Did You Know...
...that to encourage use of his new invention, the shopping cart, market owner Sylvan Goldman hired fake shoppers to push the carts around his store in Oklahoma City? Seems his customers were reluctant to give up their hand-carried baskets.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7313946 | Moisture detector A moisture detector of closed case type according to a heat capacity method is realized by a relatively simple constitution. The moisture detector includes a first temperature sensor for sensing temperature of a detection target; a second temperature sensor for sens... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7263875 | Multi-layer windshield moisture detector A moisture detection system includes a moisture detector having a first electrical conductor, a first substrate having the first electrical conductor disposed on one surface thereof, a spacing layer coupled to the other surface of the first substrate, a second subst... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7208962 | Device and method for detecting the environment change of windshield A device and method for detecting environmental change of automobile windshield includes a plane capacitor having two electrodes disposed on a common plane on the inner surface of the windshield, and with a total area of said two electrodes less than 100 sq. centime... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7205900 | Water detecting system and related method of portable electric device A water detecting system of a portable electric device comprises a housing, an electronic circuitry board, a battery electrically connected to the electronic circuitry board for providing electrical power to the electronic circuitry board, and at least one pair of e... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7180720 | Failure detection device for hydraulic motor and hydraulic drive vehicle A failure detection device for a hydraulic motor according to the present invention comprises a hydraulic pump 3 that is driven by a prime mover 2; a hydraulic motor 1 for traveling that is driven by hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic p... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7066902 | Method and apparatus for conditioning gas for medical procedures having humidity monitoring and recharge alert An apparatus for conditioning gas for use in a medical procedure, such as endoscopy, the gas being received into the apparatus from a gas source. The apparatus comprises a housing defining a chamber having an entry port and an exit port. A humidification means compr... | 06/27/2006 |
| 6926028 | Water feeder controller for boiler A water feeder controller for a boiler monitors a low water cutoff sensor in a boiler and uses a feed timer to feed water to the boiler for a predetermined feed period of time. The feed timer brings the water level in the boiler well above the low water cutoff senso... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6917206 | Multiple frequency grain moisture sensor for combines A grain moisture sensor having a sensor cell that includes a driven plate, a sense plate proximate to and substantially parallel with the driven plate for capacitive measurement across a spacing between the driven plate and the sense plate, and a fill plate adjacent... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6892751 | System and method for protecting a building A building protection system includes a switch, a transmitter, a receiver and a controllable shut-off valve disposed within the inlet line of a utility, such as water or gas, provided to a building. The switch is used to close or open the shut-off valve to stop the ... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6730884 | Protective circuit for electrical heating element The present invention provides an electrical circuit that measures the ground current due to insulation leakage in electrical heating elements. The circuit uses a CT to measure the current being supplied to at least one of a plurality of electrical heating elements.... | 05/04/2004 |
| 6688329 | Water feeder controller for boiler A water feeder controller for a boiler monitors a low water cutoff sensor in a boiler and uses a feed timer to feed water to the boiler for a predetermined feed period of time. The feed timer brings the water level in the boiler well above the low water c... | 02/10/2004 |
| 6675826 | Automatic flood prevention system A flood prevention system includes a double-latching solenoid valve that shuts off a water supply line in response to a moisture sensor detecting a leak in a plumbing system. The double-latching feature provides the solenoid's plunger with two positions o... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6662821 | System and method for closing an existing valve in response to a detected leak The invention is system and method for detecting a leak and operating an existing valve in response to the detected leak. In this regard, a receiving unit may be installed on an existing shutoff valve. The valve may control the flow of a fluid into a site... | 12/16/2003 |
| 6584997 | Overflow prevention mechanism for liquid transfer systems An overflow prevention mechanism for use in association with liquid transfer systems of the type including an electrically controllable flow control device such as a pump connected between a source of liquid and a liquid tank, the mechanism including a ba... | 07/01/2003 |
| 6545488 | Piping fluid decision device and piping fluid control system To enable a fluid state of a fluid substance flowing through a path in a piping, for example a liquid state or a froth state of beer, to be surely and easily judged while keeping a sanitary condition, allowing a take out to be surely and easily performed,... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6523562 | Plumbing flood control system A control system for stopping a plumbing-related flooding situation in a building includes at least one sensor for accumulating water and producing a low voltage electrical control signal when sufficient water is accumulated. An actuating system receives ... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6186162 | Leak detection and shut-off apparatus A water shut-off system incorporates a water shut-off valve utilizing a pair of adjacently disposed electrodes, a transmitter and a receiving means. The water shut-off valve is in the form of a ball valve. A timing logic causes current to flow to a valve ... | 02/13/2001 |
| 6125870 | Overflow protection for a washing machine Improved overflow protection for washing machines and other applications in which a liquid from a controllable valve fills a tub is achieved by a circuit in which a single pulse train generated cooperatively by a pressure sensor and a controller is monito... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6098644 | Method and apparatus for controlling duty-cycle type solenoid valve In a method of controlling a duty-cycle type solenoid valve having a valve body that is driven at a controlled duty ratio and a valve seat on which the valve body rests when the solenoid valve is closed, an additional pulse is applied to the solenoid valv... | 08/08/2000 |
