Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7806614 | Multiple foundation stick container A container used for holding one or more product sticks. The container comprises a body and a sleeve. The container further comprises lifting means to independently propel and retract the product sticks. The container may further comprise a cover which engages the b... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7452147 | Writing instrument with a lateral button A writing instrument that includes a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis between a rear end and a front end provided with an opening through which a writing tip is capable of protruding, a lateral button having at least one actuation face oriented radia... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7207738 | Writing instrument A writing instrument is capable of functioning both as an automatic mechanical pencil and as a shaking-type mechanical pencil. The writing instrument has a barrel cylinder constituted by a front cylinder detachably connected to a rear cylinder. A slider is disposed ... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7128487 | Mechanical pencil In a mechanical pencil, the dispersion range of the diameter of a lead is allowable to a certain extent, but if by chance a lead having the maximum diameter is used the lead may not be delivered. This is because there is exceeded the allowable range of the elastic d... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7117818 | Multipurpose flow control device A flow control mechanism is provided for regulating the flow of fluid from a container or vessel, e.g., a plastic bottle containing a fluid such as water or the like. The flow control mechanism may be advantageously employed in a variety of applications where it is ... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7097375 | Mechanical pencil having a rotatable wheel for advancing lead A mechanical pencil is described. The mechanical pencil includes a grip barrel with a slide member to hold a piece of lead. A wheel is rotatably mounted in the grip barrel around a wheel axis, such that a portion of the wheel extends through and beyond an opening in... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7080950 | Pencil with buffering effect for preventing a pencil lead from breaking A pencil with buffering effect for prevent a pencil lead from breaking comprises a head tube; a stepped element installed within the head tube and resisting against a front end of the spring; a spring; the spring having two sections, a front section and a rear secti... | 07/25/2006 |
| 6979142 | Retractable tip mechanical pencil assembly A mechanical pencil assembly including an eraser detachably secured to the writing end thereof, said eraser defining a bore therethrough, diameter of said bore larger than the diameter of the writing tip of said mechanical pencil such that said writing tip can be pr... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6908246 | Mechanical pencil A mechanical pencil includes a barrel, a lead feeding mechanism disposed in the barrel to tighten and feed a lead, and a lead holder disposed between the lead feeding mechanism and a tip end of the barrel. The lead holder includes a through hole through which the le... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6854909 | Lead propelling device The lead propelling device of the invention is a lead propelling device having a structure for gripping and releasing the lead by a lead gripping mechanism by knocking operation, not transmitting the knocking force to the lead gripping mechanism in knock forward ope... | 02/15/2005 |
| 6783292 | Double-chuck mechanical pencil A double-chuck mechanical pencil comprises a barrel, a barrel cap detachably attached to a front end of the barrel, a lead tank inserted in the barrel, a feed chuck for feeding leads, combined with the lead tank, a sleeve bolster disposed on the front side of the fe... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6592278 | Cream and deodorant dispenser A dispenser for dispensing a material and a method of use thereof. The dispenser includes a chamber with a discharge opening for holding and dispensing a material, a spindle located in the chamber, capable of being rotated, a rotatable toothed wheel locat... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6547465 | Pencil with exposable eraser A pencil has a fixed non-replaceable eraser and a moveable sleeve. The fixed non-replaceable eraser is elongated to provide a larger eraser to pencil ratio in order to have more erase cycles per write cycles. The moveable sleeve can be moved to selectivel... | 04/15/2003 |
| 6382859 | Double chuck type mechanical pencil and internal writing mechanism thereof Disclosed is a double chuck type mechanical pencil and an internal writing mechanism thereof comprising a feed chuck for feeding a normal lead, and a tip chuck for holding the tip of a lead for reducing a residual lead. The double chuck type mechanical pe... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6379067 | Double-chuck mechanical pencil A double-chuck mechanical pencil has an outer tube, a tip fitting provided in the front of the outer tube, a tip chuck located at the tip of the tip fitting for holding a writing substance (e.g., a lead) and urged rearward in the axial directed, and a del... | 04/30/2002 |
| 6309129 | Writing utensils A writing utensil includes an external cylinder, a lead feeding mechanism housed in the external cylinder and propelling a lead forward, and a rear-end knocking member movable in conjunction with the lead feeding mechanism in an axial direction. The rear-... | 10/30/2001 |
| 6247863 | Press type mechanical pencil A press type mechanical pencil includes an upper barrel, a press device, a refill tube, an abutting rod, a clamp/release device and a lower barrel. An insert post of the clamp/release device has a top portion connected to the abutting rod which is central... | 06/19/2001 |
| 6203227 | Double chuck type mechanical pencil A double chuck type mechanical pencil comprising a lead tank 4 slidably provided within an axial tube 1, a rear chuck 5 for drawing out a lead fixedly mounted on the front end of the lead tank 4, a chuck ring 6 loosely fitted in the rear chuck 5, a rear r... | 03/20/2001 |
| 6203226 | Side-knock type mechanical pencil A side-knock type mechanical pencil comprising a barrel having an opening in a side wall, a chuck mechanism housed in the forepart of the barrel, a slider moved back and forth within the barrel to open and close the chuck mechanism, a knock lever which is... | 03/20/2001 |
