AC/DC adapter, and guides movement of the AC/DC adapter when the AC/DC adapter is inserted into the cradle casing. The AC/DC adap... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7150425 | Adjustable reel assembly A reel assembly for storing a hose, an electrical cord, or other items. The reel assembly includes a base, a spool rotatably mounted to the base, and a guide arm adjustably mounted to the base for guiding the direction in which a hose, for example, is extended from ... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7147177 | Cable reel A cable reel having a one-way locking mechanism for locking a cable winding hub in one direction so that the user can adjust the extending status of the cables freely, and a button for unlocking the one-way locking mechanism for enabling the cable winding hub to rec... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7135972 | Anti-theft device particularly for point of sale displays An anti-theft device, comprising at least one spool (2) made of electrically insulating material that is mounted rotatably on a support (3); a cable-like element (4) that can be wound onto, and unwound from, the spool or a respective spool and h... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7097018 | Wire-winding device A wire-winding device comprises an upper cover. A center of the upper cover being formed with a via hole; a lower side of the upper cover being formed with a sector groove; a rotatable sheet being installed to a rod of the sector groove; a front end of the rotatable... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7097127 | Mass trim mechanism The invention discloses an apparatus and method for adjusting the position of the center of mass of a mechanical structure. A typical apparatus includes a storage spool, an output spool and a flexible material having a first end coupled to the storage spool and a se... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7072200 | Cradle for receiving an adapter A cradle casing has a DC/DC adapter to receive DC power from a DC power source and generate a first DC power signal. A sleeve accepts an AC/DC adapter, and guides movement of the AC/DC adapter when the AC/DC adapter is inserted into the cradle casing. The AC/DC adap... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7035126 | Programmable power supply capable of receiving AC and DC power input A power supply capable of receiving an AC or DC input power signal and converting the received input power signal into a DC output power signal includes retractable AC and DC input plugs as well as a retractable output cable. One or more interchangeable tips may be ... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7024790 | Double-axis belt-driven tape measure A measuring tape having a housing for receiving a spring-powered double-axis reel assembly. The reel assembly includes a primary spool having a length of measuring tape wound around it, and a secondary spool having a spring. The primary and secondary spools are conn... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7025107 | One-way tensioning mechanism for cordless blind A cordless blind comprising a headrail, a bottom rail suspended from the headrail by a first cord and a second cord. A window covering disposed between the headrail and the bottom rail, a drive actuator including a spring motor and a spool for accumulating the cords... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7011538 | Dual input charger with cable storing mechanism A charger capable of converting either alternating current or direct current power source, with a cable storing mechanism, is disclosed. The device includes a main body to incorporate other components, an in-car connecting component which can be connected to the cig... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7011341 | Four-point vehicle occupant restraint system with linked lap belt retractors A vehicle restraint system (30) comprises first and second lap belts (32 and 34), first and second shoulder belts (36 and 38), and a buckle assembly (90) for interconnecting the lap belts (32 and 34) and the sh... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7003895 | Tape measure having a self-powered reel assembly A tape measure having a self-powered reel assembly and a housing for receiving the self-powered, reel assembly. The self-powered, reel assembly includes: a primary spool having a measuring tape wound upon the primary spool; a secondary biased spool assembly; and a c... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6962187 | Spools for horizontal blinds The present spools are shaped as flared cylinders. In one embodiment, the spools have a minimum circumference at a center, and maximum circumferences at outer portions thereof. In another embodiment, the spools flare from a maximum diameter adjacent a first side wal... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6957683 | Spring drive system and window cover A spring drive system useful for window covers is disclosed, which comprises one or more coil spring drives or flat spring drives and the combination whose elements are selected from one or more of a group which includes (1) a band or cord transmission which provide... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6937725 | Short wire length wire-winding box An improved short wire length wire-winding box includes a rotary disk driven by a spiral reed and pivotally installed in a casing having a receiving groove. The communication wire is at first wound around a pivotal shaft (inner circle) for several turns, and then is... