Did You Know...
...that while attempting to develop a super strong glue, 3M employee Spencer Silver accidentally developed a glue that was so weak it would barely hold two pieces of paper together? However, his colleague Art Fry needed the glue. Fry sang with his church choir and marked the pages of his hymnal with small scraps of paper that often fell out. He used Silver's glue to hold the papers in place. Today we call this invention Post-it Notes.
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 |
| 7784219 | Door opening and closing mechanism A door opening and closing mechanism in which a door to be attached to a body having an opening is separated from, and made in contact with the periphery of the opening so that the opening is opened and closed, is provided with: a handle that is shaft-supported on t... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7331302 | Quick close security door system A security door closure system for cruise ships and other similar public entrance points to prevent terrorist attack or ship take-over is needed. Cruise ship passenger and ship provisioning entrance gangplanks pass through large hydraulically operated shell doors. T... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7255307 | Closure panel arrangement A closure panel arrangement is provided in which a closure panel 6 can only be retained when appropriately aligned with engagement between clasp hooks 8 and pins 9 is achieved along with association between latch hooks 10 and pins 11 | 08/14/2007 |
| 7255376 | Pressure sensing dead bolt An apparatus, system and method including a latching device for displaceably retaining a panel relative to a frame. The latching device includes at least a bolt which is carried on the latching device and is operatively associated with the panel to prevent disengage... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7192072 | Movable panel assembly A movable panel assembly for a vehicle includes a housing adapted to be mounted within the interior of a vehicle. A panel is pivotably mounted to the housing about an axis. The panel is pivotably movable between a closed position and an open position through a verti... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7159928 | Vehicle door insert A door for use in a vehicle and including an interior panel portion having an outer boundary facing toward an interior portion of the vehicle and including an opening. An insert positioned within at least a portion of the opening. ... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7017220 | Spring counterbalance method and apparatus for variably biasing a dock leveler A counter balance mechanism for a mechanically-operated, vertically-storing dock leveler that can upwardly bias the dock leveler at desired angles of rotation and downwardly bias the dock leveler at other angles of rotation, and neutrally bias the dock leveler at ye... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6973693 | Dock leveler assembly with adjustable automatic release A dock leveler assembly includes a base and a ramp that is pivotably movable under the influence of a biasing arrangement to a raised position. The ramp is lowered into engagement with a truck bed, preferably via a lip connected to the outer end of the ramp, and a h... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6942118 | Container closure arrangement This invention relates to a closure arrangement for closing an opening in a base component. In particular—but not exclusively—this invention relates to a closure arrangement for a container, to serve as an openable lid for the container. ... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6938376 | Door reinforcement system A door reinforcement system comprises two pairs of assemblies, each assembly having subassemblies on the inside and the outside of the door. The inside subassemblies include a plate with a channel for housing a sliding bolt, and may include three subassemblies with ... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6910302 | Door hold open and controlled release mechanism A door hold open and controlled release mechanism is designed for usage in a doorway system having an inner door, an outer door and a door closer. It includes a catch mechanism and a catch release mechanism. The catch mechanism holds the outer door, typically a scre... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6766616 | Opening flap, in particular flue gas escape flap, and opening mechanism therefor An opening flap comprises a frame and a flap articulated thereto. A lift arm is provided, which is articulated by a principal energy accumulator. A secondary energy accumulator is articulated between the lift arm and the flap. The principal energy accumulator delive... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6684569 | Self-closing access door A self-closing access door for use with external umbilicals in aerospace launch vehicles is provided. The self-closing access door comprises two door panels joined by a spring-loaded hinge, the latter of which is attached to surrounding structure of the v... | 02/03/2004 |
| 6283189 | Swinging folding door and a swinging folding gate; and a swinging folding door with an emergency opening device and a swinging folding gate with an emergency opening device An emergency opening device for a swinging folding door or a swinging folding gate, using an electric motor drive with a switchable electromagnetic coupling for closing and opening the door panels. The door has an emergency opening device, whereby the eme... | 09/04/2001 |
| 6167654 | Device for operating hinged or guided closures A device for automatically closing a closure installation (such as a window or a door) includes a drive device, a traction mechanism, a spring, an actuating device and a locking device. The closure installation is mounted in a frame supported by a buildin... | 01/02/2001 |
| 6017083 | Enclosure having a resilient cover An enclosure has an outer surface and an inner surface and an opening extending between the outer and inner surfaces. The outer surface of the enclosure includes a curved region surrounding the opening; the curved region having a radius. The enclosure inc... | 01/25/2000 |
| 6009666 | Door opening and closing mechanism A door opening and closing mechanism, wherein a swinging door to cover an opening for loading, unloading, or exchanging discs comprises two doors, an upper door (14) and a lower door (13), each of which is supported by pivots (14a) and (13a). The opening ... | 01/04/2000 |
| 5950368 | Waterproof pit cover An improved access lid assembly is provided for a subsurface chamber used to service aircraft. A lift assembly is provided for elevating the lid upwardly from an opening in a surrounding mounting frame disposed atop the subsurface chamber while maintainin... | 09/14/1999 |
| 5941672 | Rack return assembly Racks (20) supported on a transfer cart (38) in a decontamination area (18) are loaded with contaminated articles. The carts are wheeled to a washer (14) into which the racks of contaminated articles are placed for washing. After washing, the racks are re... | 08/24/1999 |