| 6126350 | Writing utensil A writing instrument is provided in which assembling thereof can be finished by inserting a writing medium advancing mechanism into an outer barrel from the rear end side thereof, in which the outer appearance thereof is not injured and the assembling the... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6116799 | Installation structure of lead advancing mechanism in writing instrument An installation structure for a writing instrument includes an outer cylinder and a lead advancing mechanism, which is housed in the outer cylinder and has a sleeve provided with a protruding portion protruding in the outward direction, for advancing a le... | 09/12/2000 |
| 6099182 | Side knock-type mechanical pencil A side knock type mechanical pencil including a cylindrical shell having a ferrule; a slide member disposed axially movably within the cylindrical shell; a chuck disposed in front of the slide member, with a chuck ring being loosely fitted on the chuck; a... | 08/08/2000 |
| 6089775 | Retractable-lead mechanical pencil A slider type mechanical pencil has an outer tubular member having a front end and a rear end. An inner tubular member is disposed in the outer tubular member for axial movement therein and has a lead advancement mechanism for axial movement within the ou... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6082916 | Mechanical pencil In a mechanical pencil capable of double-chuck and side-knock type lead control functions, a slide member is axially slidably fitted in a barrel fixedly provided at its front end with a head cap, a knocking member is pivotally supported in an opening form... | 07/04/2000 |
| 6065889 | Side-knock type mechanical pencil A side-knock type mechanical pencil comprises a barrel having a front end, a rear end a lead feeding mechanism disposed in the barrel for axial movement within the barrel to feed a pencil lead toward the front end of the barrel. A knock button is disposed... | 05/23/2000 |
| 6039485 | Double-chuck mechanical pencil A double-chuck mechanical pencil has an outer tube, a tip fitting provided in the front of the outer tube, a tip chuck located at the tip of the tip fitting for holding a writing substance (e.g., a lead) and urged rearward in the axial directed, and a del... | 03/21/2000 |
| 6039484 | Writing instrument A writing instrument comprises a barrel provided with a tip element at the front thereof, a writing mechanism provided longitudinally movably within the barrel, a resilient element for biasing the writing mechanism backward, a knock member detachably moun... | 03/21/2000 |
| 5971644 | Side knock-type writing instrument A writing instrument includes a barrel having a substantially cylindrical body, the cylindrical body having a finger gripping area and an outer circumferential recess portion provided around the finger gripping area, a writing medium advancing mechanism a... | 10/26/1999 |
| 5961236 | Dispenser for selectively extending and retracting a substantially stick-shaped object and writing instrument with the dispenser A dispenser for selectively extending and retracting a substantially stick-shaped object, comprising an outer tubular casing having an opened end, a closed end, a first chamber adjacent the opened end, and a second chamber adjacent the closed end for stor... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5947620 | Double-chuck mechanical pencil A double-chuck mechanical pencil comprises: a barrel; a barrel cap attached to the barrel; a lead tank axially slidably inserted in the barrel; a back chuck fixedly joined to the front end of the lead tank; a chuck ring loosely fitted on the chucking head... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5927882 | Dispenser for selectively extending and retracting a substantially stick-shaped object and writing instrument A dispenser for selectively extending and retracting a substantially stick-shaped object, comprising an outer tubular casing having an opened end, a closed end, a first chamber adjacent the opened end, and a second chamber adjacent the closed end for stor... | 07/27/1999 |
| 5882132 | Side knock-type mechanical pencil A side knock-type mechanical pencil comprises: a barrel, a push member supported on the side wall of the barrel, and a sliding tube longitudinally slidably inserted in the barrel so as to correspond to the push member and internally provided with a lead p... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5846009 | Writing tool A writing tool in which flexible pieces 24a projecting diametrically outward are provided in sleeve 24 of writing shaft body 11, while holding holes 10a are provided in outer case 10. By inserting parts of flexible pieces 24a into holding holes 10a, respe... | 12/08/1998 |
| 5836707 | Side knock type mechanical pencil A side knock type mechanical pencil including a cylindrical shell having a ferrule; a slide member disposed axially movably within the cylindrical shell; a chuck disposed in front of the slide member, with a chuck ring being loosely fitted on the chuck; a... | 11/17/1998 |
| 5827000 | Writing instrument A modular lead advancing mechanism receivable as an integral unit in a mechanical pencil. The mechanism includes a lead feed for feeding a pencil lead out of a pencil, and a force transmitter for transmitting a force from an operating button on the pencil... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5826999 | Mechanical pencil A mechanical pencil providing a cushioning action by the action of a sleeve disposed inside of an outer barrel. The mechanical pencil comprises an outer barrel, and a lead pipe disposed inside the outer barrel. The lead pipe has a chuck mounted in the end... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5810496 | Writing instrument The present invention provides writing instruments having a mechanism for extending and retracting a writing tip and advancing a lead by rotational operation. The writing instrument is comprised of a front tubular member (1); a front inner tubular member ... | 09/22/1998 |
| 5791797 | Side knock type mechanical pencil A side knock type mechanical pencil including a cylindrical shell having a ferrule; a slide member disposed axially movably within the cylindrical shell; a chuck disposed in front of the slide member, with a chuck ring being loosely fitted on the chuck; a... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5733057 | Slider for mechanical pencil A slider for a mechanical pencil comprises: a slider body provided with a through bore through which a lead is passed and disposed in the tip of a barrel so as to be axially slidable in a predetermined range; a lead guide concentrically fixed to the slide... | 03/31/1998 |
| 5702193 | Side knock type mechanical pencil A side knock type mechanical pencil including a cylindrical shell having a ferrule; a slide member disposed axially movably within the cylindrical shell; a chuck disposed in front of the slide member, with a chuck ring being loosely fitted on the chuck; a... | 12/30/1997 |