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6742626 | Elastic motor having time-averaged constant torque output An elastic motor having a constant torque characteristic utilizes a reel with elastic divided into unit lengths that are stretched to their maximum tension. Each unit length of the elastic is allowed to relax to its normal state while generating work in a process th... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6648050 | Spring drive system and window cover A spring drive system useful for window covers is disclosed, which comprises one or more coil spring drives or flat spring drives and the combination whose elements are selected from one or more of a group which includes (1) a band or cord transmission wh... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6612402 | Elastic motor with constant torque output An improved elastic motor is disclosed having a constant torque characteristic. In contrast to earlier motors which use springs wound on spools, the present invention utilizes a reel with elastic stretched to its maximum tension. Each unit length of the e... | 09/02/2003 |
| 6609275 | Strap tightener with an auto-pulling device A strap tightener has an auto-pulling device connected to a seat. The auto-pulling device includes a housing and a reversing device. The reversing device is rotatably received in the housing. The reversing device has a reel received in the housing to conn... | 08/26/2003 |
| 6502777 | Wire-winding box capable of unidirectionally winding wire A unidirectional wire-winding box comprises a box body, a wire-winding disk, a communication wire, and a scroll spring. The box body has a receiving room therein to receive the communication wire, the wire-winding disk, and the scroll spring. The box body... | 01/07/2003 |
| 6439490 | Wire reeler A wire reeler enables the auto collection of communication wire, and has a wire collector, an elastic element, and a switch inside a shell body. The wire collector has one end of the communication wire wound on the rotation axle, while another end is woun... | 08/27/2002 |
| 6419175 | Retractor having a swivel attachment component A retractor having a retractable tether and a spring biased reel providing a retracting force throughout the full extension of the tether to take up any slack in the tether and to return the tether to its normal wound storage position on the reel. The ret... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6318661 | Spring motor A motor for controlling the elevating and lowering of a load comprises a storage drum, an output drum and a spring member operatively connected therebetween to provide a spring motor therewith, and a pair of cord drums aligned with and respectively adjace... | 11/20/2001 |
| 6289965 | Take-up drum for a cordless shade counterbalance A spring motor with an improved take-up drum and idler gear assembly is disclosed. The spring motor includes a take-up drum proximate a drive drum with a coil spring interconnected between the two. First and second cord spools are mounted for rotation lat... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6149094 | Spring motor A motor for controlling the elevating and lowering of a load comprises a storage drum, an output drum and a spring member operatively connected therebetween to provide a spring motor therewith, and a pair of cord drums aligned with and respectively adjace... | 11/21/2000 |
| 6019304 | Retractable reel with channeled ratchet mechanism A retractable reel assembly comprises double tear drop shaped housing, a spool disposed in the housing and journaled for rotation about an axis, the spool and housing defining a plurality of chambers within the housing around the axis. The spool and housi... | 02/01/2000 |
| 5893528 | Tubing retracting system A retracting system especially for use with operating room equipment and adapted to permit a vinyl tube to be removed from a storage spool to a desired length. The spool system is then locked into position so that the tubing is not retracted. By pulling s... | 04/13/1999 |
| 5832752 | Portable cable lock A portable lock has a housing, a locking member connected to the housing, and a lock control mounted on the housing for selectively locking and unlocking the locking member. The housing is formed with a base and a tip, first and second sidewalls each exte... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5797558 | Uni-directional cord take-up device The invention is a dual reel cord take-up device for flat wire cable which has a generally semi-cylindrical upper and lower case half which snap together over a dual-purpose shaft to make two compartments. The first compartment is a cord extension and tak... | 08/25/1998 |
| 5186406 | Spring actuated take-up reel for removing cable slack A robotic vehicle is commanded by a fiber optic cable which also delivers television camera images. In the event the vehicle is moved backwards, the creation of a slack length of cable from a storage drum is avoided by the inclusion of a take-up reel in t... | 02/16/1993 |
| 5104056 | Motor assembly A motor assembly useful for rotating a drum comprising: a hub adapted to be removably secured to the drum so that the drum rotates in response to rotation of the hub, the hub including a first outer surface adapted to face toward the drum and a second out... | 04/14/1992 |
