Celebrity Inventors
Lawrence Welk, the bandleader who entertained millions of Americans over a generation of broadcasting his TV show, once received a patent: for a music-themed design of an ashtray.
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 |
| 7097579 | Pivoting chain guide and tensioner assembly A pivoting chain guide and tensioner assembly for use with an endless chain loop comprising: at least one bracket plate, a tensioner attached to the at least one bracket plate, and a guide attached to the bracket plates. The bracket plate surrounds the chain at leas... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7090605 | Apparatus for processing a prosthetic component An idler or tensioning assembly for an electronically controlled sanding/polishing machine is provided, the sanding/polishing machine utilizing a plurality of exchangeable polishing wheel assemblies of which the idler assembly is one. Each polishing wheel assembly i... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7090604 | Belt tensioning device An adjusting device provided on a transmission belt to adjust the tension of the transmission belt. The adjusting device includes a housing and a fastener fixed on the housing, the fastener engaging the transmission belt so that there is no relative displacement bet... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7077772 | Tensioner A tensioner, in which an outer body and an inner body, which can deal with a tensioner mounting form required by various engines and a tension-imparting function, can be assembled. The inner body and a movement backward preventing mechanism, which form an inner body... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7074145 | Sliding contact guide for transmission device In a sliding contact guide for a flexible power transmission medium such as a chain or belt, the guide body includes a shoe and a plate-receiving portion integrally molded as a unit from a synthetic resin. A reinforcing plate is inserted into a slot in the plate-rec... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7063634 | Chain tension-imparting device A chain tensioner has a spring-biased plunger with rack teeth engageable with teeth of wedge-shaped cam chips cooperating with a spring-biased cam-receiving ring in a recess formed in a tensioner housing. A seal plate, having a central hole through which the plunger... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7063635 | Compliant chain guide with blade spring A chain guide has an elastic member and a wear face. The wear face has the elastic member captured therein. The wear face has an inside surface and an outside surface. The first surface is disposed to contact a chain. The other surface is in contact with the elastic... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7059984 | Device and method for regulating the tension of a running web A device serves to regulate the tension of a running belt. The belt is deflected on rollers of which one is designed as a force measuring roller and is connected to a displacement sensing device. This roller is provided with at least one force sensor that determines... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7059947 | Portable rail cutting apparatus A portable rail cutting apparatus is presented herein. The portable rail cutting apparatus comprises a housing encasing a motor, the motor configured to drive a rotary abrasive blade, a drive pulley coupled to the motor, a driven pulley coupled to the rotary abrasiv... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7056243 | Plastic movable guide for transmission device In a pivoted plastic movable guide for a chain or belt transmission, having a reinforcing plate disposed in a slot on a plate-receiving portion on a back side of the guide, a plunger-engaging part of the plate protrudes slightly from the opening of the slot for cont... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7052421 | Belt tensioning system for use with a motorized mobile C-arm A drive system for an imaging device of the type having a curved arm. The drive system includes a carrier that engages and supports the curved arm such that the curved arm can be moved along the carrier. The drive system includes a belt extending through the carrier... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7047610 | Holding device A device for holding a rotary element stationary relative to a fixed body, the device comprising at least one element, adapted to engage with the rotary element to hold the device in a fixed position relative to the rotary element; and an engaging member, adapted to... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7037229 | Hydraulic tensioner A hydraulic tensioner includes a cylinder having a hollow space filled with hydraulic oil. A plunger is slidably mounted in the cylinder. A pushrod is mounted in the hollow space so as to be axially movable together with the plunger with one end thereof protruding f... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7037227 | Pneumatic spinner assembly An improved pneumatic tensioner apparatus is disclosed, the apparatus including: a main drive belt; a chuck assembly, suspended from said main drive belt, having a spinning member and a drive contact portion; a first frictional drive belt in a first track in contact... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7033295 | Fluid chain-tightener Chain tightener comprising a first supporting surface (11) on one branch (12) of the chain and a second supporting surface (13) on the other branch (14) of the chain with each supporting surface (11,13) being connected to a respect... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7019940 | Universal cartridge magazine system and method A universal cartridge magazine system and method are disclosed for storing cartridge systems. The cartridge magazine system comprising a pivoted member, a flag positioner and a sleeve designed to accept the cartridge system, the sleeve having a first side. The pivot... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7015400 | Apparatus and method for controlling the belt tension of a belt weigher A belt weighing apparatus for maintaining high accuracy in weighing by way of maintaining a fixed tension in the belt and preventing the belt from oscillating. The belt conveyor is comprised of a supporting frame, an upper guiding unit arranged on the supporting fra... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7011591 | Belt-drive system driven by internal combustion engine mounted on automotive vehicle A generator for alleviating fluctuations in instantaneous rotational speed of an internal combustion engine is included in a belt-drive system. When an average rotational speed of the generator is lower than a predetermined speed, for example, an idling speed, a gen... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7008340 | Ram-type tensioner assembly having integral hydraulic fluid accumulator The invention is directed to a tensioner assembly for providing tensile force from a floating vessel at the surface of the ocean to the blowout preventer stack, or production tree, which is connected to the wellhead at the sea floor. The tensioner assembly compensat... | 03/07/2006 |