| 6024116 | Valve assembly and acuator operative for automatically shutting off water and gas supplies to a hot water heater upon detection of a water leak A valve assembly is operative for automatically shutting off both a water supply line and gas supply line to a gas-fired hot water vessel upon detection of water discharge, leak or overflow, from the water vessel. The valve assembly is connected in the wa... | 02/15/2000 |
| 6017017 | Process and apparatus for the recognition of the state of a solenoid valve A method and apparatus for the recognition of the state of a solenoid valve supplies an on/off control switching current to the coil of the solenoid valve. A high level of current is caused to flow through the coil for switching the device on, and a reduc... | 01/25/2000 |
| 6003536 | Automatic water shut-off valve An electrically actuated flow control device for use with an electrical household appliance includes a single body defining first and second flow passages. Inlet ends of the flow passages connect to pressurized sources of hot and cold water, and outlet en... | 12/21/1999 |
| 5992443 | Valve system A valve system for use in conjunction with a hot water heater where the water line to the hot water heater passes through the valve system which, when a leak is detected by an electrical sensor, causes a motor to drive a gear which moves a gear rack later... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5967171 | Shut-off system for preventing water damage A system for use with a normally open manually actuated water valve, or any other suitable manually actuated device, for automatically closing the valve, or device, upon sensing water. The system includes at least one water sensor electrically connected t... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5857482 | System for control of fluid vessel overflows An overflow control system includes a vessel having a liquid input and output, the vessel having a top and bottom defined by the gravity vector. The system further includes a housing peripherally surrounding the vessel about all surfaces, other than the b... | 01/12/1999 |
| 5771178 | Fail-safe fluid transfer controller A fail-safe fluid transfer control apparatus has full redundancy in the response to various inputs such as overfill probe signals, ground detection signals, and the like. Independent microprocessor controllers independently evaluate the inputs and each ou... | 06/23/1998 |
| 5694970 | Safety valve for water supply system A safety control valve for a domestic water supply system is described. It includes a valve body having a flow passage therethrough comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical flow channels and a top flow cavity connecting these vertical flow channels.... | 12/09/1997 |
| 5632468 | Control circuit for solenoid valve A solenoid valve for a water purification system. The solenoid valve contains a fluid valve which can move between an opened position and a closed position, and a coil which moves the valve to the open position when a first voltage is supplied to the coil... | 05/27/1997 |
| 5632302 | Overflow protection shut-off apparatus for use with a water heater An overflow protection shut-off device for use with a water heater for shutting off a supply of water to the water heater when a leaking or an overflow condition occurs, the device including a valve mechanism coupleable to an input water line of a water h... | 05/27/1997 |
| 5553794 | Sewage handling system A sewage grinder pump system for use in moving sewage, having a vertically oriented cylindrical pump motor housing, a bottom plate affixed to and closing the pump motor housing, a motor supported by the bottom plate within the pump motor housing, the moto... | 09/10/1996 |
| 5514920 | Fuel dispenser leak detector A leak detector and circuit interrupter for detecting the presence of a liquid in the base of a dispenser containment box and interrupting the supply of electrical power when such liquid is detected is disclosed. There is a user enableable circuit for sel... | 05/07/1996 |
| 5467246 | Arrangement for emulating an H-type relay air valve which is utilized in a railway braking system An H-5 relay air valve emulating circuit for use in an electropneumatic railway brake control equipment including an operational amplifier comparator and a solenoid relay. The operational amplifier comparator includes a positive and a negative input and a... | 11/14/1995 |
| 5402815 | Temperature sensitive water supply shut-off system A water supply control apparatus for a household plumbing system having a main water supply line includes a shut-off valve disposed in the main water supply line, electric motor means for actuating the shut-off valve and being operable to move between ope... | 04/04/1995 |
| 5321578 | Rain detector for automatic irrigation systems A rainfall detector for detecting a set amount of rainfall and which functions to interrupt the normal operation of an automatic sprinkler or irrigation system upon detection of the set amount of rainfall, includes a rainwater-collection tray having an op... | 06/14/1994 |
| 5281858 | Fluid level activated float switch A fluid level responsive switch apparatus used in a tank to monitor fluid level in the tank. The apparatus has a float buoy attached to a tilt switch containing three conductors activated by a conductive sphere. The first conductor activates the fluid con... | 01/25/1994 |
| 5254371 | Method of manufacturing a capacitive humidity sensor This method comprises the following steps, which are compatible with thin-film technology: forming a bottom electrode (2) on an insulating substrate (1), depositing a humidity-sensitive polymer layer (5) of uniform thickness on the bottom electrode (2) le... | 10/19/1993 |
| 5216288 | Water level control circuit for sump pumps and the like A control circuit for a sump pump or other pump that controls the liquid level in a vessel. The liquid is maintained between upper and lower levels defined by probes in the vessel. The probes are associated with comparators and connect with one comparator... | 06/01/1993 |
| 5142428 | Water sensing type power breaker circuit A water sensing type power breaker circuit is incorporated into an electric appliance such as a hair dryer or the like and is used to cut off a power supply to prevent an accident due to an electric shock immediately when the electric appliance is dropped... | 08/25/1992 |
| 5113892 | Freeze control and drain valve A pressure-activated diaphragm valve which when installed in the main up-stream side of a pressurized line, responds to signals from a control unit to shut off the main supply line and at the same time, opens a drain port on the down-stream side of the va... | 05/19/1992 |
| 5113308 | Actuator with a built-in reed switch An actuator with a built-in reed switch includes a solenoid, a plunger made of magnetic material and movable within a coil of the solenoid, a plunger receiver made of magnetic material and fixedly mounted in the solenoid coil, a magnetic responsive reed s... | 05/12/1992 |