| 5901992 | Electromechanical locking mechanism for door leaves having a door closing device An electromechanical locking mechanism for door leaves whose holding force can be adjusted continuously and which at the same time offers the possibility, when the locking mechanism is energized, of also releasing the closed door from and returning it to ... | 05/11/1999 |
| 5855039 | Delay door closer The subject invention is a delay door closer that is to be used in conjunction with a dual door arrangement such as a screen door mounted in conjunction with an entry door of a house or other building. A catch mechanism is mounted on the door jamb with th... | 01/05/1999 |
| 5809697 | Door closer A door closer includes a casing fixedly fastened to a door leaf, a shaft turned in axle holes in the casing, a spiral spring mounted around the shaft within the casing and having one end fixed to the shaft and an opposite end fixed to the casing and adapt... | 09/22/1998 |
| 5600921 | Bulkhead door assembly A fiberglass, insulated bulkhead door assembly overcomes the limitations of conventional wooden and metallic storm doors. A preassembled bulkhead door assembly is positioned atop a preexisting concrete foundation. Once in place, the bulkhead forms a liqui... | 02/11/1997 |
| 5566508 | Drive system for a sliding chamber door An apparatus is disclosed for mounting a chamber door between open and closed positions relative to the opening of a sterilizer or autoclave chamber. The apparatus is adapted to be used in either motorized or non-motorized embodiments. The weight of the c... | 10/22/1996 |
| 5465862 | Aircraft servicing pit lid with lift control A closure apparatus for a subsurface pit for servicing an aircraft located beneath an aircraft servicing surface across which aircraft travel is provided with an improved spring biasing arrangement. The system employs separate springs interposed between t... | 11/14/1995 |
| 5398448 | Apparatus closing mechanism, particularly for film welding devices The welding frame (3) of a film-welding device (2) is at the start of its pivoting movement motor-driven in positive manner over a few radians and is then released from the drive, so that only on the basis of its flywheel energy and weight force is it mov... | 03/21/1995 |
| 5369911 | Automobile door opening apparatus Remote control equipment for remotely opening a vehicle door. A manual operated remote control transmitter transmits a signal to a receiver mounted on the vehicle which causes door mounted motor actuators to unlock and unlatch the door after which a prebi... | 12/06/1994 |
| 5335451 | Insulated smoke doors for cooler/freezer applications A heavily insulated emergency smoke hatch door is equipped with an operating mechanism which is located external to a cooler and/or freezer. This external location of the operating mechanism provides for the accommodation of heavier weight doors without e... | 08/09/1994 |
| 5332279 | Power door operator for multi-passenger mass transit vehicles A power door operator for multi-passenger mass transit vehicles, typically buses, features electric actuation of dual swinging doors. A manual activator having an ergonometrically correct actuating plunger, for emergency door opening, operates a sleeved c... | 07/26/1994 |
| 5286073 | Device for fastening ajar door A device for fastening an ajar door of the operator's cab of a construction machine, which is small in size, presents a good appearance, and is easy to unfasten, has a plate support element (5) fixed to the outer surface of the operator's cab (2), a tubul... | 02/15/1994 |
| 5261186 | Fire door closure reset system A fire door closure reset system including a fire door movable between an opened position and a closed position relative to an opening through a wall; a lock for being pivotally attached relative to the wall for movement between a locked position and an u... | 11/16/1993 |
| 5205073 | Counterbalanced door assembly with reduced initial closing force A door closing mechanism, preferably mounted on a counterbalanced door assembly, which provides a mechanical advantage to close the door and overcome the forces of friction, inertia and any counterbalancing forces. A slot plate with a curved control slot ... | 04/27/1993 |
| 5163574 | Pedal trash bin A pedal trash receptacle intended for use in public places including restaurants, which allows two-handed handling of food trays. The trash receptacle utilizes a push-pull, or Bowden type cable connected between a foot pedal and a pivotally mounted door t... | 11/17/1992 |
| 5140173 | Microprocessor controlled door holder The invention comprises a method for operating a door hold-open device and a device for carrying out the method. A door hold-open device which unlatches a held door based upon the occurrence of an unlatch condition includes a door latching mechanism, a si... | 08/18/1992 |
| 5103591 | Swing-away, emergency escape window A swing-away emergency escape window is provided which automatically swings outwardly from a closed position to an opened position when a latching handle is actuated. A method of converting a conventional window to the emergency escape window is described... | 04/14/1992 |
| 5090640 | Aircraft door operating mechanism A stored energy system for opening aircraft doors, especially useful in connection with emergency slide compartment doors. The system includes a mechanical energy door opening mechanism and a mechanical energy door latch mechanism leaving a latch actuator... | 02/25/1992 |
| 5083343 | Hydraulically damping apparatus for door of control part of electric and electronic goods A hydraulically damping apparatus for the door of a control part of electric and electronic goods comprises a damper body, a rotating fan having wings mounted on a shaft, a transmitting lever operatively fixed to the shaft of the rotating fan and a door i... | 01/28/1992 |
| 5072973 | Door hold open device A door hold open device for use with fire doors connected to a door closer unit. The hold open device has a latching means that automatically unlatches if the power supply drops below a predetermined threshold or a person attempts to disconnect the power ... | 12/17/1991 |
| 5067277 | Shutter opening device particularly for pleasure craft hatchways The shutter opening device, particularly for pleasure craft hatchways, has a gas spring type pneumatic cylinder which actuates the closing and opening movements of the shutter of hatch. A control rod protrudes from the stem of the cylinder, and a pivoting... | 11/26/1991 |
| 5044680 | Door holder power supply access member A door hold open device for use with fire doors connected to a door closer unit. The hold open device has a latching means that automatically unlatches if the power supply drops below a predetermined threshold or a person attempts to disconnect the power ... | 09/03/1991 |