| 7004866 | Shiftable toothed-belt drive A shiftable toothed-belt drive, containing an engagement and disengagement device, in order alternately to mesh radially and demesh radially a toothed belt, which is guided around at least two gearwheels, with and from at least one of the two gearwheels. A disengage... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6952913 | Adjustable belt pulley system A riding lawn mower includes a belt-drive mechanism for transferring power from a drive pulley wheel to a deck pulley wheel to rotate cutting blades of a height-adjustable mowing deck. The drive pulley wheel connects to a drive shaft of a mower engine at a rear port... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6948609 | Light duty belt cleaning system Belt cleaning apparatus includes a scraper blade mounted to a blade holder and urged against a belt for moving and/or removing material carried thereby. The blade includes a pair of flexible legs or skirts that engage the blade holder in snap-on/snap-off fashion. A ... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6945889 | Hydraulic chain tensioner The present invention comprises a hydraulic tensioner for applying tension to a chain without external fluid pressure supply. The hydraulic tensioner includes a piston assembly comprising a piston with a hollow interior and a piston bore surrounding the piston. An e... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6938722 | Electric power steering apparatus An electric power steering apparatus includes a speed reducing mechanism for decelerating the rotation of a rotatable shaft in an electric motor and a converting mechanism for converting the output rotation of the speed reducing mechanism into the axial movement of ... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6932730 | Variable speed drive assembly A variable speed drive assembly with a double pulley, and a transmission input pulley. A first belt extending between a power source and a double pulley and a second belt extending between the double pulley and the transmission input pulley. A linkage assembly opera... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6916264 | Tensioner having protrusion-preventing mechanism for a plunger In a tensioner for a timing belt or chain in an engine, a plunger, which is spring-biased in a protruding direction, is temporarily held in a retracted condition by a pivoted U-shaped or L-shaped wire spring. The spring has a locking portion engageable with a pin or... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6902505 | Blade-type tensioner A blade-type tensioner for applying tension to a chain comprising a base, an arcuately shaped blade shoe having a chain sliding face, a spring provided on a back side of the blade shoe, and a guide member. The blade shoe has a proximal end portion and a distal end p... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6884193 | Tensioning device and transpositioning device with the tensioning device A tensioning device (32) for tensioning at least two, substantially length-invariant belts (18, 24) includes a first belt (18) guided about a first axis (A), which repeatedly guides an adjusting movement in an adjustment direction substantially ... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6875141 | Ratchet-type hydraulic tensioner In a ratchet-type hydraulic tensioner for use with a timing chain of an internal combustion engine, two or more oil reservoirs gradually receive oil fed under pressure from an external source, and supply the oil through a hydraulic valve mechanism to a high pressure... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6866112 | Motorcycle having stationary belt tensioner A motorcycle includes a frame, and an engine and transmission mounted to the frame. A swingarm is pivotably mounted to the frame, and a rear wheel is rotatably mounted to the swingarm. An output shaft of the transmission is coupled to the rear wheel to cause rotatio... | 03/15/2005 |
| 6860828 | Belt tension adjustment apparatus and an optical scanner using the same A belt tension adjustment apparatus and an optical scanner using the same. The belt tension adjustment apparatus includes a plate spring and/or a tension spring. Utilizing the elasticity of the plate spring or the elastic forces provided by the plate spring and the ... | 03/01/2005 |
| 6857979 | Combination belt tensioner and idler A combination belt tensioner and idler has a fixed pivot structure. A moveable arm is mounted for pivotable movement about the pivot structure. A belt tensioning pulley is mounted on the moveable arm. A helical coil spring biases the moveable arm in a direction so a... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6849011 | Engine endless drive belt tensioner and tensioner position indicator Engine accessory drive belt tension is maintained by a spring loaded roller positioned to impinge against the belt. Belt deflection is reflected by changes in position of the roller, and measured by a deflection sensor. Changes in deflection may indicate changes in ... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6840878 | Idler assembly for a sanding/polishing device An idler or tensioning assembly for an electronically controlled sanding/polishing machine is provided, the sanding/polishing machine utilizing a plurality of exchangeable polishing wheel assemblies of which the idler assembly is one. Each polishing wheel assembly i... | 01/11/2005 |
| 6817958 | Tensioner with projection-preventing hook A tensioner, for a timing chain, belt or the like in an internal combustion engine, has a projection-preventing hook that secures a spring-urged plunger in a withdrawn condition prior to installation of the tensioner, but releases the plunger during operation so tha... | 11/16/2004 |
| 6767302 | Hydraulic tensioner A hydraulic tensioner that decreases the number of components, secures an adequate backlash, and prevents backward movement of a plunger. The hydraulic tensioner includes a hollow plunger having rack teeth formed on a portion of an outer circumferential surface, sli... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6746352 | Method and apparatus for tensioning a chain of an internal combustion engine A chain drive assembly for an internal combustion engine comprises a chain tensioner (6) that acts upon a chain (2) that is used to drive the cam shafts (4) of the engine. The tensioner has a hydraulically actuated plunger (30) which is m... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6743131 | Single strap floating belt tensioner A tensioning device for a drive system having a flexible drive element mounted on at least one driven member, the tensioning device including a first tensioning member having a first side, a second side, and a first contact surface for contacting the drive element a... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6733408 | Belt tension/drive for pinch roller system The belt tension/drive for a pinch roller system of the present invention combines means for urging a plurality of pinch rollers toward a capstan roller with means for driving pinch rollers when a pinch roller is not in contact with the capstan roller. The capstan r... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6705962 | Relocation device A drive unit of a carriage has a drive wheel and a deflector, offset parallel to a racks both of which are implemented as gearwheels, around which a closed elastic toothed belt with teeth on both sides is guided, whose inner teeth engage with the wheels described an... | 03/16/2004 |
